61 days, that`s how long it`s been since my last post. It`s not that I haven`t had much to say, it`s just that I haven`t had the urge to say anything.
Things are going ok on this side. Been working really hard but so not enjoying my job at the moment. At least there are things happening with regards something else and I am really praying that it`ll be a reality soon. I`m basically biding my time until I can finally do something I feel really passionate about again, which most certainly is not the case now.
So, this blog is called The Running Golfer, right? Well, I haven`t been the best runner since we moved back to Joburg. My golf is getting back to where it was and I feel pretty confident with a putter in the hand. The running has however taken a bit of a back seat over the last 6 or so months.
The real problem with that is that I have picked up 10 kg`s over the last 6 months. It sucks and I feel disgusting. It`s incredible how the body just lets go if you don`t look after it. My clothes are "toight like a toiger". Let`s leave it at that.
I got back on the road about a month ago. I try to run 3 or 4 times a week but it`s not always possible. I can`t go run after dark like I did in our estate in Somerset West, it`s just too dangerous. So I can only go on days where I get home early-(ish). I started off doing a minimum of 4 km`s and I had to walk at least once or twice on every run.
The last week I have seen a rapid improvement. I can now run a very comfortable 5 km and it feels great. My pace is increasing and my times are dropping. Heart rate is also getting used to the altitude.
So, at least I am starting to shed the pounds, which is great. Hayley and I have decided to go on a bit of a health kick until December. We wanna look good on the beach you see!
In any case, I know it`s a pretty boring post after 61 days of being incognito but at least it`s something, right?
Showing posts with label Me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Me. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Twitter vs Facebook
Admit it, we all have either a Facebook or a Twitter account. I was always kinda the Facebook man. Twitter didn`t appeal to me too much. I mean watching people`s status updates the whole day? That just sounded dumb.So a few months ago I took the step and opened a Twitter account. Not sure what to do I typed in a little status update and sat back. A few days later I went back and updated again. Things is, it still looked pretty dumb to me.
Then one night I sat next to my dearest wife or as I refer to her these days, @hayleymalherbe. She mentioned that Ryan Seacrest was pretty cool to follow. Huh? You can follow celebrities? I immediately grabbed the laptop and started searching. This became a bit of a hobby over the next few weeks. I would go onto Ryan`s profile (as an example) and check who HE follows. Suddenly a whole world of celebrity comings and goings started opening up. I found some awesome celebs and sportspeople. Larry King, Ashton Kutcher, Andy Roddick, Ian Poulter, Joel Houston of Hillsong Church, Josh Groban, Pink, Richard Quest, Brooke Fraser etc etc.
I then found the South African angle. Bob Skinstad, Aki Anastasiou, Koula, Louise Carver, Duncan Mcleod, Arthur Goldstuck, Chris Roper, Dan Nicholl, Simon Dingle and a lot more. Now I could find out what each of them were doing at the touch of a button.
The next piece of the puzzle fell into place when I started following Skysports, News24, Mail & Guardian, Manchester United, WP Rugby and the like. You would know exactly what was going on in the world by merely hanging around Twitter.
I have also hooked up with a whole lot of blogging, real life and internet friends. Kevin (@thirdplace), Heather (@heather2nicolel), Prodigal John (@prodigaljohn), Wenchy (@wenchy), Jacki (@scrappintimes), Henre (@henre), 6000 (@6000), Rambler Clive (@ramblerclive), Kerri (kerriisacks), Sleepy Jane (@SleepyJane). You get the point.
I downloaded Tweetdeck for the laptop and Ubertwitter for my Blackberry. Traffic, not a problem. I`ll play on Twitter. Having said that, I probably won`t be stuck in traffic cos Aki keeps us updated continuously. I have had conversations with people like Koula, Chris Roper, Duncan Mcleod, Bob Skinstad and Simon Dingle.
Twitter has become a major part of every day. In fact, it`s the first thing I check every single day. It has become my preferred source of information. As an example, I learned about the whales at Kommetjie, the massive earthquake near NZ, the plane crash in Iran, Andrew Flintoff retiring from test cricket and the death of Michael Jackson from Twitter. Not CNN, SKY or, the Good Lord help us, the SABC but TWITTER.
So, where does Facebook fit in? It doesn`t. I`ll only go on if I get a "Friend Request". It just doesn`t feature anymore. It bores me to death.
Hopefully I`ll get to see all of you who read this post on Twitter one day. Give me a follow if you want. @RunningGolfer would love to see you...
Friday, July 3, 2009
Chris Daughtry - Poker Face
First heard about this on Twitter, from the man himself. I obviously had to go check it out.
This is absolutely brilliant stuff! Just shows what a great musician Chris Daughtry really is.
This is absolutely brilliant stuff! Just shows what a great musician Chris Daughtry really is.
By the way, things are still good. Been back in Joburg for almost 5 months. Can you believe it`s been that long? Somerset West and the Cape are just happy memories. Sometimes it feels like it never happened and that is was all just a dream. Albeit a dream swinging from the nightmarish to the absolutely sublime.
We will be back in Somerset West for a 5 day holiday at the beginning of August and I am so excited. Cannot believe how quickly the last almost 5 months have flown by. It will be awesome sleeping in our old house again. It is now a holiday home for the whole family. We are really fortunate that my Father-in-Law saw the potential in the place and decided to buy it from us. Now we`ll still get to spend time there every now and again.
I haven`t had a run in quite a while. Too busy working. I have picked up a lot of the weight I lost last year and feel horrible for it. Hayley reckons I look GOOOOOOD but I think she`s just making me feel better!
Anyways, I`m sitting at work at the moment and need to get a few things done. I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do cos he really made it awesome!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
A frightening experience
So, I finally get to blog and it`s because I`m sick in bed with Bronchitis (no Kevin, not swine flu, just bronchitis). I was booked off for the last 2 days but have been at work most of the time. However, at lunch time today I finally succumbed and came home to get into bed.
The last few days have been interesting, to say the least. Well firstly, we have been looking after Hayley`s sisters kids for the last week. Lindsay and Mark are in Britain with my in-laws. It`s been hard work but truth be told not as hard as I thought it was gonna be. Ok, Hayley gets up at night, I`m not built for that just yet.
I have also spent the last 2 nights at home cos I don`t want the kids to contract my illness. That would just complicate things immensely!
Yesterday I had a meeting in Isando (about 15km`s from home) at 09:00, so I used the opportunity to sleep in a bit and save myself from going out into the biting cold early in the morning. My chest needs all the protection it can get at the moment.
So I had just left home when my phone rang and it was Hayley. She was in a complete state and told me that someone had attacked Sarah (the live in nanny) at Lindsay`s house. I was literally 200 metres from there and immediately turned into their road. The road was full of police cars and armed response vehicles. I jumped out and found Sarah and little Adam standing in front the house surrounded by police.
It transpired that a guy had attacked Sarah when she was locking the security gate by the kitchen. He was armed with a knife. Sarah immediately fought back and grabbed the knife from him (she suffered a small cut on her palm). He then forced his way in and hit Sarah. She hit him back and kept fighting. Adam was sleeping in his room but woke up from the commotion and started screaming. Sarah then went to the front door and opened it while fighting off the attacker. She managed to get out and ran into the street screaming. As luck would have it a policeman was waiting at the traffic lights about 100 metres away. He immediately came to her assistance.
By this time the attacker had disappeared. The police were frantically searching for him. We all went inside the house and tried to calm Sarah down. She was so strong and brave. What a woman!
