Word-whore. I write 'em. I talk 'em. Information, politics, media, and the cybers. I drink. I use bad words. All publication is a political act. All communication is propaganda. All art is pornography. All business is personal. All hail Eris! Vive les poissons rouges sauvages!
Monday 30 December 2019 to Sunday 5 January 2020 saw a relatively quiet start to the new year that included quite a bit of gin, and way too much bushfire smoke — though there were no direct threats to me from the fires.
Continue reading “Weekly Wrap 501: A quiet new year with bushfire smoke and a random spider”
My week of Monday 7 to Sunday 13 January 2019 was another mostly quiet one, continuing a lovely lazy start to the new year. Delight. And needed.
Continue reading “Weekly Wrap 450: Building energy for a year of work”
My week of Monday 31 December 2018 to Sunday 6 January 2019 was a relatively quiet start to the new year. I am more than happy with this.
Continue reading “Weekly Wrap 449: A hot then cool start to 2019”
My week of Monday 2 to Sunday 8 January 2017 was slow, just like the previous week. There shall be no details.
None this week either, although I did start writing a column for ZDNet that’ll be posted on Monday.
It’s my first proper work week of 2017, so it’ll start on Monday with some planning and scheduling and administrivia, as well as finishing that ZDNet column. The rest of the week will unfold as it should. Let’s not be too ambitious, OK?
The next episode of The 9pm Edict podcast is currently scheduled for Tuesday 17 Thursday 19 January at 2100 AEDT. It’ll be streamed live from stilgherrian.com/edict/live/, and the tentative title is “The 9pm End of the World, Probably”.
I’ll be covering the RSA Information Security Conference in San Francisco on 13 to 16 February; the APRICOT 2017 / APNIC43 conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, at the end of February and into early March; and the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) conference in Canberra on 14 to 16 March.
Update 16 January 2017: Edited to reflect change to podcast recording schedule.
[Photo: New Years Sunrise 2004. A few years ago it was our tradition to photograph the sunrise on New Years Day at Bronte Beach in Sydney. This is one of the images from 2004.]
Monday 4 to Sunday 10 January 2016 was a reminder that the world, and especially the humans that infect it, move to their own natural cycles and patterns. It’s easier to move in rhythm with these than try to work against them, for better or for worse.
Australia shuts down between Christmas and New Year, yes. But despite the claims that we now live in a 24/7 ever-on ever-connected cycle, the reality is that much of Australia still operates to its traditional annual cycle. Shut down just before Christmas, operate in summer holiday mode through to Australia Day on 26 January.
You just have to face the fact that nothing substantial can get done in the first week of January, and that you’ll have trouble getting up to speed on any substantial projects right through to the end of the month.
Individual humans have their own patterns and habits as well, and it’s also tough to change them. You can’t teach a duck to dance, they say. But when the duck is smarter and more stubborn than you are, what hope can there be?
So it with those observations that I introduce this week’s humble list of achievements, and note a few of the necessary changes to The Plan.
None.
None.
None. But should 5at5 eventually reappear, you’ll know about it if you subscribe.
None. The year has not yet started.
It’s another week at Wentworth Falls, and broadly speaking it’ll be much the same as its predecessor — but with achievements rather than distractions. He says boldly.
What’s definite is that the next episode of The 9pm Edict podcast will be recorded on Thursday night 14 January, streamed live through Spreaker from 2100 AEDT.
I’ll also be making a day trip to Sydney for a medical appointment at some point. I won’t know when that will be until Monday. That’ll be on Wednesday. I’ll have plenty of free time during the day, so if we need to catch up then let me know.
Apart from that, I’ll continue to work on designing a website and a matching email template for a client; writing that episode of The 9pm Edict; updating some of the stuff I use to explain what it is that I actually do; typing up the loose ends from my crowdfunding projects; thinking about my future accommodation needs; and bringing my bookkeeping up to date so I can file five years of outstanding tax returns.
On 10 to 12 February, I’ll be in Melbourne for the Pause Fest. I’m on a panel on Thursday 11 titled “The security paradox: individual privacy vs digital driftnets”. I’ll be staying in Melbourne until Saturday. If you’d like to catch up, let me know.
I’ve dumped plans to go to Geelong to cover Linux.conf.au in the first week of February. Sorry, but I need to keep that week flexible and close to Sydney for personal reasons.
For the same reason, my bold intention to record The 9pm Edict’s Public House Forum on Saturday 23 January is also dumped. I need a clearer plan for what I’m actually doing with my various podcasts. They can’t just be an indulgent drain on my time, and despite the inexplicable generosity of those who’ve been supporting me, the numbers don’t quite add up yet. Stand by for more thoughts about that in the not-too-distant future.
Some things that remain on The Plan include Tech Leaders in Leura on 13-14 March; the Australian Cyber Security Centre Conference in Canberra on 12-14 April; NetSuite’s SuiteWorld in San Jose on 16-19 May; the AusCERT Conference on the Gold Coast on 24-27 May; the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit in Sydney on 22-23 August; and the AISA National Conference in Sydney on 18-20 October.
What else should I add to that list?
Apart from anything else, the first thing I notice about it is that nearly everything is in Australia. Have my horizons contracted?
Update 11 January 2016: Edited to reflect minor schedule changes.
[Photo: Ducks on the Parramatta River, photographed on 15 September 2012. I spent quite a lot of time watching these ducks on the banks for Sydney’s Parramatta river that spring afternoon before they’d finally had enough of me, formed convoy, and departed.]
Monday 28 December 2015 to Sunday 3 January 2016 was spent in the Sydney suburbs of Ashfield and Lilyfield, where the quiet week following Christmas heralded a new year that should see many, many changes.
I hope so, anyway, because I’ve got plenty of things to sort out. I’ll tell you more in due course.
None.
None.
Should 5at5 eventually reappear, you’ll know about it if you subscribe.
I’ve got plenty to do in the coming week, but I won’t be able to schedule everything until I make some calls on Monday. I do know that most of it will be spent at Wentworth Falls, however.
That said, the week’s tasks include designing a website and a matching email template for a client; booking some medical appointments in Sydney; writing for ZDNet; scriptwriting for the next episode of The 9pm Edict; planning my coverage of Linux.conf.au; updating some of the stuff I use to explain what it is that I actually do; starting to tie up the loose ends from my crowdfunding projects; thinking about my future accommodation needs; and starting to bring my bookkeeping up to date so I can file five years of outstanding tax returns.
The next episode of The 9pm Edict will be recorded on Thursday 14 January 2015, streamed live starting at 2100 AEDT.
The next episode of The 9pm Edict’s Public House Forum is likely to be recorded on the afternoon of Saturday 23 January. I’m thinking this should be a monthly thing.
In theory, in the first week of February I’ll be in Geelong to cover Linux.conf.au. And then on 10 to 12 February, I’ll be in Melbourne to speak at the Pause Fest.
Update 2000 AEDT: Edited to add the wine. Update 6 January 2015: Edited to reflect dropping plans to go to Linux.conf.au.
[Photo: Sydney Sunrise from Lilyfield, photographed on 2 January 2016.]