2005 turned out to be a good year - not an easy one but a memorable one. Here are some things which happened:

• Attended (in an advice-giving capacity) the 4th re:fresh camp (in Magaliesberg) - a weekend camp for young adults which I helped start a few years back. Some other guys have taken it on now, but it was kinda cool to be there as an observer, and not someone running the thing. Also managed to walk away with a nice-looking bruise in my back after being shot (with my gun above my head, nogal) during paintball.
• Went to a seminar run by Wu Bin - the Chinese kung fu grandmaster who taught Jet Li (who was a streetkid until Wu Bin took him in).
• Had my cellphone stolen by a prostitute on Oxford Street - and then nearly got arrested for soliciting when I went back trying to find her. The story then made its way into my hockey club (Pirates) newsletter, with much hilarity directed at me. Heather told everyone at Baptist College (haha) and that was the centre story of my life for a good few months. Dad found an ad in the Sunday Times which he laminated and gave to me. It was an ad for street pole advertisments with the catchline: “Pick up more customers than a prostitute on Oxford Street.” Haha.
• Lost every single hockey game I played this season and ended off with a goal difference of -70. Yes, you read that right. Goal difference is calculated by “goals for minus goals against.” Ouch. I did manage to score a whole 1 goal this season (but gave away many more). I think I’ll give hockey a rest for a while…it’s just too depressing.
• Heard the Drakensberg Boys Choir at their school with my Gran and Heath. It was captivating - especially the last half hour which the boys put together themselves: an African extravaganza of gumboot dancing, animal sounds (from chirping to roaring) to traditional singing.
• Fly-fishing at a dam down the road from Drakies, right by the “Beware: Crocodiles” sign.
• Kung Fu
• Was solely responsible for multimedia production at a youth leaders conference in the Magaliesberg. Very challenging, from discovering electrical phase interference with the data projectors, to using differently spec’ed equipment to eventually pulling it all together (on a budget of, uh, ZERO rands) and having fun while doing it (as Ed Ramsami might testify…but then again, maybe not).
• emergent africa
• Fell in love with Chinese food and have developed much respect for its people. China is simply enchanting - the experience of being somewhere so different to home was marvellous, and I’d love to go back.
• Got my drumming up to a point where I can actually hold my own on a kit and not having people wince when I play in church. Not that I have my own kit - usually borrow Simon’s (thanks, bru!) - so it would be the night that Bruce and Kate (Bruce fronts Phringe) pay us a visit that Simon left his symbols at Roxy’s after a gig there the night before…luckily managed to source some (very old) hi-hats, but that was it - no crash, splash or ride symbols - just the hi-hats. Read: “Time to be creative.” And: “Why the hell does Bruce have to pick tonight to come to church?!”
• Saw Pilot play at The Songwriter’s Club in Newtown. Cheri is unbelievably talented.
• Farm-sitting in the Midlands.
• In return for helping aXon_NewMedia with their business cards I was treated ostrich steak at William Price’s house. Sooo-perb! William’s wife Janine is a worship leader at Rhema - and also does the occasional gig as “Janine” (imagine that!).
• Norah Jones
• Otter trail
• Had a really quiet birthday, but went to Kai Thai for supper. Superb! Tom Yam Goong soup is the best!