22 February 2023 – Starting off as a senior

When last did you see a title preceded by the adjective “junior”? Yet so many signatures and LinkedIn job titles indicate that someone is a Senior in their role. From the get go, Senior Copywriter, Senior Business Analyst, Senior Project Manager. Are our egos so desperate for status and acknowledgement or worse, a distinction from others?

1 February 2023 – Chasing Protea Cryophila.

January comes and goes with dreams of a new us packed away with the kettle bells we keep tripping over. February rolls around and people can drink again and eat meat. There’s a piece in the Bible which speaks of laziness keeping us poor, A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man, but an insight recently highlighted that poverty can mean so much more than financial riches. Poverty in spirit, in thought, in friendship, in interests, in experiences, in energy. You’ll feel better once you get started, James Clear said recently and it is so much easier to start with good things, early in the morning.

We recently went to the Cederberg, to find the rare Snow Proteas (Protea Cryophila). It took a couple hours of steep climbing to altitudes where it snows but the alternative was to maybe sleep late after binge watching/drinking something. Here’s to a 2023 of choosing early and choosing what makes our hearts sing.

4 January 2023 – Insights from a DJ desk.

I had the privilege of playing at a very exclusive New Year’s party in Cape Town for 25 people. 7 course meal, 2 incredible bands, and I played hand selected rhythm and blues on vinyl. The event was perfect. Drinks paired with each of the seven courses, poured by the best bar-men and bar-ladies in the city. Yet it struck me that patrons, who could afford R3000 a ticket, could not (visibly) enjoy themselves. Their Instagram and Facebook showed them at a great party – I know this as they took plenty of videos. But they could not get over themselves to show that they were having a good time. As soon as the two arms said “Happy New Year” they also emptied the venue quickly in search of the next place to be.
And this reminded me of the fairness of life. Those with the means aren’t guaranteed to be merry.
In a different setting two days later we had friends visit who lack for nothing except general life satisfaction. And again. Yes you might be able to retire early but only because you so desperately need to retire from your soul crushing daily existence. We know others who have portfolio lives, teaching a bit, giving yoga classes, making tempeh and miso paste. Living simply but difficult from our vantage point. They can’t retire no, but they probably don’t want to either. And like Alanis Morrissette sings. Isn’t it ironic.