I got there probably 5 minutes after the attack. There were policemen and armed response guys running everywhere looking for the attacker. Hayley arrived about half an hour later. We all sat in the house. The police and armed response guys were combing the suburb. One of the policemen came back. He explained that the attackers usually find a place to hide and that they lay low for a few hours before running away. We then walked into the backyard and he went to have a look at Sarah`s room. I decided to go check the other side of the house. I looked behind trees and bushes and under sails laying around. The wendy house had been checked already but I opened the door and looked inside. It is FULL of stuff and I saw nothing untowards. Then a shoe caught my eye and I saw it had a foot in!!!! I got the fright of my life but kept calm and even whispered "nope, nothing here". I walked away slowly. As soon as I rounded the corner I ran and gestured at the cop that I had found the attacker. The cop called reinforcements and they arrested him. Well, not that easy cos he fought back and it took teargas to "settle" him down.
The police were awesome, absolutely awesome. They went above and beyond the call of duty and the way they acted really put my faith back into the SAP. Well done guys. They also confirmed that the attacker would not get bail and that it was pretty much an open and shut case. Put him away for a very long time. Scumbag.
All I can say is thank the Lord that nobody got hurt and that we caught the guy. It is so scary when something like that happens to you or to somebody close to you. What would have happened if the cops left and he came out later with only Hayley and Sarah there? I shudder to think.
It`s a horrible thing that happened and I don`t wish it upon anybody. I am thankful though that we were not left with "if only`s" or "I wish we had". We have learned valuable lessons and will most certainly use it in future AND nobody got hurt in the process. Praise God.
The last few days have been interesting, to say the least. Well firstly, we have been looking after Hayley`s sisters kids for the last week. Lindsay and Mark are in Britain with my in-laws. It`s been hard work but truth be told not as hard as I thought it was gonna be. Ok, Hayley gets up at night, I`m not built for that just yet.
I have also spent the last 2 nights at home cos I don`t want the kids to contract my illness. That would just complicate things immensely!
Yesterday I had a meeting in Isando (about 15km`s from home) at 09:00, so I used the opportunity to sleep in a bit and save myself from going out into the biting cold early in the morning. My chest needs all the protection it can get at the moment.
So I had just left home when my phone rang and it was Hayley. She was in a complete state and told me that someone had attacked Sarah (the live in nanny) at Lindsay`s house. I was literally 200 metres from there and immediately turned into their road. The road was full of police cars and armed response vehicles. I jumped out and found Sarah and little Adam standing in front the house surrounded by police.
It transpired that a guy had attacked Sarah when she was locking the security gate by the kitchen. He was armed with a knife. Sarah immediately fought back and grabbed the knife from him (she suffered a small cut on her palm). He then forced his way in and hit Sarah. She hit him back and kept fighting. Adam was sleeping in his room but woke up from the commotion and started screaming. Sarah then went to the front door and opened it while fighting off the attacker. She managed to get out and ran into the street screaming. As luck would have it a policeman was waiting at the traffic lights about 100 metres away. He immediately came to her assistance.
By this time the attacker had disappeared. The police were frantically searching for him. We all went inside the house and tried to calm Sarah down. She was so strong and brave. What a woman!
I got there probably 5 minutes after the attack. There were policemen and armed response guys running everywhere looking for the attacker. Hayley arrived about half an hour later. We all sat in the house. The police and armed response guys were combing the suburb. One of the policemen came back. He explained that the attackers usually find a place to hide and that they lay low for a few hours before running away. We then walked into the backyard and he went to have a look at Sarah`s room. I decided to go check the other side of the house. I looked behind trees and bushes and under sails laying around. The wendy house had been checked already but I opened the door and looked inside. It is FULL of stuff and I saw nothing untowards. Then a shoe caught my eye and I saw it had a foot in!!!! I got the fright of my life but kept calm and even whispered "nope, nothing here". I walked away slowly. As soon as I rounded the corner I ran and gestured at the cop that I had found the attacker. The cop called reinforcements and they arrested him. Well, not that easy cos he fought back and it took teargas to "settle" him down.
The police were awesome, absolutely awesome. They went above and beyond the call of duty and the way they acted really put my faith back into the SAP. Well done guys. They also confirmed that the attacker would not get bail and that it was pretty much an open and shut case. Put him away for a very long time. Scumbag.
All I can say is thank the Lord that nobody got hurt and that we caught the guy. It is so scary when something like that happens to you or to somebody close to you. What would have happened if the cops left and he came out later with only Hayley and Sarah there? I shudder to think.
It`s a horrible thing that happened and I don`t wish it upon anybody. I am thankful though that we were not left with "if only`s" or "I wish we had". We have learned valuable lessons and will most certainly use it in future AND nobody got hurt in the process. Praise God.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Howdy Campers
Yes, I am still alive and kicking. Been working very hard and the long hours are draining to say the least. So obviously blogging has taken a backseat to real life. Not that blogging isn`t real life but it just seems like a million years ago where I could blog every single day, while doing the dishes and the washing and have time to prepare a wonderfully scrumptious supper. Real life is a very different place.
My day now starts at 05:30 when I get up to shower. I leave the house at about 06:00 and drink my coffee on the way to work. Depending on the traffic I get to work at about 06:50 or so. Then it`s work, work, work. I leave work at 17:30 and get home, once again depending on traffic, at about 18:30. Fortunately I get home to a nice supper every evening. Hayley and I would then watch some tv and by 20:00 we look at each other and nod and then we head to bed. We would then watch some tv in bed till about 20:30 or 21:00 (if we're feeling adventurous) and go to sleep. Then it`s up at 05:30 again and everything starts from scratch.
So as you can see, blogging is not really a possibility right now. I Twitter, mainly because I can do it on my Blackberry anytime during the day.
So that has been my life for the last month or so. It`s good to be back in the swing of things and part of the economy again!
On some other news Hayley and I finally saw the Susan Boyle clip yesterday and lump in the throat stuff that is, no doubt! Definitely reminded my of the Paul Potts clip which I featured on my blog a few months ago.
I have a little funny for you guys and this I found in my own home! Have a look and let me know if it would be your idea of a "housewife`s dream"...
My day now starts at 05:30 when I get up to shower. I leave the house at about 06:00 and drink my coffee on the way to work. Depending on the traffic I get to work at about 06:50 or so. Then it`s work, work, work. I leave work at 17:30 and get home, once again depending on traffic, at about 18:30. Fortunately I get home to a nice supper every evening. Hayley and I would then watch some tv and by 20:00 we look at each other and nod and then we head to bed. We would then watch some tv in bed till about 20:30 or 21:00 (if we're feeling adventurous) and go to sleep. Then it`s up at 05:30 again and everything starts from scratch.
So as you can see, blogging is not really a possibility right now. I Twitter, mainly because I can do it on my Blackberry anytime during the day.
So that has been my life for the last month or so. It`s good to be back in the swing of things and part of the economy again!
On some other news Hayley and I finally saw the Susan Boyle clip yesterday and lump in the throat stuff that is, no doubt! Definitely reminded my of the Paul Potts clip which I featured on my blog a few months ago.
I have a little funny for you guys and this I found in my own home! Have a look and let me know if it would be your idea of a "housewife`s dream"...
Sunday, March 29, 2009
TV, the good and the not so good (part deux) and UPDATE
Ok, idiot that I am I actually left my favourite show of all time off the list. That show is Damages. Hayley and I were absolutely rivetted by it and we cannot wait for season 2 to start.
It`s an amazing show, with very clever writing and awesome performances by Glenn Close and my own personal favourite Rose Byrne.
UPDATE ON THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE RUNNING GOLFER
I started a new job on Tuesday and it has been going pretty well. That`s the reason why I have been so scarce lately. I leave at 06:00 in the morning and only get home around 19:00, so obviously blogging has been taking a backseat. I will definitely keep the blog going but I`m afraid the every day updates will be put on hold for a bit.
I`m sorry for not being able to visit all your blogs as often as I used too. I`ll try my best to pop in every now and again.
