Random ramblings of a mad man...

The random ramblings of a mad man:

When I wake up on Saturday, I'll be 33 years of age. I've got the grey hairs to prove it! I'll feel like I haven't achieved anywhere near enough in my life and I'll be right. I'll feel like after my parents and many others did so much to afford me the best opportunities money can buy I have let them down.
Those will be fleeting feelings, because not too long after that I'll recall the number of amazing relationships I've cultivated along the way. I'll think of the many experiences I have grown and learned from in this game of life, and I'll laugh out loud at many of them.

I know I'll think back to my favourite birthday memories. All of which hold a very special place in my heart. I won't be able to recall them all in great detail because of old age and a failing memory bank, but there'll be sufficient splendour in the memories. I'll think of the one birthday where my mates came over and we played football on the park outside the apartment in Birnam. Would've been around 12 and footy was everything. Scoring goals... The best! The mind will wonder a bit and I'll get to thinking about turning 17 and having lunch with my old man and four mates at the Inanda club. Great times! Great people! It'll then strike me that my 18th was also there and I'll chuckle to myself as I remember the crazy shenanigans from that wild night, not least of which will be the blow up doll named Tyra Pontsho who met an untimely end owing to an unfortunate plastic fork incident!

I won't be able to help myself but to think of all my ex lovers. I wish them all will, but I'll do a little scenario in my head of where we'd be with each one had we not fizzled out. Some of those thoughts will make me laugh, some will make me cringe, while others will leave me cold in the Maseru heat.
While I'm at it, I'll think of a couple of girls and wonder what might have been... There are two who will occupy my mind longer than the others and it'll irk me that neither thought we could have a successful relationship.

I'll probably scratch my nuts and remember Paddy Moore's immortal words throughout standard six Phys Ed, about how lucky I am to be a man.

After all that I'll think again about all the missed opportunities I've had, and I'll really rue them. It is at that point that I'll remind myself of my plan to live my life without regret. And I'll get passed the near misses. Because in truth it's been a pretty awesome 33 years. The ups have outweighed the downs, and while I've cherished the ups, the downs have helped me appreciate life that much more.

Here's to 33 I say... What a random age!

Random ramblings of a mad Bok fan...

The random ramblings of a mad Bok fan:

The Springboks got an absolute hiding from the best rugby playing team in the world this past weekend. The until then unbeaten Springboks had seemed resurgent this year. Unbeaten in six tests till Saturday, there was hope for those amongst us who are optimists. Even some of the naysayers were warming up to the idea of a resurgent Bok team. In Dr Brendan Venter we were told, there was a top class defensive strategist. There was equally high praise heaped on Franco Smith who's backline was supposed to be functioning efficiently.
All of this happened before the Boks faced the sternest test there is in world rugby. Playing New Zealand in New Zealand.

Those amongst us with a knack for the outrageous wondered out loud whether Malcolm Marx was the best hooker in the world. There was even chat of either sides lock pairings cancelling each other out, so good was the Mostert/Etzebeth axis.
Siya Kolisi has been the Springboks stand out performer in my humble opinion. Consistently explosive, hard working and reliable. His ball carries have been nothing short of barnstorming and his link up play, second to none. His combination with Jaco Kriel and Uzair Cassim has been sublime at times.

Then Saturday happened. All resistance crumbled as a hapless Springbok team missed 19 tackles! How can a team miss 19 tackles?! That's unheard of! The chief culprit was a youngster who was having a pretty good time of it till Saturday, Raymond Rhule. The All Blacks clearly targeted him, and got the reward they sought. Quite difficult to watch as a Bok fan. However, tackling wasn't our only area of weakness. I can't remember exactly how many lineouts we missed but it was too many. Way too many! That was something new, because until Saturday the Bok lineout was working like a well oiled machine. Mostert/Etzebethe/du Toit have been clinical in setting up first phase possession for their team, but on Saturday Marx couldn't locate a needle in a hay stick if you asked him to.

