Drastic Fantastic

48 hours till the world changes

2010-01-25T20:56:00.000Z

It's not often that I get excited about things (on this scale anyway). The world is about to change (sort of).

In 48 hours time, the world will be enlightened and no longer just wildly speculating about the technological marvel that will change the way we view electronic content. I've been following the rumour mill recently and we can gather pretty much what Apple is going to give us - the Kindle Killer, the slate of slates, the replacement of print media and change the way electronic content is sold and distributed.

Okay, Apple have pretty much nailed it with the iTunes store and distribution of music, movies, podcasts blah blah blah and of course the app store. The iPhone and iPod and Apple TV have been vehicles to drive sales of content, simply a pathway to purchase stuff over and above the cost of the device. Beautifully designed hardware with ever evolving software to drive sales of other stuff. This new device will be exactly that, large enough to view traditionally previous print media comfortably, deliver a rich multimedia experience, make purchasing content child's play. It's everything you wanted, but didn't know you did. You WILL want one, even if you don't know it yet. I certainly want one, even if I don't NEED it.

Think of the rainforests we'll save, think of kids going to school, with an iPad (that what it's gonna be called) instead of a bag full of books. Think of the latest glossy magazines and novels you'll be able to carry around if you feel the need to tuck into one while you're out and about. Maybe have a video chat with a friend on the other side of the planet, or catch the latest episode of True Blood.

What we know is that the 'iPad' will have:

Look like a proportionally flattened first generation iPhone

3G Connection and Wifi

Have a 9 to 11 inch screen

'Revolutionary OS' - a fresh re-think to how to switch users and manage lots of apps and content

Virtual keyboard

Handwriting recognition without a stylus

Headphone socket

Usual USB connector

Speakers

Camera (for user input - may be able to recognise user - iPhoto can already do face recognition)

Video chat may not be currently offered yet (due to crappy camera and bandwidth issues)

Volume and 'Home button'

Eventually have actual tactile buttons on a previously smooth surface, though this will probably be in a couple of years

Great for gaming

A touch version of iLife 10 - with all your data and documents stored in the Cloud

Be priced at +- £500

It will not be your replacement for your Macbook Pro, though for many basic end users it would suffice to do most everyday tasks really well.

I want one already and, trust me, you will too.

Creative Review - Type Trumps 2

2010-01-12T16:05:00.001Z

Creative Review - Type Trumps 2

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Peep Show

2009-11-06T14:06:00.000Z

Peep Show is easily one of the best programmes on TV. It's just finished it's 6th season so it's a testament to the show's popularity. It's sharp, witty, genuinely funny, and shows not sign of slowing down. Ricky Gervias describes it as the best show on tele, and he knows a thing or two about being funny.

It's told from the point of view of each character, so the camera of always at the level of their head and you see what they see, hear what they say and even better, hear what they think. It's a bit strange to get used to it, but after a while you can't imagine the show done any other way, and its what makes the show unique.

In a nutshell, it's about 2 guys who live together and are very different to each other. One dry and cynical, the other witless and niave. The contrast and the clash is what makes it entertaining to watch their misadventures and escapades.

Series 1 - 6 is available on DVD and it's worth checking out. Each season is roughly about 6 episodes of about 25 minutes each. Yes, you'd go through them quickly, and probably want to watch them in one sitting! Highly recommended.

Spotify

2009-11-06T11:45:00.000Z

Hey, life has it's ups and downs. You have to find distractions you keep you entertained...

Spotify is one of them that does keep you entertained. If you haven't heard of it yet, it's basically online audio streaming in a slick user interface. Virtually anything that's been released on CD is available there, and a handy way to access loads of music wherever you are connected to the internet. There's an iPhone app too, so it's like having access to a huge library of music wherever you have signal.

It's only available in a few countries in Europe, but hopefully will catch on in other places. It's free, and the catch is that in between tracks, you would get an advert of some sort. For buying a premium subscription, it gets rid of the adverts, but for a free service, a few ads every now and then isn't so bad.

Could this be the future of how people listen to music? Possibly. So many people illegally download music, 'giving' it to them, sponsored by adverts and generating income for the artists income is better than piracy. I'm loving it.

Today, Robbie Willams new album was released on Spotify, 3 days ahead of the commercial release. Way cool.

Shut Down

2009-10-19T21:44:00.000+01:00

I'm a graphic designer, and I work in a programme called Illustrator. It's a great programme, and you can loads of fun and create some really cool stuff. But then the programme has a nasty habit. When you get so caught up and just going with the flow, the programme just shuts down without warning. Suddenly and harshly, it just stops running. You stop in your tracks and realise that you've lost everything that you were working on, that the time you spent working in the programme and whatever you've been creating - is no more.

Well what does this mean? Does it mean you should sob your eyes out and grab a Kleenex and wallow in your self pity? Does it mean you should never use Illustrator again? Or does it mean that you have to open up Illustrator again, learn from your mistakes and handle things more responsibly next time (like always saving). Knowing where you went wrong. Learn from your experience and remember what you were trying to create, and this time do it better than before?

Well, right now, in my life, Illustrator has crashed. I have realised that I have to start again. That everything over the last couple of years is no longer. The initial reaction to starting again is undeniably daunting. But with these technical failures that we cannot simply avoid or foresee, we have a choice in the matter in how we handle things and how we proceed from then on.

I'm sure I will use Illustrator again when the time is right, though in the mean time I think I'll just power down and give the computer some time to rest.

okay here's to 2009

2009-01-02T18:40:00.003Z

It such a long time since I've posted anything on my blog. Almost forgotten how to write. Rather, write something coherently and interesting enough to keep anybody reading for more than a couple of lines. I've lost on Facebook to be honest. I've accrued a collection of thousands of photographs taken over the last 3 years with my trusty SLR, and thought it's time to share it with the world. Photography has become a bit of an obsession. I'd love to steer my career in the direction of photography an illustration, so organising my collection is a really good idea. I've developed a decent collection handy when creating any illustration, and montage. Yep that's my justification (was a guilty pleasure previously).

What does 2009 hold in store for me? That's a big question, and aside from those niggly resolutions we all have, would just like to improve the quality of my life in all aspects, one step at a time.

Today is the last day of my holidays. I'm freelancing as an Artworker/Designer, so work has been sporadic and slowed down significantly over the past month or two. On Monday I start work again for about 3 weeks at Freeway in Twickenham. A really small agency, with most freelancers / contractors, I go in every now and then to cover leave and help out on design, and whatever else needs to be done.

I sort of vegged out today and watched 4 movies, a sorta record for me. It's just darn cold outside, and as much as there's stuff to do in London, staying in for the day in a warm and cosy room sounded just fine.

First movie was Baby Mamma. Was light-hearted and entertaining, a chick flick about a woman who finds herself infertile and decides to get a surrogate mother to bear her child. It's amusing, lots of chuckles, definitely a chick flick. It has some good cameos from Sigourney Weaver and Steve Martin. It shows the need women have to procreate, the balance between work and family, the choices we make, without being anywhere close to heavy. 7/10.

Next up was Made of Honour. Stars Patrick Dempsey, its about an eternal bachelor who only realises his feelings for his lone term best friend after she decides to up and leave to get married to a stranger she meets on holiday. She asks him to become maid of honour at her wedding. Of course, he obliges, as he thinks it's the only way to make her see that he does love her. This was even more of a chick flick than the previous one, a bit predictable but light-hearted and funny. 7/10.

Next up was Where in the world is Osama Bin Laden. It's from the guy who made Supersize me - Morgan Spurlock. He's just about to have a kid and realises he wants to make the world a better place by finding Osama Bin Laden, or OBL. It takes him to Israel, Palestine, Pakistan, etc. The documentary doesn't actually find Osama (you would have heard about it by now), so if fails in that respect. But where it scores, is showing the humanity of the people behind the stuggle and the politics. At the end of the day, the people of the countries involved in the struggle in the middle east, are just normal people who want the world to be a better place to live in. Isn't that what we all want? I've been saying it all along - why can't everybody just be friends? If we all practiced forgiveness, accountability, charity, compromise the work WILL be a better place. The movie doesn't deliver loads in terms of entertainment value, but it deserves an 8/10 for the message it delivers.

Last was Forgetting Sarah Marshall. This was about a guys who gets dumped by his long term girlfriend. He then goes on holiday, and con-incidently ends up in Hawaii in the same resort as her and her new partner - played by Russell Brant. Okay by the time I watched this I was quite movied-out, so probably didn't enjoy it as much as I might have. It has amusing and funny moments, but drags on a bit. Russell Brant plays himself, and even though he is funny, he can become tedious. It's ultimately about relationships, careers, and the mistakes we make along the way. I can think of better ways to spend 2 hours, but it's watchable. 6/10.

Okay enough movies to today. Time for some reality television, with Celebrity Big Brother, and whatever else I am force-fed. Hopefully I'll have some motivation to face sub zero temperatures and actually cross the threshold of the front door. It'll be the first time this year!

