The Blog of Living Curiously - Wherein Rob Farquhar Explores Life One Interest At A Time

Expecting to Disappoint Revisited: The Tug of War

May 192013

It’s been a little over six months since Kelly Gurnett published my “Reader QUIT” about expecting to disappoint on her web log, Cordelia Calls It Quits. And in that time, I’ve made some progress… but at the same time, I don’t feel like I’ve made all that much.

There are reasons, of course. Over the last six months there have been a heap of changes at work and I’ve been stressing out a lot more, feeling as though disaster is imminent – job-losing, loan-busting, house-losing, can’t-afford-to-play-for-Vickie’s-upcoming-cataract-surgery grade disaster.

Thankfully, I’ve turned the things I can turn around at my end around, and other things have improved as well. Still, the blows to my self-confidence meant I let my interview schedule for The Paid To Play Podcast go, and I’m still catching up.

While I’m in a better place as of this post, I keep finding myself thinking: Shouldn’t I be further along in my quest to get Paid to Play by now?

Pursuing Sweet Dreams of a Bakery Career: Vanessa Musi – Paid to Play, Episode 29 / Brazen Episode 2

Keen, Producing No Responses »

May 142013

It’s my pleasure to announce that the second episode of The Paid to Play Podcast produced in conjunction with Brazen Careerist is live – and it’s also my pleasure to announce the all new home of The Paid to Play Podcast at paidtoplay.com.au!

I’ve been meaning to sort out a separate home for the podcast… well, since it started, really, and I’m glad to finally make that a reality now! It’s not fully furnished yet, but it’s getting there!

My guest for this episode is Vanessa Musi, who is on the way to opening her own bakery, the Edit Bakery, specialising in gluten- and sugar-free pastries. We had a fantastic chat about Vanessa’s journey all the way around the world from Mexico to the US!

Pursuing Sweet Dreams of a Bakery Career (Podcast) – The Brazen Careerist

As with the first episode, can I ask you all to write your comments on the Brazen Careerist blog post, please?

The Tyranny of Explanations

Non-Plussed, Producing No Responses »

May 082013

Blogging is about writing. Sharing your perspective on the world, your progress through it.

Yet there seems to be a line between sharing your perspective and explaining it, trying to justify it.

It’s this line between “here’s what I experience” and “here’s why I’m right in what I think about it.”

Three Tips to Help Your First Android Netrunner Game Stay Fun

Curious No Responses »

May 042013

My first game of Android: Netrunner. Photo by Andrew Stingel.

Most card games are complex beasts, especially collectable and living card games, where each card has some way of altering the basic rules. It can make actually enjoying the game right out of the box difficult.

Android: Netrunner is no exception, especially as each of its two sides, Corp and Runner, have different playstyles and completely different cards. It means you can lose the game almost as soon as you start. While the game’s manual is thorough in terms of laying out the rules of the game, it’s a little sparse in terms of helping new players, well, play.

Here are a couple of suggestions that will help you ensure that your first few games of Netrunner will go for long enough for you to get the hang of it.

Start Small: The Video Log

Producing No Responses »

Apr 242013

Had idea today. Got Vickie’s camera and tripod out at 10:30PM. Made test recording for zoom and position. Recorded four takes. Discovered camera only outputs video in .MOV format which Windows Movie Maker doesn’t edit. Bitched on Facebook, which resulted in friend suggesting Videopad. Downloaded Videopad. Edited clip and uploaded to YouTube.

Result of around half an hour’s work: Confidence boost. Nagging fear of reception. Improvement in video editing skills, plus knowledge of new program.

And…

Are you producing?

What’s the smallest you’ve started something at? How big did it get?

Links

Nikon Coolpix S8200

YouTube

Videopad

Starting Small: One Space Marine at a Time

Curious, Producing No Responses »

Apr 202013

Facebook, if you’re subscribed to the right pages or people, can become a hall of positive thinking. It’s even better than those framed motivational posters you see on folks’ office walls.

There’s one quote I’ve been noticing lately, and it goes something like this:

“You’ve spent most of your life disapproving of yourself. Why not try approving of yourself and see where it gets you?”

I know the first half of it well. It’s why I manage to talk myself out a lot of things I’m otherwise keen on. I don’t think I’ll be able to do it, or I’m not worth the work or the result.

As probably mentioned before, it’s also a reason why a lot of folks close to me want to throttle me half the time.

