Sunday of my Life

Ack! It’s official! I’ve been tagged! So, then, here’s Five Things You Didn’t Know About Me.

1. I elected never to take mathematics classes beyond year 10. Despite the fact that it severely damaged my immediate University prospects, this was the course of prudence for me. Better to not take a class at all than to fail it, and better to fill its space with classes I can pass.
2. Okay, this one some people probably know, and some don’t: In year 7, my first year of highschool, I played the Tinman in the school’s production of the Wizard of Oz. And nearly choked doing one of the dances when my costume caught on itself, and the collar jammed up hard against my throat.
3. I once spent an afternoon with one of my oldest, dearest friends at the local swimming pool, convincing a group of people I came from some tiny and unimaginably distant freign country. I spouted absolute gibberish, and my friend pretended to translate for me.
4. Another of my friends, and she knows who she is, formed the basis for one of my roleplaying characters. Some aspects of her appearance carried over into this character, and some of her manner. I hope she’s happy with what I’ve done with her.
5. Finally, I’ve always harboured a dream of being a stage actor, professionally. It’s not something I think I could ever achieve, but it’s a nice dream to hold close, every once in a while.

There… I may or may not tag people via IM or email.

Okay, after my esteemed host did one, I couldn’t resist.

One of my friends is currently undergoing a procedure to help save his sight. Eye surgery != fun, never. My thoughts are with you Matt. Here’s for the best of luck.

Having heard yesterday’s seniment echoed on the train in today, I thoguht perhapsto share it. Getting on the train bright and early this morning (I have a presentation to give today in my WAN Fundamentals class) I happened to sit behind a pair of teachers on their way to a conference. The very first thing I heard after I sat down was…

“… and that’s why you’re such a natural teacher. Every time I walk past your classes I see a smile on your face, and you’re cracking some joke or another. You show your students how even the most dry and dusty of subjects can be fun.”

Well then, thought I, that goes to show I’m not alone in this, doesn’t it?

We in networking talk about the “Essential Abilities”… Scalability, Affordability, Manageability, Securability, Useability, etc… but Employability; that is the most essential ability of all. The one we oftentimes neglect. But lately a certain special someone has proved her employability, just as I knew she would. Yes, I’m talking about the ever-wonderful, ever-witty, ever-lovely Dorothea Salo who has managed to get herself a job very soon after graduating her MLS; a very nice job at that. To you I offer heartfelt congratulations Dorothea. You have more than earned it.

Well, for the sake of it, I guess. Those who know me know I’m not really the most overtly religious of people. I have faith and spirituality and opinions about them and my own ideas, but I don’t share it, becuase I don’t really see a point. It’s mine — wholly mine — and no one else’s and, frankly, whether or not anyone else agrees or with or shares my beliefs doesn’t really make that much of a difference to me. But a prayer, this evening, for a friend. For a lot of my friends actually, but for one in particular. He means so much to me; a guy who, though just about twice my age, has been there for me for over 10 years now. A true friend, in every sense of the word. He recently lost his father, and has now been laid low himself by a heart attack. He’s currently in a hospital in New Zealand — I know not which one — and lacking any place better ot put my thoughts, I’ll put them here, in this journal; the place intended originally for my thoughts and aspirations.

A Prayer

———–

Listen now unto these words.
They come from the heart,
To speak to the soul.

Though times ahead may seem dark,
Remember that friends are with you,
And naught will change that.

What life may bring you,
We will be there,
And help is always at your call.

We offer friendship, and love
Each in our own way,
But all with sincerity.

We will be there, through the battles ahead,
We will be there for you, come what may,
Always and forever.

———–

There, I’ve said my piece for the night.

I do apologise for the laxity of my updates of late. I’ve been doing things. I’ll try to pick up the pace a bit more in the coming weeks. Trying is all I can promise, for now.

OK, so I had some bad news from a friend today, a death in his family and a lot of things to take care of now, doing what I can to help and yada yada… so before I forget all about this in the midst of the shite:

Happy Birthday Drew. 26 today. And many more happy returns. Hope you are your lovely wife enjoy yourselves tonight and over the weekend. Sorry I couldn’t be there.