Feet

2008-12-19T20:53:00.002Z

Like the tv thing

2008-12-19T20:53:00.001Z

Pretty Japanese motif

2008-12-19T20:52:00.001Z

Nice illustration

2008-12-19T20:51:00.000Z

Why do I say these things

2008-11-02T22:04:00.000Z

Apt or what???

Awesome show

2008-10-19T22:21:00.000+01:00

The show did not dissapoint. It was absolutely awesome. Here's a
picture of the set before it started. Was in support of testicular
cancer. Remember to check your balls - as Will Young told us.

Here comes the boys

2008-10-19T18:38:00.000+01:00

Waiting in line for a tv recording. Gona see wil young, tom jones,
seal, boyzone and enrique. Cool, or what?!! And tickets for free. :)

Barclays graphics

2008-10-17T19:06:00.000+01:00

Billboard graphics. Barclays signage translated into a 3D layered
concoction.

Admiral

2008-10-17T19:04:00.000+01:00

Hanging at the Admiral Duncan. A great place to hang out in london's
soho. Great music. They have a jukebox. Maybe that's why.

A Soulful Relationship

2008-10-14T08:50:00.002+01:00

This was sent to me by a friend a few months ago. It's far from cheesy or soppy, it's damn good advice:

A SOULFUL RELATIONSHIP
By Rev. Ronald McFadden

If you're not married yet, share this with a friend. If you are married, share it with your spouse or other married couples and reflect on it.

An African proverb states, "Before you get married, keep both eyes open, and after you marry, close one eye."

Before you get involved and make a commitment to someone, don't let lust, desperation, immaturity, ignorance, pressure from others or a low self-esteem, make you blind to warning signs. Keep your eyes open, and don't fool yourself that you can change someone or that what you see as faults aren't really important.

Once you decide to commit to someone, over time his or her flaws, vulnerabilities, pet peeves, and differences will become more obvious. If you love your mate and want the relationship to grow and evolve, you've got to learn to close one eye and not let every little thing bother you. You and your mate have many different expectations, emotional needs, values, dreams, weaknesses, and strengths. You are two unique individual children of God who have decided to share a life together.

Neither of you are perfect, but are you perfect for each other? Do you bring out the best in each other?

Do you compliment and compromise with each other, or do you compete, compare, and control? What do you bring to the relationship? Do you bring past relationships, past hurt, past mistrust, past pain? You can't take someone to the altar to alter him or her. You can't make someone love you or make someone stay.

If you develop self-esteem, spiritual discernment, and "a life", you won't find yourself making someone else responsible for your happiness or responsible for your pain.

Manipulation, control, jealousy, neediness, and selfishness are not the ingredients of a thriving, healthy, loving and lasting relationship! Seeking status, sex, wealth, and security are the wrong reasons to be in a relationship. What keeps a relationship strong?

Communication, intimacy, trust, a sense of humor, sharing household tasks, some getaway time without business or children and daily exchanges (a meal, shared activity, a hug, a call, a touch, a note).

Leave a nice message on the voicemail or send a nice email.

Sharing common goals and interests. Growth is important. Grow together, not away from each other, giving each other space to grow without feeling insecure. Allow your mate to have outside interest. You can't always be together. Give each other a sense of belonging and assurances of commitment. Don't try to control one another. Learn each other's family situation. Respect his or her parents regardless.

Don't put pressure on each other for material goods. Remember for richer or for poorer. If these qualities are missing, the relationship will erode as resentment, withdrawal, abuse, neglect, dishonesty, and pain replace the passion.

The difference between 'United' and 'Untied' is where you put the i.

Macbook Pro Updated

2008-10-14T08:33:00.003+01:00

Today Apple will announce refreshes to their Macbook pro lines. As the rumour mill speeds up, the following are loosely agreed:

Macbook Pro 15" Update
No 17" Macbook Pro
No Macbook Updates - though logic says they will announce them too
speeds up to 2.8GHz
improved wireless connectivity
7200 RPM hard drives
HD displays
Possibly Blu-Ray Support
128GB SSD option
user-serviceable hard drive
extra long battery
$899 product that is likely to be a 24" LED Cinema Display

The pic looks gorgeous - more in line with the current iMac design. The only things that bothers me is the glossy Display. I worked with one at LOVEFiLM, and in an office with lots of windows it can be a bit of a nightmare. Oh - and my current Macbook Pro which I purchased just a few months ago is officially an antique - and resell value has dropped more than the recent stock market crash.

Photo montage

2008-10-10T20:47:00.000+01:00

All great advertising graphics and photoshop work starts with an
odinary photograph. Its what you do with it.

New Macbooks

2008-10-10T09:49:00.003+01:00

Apple is hosting a media event on October 14th. As expected new notebooks are going to be announced. Attached is the invitation, as well as a mockup of what the new Macbooks could look like. They are rumoured to be more in line with the Macbook Air:

1. Brushed metal feel

2. Tapered edges

3. New 'brick' manufacturing process - which could mean curves and bevels where there where no bevels

4. Multi-touch and possibly multi-gesture trackpads

Other stuff we could hope for would be glass trackpads with a display

High resolution LED backlit screens on all models

The much anticipated Tablet Mac

But realistically, it would just be refreshes with price drops reflecting the need for cheaper products in the current economic climate. Still cool.

Dirty dancing

2008-10-09T16:39:00.000+01:00

Last week tadhg and me got free last minute tickets to see dirty
dancing the stage show. The movie was good yes, but it doesn't quite
translate to the stage. The scenes disjointed and sometimes cringe
worthy. Unless you're over 40, had way much to drink on a night out
with your equally drunken friends, you might enjoy it. Otherwise give
it a wide berth.

Kaiser chiefs album

2008-10-09T16:17:00.000+01:00

The new kaiser chiefs album is out soon. Love their new album artwork.
Reminds me of something. Can't quite place it...

Testing

2008-10-09T16:13:00.000+01:00

Test

At Desk

2008-09-24T09:26:00.001+01:00

Into another wifi network. Can't do much except blog. And work. Of course.

Posted with LifeCast

Day Two

2008-09-23T09:20:00.001+01:00

Okay found a loophole to use the net. If you connect to the cloud network, google maps and some apps work. Thanks for Reading my totally random and useless thoughts. I start work in ten minutes and have to do something till then!

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Energise

2008-09-23T09:17:00.001+01:00

Blueberry muffin and coffee at macdonalds. Okay not the healthiest start an macedeea nut at least you get to use the toilets for free. Tmi.

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Into London

2008-09-22T09:00:00.001+01:00

Just heading into London this morning for my forst freelance placement at forward publishing. It's a one week placement working on a megazine for tecso, a baby publication I think. It's a nice change going into central London for a change. My last placemnt was in twickenham, about half an hour from Wimbledon, where I currently reside. Freelance can vary. Usually you get paid by the hour, but this one is a flat day rate. Not fabulous, but considering I didn't have much planned for this week, it'll do nicely. Once again blogging from my iPod touch. Not as diifficult to type as I thought and the spelling correction, though not perfect is doing a great job. Just at London Waterloo taking the overground as there's severe delays on the district line. Not everybody as me thrilled to be up so early. Pollution bad as usual. Try blowing your nose at the end of a day in London and see the soot. On the bakerloo line. Warm and incomfortable as usual. In Durban the view from work was the beach at umhlanga ridge, or the leafy surrounds at westville quarry. In Leicester you would pass the cows grazing and literally smell the manure from your desk. Now I head to picadilly circus, possibly the busiest and noisest places in London. This Is supposed to be an improvement, right? At least I don't have to drive to work. :-).

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Testing

2008-09-21T20:05:00.001+01:00

Hey good people of the world. This Is my first blog entry using lifecast on my iPod touch. A bit slow to type on this so let's see how this goes hopefully the first of many.

Geolocate this post

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haha!!!!!!!

2008-09-03T09:32:00.002+01:00

I'M BAAA-AAACKKK.

break time

2008-04-09T23:07:00.004+01:00

In between all of this chaos, hanse and kenny offered their couch to crash on. yumika and her friend, mayoka (i'm sure i've got the spelling wrong). yumika over from italy - studying operatic singing of sorts, both japanese girls, and kenny and me, two south african durban homeboys (something like that). we dropped hanse off at work, who just got a promotion, and went to richmond for breakfast and a walk along the river thames.

1 year

2008-04-09T22:46:00.002+01:00

Flip, can't believe that's it's been one whole year since i posted any, well, posts. Not sure why. Just caught up in LIFE, I guess. LIFE gets in the way of things. There are always more important things than posting on blogger. Just had a really quiet trip to SA. hardly told anyone I was gonna be there, just a quick trip for my mum's 50th birthday, which was a surprise (for her). Back now a couple of weeks from balmy conditions to snow and literally freezing temperatures on day of arrival. Nice.

Anyway resigned from my full time job just about a month ago for the joys and pleasures of freelance. It's a different ballgame over here, the agencies can be good to support you, but there's so much competition, and so many talented people it can be quite tough.

