Daft Punk, in 2 more sleeps (but as if i'm going to be able to sleep!) very excited. Here's a film clip made up of fan footage of their concerts.

---from Ra.net ---
This was shot live in Brooklyn by 250 camera-wielding fans at a concert.The video is directed by Olivier Gondry, brother of Michel Gondry, who has directed a Daft Punk video or two himself in his time. The cut is from Daft Punk's new album Alive 2007 due in December, but don't expect any more where this came from. "That's the way we want to leave it right now," Bangalter told Billboard magazine."We were inspired by the Beastie Boys' 'Awesome, I F-ckin' Shot That!' and tried to do that in a four-minute video," says Bangalter. What that means is that the video was shot by the fans, in this case 250 audience members who brought along home DV cameras to Daft Punk's show in Brooklyn in August. And as ever, the result is eye-popping.

Labels: Brett Gibson, Fun, Music

Okay, so clayton's house. But thought I would put pics up to show the place.

This is the kitchen, it has a raised bench surface for easier access to chopping boards and the mother-of-all-fridges. Notice the light in the cupboard behind the (hot) model, and pearlescent light in the skylight.

This is the view into the house from the entrance (next to the raised bench). While the lights look like a runway strip in this photo, they are great and can be set for 'mood'. The tiles are nice and big, and straight. Like that they are straight. Behind the curtains at the end is our balcony.This is out on the balcony. The timber decking makes it level, and the bar was made by Clayton and Dan. It's a sweet bar with enough space for 4 people to eat breakfast or have a drink at.

Labels: Brett Gibson, Home

It's been a while since last post. Since then I've been down to Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast. Sydney was great, I caught up with old team mates, hung out with Gabi, went to Brett Hoffman's birthday and saw a lot of the trainees (hopefully not for the last time before they go!). Ironically, having gone to Sydney because Penny was in town, I was informed I would then be going to Perth for training the next week.
The training was really good, and the new budgeting module that is being released is really good. Now to get up a few models in time for the Qld Local Government amalgamations so that we can show them why ours is the product they need when councils merge and they need to throw out one system or another.

Next trip is planned to go to Ayr for a demo to a property development group, although it looks like I'm not going to Darwin as initially thought.

Two other things - I'm sick atm. Stupid cold that has been going around and claimed most of the people at work over the last month has finally caught up with me. I had thought I'd managed to dodge it, but no luck. And Uni starts again next week.

This will be my final semester as an undergrad student (I really hope I haven't missed something!!!). I'm anxious to get it over with, and want to do well again, but will be a little bit sad to see it end.

Labels: Brett Gibson, Holidays, QUT, Technology One, Update, Work

Jean "Judy" Abrahams

11/11/1923 - 17/06/2007

Born on 11 November 1923 in Ashfield, Jean was 2nd daughter of Percy, a photographer, and Constance, his English WW I bride. She grew up in Ashfield, with holidays in the seaside cottage in Cronulla. An independent, verbal little girl who challenged everything, especially her elder sister Margaret, known as Peg/gie but nicknamed Punch and hence, Jean became Judy and was evermore known as Judy.

Judy was involved with St John Ambulance cadets and was one the youngest at that time to attain her Grand Prior Badge and was a member of the Voluntary Aide Detachment during the war and reminisces of walking in blacked out streets and being in Sydney town when the mini-subs sank the HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney Harbour.

She met Cedric at St John and wedded on 21 July 1945. After Cedric's acceptance of a position with the Public Health Department, they went to Kavieng in New Ireland, an island at the very top end of New Guinea, in November 1947. The next years saw regular moves as Ced worked with Public Health throughout New Guinea when a bad jeep accident saw her in Wewak with children in hospital. David spent nearly 4 months hospitalised. Judy was only in her twenties when handling all this upheaval thousands of miles from family or friends, in a primitive country recovering from WWII, where she was often first white woman and her kids the first seen by tribesmen when travelling to "social functions" on outstations or joining Ced on immunisation patrols. Back to Yangoru in 1952, followed by Lae and another leave before reaching Daru in September 1955. Her decision to return to Australia in 1956, without husband, was the gossip of the Territory of Papua & New Guinea for months!!!

Attitudes prevailing at that time were hard on a young separated woman with 2 kids, but returning to her family home, she held full time secretarial work and purchased a rather weather beaten, weatherboard house to make into a home, which was open house for many of the Burwood area. Judy followed her father's love of the spoken word with years as a member of the ladies public speaking organisation, Phoenix, which would often meet with Rostrum, where her dad and many of the male influences of her youth met.

