2025- Not what I expected

2025 was a year of almost two halves for me. I was full-time in my newish career and supporting my wife’s side hustle. Then it was 5 days of work and all weekend in our job, it couldn’t go on. And so I went part time in two jobs while still doing the bigger and bigger side hustle.

Then in the second half of the year we opened our shop and suddenly we’re shopkeepers. This is an EVERY day thing. And suddenly I’m part time this, part time that, part time (feels like full time) shop as well.

About Bikes

Again, mostly disappointing here. No MotoGP trip again. I only lost the money I had spent on tickets. Everything else was booked but not paid. Very expensive repairs were also a part of that.

On the plus side, I have been riding a lot more regularly (commutes mostly) and I am halfway to saving for a new bike.

Riding this expensive eMTB was great fun in Rotorua

About Babes

Eldest is working hard at uni. Second one is changing school, again, but I think this new one will really let her shine. So I’m excited to see how it goes.

Mrs is looking at going full time for the shop, so that will be interesting (and hopefully take some of the load off me).

The Shop

We did have a great trip to Singapore. Lots of amazing food and lots to see and do.

Singapore. Highly recommended as a destination

There has been some reconciliation between my parents and my wife. To the point where the girls and I actually visited them for a week or so in NZ. This was a big positive from my point of view.

About Bytes

Not much going on tech wise. I’ve managed to crack my iPad Pro (M1) screen, but it’s still working. I will see about maybe getting a current or the next iPad Air as they are already up to the M3 chip. Picked up a free Samsung tablet that I have been sort of mucking about with.

Computer gaming – nothing to report. I really need to get back into BG3 and actually finish it.

RPGs – I bought into two franchises that I’ve been a long fan of. Dr Who, which includes sourcebooks for EVERY doctor, including a summary of every episode. An interesting style of game. And a new kickstarter for Matsume Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell (Arise). I jumped in and hope to see it in, maybe 2027?

TMNT kickstarter delivered just before Christmas, that was really nice. Keen to find a way to run a game, once I have a proper go at it.

And of course D&D. After a year of missing half the regular Friday night online games, I’ve finally dropped out of that group. Saturday is a big day in the shop and so Friday is spent organising. It might change in the new year.

But weirdly it has meant I am usually available for the face to face game. To be honest I do prefer that way of playing. Lastly, we successfully ran a series of Play By Email games. I’m currently DM the newest one. This time it’s my own module.

About Me

Goodnight 2025

I was kind of thinking as I quit full time at the end of Term 1 that I would be transitioning into a sort of almost retirement. Instead I am busier than ever, and only manage my own stuff when I steal a day here and there. Cashflow is tight too, though the business is going steady. I also fear any sick days or injuries as I don’t get paid sick leave from any of my jobs. 2025 really didn’t go the way I thought it was going to go. It was hard work and to be honest, I didn’t really enjoy it.

What am I hoping for 2026? Well I think we need to get into a bit of a routine for the shop, and I do think it will be easier with my wife’s plans. I am desperate to travel somewhere on my motorbike, hopefully the MotoGP. Again, I have tickets already. Mainly, I’m hoping I will enjoy 2026 more than this year.

TMNT Redux

Two years ago I backed my second ever KickStarter. Following the Battletech one that I had backed about a year before (and arrived this year in March) it was again by a large company that was already producing it, so fairly risk free.

I picked up the original TMNT & Other Strangeness in about 1989 and my friends and I never played beyond creating a couple of characters. It was right during the beginning period of the original TMNT cartoon of the same era. Still it sat on my shelf as a bit of a confusing RPG. It’s a very different set of creation and gameplay compared to D&D that we were most familiar.

So finding a new release I was interested and ended up backing more than I had planned. These have finally arrived. I have not yet had much of a chance to look through them, but they look very well made and a big step up from the softcover original I have. This time they are full hardcover, full colour books, similar in heft and size to the 2024 D&D rulebooks.

Inside, the books are a compilation of more than one book, so you end up with almost all of the original released books and expansions across the two books. I only ever had the base book.

I chose the alternative covers, a KS exclusive.

Later I added the DM screen, which has slip in panels on the inside. My idea is to use it in other games too, like D&D, I just slip in new panels.

The outer panels are also the normal book covers, so I’ve ended up with both art sets.

I also chose a dice tray, and eventually the mutagen dice set, complete in a TCRI cannister.

These dice are larger than standard, and the glowing, sparkling material inside moves about as you shake and roll them. They seem to roll nicely. We will see how lucky they are later.

Standard die in the middle, the Mutagen on the left and the mini die that are around at the moment on the right.

Over the past few days, as delivery became more certain, I was talking about the RPG with some others and have come up with an adventure idea. So I’m busy writing that up at the moment.

Everything, along with my original (revised edition) book (middle of picture).

I will look through the books in the coming days and see what I think of the actual contents.