A fish out of water. Gave up home, gave up car. Living temporarity in a house in Southfields, south west London, just a couple of stops away from Wimbledon. Tadhg's and my stuff stored temporarily in Wimbledon while he's in Ireland. How's it feel to be unemployed in the 2nd most expensive city in the world? Scary, that's how it feels. Just been looking for a place to stay, been trekking around London, walking what seemed like miles from tube stops looking for a place to stay. Eventually found a lovely place in Southfields, locally known as Saffafields, becos honestly, there must be more South Africans and Kiwis than British in this neck of the woods. You'd swear I'm in Musgrave.

Anyway seeing an agent tomorrow. Sink or swim, who knows.

2 days

2007-03-16T07:20:00.000Z

I'm all packed. Didn't leave the house yesterday except to by a Yebo Africa calling card. Funny how the Indian people at the shop pronounce 'Yebo'. Yeeeeebo.

Heading into central London today to get bits and pieces done.

Michael Jackson just got into London yesterday. Been checking out a forum of fans speculating where he is today. Eventually figured it's fruitless and a waste of time trying to stalk him outside his hotel with all the screaming fans. He needs his privacy too.

Had two cups of tea and it's not even 7:30. Buzzing. Should give me some fuel for the next couple of hours.

Speaking of fuel. Quite upset that my car was possibly filled with contaminated fuel. Thousands of motorists around the country had exactly the same symptoms on their cars with hundreds of pounds of repair bills. Noticed some of the symptoms, like hicupping and sluggishness. Will be glad if it's simpy my paranoia, or bad driving.

countdown has begun...

2007-03-14T06:58:00.000Z

been living in new malden which is just south of london. been living here for just about 2 and a half weeks now. though that i may have done a lot more social wise but time does indeed fly.

been mostly getting my shite organised in terms of my portfolio, cv and other legal bits and pieces. kinda done now and just chilling out mostly, eating too much junk food and watching dvd's. been through borat, the wild, taken (which is a late christmas present from nischol), and other misc stuff i've acquired.

leaving to come to durban on sunday. feeling really different from when i did same time last year. circumstances very different, to say the least. will be packing my bags tomorrow and getting myself together.

st patricks day is on saturday, so may go to richmond to a pub that supposedly had celebrations or sorts. or cheap drinks at the least.

the real world

2007-03-09T08:26:00.000Z

It's been ages since I wrote a entry into this blog. It's been a strange few months. Huge changes. A lotta living in the real world with little concern for the virtual world that is the interweb. Isn't that just the way things go? Many of my friends use the web as an outlet. Got me thinking. Plus I also got a lot of flack from people in my real world for living too much in the virtual world. Yeah it's an outlet, an easy cost effective way to stay in touch, make friends and connect with the world. Social networking. But there's also another side of it. People use it as a mask. Like being at a masquerade ball. You always have that veil of self protection. That layer, that boundry that gives you the freedoom to do what you want and behave how you want to with slightly lowered inhibitions. Blogs, unless they are done anonymously, rarely give insight into the real person, though they may be symptoms of and insightful into the workings of the inner mind. Blogs can be superficial and fun. And they should be, but at the end of the day it allows us to quench our thirst for the basic human needs to connect, to share, to belong. Wether it works for you is a matter of outlook and what's important to you at this point in your life.

I don't intend to give up my blog. I still would like to share what's happenning in my life, my journey, my experience both in words and in pictures with whom ever comes accross my blog and my flickr site, but I'm making a resolution to live in the real world a little bit more.

second day the gym

2006-12-19T11:08:00.000Z

yay! the last time i od'd on protein shake and creatine, so didn't sleep well. used the sauna so skin broke out and not quite recovered yet...

for every up there is a down. came home late and ate my food that i bought from the 'reduced to clear' section at tescos. really good stuff that's reduced cos it's reached it's display by date. cheap and great.

probably won't sleep well tonight.

need to get my visa stuff sorted, loads of paperwork to get together for my application in january not to mention loads of cash to hand over in the process...

flip it's 11:15pm...eek.

All I want for Xmas...

2006-12-18T08:56:00.000Z

...is a NEW LIVER.

This past Friday was out company xmas party. Was fun. Got to see sides of people that you would never see during the constraints of a normal working environment. It was a bit all over the place though. It was hald at Whittlebury Hall, which is supposedly very posh. Diana used to stay there years ago. It wasn't free though, we had to pay for the room ourselves, though the rest of it was free.

Bcos there was a couple of other functions going on, and many function and lounge areas, as well as a couple of bars, people wandered and there was not much sense of togetherness.

I eventually ended up with the Roxio Toast UK team. Was fun cos I had a go at them for all the bugs and stuff what toast still can't do, but cheap free hacks off the internet can do.

Drove back home to Northampton the next day with a massive hangover...

visa museums and organic beer

2006-12-18T08:27:00.000Z

this sunday i went to london for 24 hours and a bit. just got back this evening 8pm ish.

f1rst stop was to get to motspur park, south of london to see my friends tadhg and nat. they just got from prague (lucky bastards). they had a piss up these past 3 days that they were away cos stuff is just so cheap there. the architecture brilliant, and they described it as a most romantic city. the people, though, are rude and ugly. scored 2 t-shirts, a mug and a teddy bear which was won on a raffle on easyjet airlines. ;)

watched a re-run of x-faxtor. leona! leona! leona!

Today made an early start. got up at 6am to take the early train into london central.

1) stopped to have coffee at cafe nero with tadhg before he started work.

2) museum of london. damn these british people are so full of themselves, and brag about themselves and their so-called illustrious past. walked around uninterested, though took some nice pics, mainly in the 'refugees' section.

3) went to see a south african law firm who have a department specializing in work permits. getting documentation together, and will submit application in january. a really standard, buit long and drawn out procedure.

4) visited harrods. went to see where the digital signage that i'm creating (that still has the potential not to happen) might appear. harrods sells animal fur illegally, and there were protestors outside. i told the lady that i would go in and not buy out of principle. besides the stuff is overrated and overpriced...

5) met akhil for the last time before he moves to paris in a couple of weeks. met at this funky, albeit very dark underground bar where i had just two organic beers whcih got me very drunk.

6) perused the sex shops in soho for a particular item that i can possibly mention...ahem...moving on...

7) ate a falafel salad meal in soho before catching the train back to northampton. watched a bit of 'failure to launch' on the train, before falling off to sleep listening to this superbly soothing classical CD on the pod...

8) came home to see ollie put up a christmas tree, for which the lights don't work

almost 9pm. gonna retire early (in theory). nite.

strange sky formation

2006-12-14T10:51:00.000Z

this is the view from my apartment. we've been having strange weather, moderate and frequent rainfall, icy cold wind and a tornado last week. Oliver (landlord) took a pic from our apartment that was featured on BBC news...

This pic was taken by me last night. had a strange linear cloud formation that stretched miles and miles... that tower you see is northamptons claim to fame - it's a lift tower which was used to test, well, lifts years ago. it still exists as a landmark. currently decorated with a small crimbo tree...

First day of gym

2006-12-14T09:23:00.000Z

Yay! Half and hour of cardio, a full body workout, a quick dip in the pool, then a visit to the sauna. 9pm, and i still need to eat. don't quite a mens health cover body (yet). hmmm...

Rabbit out the hat

2006-12-06T07:51:00.000Z

yeah! About literally 50 design variations later, client is happy and all is well...

on to the next challenge...

so much better after that can of fosters

2006-12-05T07:59:00.000Z

you can create motion graphics for check out desks at heathrow airport, create work stands inside harrods, but it's odd how a simple layout that involves a picture and a flat colour can f**k with your confidence. this was one of those days.

as creative people, do we need days off where our cretivity is not flowing like we would like. motzart did not have a crazy hetic deadlines coming out of his ears, michaelangelo took years to create the sistine chapel, pop artists take months to create an album, and we are expected to in the space of a few hours, conceptualize, copy write, and execute an idea with 5 different options. technology does not make our lives easier, it makes our clients expectations higher. i wish i was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair.

think i'm gonna be an alcoholic, or turn to hard narcotics. just had a can of fosters, and it's not quite saying hello, though making the evening so go much faster...

making many typos as a write this, in between occasional spoonfuls of my organic chunky veggie soup, that makes up three portions of my recommended fruit and veg for the day, and bites of my granary bread with too much of unsalted butter.

gonna get to bed fairly early so i can be alert and creative for cracking the creative juices...gonna curl up under my double duvets while the icy wind blows outside. it was about 12 degrees this morning and pelting with rain. i look at pics of the durban coastline and wonder why i'm in this little hellhole called northampton. that's why escapes to london almost every weekend make this journey bearable. a binge-drink once a week never killed anyone.

damn i need to clean the bathroom...

ipod is calling me. just got the latest 5th generation video ipod, and loaded all my tv shows, music videos and movies onto it. currently making my way through the first season of lost. makes all the commuting i do go so much faster, can watch about 3 episodes of lost on one commute.

but tv shows demand so much commitment. i need to watch through many hours of lost and from peeps who are onto the third season, some questions have been answered, but many still remain. do have the patience? a movie is so much more non-commital. over in less than two hours with no commitments. reminds me of some of my best relationships. did i just write that? must be the fosters talking.

ollie my landlord is working from lunch till 11pm, so it may be a week until i see him again. kinda like having my own place...

got loads of pics to upload to my flickr site. paid a years membership only upload every now and then, though i have unlimited storage space, albeit a 2gig monthly upload limit. if only my broadband was fast enough. got the free option with one of the phone rental companies, so during peak hours it's super slow, like pouring a banana smoothie down a polar bear's back in the middle of winter.

tomorrow is a new day. wish me luck...

confessions on a kitchen floor

2006-11-30T07:40:00.000Z

Yes I may burn in hell. I have been slowly weaning myself off a pure veg diet. Yes I feel sorry for the little buggers, but been tempted by gastronomic experimentation, and been having fish as well as chicken in moderation. Trying to buy organic, though it's significantly more expensive.

