Who are you guys?

C-Nimbus · Unread post by **C-Nimbus** » Wed 06/04/2005 13:40

Dunno if i'm allowed to do this, i spose if i'm not then the moderators will remove the thread.

This is just an idea, and although it seems reasonable in my head, it may not in yours.

I just wanted to find out who you guys are. We all talk about weather an stuff but thats it generally. So i thought that while the weather is boring, we could introduce ourselves to each other and say 'hey' this is me, and this is what i do during the day....purely an interest thing.

So i pondered on this for a while, and thought that it may be best to put forward a template which people could add too or whatever...

So i'll be a guinea pig then !

1) Whats your real name:- Stuart

2) How old are you:- 29

3) Which city are you from:- Aucks

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- Permanent resident, from the Uk

5) What do you do for a crust:- I work in civil engineering. My role is to provide industry based training courses for a wide range of skills and applications. This see's me writing and presenting courses around NZ. I also do product development for the manufacture and export of NZ made soil/aggregate/asphalt/field testing equipment.

6) Hobbies:- Audio production, fishing, native plant gardening

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- Since about 1997

What got you interested:- Studying for my hydrology exam, we spent a semester on weather but i paid no attention! I then had to study it and fortunately for me the day I was studying cloud types and formations, a T/S brewed up and I could explain it. Have been a full on storm enthusiast since.

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- Storms, storms and more storms, in particular Cumulonimbogenisis, cyclogenisis, tornadogenisis, hail events in NZ, atmospheric structure

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- For me its 3 things, one is talking to like minded people, the 2nd is the education value, the 3rd thing is that you guys predict earlier and better than metservice!!

that'll do for now. I've made the plunge!!!!

so its over to you

jrj · Unread post by **jrj** » Wed 06/04/2005 14:25

1) Whats your real name: James

2) How old are you: 60

3) Which city are you from: Havelock North, Hawke's Bay

4) Are you a resident in NZ: Yep, have been for 60 years, the first 5 years in Dunedin, 20 years in Hastings, 35 years in Havelock North

5) What do you do for a crust: Retired 7 years ago due to health problems (brain aneurysm) after 36 years producing maps at NZ Aerial Mapping Ltd in Hastings

6) Hobbies: Weather, radio broadcasting, railways, Mazda MX5

7) How long have you been interested in the weather: Since 1959

What got you interested: Following the daily newspaper weather maps and relating them to what was going on around me, set up weather station in the back yard

9) What aspect of the weather interests you: The development of weather systems and the associated weather, especially storms

10) What is it that you like about this forum: The fact that so many of you know so much about what may or may not happen, and your knowledge of internet websites. It's also interesting to keep up with what weather you're having, I just wish that Michael would drop the silly Fahrenheit references!

ScottyD · Unread post by **ScottyD** » Wed 06/04/2005 16:45

1) Whats your real name: Scott

2) How old are you: 24

3) Which city are you from: Albany, Auckland

4) Are you a resident in NZ: Yes, born in Wellington 1980, moved to Auckland in 2000

5) What do you do for a crust: Still a student. Studying to be a PE and Maths teacher. In last year of study so i'll earn mondy next year (fingers crossed)

6) Hobbies: Weather, Sports (Cricket mainly)

7) How long have you been interested in the weather: Since i first saw snow in Wellington. I can't remember the exact date. I've wanted it to snow every day since.

What got you interested: Same as above.

9) What aspect of the weather interests you: Interested in what causes the amazing phenomonen known as weather. There is just so much different weather and it's all exciting, from heat waves to blizzards. But i do love ligntning. I love the power of the weather and i'm always looking for extreme weather, i just feel a bit guilty as i know that it can affect peoples lives for the worse.

10) What is it that you like about this forum: I can look at the predictions made on this site and know that they are more accurate the the metservice. There is often a great deal of explanation to the many questions posted.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Wed 06/04/2005 16:47

I'm just an F..wit
..but seriously

details later
JohnGaul
NZTS

RWood · Unread post by **RWood** » Wed 06/04/2005 17:14

1) What's your real name: Rupert

2) How old are you: 63

3) Which city are you from: Wellington

4) Are you a resident in NZ: Yes, lived in W'gton, Invercargill, Dunedin,
briefly in US, back to Wellington - used to visit Alexandra frequently.

5) What do you do for a crust: Would like to say nothing but haven't escaped from boring technical work in the IT industry yet - decades ago was working at Univ. of Otago for 2-3 years.

