Contrary to popular belief, we've not disappeared off the face of the earth, been abducted by aliens, given up on life or drag racing or just plain gotten bored with the world wide web.

It's been a while since the last update though.... in fact, nearly four months. Coincidentally, it seems nearly that long since I've had a night's sleep, or even been able to sit back, take a deep breath and feel that there's some light at the end of a very long dark tunnel.

During that period, drag racing has had to take a backseat to much more pressing priorities, like keeping my job, paying off the mountain of debt that's accumulated during the four year genesis of the latest Northern Thunder race car... and dealing with one huge challenge.

Earlier this year my employers indicated they were looking at totally revamping the operations at the deep-sea shipping terminal where I work. Not only changing the physical layout and container handling procedures, but also introducing an entirely new computer system.

The contract for the new system was signed in early summer and we were introduced to it early in September. Since then, it's been a never ending learning process, one that will continue well into the new year. To say it's been a challenge is an understatement. To say it's been nerve-wracking, ulcer-inducing, stressful, frustrating and unrewarding would be fair.

In the final analysis though I can put aside all the negatives and as the year rapidly draws to a close, look at all the positive things that have happened recently.

I've still got a job (an even more secure one than six months ago); I've learned an entirely new computer system; I've still got my health and sanity (well... enough of both to get by...); I've still got one really neat race car waiting for my return to Australia; and best of all: some of the greatest friends a person could ever hope to have.

While I've done my best to drive some of them away over the past few months, frustrated the heck out of others and generally ignored everyone who's supported my efforts in racing and on the web, I'd like to let them all know that I'm alive and well and looking forward to many more years on this earth to spend with them.

I'll continue this little sentimental journey later tonight, but for now I'll leave you with some pictures that I managed to take at my new office on December 2nd. Since then, we've managed to finish setting up the place and have settled in reasonably well.

As you might gather from the file names of the pics, the new building isn't in the best location; have you ever worked underneath a freeway overpass? and while the view of the mountains is nice, we can't see much of the container yard anymore and feel like we're very remote from everything.

More about that, more about friends, and more about drag racing a little later. Until then:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We'll fill in the captions later tonight.