The Lion King Puppies @ the start

The Lion King Puppies @ the start, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

here we are at the start.... we had a few ups and downs along the way, with one team member being carted off to hospital (either the miss relay session was all too much OR he pulled a really good excuse not to have to help packing up). but yes, we made it til the end.

and, yes, it was exhausting.

the ups and downs taught me a lot. how much we really know a person... or in fact how much we don't. for me though, it's about listening and just helping when we can.

i got the captain tag because i registered the first team when we joined. but we ended up with three teams. and its been an interesting experience. to be honest the group(s) floundered seriously from a whole heap of things...

in a nutshell many team members ended up grumpy and having a whinge. i didn't take the reigns early enough on i guess (but i had two events to pull off this weekend and there's a limit) and so what i was meant to do as team leader never really worked like a fine tuned beast (as one people pointed out to me on the day).

there are fantastic people who just pitch in and get on with stuff... they are there from the start, right til the end. they put up their hand, volunteer and take on extra duties without fliching or worrying. unfortunately one of them ended up in hospital from his lack of complaining (chest pains and difficulty breathing and he still wanted to keep walking!!! aaargh).

but i find some people LOVE to express their opinions from the comfort of their chair. ask them to do something and they run. for them there will ALWAYS be someone else there to carry the burdon.

at the end of the day it makes a team. of sorts.

my captaincy is over. i'll let the experts do it next time. that said, i am so glad we got to honour Quinny as a survivor. i'm personally happy i was able to contribute as my cousin is currently floundering... as are many others to this horrible disease. so every little effort in raising money helps.

now we can rest (for a sec). bring on the next one. i'm in the team. in the meantime... big hugs go to mick... we know you'll be good again soon... xx

Day Eithy Five, Dead Red Wake 4 is alive

Day Eithy Five, Dead Red Wake 4 is alive, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

My wine group event on friday nite was a great success... each one unfolds something new, something challenging and something really really awesome. That day we had appeared in the paper - The Independent Weekly to be precise - so I was chuffed. That nite I was asked if Winestate Magazine could do a write up about the group.

The basic principal just gets people talking. As one punter on the nite said "most of the wine groups these days are a regurgitation of themselves... there's nothing new about them. this one is different, interesting and a whole lot of fun".

Can't get much higher praise than that.

*smiles*
xc

Day Eighty Four, he aint no bore

Day Eighty Four, he aint no bore, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

Meet Miss Relay for Life. Mick.

He gets to dress up in a bikini and an evening dress and provide "some talent". So, well, we have to make him look good... so (as per his request) we coloured his hair!! Oh, and beard. No more greys... banished!!

He now looks like a porn star. Which kinda worries me - cause he's meant to look all cute and innocent in his evening gown and bikini...

LOL. I say no more. xc

Day Eighty Three, a good driver i be

Day Eighty Three, a good driver i be, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

today was driver performance and safety training. i have learnt more things about a car in one day by that bloke sitting in the passenger seat that i could have on my own in a million years.

driving at a constant steady speed is far FASTER than speeding up and slowing down for corners. as he says "any mug can drive @ 100km's on a straight stretch of road, but keep consistent @ 60km an hour on a windy road and you'll get home quicker than anyone".

they can increase a companies delivery performance just through better driving. they can reduce road accidents, they want to save your life and they want to decrease road accidents.

did you know if you increased the distance between you and the car in front of you by just a fraction... we would reduce car accidents by some crazy amount i forget what it was... but it was impressive.

did you know i can now 4 wheel drive up and down a steep incline AND i can slam on my brakes on a gravel road. and not loose control. whooohoooo

just what i need for city driving. xc

Day Eighty Two, look @ you

Day Eighty Two, look @ you, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

my wine group is growing little by little and i'm getting more and more organised with each event. i'm actually really enjoying the process now.

the bottle i hold isn't mine BUT will make an appearance at an event soon :) xc

deadreds.blogspot.com/

Day Eighty One, left was but one crumb

Day Eighty One, left was but one crumb, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

four girls with birfday's at the start of the year and at a time when many take annual leave - so even the december girl had to wait til now to get her cake. Carlos couldn't believe we were celebrating mine AGAIN. he's so jealous. LOL

this is the work crew. well some. others remain busy - too busy for cake (WTF??)

there was debate over which was the most healthy. everyone assumed the carrot cake but i always say looks can be deceiving as carrot cake can be FULL of oil (girls - that means straight to the hips). the others were banana, apple tea cake and chocolate with - we think - a hint of chicory. it was debated though.

isn't that just grand!! afternoon tea with cake. yah xxx

Day Eighty, yah, i'm still here

Day Eighty, yah, i'm still here, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

even if that doesn't rhyme, i don't care!!

ok, i'm enjoying this process but i never in a million years thought i would last this long.

