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    Sweet Sweet Desert Island…


    2015 - 08.05

    Three weeks ago I resigned my previous role. Overall I’ve seen a dramatic increase in my level of happiness and a commensurate decrease in my level of Depression through the last 3 weeks. Since I made that decision of getting out of my previous workplace’s negative environment, I’ve had a steady path onward to increasingly better feelings. I’ve started to enjoy activities again that previously were simply numb attempts at trying to feel better. Clearly it was the best choice I could have made. Nothing else was moving forward anymore.

    In fact I was losing ground again slowly but surely. At least so it seemed for the most part. Then when least expected but most needed: Epiphany! In an Ocean of Despair appears a place to drop anchor, take on Fresh Water and Sustenance. A Desert Island to Rejuvenate my Soul.

    Since then most things have fallen into place in a very positive manner. Financially things couldn’t be much better considering I’m not a man of savings. But preparation, good friends and the truth has meant that I’ve been able to position myself to begin weathering the storm at least starting with a good supply of hope and positivity. Already I’ve put in for one role, although it’s a bit early, it did seem one of those things where I needed to be willing to do what was required. Results will unfold in time. Nothing has to happen tomorrow.

    The Furbags are eating and so am I, and on a daily basis that’s what’s important right now.

    What’s in a Name…


    2015 - 03.10

    Well the long weekend has passed, and already I feel like it’s Thursday, not a Pseudo-Monday! Only 3 days to go, but it feels like I’ve already waded through four with another four in front. I think I’d feel better if I’d managed to end up with more useable shots from yesterday. However as happens, “there’s days you do, and days you don’t”.

    That said, yesterday WAS and interesting day despite some poor timing on my part. I met a person who was very helpful with local information for one of the sites I visited yesterday. I’ll keep hold of that for a further visit. It’s wonderful how complete strangers can just strike up a wonderfully rich conversation on a shared interest, and not get around to asking names until saying “Goodbye, oh by the way, my name’s …

    There’s No Price on Friendship (except perhaps Pride)…


    2015 - 03.02

    Today I renewed an old and for a time “broken” friendship. I’m gladdened and appreciative that it’s been returned in kind. It’s the second significant and important friendship I’ve managed to renew in the last few years. These are the things money just doesn’t buy no matter how much you have or don’t have, all that’s required is effort and willingness to put into it.

    Packages, Packages, Everywhere Packages…


    2014 - 11.06

    Well ALL the Bookdepository orders have shipped, the Garmin Oregon 600t Handheld GPS arrived today and also the Impala Blue Cat Deterrents. So Chemoux is going to be pushing for the outside world now. Unfortunately I’ve not yet broached the subject of her arrival with Bob & Jan. No dodging it any longer I guess. Seems like a job for Friday!

    Just A Point in Time…


    2013 - 12.28

    Well I’m “psychologically” limping towards a new year, hopefully to make more positive headway in dealing with my Depression. Christmas is passed for another year, and now things will begin to take a more “normal” course for most of us.

    I caught up with a few friends I don’t often see, although I make an effort to communicate to most of my friends by email or phone, or even Instant Messaging at least every fortnight. I think I’m quite lucky in some ways (when I’m thinking positively that is), I still have a few good friends from many years ago. I have at least one from my teens that I still see and talk to regularly (now that I’m not being slack).

    I still have three or four from my early Twenties too, made during my first stint at University. It doesn’t sound much, but when you have held such friendships well over Thirty years, you can feel that they mean something. I remember being told by a man I admired very much when I was young and he was alive, that “(I)f you have even one friend in your middle age from your childhood then you should feel very lucky. You can also tell yourself you worked hard with that one!”

    Not something easy to appreciate to it’s fullness when you’re in your early Teens, but now I feel the truth in that statement. I try to pass that small jewel onto some of my younger friends today, but whether it will stick is something only time can tell. But I’m glad I listened. Friendships do need to be nurtured or they do eventually die of starvation, just like a plant that isn’t cared for, or a house that’s not maintained. There are sometimes ones that are lost through circumstance, you can only do so much each, and there are always factors outside of our control, we don’t live in vacuums. There are myriads of connections between people, like nodes on the internet. We can’t always have the solid connection that others will have, and sometimes things just break and can’t be reconnected. No matter how much effort we make, sometimes things just aren’t meant to have a span past the time they do.

