Marc's Journal

Hi, my name's Marc and it's been...

... four days since my last blog. I guess I'm conscious of not turning my blog into a "today I woke up, showered, and sat around, played with my dog, read a bit, went to sleep" kind of blog. I want it to be something that's going to be at last half interesting for those of you I've forced to subscribe! *laugh*

Yes, don't think you're the only one :P

What's new? Well, we had a long weekend here in Australia. ANZAC day I think, and shoot me now if I got it wrong 'cos that would be very unpatriotic of me. Not that I really think we should be celebrating death and war and destruction. Heros? They shot people. I think the heros are the people who don't fight. If only we could get *everyone* onboard for that one. Not going to happen, still, I can dream.. hehe

Hrm.. I detect I've been a little influenced by the last book I read. Well, it's a trilogy, but conveniently packaged up into one volume. K-PAX. You might have seen the movie, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey. Great stuff. The "omnibus" comes with prot's report on Earth, too. Which is lovely and damning, but he certainly raises some good points.

Basically prot is one of the personalities of a guy suffering from, you guessed it, multiple personality disorder. Or is he? prot claims to be from the planet K-PAX, where everything is wonderful, far from the troubles we humans have. Whilst he's around, he makes a report on Earth to report back to his fellow K-PAXians.

Inspired by Oliver Sacks's "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat", you find yourself drawn into the book so much that you find yourself wishing prot really *was* from K-PAX, and that his vision of what people can really be like is true. The book, obviously going into more detail than the movie, goes deeper into the psychoanalysis of Robert (prot's host), as well as the different patients at the same institute.

It's a wonderful book because of it's insight into the world of psychoanalysis, multiple personality disorder, as well as prot's report on how to fix what's wrong with the world. It's one of those books where you come away having learnt something, as well as being thoroughly entertained. And there's a strong message in this book too, very positive. So yes, I do think I've been influenced by it a little. Read this book!

I was up until 5am last night finishing it. Ewps!

What else.. Well, over the long weekend I felt a little discombobulated. It was weird, I didn't feel like doing anything. When I tried to do something, I found it wasn't something I wanted to do. Nothing was. Strange. Chatting with a friend last night, and having seen some indoor rock climbing on Queer Eye, I decided I had to do something *different*. So I investigated a few local indoor climbing places, and I'm going to promise myself to get along to one of them to have a go. To do something physical for once. And my friend and I have always talked about taking up a martial art. So, we made more plans for that, again. After I go back to visit my parents in the country, I think I'll be starting Aikido. Those of you who know me, would know I'm a bit of a pacifist, so it's rather interesting I should be attracted to a martial art. As well as it being fighting, I mean, how butch! All that grunting and testosterone. That's why I'm choosing Aikido, apparently it means "the way of harmony of ki". It's a more spiritual martial art, but no so that it's in-your-face. It's also slower to master if you want to use it to beat people up. It's a standing still but strong kind of martial art, mainly for defense, not attack. So that all goes well with me. Plus it's a discipline, which is always good, and it'll be good for my health, fitness, flexibility and general well-being. I think it'll be good. We'll see how it goes, I'll keep you posted.

Oh, and it's my last week at Hudson this week. Will probably be very busy. I get to start my new contract next week, back to shirts and ties. Well, at least for a few days.. *laughing*

28 Days Later

I saw this (on DVD) last night at a friend's place. I saw it in the hire place, thought it had potential, so we picked it up.

Well, it had potential, but it didn't deliver.

Premise: A guy wakes up in London from a coma, only to discover that London has been evacuated, and there are some crazies running around with a virus called Rage. He meets some uninfected people and together they travel north to seek out help, and a cure.

The screenplay was written by Alex Garland, who wrote The Beach (now a film), and directed by the director of Trainspotting and Shallow Grave.

I think, if this movie ever was a book, it should have stayed a book. Readers are much more forgiving than movie go-ers. The movie was FULL OF HOLES!!! The biggest one to me was that these crazies are running around infected with this virus that fills them with rage, and makes them attack the lead character and chase after the other people he meets, but why on earth aren't they attacking each other? They're all psycho, yet they can tell the difference between infected and uninfected?

If there was an explanation for it, it wasn't in the movie. People say you get the explanation from the director's commentary. But you shouldn't *have* to, thats my point.

It was also very War of the Worlds. Lone survivors after an attack wander through empty London, and meet a nutty soldier who thinks he can rebuild. Basically they get up to Manchester where about 9 soldiers have holed themselves up in a large country house, and their "solution" to the virus, is to start again, with the women this guy has brought with them. They escape eventually, and by the end of the movie you're shown them in a small house out in the countryside, flagging down a plane that's going overhead, so you presume it's a happy ending.