The vegan freaks will have my head for this...

Happy Tree Friends

2006-11-30T07:32:00.000Z

Definitely the coolest animated shorts ever! A cross between the Smurfs and Itchy and Scratchy. Can be a bit macarbe (spelling) and definitely not suitable for children. Visit the Happy Tree Friends website, though they best are downloaded for FREE through iTunes.

starving

2006-11-08T06:49:00.000Z

That's all. Can't be bothered to type anything else. Can't be bothered to drag myself to join the gym. It's a realtively warm 13 degrees celcius and I don't wanna leave the house.

Will try and get free tickets for the World Music Awards next week in London, but that means taking time off from work, and more expense...gonna install software on my machine, watch some DVD's maybe Wallace and Grommit 3 cracking adventures / Rumour has it / emmmm

I'm starving. Having pumpkin ravioli with sage infused oil and parmesan, instant of course. Not helping with that illusive 6 pack.

Cold, miserable, edgy, hungry, surprised I typed that much out. x

Lily Allen

2006-11-02T07:43:00.000Z

Just picked up the New Lily Allen CD from the library, from what I've heard already, the album rocks. Don't know about her though, she had the potential to be a real diva and already exudes bitchiness.

Also listening to recently is Pink 'I'm not Dead', Will Youngs 'Keep On', the Guilmots, Justin Timberlake and James Morrison - all worthy of having a listen.

4 f**king degrees

2006-11-02T07:37:00.000Z

when i got home this evening...

5 degrees on my way to work and it's not even the dead of winter yet...

so what's been happenning???

2006-11-01T08:23:00.000Z

hey people

Friday - was pretty mellow. Stayed in and got my stuff together for my London weekend with Tadhg, his roomate, and his nieces. I took random pics to document my boredom, extracted my DVD's to add to Front Row on my Mac Mini, and was gonna go out to see Graeme DJ'ing at a pub just around the corner from me. But Northampton being as crap as it is, not one single person showed up, so I ended up staying in and converting my video clips to 3G format so I can watch them on my mobile phone (can you tell that I'm a Geek?) Ollie was around too. He's just installed the hallway lights which makes the place look really big and gives the feel of a hotel room lobby (well in relation to what is was like before it does). These books are the ones nes to my bed that change every week, but I rarely ever read them. Nice thought though.

Saturday - made an earlyish start to go to London. Met Tadhg and his nieces in Soho square, did some retail therapy and visited The British Musuem. Had an Organic fruit juice, a multivitamin, and my first coffee in 3 months all at once. So I ended up running around the museum on a high. Eventually tadgh went out for a cigarette while I let my evergy burn out. Lots cool stuff. The Rosetta Stone was a highlight. Learned about it in Art class, in History of Graphic Design, and couldn;t remember much about it, but was cool being there.

Then went drinking (as the Irish do best) - first in Soho, then in Richmond, a small very posh suburb south of London. Was drinking for 11 hours. The Irish have a stereotype of being big drinkers, and they did not dissapoint. Was fun overall.

Sunday was spent recovering. Due to 'planned (f**king) engineering works', trains in some places were non operational, so it took 4 hours to get home.

This week at work, I was working on a pitch for Harrods in-store digital signage, while my check-in animations for BMI Airlines went live at Heathrow Airport. Cool!

Regents Park

2006-10-17T08:11:00.000+01:00

Wandered around London on Saturday. Regents Park is great. A little piece of Heaven in the madness that is London.

Diwali in London

2006-10-17T08:05:00.000+01:00

Never so many Indians at one time in London... popped in to the celebrations in Trafalgar Square on my way home to Northampton. Just stayed for a bit to take in the spectacle of it all, and get some free Diwali sweetmeats.

Check out the pics!!!

Hips Don't Lie Parody

2006-10-17T07:58:00.000+01:00

Last time I checked on Google, this video has been checked out over 11 million times! There's gotta be some money in there...

Madonna - Jump

2006-10-17T07:55:00.000+01:00

hey check out Madge's new video. Great elements and concept, but can't help but feel there's something missing... still a great song anyway...one of the better tracks on Confessions - also unfortunately the last single.

Free Music

2006-10-12T06:45:00.000+01:00

I am totally against piracy. We need to support the music industry, and ensure the artists can afford the latest mercedes, the nanny, the chef and the personal trainer.

But I just so happen to stumble accross these links...

Right click, (option click on the mac), and save link to disk...

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

Scissor Sisters - I don't feel like dancing - camp dance track

Justin Timberlake - Sexy back

Justin Timberlake - My love (Live)

Cascada - Every time we touch - kinda cheesy but doing it's rounds in the clubs

Paris Hilton - Stars are blind - she tries

Lily Allen - Smile - bad quality

My first blog entry frm a mobile phone

2006-08-01T21:35:00.000+01:00

Testing

last madonna entry, promise

2006-08-01T12:13:00.000+01:00

Madonna in Cardiff
Originally uploaded by moaksey.

check out these pics of the gig. i also was under impression that no cameras were permitted, darnit!

Madonna - the stadium

2006-08-01T11:02:00.000+01:00

okay here's sum pics of the stadium itself, taken by some lucky buggers in the front.

I'm in (third?) pic - near the pointing hand, a bit further along closer to the stage on the top level. To be that far away from the stage I paid just over R800. The guys in the front paid up to R5000. I met this guy who claimed to be the biggest madonna fan ever. He actually re-mortgaged his house to be at every Madonna concert she's done.

I like her, but not that much...

Madonna - Music Inferno

2006-07-31T18:45:00.000+01:00

Madonna - Music Inferno
Originally uploaded by machu picchu.

These pics taken some time ago, but the show is exactly the same as the one I saw in Cardiff. Check out the rest of them...

A couple more madonna pics

2006-07-31T18:39:00.000+01:00

Madonna.jpg
Originally uploaded by TabascoKid.

Here they are! She soooooo rocks!

Madonna I was there!

2006-07-31T18:37:00.000+01:00

P7300142
Originally uploaded by jakkalina.

Hey this is the Madonna gig that I went to in cardiff on the weekend. Bought my ticket at the last minute online, and drove down. Organised a place to stay on www.couchsurfing.com a really good site where you can hook up with people with a spare room or a couch, and stay for free.

They clearly said no cameras so I didn't take mine in. There were over 60 thousand people, and they DIDN'T search bags, so I could have taken it in! Anyway I bought a camera phone and took some video clips - which looks crappy. ( I made a friend who had a camera and he said he would mail the pics.

But I did have bad seats which were right in the back (seated). The stadium was massive and it looked really breathtaking seeing that many people in one place. The mexican waves that they did was fun with that many people. So I moved further down as closer to the stage that I could get. I moved almost 8 times until I found seats that weren't allocated. Madonna still looked for a stick figure in the distance but it was still better than a lot 40 thousand people behind me! The overall impression of the concert was really amazing. It was pure theatre in a way, with each song preceded by an act / dancer / speaker / video etc. The songs themselves were updated. The older songs were given a very contemporary remixed feel with destroying the essence of the song, while the newer songs were given a retro remix vibe about them, so everything felt really fresh, though familiar. She made amazing use of the videos especially. It was a true multimedia experience. The sound was great and the bass even up where I was sitting was really good. One of the best songs was Music - the did a whole staying alive / disco inferno / 70's remix of it with rollerblades etc. The songs were mostly seamlessly mixed into one another so the pace was quick. One of the most entertaining moments was when they did this remix of sorry on video but it had political commentary and images of george bush and tony blair etc. really well done.

It was very strongly promoting the new album. She played virtually the whole album, and noticly lacking were some big big songs. She didn't play Holiday, Vogue, Don't tell me, Take a Bow, Frozen etc. It's made for the people who saw her last tour. The last tour and this sit well together and a progression from there. She doesn't play the same stuff from one tour to the next, and great it you've seen here before, but it's not a greatest hits tour and not gonna give you the full spectrum of Madonna's career. But for what it was, and what was played, deserves 10/10.

Now the hype is over and back to work. The concert finished at 11 last night, and I drove back almost straight therafter. Got home at about 4am this morning, so feeling really out of it. Also bored and wondering what next to entertain myself with...

flowers

2006-07-31T18:33:00.000+01:00

flowers
Originally uploaded by gillstrawberry.

just checking if this works. This photo was taken by a south african also on a working holiday...

