Life Update
Posted by kiwinewt on 16 February, 2010So, you may have noticed (if you do) that I kinda failed on my Project365. It’s because I ended up having a couple of grumpy days that I didn’t want to remember, with lots of MrGrumpyNate. Thankfully I got over these, but haven’t had the time, energy or enthusiasm to get back into taking photos.
Why?
Because I have (as of tomorrow) started another stage of study. I am going to do a Bachelor of Applied Management at CPIT, majoring in Business IS and Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Thankfully work have effectively let me have a day a week for classes (paid! woo!) and most of my papers are online. I’ve also managed to arrange it so that I get a New Zealand Diploma in Business as well – the combination of these and my other degree should increase my repertoire quite well.
Also on the cards is the birth of my first son – scheduled for June (fingers crossed it doesn’t clash with Exams 
).
As for my own business, well finding time to get any development done is a bit tricky at the moment, with everything else. But thankfully everything else with it is ticking along quite nicely, and it will be up for its official first birthday in April – really good considering the minimal amount of income is just enough to pay the bills and that I am effectively working for free. But that’s what it’s all about right? I’m doing something I enjoy, learning skills whilst I do it (Web Design/Development, Business, People, etc.) and I have a bit of opportunity to contribute back – put some money into different people and tech that I feel will benefit the community and the environment. Oh, and the number of clients regularly paying for hosting and such is increasing slowly 
Finally, my hobbies are going well too – the garden is full of heaps of different shapes and sizes of green tomatoes. I wonder if they will ripen this summer properly or not – the weather has been kinda crap. Crap like a summer with only a handful of good sunny days. This, of course, makes the tomatoes take longer to ripen. And when coupled with the sheer amount on each vine takes even longer. But I’m not complaining too much – there are occasional red ones which get scoffed before anyone sees
My trains are coming along quite well too – I have been building up an N gauge layout which takes my mind off other stressing factors. Just purchased come carriages off TradeMe which should look good with the new platforms I just built.
Oh yeah, and to top things all off I am going for my restricted driving licence next week…
This year I am taking my tomatoes off the vine when they are nice and big (still green) and keeping them ontop of the fridge to ripen. They ripen quite well as soon as they are somewhere cozy warm and dry. Try it with a few and see if they keep well or not. Mine are quite dense… so fair nicely.
I think that leaving them on the vine is a better option as they continue to grow and gain nutrients.
)
Once they start to colour I keep an eye on them and either pick them and store them or leave them to vine-ripen (which also improves the flavour