Apparently there are metaphors all through the movie. I didn't catch them, unless they were lame and I just rolled my eyes.

This storyline would work much better in a book. The reader gets to fill in the blanks himself. If you're like me, you fill the holes in and you keep reading. If you're less discerning, you just read without thinking. One of the guys the lead meets has put buckets on his roof, because there isn't any running water. Why can't they pop down to a supermarket for all the bottled water? They go through a supermarket later, why didn't they think of that before? In a book you would just imagine the imagery of all those buckets, and not think about it.

Anyway.. there are saving graces (even if they weren't enough to really save it). Firstly, they managed to clear out large sections of the centre of London. Quite impressive to see Westminster Bridge Road with no people on it, with papers blowing in the wind. Other locations - the cenotaph on Whitehall, that was just eerie, and Picadilly Circus with no cars. Very bizarre.

Secondly, it was filmed entirely in digital video. Wow! Gave it a bit of an edgy feel, and very clear in places, and the colour was very distinctive. With my own interest in DV it was great to see a feature-length film utilising it. So that was very cool.

But yeah, thumbs down overall, which is a pity.

Oh, that reminds me...

I remember getting this in an email and being most amused:

Laura Schlessinger is a US radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstances. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a US resident:

Dear Dr. Laura:
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him or her that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sunday (the Sabbath). In the book of Exodus verse 35:2 it clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev.24:10-16). Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14).

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging. Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

Well, if you can do it in the bible...

It seems a couple in Germany are being investigated by the police for offering to sell their daughter on eBay.

Why should they get into trouble? Why, Exodus 21:7 quite clearly states:

"When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do."

*grin*

Missed appointment, new contract, new job!

Well, I was supposed to have a meeting with one of the heads of departments at UniSA yesterday, but it didn't eventuate. She was probably too busy. She is the head of department, afterall. At least I think she is. I had emailed her to ask about the possibility of doing external subjects at UniSA whilst I was doing the double degree of International Studies/Media Studies at Adelaide Uni. She replied back saying she was writing UniSA's curriculum of that double degree at that particular point, and it was best that I came saw her. I was thinking she was going to try to convince me to come study there, rather than Adelaide Uni. Adelaide is closer, like about 10 minutes walk, and UniSA is like a bus away. But still, the reason I wanted to do subjects there still exists; they have practical courses in film/television, whereas Adelaide only has theory, it's practicals are in radio and multimedia. Zzzzzzzzz.

So yeah, I guess she was busy. I'll keep you updated when I do eventually get to speak to her. She's seems prettty interesting, she has a doctorate, and she's pretty interested in youth and media. She's currently researching a book on Madonna. How cool is that.. :) So yeah, I'm looking forward to meeting her.. :)

New contract? Yeah - the booking system we've had the proposal in for *ages* has finally come through. Looks good - initially providing a booking system to 3 in a franchise, up to a possible 13 at a later date. Pretty big stuff. The actual system should be fairly simple, but overall it's going to be a big learning experience.

We have to worry about maintaining current versions across multiple sites, providing support, updates, patches, training, all that. Should be good, and a good start to my business, too. If we're successful in presenting this application to 13 in a franchise, then it could spread elsewhere. That's our goal, I suppose, as well as branching the software out to meet other needs as they arise, too.

So that's all good. It's the income that will allow me to be a fulltime student, so I'm really looking forward to it.. :)

New job? Well, it's still a contract, but I'm a contractor, rather than the business providing the software. I've previously been contracting at Hudson, working on their learner management system, which is really fascinating, actually. Online learning, it's a big thing. But that contract is due to expire at the end of April and I needed something else part-time whilst I got the majority of the work for the franchises out of the way, so I've just taken a new contract at NRG Flinders, who supply electricity to South Australia. Sounds boring, but the job will be good - Senior Analyst/Programmer, working with a bunch of VB developers and Oracle DBAs. I *think* I'll be the only web developer, but I'm not sure. That starts next month, so I'll let you know how it goes. :)

Great use of technology...

See, now this is cool. The Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen is a theme park, and they've installed Bluetooth devices all over the place. You can hire an arm-tag for your child (or dog or husband), and if you lose them, you SMS the tag's id to a particular number, and it will reply with the location of the last device they walked past.

Someone's thinking! This is a great use of technology - people need to look at the way we use existing traditional technlogy and use it to improve our way of life, not just how we do business. Bluetooth is a traditonal technology, just with big improvements. It's still networking - but now we're finding better smarter ways to use the technology.