Well, I have a pretty busy Sunday ahead of me, so I`m off! Adios and God bless!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
from the Mrs. RunningGolfer.
This is the Mrs. RunningGolfer. I am taking over the RunningGolfer’s blog today. For one big reason.
It’s his birthday!
So instead of writing on my blog about how fantastic he is, I thought what better place to do it than on his. He has no idea. I think he might be more surprised that I know his passwords than this actual post.
He is turning the 37 today. I know, I even had look down at the keyboard and look for those numbers. The thing is he is actually not a day over 16. And he would agree with that.
I am particularly fond of the 21 March 1972, because this is the day, that the man that was to one day become my husband was born. And I will be forever grateful. He is everything I ever dreamed of, and more.
Happy Birthday Sweetie.
You are my dream come true.
aka Mrs. RunningGolfer
It’s his birthday!
So instead of writing on my blog about how fantastic he is, I thought what better place to do it than on his. He has no idea. I think he might be more surprised that I know his passwords than this actual post.
He is turning the 37 today. I know, I even had look down at the keyboard and look for those numbers. The thing is he is actually not a day over 16. And he would agree with that.
I am particularly fond of the 21 March 1972, because this is the day, that the man that was to one day become my husband was born. And I will be forever grateful. He is everything I ever dreamed of, and more.
Happy Birthday Sweetie.
You are my dream come true.
aka Mrs. RunningGolfer
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
My Joburg
Wikipedia Facts
- Johannesburg has more than 1o million trees and is the biggest man made forest in the world
- There are more than 10 million people living in the greater Johannesburg area
- The greater Johannesburg area consists of Ekhuruleni (East Rand), The West Rand, Lenasia, Soweto
- Is one of the 40 largest metropolitan areas in the world
- O.R. Tambo International is the largest and busiest airport in Africa
- Johannesburg`s land area is 1, 645 square kilometres (635 square miles)
- The average high for summer is 25 Celsius (77 Fahrenheit)
- The average high for winter is 17 Celsius (63 Fahrenheit)
- The highest recorded temperature is 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit)
- The lowest recorded temperature is -8 Celsius (19 Fahrenheit)
- Is 2000 metres above sea level
- Produces 16% of the GDP of South Africa
- The container terminal in City Deep is the largest "dry port" in the world
- Johannesburg`s Sister Cities are Taipei (Republic of China), Birmingham (United Kingdom), New York City (USA), Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Xi`an (China)
My Johannesburg
- Has the most amazing thunder storms
- Has the most awesome friends in the world
- Houses the best family-in-law in the world
- Has some of my favourite golf courses
- Has the best climate in the world
- Has some of my favourite memories
- Has an energy all it`s own
- Has been our home for 7 of our 9 years together
- Has the worst taxi drivers in the world
- Is the place where we got married
- Is the place where we raised our canine kids and God willing will one day raise our own kids
- Is where I started my career and where I`ll get it back on track
- Is where I plan on staying
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Universe conspiring
I got a message from my friend Nessie yesterday. She was wondering where in the world Faffie has been. Too be honest, I`m not sure. I`ve been here and things have been pretty hectic but it`s not that I haven`t had time to blog but more a case of the universe conspiring against me blogging.
First up, we are still busy unpacking and living out of boxes. Not the best environment to create a blogging masterpiece in. Secondly, I have been struggling my backside off with the 3G and more specifically the software of said 3G. I have downloaded new software of the website and tried everything but to no avail. Sometimes I have to restart my laptop 10 times before it reads the 3G card. I`m so sick of it. It drives me bonkers. By the time I get to restart number 9, I inevitably give up.
We had Unlimited Wireless Internet in Somerset West and it was such a good deal that the company who we signed with actually went bankrupt. Another company took over and they tried to swindle me into a 4Gig package for the same price. I said "no thank you I`m gonna shop around" and the salesperson said "hold on, let me call my boss" which he did and 30 seconds later he came back with "ok, we can continue your contract with unlimited internet". Fancy that.
So this 3G thing has been working on my nerves in a big way. Granted it`s faster but it is not the greatest, especially considering all the problems it`s been giving me. I reckon I`ll take it to a Vodacom 3G shop today, along with my laptop to see if somebody can assist.
Otherwise things are going well. It`s been great seeing the family often and spending some time with friends. Haven`t gotten to see them all yet but hopefully the small matter of Faffie`s birthday next weekend will sort that one out.... hint hint...
Just wanted to finish off by saying I`m really sorry for being so quiet and for not visiting your blogs during the last few days. I promise to make it up to all of you.
* Just to prove me point, this stupid 3G bombed out on me and I lost the last bit of my post which was all about running at altitude here in Joburg. Oh well, at least I can`t bore you anymore than I already have.
First up, we are still busy unpacking and living out of boxes. Not the best environment to create a blogging masterpiece in. Secondly, I have been struggling my backside off with the 3G and more specifically the software of said 3G. I have downloaded new software of the website and tried everything but to no avail. Sometimes I have to restart my laptop 10 times before it reads the 3G card. I`m so sick of it. It drives me bonkers. By the time I get to restart number 9, I inevitably give up.
We had Unlimited Wireless Internet in Somerset West and it was such a good deal that the company who we signed with actually went bankrupt. Another company took over and they tried to swindle me into a 4Gig package for the same price. I said "no thank you I`m gonna shop around" and the salesperson said "hold on, let me call my boss" which he did and 30 seconds later he came back with "ok, we can continue your contract with unlimited internet". Fancy that.
So this 3G thing has been working on my nerves in a big way. Granted it`s faster but it is not the greatest, especially considering all the problems it`s been giving me. I reckon I`ll take it to a Vodacom 3G shop today, along with my laptop to see if somebody can assist.
Otherwise things are going well. It`s been great seeing the family often and spending some time with friends. Haven`t gotten to see them all yet but hopefully the small matter of Faffie`s birthday next weekend will sort that one out.... hint hint...
Just wanted to finish off by saying I`m really sorry for being so quiet and for not visiting your blogs during the last few days. I promise to make it up to all of you.
* Just to prove me point, this stupid 3G bombed out on me and I lost the last bit of my post which was all about running at altitude here in Joburg. Oh well, at least I can`t bore you anymore than I already have.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Heeeeere`s Johnny!!!
And a good day to y'all! After a really Loooooooooooooong week, I can finally take my place in the blogging world again.
We are officially back in the Big Smoke and it`s great to be back. Although I love Somerset West and the Western Cape, you cannot replace family and lifelong friends. That is what we have here in Joburg. Awesome family and awesome friends.
And what can I say about the move? It was horrible and I`m glad it`s over. They dropped off our stuff yesterday, so now it`s just a matter of unpacking EVERYTHING, which is a massive job on it`s own. But at least we can do that in our own time.
The worst part of the whole move was the drive back. It took us 16 hours. 14 of those 16 hours was taken up by Elvis, hyperventilating. It was absolute hell. I nearly lost it a few times. As you know, bulldogs can overheat and die very easily. So I was literally waiting for Elvis to die in the back of the car. Nothing helped. We gave him medicine to calm him down, that didn`t work. We gave him food, that didn`t work, we gave him water, he didn`t drink. This went on for approximately 1, 300 km. He only fell asleep 2 hours outside Joburg. I also had the aircon on full blast, so the car was icy cold and I had no warm clothes with me. All in all, the worst trip of my life.
But, we are here now and all is forgiven and forgotten. Elvis is back to his normal self and him and Phoebe have just carried on where they left off. Hayley and I are slowly getting settled in our new place and I`m positive that it`s gonna be a good home for us.
Tonight we are off to the In-Laws for supper and wine and tomorrow we are going to Dale and Kerri`s for supper and wine. Happy days.