Wuzzup????

2006-07-26T18:20:00.000+01:00

hey blog visitors (all 5 of you)

Due to Carmen's persistence, I realise that there are people who actually check out my blog... ;) Even though it's only 5 of you.

Okay here's a quick summary of what's been happenning, or what is going to happen in the coming weeks....

My life is about to change - again. I've been applying for jobs for some time. the account I work is is not exatly my cup of tea. It's George at ASDA, which is the house clothing brand of ASDA, on the country's supermarket. Pretty mundane, and was feeling quite frustrated and needed a creative outlet....

So I got a new job! At last. The company is called Outlook, and specialise in video editing, motion graphics and 3D animation. I think my work, though not highly highly impressive on the SPAR account at TBWA Durban helped me to clock up points, as well as having a primarily a design background. They say, and I agree, that it's easier to learn the software, than a software geek to learn design. They totally understand where I am coming from, that I'm not a pro on their software, and some like Lightwave 3D, I have never used before. PLUS THEY USE PC'S!!!!! AAARGH!

So just about 2 weeks ago I resigned where I am working at the moment (which I was stressing about to no end). My experience here at Checkland Kindleysides was pretty good. It's a good place to have on my CV, as they are the 4th biggest agency in the UK. I have learnt loads in terms of the way they operate from a creative point of view, as well as the organisation as a whole. Man are they slick!

Anyway the place I am going to is Northampton, which is an hours drive from me (an hour closer to London), so I will be relocating. Again. Once again the scenery / friends / way of life will change.

The cool thing is that this time I will be living way central, not in the country passing cows and horses on the way to work. BACK IN CIVILISATION!!!! So central it's like 5mins walk to the main shopping centres, gyms, movie theatres, train stations, bars etc. But there's a catch. My room is half the size of mine currently. The rent is almost half the price, so that's okay. So ths sunday I was streamling my belongings making sure that everything I own in this country fits in my car in one go. THAT WAS HARD!

3 weeks to go, so my life is busy filled with rounding things up here...

Otherwise I have been socialising with friends here and there in London, Northampton, and Leicester.

Contemplating going to the MADONNA concert this Sunday. It's in Cardiff, which is 3.5 hours drive away, and cost a heft ticket price, for seats that aren't necessary very good. Thinking that I won't necessarily be in the country next year and the chances of her playing in Durban is very slim, so might be a bit mad...will see how it goes...

Okay that's all for me for now....

Eurovision 2006 - The party

2006-06-08T20:58:00.000+01:00

Party was a blast - from what I can remember. Night included great food and loads of alcohol. Everybody was in the spirit, watched the event with scorecards, had a laugh, then went into town to boogie further.

The winning country was Finland who won with their song 'Hard Rock Hallejula'. Looked like Klingons from Star Trek. The kitsch and the kamp win votes. It's all just for fun!

My last recollection of the evening was about 11pm. Most things after that come to me in flashbacks. We danced in a choreographed syncronised fashion to Whigfield's 'Saturday Night' at a bar in Leicester, then progressed to a club where I am told I was loads of fun, couldn't stay off the stage etc etc etc. No memory whatsoever. I'm still recovering from bruised ribs sustained that evening - I can remember how that happenned, but would rather not say.

Eurovision 2006

2006-05-18T13:09:00.000+01:00

This Saturday I am attending a Eurovision Song Contest Party. The Eurovision thing is a song contest, in which every country in Europe gets to enter a song, the public votes, there is a winner. Ta daa!

It's got a huge following here, and a friend of mine is hosting a party for him and his mates. Not knowing much about the contest previously, expect that Abba won it once upon a time with 'Waterloo', I'm not sure what to expect.

The UK song, 'our song', is an 'Eminem wannabe' rapper, a white guy in his forties. The song is cheesy as hell, but the cheesier and catchier the better.

If you like to know more, you can visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/eurovision/2006/index.shtml to find out more.

The plan is to watch the event - televised live on TV with scorecards etc., eat some great food, get totally sloshed, then go into town to a club for an afterparty. Altogether sounds like fun. Of course next week there will be pictures to tell the story....

One year

2006-05-15T22:56:00.000+01:00

It's been exactly one year since I left South Africa to come here to the UK. One year and 12 hours to be precise. It was the first time that I was actualy leaving the borders of South Africa, and on an international flight. Everything was a novelty, and new experience. I left so much behind, a decent job, great family and friends and a great country on a leap of faith - to experience life elsewhere - if only for a short time. Life was getting a little mundane, and needed a bit of a kick, and that's definitely what I got - mostly in a good way.

The furthest that I had travelled from home was Sun City. Traveling across the african continent. The sun was rising the next morning as we crossed the English Channel. It was amazing seeing the african continent left literally behind, and soon after new land - The UK. Felt kinda symbolic - as cheesy as it sounds. I was like a kid in candy store. Everything felt new, after the 'trauma' of Heathrow, of course. I noticed everything - the trees, the signs, the air, the humidity, or lack of, the cars, the people, clothes. For a while I felt like I was on another planet. It was a whole new world waiting to be discovered, and conquered.

As most of you who read my blog entries know that my journey has not always been an easy one, but highly fulfilling. Certainly not everything has gone smoothly, but in retrospect (and only in retrospect) I would not change a thing. There were valuable life lessons in every situation I found myself in, in every person I met. It's hard to see when you are in the midst of it, but in retrospect you see things with clarity, and the the profound significance it has had on your life, the way it has shaped your character, the way it has moulded your outlook and changed your destiny.

One year later I return to familiarity, routine. I have a job, a car, a place to live. I knew exactly where I was going, what I was going to do. A day after I returned to the UK, I went back to work, to a mountain of deadlines - to my 9 to 5 (ish) routine. Familiarity and routine can be good too. Just less than a year ago before I had found work and was living, or should have been living care-free, I was yearning for this type of set-up. Now I appreciate my circumstances then, and know that life had a plan for me, that all would work out eventually. Kinda taught me that every moment should be savoured. We should stop to take the time and appreciate everything that we have been lucky enough to have right now in our lives. We are exactly, at any given point in time, where we need to be - and we must make the best of our circumstances.

Where to from here???? Who knows. I just intend right now to do and see as much as I can. Who knows if I'll be coming home in exactly 12 months time, stay a bit longer, or come home much sooner for that matter? Nothing is for certain. It's exciting, and actually quite scary as I sit writing this. Scary to know that your future, your destiny, is shaped by every decision you make!!!

I guess the only thing we can do is strap onto the roller-coaster ride that is life and hope for the best. I feel the adrenaline already, no jokes. I'll probably not sleep tonight!

Yeeeee-haaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

South Africa here we come!!!!!!!!!

2006-04-11T12:51:00.000+01:00

All packed, just 4 days till I touch down on South African soil!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!! All packed and organised already. But I've gotten so used to going to stay here and there, that packing is pretty easy for me.

Two weeks off from work, now that's cool. Easter break, hot (maybe that's not the best part), friends, family fun!!!

Developed literally about 300 pics of my travels etc. Just can't wait right now.

Sister just emailed me this morning asking what time I arrive. They apparently 'have plans'. Timing, they say, is crucial. They need time to get drunk and embarass me at the airport!!! Here's a pic of us, well a few of us at Gold Reef City, Johannesburg, South Africa middle of 2004. If you know them and can't recognise them it's from left, me, Terry, Charissa, Shan, Nikki, Kaamila, Melvin, Sheryl, and unidentified man number one.

Oh and another member of the crazy family.

hello from birmingham

2006-04-03T13:44:00.000+01:00

Just popped into Brimingham for the day. At the Bullring shopping centre, one of the biggest in Europe, so I'm told that Checkland Kindleysides - actually designed!!! Checkland is the company where I work, btw.

At the Apple Store at the moment. Feels like home.

Introducing Brighton

2006-03-17T23:25:00.000Z

In 2005 for the first time I visited Brighton. One of my favourite places in the UK so far. It's down South - a seaside city a lot like Durban. The landscape and vegetation is hilly and soooo much KwaZulu-Natal. I have so many pics that I will probably make a few posts on the place cos it's so great. But here's a couple of pics to start.

One of the big attractions in Brighton is the pier. I'm pictured there at the entrance very sunburnt. It's a huge structure, with shops, restaurants, amusement arcades - which turns into an ice-rink during the winter, a theatre as well as a amusement rides including rollercoaster type rides.

That's me from the end of the pier - sun too bright - and you can see how far the coast is behind me. It was the first - and last time I tried jellied eels. (!!!) It's cold, and once you get past the tasteless gelatine and the texture of it melts away in your mouth, you are left with the actual eels, which tastes kinda like lightly salted pilchards. Spine included. Thank heavens I'm now a vegetarian.

Gallery - Miniatures

2006-03-17T23:00:00.000Z

Sometime late 2005 I visited the Motor Heritage museum. There were these miniatures of cars and vehicles in general that appeared in movies or in cartoons etc. Everything from Starsky and Hutch to Noddy.

