Category: Water (Personal)

After a Monday morning facing overwhelming odds, I have admitted defeat. 2900 mails arrived in my mailbox this morning, and that’s just what got through the mail server’s spam filters. So, I’ve had to wave the white flag and reduce civil liberties (apologies for the mixed martial metaphors, but it suits the moment). No more… Continue reading Defeat

I’ve been offline much more than I’m used to thanks to a move of about 400m, from one part of Obs to another. With Obs having wireless coverage from hell, I’ve sadly had to (again) break my vow never to spend a cent with Telkom again, and am waiting for them to install my line.… Continue reading Interviewed by Vincent Maher

I’m learning Mandarin Chinese in preparation for my trip to Taiwan in August, where I’ll be attending the Wikimania conference before spending a month or so wandering around the island. That’s assuming my passport comes through the strike in time of course. I’m enjoying learning a new language again after a long period of atrophy… Continue reading Learning Mandarin Chinese, and some insight into my brain’s inner workings

I get about one SMS every 3 days from Nedbank trying to get me to buy/win/participate in something or other, and fairly regular phone calls, not to mention the junk post as well. I don’t really mind email spam that much, as the vast majority goes straight to my junk folder, if it even reaches… Continue reading Private numbers and Spambank – who ARE those people?

Sitting with my 3-year old son in the kitchen, I heard some rustling outside, by the front garden. Living in Obs, where the houses are all quite close together, I assumed it was from a neighbour’s house, and didn’t pay much attention. Then the sound got closer. I got up to take a look and… Continue reading Of carving knives and guavas

For the last few months I’ve been attending Tea Club meetings, hosted by Ming-wei Andy Tsai and Feng-chih Lisa Tsai. I met them through the Talent Exchange, and was first invited to a Tea Club meeting to talk about the Ethical Co-op. I missed a few months after that, but have attended the last 3… Continue reading Cape Town’s Tea Club

In those heady early days when I first envisaged blogging, I imagined every post filled with wisdom, carefully crafted to add only the best, most beautiful, most constructive to the world of words. Instead, I find I don’t write about 9 out of 10 topics I want to write about, because writing of the kind… Continue reading Peace, love, happiness and Mr Delivery

Telkom came today to sort out the phone line, as the company I share my home/office with was moving out, and taking the line with them. I was impressed, Telkom arrived on time. Unfortunately they didn’t actually do anything as they were too short to reach the pole. They felt precarious reaching up so high.… Continue reading Telkom excuse of the day

Most days I’m just despondent about Telkom, the incompetent government-owned debacle company that afflicts all us in this country. The rates that are 2000% higher than comparative countries. The 6-month waiting list. The call-centre that never answers the phone. The fact that even when they look like idiots by having a mobile service cheaper than… Continue reading The hell that is Telkom

I’m taking a Wikibreak. That this rather insignificant event should become breaking-news on my frequently-updated, hugely-popular, blog, should surprise no-one. After all, compared to our American friends planning another invasion, my comings, or rather goings, on Wikpedia, are clearly of paramount importance. One of my final posts was perhaps wasted on Wikipedia, and has been… Continue reading Irie Irony on Wikipedia