Ps. Thank you so much to all of you for your comments and kind words after my previous post. You guys are awesome friends and a massive part of our lives. We luv ya!
We are officially back in the Big Smoke and it`s great to be back. Although I love Somerset West and the Western Cape, you cannot replace family and lifelong friends. That is what we have here in Joburg. Awesome family and awesome friends.
And what can I say about the move? It was horrible and I`m glad it`s over. They dropped off our stuff yesterday, so now it`s just a matter of unpacking EVERYTHING, which is a massive job on it`s own. But at least we can do that in our own time.
The worst part of the whole move was the drive back. It took us 16 hours. 14 of those 16 hours was taken up by Elvis, hyperventilating. It was absolute hell. I nearly lost it a few times. As you know, bulldogs can overheat and die very easily. So I was literally waiting for Elvis to die in the back of the car. Nothing helped. We gave him medicine to calm him down, that didn`t work. We gave him food, that didn`t work, we gave him water, he didn`t drink. This went on for approximately 1, 300 km. He only fell asleep 2 hours outside Joburg. I also had the aircon on full blast, so the car was icy cold and I had no warm clothes with me. All in all, the worst trip of my life.
But, we are here now and all is forgiven and forgotten. Elvis is back to his normal self and him and Phoebe have just carried on where they left off. Hayley and I are slowly getting settled in our new place and I`m positive that it`s gonna be a good home for us.
Tonight we are off to the In-Laws for supper and wine and tomorrow we are going to Dale and Kerri`s for supper and wine. Happy days.
Ps. Thank you so much to all of you for your comments and kind words after my previous post. You guys are awesome friends and a massive part of our lives. We luv ya!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
This is what we did the whole weekend
It`s been very hot here, so we had the aircon on full blast and just stay put. It`s been nice and cool inside and like the Sahara outside. So this is all you saw in our house this whole weekend.
Friday, November 28, 2008
God, me and the number 34
As you guys know, this year has been a pretty tough one for the family. A lot of things have happened, some of which I can share and some of which I can`t. The one thing I can share with you guys and that I have done previously is that my company was liquidated in February. In fact, somebody told me that we were probably one of the first companies in South Africa to be affected by the Sub-Prime crisis in the States. Like I always say, if the USA sneezes the rest of the world catches a cold. In this case, our company got pneumonia and died.
Now, being out of a job is no fun place to be. I have always been pretty succesful in my career and things have come pretty easily. Blessed probably describes how lucky I have been. Promotions came pretty quickly and the money was good too.
Just to show you how lucky I was, consider this. The day after the company folded, I got a call from one of our main competitors and they offered me a job there and then. They promised me a whole lot of things and of course I took the job. Unfortunately it was a question of over-promise and under-deliver on their side. I stayed loyal to them for as long as I could but eventually I realised that it is not something that would be sustainable. The business plan was never gonna succeed. I ended up leaving.
So for the last few months I have been looking for work. That is not the best place to be in you`re a white South African male. You see, we have a thing here called BEE or Black Economic Empowerment. Companies have to employ black people to eradicate the inequalities of the past. What it comes down to is that white men are last on the pecking order when it comes to jobs. So, even though you might have the best credentials for a job, the fact that quotas have to be attained might mean that you lose out to a less qualified person. This is our society and I understand this completely.
This coupled with the bleak economic outlook worldwide has made the last few months a very tough time to be a jobseeker.
That brings me to my faith. I would be a liar if I said that my faith never waivered. I have had many a day, sometimes weeks at a time, where my faith ebbed away. Every prayer went unanswered, or so it seemed. Every time an opportunity came up, something happened and it was taken away. One example. I got a call from a previous company and they were getting ready to offer me a job, an awesome job at that. Something I would be really good at and that would have meant good things financially. Then, the day where they were to call me with the good news, the company`s Exco sat and made a decision that an immediate freeze was to be placed on all external appointments. I was devastated. I had prayed so hard and so long and basically begged for this job. God decided no. I could not understand it. So close but yet again an opportunity was taken away.
So on one of these days, where I was crying out for something, anything, I drove to Gordonsbay (which is about 10 minutes from here). I was on the way back when I noticed on my cars computer that the kilometers done on the tank of petrol was 341 and the distance I could still travel was 341. I thought that was quite a coincidence. I mean the distance left on the tank changes so much and so quickly, depending on the speed etc etc. Literally a minute later I drove past a little sign and I still don`t know what the purpose of this sign is but it just had 34 on it. A white 34 on a blue background. Was God talking to me?
Now I am a numbers guy. I am and have always been very good with numbers. So for me, I saw this as a bit of a sign. You do tend to hold onto the small things when you have nothing to hold onto anymore. So with Hillsong playing in the background, I had a feeling that God was using something I understand, numbers, to show me the way.
I raced home and immediately checked the Bible for clues. I checked for the 341st chapter of the Bible, page 341, every chapter 34:1 and so it went on. Nothing. Then I reckoned that I would get a call with good news at 3:40 or 3:41. Yet again a dead end. But the number 34 stuck in my head.
That was 2 months ago. A few opportunities have come and gone in that time. I have had good days and a lot of bad days. All the while I kept looking for 34 and the sign that I was so sure was around the corner.
That brings me to Monday, 24 November. I woke up and decided to read my Bible. I opened it up at Acts 13 and started reading. Then something caught my eye and I saw at the top of the next page, where it shows the last verse on the page, it said Acts 13:34. It said the following:
The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: "I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David"
Immediately I knew that God was talking to me. I was expecting a call that day with feedback on a possible interview. Suddenly I knew that the interview was going to be confirmed. This happened later that day. The person who gave me the lead for this job is another Christian who has walked the same path as me during this year. He was also affected by the liquidation, maybe more than anybody else. I phoned him to tell him that I got the interview and when I put the phone down I noticed that the call was made at 3:40 pm.
So on Tuesday morning I read my Bible and opened up at Matthew 21. I looked up at the top of the next page and what dit it say? Matthew 21:34. It read:
When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
I have been using my Mom`s Bible since she passed away and it is full of her notes and markings. It`s one of my favourite and most special things on this earth. She marked Matthew 21:22 and it read:
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer
On Wednesday morning, I opened up the Bible to Matthew 6. Guess what was at the top of the next page? Matthew 6:34. It read:
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Wednesday night, Hayley and I were in bed and I opened up my Bible at Acts 10. At the top of the next page it said Acts 10:32. I was a bit disappointed as I was expecting another miracle cos I had been spoiled! I read the chapter and when I turned the page my heart nearly stopped. So guess which verse was marked, by my Mom in pencil? Acts 10:34 and it read:
34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
So yesterday I flew to Johannesburg for the interview. Before I left I took a card out of my Bread of Life box, which has promises from the Bible in. Well, the one I picked was Matthew 21:22, the same verse my Mom had highlighted and which I read on Tuesday night.
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer
As a final incident, while I was waiting for my rental car the tv caught my eye. It was some netball match (in which I have no interest whatsoever) but the one shot I saw the player wore the number 34.
Now I don`t know exactly what all this means. I am obviously on a journey with God and I really don`t know what He has planned for me. What I do know is that He is with me always and I do not need to worry or feel alone anymore. He has truly rejuvenated my faith.
I do not know if the interview I went to was THE one. I do however know that I don`t have to worry anymore. I can trust God cos He has made it clear to me that He is interested in my lfe and that He cares for me deeply.
What is your 34?
Ps. A Google search for 34 revealed Psalm 34, Praise for Deliverance from Trouble.
How much does our God rock?
Now, being out of a job is no fun place to be. I have always been pretty succesful in my career and things have come pretty easily. Blessed probably describes how lucky I have been. Promotions came pretty quickly and the money was good too.
