Biography

Been spending time with Buffy, Doctor Who back in a month or two [edited 2008-06-14 back on 2008-06-29].

Doctor Who is over for another year. On the flip side I've discovered Stargate SG-1 and totally made a pig of myself over it and Stargate Atlantis. 

14 November 2006 - Well, it's that time again - moving week started today. The last 17 months have flown by and the apartment has been very nice. It had a couple of down sides; people that insisted on leaving security gates open and ensuring the gate to the pool was securely held open by the use of a brick. The freeway noise never bothered me (actually I rarely heard it), the occasional knob donating his car tires to the road and the local stop sign that was usually treated (at best) as a give way sign all mildly (grrr!) grated.

The location was a treat, the owner's wiring of most rooms with CAT6 cable and a Foxtel socket on the wall, jogs by the river and walking distance to the local shop and pub all made up for any down side. 

But now, however, the lease has not been renewed (boo) so it's time to carry boxes down three flights of stairs into the car and take them for a 5 minute drive where they can be unloaded at ground level (yay). It's a lot easier carrying boxes of books DOWNSTAIRS!

The new apartment is a 2 story town house, 3 bedrooms (AKA: bedroom, office & storage), laundry, kitchen, bathroom and 2 toilets, both of which have been given the good news.

16 June 2005 - The trip back from Lux to Perth in October 2001 got me back here in a reasonable time frame, on schedule. I planned to take things easy for a couple of months and give myself a bit of a holiday so I did nearly nothing for three months and did it very well. 

In early December my gear from Lux arrived and moving my TV I damaged my back, so it was back on the couch for 6 weeks or so. 

In January 2002 I started writing software again and since returning to Perth I've spent most of my time working as a contractor or writing software for direct sale via the Internet. I had some fun there being pirated, argh (that was supposed to be a pirate noise). 

In late 2002 I started a contract that saw me writing a back-office system for, wait for it, parking meters. Well actually for parking ticket vending machines. Via GSM modem the machines could be reconfigured or audited. During one test I noticed the battery on the machine to which I was talking was going flat. It turned out it was a solar-powered machine sitting at a beach in Sydney. "Solar power, when will people learn?" - a Simpson's quote, and I used it. 

In 2004 I started work on a suite of telephony applications. We got the existing version tidied up and out the door pretty quickly and I've been working on upgrades ever since. The latest and greatest and soon to be released looks nice (that's a little bit of an understatement). 

Last year I had a busy one, I returned to study full-time and worked part-time. I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Internet Security Management. It was good fun. I started on the Master's course for the same subject this year but found it was too light going. Besides the research project the rest was all web related that seemed a little unnecessary for me to complete, so after 3 weeks I withdrew, and got a refund. 

I have noticed this year (2005) I'm becoming reacclimatized to Australian weather conditions. I didn't use my leather jacket in 2002 or 2003, once in 2004 and 4 or 5 times so far in 2005. And going for a jog covered in sun screen is a little different to going for a jog in the snow. 

In June 2005 I was in the midst of moving into my own apartment after sharing with my brother and at times other guys or my brother's girlfriend. A bit of a change after 14 years with an apartment to myself. 

I signed the lease today and if I work things out right I might be able to watch the new Doctor Who in the new apartment on Saturday night. The new Doctor Who for those that haven't seen it is to the old Doctor Who as Star Trek: The Next Generation was to the original Star Trek. 45 minute episodes, no wobbly sets that are used by Blake's 7 on alternate days, good special effects. The two things kept from the older series are the blue police box and the theme tune. And it finishes just in nice time to go out to the local for a meal and a wee drinkie-poo (the spell checker is not going to like that).

Born 31 July 1964 in Perth, Australia. Lived in three houses, went to Kapinara Primary School, got a pet cat born on 21 July 1968 (one year prior to the moon landing).

Moved to Sydney around 1972 where I attended Bellevue Hill Public School and then moved to Albury, NSW around 1973 where I attended West Albury Public School from (I think) 1974 - 1976 and St Paul's College, Walla Walla from 1977 - 1978.

Returned to Mandurah WA in 1979. Attended Pinjarra Senior High School from 1979 - 1981. Worked on a boat-hire for 3 years and a kitchen for another 3. Started at W.A.I.T. in 1982 and started work at Myer Computer and Business Centre in 1985. Completed my Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1987 around the same time the Myer department was spun off and purchased by a competitor, B. S. Microcomp (BSM).

Transferred to the BSM Software Development Centre (SDC) in June 1988 where I started working full-time as a programmer on DR-one, a foreign exchange/money market suite of applications. Early mornings, late nights working with computers, key to the office on Bourke St, age 24. Loved it.

Worked on the Japanese project in 1989 which saw me finishing off the project acceptance in Tokyo in October 1989. Returned to Melbourne and moved to the OS/2 project. In 1990 spent October - November in Sydney finishing off a project.

In late 1991 the company was being wound up and 5 members of the development team were transferred to Luxembourg for a one year assignment. Became a local employee at the end of 1992.

Spent time in Europe doing some traveling, impromptu ski trips, visits to Euro Disney, pub next to the office. With partners and previously transferred employees there were about 12 of us from Melbourne in Luxembourg. A pub next to the office and walking distance home. Had a wonderful time.

Things started slowing down fun wise in 1995 when most friends had either left Luxembourg or the company. A nightclub moved in to the building next to my apartment in 1996 and one of their speakers was within 3 meters of my bed. Left that apartment in early 1997 and moved out of town - 5km out.

Became head of the department in 1996 and left the then Misys (formally ACT Financial Systems, BIS Banking Systems) in 1998 and joined Odyssey where I was once again working with a friend from Melbourne.

Spent the next 3+ years designing and developing a Client Relationship Management system for the private banking industry.