... the IT man in LibraryLand
This weekend past Salsa Girl and I decided to provide Hulk with her first experience of the Zoological Gardens.
So we loaded ourselves up for the excursion - ironically sans excursion bag - and trekked out for the Google determined 17 minute trip.
35 minutes later we had arrived and made our way in for an afternoon of viewing exotic animals the like of which Hulk had never before seen. The two biggest and most exciting moments were seeing the seagulls gathered around the food stall, and seeing the ducks on the elephant pond.
We were joined by the Double Jays and progeny for the last part of our visit before it was time to transport a tired and overstimulated Hulk homewards.
Speaking of zoos, the weekend was rounded out with a Gaming Sunday and a houseful of gamers.
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A Conference Caution
Ordinarily a conference located on the Gold Coast would be an occasion for carefree abandon, joyous socialising, bountiful food and drink, and lastly some actual conference stuff.
However one's recent experience has proven to be one rife with moments requiring caution.
It all starts out fine, deciding on what apparel will be appropriate for the tropical-ish clime and planning many a walk or perhaps even a float in the ocean.
However the Caution here is: October may prove to be a stormy time up North and you may find your early arrival provides only stormy weather and hence only a hotel room to be experienced in comfort.
If one does venture out for a walk one rather rapidly discovers the tacky and touristy bent of the location and ends wondering about the usefulness of an early arrival to see the sites.
Of course the ever popular LibraryLand cocktails are a point towards said early arrival. (One does feel there is no need to Caution about the nature of the "cocktails" in question given my multitude of posts bemoaning this terrible bait and switch).
The conference events [proper were got (gotten?, gut?) underway with the traditional bus tour to local libraries. Somehow despite ones best attempts at punctuality one arrived in the foyer to find the bus loaded and the roll call underway. I do, however maintain that I was on time as it took a further 3 minutes to reach my name on the roll call.
The sessions themselves began the next day and one was reminded of one's long neglected need to upgrade one's eyeglasses - having to sit at the front and still squint away at the gigantic screen. Perhaps the projector was not focused correctly?
The first full day ended with a bus trip to dinner at the CUB Brewery. I swear that there was dinner involved, honest.
So the night passed in a blur with highlights including the discovery of a CUB dark beer, a beer pulling competition, the discovery of a secret stash of Fat Yak beer, educating fellow librarians about the "one of each desert" rule, an unstoppable chorus of return bus trip librarians singing wheels on the bus with hearty gusto, and settling in for an innocent post dinner drink.
It was at the post dinner drink that my naive innocence was taken advantage of - and fellow workmate Supervisor S failed in her duty of care to keep one safe. One was talked into the importance of the organisation having a strong executive and the relative lack of effort required of the presidential position. Need I Caution you to pay no heed to late night arm twisting?
So of course at the election the next morning one won. And, take note, one's main talker-into-er was not elected to the committee!!
One smells a conspiracy of the highest order.
With the conference finishing up one was treated to the first glimpse of the benefits of power as a corporate car was used for the luxurious journey to the airport terminus.
In contrast the flight was a rather uncomfortable hot and sticky affair with the aeroplane kept at a sweltering 32 degrees - perhaps to acclimatise us all to the Melbourne weather we were flying back into?
Anyway, after braving the chilly 13 degree tarmac walk one was soon bustled home in a taxi and ready to fall into the long awaited post midnight slumber.
The Tiger, however had other ideas and one was forced to provide a lap for nigh on half an hour before being allowed to retire to one's bed chamber.
Such are the events of an incautious conference experience.
.
However one's recent experience has proven to be one rife with moments requiring caution.
It all starts out fine, deciding on what apparel will be appropriate for the tropical-ish clime and planning many a walk or perhaps even a float in the ocean.
However the Caution here is: October may prove to be a stormy time up North and you may find your early arrival provides only stormy weather and hence only a hotel room to be experienced in comfort.
If one does venture out for a walk one rather rapidly discovers the tacky and touristy bent of the location and ends wondering about the usefulness of an early arrival to see the sites.
Of course the ever popular LibraryLand cocktails are a point towards said early arrival. (One does feel there is no need to Caution about the nature of the "cocktails" in question given my multitude of posts bemoaning this terrible bait and switch).
The conference events [proper were got (gotten?, gut?) underway with the traditional bus tour to local libraries. Somehow despite ones best attempts at punctuality one arrived in the foyer to find the bus loaded and the roll call underway. I do, however maintain that I was on time as it took a further 3 minutes to reach my name on the roll call.
The sessions themselves began the next day and one was reminded of one's long neglected need to upgrade one's eyeglasses - having to sit at the front and still squint away at the gigantic screen. Perhaps the projector was not focused correctly?
