Tate Modern / St. Pauls / Wooden man thing

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks Noodle!

iPod Hifi

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

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?

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

Quick Reads

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

Pronounced Keen-wa

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. ;)