Escaping in a couple of months! - after a break, future unclear.

6) Hobbies: (not nec. in order of caring) - weather, science in general, chess (takes quite a bit of my spare time), music, cinema, reading, walking.

7) How long have you been interested in the weather: For about 50+ years. Can't remember how it got started.

What aspect of the weather interests you: Really climatology but I've never heard of a (non-professionals-only) forum for that - past, present and future climates, the fascinating variations in earth's climates over space and time. Try to get to conferences of Met. Society every 2 or 3 years. But the knowledged in this forum has greatly stimulated my interest in day-to-day weather and "events".

10) What is it that you like about this forum: Almost everything.

GraemeWi · Unread post by **GraemeWi** » Wed 06/04/2005 18:08

1) Whats your real name:- Graeme (easy eh?)

2) How old are you:- 34 this year

3) Which city are you from:- Auckland

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- Yes, and also have UK citizenship and lived there briefly about 14 years ago.

5) What do you do for a crust:- Head a small team responsible for inventory and replenishment of a large NZ book and stationery retailer in a SAP environment. My business card says 'Analyst' which allows me to do a large range of evil things.

6) Hobbies:- Photography, mucking around with cars, GPS, PCs, mountainbiking, fishing (tackle whore)

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- Since a young age - but mostly after a tornado passed very close to our house in 1984

8} What got you interested:- as above, but the more I learn, the more interesting it gets

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- Storms, cloud formations, unusual events like cold, heat, wind, waves, optical etc. One of my ambitions is to photograph snow in the Auckland region

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- Like minded people, very quick to get postings and pictures of interesting events nearly as soon as they occur, having such a range of keen people in one place from many parts of the country.

Cheers,

G

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Wed 06/04/2005 18:34

1) Whats your real name:- michael

2) How old are you:- 43

3) Which city are you from:- Aucks City of SW Gales

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- y

5) What do you do for a crust:- I have to go to work so I can enjoy the few days I am not there

6) Hobbies:- weather astronomy trains radio

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- Since about 1970's

What got you interested:- why does it always rain and blow
9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- sun droughts extreme weather
10) What is it that you like about this forum:- sound off about our weather

Skywatcher · Unread post by **Skywatcher** » Wed 06/04/2005 19:49

1) Whats your real name:- Steven (you'd never guess)

2) How old are you:- 41

3) Which city are you from:- ChCh

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- another PR from the UK (since Dec 2000)

5) What do you do for a crust:- Write and support custom IC CAD software used by a company in Edinburgh.

6) Hobbies:- Photography, astronomy, weather, malt whisky.

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- Since about 1979

What got you interested:- School 'O' grade Geography then (much later) moving to NZ

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- photographing interesting weather especially storms, amateur weather monitoring.

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- I've learned a lot from the posts on this and the earlier forum. Good to read and see what's happening in many parts of the country.

Storm Struck · Unread post by **Storm Struck** » Wed 06/04/2005 20:07

1) Whats your real name:- Jason

2) How old are you:-19

3) Which city are you from:- CHCH

4) Are you a resident in NZ:-yes iam a cantabrian.

5) What do you do for a crust:- Currently doing a course for the YMCA in outdoor stuff.

6) Hobbies:- Photography,Weather,Propagation natives,Landscaping.

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- since 1998.

What got you interested:- One day it was a howling NW day and I was bored out of my tree soon our table and chairs took off in mid air and hurtled next door and while my parents were stressing about it I was excited that it had happend ever since then I have liked weather especially destructive weather.

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:-Thunderstorms,High Winds,snowfalls and taking photo's.

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- I've met alot of people that have the same interest as me it's very hard to find people that like weather maybe it's those darn SW winds (Micheal?) lol.

03Stormchaser · Unread post by **03Stormchaser** » Wed 06/04/2005 20:15

1) Whats your real name:- Stephen

2) How old are you:- 19

3) Which city are you from:- Christchurch

4) Are you a resident in NZ: yes

5) What do you do for a crust:- I am a duty Manager in a large ChCh retail store

6) Hobbies:- Weather observation, storm-chasing, Hunting/tramping, Car Audio, an new hobby Ten-pin Bowling

7) How long have you been interested in the weather: around 1999

Cool What got you interested: I was always interested and as a youngster use too look up at the sky and try and make animals out of clouds. Seriously the trigger was while on holiday on the west coast in 2001, I witnessed some awsome storms, During one we went down to the beach at around 1am and watched a very visual storm out too sea

