Friends

Find Me On Facebook

Comments are off for this post

Today I’m revisiting a post I wrote some months ago. The following is the post I published to explain why I created a ‘Facebook Fan Page’.I thought I’d throw it out there again for anyone who missed it the first time around.

How do I explain this without sounding arrogant. Well maybe I don’t. Not that I want to sound arrogant but when you set up your own Facebook ‘fan page’ it does seem somewhat cheesey and self serving. I get that, but that’s not what it’s about. I’m not looking for fans. I’m simply wanting to stay connected with a wider group of friends.

So why would an ordinary bloke ask people to click the link that says they ‘like’ him? Over inflated ego? Umm … no. A deep cry for acceptance? No again.

The truth is that I jumped on board with Facebook some time ago and have built up quite a number of Facebook friends. Some are family, some are close friends, some acquaintances, some are old school friends, while others are those I’ve ‘met’ online.

I’ve been torn between wanting to accept every friend request I receive and keeping Facebook for those I know personally. Having a wider group of friends means I sometimes can’t share as much as I like, while keeping a very closed Facebook page means I can’t share stuff with as many people as I’d like.

While it’s not a perfect solution I’ve decided to set up a new Facebook page that’s completely open to everyone. You don’t even have to make a friendship request, just click the button and add yourself as a friend.

I don’t really know how this will all work. I may only end up with a handful of friends at the new page but I’m hoping that it’ll get a little busier than that.

If you’re already a Facebook friend and you feel you’d fit better with the new page, feel free to ‘unfriend’ me and join the new page. You’re also welcome to stay connected through both pages.

I’ll still be posting a lot of the same content on both pages but the ability to share things a little differently will allow me to protect my privacy and especially my family’s privacy a little better.

Thanks for your understanding. I hope to see you at my new Facebook page soon.

If you enjoyed this post please use the buttons above to share.

I’d Settle for a Sandwich

May 7th, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

3 comments

I need to admit, right from the start, that I’ve been sucked in again. I’ve started watching the new season of MasterChef. (I even have a favourite. I don’t know that he’ll make it all the way but I’m already a big fan of 61 year old Kumar.)

I also watched a number of episodes of My Kitchen Rules when it was on the telly.

Now that the confessions are out the way, I’m wondering what effect the latest bunch of cooking and food related television programs are having on the way we cook and the ways in which we relate to friends and family.

I love the fact that the people on these programs have a passion for food. I did a four year cooking apprenticeship and became a chef around thirty years ago and I’ve never had the passion for food and cooking that these people do. (Which probably explains why I left the industry as soon as I got my qualifications.) To see someone doing something that lights up their face and their heart is a wonderful thing, but where does that leave the rest of us?

I’m wondering if we are turning food into art and creating an expectation that we try something new and innovative when we invite friends over for a meal. Are we afraid to put simple food in front of people? Are we missing opportunities to interact with friends because we haven’t got the time and talent to produce a food masterpiece?

I really don’t think it’s the intention of these programs to create that kind of expectation but I wonder if that’s what’s happening anyway? Are we now putting pressure on ourselves to only ever invite people into a ‘display home’ for a range of expertly prepared ‘culinary delights’? I really enjoy lovingly prepared food that’s out of the ordinary and I love the opportunity to try something different if someone really wants to prepare something special, but in the end, I’d settle for a sandwich. Not because I love sandwiches (not really one of my favourite foods) or that I can’t appreciate the difference, but because what I really value is good company.

I don’t care if a home isn’t neat or if the food served would never make it to the table in a restaurant, what I do care about is good times with good friends.

What do you think? Do you avoid inviting people into your home because it’s too much effort? Do you think that cooking shows can build unrealistic expectations? Please leave a comment or two in the comments section of this post.

If you enjoyed this post please use the buttons above to share.

Facebook Makes Changes to ‘Pages’

Feb 11th, 2011

by Rodney Olsen.

Comments are off for this post

Great to see that Facebook has made some changes to their ‘pages’.

