Weekly Wrap 596: Calm before conference season, and a longing for imminent travel

My week of Monday 25 to Sunday 31 October 2021 was the calm before a few very busy weeks, what with a podcast series to produce, conferences to cover, and the final weeks of Parliament for 2021. I’m especially looking forward to some travel, namely catching an XPT to Orange in the Central Tablelands.

I know that last week I said I’d write up some thoughts about how my everyday behaviour might return to something more like the Beforetimes, but the Muse wasn’t with me.

Podcasts

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Articles

You can read my previous writing at Authory, where you can also subscribe to an email compilation of any new stories each Sunday morning.

Media Appearances

Photos

  • I have updated my Waratah sequence 2021 for another week. The photos span 61 days now, and the flower in question is clearly in its decline.

Videos, Corporate Largesse

None. However you can subscribe to my YouTube channel for when new videos do appear.

Recommendations

The Week Ahead

Monday and Tuesday are about geek-work for a couple of clients, as well as the administrivia associated with the start of a new month. There might even be a ZDNet article, but I’m already thinking I’m trying to pack too much into those two days.

Update 2 November 2021: I was right. On Monday I added in a trip to Penrith for a precautionary COVID-19 test, and I’ve had trouble finding the enthusiasm for reading legislation and government discussion papers. I’ll only get a selection of these things done.

On Wednesday I’m heading down to Sydney for a health-related thing and to record an episode of the Edict with the wonderful Mark Humphries, who’s been on the pod previously in 20162020, and June 2021.

If you’re a supporter with TRIGGER WORDS or a CONVERSATION TOPIC to cash in, I’ll need them by 1.30pm 12.30pm AEDT.

On Thursday and Friday I’m covering NetThing 2021, Australia’s internet governance forum. It bills itself as “an annual event for the discussion of public policy issues pertaining to the internet in Australia”.

On Saturday I’ll edit and post the podcast. I’ll be a sloth for the rest of the weekend.

Further Ahead

  • Stilgherrian goes to Orange to record a podcast with Fr Karl Sinclair (@FrKarlSinclair), who’s been on the Edict in 2015 and 2020, 8–11 November 2021.
  • Podcast recording with author and columnist John Birmingham (@JohnBirmingham) who’s been on the pod several times before, 12 November 2021.
  • FrogID Week, 12–21 November 2021.
  • Wild Pollinator Count, 14–21 November 2021.
  • Australian Cyber Conference, Melbourne, 15–17 November 2021 (TBC).
  • The Sydney Dialogue, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, 17–19 November 2021 (TBC).
  • Podcast recording with apace archaeologist Dr Alice Gorman (@drspacejunk) who’s been on the pod before in 2018 and 2020, 23 November 2021.
  • Annual Communications Industry Boat Cruise & After Party, Sydney Harbour, 2 December 2021. I haven’t included a link because it’s invitation-only. I’m still not sure whether joining a group of random people will be a good idea, so I may cancel this. I did indeed cancel this.
  • NSW local government elections, 4 December 2021.
  • linux.conf.au 2022, online, 14–16 January 2022 (TBC).
  • APRICOT 2022 / APNIC 53, 28 February to 4 March 2022 approx (TBC). The host country is Bangladesh. The conference will still be run online only, but I wonder if we’ll be travelling again by then.

[Photo: NSW TrainLink XPT power car number 2002 photographed at Sydney Central station on 10 April 2018. I’ll be taking an XPT to Orange in the Central Tablelands in the coming weeks.]