Tuesday, October 30, 2007
at
6:51 AM
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Fanatism "I am the greatest" Mohamed Ali
You know I look at people and wonder what's wrong with them? Are they crazy? This recent thought came as I heard that people had slept at the airport since 3am to see the Springboks return home. I remember the same insanity being exercised when people were waiting for the new Harry Potter book, the iPhone from Apple, with Bone Slasher 2 video game and with concert tickets. What the hell? Some of these people sleep outside the stores or ticket outlets on pavements in cold winters.
Then I started thinking, "what the hell is so great that one needs to brave lack of sleep and cold to get?"
I remember when I was much younger and getting to a party meant everything. We would drive from 10pm to far out place stopping at various garages to pick up other people for a convoy. The parties were disastrous and it would involve situations like; somebody's mom came back from holiday early and the party was called off, then someone else would offer to continue at his house on the other part of town but we would all religiously drive. When we get there half the people were gone including that girl you wanted. Then somebody would phone somebody and say they were somewhere else and it was rocking. Word would spread and we would jump into our cars again and go to another side of the country. By the time we got there it's 2am and somebody had hyped up the party to get people to come. Sound familiar? Yeah. All this in the name of being seen in the right places and that small hope of maybe getting laid or even a phone number which was a promise of getting laid at some future date. We did this for girls even though when we did get to parties with women we'd end up doing nothing just watching the few players do their thing.
But we did this over and over through the years even though we knew how the night would turn out. Just for the hope, we would drive 500km in one night even though we couldn't afford the petrol. We would drive 500km even though we knew there was a 2% chance of really getting laid. Even though we knew that the party itself was likely to actually bore us. We drove through for hours to go home at 5am and then we'd say, "Oh man, we partied till dawn".
The contrast I noticed was earlier this year when I got an invite to some exclusive party at some top end spot in Sandton. The who's who of the party scene was gonna be there. When I got to the door, the guy told me I couldn't come in unless I had a collar shirt. It would have taken me half an hour to go home to change, but hell no. I was like, cool, but no thanks. I went t another joint for a couple of drinks and went home.
Now if this was a few years ago, I would have got back into my car drove hundreds of kilometers to get that collar shit and back into the party. Initially I was proud of myself about being so cool and mature to not give a damn. I was proud that I knew better. But the more I thought about it I asked myself whether there was anything I cared that much for. Are the people that sleep outside shops to get the new iPhone or new CD insane or is it that they have passion and real excitement in their lives. I got stuck on that one because as far as I’m concerned, I live quite a happy life, yet there’s not a damn thing that I would be crazy enough to go outside Apple Centre at 2am and sleep there to be the first to get a device that morning.Or, are young people (I assume its young people that do this) more alive then we are? If so, when did we get so old so quick? Damn, I’m still in my twenties. This is not just me coz when I ask people at work, friends and family, they all agree. They love a lot of things, but there’s nothing that they would go that far down the extra mile for as the examples mentioned above.
Are we boring old farts or are the kids just damn crazy and find value in dumb things and are we far too smart to fall for the hype?
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Thursday, October 25, 2007
at
11:24 PM
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"The SOWETO leg of the Bok tour cancelled"
Although it saddens me, I must say that I now feel somewhat vindicated. The victory tour of the Springboks has cancelled their SOWETO leg due to "logistics". Yah right. What logistics?
SOWETO has about 6million residents (+-12%) of the population and that's where they chose to cancel. Come on.
So what were we saying about the world cup victory being fo all South Africans how we shouldn't see colour and this will unify the nation. This is trully dissapointing as the Boks being in the township with that trophy would have been awesome and given hope to so many people. It would have also been a great signal to prove the like of me (who don't believe rugby is for all) wrong. I was looking forward to eating my words. But, like I said, The Boks are not for transformation and the game doesn't belong to all in SA.
I know that for many of you, this is not conclusive proof of my beliefs, but hey, if it qwaks like a duck, smells like a duck, looks like a duck..... It's a ?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
at
11:48 AM
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Manners people. Manners. I have to complain. As Thomas says in the mornings, 'Someone is stealing my joy.' A couple of times now at the office I have gone to the gents and seen dudes come of the toilet with newspapers (from the number2 station, nogal) and then take those newspapers and put them back into the main pause areas where others are doomed to take this paper and put their hands on it. Gents. This is disgusting and completely inconsiderate. How can you take a public item into the toilet and then take back to the public arena. I'm starting a lynch mob for these people. I can't believe. I just can't believe.
