i get it, South Africa is in a bit of a mess right now, and that statement is a bit of an understatement. And yes, xenophobia might not be the correct word, but it's the one most people understand and so it does seem to work for now so please don't let us get distracted by that. With this whole Xenophobia vibe, there are two truths: [1] One truth is violence, fear, destruction, hate [2] Another [...]
As many of you know i am a big Pearls before Swine fan and own all the books and am constantly inviting [slash harrassing] PBS creator Stephan Pastis to include the world's most famous stuffed dolphin in his strip. Usually just for laughs, but every now and then, Pastis nails something on the so-serious-it-punches-you-in-the-gut side of things and so when he tackles a pet peeve of mine, you know it's going to be good: As [...]
i know not everyone has the time or internet capacity to watch video clips online, but if you do then i encourage you to watch this one. It speaks directly into the Americaland conversation at the moment in terms of violence from police offers on black young men but also just a greater focus on the bias of society, and particularly white society when it comes to black young men. i believe it has a [...]
On friday nite we had some mates around for a meal and some in depth conversation. The picture above is not a group selfie but rather a close-up of the phone basket that was my wife's idea. We emailed everyone beforehand to let them know, and as they arrived at the party we held out the basket and they muted their phones and dropped them in and got them again as they left at the [...]
When I was in hotel school they used to drill the phrase “exceed the guest’s expectations” into us all the time. It was never enough to do what the guest asked; we were pushed to always go “above and beyond” the call of duty. As a believer I have found that this lesson also applies in how we live our lives because let’s be honest, doing the bare minimum of what Christ has asked us [...]
The other day i wrote a poem titled 'to them who have ears' and just thinking about it a little more today, have dubbed it a choir poem - as in those who get what it's about and who agree will totally be reading and nodding and cheering and liking and sharing... but those who don't, are unlikely to even read it and if they somehow do, unlikely to understand the point trying to be made... [...]
i hate white people! i know, i know, i could barely believe it myself when i found out, but having heard so many people suggest it on my blog the past week or two [some in comments i chose not to print due to their not-fit-to-be-read-by-other-humans content] it really must be true. It started when i started suggesting that i don't think white people are better than black people [if i had a dollar for [...]
Too often, it has been the arrival of the question that has instantly muted the conversation. As i have sought to write [and invite others to] about topics such as Race and Reconciliation, the Church, Relationships and more, it has been disappointing to me how often a term [White Privilege] or phrase [We aren't currently part of a local church congregation] or idea [No sex before marriage] has sent people scurrying off back to where people [...]
It is 2 days to go til 2015. In some ways, most ways actually, nothing really changes when the clock hand ticks off that final second. As a South African, i can be assured that Australians, New Zealanders and more have been experiencing 2015 for hours, and that it will be another ten hours after i do before my friends in Oakland, where we lived for more than half of this year, will be arriving [...]
Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la, screw you! Something like that, right? Or maybe more appropriately, 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...' Yesterday i commented on the Book of Faces how amazing it was to be reading through my newsfeed and just reading positive, grateful-sounding stuff. Heck, even a death message to mourn Joe Cocker was made to sound appreciative. But then [...]