You win some - you lose some

We’ve had a busy two weeks. At work I ran a training program over two days for staff on Spreadsheet Basics. I ended up with 11 participants and will probably run it again soon as there were others who expressed interest. It went really well. 

The trouble with designing a training program is that until you have delivered it once you don’t know how long it will take or whether you have the content right. I asked Chat GPT to design me a 10 lesson basics course and it did a great job. I modified it a bit but probably 70% of the content and exercises were designed by AI. Jenny and I worked through the course several times to fine-tune it.


The end result worked well. I had allocated two 3-hour sessions and the course fitted this well with a few exercises now moved to homework. The participants were at different levels so when some had finished a lesson they helped others. Jenny was my excellent assistant. I actually learned a few spreadsheet things in developing the training. So far I’ve had feedback from three participants and it is overwhelmingly positive. I’ve been asked to run the training for some external participants as well. An improved program will be part of the training package we will take to staff in the regional research centres over the next few months.


So near and yet... The forest we were supposed to visit today.

Since we have been here I have had no success in getting into the nearby forest areas for birding but recently contacted LaeAbout Tours again and we had a birding trip all organised and approved by my manager. It was to happen this morning... 


I had a car booked with Black Swan (security company we are required to use) to pick up Jenny, me and two from LT at 0630. It didn’t turn up so I rang them at 0640 and they told me the car was in town (20-30 mins away). We waited and 30 mins passed so I messaged them - no answer. Then after another 10 mins I rang them and they didn’t answer. Jenny rang them and they answered and said they had a flat tire and would send a single cab ute instead. We cancelled. At no point did they contact us to let us know what was going on. So frustrating. We are now planning to hire a twin cab ute through LT and try again next week - assuming we can get approval.


We attended an Australia Day function at the yacht club hosted by the Consul General - Brenton Kanowski. Nice to catch up with people we know and meet a few new people.


Your taxes at work.


CG Brenton welcoming us to the event.

Heading off to their village on a banana boat.

Container ships waiting to dock.

Otherwise I have photographed a few insects and added them to iNaturalist. If I can’t go birding I can get satisfaction by adding to our knowledge of PNG insects.



A Rhinoceros beetle - probably Papuana woodlarkiana



Tropical Paper Wasp - Polistes stigma



Mango Flower Beetle - Protaetia fusca



A Bagworm Moth - Family Psychidae



A tiny spider with a long name:
Lami Beach Northern Jumping Spider - 
Cosmophasis lami


Finally - who likes crocodile?

Some of the large selection in our supermarket.





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