I knew it was going to happen at some point, but I really wasnt expecting it this soon.
The ANU computer system realised that I've graduated, and deactivated my email account. Fine, except for two problems... first and foremost - I was using that!!
Secondly is the slight problem of... that is where all my emails from the last two and a half years were archived...

The second problem is easily fixed once I'm back in Canberra, they archive all accounts before they fiddle, so I shall be able to retrieve them, but because I didnt realise what had happened straight away, any emails sent in the last 24 or so hours probably bounced back to you, or because of the rather interesting setup my email works from, may have simply become lost in the post.

Had to spend a short while this evening bringing my dormant Gmail account out of the cupboard, dusting it off, and changing settings both there and on other mail servers in various places around the world. But its done, and completely seamless (if you dont count that 24 black hole). Ive got to learn a new interface, but to the great wide world out there, my email address has not changed at all!
Gmail looks quite a bit more functional than it did almost two years ago when I signed up.. I only did that because it looked like fun to have an 'exclusive' account, but thanks to its capabilities its my primary interface as of today - albeit not entirely by choice.

Now I have to figure out a way to get all those email addresses that were stored, yup, in my ANU account, over to Gmail. At least I have most people whom I email frequently's addresses in that squishy grey thing I carry around all the time...

I wish the wind would die down... it looks like its going to as soon as I get back to Australia :P

Its just been so windy here this whole week that it just wouldnt be safe going flying... so I havent been off the ground since doing my BFR.

Huey or whoever controls the wind... can I have at least one nice flying day before I go back to Australia?

Wellington on New Years Eve...

Nick and I were working in a bar in the city - a nice, fancy club a little like an upmarket version of In Blue downstairs. They had told us there was a good chance of working very very late... on the order of until 7am... which would have been quite good money!
SO.. Saturday we took things very easy, slept in, didnt leave the house until late afternoon, watched a couple of movies, had an afternoon nap from about 7pm til 9.30, and turned up to the bar at the appointed time of 11pm.

The place was as quiet and dead as you could possibly imagine - with the rest of the city coping with crowds lining up at the doors. Our place had a few old people poke their heads in, and a few people who were just there to say Hi to friends who were also working, but very very few people actually there to party.
There are only so many times you can wipe the bar down, polish the same glassware, or scout empty tables for stray plates and glasses, so we were really scrounging for things to do.
Every single clock in the place was set on a slightly different time, and of course none of the staff's watches matched exactly either, so as we were all staring at different clocks, the cheer floated in from the street outside "happy new year..."

By 1am the manager decided we could clock off, and I doubt the place would have stayed open much longer anyway. So, two hours work instead of 8, and we'd both had one of those energy drinks before starting, so neither of us were in any mood to sleep. So we set off to explore Wellington at New Years. Looked much like Melbourne but with more taxis - and quite a hot night for NZ, too. I dont think it dropped below 20 until about 3am, by which stage we were starting to get a little sleepy and headed back up the hill to be home before sunrise.

Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

Spent all day today at the Wairarapa Cup races, anyway.