Pharrell Williams - Happy (Cape Town)

Aaahhhh..... my people. Missing home big time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QcOshv9oq0

SOTS

I have no idea if SOTS stood for anything. All I knew was that I was one because I was a slave to the higher power.

While in Namibia I joined Centaurus High School. I thought it was a pretty fancy school till we got put in the hostel even though we lived only 10 mins from the school. Dont know if I ever asked my mother why. To make it worse my brother was in a different school because as I was in High school and he in Primary.



I must say I met the coolest guys in the world at this hostel. We got through tough times and had loads of fun doing so. Guys like Donnie, Goodwill, Azane, Cecil, & all the rest. We lived two in a room with lots of space. We learnt the hard way about structure and discipline. You cleaned  your room everyday for inspection and scheduled to clean bathroom, toilets and showers as well. We talking military precision folds in the bedding and lick off the floor cleanliness.

If any of your areas were found dirty you were penalized with points. I think it was 5 points each. These were dreaded like syphilis because you went home every Friday and returned Sunday night. If you got 15 points you could only go home Friday night and not after school. Maybe 20 points meant you went home Saturday and 25 you stayed at hostel the whole weekend. Bloody hell that was hectic. Maybe only a couple of guys did not go home weekends and the place was dead, no one wanted to stay a minute longer on weekends.

As the newbies we were called SOTS. Sots were the slaves of the matriculants or seniors students. You get assigned a senior and your life is theirs. They make you do shit like polish their shoes, do laundry, clean room and buy stuff for the dinner table. I cant remember my senior much but I didnt do much for him. Others were on hands and knees making their owners happy. I think I had a quiet Asian dude that wasn't really into the torture bit.

Some Misadventures:

One day some seniors called us into a room. So 4 of us dweebs had to stand shoulder to shoulder holding the others ears creating a link. Buddy at end had to hold onto a live wire while my other buddy at the other end had to touch a wire connected to a car battery. If I remember correctly this human link meant we shocked each other connected by the ears. Damn I should of been smarter than that!

One evening seniors at the dinner table challenged Sots to drink a whole jug of water. Only George would raise his hand and prove his metal by drinking the whole jug. Feeling very proud of myself, I became worried when he found funny tasting crystals left over in the jug. And so started my 4 hour ordeal on the toilet pot and life was never the same again. Can someone say brooklax

The school was massive with girls and boys hostels behind the school about 200 meters apart. Like true Ninja Turtles we found a network of tunnels accessed through storm drains. We did the only logical thing. Grabbed some skateboards,flash lights and crossed some metal link chains over our chests. We were gonna skate on our stomachs all the way underground to the girls hotels. Hopefully coming up in their bathroom or locker room. Down the ladder we went about 6 meters down into a large chamber. The first few guys started down the tunnel and two of us were left when we heard something above. The seniors found out about our adventure and decided to lock us down in the sewer pipes. William and I begged to be let out and I think there was some tears as well. After some time torturing us they allowed us to climb out. They made us piss into a barrell and when the others came back from the tunnels they stood in the chamber looking up shouting to be let out. And thats when the piss was thrown on them. Glad I was on the other end of that. Sorry guys, sometimes in life you have to think about self preservation.

Good O'l days....
 

Snow Storm to Newspaper

What happens when you put a guy from the Cape Flats in a snow storm? He lands up on the front page of the newspaper!! I always wanted to be in the newspaper and realized there is only two ways its gonna happen. I either do something really good or bad. My sister beat me by landing her picture on the front page of the Argus Newspaper as the main article for her dedication to improving the quality of life for those who are under privileged.

My best friend Worsie and I were trying to think up a plan to get our picture on the front page too. Unfortunately our youth was a calamity of misadventures and tragedy so there would be no halo for us. Would we empower ourselves to turn our lives around and make our lives a success deserving of a front page story? We could join my sister Gillian and she could guide us through the necessary spirituality and life transforming shifts in order to find ourselves and the good thats buried so deep down inside. Once we tapped into our Pure Potentiality and dropped in seeds of goodness we could take our new awakening and use it positively by helping all those around us who are not as fortunate and in South Africa there are millions. Is this our new path we pondered?  Well....no.

Actually we thought of driving a Mercedes Benz off the pier in the Waterfront making a big splash in the middle of the harbour surrounded by thousands of tourists. That would surely get everyone's attention and make us the most populate dudes around (don't ask)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_vortex
 
                                                          Winnipeg Free Press article:



Winter Continues-George Engel pushes the family car which was stuck in a back alley off Grovenor Ave in River Heights Thursday morning- The Winnipeg area has seen near 8 CM of snow and could see another 7cm in the next 24 hours- Standup photo- Feb 07, 2014 (JOE BRYKSA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

Not as glamorous as I hoped but its a start. Pulling out of our driveway with Elim in the back I was about to turn into the road when the car refused to move. It was so icy the wheel just kept spinning and spinning. Along comes reporter and he makes a deal. He snaps pics of my misery and hopelessness and then helps me after. Well thanks Mr Journalist your push made all the difference and we got to our appointment on time.

http://store.winnipegfreepress.com/photostore/photo-details/63954/#order

My 2010 Bucket List

Bucket Lists

Found this and thought you would enjoy the read. Its vital that we put our plans on paper so that it creates a registered note to succeed and gravitate towards them. Don't know how boring or outrageous these sound but this is apparently what I came up with 3 years ago...........

