Creepers against climate change

I'm feeling a bit disheartened. There were not very many people at the Auckland climate march. Maybe a few hundred? I feel a bit disappointed about this. Don't people care? It feels a bit like that right now. Perhaps I'm just down because it's the end of a week with lots of disappointing news. The people… Continue reading Creepers against climate change

Auckland WordCamp and “The Smell”

I went to my very first WordCamp yesterday at Auckland's AUT and it was fabulous. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire day: all the speakers were terrific, the people were incredibly friendly, and I learnt lots. It was a great turn-out with around 130 people all up. I think my talk went reasonably well. The only… Continue reading Auckland WordCamp and “The Smell”

WordCamp Auckland 2014

I'm giving a talk at Auckland WordCamp later this month. Matt Mullenweg volunteered me for this when he was in Auckland recently. We were talking with the Auckland WordPress group and they expressed interest in having someone talk to them about Jetpack. So Matt said I would do it. To which I replied, "Yes, of… Continue reading WordCamp Auckland 2014

Auckland, Minecraft, and dolphins

Crochet Enderman

I never thought I'd be so pleased to see Auckland but I was very happy when my plane landed here yesterday. I had a really great time in Hawaii but Elizabeth struggled while I was away and so I struggled as a result. Daniel was fine though. He thinks my new job is wonderful because… Continue reading Auckland, Minecraft, and dolphins

Browns Bay, Auckland

Today we took Dad to Browns Bay, a beach suburb on Auckland's North Shore. Once upon a time it was a summer holiday destination for Aucklanders wanting to get away from the city, but as the city expanded geographically, it engulfed this pocket and turned it into another suburb of Auckland. Now it's very popular… Continue reading Browns Bay, Auckland

Cycling in Auckland part 2

Cycling on the footpath sucks. It really does. I've just returned from cycling Elizabeth to kindergarten and I've started cycling on the road for parts of the trip now. In fact, when I'm on my own cycling home I use the road almost the whole way. Why? Because the footpath is difficult to navigate. It's… Continue reading Cycling in Auckland part 2

Roads, traffic and Braess’s paradox

I understand that we all have differing ideas about what we find beautiful and pleasing to the eye, but is there anyone who would choose the first photograph below over the second? The two photos are before and after pics from the Cheonggyecheon Stream restoration project in Seoul, South Korea. The concrete highways were built… Continue reading Roads, traffic and Braess’s paradox

Phones calls, traffic, the bridge and beards

Daniel, who is 7 years old, got his first phone call the other day. I answered the phone and heard a young boy politely introduce himself and then ask to speak to Daniel. Completely stunned, I handed the phone to Daniel who was just as surprised as I was and then I heard them discuss… Continue reading Phones calls, traffic, the bridge and beards

I have an announcement to make

I have great news which I'm finally allowed to blog about. Some of you may have observed that in the last week or so my mood has improved. But then, maybe this isn't so noticeable. I'm not sure. Anyway, here's my news: I am delighted to report that we have a ticket out of the… Continue reading I have an announcement to make

Melancholy

Droplets falling absent laughter absent joy emptiness, estrangement, loneliness, death A parasite has sapped my soul my stems wither from non-use fakery abounds in a sea of featureless suburbia intimacy downtrodden by concrete and metal on wheels the death of passion and so the droplets fall

An open letter to Gerry Brownlee

We will be leaving the UK at the end of this month and so I have started to think about what my life will be like back in Auckland. The biggest change will be the shift from a commuter-cycling lifestyle here over to a car-dependent one in Auckland. But does it have to be this… Continue reading An open letter to Gerry Brownlee