Bats, Snails and Possums Tails
This was 2010. We didn't make Contact ;)
2010 had all the ingredients for a soapy B grade movie, scary moments, happy events, visits from distant shores, local travel and even the tension of a family member having surgery. all in all I survived it.
Abusing the roller-coaster metaphor the ups and downs of 2010 were legendary, maybe not so much.
Perhaps the biggest event during this year was turning up the outdoor life, not by a little but a huge change in the way I spend most of my free time and the not so free time, since I found that ideas pop-in and out of my head much more frequently in the outdoor world. Hours of walks and 90 minutes runs 4 times a week, 150 Kms on my feet facing sunsets that grab my chest and pulls my whole body towards endless horizons, night skies and it is Melbourne so I found myself under all kinds of rain, showers, drizzle, tropical downpours and splashes from cars along the roads.
I would like to be able to explain this transmutation from the man who hated running to the man who can't stop moving now, faster and for longer periods of time, outside always outside on the streets of Melbourne. I now know several ways to tie my laces to avoid injuries or like in my case to minimize several injuries already suffered like a black toenail, a tendon injury and a mysterious pinching pain in my hip and the old sciatic nerve that came back from so much impact while running.
I will explain this weird addiction in detail later on a separate post because it is not a physical thing but a whole mental attitude switch that actually came at the right time, meaning anytime after 35 is the right time check your little book of do's and dont's if you want to live past 100 or like me 150.
2010 was also the year in which my work load went askew. Too many commitments, bad time management and my lack of multitasking skills created a convoluted year that I will try avoid in 2011. Basically the tension level grew too high and the stress was only counteracted by these extreme long distance walks. Anyone who is freelancing and juggling several clients each week will attest to this affirmation, "it will kill you" unless you learn to control the workload and the type of commitments. again this is outside my "2010 summary"
I also learnt, almost like a second postulate to most freelancers "isolation will kill you" (maybe I should round all these as a big post call "things that will kill you if you are a designer" like 12 hours in front of a monitor will....and so on.
In 2010 I lost my biggest client, well...not lost entirely, but a program that we ran for several years came to and end. They could not longer afford me or decided spend their budget impressing their demographics with shiny new Macs instead of a special ICT program I can understand the motivations behind that move, but if you ask teachers if they need more gadgets or more training and programs the answers contradicts the actions that some schools are taking.
Although this lost will send serious ripples back to my own budget, it was a good thing, the level of stress of working in a large institution which has lost its long term planning and vision is very weakening, I felt that there was not financial incentive that could make up for a total lack of purpose. I guess that a lot of people who needs to stay passionate about their work would find that purposelessness takes away all the energy required to stay professional and effective.
To finish part one of this end of the year special here is a nice photo from todays trip
2010 had all the ingredients for a soapy B grade movie, scary moments, happy events, visits from distant shores, local travel and even the tension of a family member having surgery. all in all I survived it.
Abusing the roller-coaster metaphor the ups and downs of 2010 were legendary, maybe not so much.
Perhaps the biggest event during this year was turning up the outdoor life, not by a little but a huge change in the way I spend most of my free time and the not so free time, since I found that ideas pop-in and out of my head much more frequently in the outdoor world. Hours of walks and 90 minutes runs 4 times a week, 150 Kms on my feet facing sunsets that grab my chest and pulls my whole body towards endless horizons, night skies and it is Melbourne so I found myself under all kinds of rain, showers, drizzle, tropical downpours and splashes from cars along the roads.
I would like to be able to explain this transmutation from the man who hated running to the man who can't stop moving now, faster and for longer periods of time, outside always outside on the streets of Melbourne. I now know several ways to tie my laces to avoid injuries or like in my case to minimize several injuries already suffered like a black toenail, a tendon injury and a mysterious pinching pain in my hip and the old sciatic nerve that came back from so much impact while running.
I will explain this weird addiction in detail later on a separate post because it is not a physical thing but a whole mental attitude switch that actually came at the right time, meaning anytime after 35 is the right time check your little book of do's and dont's if you want to live past 100 or like me 150.
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| The usual spot for a rest and coffee |
2010 was also the year in which my work load went askew. Too many commitments, bad time management and my lack of multitasking skills created a convoluted year that I will try avoid in 2011. Basically the tension level grew too high and the stress was only counteracted by these extreme long distance walks. Anyone who is freelancing and juggling several clients each week will attest to this affirmation, "it will kill you" unless you learn to control the workload and the type of commitments. again this is outside my "2010 summary"
I also learnt, almost like a second postulate to most freelancers "isolation will kill you" (maybe I should round all these as a big post call "things that will kill you if you are a designer" like 12 hours in front of a monitor will....and so on.
 |
| The view from our bedroom - Tathra in July |
In 2010 I lost my biggest client, well...not lost entirely, but a program that we ran for several years came to and end. They could not longer afford me or decided spend their budget impressing their demographics with shiny new Macs instead of a special ICT program I can understand the motivations behind that move, but if you ask teachers if they need more gadgets or more training and programs the answers contradicts the actions that some schools are taking.
Although this lost will send serious ripples back to my own budget, it was a good thing, the level of stress of working in a large institution which has lost its long term planning and vision is very weakening, I felt that there was not financial incentive that could make up for a total lack of purpose. I guess that a lot of people who needs to stay passionate about their work would find that purposelessness takes away all the energy required to stay professional and effective.
 |
| The mix feeling of happiness and the panic when you lose a major client |
To finish part one of this end of the year special here is a nice photo from todays trip
Another joy of 2010 was longboarding it is an activity way passed my age bracket, but I have fully mastered the art of longboard cruising.
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| and by sheer luck they opened a nice car park across the road |
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| It got very cold for the pier and yet ragging up and the promise of an extra hot coffee get you going anyway. |
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