1

1. Cage dive with Great White Sharks
2. Meet Justin Bieber
3. Run a 5K
4. Visit Colosseum in Rome, Italy
5.  Do a cancer walk
6. Start a Social Blog and get thousands of views
7. Go Canoeing
8. Go kayaking
9. Eat paella in Spain
10. Learn to play golf
11. Shoot an AK47, Dirty Harry, Desert Eagle & M16.
12. Go Ice fishing
13. Go bowling (the big balls)
14. Horseback riding
15. Skiing like James Bond – well almost
16. Go for Karate lessons
17. Try Fencing
18. Fluency in French  $500 – just started
19. Fluency in German
20. Go for guitar lessons
21. Go to the latest pop concert
22. Michael Buble concert- booked already
23. Snorkel a shipwreck
24. White water rafting
25. Get a promotion and become highest paid in city.
26. Hot air balloon
27. Ski diving
28. Bungee jumping
29. Canopy Tree Tour in Jamaica
30. See big five (missing leopard)
31. Ride a giant roller coaster
32. Visit the Egyptian Pyramids
33. See Petra Jordan
34. Explore Mayan Ruins Mexico
35. Go cave diving/snorkling Mexico
36. Walk on the Great wall of China
37. Visit the Taj Mahal
38. Explore the Grand Canyon
39. Coin Collecting
40. Watch all Academy Awards Best Pictures (46 left)
41. Build a home for humanity
42. Donate children books to a childrens hospital
43. Donate monthly to a charity
44. Explore Cango Caves Oudtshoorn
45. Volunteer at the Red Cross
46. Make the front page of a newspaper
47. Go to a rodeo
48. F1 Grand Prix $600
49. Attend Big fight night
50. Visit Las Vegas
51. Run in costume/fancy dress
52. Get involved in a protest rally
53. Give a stranger a $100
54. Win over $1000 in the Lotto
55. Make Sushi at home
56. Say “ Quick follow that car!”
57. Plant a tree and carve your name in it
58. Run naked down a public road
59. Start a family tree
60. Give blood
61. Eat real Pizza in Italy
62. Send a message in a bottle
63. Pay for some ones groceries
64. Own original art work
65. Go on a cruise….LOL
66. Go on a Roadtrip Across Canada
67. Sponsor a child in South Africa
68. Tour the Colusseum
69. See Anne Frank's house
70. Eat a food that I grew
71. See Michelangelo's David
72. Make a million Rand!!!
73. Grow a bonsai tree
74. Own a BMW
75. Fall in love
76. Run around like a gladiator in the Coliseum
77. Buy pepper spray for the wife
78. Get published/Write a book/Poems
79. Go whale watching
80. Visit Bob Marleys house in and mausoleum in Jamaica
81. Make a music video
82. Volunteer at a rehab centre, friends don’t count
83. Hike the Inca trail to Macchu Picchu
84. Teach someone to read
85. Own a Mercedes Benz
86. Go to Niagara Falls
87. Visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa
88. Fly to join a disaster relief effort
89. Tour a WW2 Battlefield
90. Post a video on YouTube
91. See an active volcano
92. Go snorkeling in the Caribbean
93. Attend / throw costume party
94. Give up something for a month
95. Fly First Class over the Atlantic
96. See a Broadway show
97. Make loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries through www.kiva.com. 
98. Kiva Goal is $1000 through The Engel Care Initiative.
99. Buy my wife a New SUV
100. Buy me a Mercedes Benz 2 door sport
101. Attend a Native American Sweat Lodge Ceremony
102. Start a charity
103. Donate blood
104. Eat gelato in Florence, Italy
105. Donate clothes to Red Cross
106. Run a successful business
107. Wear platform shoes and a safari suit to a rave
108. Shave my head for cancer
109. Donate money to cancer research
110. Have an article/letter printed in the Newspaper
111. Climb a large mountain- if Table Mnt counts.
112. Stand on steps of Cannes Film Festival
113. Learn to forgive my parents and friends
114. Make a difference in at least one person’s life
115. Volunteer at a homeless shelter
116. Swim in the French Riviera

Bad Ass Party

      

It was the age of clubbing and house parties somewhere between 1993 - 1995. Neighborhoods competing on having the best house parties. Somehow I think it was Garlendale against Fairways with us kicking ass along with the party houses of the Ordensons and cousins Terrence and Grant.

My brother and I had to throw down a big one for the ages. It was so important we must of rescheduled the date twice. It had to be perfect. You only 15 & 16 once right and you have to have your priorities straight. Working in the family liquer store was just perfect timing I could get anything I wanted and on credit. So what was the strategy? Well the only way to get coloureds to a party is tell them there is free food and drinks so thats the mission. Mom taught me all that was needed in hospitality so I learnt from the best and we went along making this EPIC.

