back home in our new home

Wow - 11th of April was my last post.  Guess that's what happens when you plan a wedding in 3 months.

First thing on my mind to mention is the awesome response from friends and family to our wedding. And the awesome generosity.  It's that generosity that's given us the ability to start settling in down here in Durbs.  So if you were around to give us a wedding gift - thank you so much.  We still have some writing and organising to do before sending out official thank yous - but know that we're feeling very thankful.

Man our place is a mess.  I mean - i'm used to living in mess as my family knows - but for some reason i'm compelled to thoroughly clean our new place. I've been vacuuming and mopping a lot.  Kelly has been organising everything a lot.  But there are still hoards of boxes lying around - some have by default become categorised as furniture - for example: the computer desk box in the entrance hall, the coffee table box in the lounge, the dressing table box (with mirror on top) in the bedroom - but most of our boxes just plain get in the way.

Our place is also great - we've got a partial view each side of the building in front's stupid roof.  You can tell it's a stupid roof by the way it blocks our view.  But you know - we're very happy with what we've got.  Come and visit and you'll have candle-lit dinners with us by the window, looking over the stadium and down to the beach.  We've actually been having said dinners every night since we moved in. Can you believe it?  Every night - except when we've been out of the house, we've sat at the window eating by candle light - and who says there's no romance in marriage.  Kelly's desk that we brought from her room in the house-share (which is a small square table) is our dining room table - we're planning to expand it to an 8-seater so that we can have people over to sample Kelly's delicious meals - not the least of which were a scrumptious beef pie that we wholeheartedly consumed on Monday, and a chicken casserole with lime rice and sweet potato the week before.  The rooms are spacious and we have parquet floors and a picture rail around the room.  We've been asked not to make holes in the walls and just use the picture rail, but we're just gonna have to drill if we want shelves and other heavy stuff. Ok that was a particularly boring sentence.  I'm sensing the need to stop at this point.

I could blog about Zanzibar but don't have the pictures with me so we'll do that another time.  Can't believe we've only been home for 2 weeks now - it feels like honeymoon was ages ago.

We've also got internet at home so i'll be able to be more socially networked on the interweb.

Ok peace,

Love to you my readers,

Jamo

So i wrote a post last week but didn't get around to posting it.  Now it's old and i don't like it anymore (well, there are some parts i like but not enough), so i'm not gonna post it. Ever.  It'll die and disappear into the abyss from whence it came.  Like the Belrog in Lord of the Rings.  Which i was watching the whole of not last week but the week before.  I spent every night watching just a little of each movie.  Well, it was supposed to be just a little but it ended up being quite a lot - and in the end i was staying up to finish them off.  It's the entire collection of the extended versions of each film that i borrowed from Drew - each one runs in the region of 4 hours - a totally awesome and indulgent experience that i highly recommend.  Once a year.  A group of friends from church actually religiously (excuse the pun) do that every year.  They gather at someone's house and watch the entire quadrinity (which is a word i just made up - it's a trinity of four if you didn't catch) in a single day - a straight 12 hours of movie-watching.

So still training at work.  Maybe i wouldn't have to write that every time if i just gave you the full schedule.  It's 2 months of training from when i started; that's 15 March - 15 May.  Then we work for a month as like "trainees" and then we're done - full on into it.  They say that there's a 3 month probation but apparently that doesn't really count for much.  They're gonna be spending a lot of money on us - they have already - 50 000 for the engineering package, 34 000 for the rendering package.  And then we apparently get a really expensive, delicious laptop - which i don't actually want.  Laptops always pale in performance compared to a desktop computer.  So the point is, to fire us after the probation period would be a real waste of time and money.  And anyway, they won't fire me.  I'm too good (arrogance allowed for purposes of mustering self-belief).