You would not be at fault for thinking that this was the death knell for Springbok rugby. The scribes have offered their opinions most of which require the scalps of Rhule and Coetzee. There's also sentiments that will consistently rear their ugly heads that seek to end transformation. Quite frankly I find these arguments laughable. I can't see a single player who hasn't made that side on merit. But quite apart from that, transformation as an agenda isn't going to suddenly be halted because the Boks lost one game this year. Even if they lose to the All Blacks at Newlands, transformation a) won't be the reason for it and b) won't end.

Going forward I suspect Rhule will indeed find himself becoming the sacrificial lamb. Ruan Combrinck would be a useful replacement. More than that the Boks need to be more clinical against the All Blacks. They have to make first time tackles. That's a given against any side, but it's so much more necessary against the All Blacks because of how efficient they are on attack. The Boks need to find that same efficiency as the All Blacks. In the series against France they seemed to be finding that rhythm and efficacy. It needs to show its self true in the Mother City.

Can the Boks beat the Wallabies in Bloemfontein? They absolutely can, and they should! Will they beat the All Blacks at Newlands? Not likely. But a much improved performance and tighter score line will be good enough for some of us. If my predictions are right, that'll mean the Boks have only lost twice this year. But watch the furore from certain members of the press when that happens. The knives will well and truly be out and Allister will be crucified.

If the old adage reigns true that you're only as good as your last game, then the Boks aren't that good. But also, the All Blacks are incredible! I have no doubt the Boks will be chomping at the bit to get on the park next Saturday and prove the naysayers wrong. Good luck to them. And for Gods sakes MAKE THOSE TACKLES!

The random ramblings of a mad man...Happy Place!

The random ramblings of a mad man...
For the longest time I believed "my happy place" was a geographical location. In my early twenties, I understood it to be Rhodes' House. Which incidentally remains my favourite night club. Pity it no longer exists! As time went along I found a new happy place. My parents house in Maseru became something of a haven for me. I loved being there.

Then one day it struck me. My happy place need not be a physical structure. It is actually quite self explanatory. One's happy place is where one feels happiest. My happy place was never actually about the structure. It was about the people I was with. People I love spending time with. People who's space I enjoy inhibiting. My happy place is with my favourite people. I was always at Rhodes House with good friends. Always! Then my parents house. It seems a no brainer. Literally surrounded by my kin folk. The people I love most. Happiness is...

So there's that. But then as time moved further along it hit me. There is no place I love more than inside my own head. Writing has actually always been a favourite past time. Even before Jill Worth encouraged me to keep writing I knew I loved it. I always had so many thoughts. Lots of them silly, more of them ridiculous, but every so often there would be a nugget of wisdom. Incidentally those nuggets have let me better understand myself.
I suppose writing is like an exercise in catharsis. I always feel that little bit lighter, freer more relaxed after getting some thoughts on to paper.

This happy place is awesome! It's always freely available and doesn't seem to get old.

When I was younger and a lot less jaded I hoped to teach english. I loved writing poetry, and though I wasn't that good, I really gave it a bash whenever I could. I wrote a poem for my old man on the occasion of his 60th birthday. I wrote one for my brother and sister-in-law when they got married. Just about every important moment in my life includes a poem of some sort. That said, I hated poetry in matric! I no longer had any desire to survive on a teachers salary by then any way. Just as well! I'd have made a terrible teacher!

With all of that said, I've decided I want to publish a book. One hundred of my favourite blogs in hard copy. As a birthday present to myself. Honestly, nothing will give me a greater sense of achievement than being a published like such as luminaries as Kim Kardashian, or I don't know "Black like you" Khanyi Mbau... That's a touch facetious and cheeky of me, but you get my drift.
Words are such an interesting dichotomy. On the right day they can be carriers of love and hope. On the worst days, they are weapons of mass destruction. There's no truer saying in my mind than the pen being mightier than the sword.

Thus, I hope my blogs are a series of words that take the readers to a happy place. I know having a published book would certainly make my happy place that little bit happier!

Random ramblings of a mad man affiliated to WAWA...

I have had the misfortune of having a crush on the same girl for the last little while. I only say misfortune as the crush was unrequited. She’s an awesome girl and I cannot sing her praises high enough. Recently though, I have found myself gravitating toward a new crush. This period has allowed me to do something of an internal audit particularly where relationships are concerned.