Just to show you how lucky I was, consider this. The day after the company folded, I got a call from one of our main competitors and they offered me a job there and then. They promised me a whole lot of things and of course I took the job. Unfortunately it was a question of over-promise and under-deliver on their side. I stayed loyal to them for as long as I could but eventually I realised that it is not something that would be sustainable. The business plan was never gonna succeed. I ended up leaving.
So for the last few months I have been looking for work. That is not the best place to be in you`re a white South African male. You see, we have a thing here called BEE or Black Economic Empowerment. Companies have to employ black people to eradicate the inequalities of the past. What it comes down to is that white men are last on the pecking order when it comes to jobs. So, even though you might have the best credentials for a job, the fact that quotas have to be attained might mean that you lose out to a less qualified person. This is our society and I understand this completely.
This coupled with the bleak economic outlook worldwide has made the last few months a very tough time to be a jobseeker.
That brings me to my faith. I would be a liar if I said that my faith never waivered. I have had many a day, sometimes weeks at a time, where my faith ebbed away. Every prayer went unanswered, or so it seemed. Every time an opportunity came up, something happened and it was taken away. One example. I got a call from a previous company and they were getting ready to offer me a job, an awesome job at that. Something I would be really good at and that would have meant good things financially. Then, the day where they were to call me with the good news, the company`s Exco sat and made a decision that an immediate freeze was to be placed on all external appointments. I was devastated. I had prayed so hard and so long and basically begged for this job. God decided no. I could not understand it. So close but yet again an opportunity was taken away.
So on one of these days, where I was crying out for something, anything, I drove to Gordonsbay (which is about 10 minutes from here). I was on the way back when I noticed on my cars computer that the kilometers done on the tank of petrol was 341 and the distance I could still travel was 341. I thought that was quite a coincidence. I mean the distance left on the tank changes so much and so quickly, depending on the speed etc etc. Literally a minute later I drove past a little sign and I still don`t know what the purpose of this sign is but it just had 34 on it. A white 34 on a blue background. Was God talking to me?
Now I am a numbers guy. I am and have always been very good with numbers. So for me, I saw this as a bit of a sign. You do tend to hold onto the small things when you have nothing to hold onto anymore. So with Hillsong playing in the background, I had a feeling that God was using something I understand, numbers, to show me the way.
I raced home and immediately checked the Bible for clues. I checked for the 341st chapter of the Bible, page 341, every chapter 34:1 and so it went on. Nothing. Then I reckoned that I would get a call with good news at 3:40 or 3:41. Yet again a dead end. But the number 34 stuck in my head.
That was 2 months ago. A few opportunities have come and gone in that time. I have had good days and a lot of bad days. All the while I kept looking for 34 and the sign that I was so sure was around the corner.
That brings me to Monday, 24 November. I woke up and decided to read my Bible. I opened it up at Acts 13 and started reading. Then something caught my eye and I saw at the top of the next page, where it shows the last verse on the page, it said Acts 13:34. It said the following:
The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: "I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David"
Immediately I knew that God was talking to me. I was expecting a call that day with feedback on a possible interview. Suddenly I knew that the interview was going to be confirmed. This happened later that day. The person who gave me the lead for this job is another Christian who has walked the same path as me during this year. He was also affected by the liquidation, maybe more than anybody else. I phoned him to tell him that I got the interview and when I put the phone down I noticed that the call was made at 3:40 pm.
So on Tuesday morning I read my Bible and opened up at Matthew 21. I looked up at the top of the next page and what dit it say? Matthew 21:34. It read:
When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
I have been using my Mom`s Bible since she passed away and it is full of her notes and markings. It`s one of my favourite and most special things on this earth. She marked Matthew 21:22 and it read:
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer
On Wednesday morning, I opened up the Bible to Matthew 6. Guess what was at the top of the next page? Matthew 6:34. It read:
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Wednesday night, Hayley and I were in bed and I opened up my Bible at Acts 10. At the top of the next page it said Acts 10:32. I was a bit disappointed as I was expecting another miracle cos I had been spoiled! I read the chapter and when I turned the page my heart nearly stopped. So guess which verse was marked, by my Mom in pencil? Acts 10:34 and it read:
34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
So yesterday I flew to Johannesburg for the interview. Before I left I took a card out of my Bread of Life box, which has promises from the Bible in. Well, the one I picked was Matthew 21:22, the same verse my Mom had highlighted and which I read on Tuesday night.
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer
As a final incident, while I was waiting for my rental car the tv caught my eye. It was some netball match (in which I have no interest whatsoever) but the one shot I saw the player wore the number 34.
Now I don`t know exactly what all this means. I am obviously on a journey with God and I really don`t know what He has planned for me. What I do know is that He is with me always and I do not need to worry or feel alone anymore. He has truly rejuvenated my faith.
I do not know if the interview I went to was THE one. I do however know that I don`t have to worry anymore. I can trust God cos He has made it clear to me that He is interested in my lfe and that He cares for me deeply.
What is your 34?
Ps. A Google search for 34 revealed Psalm 34, Praise for Deliverance from Trouble.
How much does our God rock?
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Running Golfer 101
- English is in fact my 2nd language
- I never use spell check before posting
- I have been married to the love of my life for exactly 7 years, 6 months and 2 days
- I am 1.81 metres tall
- I was born in Sasolburg. The town was named after SASOL, the first company in the world to produce fuel from coal. SASOL was and still is the lifeblood of this small Freestate town
- Blue is my favourite colour
- I love sport
- I was Head Boy at school
- I love cars but know nothing about the mechanical side of things
- I have owned 15 different cars during the last 16 year
- I love music, movies and tv
- I have a sister, Monya, who lives in New Zealand with her 2 gorgeous kids and her husband who is one of my best friends
- My Mom and Dad are both with Jesus
- Golf is a passion of mine but I haven`t played a round of golf in more than a year
- I have completed 3 half marathons this year
- I took up running on the 31st March 2008
- My favourite drink is red wine
- Kids love me and I love kids
- Hopefully I`ll be a Dad in the not too distant future
- I once kicked a hole in the tv room door after WP, my favourite rugby team, lost in extra time to the Lions when the referee awarded a contentious penalty try.
- I was barefoot at the time
- It didn`t hurt
- Until a few minutes later
- I once asked my Mom to chop all my hair off after Manchester United lost the Championship on the last day of the season to Blackburn Rovers
- My favourite sportsmen of all time are Eric Cantona, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Ryan Giggs, Bob Skinstad and Andre Pretorius
- My favourite new band is Kings of Leon
- The best concerts I have ever been to was Live in 2000 and 2006. They were awesome.
- I hated Celine Dion until I saw her live in concert in 2008. Now I love her.
- I dream of one day going to Old Trafford to see Manchester United play
- I am completely in love with my dogs
- Ouma rusks and strong coffee is my ideal breakfast
- I make my own hamburger patties and they are AWESOME (you can ask Hayley)
- It is now 11:07 am and I haven`t eaten anything cos I think I`m getting fat again
- Most of my favourite movies of all time are foreign language films
- I adore the Boston Redsox
- Rugby is my favourite sport to watch
- One of the most awesome things I have ever done was visit Arlington National Cemetery and stand at the grave of JFK
- I love hot sauces and hot food
- My favorite dish is meatballs, potatoes and rice. My Mom`s special recipe and Hayley makes it just like her.
- I used to be a chips fan but now I love chocolate
- I take critisism very personal
- New York is my favourite city in the world
- I am very aware of how I look and always try to dress well
- I have a pretty good sense of fashion
- Leopards are my favourite wild animals
- I have blue eyes and I think it`s my best feature
- I once won a rugby match in the last minute of the game by slotting a 40 metre drop goal
- When I was 10 I jumped off my bed without looking and landed on my kitten who did not survive the incident. I cried for a week.
