November, 2011:

I missed it … again

For the second year in a row I’ve missed my ‘blogaversary’ or anniversary of blogging. I used to mark the 3rd of November each year with a blog post but with the busyness of life, especially at this time of year, the day has slipped past unnoticed.

I’ve now been blogging for over eight years.

The first time I ever heard of blogging I thought, “What a stupid idea. Why would you want to share all your most personal thoughts with a bunch of complete strangers?”

Since that time a couple of things have happened. Firstly, I realised that I only had to share what I decided I wanted to share, and secondly, a lot of those ‘complete strangers’ have become good friends, even though I’ve never met many of them face to face.

I’ve really enjoyed the ups and downs of blogging and what you see now is rather different than the original post back on the 3rd of November 2003. I hope you enjoy what you read here and that you’ll stay with me as I enter my ninth year of blogging.

If you’re looking to help me celebrate my eight years of blogging there are a few things you might like to do.

I would really appreciate it if you linked to my blog or to any of my posts that you enjoy.
If you’re a StumbleUpon user you might like to Stumble a post or two. (Of course you’re welcome to do that at anytime.)
You can use the sharing buttons at the bottom of any of my posts. You can share my posts on your Facebook wall, via Twitter, email or any other way you choose.
You may also choose to support my upcoming ride to raise funds for Compassion by clicking this link.

When I have remembered my blogaversary over the last several years I’ve opened the blog up for questions. I reckon it’s time to give it another go.

Most days of the week my job involves asking a number of different people to tell me more about themselves. I normally sit behind a microphone and ask others to tell me all sorts of things. It’s very safe being the one asking the questions. It’s not always quite so easy being the one on the other end of the questions.

So, are there any questions you want to ask me? Is there something you’ve been wondering about? Is there a particular subject you’d like me to post about? It can be about blogging, radio, cycling or whatever else you choose to ask about.

What do you want to know? Just leave a question or post topic in the comments below and I’ll see what I can do to respond. No promises but I’ll give it a shot.

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The strange things we do for others

Nov 28th, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

1 comment

I’ve recently signed up for a three day bike ride to raise money for Compassion Australia and the work they do in releasing children from poverty. The ride’s in February and I’ll be cycling the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.

I’ve seen Compassion’s work first hand in Haiti and Dominican Republic, so I know I’ll be supporting a great cause. If you’d like to help me kick start my fundraising you can follow this link to sponsor me. I’ll tell you more about it as it gets closer but it’s got me wondering about raising funds for good causes and the things we do.

I’ve done a lot of cycling for great causes over the years. I’ve also been locked up as a convict for a cause, raising money for Cystic Fibrosis WA. I’ve done the forty hour famine for World Vision a number of times, taken part in fund raising morning teas, worn red noses and several other bits and pieces along the way.

I’m wondering what crazy things you’ve done for a cause. Tell me what activities you’ve done to fund raise for a worthy reason and what cause you supported. Maybe it’s been making cupcakes or lamingtons. Maybe you’ve taken part in a run or even shaved your head. What have you done to help others?

Please leave a comment or two with your fund raising experiences.

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Is Your Password Secure?

Nov 25th, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

2 comments

How secure is your online life? Are your passwords easy to hack? Are you using a password that could be easily guessed or discovered?

Even having a great password is no guarantee of security if you leave copies of your passwords near your computer. If someone was in your home or office would they find it fairly easy to discover your passwords? Do you use the old hiding spots of under the keyboard or under your desk?

SplashData, a well-known provider of password management applications. has revealed its 25 worst passwords for 2011 with their article, When “Most Popular” Isn’t A Good Thing: Worst Passwords of the Year – And How to Fix Them.

The top five are all fairly simple passswords which would prove no match for even the most basic online hackers.

password
123456
12345678
qwerty
abc123

The rest of the passwords on the list are fairly simple with people expecting passwords like ‘iloveyou’ and ‘trustno1′ to offer them some security. It’s worth checking out the original list to see if any of your passwords are featured. If they are, change them right away. (We should all be changing our passwords regularly any way.)

On Wednesday during my Morning Café radio program on 98.5 Sonshine FM I chatted with our technology expert, David Cook. We discussed passwords and looked at the best ways to create good passwords or passphrases. If you want to stay safe online you can listen to our chat by clicking the play button on the audio player below.

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David Campbell talks about Let’s Go

Nov 22nd, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

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There are four CDs that have taken an absolute hammering in our home over recent years. The Swings Sessions, The Swing Sessions 2, Good Lovin’, and On Broadway.

All these albums come from one artist – David Campbell.

Now there’s a new album to add to the list. David has gone back to the eighties to bring us a dozen stunning songs under the banner of Let’s Go.

Personally for David, LET’S GO represents the missing link in the songs that helped shape him into the singer he is today.

“I was schooled in this music,” says David. “This was the time where I was hitting puberty, taping songs off Countdown onto my VHS tape and watching them over and over. For me, it’s primal party music, but with style.”

The Style Council’s “Shout To The Top”, John Waites’ “Missing You”, Yazoo’s “Only You”, Spandau Ballet’s “True” – these are the songs that struck an emotional chord with the artist as a young man and provided a counter-balance to the old school swing and Broadway influences David was soaking up from his grandmother’s record collection. As Gran taught David the classics, his mum and aunt fed him a healthy dose of Style Council and Dexy’s Midnight Runners [“Come On Eileen”].

These are the songs that make up the soundtrack to David’s adolescence. “‘A lot of these songs have different memories for me,” he says. “‘Shout To The Top’ I went to my aunty’s engagement party, they put it on the stereo and I was like, ‘Wow, what the hell is that?’ I did my first school dance to ‘True’, for goodness sake,” he laughs.

He joined me on the line during today’s Morning Cafe on 98.5 Sonshine FM. Just click the play button on the audio player below to hear today’s interview.

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Paul Daniel Previews WASO 2012

Nov 21st, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

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Paul Daniel became Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) in 2009.

He was Music Director of English National Opera from 1997 until 2005. He has worked with London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic and far too many others to mention around the world. He’s conducted the internationally televised Last Night of the Proms in London with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In 1998 he received a Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera and was awarded the CBE in the 2000 Honours List.

He’s now preparing for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s 2012 season and he joined me today on the Morning Café on 98.5 Sonshine FM. We talked about the very wide range of performances planned for the new year. Audiences are set to be taken on an incredible musical voyage.

Some people may think of classical music as pieces that were written hundreds of years ago, but WASO continues to premiere new works and be extremely innovative in taking their extraordinary talents to a wider audience.

The West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) is Western Australia’s largest and busiest performing arts company. Established in 1928, WASO is the state’s only professional orchestra, playing a central role in the cultural life of Western Australia.

WASO’s vision is to touch souls and enrich lives through music. Each year the Orchestra reaches out into the community and gives people across Western Australia and beyond the opportunity to experience the magic of classical music through concert performances, touring, education programs, and other initiatives.

The Orchestra performs over 140 concerts each year with some of the world’s finest conductors and soloists to an audience in excess of 200,000. In addition to its own concerts, WASO regularly performs with the West Australian Opera and West Australian Ballet.

You can hear our conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player below.

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