linux.conf.au 2013 bid

This isn't the only sekrit plan I've working on recently, but it's the only one I'm allowed to tell you all about so far ;)

For the last several months, a small group of people in Canberra including myself have been preparing a bid for LCA 2013. This is not just to give us more time to make the conference the most awesome, froody LCA you've ever been to. No - 2013 is also the centenary of the founding of Canberra as the nation's capital. It's a very significant year for us and we'd all be thrilled if we could show the attendees of LCA our great city and Canberrans the great work the FOSS community does to improve everyone's lives.

So we're really stoked that the bidding process is going to be opened early, and I think it'll lead to a really interesting competition that will result, whoever wins, in the best LCA ever!

If you're interested in getting involved, email me at loquacities(at)gmail(dot)com!

The Next Adventure

With the kitchen now (almost) completed, I'm leaving Bananaman in charge of project managing the tiler next week, and popping off to Brisbane for linux.conf.au. Despite the recent floods—which wiped out their conference venue, most of the social event venues, and the open day venue—somehow or another the LCA crew have managed to persevere, and the conference is going ahead as planned (albeit in all new venues).

Last time I went to LCA, I was a first timer. I had submitted a talk and, not surprisingly, been declined in the main track. My speaking record was pretty thin on the ground eighteen months ago. I submitted to the Haecksen miniconf instead, went along and had a great time. I learned a lot, I met a lot of seriously awesome people. I also met one very nice cider. I was nearly dead from exhaustion by the end of it (and there must have been something wrong with the apples they used for the cider. Gave me a terrible headache!).

This year is looking a little different. In true me style, I am not only attending Haecksen, but running it. I am also speaking in the main track which is A Bit Of A Big Deal. I've only re-written my talk twice so far. I think I can probably fit in another re-write before I leave though ...

Kitchen - Day 5

Today, our first real hiccup: the tiles haven't arrived. They should be here on Monday, but the tiler is going on holidays for a week. So the earliest we can get the tiles laid is Tuesday week (incidentally, I'll be in Brisbane for linux.conf.au that week, so the lovely Dermott Banana will have to project manage that!). Never mind, we got the benchtops in, and they look OMGAWESOME:

Want a closer look?

The old lights have finally been replaced by new oyster lights, and the dimmer in the loungerrom now works properly:

We also got the sparky to install safety switches in our aging fusebox, and fixed the smoke detector, so we're extra-safe now! (Does that mean I can daisy-chain a few more powerboards for my computer equipment? Maybe?)

We also got the sink connected, and the leveller for the tiles laid:

After the leveller was down, it was no-go in the kitchen for 24 hours. On Monday, with any luck our tiles will arrive, and the plumber will come back to connect the cooktop to the gas.

Photos are all in my Picasa album if you want a closer look at anything.

And, just because this amuses me greatly:

Kitchen - Day 4

By the end of today, we have something resembling a kitchen again. And you know what? I'm absolutely stoked with it! The colour, unfortunately, doesn't come through in the photographs, but it's probably best described as a pale olive. They call it 'paperbark', and if you've ever seen the smooth pale green wood (not the brown falling-off bits!) of an Australian paperbark tree, it's pretty close. Sounds awful when you describe it like that, but it's working unbelievably well:

We also have drawers in:

And these are spice drawers!

Perhaps the downside is that I've discovered a fairly major scratch on my dining room floor, now that all the cabinets have been taken out of it. I had some cheap lino down to try and protect it, and it's pretty battered. I'm just glad we had something there, anyway:

But, things are really starting to happen now, and it won't be long before we can start using everything again. Tomorrow, the tiler will come and put the leveller on the floor ahead of the tiles, and the benchtops go in. Stay tuned!

Kitchen - Day 3

By lunchtime, the tiles were finally up, and the concrete dust covering absolutely everything was starting to settle:

I have a sink:

But, perhaps most exciting, I have a dishwasher!

The cabinets that have been stored in my dining room all week, are now starting to shift into place:

Although there are still bits of cabinetry stored just about everywhere. This is my hallway:

Tomorrow, the cabinets should be finished, and the two archways removed. Sally forth!

Kitchen - Day 2

Today, my cabinets arrived (just ahead of the rain!):

The sparky turned up, and moved a few power points:

The plumber turned up, got rid of the old sink pipes, and installed a gas line for the new stovetop:

And the demolitions guy started taking out the tiles:

Even though I didn't think it was possible, the place is even more of a bomb site than it was yesterday:

Keep an eye on my Picasa album for even more photos. Hopefully tomorrow, the cupboards will start going in ...

Kitchen - Day 1

Well, today my kitchen started out looking like this:

And ended up looking like this:

On the way, it went through various states, including this:

This:

And this:

So where did it all go?

Here:

And here:

And good riddance to it too!

For the full collection of photos, check out my Picasa album. I'll keep updating it and the blog as things progress.

Tomorrow, the sparky and plumber 'rough in' (I think that is tradie-speak for 'have a look to see what we need to do later on when we get around to it'), and the new kitchen gets delivered. Oh, and they're bringing the jackhammers, to level the floor. Same bat channel!