McBlog

Wow, I’ve been slack with blog posts, that’s for sure. We’re nine months into the year and I’ve posted almost nothing this year. Hmmmm…

Since July things have rather exploded. In addition to my work with apc.au, working as part-time hot air balloon crew and managing the Experience This! blog, I also picked up some other work:

• I spent a month working as a digital producer/project manager for an online advertising agency. I was filling in for one of their team who was on leave and it was great to work in the creative world once again, coordinating work with designers, helping out the account managers and keeping some developers in line. Of course, not having to wear a suit helped too :)
• I started a whole new aviation podcast with Steve and it’s really taking off (to push the inevitable pun :) We’re calling it Plane Crazy Down Under and it’s getting a bit of a following both here in Australia and around the world. Definitely worth checking out – apparently even non flying junkies are enjoying it.
• Just over a month ago I started a new contract as an IT Infrastructure Project Manager with Aussie Home Saver, a start up company that’s growing rapidly in the home insulation business. As you might expect with a start up, there’s a LOT to do and we’re flat out providing a stable technology platform to support the growth. Fortunately our efforts have been successful and well received so we’ve hit a few home runs and are working hard to keep up the momentum.

It’s certainly kept me busy and at least I’m earning some real money once again. Juggling all my responsibilities and commitments is proving to be rather tricky, but I’m getting there.

I’m launching a new podcast with a friend (more on that later) so we want it to be found via iTunes. To be able to submit a podcast to iTunes, you have to have an account – hmmmm – annoying, but somewhat understandable.

To set up an iTunes account, they want a credit card. FAIL! What if I don’t ever want to buy anything? What if I don’t want to give it out? What if I don’t have one? Well, it turns out you can create an account without needing a credit card if you either a) redeem a voucher (also a FAIL – I don’t want to buy anything) or by b) getting one of the free Apps from the iTunes App Store.

Great, so, I go to the App Store and try to get a free application. Any one will do – who cares, I’m throwing it away ‘cos I don’t have an iPhone. When I go to download it, it asks me for my account details so I say CREATE and, sure enough, when I get to the page where I’d enter a credit card, it now has the option of “NONE”

YAY! I can create an iTunes Store account without needing a credit card. So, Apple, why the frak didn’t you give me that option to begin with? Yet another FAIL!

Of course, now I’ve created the account and reached the verification stage. I’ve keyed in my GMail account details and it’s apparently sent out a verification email. Only problem is, it hasn’t arrived yet. Other emails are coming in OK, but not this one. In fact, I’ve asked it to send it 3 times now and still nothing. I’ve confirmed the address is correct and I’ve checked my SPAM folder. Nope – nada.

Oh joy – another FAIL on Apple’s part.

For a company that makes some pretty sexy equipment, it’s amazing how many times Apple FAILS! All this just to register a damned podcast…

As some of you may know, I’m also involved in a record label called Secession Records with Andrew Garton. We’ve got releases from Steve Law, Ollie Olsen and, of course, Andrew’s works. In addition to samples from the albums we’ve released, we also have a podcast of various gigs, inspirations and neat ideas. Check it out :)