D A Y . E I G H T Y

it's kinda weird but it's been fun... and it has certainly turned heads and made conversations along the way. still a long way to go (gosh - how excited will i be if and when i hit Day 100, or 200!!!).

is there a prize at the end? no. bugga. simple personal selfish enjoyment i guess.

if anyone feels like commenting about how they have found this process of me posting every day - i would love to hear from you (from any avenue - twitter, plurk, blog, facebook)...

xc

Day Seventy Nine, it's not a crime

Day Seventy Nine, it's not a crime, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

but it would be if i was driving when i took this foto!

i have seen so much of the inside of my car this week. the clipsal road show is in town. yah. NOT. adelaide turned into a car park over nite. so, using the new service that our Premier loves to much, i twittered him and asked him to consider putting more buses on the road next year - a week BEFORE the event.

he twittered back. much to my amusement :)

PremierMikeRann @charlierobinson Thanks Charlie. I'll talk to Transport Minister Pat Conlon about your idea. 5:11 PM Mar 19th from web in reply to charlierobinson

At least he listened - and took the time. xc

Day Seventy Eight, it's fate

Day Seventy Eight, it's fate, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

my darling friend Bruce, who i've known for 20 years and i had had a bit of a spat earlier in the week. but to be frank we have been through bigger and uglier hurdles together so i actually brushed it off and refused to accept his grumpiness. so much so that it caused him to laugh.

laughter is seriously the best thing.

all i got all day was "why do you always have to have the last word" to which i'd reply "i dont know" or " because " or "why not?" and other such comments. he didn't have a leg to stand on. but he got me when he said, "well ok, as long as you buy me a drink tonight" LOL guess i had too!!

and we did. and it was good. and it's what all good friends do.

it's fate - he's just gonna have to get over himself and learn that's he's stuck with me til the end. xc

Day Seventy Seven, the coffee den

Day Seventy Seven, the coffee den, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

Anne is awesome. She knows i like my cappuccino with one sugar and my one slice of vegemite toast done pronto with some happy banter. she's given me advise about all sorts of things since we moved into the building... she's a lovely lady.

But i guess it's all about routine... my morning one. It's the only part of the day that is 100% my own and i love getting to know the owners and makers of my morning cappuccino. it sets my day up. xc

Day Seventy Five, celebration for being alive

Day Seventy Five, celebration for being alive, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

t was Rowan's birthday and we went out to din dins with his friend Richard. it's a think they do as they share the same date! Richard's a lovely man, completely in to his wine and Karen, his friend, had spent lunchtime at Magil Estate with her son... so we all had a bit in common - especially with my Dead Reds Wine Group coming up !!

the Dead Reds event - Wake 4 is in full final throws for planning. i have arranged a foto shoot for next week so that we appear in the paper. we are starting to generate a bit of publicity through the media which is awesome. i've always said i don't want the group to grow too big (too much to handle) but i do like the idea of unearthing more people who will find this type of event a heap of fun.

many people still have the initial impression it's a snobby thing for people who like "good" old wine (read expensive) but it's so not. it's also not some goth underground grungy thing (which has been associated to the term "wakes".

this is really a casual event for the regular folk who have wine in their house / pantry / wine rack that they are just really unsure about... perhaps have had that litle bit too long and have no idea what it will end up tasting like. it's these bottles we love to open... just to see how they have faired over the test of time.

some are seriously NICE, some are seriously DEAD!!! and it's a hoot working out which is which xc

Day Seventy Six, a team mix

Day Seventy Six, a team mix, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

we spent the evening (or start of it) creating the banner for the lion king puppie team. our efforts will all come together next weekend when the walk is on... we have two large teams entered and have done a heap of fund raising... probably not as much as our first dreams (dreams are free) HOWEVER, we have learnt a heap along the way... had a few ups and downs, but generally enjoyed the ride and we look forward to doing it bigger and better next year.

for now, we will at least look the part on the day!! xc

Day Seventy Four, never a bore!!

Day Seventy Four, never a bore!!, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

simple fun with my kid xc

Day Seventy Three, crumbling around me

Day Seventy Three, crumbling around me, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

OK, i'm in incognito... it's not really me at all. Is it ?

There are some days when we feel 100% on top of the world and everything is singing and coming up roses. And then, well, there are some that simply don't. I can't complain, I didn't have a bad day... but I had one of those days that just didn't gel. It didn't seem right in the world.

I panic when I get this feeling I have to confess because the last time it did for REAL, well... I found out some pretty horrific news. So, OK. It's not one of those days. It's not that bad. Good.

But it's just not right. Why? Who knows.

