it's been a very quiet year, with very little travel and yet many new experiences.

We started the year living in that awful awful flat in Reuben ave. The floor was not level. The bedroom wall wasn't attached to the floor. It was freezing cold in december. It smelled really really bad and got no sunlight. Oh, and wetas liked to crawl into our bedroom and into the bed.

the only redeeming feature was the spare room, which became a music room and I got back into playing cello regularly. Cello, unlike flute, needs alot of space and i'm unlikely to do a quick practise if i have to set everything up everytime.

but there was a rather good pub round the back of the flat.

Mike discovers there's a new CHEESE SHOP in Petone

Pamela the midwife has a blog post of thoughts and info on teenage pregnancy in New Zealand.

Mark Osbourne mentions Uruguay gave a laptop to every single child.

Vampire wannabies can buy bags of tasty blood fit for human consumption.

There's a Save Maranui fundraiser involving speedos.

Open office is spreading quickly all over Belgium according to The Open Source Observatory and Repository for European public administrations.

Someone invented a Robot that loads and unloads the dishwasher

Rachel Alpine talks about need for plain language and official information

Live scribe, the makers of that shiny gadget pen i use alot are opening an app store of applications that run on the pen.

me, in computerworld, originally uploaded by Br3nda

smug photo of me and the tiara from the Blogger's Predict panel.

Mystic Bloggers Predict the Future | coffee.geek.nzSource: coffee.geek.nzI was part of a panel of bloggers who were asked to make predictions for the coming year. The other bloggers where Miraz Jordon, Philip Fierlinger and Mauricio Freitas    i think this means i'm now supreme blogger in wellington!! (there can be only one, etc. etc.)    

i'm on the panel for this year's Bloggers Predict.

http://up.org.nz/predictions-2009/

The rules:
Each blogger will make 3 to 5 predictions in the following categories:
Gadgets & Games
The Internet, Web 3.0...
Business & Technology
Wellington/NZ/the Universe (open slather)

Predictions made by blog readers in comments are allowed, but must be credited.

Cheating -- by using insider knowldge, in-depth simulations, latent psychic powers, reasoned analysis, alcohol, ouija boards, etc -- is strictly encouraged.
The Event:

When: Tuesday 27 January, 2009, 5:30 for a 6:00 start
Where: Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce, level 28, The Majestic Centre, 100 Willis Street

We predict that this will be an UP event like no other. Come to drink, meet and mingle, and at 6pm we will assemble to hear the bloggers reveal all--their own forecasts, and those made by their readers.

Then you will vote for the blogger who has made the most plausible yet unexpected claims about the year ahead. The blogger with the most votes will take the prize...

The evening will conclude with a traditional Unlimited Potential feast: free pizza and beer! RSVP now to reserve your spot!