Sharing the knowledge: How SJW Rovers use technology to our advantage

Hi everyone,

The 2020 Rover Forum had me wondering whether I should start sharing the knowledge our crew has of how to use technology to the fullest extent. We've had a bit of experience, and also borrowed knowledge from our own group.

First off,

This allows you to have a crew email address which substitutes for a huge mailing list in the address field of each and every email. A simple email to this address will reach every single member of the crew instantly. You can set your own up at Google Groups. If you set your crew up with one, please share it with QBRE and other crews. It facilitates easy contact.

Secondly,

Yes, we're pretty keen on google, aren't we? This particular product allows us to share a spreadsheet with as many people as we want, simultaneously. We have used it for a few things, including group data and crew data. Our present to you is a modified copy of what we use:

St John's Wood Rover Crew's iCrew

If you want a copy that you can use for your own crew, contact us via the address linked above. We also used this with great success at Urban Challenge 2010.

Third,

The crew does all of its programming using Google Calendar. It allows all crew members to have a copy of it overlaid on their own calendar on iPhones and computers. It can also be printed out. A link is here:

SJW Rovers Calendar

You can create your own and share it with others at Calendar.Google.com.

Of course,

Create your crew a new Facebook Group. Unlike the old useless groups, these ones are perfect for Rover crews. They let you share photos amongst yourselves privately, write group messages and chat as a group. Everything posted to a Facebook Group is shown on your wall. You can make a group for searching for the Groups application on facebook.

And finally, Blogspot.

This blog allows us to keep a fairly well kept logbook. Eventually, it will be printed and bound.

Rovering Towards 2020 Forum

At the Providore, BP Park.

JJ, Emile, Travis and Matt.

Wonargo

JJ, Emile, Travis, Stephen (+1 Natalie?) and Matt all attended the 39th season of Wonargo Revue. Favourite items included Shaun (QBRE Chair) dressed up as a baby, Cameron Stanley (BIC) "goo-goo-ing," the Yorkshiremen sketch, &c.

Pizza and corjial were had post-show and Sinéad arrived back from Bundy just in time for the pizza. Emile and JJ had a good chat to Mr 38 (Gavin Brady, BC Rovers).

The following day saw Sinéad's "surprise" 21st birthday party at Victoria Park Golf Club. Emile, JJ, Pete and Matt were in attendance from the Crew, along with many other Queensland Rovers.

Saints Cup 4 - Pioneering Challenge

Organised by Geoff (Indro).

Winnahs: Mirrabook.

JJ's 19th Birthday in the style of "German"

German sausage BBQ atop KP Cliffs.

Attending:

JJ, Emile, Steve, Travis, Chris Greener, Chris Goninon, Iain, Ben (The Gap), Geoff (Indro), Phil Cole, Nick and Karyn (Boondall), Bryn Miller (BIC) and Matt. (Who have I forgotten??)

Post BBQ drinks at UJs on that famous establishments final Thursday night drinks cards. Met up with Bill and Nathan Swaffer (Kowabunga - Cairns/BIC) and Kat.

Iain had his own private BBQ atop the Cliffs on the way home.

St George's Ball

Photos here.

A evening walk up the hill at the back of the den

This was a night of a quick stroll up a hill (Mt Cootha) one Thursday evening. In attendance we had invested rovers: Stephen, Matt and Pete, squire: Travis and Jordan and potential new rover/ current Girl Guide/ sister of former Rover Natasha. We left the den in two cars, driven by Stephen and RA Chris, at about 8pm and arrived at the Gap Creek Reserve car park at 8:30pm.

After briefly insulting the map we set off up to the top of the hill. After about an hour of walking we reached the summit at the channel 9 studios and did a quick car shuffle down to the Restaurant at the End of the Hill. We all enjoyed a nice ice cream/ coffee/ other refreshing beverage.

Although it was a very rapidly organised time, a great time was had by all, on this evening walk up a little hill out the back of the den.

QARM

Travis and Steve went. Travis sold merch.

Matt's Trip to Adelaide Gang Show

Redlands Revue

Pete on stage. Emile, JJ and Matt in audience. The Gap Rovers there also.

QBRE & Agoonorie Rover Games Night

Games Night

Steve organised. Played Trivial Pursuit.