I had an average day at work... I feel slightly pressured about amount on my plate, but it's been worse. I had another great meeting with Amanda from SA Great. I got a stack of stuff done. My kids are happy and fed and not whinging, so no bad stuff there. Certainly I disappointed my eldest yesterday with some news but we'll work that one through, so OK... what is it?

I really don't know.

It's just this nagging feeling. So, tonight I'm incognito whilst I work it through and out. Time for patience xc

Day Seventy One - the real one (cause i stuffed up)

Day Seventy One - the real one (cause i stuffed up), originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

ooops.

this is comedy cellars with simon (original wog boy)

great nite. so great i forgot to post the foto!! LOL xc

Fan Page: www.new.facebook.com/pages/Simon-Palomares/22351004824

Day Seventy Two, it's a shoe

Day Seventy Two, it's a shoe, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

no, i haven't created this image just to get a title... even tho i know that's what you're thinking. i'm just excited about my new slippers. and the fact i can wear them as well... my feet have been giving me grief for AGES... and these are comfy. so yah. xc

Day Seventy One, when does a team becomes one?

Day Seventy One, when does a team becomes one?, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

??? ever ???

my daughter rows.

it's a lifestyle sport in that it's a family and school team effort to keep her fit, able and available for training and regattas. she trains all week and then goes to regattas that take up the entire saturday. it can be a drain but for now she enjoys it and so we make it happen.

to be frank, she does a lot of it by her own steam... which is tremendous for a 14 year old. there will come a day when homework and study will take over, but for now, that's life.

i talk about this because after yesterday's regattas she was a tad let down that some other members of the team weren't pulling their weight. when you have one kid willing to catch buses across town just so they can BE THERE and then others who just rock up and chat and don't take it seriously, well it can grate on the friendship. BIG TIME.

however, in a way, it is teaching her a valuable life lesson. as humans we all have varying standards and attitudes. and we all dont do things at the same pace. whilst one will throw themselves in full force and organise motivate and encourage the others, the others will sit back and wait for it all to happen for them. quite happily.

even in my 40's i see this. i see it at work, i see it amongst my friends and family. it's not wrong and its not bad. it's just the way we are. as humans.

the challenge is to remain focused on your own goals. your own things that make YOU happy. and this is what i try and teach her. don't be diverted and swayed away from where you want to go... STAY ON TRACK. xc

Day Seventy, love a plenty

Day Seventy, love a plenty, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

there's a whole series of fun fotos we took, capturing all sorts of moments but i like this one. shows me as happy and relaxed. a nice place to be :)

say no more. xc

Day Sixty Nine, having a good time

Day Sixty Nine, having a good time, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

i lived in sydney for nearly eight years and i genuinely LIKE returning for a VISIT. only.

have i turned into a scaredy cat? it's fast furious competitive pace? it's offer of wonderfully exciting and challenging jobs. it's pay. it's ability to make me reach out and learn faster, harder and be more clever. it's fun, exciting social scene.

no i don't think so.

i just really LIKE ADELAIDE. i know all the faults with this place but i also know the benefits and i can honestly say i do prefer adelaide. or RADelaide as Kelly Nobel (of GLAM Adelaide) made famous.

so, i enjoyed my 2 days at ad:tech and will probably return next year (to keep me on pulse), however... i'm happy to have come home to the chilled glass of wine and sunsets :) xc

Day Sixty Eight, we wait (for ad:tech sydney)

Day Sixty Eight, we wait (for ad:tech sydney), originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

attending ad:tech sydney 2009 was far more influential this year. why? was it because the ad crew are getting it? or was it simply because we have all come a long way since ad:tech sydney 2008? words like "influence", "conversation" and "engage" are not generally ones that spring from the likes of ad agency staff.

and granted there are MANY still fixed on the big bang theory BUT the conference audience now strongly fed back the need for longevity in a (media/ad) campaign (ie not 2 months - lets talk 2 years), budgets coming from customer service/PR and the need for a company to get on the social scene, not be afraid of what MIGHT be said and just listen.

interaction is HUGE. facebook applications that are games, engaging audiences online and offline is a must and brands that shy away in the background (think subtle) so that the focus is on user experience are ESSENTIAL.

my quote "social media is the new black, email and static websites the brown cardigan".

-charlie
my twitter feed is here: http://twitter.com/charlierobinson

Day Sixty Seven, twinkly stars from heaven

Day Sixty Seven, twinkly stars from heaven, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

OK. so i am in sydney for the ad:tech conference. it's worldwide but to my knowledge only held in sydney (for australia). i came last year and was fairly jaded by the advertising industry that they really didn't know how to engage with a consumer if one of them came up and hit them in the face!! i await to see if this year will be different and better.

i would like to hear that that a person or user of a brand is more than a statistic...

stay tuned.
xc

Day Sixty Six, pick up sticks

Day Sixty Six, pick up sticks, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

OK so day sixty five is a camera download by a friend away... and i'm not sure when i'll get it - so, we keep moving.

so, day sixty siz...

spent the day in the front garden turning over the soil and putting in some new mulch... it was dry as and in desperate need of some tender loving care!! next step is to put down some bark, get some thyme & pansies or something in there and sit back and smile.

its a work in progress. xc

Day Sixty Four, when i'm...

