Saturday, April 28, 2007
13 & still going strong!
It’s the first day of our 13th year of freedom; 13 years of new hope; 13 years young and still going strong!
Long live South Africa!
Yesterday brought back the very powerful memories I have of standing in that long-snaking queue, the chill and cloudy weather daring us to flee for shelter and warmth of a secure home; half the whities trembling anxiously – would the rumours that had been whispered quietly around dinner tables, in car-parks and during business meetings actually happen? Would they be swept into the sea, followed by the coloureds, the Indians and the Asians? Would the swart-gevaar finally become a reality?
Thirteen years later, I think that the only danger we have had is in our own fears and inaction. It has been our lack of understanding, a hesitancy to go out and break down barriers, to forge new relationships and find acceptance of our vast diversity, that has held us back. I am talking about the man on the street, the people who share this wonderful country, together, regardless of who is in power, or what our past has been – it is the us on the street who makes this country what it is.
Our country has a long history; a history that includes many cultures, much hardship & suffering, and unfortunately we can’t say that that is all in the past, because there are still tough times ahead – but I am excited to be a part of this re-growth. I look ahead, and try to enthuse others to feel the same excitement; of building a future together, and being proud of our place in the international community. (Jasper & his buddy Chantal)
These are exciting times.
Last night I went to dinner with some of the brilliant young minds of Cape Town, enjoying a great meal at the Cape Town Hotel School Restaurant, who played host to the April get-together known as the 27 Dinner. Techies, internet fundi’s and some pretty awe-inspiring bloggers met to talk about innovation on the net; projects that they are working on; enthusing these passionate people who are part of South Africa’s new media. They are making a difference, though I feel it is still only the beginning!
Hosted by the infectiously energetic Dave Duarte, I was chuffed to meet and listen to the words of people like Graham Knox of Stormhoek Wine, Uno de Waal, Tania (who knows just everybody), cartoonist Mike Scott, Rowan from MyVideo, the whole team from Zoopy.com, the Hunter of Genius Maximillian Kaisen , and Glen from The ZA Show…
I felt inspired, and am looking forward to helping bring South Africa towards that place it rightly deserves to be. A place we can safely leave to our children.
Viva South Africa Viva!
Long live South Africa!
Yesterday brought back the very powerful memories I have of standing in that long-snaking queue, the chill and cloudy weather daring us to flee for shelter and warmth of a secure home; half the whities trembling anxiously – would the rumours that had been whispered quietly around dinner tables, in car-parks and during business meetings actually happen? Would they be swept into the sea, followed by the coloureds, the Indians and the Asians? Would the swart-gevaar finally become a reality?
Thirteen years later, I think that the only danger we have had is in our own fears and inaction. It has been our lack of understanding, a hesitancy to go out and break down barriers, to forge new relationships and find acceptance of our vast diversity, that has held us back. I am talking about the man on the street, the people who share this wonderful country, together, regardless of who is in power, or what our past has been – it is the us on the street who makes this country what it is.
Our country has a long history; a history that includes many cultures, much hardship & suffering, and unfortunately we can’t say that that is all in the past, because there are still tough times ahead – but I am excited to be a part of this re-growth. I look ahead, and try to enthuse others to feel the same excitement; of building a future together, and being proud of our place in the international community. (Jasper & his buddy Chantal)These are exciting times.
Last night I went to dinner with some of the brilliant young minds of Cape Town, enjoying a great meal at the Cape Town Hotel School Restaurant, who played host to the April get-together known as the 27 Dinner. Techies, internet fundi’s and some pretty awe-inspiring bloggers met to talk about innovation on the net; projects that they are working on; enthusing these passionate people who are part of South Africa’s new media. They are making a difference, though I feel it is still only the beginning!
Hosted by the infectiously energetic Dave Duarte, I was chuffed to meet and listen to the words of people like Graham Knox of Stormhoek Wine, Uno de Waal, Tania (who knows just everybody), cartoonist Mike Scott, Rowan from MyVideo, the whole team from Zoopy.com, the Hunter of Genius Maximillian Kaisen , and Glen from The ZA Show…
I felt inspired, and am looking forward to helping bring South Africa towards that place it rightly deserves to be. A place we can safely leave to our children.Viva South Africa Viva!