Emile, JJ, Steve, Chris Greener, Chris Goninon and Matt.

An historical subterrestrial tour of Brisbane's CBD

Matt, Steve, Emile, Chris Greener and Mr X (who will remain unnamed for his own security, privacy and limitation of criminal culpability) met at King George Square at 7:45pm and proceeded south-east across town to the northern banks of the Brisbane River.



The tour of the **campbell's cash & carry** consisted, inter alia, of an entrance to a large stormwater drain. Being inquisitive children we ventured into the drain and, after some time, found ourselves underneath Roma Street Parklands, near the Lake.

One way walk through was approximately 15 minutes. No trains were heard overhead, some minimal car noise. Small amounts of water flowing through drain and where drain narrowed full foot submergence was necessary.

Squelched out at about 9:20pm. Steve, Emile and Chris public transported it home in wet shoes and Matt dampened his girlfriend's car.

Urban Challenge 2010

Urban Challenge 2010: Chairman's Report

Total Scores Breakdown for each Team and Activity Base

Leaderboard

"The Saints Cup" Inter-Crew Challenge: URBAN SPRAWL

Travis' Squire's Hike...ish

Rachel and I had a feed of Subway on the drive (because we were both pretty knacked). We drove to Karingal, and after spending a good 10 minutes wrangling the gate and its ludicrous system of false locks, we headed down to our campsite at Archer (where the pits were at Bash, you dirty ignorant northsiders). On the way in, we met Bruce, the Karingal caretaker – and his kelpie pup who decided to follow us around for half an hour. We set up camp at 7:30pm, and after loading up my backpack, we left to make fire. You’ll note we have a lack of photographs – it turns out nighttime isn’t the best time to try to capture the spirit of setting up a camp; and we were tired, cranky and wanted to annoy anyone reading this.

A short walk via bush and a log-lined hill, we headed up past the gate to the Cooinda Complex for its fire circle, since we could not set up our own at Archer due to fire restrictions (unlike Matt, we obeyed the rules and the law). On the way we spotted a possum or possibly a feral cat, or a lost Cub – we couldn’t tell. We set up the fire in the circle using nearby fuel (which may or may not have included a discarded packet of firelighters) and it turned out to be a little damp which meant, I, using my amazing initiative, fashioned a crude hothouse out of newspaper to dry the timber. It failed, and we decided to make do with the handful of burning woodchips, building lumber and dry eucalypt we managed to get burning.

We made s’mores with caramel chocolate – it was very sweet (and tasted only slightly of dirt and burnt wood). I’d include the recipe, but if you can’t make s’mores, you are probably a little bit broken. I put the first out using my keen sense of throwing water at it until it stops, then we decided to utilise our nearby resources and go to the toilet at Cooinda because the lights worked here, and there were no unwelcome visitors (read: cane toads).

On the way back to camp, I took Rachel on a tour of Karingal’s firetrail. There really isn’t much of interest out there except the ankle-munching holes in the ground and the ruts from Banana Bash that are still very very present. After about an hour of walking (it’s about 10:00pm by this point), we decide to head back to camp for “heart-to-heart conversation” – good thing too; I could hear Rachel’s hip cracking on the walk down the hill. At the camp, we sat around in our sleeping bags and talked – mainly about sex therapists, bike riding, and a combination of the two.

The next morning, we woke up at 9:00am. We packed up camp and the car and walked up back up to Cooinda. After a quick scramble down the now-evidently-non-existent Badger Trail, I took Rachel down to the creek. The creek is dry, and now resembles something closer to a cobblestone road than a waterway. After managing to find some water, we try to go frog spotting. We found mosquitos.

Speaking of roads, we get down to the site of the old suspension bridge (which, for anyone interested, is still not a bridge in the traditional sense – as in, its two gateways and a 6 foot chasm) , and the caretaker has obviously decided to upgrade from the bridge, as just to the left is a brand new concrete causeway. In an amusing turn of events, after walking over rocks and holes and logs, it was the flat concrete that caused me to make a faceplant.

After a fruitless search for the Chapel (I thought a romantic farewell was in order), I took her on a trip around the obstacle course that RUM and SHA repaired last year. Problem: it seemed to have been built for midgets with giant legs. Many faceplants later, we walked back to Archer campsite along the remainder of the Badger trail. Again, pretty uneventful.