Day Sixty Four, when i'm..., originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

the six monthly report card for staff, given by the CEO was well attended...

what can I say... other than we work for an energy company in a time when people just want more. whilst the world credit squeeze moves around us and changes some of the landscape, for now, i feel comfortable working where i do!!

and i'm also happy to be working for a CEO who likes to head in the wind farm / environmentally conscious direction!! and who generally enjoys having the conversation with his staff. xc

Day Sixty Three, two teams we be

Day Sixty Three, two teams we be, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

"stakeholder relations", yep we all get to do it. today we shared pizza with the ETSA comms crew, chin wagged and munched... we had a few things to talk about but the biggest topic was surviving the recent heat wave.

the ETSA guys RAVED about how they pulled together as a company - even having accountants getting crash courses in how to man the fones, to pull through those intense few days. we all deserved the pat on the back but Paul deserves a medal for having several nites in a row working til wee hours of the morning ensuring everything was sorted and the public was informed. xc

Day Sixty Two, it's the glue

Day Sixty Two, it's the glue, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

hey, we were talking about personalities tonight. some are stranger than others. and yes, it's true that we all have our own sense of "normal"...

so when i say i'm a crazy person - well - to be frank i reckon i'm OK and pretty sane. others. well. i wont go there.

hmmmm but maybe i should?

anyway. here today i present for you three different personalities. they all meld and gel with each other. but they are all unique. xc

Day Sixty One, there's no sun!!

Day Sixty One, there's no sun!!, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

it rained all day... and it filled the torrens and it was just lovely. the world feels like it's all upside down :) xc

Is This The Profile Of The New Social Networker

I found this quote today:

The fact is that if you want to network with this girl, you need to be just as real as she is, and that takes relationship…JimBob51, Is This The Profile Of The New Social Networker, Jul 2008

You should read the whole article.

=================================

Is This The Profile Of The New Social Networker
Jul 14th, 2008
by Allan.

Social media is about people, and about interacting with those people. Read on...Is This The Profile Of The New Social Networker

--------------
Hey, I got reminded of this today... made me smile - I'm no longer at 400 friends (as per Allans blog) on facebook BUT whilst I now have over 800 I do still feel like I know what each of you do and how you came to me. I really do. In the facebook context. Sure there are some that are vague... the connection isn't strong yet. YET!!

However, I also laughed today because I have relationships with people across different platforms as well... and i hadn't connected one friend on blogger/twitter, with one here on facebook... until this afternoon. it made me smile and laff really - cause i also finally worked out how he got my corporate information without stalking me - which was a nice feeling!!!

People really can be quite innocent. I do know this. xc

Day Sixty, we're getting nifty

Day Sixty, we're getting nifty, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

the headache is going... i'm on the fone to a girlfriend chatting about fundraising... had a great message today from another girlfriend who had just returned from holidays who will be depositing direct to the bank (Lion King) account - AWESOME!!

all the dollars add up :)

xc

Day Fifty Nine, flatline

Day Fifty Nine, flatline, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

i've had a migraine all weekend... well not as bad as they sometimes get but i've been popping pain killers like they're going out of fashion and haven't felt too flash. managed to have a good relaxing day anyway and churned through a heap of housework. i think by the end of it i felt more organised, which took some of my stress away... which helped with natural pain relief :)

i also made sure we had our BIG family roast. amburger had the twins over (her girlfriends) but they had lost their voices, so whilst it could have been a big LOUD dining table (read, me no cope) it was a quiet happy experience... aaaaaaaah xc

Adelaide Fringe Festival 2009, the video

Adelaide Fringe Festival 2009, 2, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

capturing the packed crowd - it went a bit crazy there for a while and we were smack bang in the middle of it all !! xc

Day Fifty Eight, we have to wait

Day Fifty Eight, we have to wait, originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

for rain.

i hadn't been to see the river torrens since it accidentally got emptied. what a sight. a shame. there's still a trickle in there - that you can see under the bridge. let's hope the rains help improve the situation. xc

Day Fifty Seven (fringe festival 2009 opening)

Day Fifty Seven (fringe festival 2009 opening), originally uploaded by charlierobinson1966.

the fringe opening nite - this is the start. 2 fav friends :) xc

ps sorry for no intelligence during or directly after this foto... had too much fun xx