The Root of All Evil.

I've been thinking a lot lately about ambition, the driving force behind all we do. We all ultimately have the same goal, to make as much money as we can, while we're young enough to do it. And if you're not trying to make money or a success of your life you're instantly considered a loser or "one of those hippies". There never seems to be a grey area, always black and white, most of the time anyway.

I've also thought about money, the lack of it, the want of it, the stress of it and it has saddened me that life is so dependent on a piece of paper. Maybe I say this because I don't have it and I haven't experienced the life of the rich, the people who spend their nights at upmarket restaurants and browsing in At Home for the perfect blender, which has a two thousand rand price tag. My only consolation is the poor man's theory of why money is deemed the root of all evil. The "if I had all that money I would be infinitely unhappy". Materialism can only take you so far and then it's having to rely on who you are.

I read an article recently about successful people, with loads of cash and charisma sailing their way through the elite world and it spoke of insecurity, self doubt, two-faces. Needless to say, I was stunned. Surely if you're at the top, you don't feel like that? You don't have the same issues as us working folk? But then I realized that we are only human and these insecurities are part of who we are, show me a person who doesn't experience self doubt and I'll show you a lie. So with all the same goals in mind, be successful, be ambitious, make money, why is it that as a race we are so unhappy?

Could we be in the pursuit of unhappiness? It's the like that song, we're on the road to nowhere, are we on that road? Because if we are, give me a map, I want to find the meaningful destination. While the flock descends to a place of materialism and society's definition of success, I'd like to take the proverbial road less traveled. I don't know where it leads, but surely if the world is the way it is today, it can't be worse.

I think after reading, "Tuesdays with Morrie" I've thought about what the meaning of life is and though all of these books have their inspirational message that is almost always the same, talk about cliche, the message is being ignored and this blogger wants to figure out if it's worth it.

Biting The Bullet

Times are tough, there's no debating that, the economy is in crisis and we have to ensure that every penny is a well spent one. But how far would you go to provide for your family?

I find myself in a precarious predicament, as the food increases, as petrol goes up and as my child gets older, the expenses become a constant worry. I find myself watching a television programme and working out an internal budget. It's insane! So while chatting to a friend, who was kind enough to lend an ear, I started to realize that my situation was worse than I thought. Saying the words out loud, solidified the problem for me in my mind and I asked a question purely to see the reaction on her face, "Maybe I should get an evening job?" I paused and waited for the gasp and look of horror but she smiled and said, "If you get one, tell me where to look because I'll need one too."

I started to wonder if my pride was standing in the way of ensuring a brighter future for my family. I used to waitress, it was fun, when I was 18 but the more you progress in life the harder it is to go back to that place. Granted I'm only 24, it's still considered by many as a step backwards. What other option is there but to do whatever you can to take the pressure off in a time like this?

So as I scour the classifieds for a second job, I'd love to know what you guys are doing out there. Leave me a comment, Id love to hear your opinions on this matter.

You're Time Is Up...

We all know there's a recession ravaging the planet, but what lengths are employers willing to go to to save some money? In Britain, the amount of time people spend in the toilet is now being monitored. Yes you read it right, ten minutes max and it's bye bye loo. And to prompt you to finish your business the light will go out and you'll be required to fumble in the dark and hope you get out of there before someone catches you with your pants down.

This would be hilarious if it wasn't so incredibly degrading. Are we really resorting to these tactics to make more money? I think as the human race, the workforce of this planet, we have to deal with a lot of issues that are inhumane enough and now we have to make due with reduced toilet time? I can't seem to wrap my head around this one. Whoever came up with this idea and whoever approved it, should have their heads read.

Ching Ching Ching...

Jackpot. There was a time in South Africa when there wasn't a National Lottery. There were a few scratch and sniff cards making the rounds but nothing quite like the gambling culture we've created in the last ten years or so. I think it has something to do with desperation and poverty that makes South Africans do things like stay up all night at casino's, wet themselves to not have to get up from their machine and use the bathroom, or (and this one is my personal favourite) have long, detailed discussions about what they would do with the money if they won the lottery.

I always put that conversation in the "I don't know you well enough/Like you very much to invest in this conversation" file. Its was always nicely wedged between comments about the weather and comparisons in traffic stories. I must be getting old or boring or both because I jump at the chance to tell the harrowing tales of rush hour traffic. I haven't quite made it past stating the obvious when it comes to the weather - 'it's hot/it's cold/it's windy' - but I have no doubt that I will one day where my rightful crown as a classic cliche, crying in girly movies and obsessing over my health. All the while stuffing another processed white, sugary, bready thing into my mouth.

But my point is that tonight, there is a jackpot looming of R45 million. The cues are going to be long. Get in early. Now, of course I'm going to play. I always play when the stakes are huge and I always believe that I am going to win when I play because that is what we evolved folk called 'positive thinking.' The amount is so inspiring that I even entertained a little chatty chat about what I would do with the money. It was a brief chat mostly because the short answer is - I don't know what I would do with the money. Sure there's the obvious, houses, family, cars, selected friends, holidays and resigning from all mandatory tasks including work. It got me thinking about just how big we do actually dream.

Seems to me, we only entertain visions of a good life when the money comes easily. Doesn't require us to take any chances, make any sudden moves or even believe in ourselves enough to turn dreams into realities. We're limited. And we like it. We're helpless. And we choose it.

