My view and thoughts on everything!

"Or would it be about something obscure like paper clip collecting or toilet roll designing? I thought I had better find this out post haste....In fact, it was a family friend who had seen the interview and couldn't stop laughing!" There I was at work when the phone rang. Nothing unusual there. It was Friday after all and a few of my friends normally ring up to see what I am up to at the weekend (in my case normally nothing too exciting). This time, however, it was from someone I didn't know. The caller had gotten my phone number from a mutual friend and had rang me. The phone conversation went like this: "Hi, I hope you don't mind me ringing you, but I was wondering if you would like to be interviewed for a television programme?" asked the female caller. "Erm no, that will be fine" said I. Then I started thinking about what the subject matter would be. Would it be about the latest Coldplay album? Or would it be about something obscure...

"Nowadays I am in the yellow (or Back of the Pack group) along with Superman, Tellytubbies, Smurfs but alas no Borat!...the guy next to me had strapped his mobile phone to his running shoe!" Every August an event takes place in Sydney. It's certainly not a small event either, and it's certainly not a gathering of Star Wars fans. What it is is the annual City to Surf race. For those of you that do not know, the City to Surf is a 14 kms (8 miles) fun run from the Sydney CBD to the world famous Bondi Beach. It is generally an easy paced route except for the aptly named 'Heartbreak Hill' that is situated at the 6 kms mark and rises gradually for the next 2 kms. Having run the City to Surf on a number of occasions I knew what to expect. I had only started training 10 days prior to the run. Better late than never is what I say! Anyway, my wife (aka the infamous 'No Worries') and I had other matters to attend to. Somehow, I had to finish the race fairly early...

"The product/concept can be anything from cars, drinks, electrical goods or even men's underwear! ...He had researched them to the 'nth degree and chose to give us all an Open University lecture on the polarity, make up, voltage and density of the rechargables" Recently I participated in a market research session in Sydney. For the uninitiated, market research is where a group of consumers (that fit a certain criteria) talk about a product or a concept. The product/concept can be anything from cars, drinks, electrical goods or even men's underwear! (and that one was an interesting session, indeed!). The best thing of all is that you get paid cold hard cash as well as enjoying some food and drink! The subject matter that we had to talk about related to batteries and the session lasted two hours. Immediately you are probably now thinking 'how can you talk about batteries for that long?'. Well, the truth is we did! (though even I am amazed at how we tru...

"Who in the world would close a multi storey car park on the busiest day of the year?....Fortunately I hadn't picked up a parking ticket. Parking officers must have time off - even in North Sydney!" New Year's Eve is a special day for most people. From a psychological point of view it is the end of the old year and a day away from what can be perceived as a 'new beginning'. It's like wiping the slate clean and starting all over again. Resolutions are made and most will be broken before the month is out. Then eleven months will pass before the same resolutions are made. Shades of Groundhog Day! In Sydney it also means fireworks. As most people would know, Sydney hosts probably the best New Year's Eve fireworks display in the world. It's not just the fireworks themselves, but its the setting. The view of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House is utterly fantastic, even more so on New Years Eve. For children it is a highlight of the year akin to Santa, Do...