9) What aspect of the weather interests you: Storms, and Snow

10) What is it that you like about this forum: Peoples thoughts, forecasts, reports and the vast knowledge that people have that helps 'beginners like me'

*too add thought it mite be a good idea too post a pick of oneself

Thunder · Unread post by **Thunder** » Wed 06/04/2005 22:14

1) Whats your real name:- Aaron J Wilkinson (ha!). J stands for James

2) How old are you:- 19

3) Which city are you from:- Chch

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- Yes

5) What do you do for a crust:- Do my little scooter business (ha!) Just for a bit of fun. Also help my Dad who owns a web hosting business doing bit's of web work and reconsilling accounts amoungst other things.

6) Hobbies:- Fishing, Hunting (some day!), tramping. Not recently but I've built models of various things including your standard plastic plane kits, R/C boats and R/C hovercrafts (they're cool!) plus gliders. Also Ten Pin bowling like steve which I've recently got into. Home theater, making sub woofers - including home theater ones. Videography, photography. Sport - don't play but like rugby, basketball (used to play), boxing when it's on, soccer when it's on (used to play to), cricket if I have spare time. The weather which includes thunderstorms you bet! A few other things but that's enough for now....

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- Probably sort of started in 1992 when we had the big snow but otherwise, aslong as I can remember. When I saw John's tornado on the TV on the 27th Oct 2002 that really triggered me to learn more. You guy's probably remember me appearing on the old forum round that time.

What got you interested:- Above applies. When I saw John's footage on TV to me it looked like this big monster of a thing coming down kicking up dust and everything. When I later saw the footage again from John it wasn't as amazing as how I first saw it but still cool! My mind made it look awsome!!!

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- Storms, storms and more storms, you said it C-nimbus! Everything that goes along with them, so that includes low cloud, high cloud etc becasue they can affect storms and what they do. It all ties in together so it's interesting to learn about all apects of weather.

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- I like being able to talk to like minded people, also the education value. Same here! Sharing experiances of weather events. If were not getting a storm down here in Chch hopefully someone else is getting one so it keeps you going, alhough that's not always the case but it happens.

Steven G. I've seen you quite a few times. I didn't think you were 41, I thought you were 33 or 35, something like that. lol. It's all good!

Cheers
Aaron Wilkinson

Michael · Unread post by **Michael** » Wed 06/04/2005 22:29

If you want to see who I am

Chris Raine · Unread post by **Chris Raine** » Wed 06/04/2005 23:07

Whats your real name:- Chris

How old are you? - 50

Which city are you from:? Wellington although have lived in Auckland and New Plymouth + Christchurch for short time in the 1970's when being trained for Met Service.

Are you a resident in NZ : Yes

What do you do for a crust? - Emergency Services Manager :Look after Civil Defence Emergency Management and Rural Fire
Hobbies: weather,ghost railways, wine tasting, golf,skiiing, natural earth sciences and chasing thunderstorms,

How long have you been interested in the weather; since I was 10 - Heck that long! Worked at NWFC - Wellington for a short while before I changed to my current career

What got you interested; living in Karori in Wellington which seemed to be wet and bought a rain gauge, kept observations added thermometers, Stevenson Screen ( Father was not impressed when i planted the screen on the grass tennis court), Anemometer etc etc and proved yes it was a cool wet suburb with climatological observations over 12 years there including the Wahine storm . New Plymouth was an excting place for weather observing with heaps of thunderstorms and the odd tornado . One passed the house 300 meters away in 1991, Actually have been keeping weather observations for over 30 years in the places I have lived.

What aspect of the weather interest's you;- Living in Invercargill currently being one of the first to observe fronts arriving from the southern ocean often associated with violent squalls. heavy rain and the odd thunderstorm. Like chasng thunderstorms in summer and getting stuck in snow in Winter.

What is it you like about this forum;- reading articles from like minded souls, getting tips on websites that are of interest and providing info on weather events that we experience during the course of our daily lives.

Cheers

Chris Raine

Willoughby · Unread post by **Willoughby** » Thu 07/04/2005 13:05

1) Whats your real name:- Willoughby

2) How old are you:- 17

3) Which city are you from:- Hamilton, born and bred

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- NZ and Netherlands citizen

5) What do you do for a crust:- Student studying Geography, Media Studies, accounting, english... Part time job at Pizza Hut

6) Hobbies:- Weather observing - wannabe forecaster, cricket, rugby refereeing, current affairs

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- Since about 2003

What got you interested:- I have no idea, I got bored I think, LOL

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- Random fogs, storms, storms etc. heavy rain, hot temperatures, frosts, models

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- everything! apart from... bad English, complainers about certain wind directions/speeds, if you don't like it, move!