What if you entertained every lottery daydream as a fact? I don't think we do because we're not really sure we want what we say we do. Oh and the fact that you only want what you can't have. So if it seems you can have anything, turns out - we don't want very much but the tiny lives we already lead. What an Oprah moment huh?

Here's what I think, play the lottery like you're going to win and even if you don't - have your hearts desire anyway. That's what I'm going to do. And just for the hell of it... 17, 4, 26, 49, 47, 32

The Town Bicycle

There are three things that interest most people, besides the weather and winning the lottery. They are, in no specific order...sex, money and travel. In my world, that translates to sex, the economy and tourism. There's very little more admirable than addressing all three of those talking points in one breath. Fortunately the Germans have managed to do so and with some success it seems.

A brothel in Berlin has started offering discounts to patrons who arrive on a bicycle. It gives new meaning to the expression "riding the town bicycle." But its not what you might think. The initiative is in an effort to boost sales at the brothel. with the economy what it is, people just aren't paying as much for sex.

Not only can Maison d'envie brothel be credited with counter acting the global economic crises, they're also making some smart business and environmental decisions. Taking a bicycle or public transport is definitely greener than streams of cars heading to the brothel omitting exhaust fumes, causing traffic and illegally parking. Do you think they've considered a car pool? Besides that, they're broadening their target market. The stuffy old boys arriving in their big German cars are being diluted by the young, dumb and full of...energy. The eager to please, the porn watchers, sexually free and bicycle riders can now get a €5 discount on the usual €70fee for a 45 minute session.

Owner of Maison d'envie says that the downturn in the economy has really affected the sex industry. I mean, if you were down on your chips, could you get it up? Understandable but not hopeless, thanks to the shared vision of the owner and employees of the brothel. The big boss, Thomas Goetz put it like this..."Its good for business, good for the environment and good for the girls."

What do the cops say? A version of this..."Man, I wish I could swap my cop car for a bicycle, just for von day." Calm down, this isn't corruption and they're making no arrests, prostitution is legal in Germany. One of the few countries who have transcended the stigma of buying and selling sexual acts. Since 2002, 400 000 sex workers have been allowed to enter into formal employment contracts. Another good reason to travel.

So there you have it, sex, money and travel - on a bicycle no less but look on the bright side...you can use your GPS enabled cell phone to track your trip, visit www.hummba.com to find out more.

Prozac for the Economic Depression

There seems to be an insurmountable amount of sad in the world. The thought of being frivolous and light scares even the most optimistic optimist into caution, fear and sometimes even shame. I for one, am a firm believer in the best possible outcome. The stakes are higher than if I were a pessimist, I'm gambling with Disappointment. So you can imagine the disappointment I felt when it was finally confirmed that South Africa is in an economic recession.

In a country already burdened with extreme poverty and a widening gap between the haves and have nots, the thought of the have nots having less is frightening. I'm sure that in one way or another, everyone has felt the effects of the slow economy, I just can't think of one example that applies to me. Sure, food, petrol and basic necessities have increased, no doubt your insurance premiums have but on the other hand the interest rate cuts have been quite profitable.

It is a harsh reality, but here's a thought, have money, in fact...be rich, but love your life more than you love money and you'll always be sure that your bank balance doesn't determine your life balance. So here's a little tip from me to you, I'm going to give you the three step guide to getting out of the otherwise mandatory economic depression duty...

1. Don't scare people. Don't do that. You know those crazy makers that catch the tail end of the news and become a walking tabloid for all that is dark and dreary. You know what I'm talking about, those folk who love to carry the sensational "Its our final days on earth" banner. Give your energy to something positive. I'm convinced that that little surge of fear we feel when we talk about crime and money is actually addictive. Like our bodies own adrenaline has become a drug that picks us up for a few brief moments in our otherwise passion-less, i-robot lives. So don't.

2. Take some responsibility for your money. When I don't have I know for a fact that its me and not the American real estate market. So if you don't have, figure out how much you don't have and start talking to the right people. The people that can help you, not your neighbours who've just re-landscaped their garden to look just like the garden at Brad and Angie's French villa. No, be honest with the right people. Its probably time to start telling the truth anyway, it might be half the reason we got into this mess in the first place. Consumerism is another drug, and just like adrenalin, it fools us into believing we're happy. No, you won't be happy if you can buy it, so take some free advice instead...tell the truth.

3. Give. (This one is my favourite) Now, I can almost feel your fist tightening around your stack of hundreds but here's the thing...there are those who have less, much less. So little, you can't even imagine. You're not giving to get back, you're giving to help someone. Remember help and generosity and charity? One episode of Carte Blanche and everyone is convinced that the guy begging at the robot is making more than they are, and every homeless man, woman and child has to qualify your donations before it actually becomes theirs. Like "don't buy wine/booze/glue/weed/tik/anything-with-partially-hydrogenated-vegetable-oil/non-organic seaweed truffles with this!" That's not charity, that's just bossy. Give. Never mention it, don't include it in your Facebook status message, don't expect them to do the same for you. That's how you give. Make the commitment to give because it is good, because it will teach you some things about yourself that might even cure your spending obsession.

So there's my three step plan to combating the economic depression. Try it, I'm telling you, I can see light at the end of the tunnel already...