Its been a while since my last actual post that wasn’t gloating about my vacation. And seeing as its been so long, a few things have changed and its probably time for an update.

Race Control

Standby! I certainly feel like part of the team now after a lot of hard work, and while I still have this little negative voice in my head saying it could all be snatched away from me, I love what I do, I love the people that I get to work with and the new friends I’ve made in that department.

This weekend coming is my first time in Race Control for the ITM 400 V8 Supercars in Hamilton. To say I’m nervous is a bit of an understatement. I’m extremely nervous, but I thrive on the challenge, so I’m sure I will be fine. I’m used to talking to 10 flag points and this weekend coming, I will be communicating with 23 flag points. Wow. This. Is. Huge.

Photography

Last night was camera club night. It has been a bit of a spit-spat year so far as Club night started in February and then I missed March because I was overseas, so it was nice to go back and see everyone and catch up on any and all gossip. I did really well. Surprisingly well actually.

This one here got Highly Commended. The guest judge knocked it back for too much colour and brightness but she loves the idea behind it.  And then this one:

Honours and a 2nd Place overall for Intermediate Grade. Wohoo! And then, after that success, I had some more. We got our summer projects back with the Judges comments and for a summer project that almost didn’t happen because of a 30th birthday and a crazy motorsport season came in 2nd overall in the Intermediate grade as well. I’m so stoked. I’m consistently second so far this club year. I’m really looking forward to next month now.

I’ve also found a new subject for a timelapse project, so will hopefully look at doing something about that in the not too distant future as well, and another accompanying post on how I did that. I’m also looking to make an AV presentation for Camera Club using some of the photos from my trip around California/Nevada/Arizona. Might have to take a workshop on that so that I can learn how to make the video etc for Camera Club.

Education

I’m putting this on hold for a while. I keep flip-flopping as to what I want to do. The more I think about it, the more I’d like to be able to have more time up my sleeve for photography and motorsport, because those are the things I really enjoy the most. The more I think about it the more I get a bit upset that I’ve come this far, it would be a shame to stop the fun now. Work-Fun balance. And I’m wanting to travel some more.

Travel

So, as you could probably tell from the Posterous Category here, we had an amazing time travelling around California/Nevada/Arizona and I got some amazing photos. We’re itching to go back. We said it was our trip of a lifetime. It might just be the trip of our early 30s! LOL!

Diet

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve shaken off 5kg since the start of this year. Probably from carrying around a backpack in Vegas full of Camera Equipment and walking everywhere, but I’ve kept it off and I’m feeling better for it. I’m looking forward to the next 5kg going – then I’d be at 10%. I should celebrate hitting that 10%, but I don’t know. I might think about it in 4kgs time I’ve been using Myfitnesspal.com app and website to count my calories and I bought some Sketchers Shape Ups while in California as well and time permitting I’ve been going out walking with those.

So I guess thats all from me for now. I might have something to add in a few days time. Like a summary of how I survived in the Race Control office at the Hamilton V8 Supercars.

After my original post where I told you all what was in my handbag, I had an inkling that I was carrying around too much stuff. It wasn’t until last night when I strolled from the Pukekohe Arts Centre to the Pizza Box for a coffee and back again that I realised my shoulder was hurting from carrying all of this stuff around.

So without futher a-do, I present a pictorial blog post of

The Handbag : Unloaded And On My Desk

And now, click on one of the images below for the close up:

So a lot of things have been happening lately and I thought I would take a break from the blogging challenges and write an update:

1. I still chew my nails.
2. I am reading the True Blood books I have bought but haven’t read yet. Not my fault. I loaned them out before I had read them and they’ve only just come back to me.
3. I need to diet harder. I haven’t lost any weight, but I haven’t gained any either.
4. I am entering my first ever photography competition/exhibition. Not sure if I will get accepted or not, I hope to! And I hope I might gain some feedback as well.
5. Generally, I am not a concert go-er. I love music, but I cannot stand crowds. There are some acts I would die to see, but just can’t bring myself to buy the tickets for the crowds! This week bought the good news that next month we have free tickets to the first U2 concert at Mt. Smart and we can watch it from the uncrowded corporate box!
6. I successfully completed the 30 days of me blogging meme.
7. As for motorsport, tomorrow is the big race, The Bathurst 1000, so the diet is on hold for one day!
8. And also in motorsport news, I have been offered a place on the Race Control team for the Hamilton 400 streetrace next year. Not sure doing what, but I doubt I will be ‘on air’ so to speak, but back doing the scribing thing!
9. We booked some more parts of our LA holiday – namely our Hotel in San Diego, Disneyland tickets and our rental car, which is a Dodge Charger. I don’t see the point of going to the spiritual home of the muscle car and hiring a Toyota Corolla! I also went and got us a prepaid visa from Kiwibank which is in USD$ which is a bit more secure than having cash!

Your favorite song

I have a million and one favourite songs, and picking just one was incredibly difficult, but I put some thought into it – all the music I have loved over the years and what is the song that would be my number one, that one song that I keep going back to, the one song that always commands my attention each time my iPhone serves it up to me. Here it is!

David Bowie – Life on Mars?

David Bowie

It’s a god-awful small affair
To the girl with the mousy hair
But her mummy is yelling “No”
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
And she’s hooked to the silver screen
But the film is a saddening bore
For she’s lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on

Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
It’s the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he’ll ever know
He’s in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?

It’s on Amerikas tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
‘Cause Lennon’s on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibeza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
‘Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It’s about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on

Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
It’s the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he’ll ever know
He’s in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?

I first heard this song as a kid. Not the David Bowie version though, the London Symphonic Orchestra put a record out of classic rock songs, played by them. I can’t remember all that was on the record – it was vinyl. I’d love to find MP3 versions of the tracks as they recorded them, but I loved this song from back then. One day I heard the original version, and I still love it now.

Conclusion

This blog post concludes the thirty days of me series. Thank you for reading daily and I hope you all stick around to see what I will do next. I have learned a lot about myself and about all of you as well.

Life is meaningless only if we allow it to be. Each of us has the power to give life meaning, to make our time and our bodies and our words into instruments of love and hope.

- Tom Head

Together, Alone, Unique and Common. Thirty days of islands becoming continents. Peace out and ROCK ON!