Some interesting stuff has started happening.  This friday there was an opportunity to get out the office that i immediately latched onto.  We're supposed to be on the factory floor all day - in fact, we got crapped on for not staying on the floor and starting to write our reports.  But it get's very boring - and i was tired of just wandering around seeing things that i truly think i completely understand now.  So when i overheard one of the senior designers talking about a trade visit i asked if i could go along.  Little did i know where we'd be going for the 'trade visit'.  First stop Billy the Bums.  Where i arrive to find my colleagues seated at a table drinking draughts at 14:30 in the afternoon.  Which is probably not such a rare occurance on a Friday in South Africa, but the fact that the alternative was a hot, boring factory floor made the sight a sweet one.  I joined in, and soon we were joined by a bunch of others, and another senior designer, Mark, with a brief: to design a sales-boosting, consumer-generating solution for smoking areas in pubs.  So that's why we were there.  To work for the devil.  To create smokers out of non-smokers and heavier smokers out of smokers.  Seeing as i was already working for the devil, it didn't matter to me too much that our next stop was going to be Hooters in Umhlanga.  Where girls wear the shortest pants ever - not even long enough to cover their whole bum.  And you'd imagine from the name that they'd have their boobs sticking out - but no, actually, they didn't, which was quite a relief.  But ja - the whole Friday afternoon experience was totally awesome.  These guys just don't reject ideas.  We were coming up with the stupidest stuff (might have had something to do with the comsumption of alcohol) but it was all being considered and written down - the ideas included glowing furniture, robotic ashtrays, blimps, holograms, you name it.  We were sketching and laughing and talking rubbish and chatting up the waitresses (well, not me of course, but the single guys), and man, i was having a good time.  These guys are in some cases 1.5 or 2 times my age, but they treat me like one of the team - and i wasn't even technically supposed to be there.  And to top it all off, Mark then swiped his credit card and paid for it all.  Happy Days!

But i did have enough sense to end my Friday right there and go home to sleep off the week.  We were in the office until 11:00 on Thursday night half training, half helping out with a massive deadline for an international brief.  They made me feel better by giving me free Nandos.  Amazing how free stuff can win me over.  I'm so fickle.

I've kind of missed out details of the Easter Weekend here, but let me just say it was chilled.  The best part was spending the day with Matt & Vics in the Underburg.  I drove out there to meet them on the Saturday morning.  We had a nice big breakfast in the sun and then went tubing down the river.  After what felt like 2 hours of tubing Matt and I were insistent that the river had to pass a road at some point, and when it did, we'd stop and get out.  Then we'd leave the tubes there, walk home, and come back to fetch them in the car.  Well, as it started getting dark we began to doubt ourselves (just a little), but being the men that we are, we didn't show any sign of weakness.  It's known fact that boys don't know when to quit (quitters quit. Winners never quit.  We weren't gonna quit.  I'd rather eat my own hand).  We were feeling particularly boyish.  Why think about the consequences, that's what women are for, we were thinking about the enjoyment of the moment.  Eventually, after seeing no road and the river was getting ominously faster and deeper, we gave in to Vics's complaints of cold and had-enoughness and decided we had to stop before we became completely cut-off from civilisation.  When we did get out, we had no idea where we were, but with it getting darker and darker at a rapid rate it was no use waiting around - so we picked a direction and started walking.  Matt was our fearless leader, leading us through thickets of soft grass and fences of barbed and electric wire that wasn't actually on.  We had now resigned ourselves to a not-so-fun end to a fun day.  A long, arduous walk home, in the dark, with wet clothes and carrying a tube of plastic filled with air that was becoming surprisingly burdensome for such a light object.  But, low and behold, we weren't so far away after all.  A few hundred metres and we were already recognising landmarks, another few hundred and we were starting to see bits of the houses and cabins around our campsite.  I felt relieved.  But also extremely disappointed.  I had really had my hopes up for a rugged adventure with some fantastic tale wound up in it.  I wanted a really good story to tell (i hope this has been at least a decent story).  So we ended up heading into camp before it had even got dark for some delicious veggies courtesy of Vics and braaivleis courtesy of Matt.  While i sat and did nothing but talk.  It was such a great day.  I had bacon this morning and the smell immediately had me feeling sentimental about that day - and it's only a week ago.  Thanks Matty and Vics!

So ja, let's end it there.

A happy week to you all,

My car is in the process of being fixed after more and more things have been going wrong with it, so hopefully i'll be up soon to fetch it and see a whole bunch of you.

Love,
Jamo

long weekend into not-so-long week

I write to you now at 11:30pm on Thursday 25 March 2010, when I should actually being going to sleep.  That’s filter coffee for you.  As to when I will actually get a chance to post this blog, that’s a different matter.

Ok so let’s pick things up from the end of the long weekend (the last one: 20-22^nd March.  You have to define them pretty well seeing as there’re so many this time of year).   Sunday we went to Balito for the day.  Although it wasn’t exactly the earliest start and we came back before church at 6, so perhaps “the day” isn’t quite accurate.  'Twas me and Drewpers and Zac and Jess.  Mike couldn’t make it cos he was working at a wedding with some photographer guy.

