medhead
Suspended
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2008
- Posts
- 19,074
Been here for a while and thought a formal introduction might be in order.
I'm not sure how to introduce myself. I'm a queenslander, having lived in a bit on the coloundra, cairns and brisbane. 6 months on Hawke's surfing scholarship after 4th year at uni during the early 1990s followed by an extended period doing post graduate studies in physics. During this time I also did laboratory demonstrations and tutorials, drove taxis and had 9 years in the Army Reserve, not to mention surfing safaris to both the north and south coasts from Brisbane - often on the same weekend. My university studies I also had brief stints working near Bunbury in Western Australia, in Jabiru and in Melbourne. I did a little bit of flying and did manage to keep up my Qantas Club membership during this time, being a member since about 1996.
All that came to an end when I moved to South Australia to take up my first full time work near OLP. Working for a company that was on a deal with AN I signed up with Global Rewards and managed to credit about 3 flights before they went belly up. During this time with the afternoon Kendall flight scheduled to arrive about 5 minutes after the afternoon QF flight left ADL for BNE, I was often doing low level flying OLP-ADL, bit of a kip in the car at the airport followed by the early flight to BNE. That gave me an interesting story about my first Adelaide pub experience. Certainly gave some insight into my grandfathers advice that they have a lot of churches because the need them. :shock:
As an aside the other bit of advice from my grandfather gave me was - of your not in bed by midnight, just go home. I resembled that advice for a few years, making sure I was in bed by midnight so that I didn't have to go home. That was until I met my wife in the Roxby Downs Tavern one night. In fact that was also the night that resulted in a well taken lady sending me a message the next day that I had used the best pick up line she ever heard and she was very tempted. Shame I can't remember the pick up line due to having a few ginger beers.
To cut a long story to be slightly less long. I then moved to Sydney, back to Adelaide and I'm now working in Sydney and living in Adelaide. I managed to get some steady flying in during this time, usually up to home in Brisbane or around for conferences and work visits to sites. Unfortunately, I didn't get to fly to Maralinga, as a couple of my colleagues have done, but I did drive a hilux along the runway there. With my new work arrangements my flying has increased greatly, having doubled my lifetime QF SC in the last 11 months.
On a personal note I tend to be confrontational. A very good mate reckons this is my way of judging people with those who get offended and go a way not being worth my time and those who still talk to me being great people. Many may have already worked out that I can be sarcastic and abrasive, but I am rarely serious in such cases, and I never take anything personally. I feel very aware of my faults but I also don't really see the need to correct my faults - this is SWMBO lifes' work, correcting me.
I do really need to get to a social event, but I'm having trouble balancing with the family. I've mentioned a couple of times that I'm missing the Anytime Access do because it is my first daughter's 10th birthday. I'm probably also hamstrung by SWMBO's fear of flying. This is a relatively new thing that is related to protecting the children, IMO. The fear makes talking about flying difficult and hence really impacts on my ability to plan flights to a social event around family activities.
Anyway, I've gone on too long already. I do really need to thank everyone for all the guidance and help that I have benefitted from and also apologise for failing to be more social.
I'm not sure how to introduce myself. I'm a queenslander, having lived in a bit on the coloundra, cairns and brisbane. 6 months on Hawke's surfing scholarship after 4th year at uni during the early 1990s followed by an extended period doing post graduate studies in physics. During this time I also did laboratory demonstrations and tutorials, drove taxis and had 9 years in the Army Reserve, not to mention surfing safaris to both the north and south coasts from Brisbane - often on the same weekend. My university studies I also had brief stints working near Bunbury in Western Australia, in Jabiru and in Melbourne. I did a little bit of flying and did manage to keep up my Qantas Club membership during this time, being a member since about 1996.
All that came to an end when I moved to South Australia to take up my first full time work near OLP. Working for a company that was on a deal with AN I signed up with Global Rewards and managed to credit about 3 flights before they went belly up. During this time with the afternoon Kendall flight scheduled to arrive about 5 minutes after the afternoon QF flight left ADL for BNE, I was often doing low level flying OLP-ADL, bit of a kip in the car at the airport followed by the early flight to BNE. That gave me an interesting story about my first Adelaide pub experience. Certainly gave some insight into my grandfathers advice that they have a lot of churches because the need them. :shock:
As an aside the other bit of advice from my grandfather gave me was - of your not in bed by midnight, just go home. I resembled that advice for a few years, making sure I was in bed by midnight so that I didn't have to go home. That was until I met my wife in the Roxby Downs Tavern one night. In fact that was also the night that resulted in a well taken lady sending me a message the next day that I had used the best pick up line she ever heard and she was very tempted. Shame I can't remember the pick up line due to having a few ginger beers.
To cut a long story to be slightly less long. I then moved to Sydney, back to Adelaide and I'm now working in Sydney and living in Adelaide. I managed to get some steady flying in during this time, usually up to home in Brisbane or around for conferences and work visits to sites. Unfortunately, I didn't get to fly to Maralinga, as a couple of my colleagues have done, but I did drive a hilux along the runway there. With my new work arrangements my flying has increased greatly, having doubled my lifetime QF SC in the last 11 months.
On a personal note I tend to be confrontational. A very good mate reckons this is my way of judging people with those who get offended and go a way not being worth my time and those who still talk to me being great people. Many may have already worked out that I can be sarcastic and abrasive, but I am rarely serious in such cases, and I never take anything personally. I feel very aware of my faults but I also don't really see the need to correct my faults - this is SWMBO lifes' work, correcting me.
I do really need to get to a social event, but I'm having trouble balancing with the family. I've mentioned a couple of times that I'm missing the Anytime Access do because it is my first daughter's 10th birthday. I'm probably also hamstrung by SWMBO's fear of flying. This is a relatively new thing that is related to protecting the children, IMO. The fear makes talking about flying difficult and hence really impacts on my ability to plan flights to a social event around family activities.
Anyway, I've gone on too long already. I do really need to thank everyone for all the guidance and help that I have benefitted from and also apologise for failing to be more social.
I loved physics at school but sadly my current career as a medic doesn't include too much of this. I can identify with the difficulties of balancing family life with work and travel. I have yet to find the balance. Happy travels!
