Daramalan Class of ’69

G'day everyone,

I've been fairly busy over the past couple of days, scanning and making available the Dara yearbooks for 1965 and 1968 which are now available from our Downloads area.

I've also written a few more letters in the hope that we might be able to locate a few more of our former classmates and encourage them to join.

G'day everyone,

I haven't been able to do much here for the past few days (I haven't been able to do much with any of the several websites that I run and/or contribute to) because I'm in the middle of building a new PC - the old one is about ready to splutter its last gasp. However, I have received a few e-mails in response to my letter writing campaign. Now, if I could only translate these e-mails into new member registrations ...

G'day everyone,

In between devoting time to setting up my new computer (and weaning myself off my dependency on my old computer that I've had running continuously now for the past week or more because it takes a dozen attempts to boot it if I don't leave it on all the time) and writing contributions for the several other websites that I manage - and I've written very little - and generally trying to get into the swing of preparing for Christmas ... there's been a lot going on.

I received a few emails from former classmates (which I have yet to reply to), from people who have not [yet] registered with this website and I would like to see that change, if possible. I wish I could let you know who has written to me but I think that would be unfair on them.

I often wonder if we shouldn't have a discussion-about-current-events forum - at the moment I'm in the middle of an interesting debate about the Emissions Trading Scheme and about climate change in general - but I don't know if that is suitable to a site like this. If anyone would like to see a "soapbox" section established here, where you could rant about whatever it is that irks you, then please let me know.

I trust that everyone reading these notes is well (and that they might post a simple message to that effect).

Cheers :cheer:

G'day everyone,

I've received quite a few e-mails in the past couple of weeks from former classmates ... I've even made an effort to reply to them, too! It's difficult, though, responding to each of them individually. I would rather have them post here their messages that describe (in wonderful detail) what they've been up to over the past 40 years. In that way we can all share the news. Ah well, perhaps things will change in the new year. :S

Last night Margaret (my partner in life) and I set up our Christmas tree and so, while I've still got my Christmas "face" before I revert to my usual bah-humbuggery, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and wishes for a bright and prosperous New Year.

Cheers

G'day everyone,

I received several more e-mails from former classmates since I last posted a message here. I'm thinking of posting information about some of those who have written to me. I can't think of any reason why their information cannot be made public - for want of a better word - especially since a lot others must be wondering what has happened to them over the past 40 years.

Christmas/New Year has been quiet. Basically it's been a time to draw breath and rest (although I don't think I've done too much in the past couple of years that merits a genuine requirement to rest) before returning to whatever it is that we do.

Anyway, to each and every one who's reading this, I wish you a wonderful, happy, safe and rewarding 2010.

Cheers :cheer:

Michael

I'd be interested in hearing about what others have been up to (such as those who have emailed you, and those who are registered on this board).

All the best for 2010.

Mike Backhouse

G'day everyone,

I've spent the past couple of weeks "cleaning house" in a web-development sense. One of my interests has been in assisting the developers of the discussion forum component that I've implemented at this website - a product called Kunena. There is a new version of Kunena available and I've been putting it through its paces before I introduce it here. I've detected a couple of minor difficulties and so I'm slowly working my way through them.

You know, I started out with a plan (or an intention to develop a plan) to upgrade the discussion forum software component, then I started delving into the underlying software that supports it, buying books on the subject and, before you could say "Bob Mosley", I was upgrading all the PCs in the house to Windows 7! Actually, come to think of it, we bought a couple of new PCs even before we looked changing operating systems! It's no matter I wonder where my time goes ...

Cheers

G'day, everyone. I haven't been inattentive to this website - actually, I've had to tighten up the security a little bit because a couple of Russian spambots came in under the radar, but I think I've nailed one hole shut (for the time being).

Life continues to be good for me and my family. The weather has been lousy lately and I haven't felt like doing a lot. I've been relaxing and attending my hobbies.

Cheers :cheer:

I'm really sorry that I have not been very involved with this site over the past 12 months. The main thing is that the site exists as a drop-in centre for people who would like to leave their calling card. I've been extremely busy, being involved with the development of the forum software that you see used here.

However, I can say that I've been watching and attentive to those who have registered (or tried to inveigle their way into this site by masquerading as "Dara 69-ers") and I've kicked out the obvious suspects. Today I've upgraded a few site components to fix up a few things that I've been meaning to do (in an administration sense).

Life has been great and I certainly have no complaints. Cheers

I received a request from Bernard Kane - whom many of you will know as a driving force behind the Daramalan Alumni Association - a request for help to assist the current Year 12 students with practice job interviews as part of their English curriculum. It was both a delight and a honour to be able to give back to the school that has given us so much and put us on our various career paths.

Thanks, Bernard, and also to Jo Ward (the Year 12 English teacher) for allowing me to help in this small way. Doesn't it make you wish that we'd had these kinds of opportunities when we were at school to practice our job interviewing skills?

It was a good bunch of students that I met (and their teachers) and made for a great half-day's outing.