Exploring Otago in the holidays

First term starts tomorrow but we have just come home from a great trip around Otago. First of all we headed south down along the Catlins. The Catlins comprises an area in the southeastern corner of the South Island of New Zealand. The area lies between Balclutha and Invercargill, straddling the boundary between the Otago and Southland regions.It is an amazing coastline with some awesome ocean stretches as well as some pretty rare wildlife. We spent a dusk on the beach - very cold - watching yellow eyed penguins come ashore. The rarest penguins in the world. We went down to Bluff, the southern most tip of NZ and hung out in that boom town - Invercargill (joking :)).

We then headed into the mountains and stayed with friends at Wanaka, over the Crown Ranges from Queenstown. We had two nights of great dinners and laughs as well as two days on the snow at Treble Cone. We got off the snow at lunchtime today and were back in Dunedin 3 hours later. The ski fields are so close - methinks a week in September during the next break.

Oh, well to it tomorrow - Bring it on!

Dunedin Winter Festival

It was cold, it was windy but it was heart warming. I took the family down to the Octagon - the centre of Dunedin to watch the Dunedin Winter Festival. Lots of kids, smiles, lanterns and even a fireworks display.

I stood in the crowd with my 3 year old on my shoulders who shouted at the lanterns going past in the parade. There were stars, fish, ships, people on stilts and even a couple of Yeti! Afterwards, we walked across the Octagon and watched the fire works being launched from the roof of a civic building. All in all, things like this make Dunedin a really cool place. There is always lots on and things to do in the holiday week. In six days we are back into it so enjoying every moment where I can.

Am off on a road trip tomorrow and will be back next Monday to start semester two!

Term 1 finished - Good-bye Syndicate C

Well, today is the end of term one. Four exams in four days and a few drinks yesterday means it might take a few days for my brain to resume normal function. I have loved my first term. The course has been challenging and interesting. Probably the thing that I will value the most from first term that is not in the brochures is the bonds I have formed with my fellow syndicate members. We have been known as the 'circus syndicate' because there is always something entertaining happening in our room!

We have spent a lot of time together, studied hard together, had a lot of laughs and a few tears, found some limits but most importantly, achieved great results. First term has been a blast and the friendships will stay with me forever. 10 days off now until round two starts. I am looking forward to it!

PS. Thanks Melissa for our Syndicate C door sign - all of us have been one of these things at one point in the term!

MBA Exam week procrastination.

 

Exam week. One down, 3 to go. The end of first term is in sight. Already a bit sick of study. Looking for anything that will get me out of the study cave. Luckily, next to the MBA school there is the river, Leith. Today it wasn't a small river, it was a torrent! Standing waves, debris and general mayhem. Great to watch.

What makes it particularly exciting is that for the whole time we have been at school, the Dunedin City Council has been beautifying the banks of the Leith. Unfortunately they have been a little circumspect in their calculations for the bank height. In fact, I would say they have been totally unrealistic! As you can see from the photo, there is nothing left of the work, it has been completely washed away. All good entertainment for people looking to escape from study!

MBA Aches and Pains

I am feeling it. Too long at the desk. My neck is sore, my back is killing me. Must be old age. I am glad I am not the only one. There is illness, headaches and fatigue. All of us are keen to get through our exams and have a break. Last night I read my daughter a story at 7.30pm and woke up at 12pm asleep beside her. First term exams wrap up Thursday and it can't come soon enough.....

MBA Photos

As part of the class's preparation to re-enter the work-force, many things are done to help us to become more polished. Recently we had corporate photos professionally taken. It was good fun. Quite often your profile shot is old or a photo of you with other people cropped out so it is good to have one where you look sharp!

There was lot of kidding around though. Everyone who had photos done had to endure the rest of the class trying to make them crack up for their photo. The group is becoming quite close knit now and the photos, like everything else we do together, is always a good laugh!

Sometimes I get excited about strange things...

I have just finished my first draft of my economics assignment on multi-criteria decision making. I have just basically been typing up a storm for the last 4 hours, not because it was due but because I couldn't stop. My wife has gone to bed, probably thinking I am a weirdo!

Anyway, my assignment is using the decision making software called 1000minds. Check it out at www.1000minds.com . The lecturer, Paul Hansen actually invented not only the software but the actual decision making process behind it - PAPRIKA. It even has its own Wiki. Pretty cool.

Anyway, we had to come up with a decision either within our syndicate groups, with a person we were aligned with or on our own. I took the opportunity to do something very personal and go it alone - very self indulgent I know but you have to make the most of the opportunity especially as when you get to use something like this on a personal decision.

What's my decision you ask? Well based on the preferences (criteria) of myself and a couple mates, we are using the software to decide whether we should go into business together and what type of business we should get into. So you can see why I have worked up a full head of steam. First draft finished - good findings! Will revise this week and see how I go.

MBA Rubberman

Quality surf today but I thought it was worth a pic to understand what surfers go through in Dunedin. Mark and I are in hooded wetsuits with an average thickness of 5 millimetres ( with some six millimetre sections). It is starting to get cold in the water particularly after it snowed this week!