- Hillsong Church Cape Town is my favourite church ever
- I love the Kruger National Park
- I played flyhalf for most of my rugby career
- I crashed my Mom`s car when I was 20 and that was my one and only accident
- The Cape is one of my favourite places on earth
- I held the record for the best bowling figures at my high school when I took 8/19
- I took a hattrick in the first over of my first Action Cricket game in Johannesburg`s A1 league and was made to down 6 beers for my efforts. It was a loooong time ago.
- Sullivan Street by Counting Crows is one of my favourite songs
- I have gone to work without sleeping the previous night
- I eat most anything except tripe
- I am fascinated by all things American
- I sing very badly but I sing loud in church
- I love sharks
- I have the best In-Laws in the world
- I once threw a golf club (5 wood) after a bad shot and it got stuck in a tree. I threw a 3 iron to get it out and that too got stuck. So I had to climb into the tree to get my clubs. It was the day before I got married.
- I haven`t thrown a golf club since
- I miss my Mom every day
- Braaing (barbeque) is one of my favourite things to do
- I am a people person
- I love rain
- I cried when the Springboks won the world cup in 1995 AND 2007
- I love my wife with all my heart
- I haven`t seen a good scary movie in a long time
- My current favourite tv show is Dirty Sexy Money
- I absolutely love the blogs on my Blogroll and always check updates as soon as they happen
- I love surprising my wife
- I hate Liverpool
- I hate the Blue Bulls
- I used to be very scared of flying but I take it in my stride these days
- I haven`t had a swim in the sea in almost 10 years
- I once saw Lenny Kravitz in a shopping centre
- We have some of the funniest friends anywhere. They are hilarious.
- I mostly don`t enjoy running but I do it because it`s good for me
- Some runs are awesome though
- Most aren`t
- The last year has been one of the worst of my life
- I worry almost every day of my life
- I am the only one of my family left in SA.
- One of my biggest fears is that the extreme summer heat will kill my dogs when I`m not at home.
- I`m looking forward to moving back to Johannesburg so we can spend more time with Hayley`s family and our friends
- I watch more CNN than any local news channel
- I have played on 35 of the top 100 golf courses in South Africa
- I am continuing my studies in 2009
- I cannot wait for the December holidays when Hayley`s family will be here for a few weeks
- I have never owned a motor cycle
- I own a lot of gadgets and they include: Ipod, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, PSP, PVR, Iphone, Blackberry etc etc
- I broke my wrist playing rugby
- I am a huge Adidas fan
- I got tennis balls as an extra gift for all my birthdays as a kid. I could not live without a ball nearby
- I have never had a hole in one but have been thisclose
- I am a loyal friend
- I`m not sure what the future holds
- I love God
Monday, September 22, 2008
The love of my life
This isn`t a planned post, I was just sitting here and decided to do it.Sometimes we take our loved ones for granted. I try not to do that but sometimes it happens. You just live life and don`t stop to see the blessings around you. That is where my Sweetie comes in. She is my biggest blessing.
I am so fortunate to have such an awesome wife. A wife that sits with me and watches not only the soccer match but also sticks it out for 6 of the 7 hours that the Ryder Cup was on yesterday. She only went to bed cos she was tired and had to get up early in the morning. I know she didn`t particularly like the golf and wasn`t really watching but she sat with me. She didn`t go to the bedroom where she could have watched other tv shows, no she sat with me. Now I ask you, how awesome is my wife?
We have been through a lot during the last 8 years. Hayley has always been at my side never waivering. She epitomises "through thick and thin".
So, this isn`t a massively deep post, neither is it a big statement or a post to get comments. It is merely me, standing here and saying, I love you my Sweetie.
Here are a few of my favourite photos of my gorgeous, awesome, brilliant, gorgeous (wait, I have a feeling I just said that) wife Hayley.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Evolution of the Do - The economic impact of the credit crunch
The evolution took a tricky turn the other day. Very much unplanned but like Rocky Balboa and Adriaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnn, I can roll with the punches.
Basic economics is an interesting subject. Take my head for example. I have roughly 42 hair. If I had a smaller head (in square centimeters not in ego size) like, let`s say Jessica Simpson, those 42 hair would be enough to cover most of it. I could even have a fringe that starts a few centimeters above my eyes and not at the back of my head, maybe even a Man Perm. I digress, economics and my head.
It came to my attention that I was paying WAAAYYY too much to have my head shaved at my normal spot. I had to fork out R120 for this MASSIVE job. For my international readers, I have done a quick exchange rate calculation.
R120 = 14.66 US Dollar
R120 = 8.25 British Pound
R120 = 10.36 Euro
R120 = 18.49 Aus Dollar
R120 = 22.28 New Zealand Dollar
R120 = 53.38 Quatar Rial
R120 = 1538.69 Japanese Yen
R120 = 1,657,789,876,878 Zimbabwe Dollar
Now if I had the luxury of a full head of hair, I think that price would be reasonably fair. I don`t however, so the haircut works out to R 2.86 per hair! Suze Orman would soil herself and would have to go see Dr Phil for counseling. I do not wish that on anybody, let alone Suze who just wants to help me. So, we needed to make a plan.
And that is exactly what we did. Hayley and I bought a shaver. Not just any shaver, a round one that fits in the palm of your hand and which you can use to shave your own head. Incredible! I made a decision based on simple economics that would save us a lot of bucks. The shaver will pay itself off in roughly 2.67 shaves.
So, on Saturday night we get home, I whip the shaver out, chuck the Operating Instructions in the bin, plug it in, aim it down the middle of my head and away I go.
Now what I failed to do during all the excitement was check what number the attachment was. It was a very low number I soon found out, a very, very low number. All I could see was a lot of hair falling to the ground. I realised that something was amiss. So, I went to a mirror, which in hindsight (which is 20/20 by the way) I should have done to begin with.
This was what greeted me. Tah-Daaaaahhhh!
Basic economics is an interesting subject. Take my head for example. I have roughly 42 hair. If I had a smaller head (in square centimeters not in ego size) like, let`s say Jessica Simpson, those 42 hair would be enough to cover most of it. I could even have a fringe that starts a few centimeters above my eyes and not at the back of my head, maybe even a Man Perm. I digress, economics and my head.
It came to my attention that I was paying WAAAYYY too much to have my head shaved at my normal spot. I had to fork out R120 for this MASSIVE job. For my international readers, I have done a quick exchange rate calculation.
R120 = 14.66 US Dollar
R120 = 8.25 British Pound
R120 = 10.36 Euro
R120 = 18.49 Aus Dollar
R120 = 22.28 New Zealand Dollar
R120 = 53.38 Quatar Rial
R120 = 1538.69 Japanese Yen
R120 = 1,657,789,876,878 Zimbabwe Dollar
Now if I had the luxury of a full head of hair, I think that price would be reasonably fair. I don`t however, so the haircut works out to R 2.86 per hair! Suze Orman would soil herself and would have to go see Dr Phil for counseling. I do not wish that on anybody, let alone Suze who just wants to help me. So, we needed to make a plan.
And that is exactly what we did. Hayley and I bought a shaver. Not just any shaver, a round one that fits in the palm of your hand and which you can use to shave your own head. Incredible! I made a decision based on simple economics that would save us a lot of bucks. The shaver will pay itself off in roughly 2.67 shaves.
So, on Saturday night we get home, I whip the shaver out, chuck the Operating Instructions in the bin, plug it in, aim it down the middle of my head and away I go.
Now what I failed to do during all the excitement was check what number the attachment was. It was a very low number I soon found out, a very, very low number. All I could see was a lot of hair falling to the ground. I realised that something was amiss. So, I went to a mirror, which in hindsight (which is 20/20 by the way) I should have done to begin with.
This was what greeted me. Tah-Daaaaahhhh!
