Ramblings of the Wingnut

So what is 4^th of July without fireworks? The 5^th July (See below, you lazy ass). But no, not me. I decided to inflict more physical torture on myself on the bike of anguish and ride 3 miles (yes, I said miles) to see fireworks. And were they worth it. Without doubt the best fireworks I had ever seen. It was outside of Google watching them go over the night sky to the sound of star wars – I’m not kidding. There was a concert on and I happened to be there to get the end part and see the awesome fireworks. Totally worth it. Except the ride back. And the fact that I will probably only walk again in 2 days; and the sun burn from riding the bike at midday 2 days in a row. Sheesh.

So todays post finds me in a rather pensive mood (deep in thought, it’s a scary I place I don’t go to often, cos I may never come back). I’m not sure why that is: I managed to find a great internship in Palo Alto, one of the most progressive and beautiful places in the US (start of Silicon Valley), I am doing an MBA at the best global entrepreneurial school, have made some amazing friends and living, what to many, would seem a dream. But perhaps therein lays the dilemma: Not all dreams seem that way while you living them.

Even though I have been away from South Africa for less than a year, I really wasn’t home for the years when I was in SA. I did that trip through South America for 2 months 2 months before I left to do my MBA and the preceding year I backpacked South East Asia for 6 weeks (I think..) It strange; in a way its almost as if I know where home is, but I don’t know where my home is; and I don’t think that will change in any short space of time either as I need to return for my MBA.

And the MBA. I still don’t know how I’m gona get the $$$ to fund for my next year. It’s a tough call – I should never have let that damn leprechaun go – and I’m stuck between a rock and George Bush’s head: I need the cash cos I don’t wana leave my MBA unfinished, it just costs so damn much. And living on budget as tight as a leotard on Queen Latiffa’s ass doesn’t make it any easier, especially not here in Palo Alto, where the cost of a meal is the same as a Zimbo state funeral.

Perhaps it’s a matter of age – I am getting on in years, contrary to my boyishly good looks (“haha, whatever: I hear you giggle), but the grey hairs don’t lie. Mind you, I’ve been getting them from the ripe old age of 14 and I’m guessing that by the time I finish my MBA, I’ll look like a silver back Gorilla, just the hair. Part of the age thing is that the body can’t handle as well as it used to – yeah the machine is getting old – dodgy knees, funny ankle and another pulled hamstring today after 20 minutes of footy.

Finally, it’s the whole “what have I done with my life” thing. Still in the ol’ canoe by my lonesome, still haven’t built up the CV (or resume to my US friends), well, not with any kind of long term consistency. Don’t have a house, or a car, or even a bicycle. Sigh. Duno what I have really done with my years.

I duno. Maybe its just an entrepreneur thing and I know I go through these cycles, but damnit, it sucks worse than a $5 special.

Anyways, if you’re reading this for the 1^st time, don’t make it your last – or a kitten will have to be drowned. Haven’t written a solemn post like this in a while, hoping the wingnut will be back next time – but for now I’ll be just plain old Craig. Sigh…

2 Days at work, and I’m proud to say that I am yet to p*ss anyone off, cause too much crap or have any confrontation – though there was that one incident about the pencil sharpener. Yes I am working here in Palo Alto, the heart of Silicon Valley. Much like the heart or something else silicon in many actresses front end. It’s a good company, but according to my employee contract I can’t mention anything about the company in the public space – no I don’t work for the FBI/CIA/Madonna. Just that American’s are really protective (sic. Paranoid) regarding a lot of things like privacy and information sharing, good thing I’m not American! I can say that I’m working on an environmental project management software tool that seeks to bring together environmental practitioners so that they can share best practice and elevate the understanding and preservation of nature to the benefit of the next generation. Yes, I am brainwashed. Also, I like to think that it show the gentler side of me – the side that wants to save the world, before I enslave it.

I was thinking about it with a friend , what shall I call the country I control 1^st? Craigtopia? Craigville? Craig world? Craigmunda? Nah, the best one of the lot (courtesy to my genius friend) – Craigbabwe! The land where dreams are crushed, people are beat down and the dark emperor Wing rules with an iron fist – not too dissimilar with the real Zimbabwe, me thinks.

San Francisco is nice. Much better than the crappy weather in Boston, where it rains 360 days of the year, one for every degree that Spain will run around Bafana Bafana in the upcoming Confederations cup game. But to be honest, its not too dissimilar to South African weather – but without the mid afternoon, Highveld thunder storms – how I miss those. And its supposed to be the best weather in the U.S here, I guess as South African’s we don’t really realize how good we got it. Or get it. Huh?

Anyways, so I will be homeless in 1.5 week. Since the place I was supposed to stay at fell thorough, something about narcotics on campus not allowed and guns? How am I supposed to pass those stringent tests? I’m looking now for something more accommodating, like a brown box.