Labels: 27 Dinner, freedom, south africa
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
I am a geeks ass!
I have been pretty nervous about going to the Cape Town 27 Dinner – or Geek dinner as its being referred to in our house – I’ve just never met another blogger, and that coupled with having to arrive in a room filled with strangers, had me pacing around, for what I thought would be my first Geek experience. But juslike I’m a poephol! Considering that the dinner is only NEXT month!This afternoon I went out and bought a new shirt. I wanted to look snazzy. After all, I would finally get to meet some of the Cape Town heavy-weight’s like the cerebral Mike Stopforth, and Dave Duarte who talked me through my first wikixperience, or the verbally luscious Maximllian Kaizen on whose words I often let my eye's go 4x4'ing, and maybe get so close to the now internationally renowned Teria Albertyn that some of her glitz rubs off… And of course, see for myself what all this Storm(hoek) in a tea-cup has been about.
So I set off for the Protea Hotel Victoria Junction with much fanfare from the family, all waving me off in the street. I was a little concerned, I must admit, that I hadn’t seen much chat about it amongst the local bloggers, and had written to Dave asking him if the venue was definite, but I set off anyway, looking suave, in my new shirt christened with its first spray of Jean Paul Gautier.
The lady at reception (naturally) looked a little perplexed when I asked her if she could direct me to the venue of the 27 Dinner where there would be about 80 people… Had she forgotten something? Who screwed up? So she phoned a few people, who had to ask other people, who too were all left feeling perplexed. By now that gnawing feeling that something was not right had eaten half my left leg, so I hobbled out the hotel, into my car and logged on to the site to just check if I had it right.
That’s when I noticed that the heading very clearly stated 27-4 Cape Town 27th April 2007 – ok, I had to count on my fingers to see where I was, 1 2 3 January February March April… and then everything fell into place and…
(Chorus)
BWAAAAAH! HAHAHAHAHA - Sniff – WOOO HOOOOO…
BWAAAAAHAHAHA - (deep in-take of air) – WAAAAA HAAAA…
BWAHAHAHABWA - sniff – WAHAHAHA…
HAHA HAHAHA snot BWAAAH HAHA!
BWAAAAAH! HAHAHAHAHA - Sniff – WOOO HOOOOO…
BWAAAAAHAHAHA - (deep in-take of air) – WAAAAA HAAAA…
BWAHAHAHABWA - sniff – WAHAHAHA…
HAHA HAHAHA snot BWAAAH HAHA!
… this carried on for quite awhile, you must understand. I was quite uncontrollable, slapping my leg, clutching my tummy, squeezing out tears. During all of this, I had my windows open to keep cool, as I was suffering from a slight nervous clamminess, and so a local, strolling Green Point resident, sans a number of front teeth, heard all the commotion and arrived at my window.
When he saw that no-one was being murdered, he grinned, he cackled, and then ‘pissed’ himself laughing with me – which sent me into further uncontrollable snot-slinging-tummy-cramping laughter…
(repeat chorus)
We laughed like this for a few minutes, me at myself and him at this crazy whitie, and then he turned and hobbled off, wiping the spittle from his shaking head. I started the car and headed for home. (Along the way I did relive the laughter a number of times; every time I thought I am just not worthy to even be a geeks ass if I can’t make sense of the date! But I had to keep the car on the road, so the outbursts were briefer.)
Strangest of all, and totally unrelated, was when I entered the hotel, that the first person I saw standing at the reception was none other than Arno Carstens. He looked confused to see me, but then he had been sleeping all day after just arriving back in the morning from a Springbok Nudies gig in the UK. Lenny had been talking and emailing and stressing all day regarding next months launch of Peace Breaker that we’re doing, and then I bump into him somewhere where I ultimately wasn’t supposed to be. Very strange.
But at that stage my sinuses were still blocked, and I hadn’t yet shared a blerry good laugh with another Bergie!
Labels: 27 Dinner, Arno Carstens, cape town