Ok, not the best move ever, I realise that now. The shock was so much that I had to take a step back and reassess things. I decided to wait until Sunday to make my next move, so this was the look I was rocking in my house on Saturday night.
I now know that errors in judgement cost me (see how I effortlessly threw the Economics thing into a sentence? "cost" - get it?). For starters I should have read the Operating Instructions. I did go fetch it out the bin. Unfortunately for me, the part that shows you how to "clean and reassemble" is covered in some kind of foodstuff. All I can make out is, "clean" and "BEWARE". Secondly, never ever do more than one thing at a time. "Thinking" and "shaving" are verbs and there`s 2 of them. I cannot multi task like that. So from now on, I am putting my brain in "sleep mode" until I`m done shaving. Thirdly, cut out the bit where it tells you how to "Clean and reassemble" before throwing the Operating Instructions away.
The most important lesson I learned from all of this? Do not make a decision based on Economics, you`ll regret it for a week, maybe two.
To get Hayley`s perspective on the situation, read this.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Annus Horibilis?
I have been walking around with this post in me for a while now. Most of the posts during the last month or so have been on the light hearted and fun side. Hairstyles, rugby, tennis, music, movies, family, friends, bulldogs and the like have taken preference over deeper issues. Well mostly in any case.
A lot of special people have come my way through this whole blogging thing. I have made friends in faraway places like Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Michigan, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, London, Johannesburg, Durban and Australia. I have learned so much from so many of them. In fact, not a day goes by where I do not learn something from one of them.
This year has had some very good things and some very bad things. We have started to feel like Capetonians for the first time. This has been our first full year in the Cape and we have enjoyed it so much. We really feel at home here. Even the weather is cool by us!
On the not so good side we have had the news of an illness in the family. With God`s help this is going very well and I can see a very happy ending to it.
On a more personal level, it has been a very tough year. The company I joined last year and which made the move to the Cape possible went into liquidation in February. That was a punch to the gut. From being very successful in my career, to being without a job in the matter of a few minutes, that was a tough thing to come to grips with. If I`m honest with myself, I`m still coming to grips with it.
I have always believed that a man is defined by his job. I believed that it defined your standing in the community, who you marry, where you live, basically everything. Now I had to face the reality that I was jobless. The things I had always held dear were to be taken away from me. I loved nothing more than surprising Hayley with a weekend away, a surprise night away for an anniversary, flowers delivered to her office or a nice watch or handbag. Just little things that would show her how much I love her. Seeing the happiness in her face made me want to do these things over and over again. I enjoyed buying myself nice things too, especially clothes, lots and lots of clothes.
I was offered another job a few days later. This was more commission based and was not a job I was very comfortable in. However, beggars can`t be choosers so I took the job and decided that I was gonna do my best to make a success of it. Unfortunately the whole SA economy took a knock, with interest rates shooting up, inflation rising to dangerous levels and spending on asset based finance taking a backseat to basic survival. This has been my reality for the last few months. Our reserves were being depleted, savings almost gone. Survival had now become our reality. No more nice gifts for my awesome wife, no more nice things for myself.
So, this has been the story for the last few months. I started looking for another job but as with most things in SA it is taking time. I had become very down on myself and my own self-confidence was / is at an all time low. I have to keep reminding myself that God does not make losers.
It is a pretty crap story and if you had asked me at the beginning of the year what would be the worst thing that could happen, I would have said losing my job. My worst nightmare had become my reality.
BUT, things are not all bad.
Firstly, I have committed myself to my God and have been in His company ever since. Secondly, my absolutely awesome wife and I have become inseparable. She is such a rock in my life, what would I ever do without her? I have found that cooking a nice meal or fixing something around the house brings the same happiness to her face as an expensive watch or handbag. Sitting on the couch at night, each with our laptops, each on our blogs is just as cool as spending a night at an expensive hotel. Having a braai at home is just as cool as going to a nice restaurant, in fact it`s better cos you get to kiss the cook.
I have also learned that a man is NOT defined by his job. He is in fact defined by what he has inside and by how he treats the people around him, the kindness he shows to strangers and how he reacts to adversity and importantly the family and friends he surrounds himself with. Those things define you, not a fancy title or a paycheck.
I still get very down on myself every now and again (if I`m honest it`s most days) but I try to remain positive about the situation. I know that God will provide and I hang onto that fact with all I have. I really have no idea what He has planned for us but I thank Him for what He has taught me this year. The small things in life are in fact, the big things. The things I thought meant the world to me in fact does not matter at all. Love, friendship, family, togetherness, those things count, not the amount of money in the bank.
We are so blessed that we have the best parents in the world (I will not call them In-Laws anymore cos they are so much more than that). My own Mom and Dad are not around anymore but they made me into the person I am today and laid every foundation I hold dear. It might have taken me 30 odd years to figure it out but at least I have. I am now so fortunate to have 2 other people I can call MY folks. They have shown me that you don`t need to be blood to be loved like you are. They have shown such kindness and understanding during the last year that it will be impossible to say thank you. Their support, which has taken a lot of forms, has been immeasurable. I feel so guilty but at the same time so thankful. I don`t know how I will ever be able to repay their kindness.
My sister Monya, has also been really supportive and her awesome kids were responsible for one of the kindest gestures I have ever come across in all my years on earth.
So, looking back, this year has been a very difficult but vital one. I needed a wakeup call to show me what the really important things are. It`s been a tough learning curve and I`m sure there is a lot more to come but I am surrounded by love and I feel more blessed than ever.
Writing this post was very hard. The image I have always tried to project was that of a confident, happy go-lucky man, with the world at his feet. That man has been torn down like the Berlin Wall. God and I are busy rebuilding him into a better, stronger version of himself. A version that does not care if people see him as somebody who does not have it all together, who has worries and who doubts himself constantly. I am a work in progress and there is a lot of work left to be done but I am not doing it alone, everybody mentioned on this post has a role to play, no matter how small.
A lot of special people have come my way through this whole blogging thing. I have made friends in faraway places like Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Michigan, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, London, Johannesburg, Durban and Australia. I have learned so much from so many of them. In fact, not a day goes by where I do not learn something from one of them.
This year has had some very good things and some very bad things. We have started to feel like Capetonians for the first time. This has been our first full year in the Cape and we have enjoyed it so much. We really feel at home here. Even the weather is cool by us!
On the not so good side we have had the news of an illness in the family. With God`s help this is going very well and I can see a very happy ending to it.
On a more personal level, it has been a very tough year. The company I joined last year and which made the move to the Cape possible went into liquidation in February. That was a punch to the gut. From being very successful in my career, to being without a job in the matter of a few minutes, that was a tough thing to come to grips with. If I`m honest with myself, I`m still coming to grips with it.
I have always believed that a man is defined by his job. I believed that it defined your standing in the community, who you marry, where you live, basically everything. Now I had to face the reality that I was jobless. The things I had always held dear were to be taken away from me. I loved nothing more than surprising Hayley with a weekend away, a surprise night away for an anniversary, flowers delivered to her office or a nice watch or handbag. Just little things that would show her how much I love her. Seeing the happiness in her face made me want to do these things over and over again. I enjoyed buying myself nice things too, especially clothes, lots and lots of clothes.
I was offered another job a few days later. This was more commission based and was not a job I was very comfortable in. However, beggars can`t be choosers so I took the job and decided that I was gonna do my best to make a success of it. Unfortunately the whole SA economy took a knock, with interest rates shooting up, inflation rising to dangerous levels and spending on asset based finance taking a backseat to basic survival. This has been my reality for the last few months. Our reserves were being depleted, savings almost gone. Survival had now become our reality. No more nice gifts for my awesome wife, no more nice things for myself.