By the by, I went past the Garage where Hewlett Packard started, and where Silicon Valley was born. It’s been declared a national heritage sight or monument – kinda like Nelson Mandela square in Sandton, but with less pigeon poop. Kool though to see the little green garage, and to be honest I never knew that HP was where Silicon Valley started. Thanks HP – now that you have enslaved mankind to technology, I have an example to follow. Now if only I could get my mind control death ray to work.

So yes, I am back in my native Zamunda. Its good to be back home amid the taxi’s, reconstructed roads with lanes the size of 5 sheep tied side to side, winter veld (note to American’s: that’s a field, think prairie) fires and warm weather. Yes. The winter days here are as pleasant as the summer months in Boston, though to be fair; in Boston the sun isn’t likely to leave you blackened and charcoaled, and is less intense in heat (like a soldering iron in the eyeball, no that’s if you stare at the sun).

Year one done. Check. What did i say on my last post? Malema is a JZ mini me, or is that mini “zee”? No, I wanted to say it, but didn’t cos Julius might have demanded that I rephrase it to deputy or small person or um… Junior J. No wait. I’ve digressed…and lost my train if thought. It actually derailed way back, just after it picked up that shipment of illegal Mexican workers, without the oink oink cough cough. What’s up with that? I mean – if the American’s are right, Mexican’s don’t do an any work, so how can their flu do anything either?

Anyway, back in SA is good. Though I must say that this past year in Boston has been really an experience and opened my eyes to the wonders of the Golden Arches. Sorry, if I never made time to see you on my short trip – either you don’t mean that much to me (yes, I saw my mother), I owe you money, or you are an ex girlfriend, so both of the previous statements hold in that case.

Back for 2 weeks – then off to Ghana (Note to American’s: that’s another country in Africa – like Kenya and Zimbabwe (aka Uncle Bobtown), South Africa and East African and North Africa and West Africa and Nigeria and Egypt and Zamunda and Africaland (note to South African’s: that will confuse them!) but no I don’t know that person you once met in Cameroon), where I have been doing pro bono work for the last year (I wonder if Bono from U2 does Pro Bono work whenever he says “yes”) as a business consultant to a school. Anyways, I’m doing a one day workshop on why African Entrepreneurs are well placed to be the best since they are used to working with scarce resources (money), poor working conditions (internet) and political interference (Uncle Bob). And I get to feel good that I’m doing some good by giving back to the children (Cue Michael Jackson: Heal the world).

From there, I’m flying onto San Francisco for a summer internship for a kick donkey company called Benetech. Really sweet place. They use technology to solve societies problems (I suppose that’s like people who designed braces for the English) and humanitarian problems (like the clever machines who designed tinted sunglassed to hide hangovers for finance lectures). I’m pretty lucky actually to get an internship and Benetech really does do good things for man kind – Ahhh…I can hear Michael again…. (P.S. remember that single ladies, I may be poor and hard on the eyes, but at least I have a good heart – like Shrek, but not as green, or as ogre-ish…ok not as much)

Well, its time for bed – even though jetlag sucks. Yes. I realized an MBA is like having jetlag for a whole year, except without the joy of the tiny bag or peanuts, terrible movies and fat dude who drools and keeps you awake on the plane. Wow. Another week and I get to experience that again. I better take my medicine now to keep me from being too overjoyed. No doubt, I will once again sit next to Jabba the hutress) in front of “Shaky the nervous kicker” and be surrounded by babies crying their lunges out testing the shattering point of reinforced windows at 30,000 feet. Ugh. Maybe, I’ll just shoot myself with an elephant tranquilizer…twice…

OK…so this is a little outdated, as I got back from the Amazon today, but no trip would be complete without a trip to Machu Pichu (means old mountain) and seeing the ruins from Wana Pichu (young mountain).

So Machu Pichu was “rediscovered” by some Yanky dude in the 19th century and he gets the credit even though the local Inca dudes had known about it for years, in fact it was a farm boy that told him - but obviously no-one knows his name, figures…. Anyways,  Machu Pichu is amazing and in fact is one of only a handfull of places that are unspoilt by the Spanish invaders.

Ok enough history - heres my take. Machu Pichu is kool, unless you arrive there via the Inca trail like the other poor sobs in my group that had to be up at 3:45 to trek there that morning. Me in my wisdom (or rather pot luck), caught a train trip up and saved myself 3 hours of anguish. That being said, I got up early and still climbed up the actual Machu Pichu mountain cos Im an idiot.

Wana Pichu is high. And I dont mean hillbrow towers high with King king swinging from it - more like high as in the height of Manto Tshabalas arrogance. It takes a normal person 45 minutes to get to the top, but not me. Especially when youre racing the Aussies - 25 minutes, one lung and 4 kg lighter later, i was at the top to savor the view while gasping for air.

Enough rambling, the best way to appreciate Machu Pichu is to see it yourself, but unless you have a small fortune wrapped up in real estate or are friends with Jacob Zuma, here are some pics of what you may see…excluding the pieces of lung I keep passing…P.S sorry that some photos are the wrong way - I cant speak Spanish and hence cant rotate them on this damn PC.