C-Nimbus · Unread post by **C-Nimbus** » Thu 07/04/2005 13:09

it appears to me that we have a really good cross section of people on here which makes for intersting conversations methinks.

Jasestrm, how do i best propogate a Totara?

and do you know if its possible to take cuttings from a Juvenile Agathis australis?

cheers

ricky · Unread post by **ricky** » Thu 07/04/2005 13:48

1) Whats your real name:- Richard J Huntington, J is for James too

2) How old are you:- 37

3) Which city are you from:- Auckland, grew up in Napier

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- Yep, born in Napier

5) What do you do for a crust:- Self employed.. Broadcast electronics, Radio/TV facility design, installation, maintenance, look after bFM.. Audio engineering- production, recording, mixing, mastering.. General electronics design/development, audio, control, lighting, RF..

6) Hobbies:- Weather observing and hopefully storm chasing!, programming microcontrollers to do silly things, electronics, home theatre, outdoors/camping, gardening though you wouldn't think so looking at mine! occasional radio announcing, doing weather reports for bFM, Cars/mechanical, House renovation/ building

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- Since I saw my first thunderstorm! probably 4 or 5 years old

What got you interested:- learning about weather at school and understanding it all lol, watching curtains of lightning out over the sea/horizon from Napier for about 3 days solid once... listening to long distance sferics on SW radio...

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- Storms and Storms!, electrical/RF effects, Prediction, analysis, randomness! measurement

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- the great incredibly knowledgeable people! Running commentaries and photos of developing weather events!

C-Nimbus · Unread post by **C-Nimbus** » Thu 07/04/2005 14:14

aahhh so your the weather guy of bFm, i knew it had to be someone off here!! no more camilla-nimbus!

audio production too aye..do you know much about setting up monitors?

Have just bought a pair of event 20/20 BAS and they seemed to be too top heavy compared with hi-fi. Should I be trimming the HF tab to be more inline with hi-fi, or should I eq my hi-fi to be more in line with events??

do you write music, if so what do you write and what do you use..

me....drum n bass (used to dj around NZ alot) using logic, midi controller, and events, plus a swag of vst's.

looks like a nice desk your on there ricky

ricky · Unread post by **ricky** » Thu 07/04/2005 14:51

lol I really shouldnt have admitted to that here! yeah harder than I expected with so much information to digest first thing...

well, I havent personally listened to those monitors, but I have heard that they are a bit out front in the upper mids especially.. but they can't be any worse than Genelecs! lol
I have a definate preference for a more subtle top end when working to stop fatigue as much as anything! At Uptown where that soundtracs DPCII console is, we have DSP correction/eq on the LSR monitors and I'm quite a big fan of some good correction on even high end monitors, in the end the room is going to have the biggest influence, good or bad...
Hey that sounds cool the live stuff you've been doing! have you relesed anything?, I dont get into writing, but I'd like to, just occasional modification and additions lol
Hope people here dont mind the off topic chat...

C-Nimbus · Unread post by **C-Nimbus** » Thu 07/04/2005 15:30

yeah i geuss its a bit off topic, but hey..

havn't released anything yet, i've only been doing it about a year on logic.

I have some conections at UK record labels thru the djing thing, so If i do write anything half decent i can flick it over to them.....but there's no money in drum and bass, it would just be fun.

its handy as i have a good freind who has full analogue studio who can master anything i make for CD or vinyl, so when i do get to the point of writing something decent at least i know my demo will be better than the old bounced out .wav file!

I think i may trim down that top end on the events and give it a whirl.

did you used to have something to do with contact fm in hamiltron?

tich · Unread post by **tich** » Thu 07/04/2005 15:34

) Whats your real name:- Ben

2) How old are you:- 37

3) Which city are you from:- Christchurch; grew up in Rotorua

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- Yes; born in UK, been in NZ since age 1.

5) What do you do for a crust:- Librarian (casual at present); work on family lifestyle block

6) Hobbies:- Weather, climate, environmental issues (global and local), history/pre-history, gym/weights, Latin dancing, music (esp indie and classic rock)

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- Seriously since I was about 13 or 14.

