Downloaded the last of the pix from the epic weekend… seemed like an animation was in order… it’s been a while… Thanks again for coming Fi!! Was so great to have you!
Whirlwindy
Wow… when you put your mind to it you sure can pack a lot of fun into one 3 day weekend!!!
Fi, of Kiwifruit fame caught the trans-Tasman bus (I mean, plane) on Friday (at stoopid o’clock, I might add, bless her) to come over to hang out, drink a few margaritas and revisit the odd old haunt or two in my neck of the woods! I have to say, I’m a little bit stoked, it’s so nice to have people go out of their way to come to see me!! I just forget to warn them that Chez Deeleea has hot water rationing and a cat that isn’t beyond breaking into the bathroom while one is sitting on the throne (note to self, remind people to lock the door). Fortunately in that instance dignity remained intact for all concerned…
I could give you the blow by blow account of where we went and what we did, but let’s just say we had a few margaritas topped off with a pretty good turn in Mexican food, we shopped at ‘the Mall’ where cute pajamas were purchased for the little misses and misters at Chez Fi (can anyone say – Tar-zjay dahling?), we scarfed down the obligatory eggs Benedict ( becoming a tradition, I think…) and we spent a good portion of Saturday trekking around Manly/Dee Why and the Botanical Gardens to put our cameras through their paces, we also took in a show (amateur Treasure Island – arrrrgh me hearties) cruised Ikea, saw possibly the most ‘out there’ movie in the Love Guru and negotiated the city awash with pilgrims in town for World Youth Day 2008. (Didn’t see the Pope but.)
Anyway, I really think I should let the pix speak for themselves…
1. Rock Pool, 2. Winkle, 3. Candid Saturday – Manly Beach, 4. Candid Saturday – Manly Beach, 5. Candid Saturday – Manly Beach, 6. Blue Heron, 7. Drinks at the Shore, 8. Training, 9. Rock My Moon, 10. One Shoe Off, 11. Daisy Mae, 12. Off Out to Sea, 13. Cockies
There are a bunch more over on flickr. Please go and check them out!
Thanks for coming Fi, was so great to have you here! Everyone else? When are you coming??
Status Update
Further to previous discussion…
I replied to the inquirer that WordPress was a very good option for charities and non profits to set up easy clean looking websites very quickly and at their price (as in $0) noting too that I’d be happy to add all supplied content for her at an hourly rate – I’d anticipate such a thing taking a day or so to do so the expected cost would be well under $1000 dollars. Admittedly, to gauge their commitment to the project I’d inflated my usual hourly rate to what is closer to standard tech rates. I should quote higher prices as a rule, I’m worth it, but because the business stuff is supplemental to my regular income I don’t usually bother, it gets me a bit of repeat business/word of mouth etc.
Anyway, I wonder if my polite inquirer forgot that they are connected to me on one of my social networks or if the following comment on their page was a passive way of dissing my suggestion – they certainly never replied to my email. I wonder if they’ve even checked out wordpress and seen the great stuff on there…
"Polite Inquirer is looking for a website designer to work pro bono for their charity." (tense/gender changed toprovide a bit of anonymity)
I’ve done pro bono before, in fact, one job I did has turned into a great internet friendship (hi Gem!) which is far more valuable than any monetary remuneration would have got me. But this whole situation has got me wondering once again at the sort of culture that develops in churches in which people seem to think that because you’re a Christian you should cut them some kind of slack. The unfortunate outworking of this, sadly more often than not, is a feeling of being taken advantage of or worse still, actually being taken advantage of…
So, consider this next question research, given that not all my readers are church goers; Do people in your workplaces/clubs/service organisations/wider social circles have expectations on you to offer your skills/professional expertise and experience to do work for them for nothing or for a substantial discount etc? What are your own expectations on others with skills you don’t have?
Truth is, it’s been so long since I worked in a secular environment I wonder if I haven’t lost a bit of perspective. And please, don’t think I don’t do friendly discounts or help for actual friends… but for people who I know who I’m more ‘acquainted with’ than ‘friends with’ I do sometimes think such expectations are a bit ‘on the nose’.
What do you think?
Happy Blogoversary, Baby!
I’m still surprised it’s been 4 years since I started this thing… stumbling over a peculiar site called the wibsite where the first incarnation of Singular Scene lives (still) and then to here when my desire to fiddle and tweak got the better of me.
It’s still fun, and though of late posting has been sporadic, I’m sure it’s only a season and the time will come when I’ve got all sorts of [much more] interesting thoughts than I’ve been having lately…
Thanks for taking the journey with me this far!