The first full day ended with a bus trip to dinner at the CUB Brewery. I swear that there was dinner involved, honest.
So the night passed in a blur with highlights including the discovery of a CUB dark beer, a beer pulling competition, the discovery of a secret stash of Fat Yak beer, educating fellow librarians about the "one of each desert" rule, an unstoppable chorus of return bus trip librarians singing wheels on the bus with hearty gusto, and settling in for an innocent post dinner drink.
It was at the post dinner drink that my naive innocence was taken advantage of - and fellow workmate Supervisor S failed in her duty of care to keep one safe. One was talked into the importance of the organisation having a strong executive and the relative lack of effort required of the presidential position. Need I Caution you to pay no heed to late night arm twisting?
So of course at the election the next morning one won. And, take note, one's main talker-into-er was not elected to the committee!!
One smells a conspiracy of the highest order.
With the conference finishing up one was treated to the first glimpse of the benefits of power as a corporate car was used for the luxurious journey to the airport terminus.
In contrast the flight was a rather uncomfortable hot and sticky affair with the aeroplane kept at a sweltering 32 degrees - perhaps to acclimatise us all to the Melbourne weather we were flying back into?
Anyway, after braving the chilly 13 degree tarmac walk one was soon bustled home in a taxi and ready to fall into the long awaited post midnight slumber.
The Tiger, however had other ideas and one was forced to provide a lap for nigh on half an hour before being allowed to retire to one's bed chamber.
Such are the events of an incautious conference experience.
.
SLUGing it Out
So the other week Sidekick and I attended the annual SLUG (Smart Library User Group) conference. To do so we had to obtain permission from the organisation to jet off to exotic Melbourne.
Once we hopped off the train the conference itself was quite good and informative and had excellent lunch.
As Sidekick and Supervisor Grand Chief K had to both skip the conference dinner one had the whole responsibility of making sure we got our money's worth out of the beer cafe wherein it was located.
There was dinner and there was good service. Both my hazy memory and Salsa Girl's enquiry about whether it was indeed 1am that I crawled into bed bring me to believe that I did the organisation proud.
Speaking of slugging it out a few weekends past Badger and I made an IKEA expedition together. In our endeavor to make it a short trip we became "those people" going in the reverse direction from the exit. It mostly worked regardless of my eternal shame.
Further to the whole slugging it out theme one still hasn't assembled any of the purchased furniture.
.
Once we hopped off the train the conference itself was quite good and informative and had excellent lunch.
As Sidekick and Supervisor Grand Chief K had to both skip the conference dinner one had the whole responsibility of making sure we got our money's worth out of the beer cafe wherein it was located.
There was dinner and there was good service. Both my hazy memory and Salsa Girl's enquiry about whether it was indeed 1am that I crawled into bed bring me to believe that I did the organisation proud.
Speaking of slugging it out a few weekends past Badger and I made an IKEA expedition together. In our endeavor to make it a short trip we became "those people" going in the reverse direction from the exit. It mostly worked regardless of my eternal shame.
Further to the whole slugging it out theme one still hasn't assembled any of the purchased furniture.
.
Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
Let me plug the Tales sized gap in your reading by putting out an overdue book review.
One finished Stormdancer a scant month ago and this report has been floating around in mental draft form for that short period of time as one has been busy trying to keep up with the zooming hither and yon of the now walking Hulk.
It is a Japanese themed steam punk full of airships, honour and mythical creatures - one is surprised to have heard no mention of it from Fantomas.
It sits in the later end of the teen or young adult spectrum due to a few unexpected things happening to characters.
I found it to be quite an interesting read as it explored it's setting and characters quite well.
It touts itself as part one of The Lotus War but I found it to sit well on it's own. Not that that stops one's compleatism from kicking in as further volumes make themselves known.
I give it a sturdy 3 and a half stars.
Recommended for anyone who has even a slight interest in after hearing me wax lyrical about it - and may also make good grounding for any gamers looking to have a Jadepunk experience in the nearish future.
.
One finished Stormdancer a scant month ago and this report has been floating around in mental draft form for that short period of time as one has been busy trying to keep up with the zooming hither and yon of the now walking Hulk.
It is a Japanese themed steam punk full of airships, honour and mythical creatures - one is surprised to have heard no mention of it from Fantomas.
It sits in the later end of the teen or young adult spectrum due to a few unexpected things happening to characters.
I found it to be quite an interesting read as it explored it's setting and characters quite well.
It touts itself as part one of The Lotus War but I found it to sit well on it's own. Not that that stops one's compleatism from kicking in as further volumes make themselves known.
I give it a sturdy 3 and a half stars.
Recommended for anyone who has even a slight interest in after hearing me wax lyrical about it - and may also make good grounding for any gamers looking to have a Jadepunk experience in the nearish future.
.
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