The Apprentice

Greetings fellow blogriends – yes it’s a weak attempt to create a new word from bloggers and friends. I confess a case of the blogcks. Socks.

After a long hiatus, taking some much needed time off and soul searching, the Apprentice is back for your blogging pleasure. The Master has been graciously dealing with me these past two and half months. About what you ask? Well there’s no simple answer really but suffice to say, about living life in the palm of His hand. Trust. Faith. Hope.

I’ve had the most wonderful time bonding with my amazing wife, watching her belly grow as my firstborn grows bigger each day. There’s nothing quite like feeling your unborn child kicking against her mothers womb or seeing the magic of creation via an ultrasound scan. A mind-boggling miracle yet just another days work for the Master. He’s so awesome.

The hiatus wasn’t exactly self imposed but rather as a result of being downsized from the company I was working at. Yeah I was a victim of the global recession. Pity me. The Great Master, though, in His infinite wisdom had tired of my excusitis and finally helped me make a decision to leave that I’d been putting off forever. A not so gentle shove in the right direction you could call it. And boy am I grateful He did.

As it turns out, I am now come full circle and back to an exciting and daring business adventure with my long time friend and creative extraordinaire, the RogueKing. He and the Master have decided they need my humble talents to further the RogueKings outrageous plans for world domination. Mwa ha ha ha ha ha. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I am totally excited about the idea of working.

All I can say is, we’ll be living on the edge of accepted business practice, innovation and excellence that is unheard of in these dark recesses of this very dark continent. A bold claim I confess, but you don’t know the kind of crazy things the Rogue and I have always dreamed of. Plus, you dear bloggers will hold us accountable to our lofty claims. Look out for more posts. These are invigorating times…

Kiteus, Alteus, Forteous – Bigger, better, faster or is Stronger, Higher, Faster…? Agh! Foreign languages!

Shalom

Hello good people, for the first time in two weeks i have actually been able to get online, courtesy of my neighbour with an MTN Broadband thingy.
Thing is i’m on a much needed hiatus. No work just me, my Master and my wife. I need to re-evaluate where i am in life and where i’m going. God has arranged for me to be in the mountains like Moses, though hopefully not for 40years.
Anyways, post will be few and far in between but I haven’t deserted the community.
God keep you all. I’ll be in touch

In the words of Mr. Spock, Live Long & prosper!

To all my fellow bloggers who can safely admit they wish they could make a ton of money just blogging, here’s your chance. Good luck you lazy bums.

Shalom

SYDNEY, Australia – Position: Island caretaker. Duties: Lazing around Australia’s Great Barrier Reef for six months. Salary: 150,000 Australian dollars ($100,000). 

Unemployed, take heart — the aforementioned job ad is for real. Billing it the “Best Job in the World,” the tourism department in Australia’s Queensland state on Tuesday said it was seeking one lucky person to spend half a year relaxing on Hamilton Island, part of the country’s Whitsunday Islands, while promoting the island on a blog. 

The move is part of a AU$1.7 million campaign to boost tourism in the state. In exchange for the plush salary, free accommodation in an oceanfront villa and airfare from the winner’s home country, the “employee” will be required to stroll the island’s white sand beaches, snorkel, maybe take a dip in the pool — and post photos and videos of his or her experiences on a weekly blog. 

“It’ll be huge,” Tourism Whitsundays chief executive Peter O’Reilly said, adding he expected thousands will apply. 

Applications are open until Feb. 22 and 11 finalists will be flown to Hamilton Island in May for the final selection process. The job begins on July 1. 

On The Internet: 
IslandReefJob.com

A couple of weeks ago, those who will remember, i wrote a very passionate article about the commonplace dishonesty and lack of integrity that has become synonymous with Uganda. In Dishonesty..the best policy I wrote about a carpenter who seemed professional & legit but was actually a complete brigand and a charlatan. 

Well, in a follow up since then, i haven’t been able to get my money from him.600,000 worth of ugandan paper. I certainly don’t know how The Master expects us to turn the other cheek and show love to these types of people. I have been cordial though firm with him and given him lots of chances to pay me back. Ironically, he’s also been very cordial and pleasant to me too.

Sadly, all i’ve got for loving my enemy and being good to him is hundreds of empty promises. Every week for the last 3months, i’ve been left with dashed hopes and wimpers offered to Abba. Now here’s where my dilema comes in.

I don’t want to go to the police because, well, we all know that our police are just about useless without the proper..”motivation”. I would probably spend one third or more worth of the money to facilitate this motivation. Not to mention the back and forth, case files getting lost, statements, dingy stations, kandoya and whole lot of stress to follow up the case.

Two, i can’t sue the guy because I don’t have a lawyer, cause that too would cost me about as much just to retain their services and the judicial process in UG is also spectacularly rotten and galactically inept that i wouldn’t want to have anything to do with it either. This aint Boston Legal.

So, my blogger bretheren, I am now turning to this lovely fraternity seeking a solution to my dilema. What does a humble apprentice do? And please don’t you dare ask me for motivation either

Shalom.

Our character…is an omen of our destiny, and the more integrity we have and keep, the simpler and nobler that destiny is likely to be. George Santayana ”The German Mind: A Philosophical Diagnosis”

I ran the wrong kind of business, but I did it with integrity. Sydney Biddle Barrows, in Marian Christy, ”Mayflower Madam’ Tells All,’ Boston Globe, 1986

So yeah, i’m back after a long abscense to tell you that i’m leaving for the holidays. Yep, its that wonderful time of the year where I can’t somehow help but belt out the phrase “BAAA HUMBUG!”

I know you must be shocked that I, of all people, an Apprentice to the Master in whose honor we supposedly celebrate this season, could be saying such things. Well truth be told, I actually hate the over commercialization and materialism that Christmas is all about these days. 

Everyone thinking about food and drink and gifts. Nobody thinking about the Master being born in a manger, come to save us from out own demise. John 3:10 For God so loved the world… Now thats an amazing gift. But it’s the least acknowledged or even wanted gift. Be honest with yourself. 

So once again, I’m thankful for the 2week break from work but i’m loathe at all the nagging xmas carols and decorations all around me throughout the period. Well it could be worse, could be snow lined streets, snow men, santa’s helpers and God forbid, Reindeer. 

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t wish to dismiss the whole holiday cheer. I’m still trying to find meaning for myself in this whole thing. The pressure is on now, cause I have a wife and someday kids who will be desperate for some sort of xmas tradition. I pray the Master will show me the paths of righteousness and holly jolly spirit. 

I say we need to rediscover the true meaning of these holidays and be givers more than getters. Lets give more love, more forgiveness, more laughter, more peace, more compassion. Lets focus not on how much we’re going to spend on ourselves but rather how much of ourselves we can spend on others.

Well, I bid you all a very warm and Merry Christmas and supremely prosperous New Year in 2009. Peace, Love and Joy to all. May the Lord Christ be at the center of your homes and lives.

Shalom

Addendum: Someone just pointed out to me,that in the heat of my own rant, i proved my own point of how christmas has lost it’s true meaning when inadvertently misquoted John 3:16 as John 3:10! I’d love to say it was a typo but…I am terribly embarrassed but thankyou. God bless you, i know He has done so for me.