30 May 2013

A MIXED DAY FOR COMPUTERPALS - Thursday 30th May 2013

Its coming up the end of the month, and there is a need to be ready to reconcile the bank account and prepare financial reports for the monthly committee meeting and also the members meeting. So, I spent a couple of hours before lunch entering data for numerous course and fee payments, as well as payments by cheque.
Then a quick lunch with Josie, and prepare for a meeting that afternoon with committee members of  Ku-ring-gai Computer Pals, who are sharing ideas on how to make our Clubs more successful.

Arrived at our office, Michael is conducting a class on Files and Folders and they are having afternoon tea.


With them is our Club President Deborah who is quietly conducting a One on One lesson with enthusiastic member Helen,who is learning how to put her Europe photos into various folders.




At 2.30pm, Ku-ring-gai members, Peter, Bev and Judy arrive and with our committee, Deborah, Margaret, John M, John L and Michael discuss various matters. Ku-ring-gai was the first Computer Pals club in Australia, formed in 1991 at Lindfield.
                        



 Our popular Secretary Margaret
showing Ku-ring-gai Computer Pals
committe our Training Room --




Sharing ideas between our two clubs --

29 May 2013

FINAL DAY OF EMAIL COURSE - Wednesday 29 May 2013

It's been some time since I've been into our Compals rooms, have just spent one week at Surfers Paradise meeting up with former DMT and CREDIT UNION workmates.

Now I'm back into my treasurers duties, and this afternoon I called into the office to balance and bank incoming receipts. The main door was closed, with a new "Open" sign. I walked in, nobody was in the office and the training room door was shut.

I sat down, took out the cash tin and receipt book and started recording the payments and counting the cash,.
Suddenly, the training room door opened and Trainer John Hain poked his head in to see who in the office - some of his sharp students had heard movement and alerted him that someone was out in the office..

After completing the balance I watched John conduct his email course, with the aid of Assistant Trainer Silvia. His three students, Yvette, Elizabeth, and Patricia were listening intently to John as he told them to be cautious and discreet when writing emails



 
      John and Silvia's happy students at the last day of the five weeks
email course............


14 May 2013

JUDY & LILLY'S HALLMARK CARDS COURSE - 14 May 2013

Called into our Compals office this morning to collect and bank incoming course and membership, etc fees.

Wow, was I surprised when I opened the door and walked in.....the office area was completley full of ladies having morning tea... 9 of them! There were 6 students doing the Hallmark Cards course with Trainer Judy and her assistant Lilly, as well as Hazel, the day's volunteer office assistant.....the place was full!

This must be the most popular course in town!  So, after they went back to their computers - with new bright yellow keyboards - I watched them for a while.These students were having a great time doing their Cards course, all were tapping happily away at computers,

 Lilly was busy explaining things to students,

Lilly  helping students Lyndell and Bev

Judy was busy telling students to watch the screen

So, I left them and went out to the office where I counted and balance incoming monies.


.
.Hazel was busy entering course details into the club laptop, as well as answering phone calls from prospective members.

The students and trainers in this course are typical of members of our ComputerPals club --- it was great seeing them happily engaged in one of the courses run by our members for the members.





10 May 2013

FILM MAKING SIGroup Meeting - 10 May 2013

Well, what a sunny and warm afternoon in Sydney, its beaut walking the streets of the City of Parramatta with my mate, Ron. He is doing some shopping, and I'm off to a Special Interest Group meeting at ComputerPals.
So, after arranging a time and place to meet later in the afternoon, I left Ron to his shopping and walked along Church Street to our club roons near the Town Hall.
 I arrived right on time for the 1.15pm meeting. Other members were there, ready to start film making discussions - John M, Michael and Judy.
First of all, John M booted up our club computer and  interactive screen. He opened the Facebook page of Tom Antos, a film director and cinemotographer with over 12 years experience in VFX and animation. Tom presents tutorials on film making techniques and tips via youtube and Facebook.

We viewed Tom's youtube video of a Shoulder Rig for low-budget film makers (like us at ComputerPals). It's a well-designed,easy to use aluminium gadget to which you attach your large camera or video camera. Its easy to assemble and use, and it minimises camera shake.
We were so impressed we authorised John M to go online straight away and buy one for ComputerPals....

....so, if you see one of our club film makers walking towards you, steering a strange thing with one big eye, dont run....just smile for the video camera!

We spent the rest of the afternoon planning another video making exercise at next weeks Members Meeting. Three video cameras will be used to cover all aspects of the Guest Speakers talk, and also the Q & A segment by Jon and John H. So, watch out for our film makers at the meeting next Friday, 17 May............It is planned that each member of the Film Making SIG will edit and produce a film of the meeting.

Unfortunately (?), I wont be at the Members meeting - I'll be on the Gold Coast with Josie for 7 nights with my DMT and Credit Union mates and wives.........remember to be happy for the film makers!!

03 May 2013

OUTING TO MARITIME MUSEM - 3 May 2013

Today we had a field trip to the Australian Maritime Museum and 17 members met at the Rydalmere ferry wharf to catch the 9.50am  fast Rivercat to Circular Quay. The ferry was quite full, but we managed to circulate with our tablets, smart phones, cameras and videocams to record our days outing. Judy Joyce took heaps of pics, and John Moxon and John Lee took lots of video. We intend to compile a movie of this club outing.

The day started out cool, but soon warmed up. Arriving at Circular Quay, we walked to another wharf and boarded a smaller harbour city  ferry  to Pyrmont Bay wharf, then a short walk to the Australian Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour. As it was nearly lunchtime, we lined up at a small kiosk for light lunches, before entering the Museum.

As I was there mainly to video, I wandered around the various exhibitions to get video shots of our members while they explored the museum. I soon found John and Margaret Moxon in the Elysium Expedition exhibit. It is a photo and video record  by a team of explorers from numerous countries. There were many wonderful photos of seals and penguins against the backdrop of brilliant glacial blue glaciers, truly brilliant coloured photos.







I later came upon John showing Margaret how to share gorgeous photos taken on smartphones and tablets by using the app Instragram, a free,fun and simple way to make and share pics - the app is available for both Android and iOS smart phones and tablets.








 These three pics were Instagrams uploaded instantly
to Facebook by Deborah

I was able to copy them, and post them
to this blog....., straight from my wall
on Facebook!



After exploring exhibitions, Sea Journeys, Navy, Navigators and United States, I met up with Ron Taylor and other members  near the main entrance.
I did some more video, and then Ron and I walked to the wharf to board the harbour ferry back to the Quay, and then the Rivercat back up Parramatta River and my car. We sat outside at the front of the ferry, the sun was warm and the harbour waters were sparkling. I struck up a conversation with tourists from Montana-as Josie always says, I'm Mr Havachat.
.