Month: January 2022

It was a scenic walk through one of the hiking trails in the Haenertsburg area. Lehumo and I were bouncing ideas around as we often do when we go hiking. Haenertsburg is a village nestled along the R71 to Tzaneen. There are a few hiking routes in the area that offering varied hiking difficulties. The village work is one of my favourites.

But let me get back to the idea behind today’s post. We were discussing the value of building solid business ideas that solve local problems locally. Whether this means taking the time to train staff to desired levels of competence or thinking about issues of scale when before the business starts.

Lehumo was impressed with the breathtakingly beauty along the hike and got to a point where he highlighted that the hike we were on was only 60 kilometres east of Polokwane. We didn’t travel to Mpumalanga or some other exotic location looking for a hiking route. Instead we got a few bottles of water, a small backpack with snacks and took an hours drive east.

At this point, he highlighted something profound. It stuck with me! “Master your own backyard,” he said. The idea really got me thinking. Have I really exhausted all business growth avenues in Polokwane? Do I even know the name of the southern most town under Polokwane Municipality? Have I travelled to its eastern edge? Spent a night in the cities most northern location or even breathed the air of its western boundaries?

The thrust of his argument really was just that. Do you know what the business space is in the world that is immediately around you? Or have I been dreaming big or perceiving high level issues and concerns?

I still feel inspired and motivated to go one step further whenever I think I’ve exhausted my options. The goal is to not know about my proverbial back yard. The goal is to master my proverbial backyard.

The country’s matric results were released a few days ago. I remember when the release of matric results was a big event on my calendar. This use to be this way because I was a part of the process of producing the results that the country celebrated and criticised.

I was a Grade 8-9 English teacher at the time and would also take my holidays to work at marking centres. Do not be deceived, I did not do this for altruism’s sake. I did this because the money was good. I do miss the thrill of reviewing marksheets, getting them approved and watching the envelope leave for additional processing.

But the release of this year’s results was different. It felt different too. My biggest reminder that the results were out was seeing my old high school’s noticeboard: “MATRIX 2021 100%” it proclaimed!

My mind swelled with pride! That’s my old high school… or the school I last attended before matriculating. But more than that I was reminded of how the school arrived at this moment.

I was the second class of matriculants at Eagle’s Nest Christian School. This was back in 2006. And every so often when I drive past the school the school, I’m reminded of how much the world can change because one man and woman decided to start and keep a school running.

Since then Eagle’s Nest has completed its entire high school block. I remember when Mr Mac first told me about this block. He would point to the school gate and explain how the area would look once completed. I was 13 at the time. The first building in block was completed in my late 20’s.

Every time I drive by the school I’m reminded of this story. Mr Mac laughs every time I tell the tale to learners when I’m around him. I introduce him to the pupils I have taught as my high school principal. This feels special because it is special. My old high school principal lives in my neighbourhood and has built one of the more successful private schools in the area.

It isn’t a flashy school. Mampara brick is the brick of choice for all new buildings with exception to the Admin Block. Mr Mac used face brick for that. Mr Mac together with Ma’am Elsa, true to the missionary focus of the school, have built a school that provides a good education with all the bells and whistles. But without anything lavish.

When I look at how I manage my affairs I realise I try do the same. Get results and don’t try be fancy while doing it. I really do aim to do the basics right, reliably. Crazy to think that may well be because of the high school experience the school afforded me. We really all are connected and remain connected.

During my full-time teaching days, I always enjoyed a cup of coffee. I could drink actual coffee back then. The stuff that needs a plunger so that you can make it properly.

When I left Noorderland, the the coffee drinking stopped. I figured it would resume once I found work again. Didn’t know that it would be another four years before I would have another cup of filter coffee.

And so there I was at Fusion Boutique Hotel enjoying a good cup of filter coffee. I thought I enjoyed it. My gut on the other end found it quite repulsive and did what guts do to get rid of madness. It was in those moments on the loo in this gorgeously decorated bathroom that I realised: I like coffee, but it doesn’t like me any longer.

I tried decaf filter coffee and a handful of other mitigations. None of them worked. I thought the caffeine was the problem. Thishin pointed that if caffeine was the problem, I would not be able to stomach other caffeinated drinks.

Then one day it occurred to me. Instead of cooking rooibos tea on the stove, why not try cooking the coffee. It worked like a charm. I can enjoy the wonderful pick-me-up that is coffee again. And man oh man did I miss this drink that may well have inspired the industrial revolution itself.

Why does this blog exist?

I needed to restore a writing habit that I had since I have known how to put thoughts to paper. I stopped writing back in August 2015. That’s when my father passed on.

I stopped writing.

I stopped journalling.

This is my attempt to get the writing back. Experience the exhilaration of putting my thoughts out there again, for myself and for a few readers.

More immediately, this blog exists because Matt Mullenweg reckons it’s a good idea to write a blog to celebrate his birthday and dare I say, life.