Officially disguised as a Canadian
Today I, along with millions of other people, mourn the death of Robin Williams. I can’t express in words how I feel. He had a profound influence over my life. I wanted to be John Keating, Peter Pan, Armand Goldman, and even my own namesake, Randolph Smiley. I’ll miss you, Robin.
I didn’t write about the Aurora incident. I don’t believe I’ve written much about school attacks. There was one at Parktown Boys’ High School (my alma mater) where some gunmen held boys hostage, but no one was killed. Aside from the fact that so much of the initial reporting yesterday was incorrect, which is toContinue reading Lies, damned lies, and assault rifles
I’m writing this in our new home of Lloydminster, on the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Facebook friends have seen photos and read updates, but I haven’t had the time to actually write up something here. Also, I forgot that I have this blog … So, Canada. Why Lloydminster of all places? What about Vancouver?Continue reading O Canada
If you believe all the news, we’re completely bankrupt. There’s no money to fix potholes and traffic lights in Johannesburg, with the (2010® FIFA® World® Cup®)®* fast approaching. There’s no money to run and maintain Eskom, our electricity provider. There’s no money for the pebble-bed nuclear reactor in the Cape. Then there’s the wonderful storyContinue reading South Africa is bankrupt
The other day I drove behind a woman driving a Mercedes Benz, and who had two small Dachshunds on her lap, sticking their heads out of the driver’s window. How is this safe? — I read that Terry Pratchett is a Humanist. I didn’t quite know what this meant, but it appears at first lookContinue reading Various thoughts and comments
Yesterday I took a day of annual leave to sort out some issues pertaining to our upcoming emigration. Stage 4: The medical examination After spending half of our morning in Johannesburg, and the other half in Pretoria, with me driving through a construction site known as the N1 / M1 freeway, dodging idiot drivers, itContinue reading What I did on my day off (Part 4)
Yesterday I took a day of annual leave to sort out some issues pertaining to our upcoming emigration. Stage 3: Where the f**k are our medical forms? The Canadian High Commission is in Pretoria, along with most of the other high commissions and embassies. This is because Pretoria is the state capital of South Africa.Continue reading What I did on my day off (Part 3)
Yesterday I took a day of annual leave to sort out some issues pertaining to our upcoming emigration. Stage 2: Renewal of Police Clearance Certificate When we first decided to emigrate, it was clear that it would take a long time, and we would have to renew several things that had already been issued. OfContinue reading What I did on my day off (Part 2)
Yesterday I took a day of annual leave to sort out some issues pertaining to our upcoming emigration. Stage 1: Renewal of Driver’s Licence Card I woke up earlier (7am) than usual (8am), so that I could be at the Randburg Licencing Department to renew my driver’s licence card. It expires in August 2010, whichContinue reading What I did on my day off (Part 1)
Right, so I've got this: