dearAdelaide

Welcome to part one in a series of posts where I crowdsource my life.

On Adelaide
I’ve considered Adelaide to be my Australian home since 2008 when I moved here from the UK. Back then I was working with the gorgeous folk at ANAT (*sends love*) and I must say that leaving to go to the ‘big smoke’ (Sydney) for the Australia Council job was a decision I didn’t take lightly.

I come back here whenever I can. I feel settled here, not to mention much preferring the dry heat to the humidity of much of the rest of the country. And so when I came back from my little Northern Hemisphere adventure and needed a place to stop, take stock and work out how I was going to bring rbrt to life, Adelaide seemed the perfect solution.

1. What’s on in Adelaide.
I picked a VERY GOOD time to be here. The Tour Down Under just started and of course it’s soon to be festival time. Since I’m here and happen to be free (read: funemployed, freelance, or perhaps just “available”) I’ve signed up as a Festival volunteer for both festivals. I’m very much looking forward to stretching some old muscles in things like set construction and painting, and can’t wait to play with creative types in calm and rocky seas (my, but I love a festival…). Here is not the place to outline everything that’s about to happen in this fair city, but I sure encourage you to check out the Adelaide Fringe Festival and the Adelaide Festival websites (and apps).

But. I will share one very special thing.

Tonight… there will be ASTRONAUTS! Seriously. I cannot believe the internet isn’t full of this. I mean, I’ve never met an astronaut before, have you? So anyway, I’ll be going to this seemingly hushhush event where I’ll probably not understand a single thing they say but I’ll sit there starry eyed regardless. (see what I did there?! yeah, sorry).

2. What rbrt is up to in Adelaide
This week I’ll be out on the streets sticking my camera in to people’s faces and asking them about technology.

I’m keeping it simple, five questions.
a) what’s your name?
b) where do you live?
c) what technologies do you use?
d) do you use any of them creatively?
e) what do you think about the NBN?

That’s it. That’s not all rbrt will be, it’s just all I’m going to ask to begin with. Of course each conversation will expand, but those are the starting points. I’m thinking of not announcing where I’ll be this week, it’s a trial just for me, to get going, to try things out and attempt to get over being VERY SHY ABOUT DOING THIS. (I know no one believes me that I’m shy, but I am. So there).

Anyway, if you happen to be in Adelaide and you see me please come and be nice. And if you don’t see me but want to, then tweet me (@bigtripco – changed to @feesable) and I’ll probably cave and let you know where I am. Or just follow me on twitter or Facebook anyway so when I start being less shy you’ll know where to find me.

3. What I need in Adelaide
These are all the things that would help me and this project to get going:
– some kind of income
– a place to stay for a couple of months from the end of January (the loan of a campervan/with parking or the offer of a room/sofa/house-sit within decent public transport access to the city)
– the loan of a bike, chain & helmet
– to know about any creative projects/people using technology going on now or during the festival
– a haircut (sad but true)

4. what I’m offering in Adelaide
These are the things I can offer either as commercial services or in exchange for the above:
– research & consultancy
– social media advice (on strategy, marketing and creative experiences) or live-tweeting/using my network
– writing (technical manuals, artistic reviews, storytelling, proof-reading, copywriting)
– problem solving (e.g. things that sound like good ideas but you don’t know enough about what’s possible, and that should work but don’t seem to be working right now)
– installing practical technology solutions (e.g. internet networks, mobile distribution, projection and screen based work)
– try me.

So… in summary, Adelaide… Can I help anyone and can anyone help me?

UPDATE: Massive thank-you to everyone who helped me shout out this call. This post got 300 page visits in the first day alone, and within just three days all the items I requested were offered – many in multiples. You ROCK x

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