I’m alive, just.

November 15, 2006

On a computer again for the first time in 3-4 days, I say 3-4 because I’m not quite sure what day it is. The flight from Hong Kong to Toronto via Anchorage was, without doubt, the single worst flight of my life. It’s also the first time in my entire life I’ve thrown up on a plane…or as the case was all over the entire toilet + a good portion of myself as well…I think the vomit was flying up and down with the plane. Cathay Pacific is excellent, great food, efficent service…and most importantly it’s not Qantas, but the turbulance North of Japan…maybe 3 to 4 hours worth, straight after dinner…it just went on and on and on. Worse thing, a bit like with a boat, I usually don’t suffer so much at the time, but on the land…land sickness. Slightly recovered now and off to New York tomorrow. I won’t share my thoughts about Toronto until I get back home, but suffice to say it may have been more enjoyable under different circumstances. But time to go now, the wounds in my back are twitching and I’ll got to go and sign some papers. Till NY, aurevoir…

PS: This might sound strange but it was actually easier to communicate with people in Hong Kong than Canada. Trying to do the simplest things here is quite frustrating. Canadian’s may have kept some good things from their English heritage, but the use of the English language wasn’t one of them 🙂

In General
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25 responses to I’m alive, just.

  1. arieanna November 15, 2006 at 2:28 am

    Glad to hear you’re feeling better! I’ve had horrid flights too!

    I can’t speak for all Canadians, but our accent is not so bad! However, the West and East are a fair different. You seemed to understand me just fine 🙂

  2. Hsien Lei November 15, 2006 at 3:07 am

    /me hands Duncan some salve for those wounds 🙁

  3. Hsien Lei November 15, 2006 at 5:00 am

    It’s definitely going to be worse if he’s hanging out with you, Aaron. 😛

  4. Hsien Lei November 15, 2006 at 5:09 am

    Then I’m never going to meet you in NYC! SF is more my style. 🙂

  5. John Evans (Syntagma) November 15, 2006 at 7:31 pm

    Duncan, if you think Canada is a culture shock compared with Western Australia, wait till you get to New York.

    I can’t wait for your posts. Don’t be brief or polite. 😉

  6. Justin Shattuck November 15, 2006 at 10:44 pm

    I second that the air north of Japan is some of the nastiest nitrogen around. I was aboard a 777 back in June and sat through six hours of turbulence. Incredible feat not to vomit.. in my opinion.

    Did you clean it up or leave it? lol

  7. Paul Short November 16, 2006 at 4:44 am

    Duncan,

    For F%%% Sakes, skype me man. paul-short

    I just heard the news.

  8. Minic November 16, 2006 at 8:56 am

    I can remember my 18 hour flight from Philippines to New York 🙂

  9. Gloria November 16, 2006 at 11:19 am

    hello Duncan, you probably won’t remember me…but I just want you to know that it is with sadness that i received the news of you leaving B5media. The blogosphere BUZZ is awaiting about the gory details but i guess one commenter here is write. don’t be brief and polite but the discretion is still up to you. I wish you luck and good things always. you are one of the best guys in the original b5 team, IMHO.

  10. Gloria November 16, 2006 at 11:20 am

    i mean RIGHT not write. 😉

  11. Leora Zellman November 16, 2006 at 12:20 pm

    Hey Duncan,
    Just wanted to say I’m really going to miss you! You really taught me a lot in the last year + and B5 won’t be the same without you!

    I wish you the best of luck in the future; keep in touch!

  12. William November 17, 2006 at 12:55 am

    Duncan, didn’t really even get a chance to know you yet, but I hope it all goes well for you. Good luck and all the best!

  13. Melissa November 17, 2006 at 1:07 am

    I agree with Glo. It’s sad to see you go. I’ll miss reading your frank, no BS statements over at the internal forum).

  14. Mr Angry November 17, 2006 at 5:41 am

    Hey Duncan, just heard the lousy news – hope the party in NYC leaves you feeling happier. I’m sure you’ll be fine, you’re the only person in this county I’ve found who has a clue what’s happening in the 2.0 world.

