Freelancing

In Abu Dhabi, sharing a moment with a colleague. 

My best years were 17-24

The years between 17 and 24 were my best. Here is a list that proves just that:

1. I owned my first pair of roller blades...black and red
2. I was elected student president at Suncrest High.
3. I grew dreadlocks
4. I flew for the first time on a Qantas flight to Australia
5. I lived with Aboriginal community while researching their modern take on land and culture
6. I learnt how to drive and my first car was a Honda Ballade 1.6 16V Auto

To be continued

production assistant hungry for more

It was sometime in 2004 a group of us enrolled in Film & TV studies at a top university in Johannesburg's west. We were immersed in the great teachings of the film industry, the equipment, lighting, sound and the language of movies.

Towards the end, the task that lay ahead of us was writing and producing our very own documentary. I don't recall much of the documentary, except how frustrating it was to work with a production team - because everyone wants to do everything.

So last week, I took up the challenge of being a Production Assistant. It has been a long time since 2004, but I was ready for the challenge. This role is for someone who sorts out everything from shifting things on the set and taking special orders for gluten-free lunches (for those picky crew members).

The most interesting was providing drinking water that is not hotter or colder than room temperature. I did all this and more, including driving a left-hand vehicle on a 6 lane highway to fetch the world and bring it back to the set.

$US 5 million mansion

I brought it to this...a 5 million dollar mansion. At the end the task of cleaning up was also assigned to me. It was tough, and I may have lost 2 kg. I was a super Production Assistant.

This is who we needed back in 2004, and I'm glad I was able bring my A-game, many many years later. As we wrapped up, I left wiser, weighing less, with my first IMDB credit and hungry for more action.

I have returned from nowhere

Its been a three and half year hiatus. Much has happened yet I still feel closely attached to this blog. Have missed you much. I intend to come back soon to document the contents of my head when time allows. For now, life has been fun. I can't wait for tomorrow.

thought of this?

How about you get confident stupid, it might change your life! Also, know that the internet does very little to validate who you are! Go out and try new things!

africa

Those Africans who seem to know Africa's problems best, seem to be the least confident. Why? Can outsiders solve corruption? NO, I don't think so. Africa needs a future. It can't be based on the same old leaders. New blood is needed.

long days

Its been a long year. I can't believe I made it to August! I have had many sleepless nights. There are many things to recall about this year, including moments alone in a corner office with 4 files and very little else.

familiar solutions

I have a project. It started with a certain telephone technician. Lets say, he was digging a hole for a new telephone pole. When he had finished his hole, he discovered some kind of petrol/diesel smelling product on the surface of the water in the hole. This discovery meant that he could not install his telephone pole, and possibly someone would not be able to make phone calls or log onto the internet. This immediately alerted him to a potential pollution problem (I just invented a tripple p reference there ... haha). Anyways, I was handed the project. I started with the usual investigation, including asking questions and trying to reconstruct what could have led to this tripple p. As I write this, I'm at the end of my investigation. The lab results are in and the drawings have been prepared. The conclusion is that there is no potential pollution problem. The results are all zero. No source of fuel has been found in the vicinity of the telephone pole that can be correlated or associated with what he claimed to have seen. Here are some questions and scenarios I've been thinking on:

1. The telephone technician didn't really see any kind or petrol/diesel

2. The petrol/diesel that he claimed to have seen is now gone

3. The petrol/diesel is probably still there, I perhaps just missed it

See, I like option 2 because it makes this a straight forward project. Consequently I'm tempted to say there is no tripple p. But a fundamental problem arises here. That is; when we are faced with life problems which have the potential to go either way, we seem happy to settle for familiar solutions. I worry that if this principle persists, we'll end up with solutions that are familiar but not necessary correct or accurate.

max's top 20 lessons for 2010

1. Learn First Aid

2. Don't use plastic bags
3. Play outside with kids
4. Switch to energy saving lights
5. Use public transport
6. Cycle to work when possible

7. Plant a tree every year

8. Switch off tv at the plug
9. Watch less tv

10. Give change to charity
11. Learn another language
12. Have more braais
13. Separate trash and recycle
14. Recycle clothes

15. Turn off the tap while brushing
16. Steam food instead of frying
17. Prepare and eat according to planned menu
18. Walk and run more
19. Write another letter to the President
20. Celebrate by adding chocolate to milk

mature student

I sat with a student today to discuss the prevention of the migration of a hydrocarbon plume in groundwater, or more simply how to stop a runaway petrol spill in water. He is writing a thesis on the topic and has chosen a site that I'm busy working on. The meeting was more of an interview than a meeting. Saying it was a meeting makes me sound important, which I'm actually not. We talked for about an hour. It was one of those roundabout conversations, but I think we did our best to understand each other. There was lots of eye contact. I even drew him a diagram. There are two interesting points about all this. One, the site is owned by BP and the dude is about 48 or 52 years old. I'm not sure of his exact age, but there were definitely some grey hair on his head. It reminded me of that Grey's Anatomy episode where Dr. Karev gets the 60 year old intern, Norman. Yeah! The result of our interaction was not a humourous, as much as it was inspiring. I think I would like to study again. Oh about BP, well they seem to have the worse end of anything spill-related these days.

driving the message

Today, while working in Wetton near Athlone, Cape Town, I took this picture of a pick-up truck with a "mirror sock" adorning a message saying Free Palestine. How creative is that for driving the message home? (Ha, lame pun effort, I know). My knowledge about of Palestine is limited. What I know hovers around the word "conflict". That's hardly fair and a harsh judgement. But how bad are things in Palestine, and why are people in Cape Town concerned? What are they even fighting about? Do we need more mirror socks or less?