Excited about HOME

2006-03-14T22:21:00.000Z

Really excited about coming home!!!!!!!! Sooooooo looking foward to seeing everybody and spending time. Still need to buy train tickets, return flight (!), travel insurance, currency, etc etc, but soooo excited. that's all. ;)

Tate Modern / St. Pauls / Wooden man thing

2006-03-12T13:51:00.000Z

Picked up this guy at the Tate Modern Bookshop. Um, no not a realy guy, but this wooden sculpture man thing. Friend Noodle (the most talented graphic designer next to me lol) had one on her desk, and I just had to have one too! The one in the middle with the ribbon is the one I took home. Took some pics in the museum, until I was told by staff that photograhy wasn't allowed!

One pic is a sculpture of these life-size human figures.

The other is a view from a chill-out room, which overlooks the Thames. That's the Millenium Bridge that leads from the Tate to the side where one finds St Paul's Cathredal. It's the 2nd largest 'unsupported dome' in the world. Really amazing and grand in person. Isn't that the point - to make these places of worship larger than life - to feel dwarfed and inferiour (spelling?) in front of - almost a display of God's grandeur?

Magician guy

2006-03-12T13:35:00.000Z

When in London, there was this magician guy doing street magic. Similar to David Blane. Though not as freaky and sinister, ths guy was for real. Can't remember his name. He's a local lad from some rough urban ghetto. He said he was self taught. I had to see for myself, so managed to get right to the front and was literally 15cm away from this particular trick - got real low and put my eyes right near it, so could know for sure.

He took a 2 pound coin and without any effort actually pushed a cigarette through it! The coin in about 3cm wide, and about 4mm thick. The cigarette glided effortlessly through it, as if it wasn't there. Made no sound, no force, just passed through it. Was really amazing and convincing, no smoke or mirrors.

There was there with an MTV camera crew, and was filming for a show to appear on pretty soon. So might be my second appearance. Also did a card trick which Liana (pictured) participated. No doubt this guy is genuine. Look out for it!

My Top 10

2006-03-09T20:24:00.000Z

At work we have this jukebox system. We get 10 credits a day and can choose from an extensive selection of music, which is then played on a sound system that is linked to the entire company. As I select songs, my songs are added to my 'favourites' with the most played on top and least played at the bottom (duh).

Anyway here's my 10 most played songs as of last week (covering the last 5 months):

1 Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day
2 Lonely No More - Rob Thomas
3 I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues - Elton John
4 One Step Too Far - Faithless
5 Doo Wop (That Thing) - Lauryn Hill
6 Lately - Skunk Anansie
7 Come Undone - Duran Duran
8 Something Beautiful - Robbie Williams
9 Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson
10 Secretly - Skunk Anansie

What is implies about my state of mind - you figure out. And note no Michael Jackson!

what a difference a day makes

2006-03-09T19:48:00.000Z

Okay maybe I can stick it out. I've chatted to a couple of close friends / advice chat buddies and I do feel better about being here. It's a rollercoaster with any emotion / mood fluctuation - one day is different from the next and you rationalise things differently.

Today being here isn't that bad. I guess I've come a long way. I remember being on the fields of Newmarket Racecourse with 2 miles of grass before me. My job was, together with about 6 others, walk that 2 miles and knock the grass in where the horses had tread. The finish line was out of sight and I thought that this what hell must be like. Just a couple of months before that I was designing opening videos and annual reports for SPAR SA and liasing with the MD of the company. Then I'd think to myself - how the f**k did this happen???

Many months later the situation has changed radically and I have a lot to be thankful for. I come home in 5 weeks around easter. Just for two weeks. I have not yet bought my return ticket, so who knows how I'll feel tomorrow...

Homesick

2006-03-08T13:05:00.000Z

Just thought I'd share a piece of my mind. Feeling terribly homesick recently. Been having strange dreams that lead me to Durban - the promised land. Been for job interviews (god I hope no-one from work is gonna read this), and questions like: Do you want to be here in this country on a long term basis? We need to invest in somebody'. Em, of course.

The reality is that I miss home. I have so many great people who would add so much to one's life by spending time with and having fun with - in Durban, that's it's a really inviting thought to come home. Of course I've had a great journey and adventure here, but wondering if it's time to throw in the towel???

It won't get warmer for another couple of months or so. A warm day right now would be about 6 degrees.

Still so much that I want to do and see. When I had all the time in the world - no money. And now that I have money - no time. Aint that the irony of life??!!!

I guess the next couple of months are crucial to making that decision.

Madonna 'Sorry' advert

2006-03-08T12:58:00.000Z

Thanks Noodle!

iPod Hifi

2006-03-08T12:51:00.000Z

Just released from Apple. Innovative as usual. Well maybe someone's done it before, and they're more high profile. But still cool...

Read more at www.apple.com

Healer

2006-03-07T13:31:00.000Z

Don't think I mentioned previously that I am a healer. Besides my kick-ass skills at a shoulder massage, I'm also a Reiki level 2 Healer, as well as a Reconnective Healer. Did this course in London last year (don't ask me how much I spent on it), and now, apparently, can heal people. Strange thing about healing is all one can to for the process of healing is to channel it. The energy is intelligent and will go where it's needed. So nobody can perform miracles.

Can do distant healings, so if you send a request, will try it on you - at no cost. Come on - need some gineau pigs!

Is this you?

2006-03-07T13:27:00.000Z

Sent to me by Emil. So true he says. I can't help but agree.

Quick Reads

2006-03-07T13:24:00.000Z

Taken from the Virgin Trains UK website to promote their quicker train journeys.

Pronounced Keen-wa

2006-03-06T20:46:00.000Z

Quinoa.

This 'new' food that's actually been around since the Aztecs. It was revered by them as a sacred seed. Yes it's a seed, not a grain - maybe a sprout of sorts. High in protein - a complete protein. Usually you hae to eat 2 types of protein for your body to correctly metabolise it. Here you can eat just this.

Dead easy to prepare and you can have it savoury as a replacement for rice or pasta, or sweet as a breakfast food. Anyway I still can't cook, but I can make this! When it's cooks, the seed separates to reveal a sprout inside. It's light and fluffy with a slightly crunchy texture. Mmmmmmmm.

Gorse Hill City Farm

2006-03-06T20:37:00.000Z

Wandered over this Sunday to have a quick bite at their cafe and with camera in hand snapped a couple of animals.

A patch or two of stress

2006-03-02T12:57:00.000Z

Remember when I arrived here without a job etc, I was sooooooo stressed about the whole thing that I developed these alopecia stress patches on both sides of my head. I use to hide it by growing it a bit longer so that it would cover it, but recently decided on simply shaving the head to to the skin (almost) on both sides.

Trust me it's bad. It's like 10cm on one side and maybe a bit smaller on the other. So it means a weekly (at least) trip to the hairdresser. Would do it myself but don't have eyes there. Gonna take months (aarrgh) to grow back.

So here's the new look me. Technically I qualify as a skinhead.

The grave of Michael Jackson

2006-02-25T23:57:00.000Z

Digging in the archive and discovered this pic taken around July 2005. Was visiting this church in Norfolk which is on the east coast of the UK, and in the churchyard I stumbled upon the grave of a Michael Jackson. Yes I know there are many MJ's in the world, but was amusing at the time. ;)

Gallery - Random Objects

2006-02-25T23:40:00.000Z

My obsessive need to snap away - even in other people's homes! Here at a friend's apartment in London a withering rose and a metal bull sculpture.

Nischol's Wedding Reception

2006-02-25T23:21:00.000Z

The reception was held in this really great restaurant. It was very tasteful and just plain pretty with roses, champagne etc. It was a la carte. Can't remember what people ate, but mine is the one with the sunglasses in the background. It a veg burger of sorts. Yes I know it's not wedding food, but one of the few veg things they had. Thankyou Nischol and Leana for a great day.

Nischol and Leana

2006-02-25T22:58:00.000Z

Late 2005 my cousin Nischol and Leana tied the knot. As Leana is from Estonia and Nischol from South Africa, I was the only family member present! So I together with Nischol's employer served as witnesses. The day was also shared with a few close friends and associates. It was a beautiful ceremony in the city of Cambridge and after we went to this really great Italian (I think) restaurant for the reception. They're born on the same day of the same year and are made for each other in so many ways. Here's a couple of pics.

Masala Zone

2006-02-25T22:45:00.000Z

Remember how I said a few months ago how i missed curry. Well that's over! In Leicester where I currently live, they have a huge Indian population and curry in abundance. But when I went to London to see Mariah, we went to this really great curry place called Masala Zone. It's rated as one of the top 10 cheap eats in London (great food without breaking the bank).

The food was some of the best vegetaria food that I have eaten. Okay nothing beats 'prayer food', but this gives it a good run for it's money. Quite a tasteful setting with kinda like chalk drawings on a rough plastered effect wall. Huge 'containers' - can't find the word with fresh flowers etc. Highly impressive.