Be, Be to love Love to be Sex for love Love for sex Breathe, beat, be Be, then breathe, then beat Soul, for heart for joy Joy for heart to mend your soul Laugh to cure Cure to laugh Smile for better days Have better days so you can smile Love to be loved Be loved to build you to love Open your eyes to see all that's beautiful All that's beautiful exists to open your eyes. Live to be Be to live
"I love it when a plan comes together" Someone Just how much of our lives do we chose and how much is fate and just how much is a factor of chance? Is the life you are living the life you planned or dreamed of some time ago? I guess this is a broad question that can be debated for over years. It's as good as What is the meaning of life question. But this is quite a fascinating reflection point. And by not planned, I'm not assuming the just negative. It's both. I know naturally you were heading that way. I mean really look at your life. Did you plan to have the job you have? Did you plan to be divorced at 32? Did you plan to be living in a small apartment in Sandton or large house in the Free State? Did you plan to be married or to have kids by now? I've spent a lot of time reflecting on this at many points in my life and that's how I've always managed to be so focussed and I guess so successful at achieving my goals. I run my life like a business. 5 year plans, budgets, policies and guidelines, red tape in decision making, and doing it because that's what has to be done and been ruthless in execution. I even came up with a pay off line to TMH, "The WDGNS Co" aka The We Don't Get No Sleep Company. This was in reflection of two things that embodied my life. I won't sleep until I get done what needs to be done. And also a converse principle which reminds me of my values. There's no sleep when a man has a dark, heavy burdened conscience. So, do what you have to, but not at all cots. Make sure I sleep, and sleep well at night. Okay, I accept that at this point you realise all my weirdness and strangeness to my approach to life. But I am unashamed of who I am and the things I've done. Coz, even with all my major cock ups, I know my heart was true and damn I sleep well at night. It's actually quite strange just how close to my plans I've come. I'm not bragging, but illustrating a point about being focussed. However, a bomb dropped recently. My life will no longer be about how well I achieve my many goals, its going to be simplified by what makes me happy. Whether planned or not, period. This doesn't mean, no planning what so ever. It just means that I'm going to be living for the now and for joy. Even if some career or financial goals take a back seat. I tell you my daughter has taught me a few lessons and literally has changed who I will be. I look at her now. She has no life plans. Hell, I don't even think she plans her day. She just goes with the flow and I have never met a happier person in my life. She lives inside every moment as it happens and missed nothing. One can't adopt the model exactly into adulthood, but there are plenty of lessons to be learnt. She spends all her day exploring life and discovering new treasures. Just how much of that do we do? How much of life is based on "cant afford" or "Would be nice, but I'm studying right now" or "She's cute, but I'm not really looking for a relationship at the moment" I'm not writing a new life formula but will say this; I met & fell in love with my wife at the time when I wasn't interested in a new relationship and the joy of my life, my daughter was unplanned. Sometimes you've got to have faith and, jump. Somebody once said to me, "Sometimes, you've just gotta jump and the universe will catch you". Remember, sometimes goals are just goals. What's more important is actually what makes you happy and will keep you happy. Life is and can be just that simple. Live it, don't manage it.
Being, The answer to one's being lie within self The answer to one's being is not inside one but provided from spirit and soul provider Your destiny is in your hands Destiny by traditional definition is predefined You will walk, you will fall Believe in yourself because you can be anything Doubt myself because i'm just not good enough Born to love and taught to hate Born to trust people and taught to protect yourself against people Born with a heart to love and spend your life protecting your heart from hurt You will love, you will pain You'll be let down and you'll be lifted by people To be human is to be
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Wednesday, October 10, 2007
at
8:34 AM
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baba,I am away and have only access to mail but am struggling with
Internet. please post the attachments for on ititye. I love technology in a way. I wrote this and am sending this to you
from a train in the UK. quite cool. later
TMH
Thursday, October 4, 2007
at
10:44 AM
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“I am an African” Thabo Mbeki
I still remember the way the nation responded when we first heard this powerful poem. The consensus was clear, black is not what defined us as Africans. Wherever you descend from, Europe, Asia or other African countries. We are defined by our roots, our hearts and our souls' Africanism. This says to me that when someone recognises their Irish origin, doesn't make them non-African.
So, why am I pissed off after the Twenty20 India vs South Africa game? I'll tell you why. I can't understand how is it that any country can come to SA to play a game of any sport and get to feel like they are the home side. India enjoyed so much fucking support from Indians in Durban that they felt like they could be the home side. I remember the same shit when the English soccer team was here in SA a couple of years ago and there were so many white people at the stadium in Beckham gear supporting England over SA. It was disgusting. To be fair, it’s also the same shit when darkies support the West Indies over the Proteas when we play them in cricket. It’s just plain wrong. In 2007, it doesn’t get wronger than that.
People need to stop choosing to be South African when it suits them and then showing their true colours the rest of the time. People live in our country enjoying our resources, our land and all the splendour this country has to offer. Then you bloody better back us up any from of war when we put on the green and gold. I don’t care how wack Boys Boys are; you simply can’t be South African and support another team over them. Look, I’m all for appreciating overseas stuff, especially when it’s good quality stuff. I myself own a Liverpool FC jersey. But I know where I’m from and I also own to Amakhosi (Kaizer Chiefs for those that don’t know) jerseys. I love Gerrard and the boys but I simply can’t be going to a stadium and supporting Liverpool of Chiefs if they went head to head in a game or tournament.