They regularly upgrade the standard profiles, causing cheering from some and jeering from others, but they’ve now added some extra functions to what they call ‘fan pages’. (I still have issues about calling them fan pages but more of that in a moment.)

What have they added?

Notifications when other Facebook users interact with your page or posts.
A place to showcase photos along the top of your page.
A news feed for your page.
The ability to Like and post on other pages as your page.

Great news for those of us who have such pages as it allows us to interact more naturally with those who’ve ‘liked’ our pages.

I still feel a little odd having something titled as a ‘fan page’. When you set up your own Facebook ‘fan page’ it does seem somewhat cheesey and self serving. I get that, but that’s not what it’s about. I’m not looking for fans. I’m simply wanting to stay connected with a wider group of friends.

So why would an ordinary bloke ask people to click the link that says they ‘like’ him? Overinflated ego? Umm … no. A deep cry for acceptance? No again.

While it’s not a perfect solution I decided to set up a new Facebook page that’s completely open to everyone. You don’t even have to make a friendship request, just click the button and add yourself as a friend.

I post a lot of the same content on both pages but the ability to share things a little differently allows me to protect my privacy and especially my family’s privacy a little better.

I hope to see you at my new Facebook page soon.

If you enjoyed this post please use the buttons above to share.

Connecting on Facebook

Jul 8th, 2010

by Rodney Olsen.

2 comments

So why would an ordinary bloke ask people to click the link that says they ‘like’ him? Overinflated ego? Umm … no. A deep cry for acceptance? No again.

I don’t really know how this will all work. I may only end up with a handful of friends at the new page but I’m hoping that it’ll get a little busier than that.

Thanks for your understanding. I hope to see you at my new Facebook page soon.

If you enjoyed this post please use the buttons above to share.

Mark Simpfendorfer 1964 – 2009

Sep 7th, 2009

by Rodney Olsen.

15 comments

Words really don’t come close to describing how I feel right now. On Friday night this world lost a generous, caring man who I was privileged enough to call friend.

Mark Simpfendorfer left this world for a better place following a massive heart attack. He was a director and producer working in film, television and corporate video. His 3D IMAX movie, Red Crabs: Australia’s Christmas Island, is set for release later this year.

My head is full of thoughts that race through my mind, only stopping for an instant before continuing on their journey. Thoughts jump between what was, what could have been and what the future looks like without Mark. I really haven’t slept well over the past couple of nights as my mind keeps racing and trying to come to terms with what has happened. My heart aches for his family, especially his four children, for other friends and for the friendship I’ve lost.

Mark was there for some of my most memorable life experiences. We travelled half way across Australia together in 2003 as he videoed a team of cyclists I was leading on a marathon fund raising ride from Perth to Hobart. He later created a short documentary on the ride that was shown on Australian Christian Channel.

Earlier in 2003 we had travelled to India together. Mark was there to capture my ride from Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, to Delhi. It was an amazing experience for both of us. Neither of us really knew what to expect when we set off for India but we loved our time there and were more than happy to return two years later with a small team of Aussie cyclists. We were talking about returning next year around the time of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

The last time I saw Mark was at our new home just a couple of weeks ago. He dropped in to capture some video for a project he was completing and we shared a Limca, the lemon lime drink that we enjoyed so much in India. Several months ago Pauline had found a shop nearby that imports Limca from India so when I knew that Mark was to visit I made sure there was some ice cold Limca in the fridge.

Mark was also a major part of one of an extremely significant day for Pauline and me. He agreed to video our wedding back in December 1992. The resulting video, as expected, was spectacular.

Even though he’d been through some deep waters in recent years, Mark always stayed upbeat and optimistic. In many ways things were looking up for him and he had such great plans for the future.

Mark’s legacy will live on in his remarkable children.

He taught me a lot about life through what he said and especially the way he lived. I know that I certainly won’t be the only one who will miss Mark. He was a great friend and I look forward to catching up with him when my time comes to leave this life.