Another great concept I read about today is the Ambient Orb. This idea sprung from the need for different user interfaces. It's a barameter, basically, for whatever you want to monitor. Originally it'll monitor stock prices, and glow a certain colour and even intensity, depending on the stock price. You can set it to monitor visitors to websites, server performance, track book sales, guests in a museum, whatever data you can capture and make available.

It's a brilliant idea - humans are so visual in the way we look at things, we prefer pictures over text. What better way to monitor your stock prices than a soft glowing orb? You wouldn't even have to specifically look at it, you could walk into the room and subconsciously you'd know if you needed to panic about your stock price or not, or whether there are too many people waiting in the queue at your mother's sandwich bar. It's non-intrusive technlogy, and certainly more user-friendly than having to read a number from a display, or checking a stock-ticker on your computer.

Parties, interviews and karting

What's been happening? A few things, I guess. My Squeezebox is still going fabulous. I attended an 18th birthday part y on Saturday night for Vanessa, one of the girls in 42nd Street. The theme was "come as your favourite musicals character, or else". Well, I ummed and arrred for ages about this one. I mean, how many male musical characters don't simply wear a suit? Or casual clothes? What male character has a distinctive look?

Franknfurter, that's who.

Pics to come :p

Was a good party. Have discovered that high heels make your calves look very sexy. Even if they hurt like hell. Almost broke my ankle trying them on in the sex shop where I bought them. Didn't fancy my chances of hiring size 12 high heels.. *laugh* Oh well, guess I'll flog them off to the next tall drag queen I see :)

I certainly got a lot of attention at the party. For those of you who don't know me, I'm 6'3". I'm not sure how big the heels were, I'd say about 5 inch? Bloody big. People didn't recognise me because of the extra height. Or the outfit, or the makeup. I have this to say though, *thank god* I didn't recognise myself after putting on the makeup and wig.

I met Vanessa's best friend Annie at her place (she lives next door) to prepare.. Annie went to the party as Colombia (also from Rocky Horror) so it was a good match. She helped me with the makeup and the styling. I think we did pretty well.. *laugh* My first time in drag.. Lets also say it's the last! *grin*

The party was good, was excellent to catch up with cast members again. Even if I will see most of them this Friday when we go together to see Jesus Christ Superstar. Lets see, who was there. Sydney came as his alter-ego "Paige". That made two of us in heels. The birthday girl was Sally Bowles, from Cabaret, and a very good one, too. That was going to be my second choice of costume.. *grin* Rowan was Cosmo from Singing in the Rain.. Shelly the witch from Into the Woods, Sebastian was the Phantom.. Although I only saw him his outfit once because it was too hot apparently. He should try wearing a wig and surgeon's gown! And as Seb does at cast parties, he got quite drunk. What a sweet guy, really, drunk or sober. Very sweet. Gorgeous too, but that only adds to his sweetness... *grin* Who else.. oh, we had Josie and the Pussycats, Mamma Mia, Hair, people from all sorts of shows.

What else happened.. Oh, I had a job interview at NRG Flinders, a utilities company here in South Australia. They sell their electricity on the national market, or something. They're one of the resulting companies when our government energy provider split up. It'd be a good job, I think, being the only web developer. There are VB programmers and a couple of Oracle DBAs, but my role would be the development of the intranets. Sounds good, and the guys I met at the interview seemed really nice. I never know how to conduct myself in interviews anymore, I think gone are the days of yes sir no sir, just like they teach you at school. The interviews I go to seem more like chats with friends and colleagues. I think that's important, though, it enables them to work out if they'd actually like working with you, rather than just if you can do the job or not. And if they've half a clue about the technologies involved, they can tell you know what you're doing just by the way you talk about stuff you've done. Much more important than having a ton of acronyms on a resume. I think they want someone fulltime, I'm only available part-time, so I guess I'll see how it goes.

Oh! Oh! I'm going karting again tonight! Time to come last again! *laughing* Last year, I went with Craig and a bunch of workmates to karting, where we had 4 races of 15 laps or something. I came last, go me! *laugh* I wouldn't have come last expect for one shitty situation. I tell this to everyone as justification, you decide :p Here's what happened. Basically, if you came last in a race, you ended up at the start of the grid for the next race. So basically, the second race I was up near the front (I didn't come last in the first race), so I finished the second race reasonably ok. It's a tight track, so it's hard to overtake. Anyway, it's the last race, and Alex & I are stuck at the front of the grid, based on coming last and second to last in the previous race. So we're holding the front of the pack for like 90% of the race. I was going to come first. It was all set. Then some guy comes up behind me and going around a corner, shoves me into the wall. And all of a sudden we've got a pileup! Alex keeps going, and the rest of us are stuck, and I'm embedded between the wall and the rest of the drivers. So the stewards come out, wave the yellow flag, and then straighten out all the cars. Who do they straighten out first? The bastard that shoved me into the wall. And because I was the most stuck, I was straightened out last. So what position did I come? Last. From first to last, and all because that bastard shoved me into the wall. It would have only been fair to have put us all back at the positions we were before the crash, but there you have it. Last.

