Blog

The thoughts, opinions, happenings, and just plain ramblings of a seemingly boring person.

Life

2015: Year in Review

Categories Life

It's been a big, life-changing year. I have been blessed in so many ways this year, there is a lot to be thankful for amid the moments of loss.

Even more so than last year, blog writing was sparse this year. Here are the highlights of this year's posts that I did write:

February

April

May

… Read more →

Tweets for 2015

Categories Geekery, Internet, Life

twitter-year-2015

These are my tweets for 2015 (minus replies and retweets). All the URLs are still Twitter's 't.co' ones, as the Twitter API doesn't spit out the original URL text.

  • Watched the recent Hobbit movie today, and I think the moment I stopped taking it seriously was when the drop bear happened. Jan 02, 2015
  • First sighting in Brisbane! Still waiting for a test drive 🙁 @TeslaMotors http://t.co/UwwlxsbYZP Jan 03, 2015
  • Me fail English? That's unpossible! https://t.co/axARHljtWz Jan 05, 2015
  • Awww, the first launch I was watching live in a while, just got scrubbed 🙁 http://t.co/0zEiwaTzgB... http://t.co/1eFDmjOrds Jan 06, 2015
… Read more →

Living with Liver Disease: My Continuing Journey With PSC & Anxiety

Categories Life, Rants

I've previously debated within myself whether I should write this entry over the past few years, as I've recently hesitated at exposing these deeply personal issues to the wider world. But after delivering a presentation at work on Friday for DonateLife Week 2015, I've taken great comfort in sharing my health journey with other people.

Since my diagnosis in 2010 (most recent blog post on that initial period here), I started to shy away from posting about my personal life, and especially my health.

It's now been just over five years since I was diagnosed with primary … Read more →

Everything Changes: I’m Now a Dad

Categories Life

AnastaciaTwo weeks ago I became a Dad! Des and I welcomed into the world our first child, Anastacia.

I'll try not to fill this post with lots of new parent clichés, but most of them ring true when experienced first hand.

It's hard to describe in words how in a single moment everything in your life changes. Some things in expected ways, such as the loss of sleep, structure, and quiet around the house. Others in unexpected ways, and that is where her name, which has the meaning of 'resurrection', is fitting both in terms of the time … Read more →

2014: Year In Review

Categories Life

Another year gone in the blink of an eye! Overall, it was a great year. Settling into a job I love with great people, spiralling out of control into a Lego addiction, as well as taking the first steps of procreation!

Blog writing was very thin this year, but nevertheless, here is the highlights of this year's blog posts:

January

  • 10 Years of Blogging!: Big milestone! Also a great summary of the history of this website (and my life too!).

March

  • Game Endings: A good rant on why video game endings don't have to be happy and conclusive,
… Read more →

Tweets for 2014

Categories Geekery, Internet, Life

twitter-year-2014These are my tweets for 2014 (minus replies and retweets). All the URLs are still Twitter's 't.co' ones, as the Twitter API doesn't spit out the original URL text.

  • Obligatory "daaaayuuumm it's hoooott" comment. Jan 04, 2014
  • Nothing like waking up to Arsenal beating Spurs 😀 Jan 05, 2014
  • Today marks 10 years since I started my blog! I can't believe how quickly a decade has gone. Special '10 year' post: http://t.co/hUiNMGbRBn Jan 05, 2014
  • *facepalm* RT @GuardianAus: UK porn filter blocks game update that contained 'sex' http://t.co/EZb47pMgsC Jan 22, 2014
  • 'Her' is definitely worth a watch: http://t.co/FnBVpE5RhW Jan 25,
… Read more →

Grammar By Instinct vs. Rules

Categories Life, Work

Continuing with the MOOC that I am taking on English Grammar and Style, last week we covered adjectives. I can't believe I'm learning so much from this course that I didn't previously know! Below is my writing submission for the week.

I was fascinated by this week's adjective material, as it really highlighted how much of grammar I know solely by instinct rather than by rules.

The perfect example of this was the demonstration of the 'Royal Order of Adjectives'. I did not even realise that adjectives had to be placed in a certain sequence in order for them

… Read more →

Online Course: UQx: Write101x English Grammar and Style

Categories Life, Work

Free online courses seem to be all the rage at the moment. Heck, even my Dad has taken a few courses from some American universities. I've decided to take the plunge and am enrolled in a course offered by UQ:  Write101x: English Grammar and Style.

This choice of course may surprise some. "Aren't you a technical writer, Lucas?!". Yes, but whilst I think I can write fairly decently, for the most part I don't really know why. Trying to understand that 'why' is mostly why I'm taking this course.

This first week involved submitting a 300 word blog … Read more →

Lego New and Old

Categories Geekery, Lego, Life

My completed old LegoI posted last year about my rekindled love of Lego, and since then it has gone slightly nuts. My desk at work is now covered in minifigures and small Star Wars sets, and I recently completed The Simpsons series of minifigures. After seeing The Lego Movie (which is my favourite movie of the year so far), I couldn't help myself but get Benny's Spaceship from Amazon (super excite), and am now waiting for the Super Secret Police Dropship to be released here in Australia.

A few weeks ago I retrieved most of my childhood Lego from my … Read more →

Getting My Beard On

Categories Life

I've always despised shaving. Getting up earlier in the morning than I otherwise would, and trying to get my eyes to focus on my face whilst putting whirring blades up against my cheeks and neck is definitely not my favourite part of the day.

I've had a goatee/Van Dyke since 2003, but I've finally decided to change things up a bit. Beards seem to be all the rage now, and I'm lucky to work at a company where my worth isn't valued by how I look, so there's no better time to grow it out and try the "full hobo" … Read more →