When we got back to camp and the car, we realised we hadn’t taken a photo for Matt (since evidently he doesn’t believe I’m capable of putting up a tent), so I quickly distressed the ground and staged a photoshoot; since putting up the tent again was way too much effort for a Monday morning. Go team lethargy.

On the way out, we stopped to pay at the caretakers’ cottage. The Chief Commissioner was there embroiled in a shouting match with everyone. We were stuck for half an hour before we could pay. Damn that man.

Green Mango Night

It had been a while since one of our suit-up nights, so the crew had decided it was time, as well as saying a final goodbye to Rachel. We had a quick visit from Robert Bruce quickly followed by filling up the table with copious amounts of rice and curries. Finally with once hopeful plea to Rachel to please not leave us, we pack up and headed home.

By Jordan

Rachel's Farewell

Having moved to Brisbane and knowing only a handful of people, I joined Rovers as a way to make friends, and to do new things in a new city. I was welcomed with open arms. So when it came time for me to leave, I wanted to repay the kind gestures of the St John's Wood Rover Crew, and some other Rovers I had met along the way, with a farewell party at my house with good food and good entertainment.

The night was themed 'underworld', a suggestion from Stephen E. because I'm from Melbourne, so I included some appropriate props: an orange mango punch with a red 'hand' ice block that was frozen in a plastic glove; 'dirty' money in a cigar box; lines of 'cocaine' (flour); bags of 'marijuana' (parsley); a chalk outline of a body near the front door; and pictures of fallen Melbourne underworld figures.

On offer were a variety of delicious hot food, dips, coctail frankfurts (not cheerios!), and a sandwich ring made by my mum. And entertainment included the Wii, fussball, and live AFL (which was quickly changed to other less interesting shows).

Thanks to the St John's Wood Rover Crew: Chris Go., Chris Gr., Emile, Iain, Jordan, Matt, Peter, Sam, Stephen E.; other Rovers Alex and Michael; and my family Natasha, my mum, and Kathleen.

- Rachel -

Drag Night

Being told a few weeks earlier that I had to organise the 'Drag Night' - my last night at the Den - I wanted to make it a fun night to remember. Unfortunately, it was also the night that several Rovers couldn't attend, whether I knew about it or not, so that was disappointing. Those who came included Bryn, a Rover originally from Canberra, Chris, Chris (R.A.), Emile, Jordan, Kerry, Stephen E. and I.

My plans changed slightly, so I began with the Powerpoint presentation for the Defence Scouting Badge - a badge which highlights and promotes the partnership between Scouts Asutralia and the Australian Defence Force. I had to talk about my life as part of a Defence family, peacekeeping within the ADF, and visit a military base. In the past I had invited many Rovers to the Enoggera Army Base's pool and gym, and had organised for my Dad, who is a Soldier, to take one of the Rovers on a tour of the base.

By the time I had finished my presentation and answered questions, I shared a plate of fairy bread my mum kindly made for everyone! I made the guys dress-up in various outfits because it's funnier to see males dressed-up as females and not the other way around. But I wore a sparkly top in order to be slightly more flamboyant!

I bought a TV and Playstatrion 2 along, so the plan for the rest of the night was to sing songs on Singstar, as drag queens often like karaoke and performing in front of people. Once Chris (R.A.) and Stephen E. started singing beautifully...everyone got into it! There were many Singstar discs, so some people had a hard time choosing which song to sing!

Emile, as the resident photographer, had brought his camera along so I could get my first and only picture of me in my Rover uniform at the Den. Thanks to everyone who made the night fun, and I'll see you all at the Mardi Gras :P

- Rachel -

Spicks N Specks Night

On the 20th May, Sam held a Spicks N Specks night at the den, at which there was quite a large attendance, and one of the first nights that ex-SJW Venturer Peter came back to the Group. We were also joined by Bryn (Rover) and Sam's friends Kylie and Richard.

Games played were:

Know Your Product

Cover Versions

Please, Please, Tell Me Now

Mondegreens

Sir Mix'n'matchalot

Turning Japanese

Word Up

Substitute

Can't Buy Me, Love.

(for explanations of the games, visit the Wikipedia page.)

In the end, a team of Matt, Travis, Richard, and Kylie won the night.