But I’m trying to turn that around, and one of the things I’m doing is giving myself around half an hour of “me” time every evening. Just half an hour where I ask myself, “Okay, Rob: What do YOU want to do now?” And do what ever the answer is.

Ten or twelve days ago, the answer was, “Paint a Space Marine.” So I got out my paints and brushes and the sprues of Space Marine miniatures that Gav sent me up last year and got going.

Websites From Building to Backing Up: Business Web Integrations Podcast Episodes 15-18

Curious, Producing No Responses »

Apr 142013

Marcus and I have been a pair of slackers on the BWI podcast. Between some log work hours for the both of us, we’ve been putting off recording an episode on our scheduled evening, and even more slack about uploading them once they’re done!

So now we’re making sure we redress that. Here now are Episodes Fifteen to Nineteen of the Business Web Integrations Podcast, where we tackle the subject of creating a small business website.

Before Starting Your New Website – Ep 15. What do you ask? What do you need?
Preparing for your website – Ep 16. What are the final things you need to knock off before you sit (or your contractor sits) down and start(s) building?
Web Designer vs Web Developer – Ep 17. Just what is the difference between a web designer and web developer? Which do you need? Can one person be both?
Backing up and moving your site – Ep 18. How do you ensure your site doesn’t fall victim to a fatal server crash or other disaster?

Please download and listen! Episodes 19 to 23 will be available soon!

Marketing Classic Games: Trevor Longino – Paid to Play, Episode 28 / Brazen Episode 1

Curious, Producing No Responses »

Apr 132013

You’ve probably noticed the headline that announces this episode as the first Brazen one. That’s because the Paid to Play Podcast has joined forces with Brazen Careerist!

They even made me up this neat logo, too! Now I just have to figure out how get it into iTunes…

The folks at Brazen and I have a lot in common. We both want to help folks get the most satisfaction out of their working lives as possible. Brazen’s team of bloggers – including my guest for episode 15, Kelly Gurnett – give out tips on how to thrive in the modern workplace without compromising what’s important to you.

Which, I reckon, is a pretty good definition of my guests on Paid to Play.

Once a month, I’ll contribute an interview to Brazen; I hope that my interviews can add to Brazen’s already massive library of work-life wisdom.

The first of these is already up; my chat with Trevor Longino, head of marketing and public relations at game distributor GOG.com. Formerly known as Good Old Games, GOG.com has expanded its mission from bringing classic computer games from the nineties back to life on modern operating systems into offering newer titles from indies like FTL to mainstream games like The Witcher DRM free.

Trevor and I discuss the classic video games of the nineties, just what marketing and PR involves in this social media age and how Trevor has handled relocating from the US to Poland in order to work for GOG!

Turning a Passion for Classic Video Games Into a Career (Podcast) - The Brazen Careerist

As I’m Brazen’s guest, I’ve closed comments on this page. Can you respond on the episode’s blog entry on Brazen, please?

Marketing Classic Games: Trevor Longino - Paid to Play, Episode 28 [ 43:59 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (36)

My International TableTop Day: New Hobby, New Crew

Curious, Keen No Responses »

Mar 312013

On and off since I moved to Cairns, I’ve been in the odd effort to get a tabletop roleplaying game scene moving. Most recently, I set a Facebook group up and helped the newly-opened KerSplatt! Comics and Collectables choose which products to stock its RPG and card gaming shelf with.

Yet for all my enthusiasm about tabletop roleplaying games and investment in the hobby, I’ve done very little actual gaming. It took me ages (and quite a bit of money) to realise that I wasn’t really enjoying the hobby.

It took two separate events to realise where my interest really lies – board games.

Why You Need to Breathe Right RIGHT NOW, SOLDIER!

Curious No Responses »

Mar 032013

No, this isn't my morning chin-up routine.

Even if you’ve never been in the military (I haven’t) you’vee probably seen a war movie or two. You know the bit when the new recruit turns up for his first fay of basic training and some big goon of a drill sergeant comes charging down the line of recurits, telling them: Shoulders back! Chest out! Gut in! Stand straight!

Yeah, that bit. You know it, right?

Well, I always thought that it was just for the sake of getting everyone in a uniform pose, the start of breaking them down and remaking them into soldiers.

Turns out, though, that drill instructor, whether he knew it or not, was actually trying to get those recruits to do something properly that they may never have done right before, something so basic that they likely never even noticed or thought about it.

Breathing.

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