Gallery - Starbucks and Eat

2006-02-25T22:28:00.000Z

Hi there. Some of you have complimented my photography. I get a kick out of it cos I love photography so much. Since I bought the camera kinda addicted to taking pics. Just can't seem to put it down. I like getting really close to a subject and capture the essence of it. Maybe it's beacuse I've art directed photo shoots for SPAR photography and inanimate objects that I still love arranging random found objects a bit wherever I find them and taking a snap or two.

Anyway here's a couple of pics taken while eating out.
One is at at Starbucks. It was a cold winter morning in Cambridge and a warm coffee with a couple of ginger biscuits was very inviting.

The next is at a place called EAT. I think it was a brie and cranberry melt or something like that. Mmmmmm.....

me and mariah

2006-02-16T20:21:00.000Z

Hey welcome back!!! I know some of you have been asking whay I haven't updated my blog in such a long time. I didn't intend to start this out as an online diary as such. That would be x-rated and would need to be by invitation only. Instead it's the light version of 'Kamlan's travels' or something along those lines.

Remember a while ago you might have got an email about me and Mariah. Well it was me, mariah and about 150 other people. A friend, coousin and me found ourselves in London on a Saturday, with the intention of just chilling out and maybe a bit of sightseeing. We heard that Mariah was making a appearance to sign CD's or something at the London branch of HMV - His Majesty's Voice - which is kinda the equivalent of Look and Listen - only bigger. If you bought her CD - The Emancipation of Mimi - you would get a pass to see here the next day. They were giving it out for a couple of days ago - so it must be gone - we thought. To our surprise, us three managed to get the last three passes! Fate - we thought.

We had to line up outside th back entrance of the store the next day. It was a great atmosphere, with people chanting and singing. MTV was there and my cousin Nischol sang along. he's the biggest fan ever.

We were ushered into the store and lined up to meet her. It was a really great time, chatting to all the fans. her videos were playing on the big screen and album playing on repeat. It was simply an attempt to gain further sales and interest in her album by releasing it with a couple of extra tracks. 'It's all about the fans' she says - but it's actually about the money. We were having a good time and didn't care.

After much anticipation - she arrived. She walked in from the opposite end of the store. As she approached, a moment of madness overcame me. We were separated by long lines of CD racks, so we, the fans were in one aisle, and she walking down the other. As she approached, I decided spontaneously to climb over the CD rack -which was about 1.5m off the ground and take a picture. I snapped continuously. when she appoached me, I put out my hand and she came to me and touched my fingers. She kinda rubbed the ends of them, as if to say - 'yes, I'm touching you'. It was very surreal.

Then reality grabbed a hold of me, and I thought - what the hell am I doing getting all excited about this woman. She has a great voice, but she's only human. So when I went to her to sign the CD, I kinda told her in a very calm voice something along the lines of: 'it's a pleasure to meet you. I wish you al the best in future'.

It was funny cos she was looking at me expecting me to be that crazy fan that jumped out at the in the aisle. She was very natural and humble. Her 'people' on the other hand were fussing about her, and she didn;t care'. When she signed my CD she was looking at me expecting me to tell her my name so that she could sign it, and for me to tell her how much I loved her. I just kinda shook my head as if to say: 'no thanks, can you just the sign the CD. I've been waiting 4 hours and now I need to go pee'

Ag shame...was fun though. ;)

Baked beans are heavy on Uranus

2005-12-11T11:53:00.000Z

A short while ago I visited the National Space Centre. For some reason, it's located in Leicester.

Pretty fascinating. One of the highlights was this movie you could attend. The movie screen is dome-shaped, so you kinda sit in the screen, and it creates an sense of being immersed in the movie. Took a 20 minute journey to end end of the universe and back again. My friend Alex was almost nautious from the experience - how do you spell nor-shis??? Or nausious, or something.

There was this installation that illustrated how heavy beans were on different planets. Trust me, it's heavy on Uranus.

There were actual space shuttles and other space thingies, as well as a Dr Who exhibition. The coffee wasn't too bad either.

Brrr

2005-12-07T22:26:00.000Z

Did mention that it's really cold here. Check out these frozen spiderwebs. Looked pretty cool.

Oh and look at the snow on my car. Ironic that the only day I didn't carry my camera with me I see snow for the first time! Was quite magical seeing these light flakes of ice float to the ground. Then the novelty wears off and you long for some warmth again.

Even if it's not snowing, your car frosts over and have to wait for it to, quite literally, defrost before you leave for work. Mad...

Leicester on a Saturday

2005-11-21T22:23:00.000Z

Just some snaps on a visit to the city of Leicester on a Saturday. Was bitterly cold - hence the frost all over the grass - looks like it was snowing! Took the bus, as traffic can be really bad. The pics show randon streets and the one with the fountain is the Town Square. Christmas spirit is in the air - more like sales galore - squeezing you for evey pound you have. The statues of the angels are in the town square. Sorry can't give you any info on them - they just looked pretty.

Motoring Heritage Museum Visit

2005-11-21T22:08:00.000Z

Visited on 20 Nov.

Where I live

2005-11-21T22:01:00.000Z

21 November 2005 - Frozen Fingers and Spiderwebs

2005-11-21T21:19:00.002Z

Hello again. Thanks for visiting. Okay I know that I'm supposed to updating this bog quite regularly as it's supposed to let people who need cheap entertainment for free and have to much time on their hands, specifically YOU, to read the intimate personal life. No but seriously I'm far away from home and get homesick so it's good for you to visit. Will make sure to write something interesting and thoughtful every now and then. ;)

But the reality is that my life, from a very tumultuous existence a couple of months ago has turned a little mundane, well it's settled into a routine of sorts. It's a 8:30 to 5:30 job. Yes there are many hours in the day, but recently it's turned bitterly cold. No, not just nippy, but literally freezing - minus four degrees celsius. Yes in the mornings one has to literally scrape the ice coast off the windscreen in order to see. And no, you cannot use the water in your wipers to wash the ice away - it's frozen too! In this really bleak weather, one really doesn't have the motivation to get out and about. Well i don't anyway. It's just too much of a comforting thought to come home to my place which is very toasty inside. It's got effective central heating and insulation, so one is oblivious to the weather outside.

To put things into perspective - you know in Durban when it's so hot and your steering wheel heats up so much that you have to drive with the ends of your fingertips. Well now it's so cold that you can't hold the steering wheel. You have to touch it with your fingertips. Feels like your fingers in the deep freeze against the ice. No exaggeration. A colder winter than usual is expected - the coldest in over 10 years or something. Scary! Oh, look at the frozen spider-webs.

Okay enough about the weather. Haven't done much traveling just yet but will make sure to do some serious traveling now. Invested in a satellite navigation system so I can find my way to places, and a decent camera that takes pretty good pictures so I can document my travels visually.

Visited a Motoring Heritage museum yesterday, which documents British Motoring over the ages. Cars really aren't my thing, but it was very fascinating nevertheless. making good use of my camera I managed to snap up over 100 pictures in a couple of hours. It's really addictive.

That's it for now. Visit again soon.

Where I work

2005-09-30T13:10:00.000+01:00

The place is called 'Checkland Kindleysides'.

Website: http://www.checkind.com/

One of the top design companies in the UK that specialise in retail interiors. The account that I work on is George as ASDA. It's the fashion label of the UK's biggest supermarket group, then arguably the biggest fashion line in the UK.

Similar to the work that I've done at TBWA Durban working on SPAR - retail. But still a challenge in many ways. Oh, this is the view from my desk - pic taken almost by mistake, so it's not a great one. Like most design agencies, it's a huge open-plan setup.

We have this jukebox system that's run through our web browser. Everybody get's 10 credits a day and gets to choose 10 songs that's played throughout the office. Quite democratic.

The place is 5mins drive away from home, so it's pretty convenient. When my car broke down, I had to walk to work a few mornings. Took me about 40mins. Was relaxing and got to discover parts of Syton which I could not have by car.

Also keeping me company was my iPod with 'Podcasts' which I downloaded throught iTunes. Podcasts are basically mp3 downloads of radio shows, so it's like radio shows with the convenience of listening to them whenever you want. Do yourself a favour and visit the apple website and download iTunes. Website is www.apple.com. You'll love it. Oh, and it's free!

Then what happenned?

2005-09-29T21:17:00.000+01:00

Well the very next day after writing that very mail I recieved the news that I had gotten the job in Leicester. I was kinda surreal that I had actually gotten a job. Having almost resigned to the fact that it may indeed take a very long time to happen, and getting the news the very next day was very unexpected.

I guess what Deepak Chopra says is true: 'To manifest anything in your life you have to want it really badly, then let go of your desire. Then it will come to you.' As strange and as new-agey as it may sound it certainly is true, and I have seen it happen many times.

So the next following weeks involved getting prepared for the job. Which meant learning new software (Illustrator and Indesign) which I had never used in South Africa, getting a place to stay, and buying a car - as the company is situated away from the central areas and inacccesable via public transport. And all those other bits and pieces that us grown-ups have to contend with like insurance, and breakdown cover - no wait i didn't get that - until i broke down - but that's another post...