    I want all my friends to know that they ARE appreciated. More often than not you are there when I need you, although sometimes you won’t even realise you’ve been needed and come through! 🙂

    A Sad End…


    2012 - 11.04

    I’m sorry to say that the old Furabg won’t be updating any more. Unfortunately she was taken by a couple of dogs this afternoon. Thankfully it looks like she was literally caught napping and probably didn’t know what happened.

    It’s fair to say she’s been taking it tough the last seven months, clearly not taking to the new addition all that well. She was begrudgingly sharing her space and human. She is now permanently “snoozing” under her favourite Pine Tree in the back yard. It truly is a sad day, and the end of an era. I’ve had her for seventeen years now, and it’s been an interesting period of my life. I’d say I had a closer relationship with Baggins than most other cats I’ve had over the years.

    The blog will stay up as a memorial to the many years of pleasure and punishment that the Furbag gave me. No doubt Tigga will continue some of the hilarity of Human vs Feline.

    RIP Furbag

    RIP Baggsy

    RIP – Furbag

    Thy Time is now Two Score & Nine


    2012 - 09.06

    It’s hard to believe that it’s been mid February since the last update. Much has happened, but not necessarily much worth telling I guess! Back in the End of March I had a new arrival:Tigga. Yes another “Death Row Moggie”. At the time she was 3 months old, making her now about 8 months old. It seemed time for Furbag to have a successor lined up. Needless to say I’ve had to pay the price for my folly there!

    Looking Good

    Tigga in all her Glory

    For just over five months I’ve had to put up with a different Furbag; one that seems to be invested with an extra personality that I don’t recall before. I’ll grant that after 5 months she’s started to mellow a smidgeon, but only to the point of tolerating Tigga on the bed with me as the “Berlin Wall”. I’m sure Furbag will have much to complain about on her blog.

    Work’s been very depressing over the last 6 months, I feel like I’m the Protagonist in “The System of Dr Tarr & Professor Fether” suddenly realising who’s locked up and who’s not…

    On the plus I’ve been reinvigorating my environment and infrastructure by the purchase of a few domains of my choice, and moving my whole virtual environment from Xen on Linux to VirtualBox on Mac OS X. So the Virtual Environment of a year ago is no more. I now have the whole “andulain.net” domain being serviced by 5 servers running on a Mac Mini with 16 Gig of RAM, an SSD (60 Gig) & a 750 Gig (7200) HDD. There’s still room for 2 more servers, and the whole thing is not missing a beat so far. I was so impressed, I have retired the iMac I’ve had for four and a half years, and replaced it with another Mac Mini with 8 Gig of RAM. Currently I’ve lent the iMac to my niece to bring her over to the dark side.

    In my usual tradition I saw one year out and another one in with the mandatory shag, so yes another year (birth) has come & gone, nearly 17 of which the Furbag has shared with me.

    Partners come & go, but the pussy stays it seems…

    Echoes from a Not So Distant Past…


    2011 - 02.14

    It would seem that I’d not dealt with the dregs of a previous relationship as well as I’d thought: apparently there’s more to resolve within myself! Despite no contact for several years now, there’s apparently still some anger and pain. Work to be done for sure…

    Cruisin’ Year’s End…


    2010 - 11.07

    Not that far to go and another year will be over, and another to begin! Thing’s been quiet lately; work, exercise, sexercise, and slipping in a bit of non institutional study.

    I’ve had a friend staying with me the last week, and possibly for another few weeks. He’s in a transitional period and needs a base to springboard from while seeking some change. Good to be of help to someone in such a situation, nothing worse than finding out someone needed help and didn’t ask. I’m sure the Cosmos and he will fall back into line soon.

    Went for a trip to Apollo Bay with couple of friends yesterday, it was nice to get back down that way when not doing it for work. It’s always lovely down there, slipping through the Otway Ranges is always good for the soul.

    The Netgear Stora got “forcibly retired”, it’s been replaced with a WD Sharespace, which at least provides more expandability and better management. I’ll add a picture to the blog soon. Other additions to the household lately: new dining table and chairs to match the bar stools (thanks Kingy), and finally a bed in the spare room for those guests not engaging in carnal celebrations while here!

    20 is a Gross…


    2010 - 10.09

    I just realised it’s been exactly 20 years to the day for my first day “clean”. It’s pretty amazing that I’m here, sane, and physically intact. I’ve much to be grateful for today. The only negative for the day is that I feel sad Sammy and I can’t chat about it, she’d have been coming up for 15 soon.