table mountain

money going

I seem to be spending more money over this world cup period. I've been watching the games at a sports bar and it has become particularly expensive because I have to buy a drink or some food to get in. If I do this for every game, I'll be broke before pay day. I guess its ok because it only comes once every 4 years.

vuvuzela

Ok, the time has come for me to also weigh in on the vuvu-debate. Firstly, lets all admit; any monotone instrument being blown constantly and loudly for more than 60 seconds can be annoying. Come on...even animals would agree. Vuvuzelas are not traditional soccer instruments. If my memory serves me well, people started blaring them at soccer stadiums around the same time South African soccer started to suck (probably after 1996). The entertainment value of soccer has been so low that it had to take the use of horns to generate some excitement! The way I see it, for as long as South African soccer continues to be boring, the vuvuzela will stay and become louder.

2010 world cup

It has been 7 days since the world cup got underway here. The biggest issues so far have been the adidas soccer ball called Jabulani and the monotone trumpet horn called the vuvuzela. We have seen several low key first round matches, with one or two highlights, Germany thrashing Australia 4-0 stands out for me. Some people are blaming the new ball, but Germany have shown it is possible to score goals. Poor aussies! Someone please tell them this is not Germany and the year is not 2006.

I have been going to the Champs Sports Bar on Main Road, Rondebosch to watch the games. It turns out that I like big screens. Also I am inclined to watch the games on DSTV for better quality over SABC. The bar is a favourite among the UCT students and a number of Africans from the north. On any match day it is full to the brim, even rugby matches get impressive crowds. I think that has a lot to do with Cape Town being a generally rugby-mad city. But over the last 7 days soccer has invaded and blocked out anything non-world cup related.

Personally, I have enjoyed seeing so many South African flags being flown. And now that they have finished all the construction and upgrades, all the roads are great! The world cup stadiums are superb and of course the mood everywhere you go is electric!

I have been impressed when watching the US, England teams, Argentina has been awesome, so has Netherlands and Germany. Brazil has not impressed me yet. As I write this, South Africa is on the brink of elimination after starting with a 1-1 draw against Mexico and losing 3-0 to Uruguay. Honestly, I didn’t expect much from the SA team hence I’m not disappointed. On the contrary, I bet against them so I’m 100 bucks up! I'm going to hold back on mentioning any other African team, because they have a tendency of being unpredictable if not disappointing.

On a more critical note, there are some annoying things about the world cup. For one, seeing so many people doing the same thing (in the name of pride for country) is the ultimate evidence of how conformity can go mad (and politicians love this). Second, the vuvuzelas are a unique unique symbol of South African soccer, but truthfully they are annoying. Lastly, spending money on extra world cup activities is also annoying. Oh, and another thing I'm pee'd off about seeing so many empty seats.

But you know, at least we've done something for the children.

weather controls my life

Oh, how the weather controls my life, more than food and TV.

My Thursday night was pretty much cancelled. No hockey because of the rain. Drumming was also cancelled because the teacher dude was sick.

All hail, the mighty weather machine. You rain supreme above all else. The wind, sun and waves of the ocean are yours to control. But I bet you didn't know we can make electricity of the wind, sun and waves. Right back at you!

I fear you resent us using you like that. I'm sorry, please don't be too angry. I really enjoy hockey and drumming on Thursdays, more than food and TV.

soccer balls

The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa starts next month. Its a big soccer tournament. It will be best enjoyed in Cape Town I think. All the other venues are too complicated. I don't have much to say about it, except this...where ever you are, however lonely you feel, its better to roll with the masses.

max was blown away

I spent the weekend at the Darling Wind Farm, up the west coast of Cape Town. This is the first commercial wind farm in South Africa and already supplies power to Cape Town.

The drive to this farm is breathtaking, and almost rivals the garden route. I was hosted there by a nice Afrikaans electrician, Dirk.

I spent time asking Dirk many questions while also posing for photos. I left the farm thinking its great that we can use wind for that purpose. As far as I know, wind is colourless and, a zero carbon source of energy. The size of one of those turbines is unimaginable and the blades are almost the length of a Boeing 737 wing. Totally completely awesome! But I'm not totally completely convinced.

Something tells me we probably need to know more about wind energy before becoming totally dependent on it, like we have with our black friends c.o.a and l. I'm going to have to read up on this, however as a conclusion for the purpose of this entry, its fair to say I was blown away.

identity

The honeymoon phase of our rainbow dream has come to an end. How fitting that it has happened in 2010 when the world will be looking at South Africa for something to learn.

In the few days and weeks to come, the media will popularise issues around identity because that's what everyone will be asking. Who are these south africans and what do they have to offer the world? Finding the answer will be interesting.

It seems to me that to know your national identity is only good if the future is truly yours to decide. Unfortunately it is not, because there is always someone else in charge...the government, and who knows what direction they might decide to take next. Those who will bother to look at South Africa may find a very confusing definition of identity.

And here it is: a country with first world expectations engaged in an exciting process of self-discovery but also one of frustration because it finds itself in a third world reality.

remediation

I spent the day doing what we call vacuum enhanced remediation...or sucking out petrol vapours from underneath a service station. If its not done, my guess is that the place would blow up or people would get sick or something! Blowing up would be cool. I think I'm gonna need my own vacuum enhanced remediation this weekend.