So most of my readers by now will know I am a 100% Xero convert - though I am still waiting for the much anticipated Foreign Currency Release later this month to complete my transition.

Anyway I was recently catching up on Rowan Simpson’s blog and discovered a link to a wonderful analysis of investing in Xero and a model (I suggest you read the article and download the model from Sam’s site) to determine customer numbers and revenue requirements to achieve an acceptable rate of return on your investment given the risks etc.

While I found the analysis extremely comprehensive I was more intrigued by the author - the name rang a bell.

Reading various other posts on www.samstewartnz.com made me more sure this was an old acquaintance from my university days.

So I sent an email with a few snippets of history that would have been a  little strange were it not the same Sam Stewart but as it turned out it was.

Sam has spent time in Wellington after studying at the University of Auckland and is now currently in Brisbane.

Just goes to show you don’t need to rely on Facebook to catch up with old friends!

Yes that’s right.

As I just outlined on Twitter some people have too much time on their hands. Case in point this person who loves his Lego creations:

The Lego version contains 9000 bricks, most of which are in the base and the stream. And at present, although the house is more or less complete, I have not yet installed the stairs leading to the stream from the main terrace. It provided several problems that I’ve yet to sort out. But apart from that the house is finished. Reviews are appreciated. Many thanks. 

Also announced last year Lego themselves are also bringing out an Architecture Series in partnership with Adam Reed Tucker of Brickstructures Inc.. Soon to be released are a couple of Frank Lloyd Wright Sets.

I’ve had numerous injuries while running but have to admit all up till now most have been virtually self inflicted.
That was until today…
Today I was out doing a typical circuit around Auckland… down to Mt Smart, up Great South Road, Market Road and home.
The changeable Auckland weather is normally all I have to content with until about 35 minutes into my run I got shot in the jaw by a ****** idiot with a paint ball gun.

Unfortunately having filed a report with the police there is little that can be done unless the idiots continue with there antics and all I can do is hope my swollen jaw settles down soon.
On one hand you have to say it was a fluke of a shot, on the other hand I have to be thankful I still have my right eye.

Some interesting news in the world of Big Business Software.

A week after IBM walked away from buying SUN, good old Larry has stepped in, upped the price and made the purchase.

Interestingly Oracle have said they were after JAVA, but others speculate they were more interested in mySQL.

Here is an interesting article analysing the purchase.

Well the conference finished and I still had another day in Malta, so today we headed off to Valletta.

The streets were amazing, everything is so incredibly dense but it doesn’t seem crowded in anyway just extremely historic.

Today was the first day I’ve ever seen an elliptical dome which was simply amazing!

The architecture is mostly Baroque but also includes some Neo-classical and Modern Architecture.

It was great to see Xero’s recent annoucement about raising more capital.

The main thing this highlights to me and I talked about this in an earlier post: Even with economic times being the worst they have been for 60 years there is still opportunities to grow.

It also highlights that I have heard mentioned previously “Raise Capital before you need it as it will be easier to source than when you actually need it!”

My travels this time have taken me to Malta for Graphisofts International Partner Conference.

After last year only just arriving at the conference a couple of hours before it started, this year I decided to arrive a couple of days early to avoid the stress.

Yesterday two of my Swedish friends and I set off on a mountain bike around the island. We didn’t actually do a complete circuit but certainly saw an enormous part of the island.

Fortunately for me, having not been on a bike for a couple of years, the Maltese drive on the left so all I had to worry about the pot holes. However as an British ex-pat said

The British drive on the left, the Europeans drive on the right and the Maltese drive in the shade.

So there were a few hairy moments!

Anyway check out the photos below:

Which is why on Saturday we did the 5 man-relay not the Solo Ultra-Marathon of the Te Houtaewa Challenge 2009

At 8:30 Saturday morning Sally set off to run the first 3 km section of the 63km Relay down Northland’s Ninety Mile Beach. For the next 4:47:19 we took our turn to run a 3km section and then drive down the beach slowly making our way from the bluff to Ahipara.

The team consisted of:

• Gav
• Ed
• Wazza
• Sal
• Me

All of them seasoned pro’s having run the event as many as 6 times before (it only started in 2003!) I was new to the relay but had run the extremely monotonous Half Marathon back in ‘99.

The guys were a little nervous at the start when they heard there were 5 other teams entered this year, however the nervousness was uncalled for as we ended up winning by over 45minutes.

Hats off must go to Tony Ahern though as he finished only 38 minutes after us having run the whole 63km himself!

Hats off also to the organisers - the event is very well run and has a fantastic Far North Community feel about it.

Sometimes watching history taking place is not what it is cracked up to be.

Last night I watched history being made in the Super 14 as the lowest score ever was recorded - 6-0 to the Highlanders over the Crusaders.

That said even in such a low scoring affair and against an under strength Crusaders side a win is a win and must be enjoyed! Not only did we beat the Crusaders but we also became the first team in Super Rugby History to hold the Crusaders scoreless - an amazing feat in itself.

As a Highlanders supporter since day one, life has been pretty tough - we had a great couple of years in 98/99  but since then nothing much has eventuated and it was the Crusaders themselves who denied the Highlanders their only title chance.

One of my friends is a Crusaders supporter who has had one up on me for a long time  - I can just hear the excuses he’ll be making about last night!

However, aside from a low scoring game, the biggest irony yesterday was that 3 games of rugby were played in New Zealand in glorious conditions - why therefore can we not get a full one day game of cricket played against the Indians!