First up when we got there we had a little surf.  Well Drew and Zac did.  They were clearly thinking of me when they chose the deadliest of spots in-between two massive rocky outcrops.  It was the perfect opportunity for me to practice my head-bashing technique.  So as would be expected I just sat out there on my board watching the dark shadows of rocks and the white blurs of man-eating sharks loom below me.  The man-eating shark thing is something I’m having to deal with – I can’t shake the idea that a shark is gonna eat me cos I resemble a tasty turtle – I think it comes from some documentary that I watched.

Anyway, after that ‘session’ we headed over to a restaurant with a sea view.  It took some convincing to get the others to appreciate such a thing.  They don’t seem to think much of restaurants with sea views.  I love restaurants with sea views – they’re one of my favourite things.  I think we found a good one – apart from the relentless wind it was awesome.  I ate myself a large cheese burger and felt happy.  (Just a side-note at this point that I did manage to keep under budget for the entire weekend, despite the extra day, so I’m quite proud of myself for that.  That might have something to do with how I spent that extra day...)

After the restaurant we headed down to the beach further along the coast, and ducked through the hole in the rock at Salt Rock that leads to where all the nice little coves are.  Unfortunately I don’t have pictures, but if you haven’t been to where I’m describing, then you need to check it out sometime.  I mean it’s not like a major secret but it’s really quiet and private and beautiful there – apart from the odd scrap of litter – that really annoys me.  It was a lot less private and quiet than usual, being a long weekend and all.  Kel and I spent some time there when we were on holiday with her folks so it was bringing back sweet memories (those photos are on Facebook).  The others fell asleep on one of the mini beaches while I walked off to reminisce.

Monday was almost a complete write-off.  Which I suppose, I can totally justify.  I was planning on going to exchange an expensive shirt in the morning, followed by a productive day of washing Kelly’s car and generally just sorting out my life.  I did eventually get around to the 2 above-mentioned tasks, but it took a while.  It was really nice just having nothing to do.  Of course, it would be nicer if I had more than just SABC TV streaming into this place.

The one redeeming thing on Monday was visiting my friend Tom at his place in Westville.  I think the photos speak loud enough, but let me just add this: Tom obviously knows what’s important in life – I bet he appreciates restaurants with sea views.  He looks out on to what is, as far as I can tell, the Amazon Rain Forest.  Now I love the idea of a house on the seafront but this takes a very close second, depending on the seafront. 

Then let’s not forget the view from the lounge – looking onto what must be close to an illegal size LCD television, conveniently hooked up to an X-Box (TV Games for those not in the know).  I think when Eskom are having national grid issues they must send a special agent to check that Tom’s so-called TV (which is clearly actually a super-computer for the Pentagon) has been shut down.  Tom and I chatted in our usual deep and meaningful manner before I headed off to fetch most of my worldly possessions.  ...Which I had forgotten at Aunty Cath’s house.  Not to mention that I then still forgot my bag there and had to fetch it on my way to work the next day.

Which brings me to this week at Barrows...

The highlight of this week was me getting my computer – with an almost brand new 23” screen included.  It’s truly a thing of beauty.  There’s also nothing quite like getting paid to do something that you would happily do for free – which for me was pimping up my newly acquired computer.  The pimping is now complete (well really, I’m just restraining myself) and the next phase of our induction process begins:  for the next 2 weeks we are writing a research report on Barrows.  As product designers we (we is Jason and I) need to know the ins and outs of all the materials and processes used to manufacture what Barrows manufactures.  So that means spending these 2 weeks on the factory floor, analysing machine processes, and observing, and participating in manufacturing.  It’s really thorough this ‘Induction Process’.  We’re the first to go through it since it’s been made so structured, so really it’s probably a bit overkill – but our feedback on the process will help to streamline it.

Barrows are already doing a good job of convincing me to dedicate my every waking moment to the furthering of their business empire.  From next week we get 2 free meals per week.  Which is a pilot run for a proposal to offer 5 free meals per week.   They’re gonna keep tabs using a fingerprint machine.  I mean the way they’re going they’ll be competing with Google soon for “ultimate companies to work for” – but no jokes, they actually want to compete with Google.  Their motto is that “if you’re gonna do something, you should want to be the best in the world at what you do”, which, apart from being a big old cliché, is actually quite an awesome attitude.  Might explain why the partners each drive a Ferrari.

