An Embarassing Awakening

January 31, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
1 Comment

sleep

What are you like at sleeping on planes? A lot of the travelling I did on the way to and from Bangladesh and India last month was in the middle of the night, so I kept dozing off and waking up. I couldn’t get any decent sleep but I had a series of naps, only waking up to try to move my aching neck.

Seems the co-pilot on a low cost Dutch airline is better at sleeping on aircraft than I am. He was on a flight to Crete in Greece in September last year when the pilot left the cockpit to go to the toilet.

When the pilot returned he couldn’t get back into the cockpit because the co-pilot had nodded off. I’m not sure that it’d be particularly comforting for passengers to see their pilot locked out of the cockpit. Thankfully he managed to get back in where he found the co-pilot asleep.

Where’s the most embarrassing place you’ve fallen asleep?

I’ve felt pretty sleepy at times but managed to avoid falling asleep at the wrong time. Mind you, that can be a real battle.

Have you fallen asleep on public transport and missed your stop? Have you nodded off at work or in a meeting? Did you manage to hide it or did you get sprung?



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading An Embarassing Awakening? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Benny Prasad brings his ‘Bentar’ to Perth

January 31, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
Add Comment

BennyPrasad

I had the privilege of chatting with Benny Prasad a couple of days ago. He’s a man who went from being a sick, depressed 16 year old, shunned by his family and considering suicide, to a musician who has performed at events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. He also holds the world record by becoming the fastest person to travel to every nation on the globe. That includes 245 nations, including Antarctica, visited in 6 years, 6 months and 22 days.

Benny Prasad is an instrumental guitarist from India. He is well known for designing the Bentar which is the World’s First Bongo Guitar. Today, through his music, Benny brings the Hope in God to thousands of people, traveling to 40-50 countries every year. – Wiki

Benny’s guitar, or bentar, is quite an amazing instrument.

Benny designed this 20 String Harp/Bongo Guitar in October 2006. The building of the guitar was completed on May 14, 2007. It was built by Tulsi Guitars – (Chennai, India). It has 6 strings, 2 Bongos and a 14 String Harp.

If you want to hear my chat with Benny about his incredible life, and hear him play, click the play button on the audio player below.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Benny Prasad brings his ‘Bentar’ to Perth? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Great Ocean Road Challenge 2013

January 27, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
Add Comment

Two weeks from today I’ll be cycling out of Geelong on the Great Ocean Road Challenge.

It’ll be the second time I’ve taken on this challenge to raise money for Compassion and to release children from poverty.

Having seen first hand, both in Haiti and Dominican Republic, how effective Compassion’s work is, I am determined to do what I can to help. That’s why from the 10th to the 12th of February I’ll once again be taking part in the 25000 Spins Great Ocean Road Challenge.

I’ll be riding 290 kilometres and battling some serious hills over three days and I need your support. By sponsoring my efforts on the challenge you’ll be releasing children from poverty. You’ll be giving children a real chance at life. Please visit my fundraising page and make a contribution. Maybe you can afford to sponsor me for a dollar a kilometre, maybe 50 cents a kilometre, or perhaps you’d just like to donate $10, $20, $50 or any other amount. My overall target is $2500 so I have a long way to go.

Please help me save some lives. Please make your donation, large or small, and then share this post in as many ways as you can so that more people will get on board and more lives will be saved. And whether you feel like it or not, I reckon that would make you a hero.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Great Ocean Road Challenge 2013? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Social Media Catching Workers

January 25, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
1 Comment

social-media

I was reading an article at News.com.au this morning titled Bosses catching employees out through Facebook and Twitter posts. It’s about employees getting caught out by their bosses when using social media.

There have been cases of people taking a sick day and then tweeting about it or saying something about what they’re doing on Facebook. Not a clever thing to do.

In 2010 a Port Macquarie barman who took two sick days around New Year’s Eve was sacked after his boss discovered a Facebook photo of him celebrating the occasion.

In 2008, 21-year-old Sydney call centre worker Kyle Doyle made headlines after his boss caught him bragging on Facebook about chucking a sickie, with an email exchange between the two going viral.

Social media has advanced so quickly that many people are still catching up with the full effects of sharing their life with the world.

“Back three or four years ago when social media wasn’t as prolific as it is now you’d likely be slapped on the wrist for an indiscretion, but people now don’t have the excuse to make mistakes because we’ve seen so many fails of people doing it, and companies are so much more aware of policies are being in place and training,” she said.

I’m wondering if you’ve ever been caught out with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or other social media. Has a boss read something you’d rather they hadn’t or maybe a friend or family member discovered something about you through social media?

If you’re game, I’d love to hear your experiences. Maybe you’ve declined an invite from a friend only to have them find out the reason you gave them wasn’t quite true. Let me know if social media has brought you undone. I won’t tell anyone. I promise.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Social Media Catching Workers? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Scenes from Distant Lands

January 24, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
1 Comment

As I’ve mentioned several times, late last year I traveled to Bangladesh and India to see the work of SIMaid’sGirls off the Streets project.

As well as seeing the great work being done in those countries I managed to take in a few sights and snapped hundreds of photos. Below are some of the pictures from the trip. Just click on any of the photos and you’ll be able to browse through the gallery.

A Bangladesh Building
A Bangladesh Building
Delhi Airport
Delhi Airport
Old Delhi
Old Delhi
Fruit Sellers in Old Delhi
A Roadside Bike Shop in Old Delhi
Old Delhi
Old Delhi
Old Delhi
A Fashionable Goat
India Gate
India Gate
Police at India Gate
Musicians and Dancers outside Dilli Haat
The Jama Masjid Mosque (Completed in 1656)
The Jama Masjid Mosque (Completed in 1656)
Prayers at the Jama Masjid Mosque
Jama Masjid Mosque
Prayers at the Jama Masjid Mosque
Entrance to the Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
Reflections of the Taj Mahal
Me at the Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
Walkers at the Taj Mahal
Outside Red Fort, Agra
Entrance to Red Fort, Agra
Inside Red Fort, Agra

If you haven’t already, let me encourage you to check out Girls off the Streets and find out how you can be part of this project which is bringing hope to those who had lost hope.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Scenes from Distant Lands? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.