Dorothea is off for another job interview, and things are looking promising for this one. So here’s an appendage or two crossed for you Dorothea. Hope you get it and it turns out ot be everything you hoped for.

As soon as you get it you get the terrible urge to pass it on (bad simile, I know, but it’s late, get over it.)

I passed it on. One of my main men, and a tutee of mine, Drewboy, has opened his new blog. And damn good on him I say. Another one in the pack; another voice on the net. Glad to have you in the fold, my friend.

And here we have the thrice-memedom that I shamelessly stole from Dorothea’s livejournal stream

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY
1. Adrian
2. Skaarjj
3. Hey, you!

THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD
1. Skaarjj
2. ShadowFox
3. TranceyRien

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF
1. Quick to learn
2. Never forget a number
3. Mistakes are not generally repeated

THREE THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF
1. Quick to anger
2. Real problem with my weight
3. Slow to trust people

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE
1. English
2. Scottish
3. A family of thieves from way, way back

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU
1. The dark
2. Losing control of myself
3. Losing control of myself in the dark.

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS
1. Books.
2. The Internet
3. My computer (with its e-books and connection to said Internet)

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW
1. Olive-drab 3/4 lengths
2. Steel-rimmed glasses
3. A sheen of sweat, becuase damn it’s hot in here right now

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS OR MUSICAL ARTISTS
1. Tim Freedman
2. The Whitlams
3. Evermore

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS
1. “Up Against The Wall” The Whitlams
2. “Make The World Safe” The Whitlams
3. “400 Miles From Darwin” The Whitlams

THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS
1. Passing my Cisco CCNA Final, that sounds fun.
2. Finally completing all the designs for this blog
3. Driving

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP
1. A relationship
2. Fun
3. The ability to co-exist peaceably with mutual interests, respect and an understanding of the need for personal space.

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE (in no particular order)
1. I am always bright, chipper and happy
2. I am working harder on being bright, chipper and happy
3. The medication does help, more than it hurts

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX (or same) THAT APPEAL TO YOU
1. Eyes.
2. Understanding
3. A nature that lends itself to mindless adoration a desire to help and solve problems.

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES
1. Programming
2. Roleplaying
3. Scale Modelling

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW
1. Eat Lunch
2. Go and get some dental work done, beucase lucky ol’ me lost a filling, which seems to be developing into an abcess to judge by the pain behind my ear.
3. Have money… and icecream…. or icecream filled with 2-dollar coins… that’s be good. Or possibly chocolate money.

THREE CAREERS YOU’RE CONSIDERING
1. Network Administrator
2. E-Security consultant
3. Network Data Cabling Technician

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION
1. Madison, Wisconsin, US of A
2. Mount Eccles, just past Leongatha, Victoria, Australia
3. Portsmouth, England

THREE KID’S NAMES:
1. Kayleigh
2. Michael
3. Amelia

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE
1. Watch the fall of Microsoft
2. Have enough money in an account that I can live off the interest it generates.
3. Learn to actually program well and with some semblance of speed, instead of little pieces here and there.

THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A BOY
1. *Fart* he he he… (only occasionally though)
2. I’m bored… what can I build?
3. Nerd… totally and utterly. Glasses, Hair, Attitude, Knowing the names of more than 20 Star Trek-Episodes and able to recite Star Wards word-for-word.

THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A CHICK
1. Is there anything I can do to help?
2. Dont. Touch. That. OK… you touched it…
3. Fussing over my sisters’ appearance before she goes out and/or assisting in the selection of proper jewelery and styling of hair.

THREE CELEB CRUSHES
1. Denise Richards, just cuz.
2. Angelina Jolie, the original Miss BYO-collagen
3. Drew Barrymore, a divine beauty

THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TAKE THIS QUIZ NOW
1. Tim Freedman
2. John Howard
3. Ziggy Zwakowski (former CEO of Hell$tra Telstra)