I'm going to play much more aggressive tonight. If that guy is there.. then.. grrrrr

You! Yes you! Do you love your MP3?

*swoon*

Ok, confessions of a gadget-queen. I love my gadgets. I got my latest gadget today. This exceeds any gadget you could possibly imagine having. Well, as long as you love your mp3. And you're sick of them playing off your computer and ignoring the lovely stereo you might have in your lounge. And if you are, then THIS IS FOR YOU! Trust me. It's a Squeezebox, by Slim Devices. I got the wireless version, but it also does ethernet. It basically plays the mp3s from my LAN, straight to my stereo. Well, in my case, straight to my Creative Extigy and my 6.1 speakers. With a very sexy interface, and *amazingly* easy to use remote control. Gives you the quickest access to your music collection.

And my collection is pretty big. You can search for tracks, create playlists on the fly, browse artists, albums, all those things you're used to doing in Winamp or Media Player. But this is sexier! And so easy to use.

This is what it took to install it.

Install software on the server, pick the music folder, pick a playlist folder.
Plug the thing in.
Turn it on.
Confirm the wireless settings.
Confirm it's new ip address (or use DHCP).
Pick your gateway.

Bingo, it's ready to show you what music you've got, and play it straight to your stereo.

Oh - firmware updates. Normally a pain in the arse, right? Not for your Squeezebox. I turned it on. It said "Updates available, press and hold brightness to install". I found the brightness button on my remote, pushed it, and bingo, firmware update done.

I mean, this is laughable. Nothing is supposed to be this easy. Nothing *is* this easy. Like, who the hell makes hardware like this? No one. It's simple, sexy, and a brilliant idea and yes I know I can't stop gushing.

I think I'm making my iPod jealous.

It's my new gadget and I'm in love.

Enrolment!

Well, as much as this post will leave me exposed to ridicule from my best friend (more about that later), I'm pleased to announce that today I enrolled in a subject at uni. Just one. And non-award, too, which means it's not part of a bachelor degree. Well, it *can* be part of a bachelor degree, it's just that this year, when I do it, it won't be. What's the subject? "Image, Text and Representation". It's a media studies subject, on advertising, media, etc. Should be interesting.

Why am I doing it? To test the water of university, I guess. To exercise my brain. For fun. To say I'm a uni student. I dunno, all sorts of reasons, but it's still very exciting.

I'm going to wait and see what other time I can put aside, and possibly enrol in a couple of other subjects in Semester 2 also, being the generic "Media Studies", and "Introduction to Comparative Politics".

I'm doing these, because if I test the water of university and find it's to my liking, I want to enrol fulltime next year. The course I have my eye on is a double degree of International Studies/Media. Not because I want a job in them, or looking for a career change, or even that I need it for my current job. I'm simply interested in the topics covered therein.

It's also a good excuse to limber up my brain again, but in an official capacity.

I guess it's a little daunting though. Fulltime study. Haven't done that for many a year. Plus it's uni - all the other study I've done has been at TAFE, a technical college, so it's not *really* full on. But I guess that's what these non-award studies are also for - working out how you'll like uni. I don't *have* to go onto do the full degree, I can stick with non-award topics as long as I like, really. Whenever I get around to applying for the degree, I get recognition for all these non-award subjects.

Why am I finally looking at going to uni? Because this year I may end up working on project that should see me with income over the next few years, with minimum ongoing work, only a lump sum of work at the beginning. It's 99% in the bag, so it'll just be a hard slog for the next 6 months, and then I should be set for 2-3 years. I never wanted to be a poor uni student - I want to keep my CBD apartment, and the lifestyle that I've got. Hopefully I can have that, as well as study. I couldn't think of anything better.

Here's hoping eh?

Oh - and why should I be open to ridicule from my best friend? Only 'cos I start many things and finish none. Will this current fad go the same way as my MCAD, my other online uni studies, my book website... Probably.. *laugh* Do I deserve the ridicule? Definately.. *grin*

BUT!!! When I get my degree he has to learn a language.. Long story.. *laughing* I wonder if a double degree means two languages.. ;)

I think I'd better...

Isn't it amazing how music can express things so clearly?

Here, let this page express something I'm feeling.