Needed a day

I had to get out on the bike today. Instead of heading to work, I took my lunch and a couple of other supplies, tossed it into the top box and headed out.

Wasn’t really sure where I was headed. I thought I might go up Putty road, then maybe down around to the west. I’ve done it once a while ago. You come back through Rylestone.

I started late, so it was warming up already as I reached the Putty. Stopped a couple of times along the way, including Grey Gums to eat and relax. Not pushing hard, but just going along.

Just out of Grey Gums I was accelerating away when the bike completely died. I’m not sure if it was just as I had the clutch in, or an instinctive reaction had me pull the clutch as it died (I think the first). Tried to restart as I coasted along with no avail. Not even noise from the starter.

Came to a stop on the roadside. Tried to start again but absolutely nothing. Not even a tick, or a whine or a twitch. Completely dead (though obviously getting power as all the dash was up).

Stepped off the bike and looked along it, thinking, well it’s not so far to get to Grey Gums (I was probably a few hundred metres).

Then inspiration!

I checked the kill switch, which WAS in the off position. Flicked it back to Run and everything started properly. Headed a little up the road where there was better space to pull over and figure out what’s happening. Have I got a loose kill switch that can just rock forward on its own?

It didn’t seem loose. There was definite force needed to move it and it was a solid click. It didn’t wobble back and forth. However, a bit more experimentation and I got it to sit neither quite on or off.

I think I must have bumped it with a glove or something at the stop, and just by chance found the spot where it was balanced. Then as I’ve accelerated and shifted gears it has rocked into the Off position and the bike stopped.

Random chance and that luck again. I’m thinking if it had just stopped while riding then a big rear lock up as the engine locks solid while in gear. Nasty.

Anyway, a moment thought and I kept on my route.

A little while later, not yet at the top of the Putty I decided to turn around and go home. I was getting drowsy and figured it would be better to go home. So I did.

Not the best mental health break, but something.

Nice spot under the Colo River Bridge though.

MotoGP – Everything almost worked out

Dramas continued. Part was in the shop, so Friday I dropped the bike in. Oh, it is an ABS Modulator. They’d forgotten to book the loan bike, but found a 2025 BMW F900R for me to take. Sweet, something different.

Of course, no riding was planned that day.

Towards the end of the day, I had a call. They were having trouble removing the old part. I could keep the loaner over the weekend and then the bike would be ready Monday.

Sounds good.

Of course, no riding was planned that weekend.

BUT I did get in a couple of errands around town on it. So I got a bit of a chance to try it.

Sunday though, things took a turn. Went into the garage to get the lawn mower and discovered the BMW had a flat tyre.

Not even any unplanned riding could take place now. Argh.

So Monday, I spent a little time figuring out the route for the MotoGP trip, assuming two days each way instead of my usual 3. In the end I came up with a workable plan that I would hit a couple of favourites, a couple of new interesting roads and while some interstate was necessary, it was early, when I would be fresher.

Then, in the afternoon, the shop dropped (with a van) my bike all fixed and picked up their bike. It should only need a tyre plug as I found the point where a piece of wire was stuck into the tyre.

It wasn’t until the evening that the final piece fell into place. It has been decided that our new shop needs me Monday and Tuesday next week and so

I’m not going this year.

Ah fk it.

I even did my packing. <- that was probably the tipping point of the fates to be honest.

I’ll plan for a trip I think, but I guess without the MotoGP. And soon.

But dang it, the weather is looking kinda brilliant.

An unexpected offer

My bike is broken. The part, weeks away. MotoGP just around the corner. Time is moving and the bike isn’t.

I’ve had an unexpected offer.

First, let’s go back to when I was at the dealer being dealt the tough blow regarding the expensive repair and long order time for the part. When he said 4-6 weeks, I joking responded

“How long would a new bike take?”

So the service department guy asked the sales guy walking past.

“Early October”

Er, that’s faster. For a 2026? 1000SX SE.

“How much?” I thought I would play along…

“$22.5k, rideaway.”

Yeah, way too much money.

Look I did consider my options for almost exactly 24 hours before ringing the service department and ordering the part. Thinking positive, I’ve booked the bike for its installation for the Friday before I go (on the following Thursday). That’s 3 weeks.

SOOOO, says poor reader. What was the offer?

Well, of course I lamented my situation to anyone who would listen (like you, dear reader). Then that evening I received an unexpected call from Mum and Dad.

They’ve offered a substantial portion of the cost of getting a new Ninja. The money is conditional that it has to be used for a new bike, and Dad is really expecting it to be a new Ninja.

So I only have to come up with the rest.

Could it still be done before the GP? Take a NEW bike there instead?

It would be an interesting coincidence as no bike has ever made the trip to the island more than once (not counting when I lived in Melbourne and it was a day trip).

MotoGP Trip – yes/no??

Its now in the fickle hands of the spare parts department….

