great big things

As I account for the year so far, my thoughts are rather depressing. I returned home from traveling on Jan 2 to find my house had been robbed of all but my bed, chair and a few clothes. I was shattered. I deal best with shattering moments by internalising the effects and just moving on. Well since I have this online outlet...I will let out. I have heard of and read about many external events such as (1) the fatal shooting of the Togo football team in Angola (2) the devastating earthquake in Haiti, (3) religious fighting in Malaysia (4) forced removal of migrants and shanty town dwellers in south Italy and recently in Pretoria, ...dude I could go on. We already have so many problems, flooding in east Africa, wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and south Sudan, HIV, swine flu, terrorist plotters, extreme heatwaves in Melbourne, arctic weather in Europe, power blackouts in Argentina and other parts of South America. I dare say we are now approaching summer rains on the south east coast of Africa, think Mozambique in 2000. I wonder what great big thing will grab our attention next. Something environmental perhaps, air space incident, rail, fire? I also wonder how much longer we can afford to go on without seeing, hearing and understanding the real question...God's call.

blackberry bis

I am not impressed with mtn (mobile telecoms netwhimps). I discovered that I owe 3 times my monthly subscription on my bb account. All this while I'm supposed to be able to access the internet through BIS. This BIS (bb internet subscription) was switched off on my phone and I didn't know until my account was delivered in the mail. So I have been blocked until the end of the month. This really really sucks. I can't overemphasise how unimpressed I am. I sense there is a lesson here...probably about embracing a minimalistic lifestyle. Thanks for nothing obama, I only got this phone because it looked so good on you. Now I have been converted into a whimp. I want out. I want out of this material world, like yesterday.

whirlwind

My traveling got a shot in the arm, so i got on to an airplane headed for adventure in 4 cities.

SNP, Singapore

KL, Malaysia

Melb, Australia

Syd, Australia

What a way to end the decade. Welcome 2010

max's bmx

This super air machine arrived in November. He goes by the name Mongoose Subject. Subject here is max's bmx. I got riding soon after landing in town. I hooked up with some local airheads at the rondebosch skate park. Its tiny and shameful compared to the ones Ive seen before. Even the guys here know that. They have to drive around 2 hours out of town to get to the next decent track. Its not a biggie, because they are pretty committed to it, as any airhead to adventure. Ive been sampling some riding tricks, but i suck all 'round. I'm do get in the air...just need to get higher. This one dude reckons speed is your friend when bmx'ing. I reckon he's right.

mowbray digs

september

Cape Town is soft, gay and everything un-joburg. Trying to settle in a new city is a weird concept...its not like a whole new country but it sure is foreign in many ways. Its now September. I have no friends here, except for Kate. But we are separated by a whole highway and part of a mountain. Friendships are hard when highways and mountains are involved. Anyways, I met some guys at the Mowbray digs. A different bunch. They thought i was different, and I thought they were different. Well the strange got better when a challenge to climb the local mountain presented itself. I conquered. I also discovered a sister-in-law living in the same city from my brother's wedding to his wife. So that makes it 2 people I know so far.

august

This was my last month in Joburg. Since then many things have happened, which i will now attempt to recall. Still generally uninspired I trudged and plodded daily from work cage to home cage. The journey from each cage to the other was 4.8km. I attended 2 weddings, one for a friend and the other for my brother. My car broke down. I went to movies. I went fishing (best thing about the month). That is all I can remember. How boring dude. Joburg or me? Fishing was great!

will the poor always be with us?

One sometimes hears Christians, tired with the news of poverty and exploitation around the world, try and deflect the news by reminding us that Jesus said, "The poor will always be with you." This is offered as a way to stop the conversation. Did Jesus say this? Yes. Does it mean what it appears to mean? Not really. So what does this troubling phrase mean? Follow this link http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/1720.htm By Bryant L. Myers on 5 May 2003

there and back

So after my itch, i got onto Qatar Airlines headed for Bangkok, Thailand. Yeah the itch got me real good. I spent over 10 days traveling around the city, even headed south to pattaya beach. When I got back, I found out i was to be shipped to Cape Town, South Africa...which is only 2 hours away by plane from my (then) current location, Johannesburg. So, im currently writing from Cape Town. I will attempt to update my blog from the my last post, all i ask is for time, more time please.