So, this has been the story for the last few months. I started looking for another job but as with most things in SA it is taking time. I had become very down on myself and my own self-confidence was / is at an all time low. I have to keep reminding myself that God does not make losers.
It is a pretty crap story and if you had asked me at the beginning of the year what would be the worst thing that could happen, I would have said losing my job. My worst nightmare had become my reality.
BUT, things are not all bad.
Firstly, I have committed myself to my God and have been in His company ever since. Secondly, my absolutely awesome wife and I have become inseparable. She is such a rock in my life, what would I ever do without her? I have found that cooking a nice meal or fixing something around the house brings the same happiness to her face as an expensive watch or handbag. Sitting on the couch at night, each with our laptops, each on our blogs is just as cool as spending a night at an expensive hotel. Having a braai at home is just as cool as going to a nice restaurant, in fact it`s better cos you get to kiss the cook.
I have also learned that a man is NOT defined by his job. He is in fact defined by what he has inside and by how he treats the people around him, the kindness he shows to strangers and how he reacts to adversity and importantly the family and friends he surrounds himself with. Those things define you, not a fancy title or a paycheck.
I still get very down on myself every now and again (if I`m honest it`s most days) but I try to remain positive about the situation. I know that God will provide and I hang onto that fact with all I have. I really have no idea what He has planned for us but I thank Him for what He has taught me this year. The small things in life are in fact, the big things. The things I thought meant the world to me in fact does not matter at all. Love, friendship, family, togetherness, those things count, not the amount of money in the bank.
We are so blessed that we have the best parents in the world (I will not call them In-Laws anymore cos they are so much more than that). My own Mom and Dad are not around anymore but they made me into the person I am today and laid every foundation I hold dear. It might have taken me 30 odd years to figure it out but at least I have. I am now so fortunate to have 2 other people I can call MY folks. They have shown me that you don`t need to be blood to be loved like you are. They have shown such kindness and understanding during the last year that it will be impossible to say thank you. Their support, which has taken a lot of forms, has been immeasurable. I feel so guilty but at the same time so thankful. I don`t know how I will ever be able to repay their kindness.
My sister Monya, has also been really supportive and her awesome kids were responsible for one of the kindest gestures I have ever come across in all my years on earth.
So, looking back, this year has been a very difficult but vital one. I needed a wakeup call to show me what the really important things are. It`s been a tough learning curve and I`m sure there is a lot more to come but I am surrounded by love and I feel more blessed than ever.
Writing this post was very hard. The image I have always tried to project was that of a confident, happy go-lucky man, with the world at his feet. That man has been torn down like the Berlin Wall. God and I are busy rebuilding him into a better, stronger version of himself. A version that does not care if people see him as somebody who does not have it all together, who has worries and who doubts himself constantly. I am a work in progress and there is a lot of work left to be done but I am not doing it alone, everybody mentioned on this post has a role to play, no matter how small.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
What if?
My post the other day got some very funny comments with regards Man Perms and Mullets from two of my friends, David and Kevin. That got me thinking, what would I have looked like with those cuts? I can in all honesty say I have never had the privilege of owning either. Firstly I have the straightest hair in the world and secondly I have a healthy brain.
I found this site a week or so ago and it`s really funny and worth a visit. So, without further ado, I present to you, the Man Perm (more Afro than perm but what the heck) and the Mullet as worn by me, the Running Golfer.
I found this site a week or so ago and it`s really funny and worth a visit. So, without further ado, I present to you, the Man Perm (more Afro than perm but what the heck) and the Mullet as worn by me, the Running Golfer.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Evolution of the "do"
Ok, my wife thinks I`m crazy for doing this but oh well , so be it. I have decided to show you the evolution of my hairstyle. It is a story yet unfinished but I have a pretty good idea how it`ll end.
The part/y to the right
This was not so much a cut as a statement. The part to the right said "Yeah baby, I`m here and I`m ready to play". Obviously some parts of my body were growing faster than others. It was gonna be a long time before the rest of me would catch up with the ears and if I`m honest, it has never really caught up....
The part/y to the right
This was not so much a cut as a statement. The part to the right said "Yeah baby, I`m here and I`m ready to play". Obviously some parts of my body were growing faster than others. It was gonna be a long time before the rest of me would catch up with the ears and if I`m honest, it has never really caught up....
The Officer Tom Hanson
Remember 21 Jump Street and Johnny Depp`s character Tom Hanson? Well, I made it my mission to be the "Officer Tom Hanson" of Sasolburg. The amounts of gel needed were immense and I feel pretty much responsible for the success that Studio Line achieved here in SA. It also took a tremendous amount of time to get the fringe to stand at just the right angle. I played sick on windy / rainy days, just couldn`t face the world if the Tom Hanson was not perfect.
The Messy Sportsman
This look was perfect for sporty days. Here I am playing a rugby match and kicking for touch. What a sight. Perfection in motion some might say. Notice the hair, it has that "I am very serious about my sport but I don`t care about my hair on days like these" look. This look was perfected by after being tackled and struggling to your feet, you would take both hands and rub your head. Spectators, fans mostly, would then get extremely concerned. The hair, standing in all directions, emphasised the big hit you just took. Concern became as great a part as adoration in the crowd. Phrases like 'Oh, he`s so brave" were common.
The Gentleman
Perfect for serious occasions like a "Matric Farewell". The beauty about this look is that you can take The Messy Sportsman and turn it into this winner without too much trouble. In fact, the same cut was used. Incredible versatility! It had the same basics as the Officer Tom Hanson but was a bit more formal in nature ie. more structured lines. It is rounded off with a sophisticated look, which is perfectly illustrated on the accompanying photo.
The Middle Path aka A river runs through it
Middle paths were massive in the early 90`s. In fact, it was bigger than massive. I don`t know another word for massive but it was enormous. Here I am sporting The Middle Path which I fondly named "A river runs through it" after seeing the movie by the same name and noticing the similarities. I had gone natural and Studio Line started it`s slow economic decline. Also notice the size of the chin. It had now decided that it needed to catch up with the ears and unfortunately I was the canvas upon which this race was taking place.
The U can`t touch this
This look took a long time to perfect. It says "I don`t care" but takes some serious time to get right. You could not use any product or tools on it, just your God given fingers and a mirror. If it did not look perfect when it had dried, you had to take another shower and start the process all over again. Sometimes it took numerous showers and 2 - 3 hours before the look was complete. Notice how I complimented the look by closing my eyes when I was being photographed? This also doubled as a statement against consumerism and fits in with the new natural me.
The Hippie Bob
It took the normal Bob a bit further and added a hippie element. Not something you thought possible, hey? The clean lines of a Bob and the unrefined hippie look? I know, I was probably ahead of my time. Once again, the do encapsulated both the country`s political awakening and my social commentary of the time with the added benefit of hiding my ears, sort of. The colour of the bandanna has no significance at all.
The Soft at Sunset (SAS)
This look is perfected by the finish of the photograph. It emphasises the soft lines of the haircut. Notice how the setting sun creates a halo effect around me. I look almost angelic. Also notice how my body had caught up with my ears. The chin had given up by now and realised that it would never be as big a part of me as my ears. I really loved the SAS and would definitely have kept it going if I could. Magnificence at sunset....
The Inevitable
Throughout the Evolution of the do, it has always been The Inevitable that was bound to come out victorious. Call it genetics or whatever but I was always going to have to bow to The Inevitable. This cut is more out of necessity than out of want. My forehead has been getting bigger since I was in my twenties. For some reason I always felt like my forehead was creeping up on the back of my head. Then I woke up one morning and tried to do the Officer Tom Hanson but found that a fringe comprising all of 12 hair could not complete the look. I was devastated. Fortunately I had taken a wife, so ending up alone in an old age home with The Inevitable as my only companion was not gonna happen. Notice the chin trying to make a comeback....
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