You don't need time management, you need value management.

Decide what's is important to you and focus on that.

Broadening Your Scope

Exposure enhances vision.

It is estimated that the average person in Africa is behind their international counterparts by about 10 years in terms of exposure to what the world has to offer. That’s despite the Web, although there are many in Africa that do not have access to it.

Each time I travel out of Zimbabwe I am reminded of what is lacking here, but also exposed to new and better things. This time was no different. The one thing I will say about America is that it is huge. It is a huge landmass for starters, but it has huge cities. I was amazed by the level of organisation that exists to keep a city as large as Seattle growing, functional and operational. Be it from planning roads to collecting the trash in a manner that prevents a Wall-E type disaster.

As an aside I’ve been to large cities before (J’burg, London) but have never really appreciated that side of things before. I guess greatness and magnification is what stood out for me most on this trip.

If you have the chance to travel outside of your comfort zone, to see the world seize it with both hands it’s worth it.

Race to Witch Mountain

Finally facing the end of tour. A few more days and I'll be back in sunny Zimbabwe.

Went to see Race to Witch Mountain today. The real reason I went probably has more to do with having seen the previous Witch Mountain shows growing up rather than the incessant advertising on US TV. Impressions? Hmmm, let me see...it wasn't earth shattering, but again doesn't deserve a negative review. Some good tension in places, some good quotes ('It was the bhudda, he's not available'). Still it was a feel good flick that kids will probably enjoy. The second film I've seen young actor Alexander Ludwig in. Did a good job playing an alien kid with deliberate minimal emotional response. Probably a name to watch out for in the future.

Today is an overcast, drizzly, chilly day; perfect for movie, coffee and sleep. So far I've managed the first two; time methinks to chase up the third.

So the tour continues in a hectic fashion, I spent three days indoors without spending more than 5 minutes outdoors as we ran from venue to venue. Have to say that would not enjoy spending my life like that permanently.

I am incredibly grateful for the gym at the moment as it keeps my gut from expanding past my belt. Food is abundant, frequent and generaly fake. The level of processed gunk available is a little mindblowing-I mean literally mindblowing, that much sugar has got to rot more than just your teeth.

While on the topic of sugar here's a fun lifestyle experiment. Take a large glass and a teasppon. Now each time you add a spoon of sugar to something, place the same quantity in the glass. Now to make it more fun. Eat time you eat something with sugar, corn syrup,or sucrose on the label add an extra spoon to your glass. Watch the amount in there at the end of a day or week. Now if ou want to be really disgusting imagine eating that all in raw form! Now you can decide if you want to cut back a little.

PS you can use a similar method to try out any potential addictions. Watch TV and put a glass marble in a bowl for every 10 minutes you spend glued to the idiot box. See how much time you spend.

The Lighter Side of America

So I've been here for a week now, a rather fast and furious introduction to the 'American Dream'. It is easy to talk about the things I like about Seattle, and it is probably the same as many others; snow, the clear signs, wide roads, Starbucks. A little more interesting are the oddities that, as an outsider, fill me with mirth and amusement. Lets start with drug adverts. It is mandatory to list the side effects of drugs during a commercial. There is one for a sinus decongestant that lists effects including viral infection and nasal congestion. Then there is the rheumatoid arthritis med that promises side effects inclding disability, disfigurement and death. I can see it now; "Hey hon, I'm just popping down to the drugstore to pick up some death pills, I may not be back..."

The coffee flavour syrup that includes 'natural and artificial flavours'-seriously why bother with the eco friendly at all.

Went to a restaurant last night-rather pleasant and very busy. As with most public toilets there was the compulsory wheelchair access loo. Only one snag-I'd love to see any wheelchair user manouver their machine through all the highly tensioned sprung doors that lead to it. The fact that they all open one way means that you can get to the toilet in a wheelchair, but getting out again may be a little more fun.

Can't wait to see the parking spaces for the blind...

And we have touchdown!

What a month. Shortly before my last post I was invited to America as part of a choir/dance tour. My role is to primarily tutor a number of the kids on tour to make sure they finish school on time. So a hectic few weeks of visa applications, bill finalising, shopping and sheer panic culminated in 48 hours of travel to arrive in Seattle last Friday. It has been a mind blowing and eye opening experience. Much work and many observations-too many to write about in one sitting.

So let me put down one that is fresh in my mind. The Oscars. Now I havn't watched them for a few years, but loved the way the best actor/actress awards were handled-with 5 previous winners each affirming and encouraging one of the nomminees. Very powerful. As for Kate Winslet's speech, I think that was an example of visualising your childhood dreams and making them come true-the shampoo bottle she held up in the mirror as an eight year old is not a shampoo bottle any more.

Will try write more soon.

A little tragedy

I read Tolkein’s ‘Children of Hurin’ yesterday. Now I love Lord of the Rings and can appreciate the style of prose which some find a little weird and long winded. I cannot really stomach a tragedy though. I can appreciate the effort and style in writing one, Romeo and Juliet is amazing, but the morbid ending leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I don’t watch movies to appreciate reality; I watch them to avoid it. There is enough crap happening in the world already, there is no need to add to it fictionally. The guy should get the girl and ‘happily ever after’ should still happen. Movies like ‘Message in a Bottle’ are just depressing. Sure you can have a little pathos in the whole thing, kill off a mentor, have the occasional minor death to help tension and focus-just don’t kill off the hero! So if you are looking for something to help lift your mood then read the book for literary brilliance, not for the tale.