Welcome to redQueen
Two years and two months
October 23rd, 2008
Is this post just to prove someone wrong, maybe. Is this post long overdue, yes.
I stopped blogging over two years ago and for a long time had no inclination to come back and write anything at all. But suddenly in the past few weeks I have had a few thoughts that I have wanted to share and realised this space was still here, still waiting…still empty.
Do I promise to blog more often? No. I am not very good at committing things to paper/web page and when I do I usually give it too much thought, so the essence of what I was trying to say is lost. So I have decided to try not to do this. From now on I will post here whatever it is that interests me at the time and see where it goes. That could mean most posts will be about my pets but that is what the internet is for, right?
A year in Mongolia
August 15th, 2006
My brother has always been one of those people who actually goes out and does what many others (including myself) just talk about.
Luke has been involved in the area of social development for some years now and has incorporated his IT background into this field that has allowed him to undertake unique opportunities working with communities to enhance their economic, social and political futures.
Luke left for Mongolia in April to work on the Mongolian Development Gateway. He will be away for a year - the longest he has worked on a international development project.
Luke definitely has all the interest in humanitarian issues while I concern myself with all other animals. I am extremely proud of his achievement in getting this job as I was with his work in Costa Rica and Yuendumu. He takes the Web to places that others only speak of and allows other communities to integrate it into their lives as they see fit.
To find out more about what he is doing check out his blog - his posts are much more interesting than mine!
Fits and starts?
August 10th, 2006
I have no excuses for the level of inactivity on my blog of late.
Yeah sure I have been working hard but I know you all do. So why? Why have I been so quiet? I like to think of my blog as an evolving creature that has long periods of virtual standstill, ‘punctuated’ by episodes of very fast development.
This will probably never change and while it will seem like I have given up on this blog thing, suddenly, out of nowhere, a flurry of posts will arrive.
That is my theory anyway - or maybe it is just an observation…
Red on Red
June 18th, 2006
The past few months have been pretty hectic because I have left the Museum and started working at Red Square - a web development company in Sydney.
I have been there now for two weeks and I am really enjoying working with the team.
I promise this is not an obsession with the colour red…
Meeting Mountain Lions
April 28th, 2006
I really wanted to see some animals while I was in the US and Mountain Lions were near the top of the list.
Unfortunately, I didn’t see one but thanks to a Yosemite National Park Guide I know exactly what to do for next time:
What should you do if you meet a Mountain Lion?
- Don’t run. Stay calm.
- Hold your ground or back away slowly.
- Do all you can to appear larger: grab a stick, raise your arms, open your jacket and spread it above your head.
- Wave your arms, shout and throw objects. The goal is to convince the lion that you are not prey and may be dangerous yourself.
- If attacked, fight back!!
I think the main message is, if you meet a Mountain Lion don’t be a pussy!
USA Baby
April 24th, 2006
I had so much fun in the US that it not only meant I had no time left over while I was there to blog, but there are too many anecdotes for me to coherently combine into any one post. However, I am sure stories and experiences will trickle out over the next few months as I remember them or find the words.
Originally when I told a few people I was going to the US for a month they were surprised I would spend so long there. All I can say is I wish I was there for longer – the landscapes, cities, hospitality and of course the people were fantastic! I would definitely go back, even to Las Vegas.
The two places I would visit time and time again (apart from Austin and SxSW) were San Francisco and New York. These cities were incredibly different but both had a great energy that made every day exciting.
New York is frenetic! Anything you want to do you can do it there – day or night. I was lucky enough to be staying with someone who lived in Manhattan which not only meant he had knowledge of great places to go but was part of a small community that allowed me to see how New Yorkers truly live. I was surprised to discover these strong local communities in a city of millions of people with a reputation for being unfriendly. The best thing about New York however, is everyone fits in whatever your beliefs, profession, background or appearance.
San Francisco is much more relaxed and laid back, something that appealed to me. In the cab from the airport I immediately felt like I was visiting somewhere familiar as we approached SF and that feeling never left me the whole time I was there. “The City” as San Franciscans call it is full of cultural micro-environments – one moment you can be in a street with coffee and clothing shops and by the next block you can be in an area that is run down and has a very different clientele. This all makes for a fascinating city. The nicest thing about SF is that you know those who live there love their city – not in manner where they try to convince you how great it is – just through sharing it with you.
I can’t wait to travel again and the US will definitely be a place I will go back and visit many times.