I was chatting to a young lady-with whom I had engaged in what the young people would call a "situationship"-and I was opining about my longest relationship to date spanning some twenty odd years now. That relationship being with the former Newton Heath, now Manchester United football club. I was explaining that for the most part it’s been a fruitful engagement. We’ve laughed together, cried together, threatened to end it all but ultimately like any good strong relationship ended up happily ever after.

The crush with United has never been unrequited. These other ones, well… you learn to develop a thick skin. But the major mistake I have made and unfortunately I have made it a habit is to get ahead of myself. As soon as I like a girl and I can picture myself with her I go way too far with my scenario planning. At this point the poor human doesn’t even know I have any interest in her whatsoever. The moment I then express said interest I’m already planning dates three and four, when the poor girl hasn’t even accepted the invitation to date one yet. Who is to say even if she does accept the first date we’ll get to dates three and four?! Often after the first date I’ll know whether I like the girl or not. I talk a lot and send messages frequently postdate and will often be able to tell within the next few interactions whether this is a fleeting crush, or the real thing.

Funny, the things that will attract you to someone. She’s really pretty, she’s a United fan, and she enjoys the great things in life like premium craft ginger beer. But, what if after that your personalities clash completely? What if they don’t? What if she finds you completely unattractive? What if she doesn’t? The kinds of conversations one has with himself when these scenarios arise are outrageous and unending. I suppose it is like when you launch a new political party and wonder whether you will end up a runaway fire in the way the EFF seems to be going, or a dying braai fire like COPE…
There will not be anything more difficult than expressing an interest in somebody you’ve built up in your head. She’s unattainable from the get-go, but only because you’ve made her so. Where I go for inspiration in matters of this nature is twitter. On that medium it was recently suggested that no crush is unattainable. This reminded me of a Chris Rock gag wherein he laments finding out Jermain Dupree was dating Janet Jackson. “God damnit” he exclaims, “we all had a chance”. My own history includes a few girls I had no right to hook up with, but did… Your crush has been achieved by way less deserving humans than you, but that’s not to suggest that you will.

Sometimes things just click as in the example of myself and United, or craft ginger beer and craft gin. They just make sense. The question is whether this new crush clicks or whether one can just sit by the wayside, enjoying her tweets and Insta posts while enjoying your chairmanship of WAWA. For those amongst us not familiar, that is the formation known as Women Appreciation Without Approach.

Random ramblings of a mad man...Ball is life

Seem to be rambling a lot these days... But here again with a random ramble of a mad man:
An open letter to the basketball community in RSA:

Dear ballers,
Basketball is such a great sport. I remember watching Inside Stuff in the early 90s and being awe struck. I recall watching the AISJ basketball first V play an intense game against Phuting Nest and being absolutely in love with the game. Offense turning to Defense and just as quickly turning back again! What a thing I thought to myself! I was a fanatic!

I didn't watch much basketball at high school or thereafter. I had no clue there was a basketball community in the country. I had even less clue that it was quite so passionate and knowledgeable. The band of brothers that is MBB reawakened my passion for the sport. Watching competitive games at Wanderers, UJ and Wits in their various guises really re ignited my love for the game. ICSL, IPT, Ludwig, Ashraaf you name it, I watched it!

Then somebody said "we're getting a professional league". Oh boy was I excited! I figured, it followed that the players would take their level of play up to the next level. Firstly they'd all get in to shape and be pro athlete fit. I figured there'd be some international flavor brought in that would also act as a catalyst to taking the game a notch up. I was very excited! I did my little bit for the game by organizing interviews on radio. I couldn't wait!
 That first season was interesting. Yeah, I'm going to go with interesting as an adjective.
I
'm gonna cut a long story short and skip to the now versus then. Nothing seems to have changed. The fan base hasn't really grown (can you count the rent a crowd?) There aren't any sponsors for the league. It hasn't become what I had imagined it becoming. Call me crazy but I had envisaged a micro PSL type situation. A growing fan base, an improving product and a really "cool" brand. Instead the BNL seems to be more of a metaphor for antagonism for some. It seems like just another gathering for the existing basketball community. Only difference being the tv cameras, and MXO doing his thang on commentary.

Here's my question then. Is this as good as it's going to get? Or will there be some thing that happens which catapults basketball to it's rightful position in this country?