Random rants blah

Krizz asked me via SMS from Germany this week why I'm not blogging. I wanted to respond and say: "Krizz, who last posted something on 27 November... 2006. Ahem." Too late now, it seems :-) (see below). I sincerely hoped you passed the German test, dude, after sitting around in bars the evening before... I can of course blame Blogger, which does not want to accept my posts via the web anymore... grrrrrr.

 

I had the opportunity to write down some thoughts earlier this week at Joburg airport. The place was chockers, and I had five hours of Nothingness to convert into something productive. It didn't happen, but I did write some thoughts down. I thought to myself, why not at least rant a little? That's the easiest thing to do isn't there? Complain complain complain. Just listen to people in shopping queues, airport lounges, smoking on the corporate sidewalks of South Africa, phoning in to late night talk radio...

 

[That-reminds-me-Interlude: I listened to a chat segment on RadioSonderGrense on my way to the airport about "tienerswangerskappe en seksvoorligting" and all I wished for was a more secular, more realistic discussion...I loved the tannie who kept on talking about "Die Kondoom" like people who say "The Gay," "The Moslem" etc. like they are talking about some alien lifeform.)

 

Where was I? Oh yes, my favourite species of complainer: the person in the slow moving Post Office/ Home Affairs/ bank queue that turns around and in a eerie, conspirational manner says: "Of course this is the NEW South Africa." Wink wink.

 

I have not lost it in one of those situations. Not yet.

 

To get to the point. Let me join in. Let me complain a bit. Here's a list of things I jotted down:

• The Nokia N80 is the worst phone ever. It's my 5th Nokia and it might be the one that makes me switch. No battery life, so the supposedly wonderful features are useless because they never get used if I want to make it through one day of phone calls. Slow as a slow-mo. Dumb for a smartphone. Lots of little irritating bits which I won't even mention. It's been 6 months of hell.
• I cannot find a case for my 4G iPod anymore. It's two and a half years old. Apple Store people look at me like I'm a freak. The Internet offers little solace (if I don't want slime-green socks).
• I cannot find diff bearings for my 1973 Fiat. Plan B was replace the whole diff/ axle, but the mechanic went on holiday without telling me. Time to buy a new car. Time to move into the 80's.
• I don't want to hear your conversation about "it's an opportunity" across 25 meters of airport lounge floor!!! You! Over there!

I always forget the important ones. The one's about how people drive, myopic politicians and losing to Australia. But it's a start. And easy.