It´s been about a week now since my previous P4 2.6Ghz system bit the dust (thanks to a pathetic MSI video card) and I upgraded the whole thing to a new Athlon 64 X2 dual core system. It a word: Awesome. It´s blazing fast and I truly am seeing a huge difference when it comes to multi tasking - which is something I find myself doing quite a bit of (I have a habit of crashing computers as I try to do to much at once)

So in short, I would truly recommend the configuration.

In other news I started simptanions courses for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. I´m teaching both the Crew Level and the Advanced Crew Level courses to all comers in my Unit. The plan is a weekly meeting where the first hour is Crew and the second is Advanced Crew. We started last week with basic navigation and it went "swimmingly" (to use a bad pun)
I´m filming all the lectures and hopefully will get around to making them  suitable for download here on the mate eventually.

Finally in about 2 weeks time Kellei and I will travel to Victoria to take part in a new Coxswain Training Standard Development Workshop with the CCGA for the region. I have been asked to lead the session concerning the training delevery plan for the next 5 years. It´s quite a step for me and I´m a bit overwhelmed as some of the other members that will be there easily have 10 years of experience on me... seemingly I´m a ´big picture guy´ according to the team lead - so they are thowing this one to me... should be interesting... I´ll keep you posted.

Interesting that you should be teaching after a term of going to sea, or at least being immersed in the sailing arts with great gusto. I was in public education for 31 years after I left the deep water to get married. My time at sea was my greatest asset. A true sailor really does develop a very broad view of things. It becomes an approach to just about everything you do later on. I think it has to do with the fact that you have to be so self reliant when you are off shore. You have to be aware of all things that affect you. You have to be confident in your ability to handle whatever may come up. That being the case,I can understand why you have a big picture reputation. You seem to have more interests than you have time for. Way to go!!