I’m proposing that we actually get wild up about this. This should be passed as a law. You do this sort of thing, we should be able to prosecute you under the law for high treason to something like, maybe, 15 to 20 years in prison. Yeah, that sounds about right. My blood in green and gold. There’s no excuse for anything else. The fact that you may suspect that cricket or rugby is racist and don’t support transformation, is another issue. We must take this fight to the respective unions and government to sort that out. The solution is not, “I will therefore support India”. We have to fight what’s wrong in our country to uplift it to the levels and places that Mandela spoke of. It’s not enough to turn away and ditch your patriotism. We young people believe in so little these days. Let’s at least be patriotic. Let’s at lest make something of what other died for us to have. For people to be supporting openly and publicly other countries over South Africa, is just shameful and disrespectful to what we as a new South Africa stand for.
That behavior is not the Rainbow nation Nelson Mandela fought and was willing to die for.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
at
1:32 PM
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“The life we live will always lead us. And we pray that you will never leave us. It’s the price we pay. I guess that’s why my grandma sang, we all need Jesus” Nina Simone also featured in Misunderstood by Common. Beautifully re-mastered.
I still remember the first time I heard that song by Nina Simone some years ago and I realize now that I never really appreciated the words in it. Nobody delivers words like the great Nina Simone and still I missed it. I guess there’s the right time in life for us to hear and more importantly understand certain things. I remember as a teenager being told so many things I just wasn’t ready for. But at least they stuck and when I was ready, I remembered them and they served me well.
Growing up is an amazing experience but also an equally difficult one. The choices we are faced with are usually choices we are not ready for and only fully understand them once we are on the inside. I always say, that when you leave school, you get asked what you want to do or what you want to be. I’ve interviewed so many teenagers who tell you with so much conviction what they want to be. What always amazes me is just how much they don’t know what they are getting themselves into. How many people do you hear saying they want to do Marketing coz they like they want to make TV adverts. Then go ask marketing pros and they’ll tell you that one can run an entire marketing plan and execute without ever making a TV or radio advert. The question we ask of young people is completely wrong. We ask them to make choices that we aren’t capable of making. The question should be more from an early age, “What drives you? What are you good at and what do you like doing?” We should take this info to guide our kids into the right careers. Then we would be asking kids to make well equipped decisions.
I also remember my naïve view of the world. And everyday that I grow up, I see more things that taint my views. I see choices that I thought were easy to make taunting me. I see choices that other people made, being clearer now. I have tons more respect for our elders. How many people have you judged for mistakes made? It’s only now that I understand. I say this now coz I look at a lot of people and I respected and looked up to at how they’ve almost all disappointed me. I also realize that I modeled them as perfect which is impossible. Why did Zizou head butt the asshole, why Kobe cheat on his wife, why did Msholozi knowingly and without protection sleep with an HIV positive woman, why did we take Pierre Issa to the ’98 world cup, why are building stadiums faster than we build houses for our poor, suffering people in this country, why some starve when there’s enough to go around, why do our leaders value money more than leading their people, how can the American people vote for George W, twice?
I guess it’s easy to judge another man until you’ve walked a mile in another man’s shoes. The bible says, let he without sin cast the first stone. We make mistakes, we fail, we fall. This we do because, we are human. After all, to err is human. I like to believe that we are all good souls with good intentions. That’s why the great Nina Simone said, “Please don’t let me be misunderstood. I’m just a soul, whose intentions are good”
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Monday, October 1, 2007
at
5:34 AM
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“I will not be arrested” Jackie Selebi
I recently bought a crystal ball and I thought that I might share one of the predictions from this weekend. This was one was quite difficult to believe but here it is anyway.
We all know that the crime solving responsibility in this country lies in the hands of a very competent quartet,
1. Mr Thabo Mbeki aka I role model myself after Mugabe. I never want to leave power after an initial good run as El-Presidanto
2. Mr Nqakula aka You can pack your bags and leave if you don’t like how we do dawg. Crime ain’t a problem. I’ve never been a victim since I became a minister.
3. The Scorpions. Our leader has been suspended for doing his job and wanted to arrest a criminal and not fast tracking the prosecution of Jay-Z before the ANC executive elections in December.
4. And of course, the main man himself, Jackie Selebi. Mr I have friends that are alleged murders, Mr prostitution will be legal by 2010 (and other crimes), Mr I will not be arrested, Mr if I’m guilty my friend El-Presidanto will cover for me and suspend anyone who wants to bring me to book. Mr my name is spelled J-A-C-K-I-E not Jacqui like Jacqui Mofokeng.
But somehow, my crystal ball indicates that crime ain’t getting solved anytime soon. So, lets pray since that’s about the only chance we have for safety. Then again, I’m probably being negative since, after all, we have nothing to fear but fear it self. Right?
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