Also – we had our first taste of real work yesterday – we sat in on a brainstorming session and sketched up some ideas – a few of which were taken to be used for the concept phase.  Mark brought in some Debonairs pizza to “fuel the machine” as he put it.  At Barrows, it’s unlikely that the designer who comes up with an idea will be the one to refine it and model it up in 3D.  Generally we will be working in a team along with graphic designers and anyone else who happens to be involved – especially for the brainstorming sessions.  I like it this way because then there’s no protectiveness over ideas and who gets credit.  It all just belongs to Barrows.  And we all get paid.  Of course, as time wears on, I do want to make a name for myself, but I’m sure that’ll come with just getting stuck in.

Ok that’s a massive amount of reading and it’s getting a bit much.  Flip, to be honest, I don’t think I would even have time to read someone else’s blog if it were so long.  But I guess this is also for me to keep a record of what happened in what I’m sure will become a blur of life-changing events after a few months.  So thanks for ‘listening’ if you got this far.

Peace and love to you all reading this,

Jamo

This post is actually the email that i wrote last weekend but it needs to be here. So ja - get a load of it:

YES I'M OK! For those of you that have been worrying.

So it's been a week and I’ve been pretty busy. Not so much at work actually - more just busy with trying to keep busy outside of work. Ever come home to an empty flat? It's weird. So I try to go out again as much as possible.

So far I have managed 2 after-work surfs. The first on Tuesday and the second on Thursday. Zac (who is Jess's boyfriend if you don't know. And Jess is my cousin if you don't know that either) took me out to Umhlanga on Tues - it was pretty difficult to catch waves cos over there they break straight into the ground - not gradually and gracefully like they're supposed to. Thursday's waves at North Beach were huge - not that I caught any then either. It's a bit daunting catching a wave twice as high as you on which Zac looks like a dwarf. (Oh, woops, um... wait. Maybe Zac is kind of a dwarf. Sorry dude, should have been more PC there. Oh well.)When I tried to catch one, and looked over the crest at the shear drop, I just couldn't. It might be a good idea to learn how to stand on my board first... Anyway - it's great just being out there on the water after work.

Work is just a pile of meetings at the moment. I say meetings but I should probably say lessons. Our 'induction process' involves visiting all the various departments and getting information on how they all fit into the business. It can be fascinating but it also gets tedious - some okes just repeat what the last oke said and then add in a bit about what they do. But we’re really getting a grip on what the business does now. We is me and Jason – he studied with me (for the first 3 years before I failed) and he’s also starting with me. I love how clever, dynamic and entrepreneurial this business is. So even if I do get frustrated in a creative sense there’s always so much I can learn and take out of being there.

I wish I could explain in a few words what they do but it’s easier just to see there website for yourself if you’re interested. It’s pretty complicated and difficult to some up. Ok I’ll try… Retail Display Solutions. So that basically means that everything that gets sold in a store we would find a creative way to display it – the idea is to increase impact of the brand and/or increase sale of stock. It’s very commercial and really it fits into the “360°” marketing strategy that most large companies adopt. It’s “below the line” advertising if anyone reading this knows what that means. I kinda do but don’t really yet.

This is what the studio looks like. All open plan.

The Canteen - where everybody, including the management and the factory workers, sit, together.

They put my face up on these big screens that are posted all around the site. It's pretty weird but you know - it happens to everyone so it's not too bad. They use those screens for all sorts of studio happenings and announcements, as well as bits and pieces from the world of design - it's meant to help us keep in communication and keep inspired.

So ja – it’s slow days at work and then trying to make the most of being in Durbs outside of that. Visiting Aunty Cath a lot – but I’m not the only one – Drew is also around here most of the time when I am. The place I’ve rented is beautiful – well not so much in looks but in how much of a sweet deal it is. I’ve got air-conditioning, lights and water, TV, all furniture, cutlery, crockery, stove for R2500 a month. Which by the look of things when I came down to find a place last weekend is pretty well unheard of. Ok it’s not big, but all the better to cool it with my aircon.

My lovely aircon.

Hope you all too are well and happy,

Gonna have to leave it there for now, I’m getting a bit tired of my own voice and my own news.

I’ll try to lead a more interesting life next week.

Love to you all,

Jamo

Maybe this one doesn't need a caption. I do feel cool with this in my car.