One of the most amazing things in her life at this time was her marriage in 1964 to Ray Abrahams a 40 year old bachelor, youngest of four children, fanatical Wests Magpies supporter, nary-a-care-tiler, later known as "half-day Ray" due to his desire not to be a slave to the work ethic! Ray could direct one around Sydney by getting you from one corner pub to the next, with the local, "having a fling" and eventually lawn bowls filling his afternoons, not to forget his ongoing love for Wests, even when they moved so far from his old stomping grounds. This marriage lasted exactly 31 years, his dying at 3am the morning after their 31st wedding anniversary.

Joining Ray in the Woy Woy area, Judy became secretary to the MD of the new company establishing itself in Australia, Sara Lee. It was about this time she accepted an extension to her Justice of the Peace duties and was appointed as the first woman Civil Marriage Celebrant in the Woy Woy area when two appointments were made by the NSW government. Eventually she left full time secretarial work and undertook part time positions to compliment her ever increasing marriage celebrant duties. No one on the Central Coast of NSW can be more than about 3 or 4 removed from Judy, from 1976 to 2002 she performed 1528 weddings!

Judy passed away on the 17^th of July 2007 without warning after a fall. A remarkable lady, I’m glad I was able to hear her stories, enjoy her company and share many a Whisky with Nana.

Rest in Peace.

Labels: Family

Mid way through exams, I have one due Friday night and another next Friday morning then freedom for a little while.

The one I have done I killed. And so far the one tomorrow is looking good.

Labels: Brett Gibson, QUT, Update

Two things I've read over the last 24hours have made me laugh with surprise.

First was the news that gay prisoners in California are allowed to have conjugal visits (read article here). Now honestly, I couldn't care less either way, but the quote from the guy who was the first gay man to ever have one of these special visits was hilarious:

"To carve my name into the first brick to be laid in the foundation ... is something I will always be proud of, honestly,"

Labels: Brett Gibson, Funny, QUT, Update

One of the things I try to gain from dealing with different people is to understand how they see the world and why an opinion like theirs is formed. Other 'Why' questions come up with arbitrary things like why Australia is at the bottom of the map (did you know medieval european maps had East at the top, which is why they call it Orientation, and had Jerusalem in the centre?)

But arbitrary orientation aside, it's interesting to see how the world looks when real information is used to draw out what the real world looks like. From things like HIV and poverty to meat imports/exports and the true wealth of nations. What does your world look like?

HIV Infections
Military Spending
Deaths from WarMeatWealth of Nations (1,1500, 1900, 1960, 1990, 2015)

More cartographs can be found here: worldmapper.org

Labels: Life's Questions, World Domination

So the last month(ish) has seen no updates, but it's not because I haven't been doing anything, it's because I've been lazy and doing other things. Firstly, I chaired AIESEC's state Conference with Al Speirs, which was again a great experience. It's amazing to see how well AIESEC Qld has done in getting so many talented and eager new members. The conference had over 90 people, which is a far cry from the 40-50 that it normally gets! Of course along with the great sessions and big learning experiences from everyone who went (either as a delegate, facilitator, oc or chair), there was the annual skölling competition for the XXXX cup, and alumni won the coveted cup in a blazing effort. That means I've been part of the winning team of that cup 4 times in 5 years!

Also, after a mammoth period at work, we presented the largest demo I've been involved in to a potential client. We found out we didn't get the deal in the end which was a bit surprising, but was a fantastic challenge none the less. Otherwise at work things are going well, I'm enjoying getting the opportunity to present to clients more and more, and will at the end of the month present an hour session to QUT Accounting students. Ironic that they're getting an IT salesman with a background in HR to tell them about it :)

I've been down to sydney and had the most fantastic time, seeing everyone at Sveta, Susu and Jeremy's housewarming/red party, going to the Minus5 Ice-bar at Circular Quay, seeing movies, going to the Museum of Sydney, and the Wooloomooloo Community festival with Gabi. It was the best way to relax after the most stressful time in a long time!
Another reason it was stressful was because of the unit renovations, but I can say that the place looks freaking awesome (pictures still to come... yep, still no camera). So to celebrate the sweet looking pad, we had a toga party on Friday night. I think toga's are the way of the future... And I'm glad I got over the stomach bug/thing I had for the week, argh, I pride myself on never being sick, but this one had me feeling horrible. Surprising then that I had a lovely seafood lunch with Mum, Nana, David, Yvette and Brett (Jr) for mothers day on the Gold Coast. If it weren't for having to do the long train ride that I did most days of 3 years before moving to Sydney I'd definitely be down there more often. (Brett is soo cute. He has this knack for attracting good looking waitresses who adore him to the table which seems to be a skill that might get him into trouble in the future! ah to have curly blonde hair and great big blue eyes! :)

Now heading into some painfully busy weeks at uni with assignments and then into exam block. Starting to feel like I've got motivation to study again which is coming in at the right time and means I don't do the homework begrudgingly. Another semester of 6's and 7's? Hopefully! Fortunately the lack of any decent rain for however long it has been means that the last round of golf was terrible (to the point of having to tee up shots on the fairway!), so I'm not lamenting the lack of chasing the little white ball for the time being!