It is less than a month to go, and currently my bike is dangerously rideable. I can ride it, but it’s dangerous and might, without warning, become even more dangerous.

As usual, I took the bike for a service a month or so out, this should give time for anything to be replaced or sorted in plenty of time.

But this time, it may not be enough.

Tuesday (16th) they said the part will take 4-6 weeks. That’s the week I leave for the GP or the week after the week after I get back.

AND its $3000!

What has happened is that something in the ABS system that resides inside the brake system has corroded to the point it has seized. This initially meant my rear brake was spongey (and I had been feeling that) but in their efforts to fix it, they locked it open. So I have no rear brakes.

And I really didn’t know how much I use them. Resting at the lights = rear brakes. Hill start = rear brakes. Digging out the remotes for my gate and garage while on my driveway = rear brakes.

So what to do? I have the money. It’s saved in an account called MotoGP Trip. You can guess what it is for…

So I have used that money. I won’t get to the GP unless I fix the bike.

If the part comes in time though, will I be able to save enough extra cash to pay for the trip? Of course, my ticket arrived last week. Already paid for. Accommodation is booked, not paid for and can still be cancelled at not charge. Then there is food, fuel, and other random stuff.

Look, it’s manageable. I won’t have a lot of emergency funds though.

Let the fickle gods of logistics and the spares department decide my fate. (and it’s especially amusing to me, as that’s exactly what I used to do for work, manage a spares department, though not for bikes).

Living the Shop Life

is really hard work!

So we opened my wife’s shop. It’s been a steep learning curve. We’ve run out of stuff all the time, over ordered a couple of times. Had half our newly repaired fridges die, losing half our stock, had stock go off, discovered the doors to the shop weren’t actually able to be locked, blown a jumper and killed the router at the same time, been there everyday, long after supposed closing time. Struggled to understand how to calculate staff pay, tax, super and how to pay it all to the right places.

And had hundreds of happy customers, five Google reviews (and all 5 stars!), had people come from all over Sydney and further away just to visit our shop. Discovered they all want to meet my wife and even have pictures with her!

So overall it’s been positive, but it is a HECK of a lot of work. We are a small dessert shop, keeping a lot of what made our stalls successful. Most of our staff have turned out great and it does seem to be moving in a profitable direction.

We do need to work on the whole life/shop balance though. I know it will get better as we understand what needs to be done and get better at doing it.

But until then, it will be many more late nights and early mornings.

MotoGP 25

Look, technically it’s still going ahead.

Of course, our new shop might see that side-tracked. Wait and see.

But it will be shorter. Not in distance, because it’s basically as far away from my place as it is. Nothing I can do about that.

Instead of 3 days down, it will be 2 if it goes ahead. I need to attend something with my daughter on the Wednesday evening. Well, it was the Thursday, but I was able to reschedule it one day earlier. If the timing is right and the weather ok, there is a small chance I do a desperate dash to Canberra that evening after the event. It is possible, but unlikely.

So I think it will be a longer in the saddle day to head via Canberra to the Snowies to Murray Valley on Day 1. Alternatively a long ride down the Hume, then south up to Tumut and over to the Valley. Then from the Valley to Melbourne on Day 2, ready to watch the racing starting Saturday.

Coming home might also end up being cut short. Perhaps a day to Khancoban, then a day home or even first day to Canberra. I will see what happens.

It is still on. Just.

Oh that’s of course assuming I have any money for it. I’m trying to save, but one of my workplaces keeps forgetting to process my pay in time for the cutoff, so sometimes I have to pull my savings back out to cover the fortnight they missed. They still pay that work, they just schedule it for the following pay. Still leaves me hanging for a fortnight.

Life Update

Wow, so I leave one workplace so that I’m not overwhelmed and I swear I’m busier than ever!

Though I am a LOT more flexible. I work a regular part time (though technically casual) in one workplace. Usually 3 days a week. And I still do about once a week at school. Usually I take a day off, which may be very busy still with the wife’s side-hustle (more on that in a moment), but it’s still a day off. And we haven’t done every weekend on the business either.

Which might be about to change. We have been successful in our popups in one shopping centre and they have offered us a short term, very generous contract. So we have taken them up and our side hustle will, in a couple of weeks, be an actual store.

I am terrified, but am at the point of my calculations that even if it goes horribly wrong, we will still have a house at the end of the day. With staff and such we can both manage to maintain our part time jobs and also run the shop. Easier in some ways as we won’t be moving stuff about the city all the time. Harder, because we are expected to open 7 days a week. Some of the work will move to the shop, but some production will still be at home.

We will have to see.

And that’s part of why this short term, with a generous exit clause, is a chance to have a go at a shop. To have a go, see what works and what doesn’t and to see if that’s the way we want to go. And the terms mean I’m just terrified, not completely catatonic with fear!

Of course, Mrs Mab is super excited.

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