Courses are pretty expensive, so ended up buying a laptop - an Apple of course. A nifty 12" Powerbook. Love it. Stylish and sleek - the Louis Vitton of laptops. Eventally bought a Ford Fiesta. The first car I saw - just seemed like a really good buy. Little did I know that just weeks later it was gonna break down with costly repairs. It's up and running now. Touch Wood.

A friend was kind as to drive me around for 13 hours looking for a place to stay in Leicester. Saw about 7 different places, but eventually moved into the first place that I saw! Area I live in is Syston, which is a little village just north of the city of leicester. It's a village. No doubt. Pretty small and quaint in the middle of no-where (kinda) surrounded by miles of farmland. They say one lives longer if one lives in the countryside. The small of compost and farm animals kinda grows on you - NOT!

It was kinda sad to leave Cambridge and all the people that I got to know, and the city itself which is really great. I was once again moving to a place where i literally didn't know even one person. Strange but exciting once more. I had a lot to look forward to. A fresh start - take 2......

Welcome!!!

2005-09-29T05:00:00.000+01:00

Hello! Thankyou for taking the time to come and visit my blog. Thought I'd set this up so that you check out what's goin on inside my strange world. Feel free to drop by anytime. If you let me know in advance, I'll have a cup of coffee and some biscuits ready for you.

Oh, that's a pic of me on the left - in case you've forgotten in your old age. I'm on Table Mountain.

The ketchup

2005-09-28T21:48:00.000+01:00

Remember that massive mail that I sent out a few weeks ago, here it is again... just in case you really bored! ;)

Greetings to all the wonderful people of South Africa.

APLOLOGIES / THIRD WORLD
First of all, apologies for only writing a decent email so late, also
keeping in touch so seldom, saying thanks for moral and financial
support etc. Many of you have send supportive sms's and emails and I
have (mainly) procrastinated on getting back to you. Time does indeed
go by very quickly and the weeks have flown by. It's a couple weeks
short of 3 months since I left the shores of SA. Due to the kind loan
of a laptop, I have some time to write a full run down, or an attempt
thereof. Previously my internet time was restricted to an hour or two
at a time, and usually involved a 25min bus ride and 10 min walk to
the only internet café in the city. Yes – it does sound quite third
world but things were far from that.

CAMBRIDGE / HISTORIC / GOOGLE
For most of my time here I was in Cambridge. It's a small (relative to
London) town north east of London. It's about 2 hours drive by bus
from London. It's a beautiful university town. The university owns and
controls most of the land, and they do an amazing job to make sure
that the historic aesthetic of the city remains intact. This
translates to a beautiful city that has no structures taller than 3
stories. There are churches and historical building that are hundreds
of years old. It's very picturesque with a beautiful meandering river.
'Cambridge' actually means 'Bridge over the river Cam'. Do a Google
and check it out.

CUSTOMS / COMMUNAL LIVING
After touching down at Heathrow (which after all the hype about how
difficult customs can be – was a walk in the park. I was ultra
paranoid about being deported for having Panados that looked like
Ecstacy or something stupid) I virtually got immediately onto a bus
headed for Cambridge. Reason for Cambridge was that I had a place to
stay and guaranteed part-time work. I stayed in the residence of a
company that specialised in agricultural work. There were ten, yes ten
of us living in this house. It was strange getting used to sharing a
house with virtual strangers. I shared a bedroom with Nischol (my
cousin), so that was okay. What was weird was sharing a bathroom and
kitchen with strangers. Took a bit of getting used to, but eventually
had a novelty to speaking to strangers from all over Europe e.g.,
Poland, Russia, Hungary. Many South Africans too – but none from
Durban. The room I shared was very small – well that's kinda an
understatement. Was about 3m x 2m. A midget couldn't swing a kitten.

MANUAL LABOUR / CHARACTER
Anyway…the type of work I did was stuff I would NEVER consider doing
in South Africa. It changed all the time and was everything from
weeding, sweeping, painting and cleaning. It did pay the rent and
transport was provided – so it provided a cushy and comfortable intro
to the UK, as opposed to being unemployed and destitute. Trust me –
I've heard some horror stories about people sleeping on streets etc.
Not exactly glamorous, but it's been an experience that has made me
appreciate the things that we take for granted. It'll give me
character, or so I would like to think. ;) The one good thing that I
needed from being with that company was that they organised a UK bank
account and a 'National Insurance Number which is necessary ,which can
be difficult to obtain by oneself.

JOBS / BUS-LAGGED
During this time I was constantly applying for Graphic Design jobs –
mostly online at the internet café which as I said was a bit of a trek
to get there. Oh and public transport is super efficient, clean, and
always on time – just a bit pricey. Costs about R30 for a day city
pass. Internet time was per hour and time precious, so mainly time was
spent applying for jobs with little time to spare, so hence the reason
for being able to write long stories. The job market I have found very
difficult to break into. Whereas my job in SA was very varied with
different types of work from video to print, here agencies are very
specialised, and focus on a core function like annual reports or
packaging or retail interiors. I guess people are not sure what to
make of me. Maybe it is that there are so many talented individuals
looking for work than there are jobs available. Jobs advertised have
an average 60 applicants I'm told, and they are usually very specific
as to what they are looking for. I am shortlisted or am called to
interview for on average one in 50 jobs that I apply for. I have been
for only 5 interviews – taking me to different parts of the country.
The furthest was 5 hours away and required me to take three busses. I
end up being rather buss-lagged. I'm still waiting to hear on a couple
of jobs so who knows where I'll be living or working in the near
future. I've been to Brighton, Buckingham, Leicester and of course –
London for interviews. Expensive but necessary.

RIVER VIEW / CAMPING / GETTING OLD
I've some really great people – some of who have been rather
understanding of my situation and have put me up in relatively
luxurious accommodation with a beautiful view of the River Cam – a far
cry form the shoebox I lived in when I first came here. I have in the
last month or so not been working for that agricultural company –
which has been the reason I have been able to commute cross-country
for job interviews. It has freed up my time. I guess I should enjoy
this free time. I'm really gone appreciate it once I have my full time
job. For example, I am currently in Brighton which is on the South
Coast of the UK. I've been relaxing here for a week now, staying in a
motor-home. Living on a campsite with dozens of people in tents and
all types of motor homes - itself has been an interesting experience
– seems to have it's own subculture. It works out much cheaper than a
hotel – with really no hurry to get back to civilization. Brighton in
a beach town and it is very reminiscent of Durban or similar towns on
the KZN South Coast. It's very touristy and has a thriving night life.
This past weekend were huge festivities with street parties for four
days in a row. I'm all partied out, and found refuge in coffee shops
and café's while all the noise goes on outside. Only so much alcohol
and thumping music one can take in a weekend. Must be getting old… ;)

SUICIDE BOMBERS / RUCKSACKS
Yes, three months and only a few days in London. Just as well I wasn't
there for all the bombings on the tube. I was there in the very spot
where one of the bombs went off. It was shocking but I did feel a
sense of distance from it all. It was more surreal than it was
jarring. Going back though after was a bit un-nerving. Also what I was
conscious of - that I fitted the profile of a suicide bomber –
complete with rucksack!

R36 BEER / SCARY
There is no doubt – cost of living here is definitely more expensive.
What's really scary was how our Rand shrinks twelve-fold. One really
becomes conscious of how you spend in the beginning – almost paranoid.
A macdonalds meal that would cost you R25 in SA, might cost you R60
here. A beer in a club might cost you R6. Here it costs R36!!!!!!!!!!
Accommodation here costs – depending on where you stay – between R500
and R1200 per WEEK! (that's to rent a room in a flat or a house) It's
okay once you earn in pounds, just plain scary before.

FREELANCE / PANEER AND KOEKSISTERS
Just been for a freelance interview this afternoon in Brighton. May
have to buy a computer so I can freelance from home. Can be lucrative
as there are agencies that support freelancers, but I am still new to
it all and not sure what I prefer to do right now. Security of a full
time job sounds very appealing. Yes – it does take a while to get used
to things here. One thing I miss is curry – home cooked food. I hang
out with people who cook – for example salmon or chicken without any
spices or flavourings and my famous line is calling their food
'bland'. I have tried to cook curry myself but it's just not the same.
The last time I ate a decent curry was in Leicester which was 5 hours
away and took me 3 busses to get there. Savoured a paneer and chickpea
curry with a garlic naan. Sounds trivial, but was soooooooo welcome.
Also found a shop in Brighton pier that sold South African Products
like koeksister, biltong, romany creams, pronutro and fanta. Felt like
home for a few minutes. Sad I know… ;)

UNCERTAINTY / ROLLERCOASTER / REGRETS
Okay…Manual labour, shoestring budgets and major uncertaintly about
future prospects aside – taking this plunge has resulted in having
really amazing experiences, seeing new places and meeting great
people. It's been one helluva rollercoaster of a journey and I have
absolutely no regrets.

MISS YOU / KEEP IN TOUCH
I do miss home and all of you. It would be great to know what's been
happening back home. Do keep me informed and send me pics wont ya???
The pics that I've received so far have been great! Keep em coming…

Look forward to seeing what destiny has in store…

Till next time…lotsa luv.
Kamlan Munsamy
08 August 2005
21:53:22pm