Labels: AIESEC, Brett Gibson, Family, Fun, Holidays, Home, QUT, Technology One, Update, Work

Here's a post from the Dilbert blog by Scott Adams- one of my regular net reads. Just about the funniest thing on the net.

Getting some tail was just never meant to be this way.....

---------------
Oh Deer
by Scott Adams

Labels: Brett Gibson, Fun, Life's Questions, Ripped Off

For the last 2 weeks I have been living in a room 10x8ft. We're getting a new kitchen put in and that means they've ripped out the kitchen and all the tiles through the living room leaving a sudty concrete floor and a shell of a home. I would have pics to show you, but my camera got stolen a few weeks ago.

But, I can tell you right now - I don't think i'm the renovator type.

The amount of hassle that Clayton has gone through to get the plans done, colours picked and tradesmen working has been hell. Plus the dust and inconvenience of having to leave the house early each morning (whether I have something planned or not) to avoid the workers banging around outside my room has meant i'm either at work, uni or the gym - all day. I like the city, but having to spend a lot of forced time there is painful.

Finally, it is sending me broke. They turn off the fridge during the day, so I've been living of Subway. I think if i see Adro on the in-store posters again I will break it in half. I dont care how much weight he lost.

Only another 10 days of it. can't wait till it's done. (Oh, and it should look great too!!!)

Labels: Brett Gibson, Home, Update

Found this resource, which is just about the best thing any AIESECer or Business Traveller could ask for - a seating layout for different airlines. Knowing which row is going to give you the best chance for a bit of sleep has got to be a great thing, because there's nothing worse than only having a few days of exploring time before or after a conference and having chronic jetlag. The fact that you can now check-in a day in advance and book your seat makes this the best lifehack I've found so far in 2007.

http://www.frequentflyer.oag.com/airlines_airports/seating.asp

Here's an example (cut down by me) of the seating plan to help with your next trip.

UPDATE: From Lil's article post, here's some other sites who provide other usefull flight tips. SeatGuru.com, SeatExpert.com, LoveMySeat.com

Labels: Fun, Holidays, Lifehack, Update, Work

I can be a bit of a snob when it comes to Rugby, and I make no secret that my preferred ball sport besides playing a round of golf is Rugby (aka Rugby Union). There's a number of reasons for this, I'm sure growing up in South Africa supporting the Bulls was one of them, another being the flow that the game can be played with. But honestly, I think one of the reasons is the class with which it is played and the crowd who follows it. Lately, a line I have pulled out a number of times is that the ladies at a Rugby Union match are much prettier than that of Rugby league, identified by the fact that most still have their own teeth. yep, bad joke, but one I'll stick with for a while.

Tonight, that statement will need to be altered slightly in that it's true of Rugby in Australia, but perhaps not so of New Zealand...
The most annoying crowds I've been to so far have been played against NZ teams. With NZ supporters almost starting fights in the stands at the Hurricanes match at the start of the season and tonight getting a headache courtesy of the Chiefs fans. And the language coming out of the 10 year old Chief's fans sitting with their parents 2 rows behind us were not what I'd expect of a merchant sailor!

Rant over. Bad news - Queensland Reds lost again. Once again giving away a penalty within 10 minutes of the final siren and thus losing the lead/game (same thing happened against the Lions 2 weeks ago). At least the match fixing and associated activities (as seen in Cricket World Cup) aren't apparent - who would need to pay money for the Reds to lose a match?!?
Next game is against the NSW Warratahs and it's always a good one (and one that Qld normally wins, regardless of how the season is going), so looking forward to that.

Rugby - the game played in heaven...

Labels: Update

Fortune magazine has ranked their Top 20 Most Admired Companies.
GE is top of the list again, with Apple making the cut this year too. Others included Toyota, Google, Johnson&Johnson, Goldman Sachs and Starbucks.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/mostadmired/2007/index.html

It'd be interesting to get a most admired globally, with different perspectives (ie, Environmental, Employees, Financial Soundness, Innovation, Global'ness)

Labels: Work, World Domination

This is when Google will really change the world...

This Saturday:

Labels: Fun, Music