What got you interested:- Some interesting events, including a spectacular snowfall around Rotorua in 1981.

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- Extremes and unusual phenomena, especially very cold outbreaks and snow to low levels; weather/climate patterns; how our complex geography affects the weather/climate; spectacular cloud formations, esp cumulonimbus clouds.

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- hearing 1st hand about weather events happening elsewhere in NZ (though I wish there were more people from different parts of the country, eg West Coast, Taranaki, BOP, Gisborne etc)

Andy · Unread post by **Andy** » Thu 07/04/2005 17:23

1) Whats your real name:- Andy

2) How old are you:- 27

3) Which city are you from:- Alexandra

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- Yes

5) What do you do for a crust:- landscaper. Just set up a new company and im in partnership with a good friend.

6) Hobbies:- Botany, Weather, Tramping, MTB, Environmental concerns â€“ Well any thing outdoors and most sports.

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- Start of high school.

What got you interested:- Living in Central Otago.

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- Storms, Drought, Extremes in temp

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- The vast amount of knowledge on offer, and 1st hand weather events happening elsewhere in NZ

Storm Struck · Unread post by **Storm Struck** » Thu 07/04/2005 20:09

C-Nimbus wrote:it appears to me that we have a really good cross section of people on here which makes for intersting conversations methinks.

Jasestrm, how do i best propogate a Totara?

and do you know if its possible to take cuttings from a Juvenile Agathis australis?

cheers

Hey there C Nimbus yes it's good to see people with simular interests other than just weather.
I don't or havn't really planted any Totara before but I have heard they like seed raising mix with small stones on the bottom with pumus and stones on top very lightly. Banks Penninsula especially Okians Bay area used to be coverd in Totara and the soils there are suited to the way you may plant them.
Agathis and Australis I believe are woody sorta plants is that right? Iam pretty sure they like reasonably dryish soils I guess the Aust in Australis comes from Australia so thats another way of thinking maybe it would like dry conditions AUSSIE05 you would know this?

.
I grow things from Ribbonwoods very popular and eay to grow Vanilla Trees,Natice Grasses,Hebe's,Pitisspourum's,and satinwoods and much more.
What do you grow C Nimbus?.
Cheers
Jason

Aussie2005 · Unread post by **Aussie2005** » Thu 07/04/2005 20:18

1) Whats your real name:- Rod

2) How old are you:- 55

3) Which city are you from:- Melbourne Vic

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- No but did live briefly in ChCh in the 1970s, have been back numerous times since

5) What do you do for a crust:- Sharemarket trader, and love job of full time carer

6) Hobbies:- Cycling, bushwalking / tramping, travel

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- A long time !

What got you interested:- First real interest came about when camping outdoors in Iran desert during a wind storm.

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- Wind, storms, rain, climatic variations due to topography

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- Keeping in touch with what overall New Zealand weather is like. Closest friend and travelling companion lives in Motueka area so also keep up with local weather there.

NZ Thunderstorm Soc · Thu 07/04/2005 21:32

I don't know if I have posted this before, I may have done but he is a picture of me resting bewteen thunderstorms with Dorothy on my chest

JohnGaul
NZTS

Fujita Phil · Unread post by **Fujita Phil** » Thu 07/04/2005 21:59

1) Whats your real name:- Philip

2) How old are you:- 32

3) Which city are you from:- Born in Oamaru (now pronounced "Oh Rarm A Roo") and now a home owner in Dunedin.

4) Are you a resident in NZ:- Yes

5) What do you do for a crust:- I'm a target for Middle-Management hostility. A Sales Rep for a very large advertising company for the last 6 years

6) Hobbies:- My Triumph cars, of course weather, gadgets, music

7) How long have you been interested in the weather:- Longer than I thought when I look back.

What got you interested:- I remember a snow storm in Oamaru (very rare) when I was about three yrs old. My sisters were allowed to play outside but I had to stay inside with the cat, lol. A massive lightning storm when I was about 7, more forks than a catering company. NWer's blowing hard across Oamaru. Then to tip the scales, buying the WM-918 over 4 yrs ago.

9) What aspect of the weather interests you:- Wind, snow, lightning (usually miss that here, such bad timing I have) and the sky in general. Not a day goes by that I don't stare at the all the sky I can view and see what's happening.

10) What is it that you like about this forum:- Knowledge... really I'm just an observer. I'm slowly trying to learn how to forecast. Finding it hard enough to read a Skew-T.