  15. Maricar November 17, 2006 at 8:19 am

    You will certainly be missed, Duncan. 🙁 I hope you the best in whatever adventure you have next. Don’t be a stranger…

  16. Milo Riano November 17, 2006 at 2:03 pm

    I am going to miss you man. I am surprised it has to happen soon but I ain’t surprised at all with your decision. I have always seen you as a Maverick who has the guts to be his own man.

  17. Anthony November 18, 2006 at 9:54 am

    Hey Duncan. Holy smokes!!! I step away from the blogosphere for a few months, just start to get back into my groove and I find out the world is changing.

    When you get back to Australia we need to talk. I’ve got a cracking domain name that needs your skills. Email me!
    Anthony

  18. Mary November 22, 2006 at 12:41 am

    Duncan,
    thank you for all you did at b5media. I didn’t get to meet you and I am sad to hear an original founder has moved on. You have a good legacy. I wish you well.
    Mary

Trackbacks and Pingbacks:

  1. ?Ǭª SYNTAGMA - the home of Syntagma Media - November 16, 2006

    […] It’s hard to guess from what we know, but Duncan posted on his perblog yesterday to the effect that he was “shocked by Toronto” (b5’s new base) and had left for New York tight-lipped and promising to write about it when he returned to Western Australia. […]
  2. One By One Media - The Blogospshere War and the Band of Brothers - November 16, 2006

    […] In my own mind, it is a probability that it can work.?Ǭ† How do I know this??Ǭ† I was able to spend a few nights with my partners in Seattle with one on the floor and the other in the bed next to me.?Ǭ† Like a Band of Brothers, we just seemed to mesh, or I guess it could have been the war like conditions we found ourselves at 3:30 a.m. trying to get wifi to work..?Ǭ† In the case of b5media, it appears that they clashed in some of the basic foundational aspects of making a strong partnership.?Ǭ† It happens.?Ǭ† Not all relationships thrive and sometimes my girlfriends break up with me, and I them.?Ǭ† It was a long time before I found the right match and I think that may be the case for Duncan, Darren, Shai and Jeremy.?Ǭ† Not every one can go into the blogosphere battle and make it out the other side without?Ǭ† scars and wounds. […]
  3.   Duncan Leaves b5media by Blogging Pro - November 16, 2006

    […] From DuncanRiley.com: I won?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t share my thoughts about Toronto until I get back home, but suffice to say it may have been more enjoyable under different circumstances. But time to go now, the wounds in my back are twitching and I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll got to go and sign some papers. […]
  4. Bloggism.net » Blogosphere weekend summarized - November 17, 2006

    […] Departure of Duncan Riley from b5 media: This one is on the top since Duncun Riley the founder of Blog Herald and one of the class A blogger we have previlage to have around blogosphere. This week he shocked everyone when he departed  b5 media, just after the big funding. Duncun’s blog dosen’t say anything at all, though he has an entry last day. Question is he departed b5 but does that mean he will depart blogosphere? Don’t think so. He is a great blogger, whos contribution to blogosphere won’t be forgotten, wherever he goes after this sad departure. Martin Neumann over Blog Herald put some good thoughts about this. […]
  5. Good-bye Duncan - Blog Network News - November 20, 2006

    […] Speculation that the departure wasn’t amicable was already brought up in the very first comment on the post, in which, the commenter mentioned a blog entry by Duncan stating that he was stabbed in the back. But time to go now, the wounds in my back are twitching and I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll[sic] got to go and sign some papers. […]
  6. 10 Days to Go - Choices Galore | Small Office Herald - November 21, 2006

    […] Reading between the lines there’s a whole lot more that went behind the scenes – the collective wisdom of the b’sphere is that Duncan was screwed over … and I tend to agree. And as the days go on without any further word form b5 that collective thought grows stronger and stronger and soon enough becomes fact (regardless if it’s fact or fiction). […]
  7. Bloggism.net - Blogosphere weekend summarized - December 17, 2007

    […] media, just after the big funding. Duncan’s blog doesn’t say anything at all, though he has an entry last day. Question is he departed b5 but does that mean he will depart blogosphere? Don’t think so. He […]