I really dont know where to start so just gonna subtitle & wing it.

Party Animals:
I went to 3 schools in the area and made lots of connections. All three schools were invited and the word spread. No damn Twitter or Facebook bullshit this was actually people speaking to each other!! We were hanging with the Poison crew at this time which is another blog altogether. Just imagine that crazy crew at school that was so wild people were afraid to invite them to their parties. That was us! Untamed group of alcoholics driving around in a red 3L Ford van with POISON written on the front. Just a few guys and girls that did not find any religion.

Booze:
There was no way to spend money on the good stuff. So I bought 12 bottles of brandy costing $1.30 each. It tasted like pure jet fuel which was just perfect. I think maybe four 5L boxes of wine for the masses that tasted like cold piss. I bought some cases of 750ml beers but don't ask me how much. Excuse my memory its just full of slush.....The garage was our bar and we set up a tag team of barman to handle the drinks. All free of course.

Actual Brandy consumed but 12 of them. Our livers tasted something not meant for human consumption.

Actual 5 liter boxes consumed. Can be used as paint remover as well.

Food:
As always mom made sure she made a huge pot of curry with rice to feed the hungry. She called all the girls into the kitchen and explained serving procedures and how to heat up everything and what goes with what.

Because that's what you need when you filled to your throat with alcohol.

Adult Supervision:
Mom also made sure that she went out for the entire evening with all her friends to give us our space and freedom. She was a loving mom and very trusting. This was vital for the shit that was going to go down and we did not need her nagging when the police came.

Bouncers:
Dont be ignorant here. Just do what you have to do right. The Poison boys stood at the front door regulating the crowd. Only thing is they let every Dick Tom & Abdultjie into the joint. That was our attempt at theft prevention. Only the lord knows if they were any use and I am sure the scared off a few decent folks.

House:
So we moved all the furniture and pool table from lounge and dining room into the rest of the house. We opened the double doors leading from there into the courtyard. We rigged the lounge, dining room and courtyard with various strobe lights all the way through to the back garden. So we had about 30 meters of dance floor into the yard lit up like a Xmas tree. The courtyard had rooms on the right and an open garage on the left which was the bar. Garden in the back was cleaned and a sexy hammock was hang for the lovers between the trees under the stars. We even place lights on the  concrete arch which led the garden.

DJ:
Barry was the DJ but I am sure he did not truly understand what was gonna happen  but he was brave and talented and just our guy. As long as he brought his gorgeous sister with him. Anyway we turned my bedroom into the DJ box as it the windows opened onto the courtyard dance floor. It was perfect he saw everyone and he had his private place where no one could get to him. Years later he became a top DJ in the city playing drastic funky sets in the clubs downtown. I like to think he made a good start at our party.



Parking:
This was an issue. We had the cars parked down our entire street and the flashing lights gave away the party house. Not sure how many times the police came. Will have to ask my bro on that one.

This is where everything goes South. The planning and execution was perfect the drama that followed was the type of shit you could never make up. Yes a movie is to follow I am just talking to Steve O to play me.


Girls
There were some fine women around that night and they decide to entertain us by climbing on the roof of the garage and dance looking down on the party. The boys loved the sight and it just showed that alcohol is fearless. Until the roof started to look like it was about to cave in with them falling onto the barmen. I had to get some guys up there to take them down as the booze could not be stopped........Maybe if you took off something we would of kept you up there.

Mafia
The party is pumping the house is full and things are heating up. So many people and moving around was impossible. Never had so many strangers in our house before. Jerram and I running around keeping the animals in check and control the vibe when these two guys I dont know grab me and ask me to keep their bags safe. Ya cool I take them to a bedroom where the Poison crew is chilling and throw the bag in the cupboard assuring no one will mess with it because we bad ass. At the end of the night these okes come looking for the bag and we cant find it. They start going crazy shouting something about he is the son of the most feared gang leader in the city and his gun was in the bag. He is threatening to call his crew for me unless I find the bag. I see the Poison crew is not in the room and know they went outside. I ran out with these guys and down the street where in the darkness I see a mob of guys wasted out of their tree, trying to walk back from whatever they were doing in the park. We find the gangsters bag on one of the Poison crew. It was one of the youngsters. We grabbed it to find the gun missing. He is so drunk he cant talk and no one knows where it is. Everyone pulls the 5th. This dude is going mental threatening to have us all killed by his father Jackie Lonte who is the leader of the Americans gang. Everyone in the city knows him and how ruthless he is........... well guess my days are numbered. No one came for us that night and weeks later was still watching my back.......   

Unfaithful
Then there was a call to arms. A buddy from my other school put the moves on a Poison's girlfriend. All I heard was shouting for the Poison crew to meet in the street. I quickly found out who it was and told him I cant stop these guys and he better make a run for it. Messing with girls can be a dangerous business........ Thank God he listened and flew out of there like a bat out of hell. Because the 20 odd Poison crew was so wasted they didn't know the guy was gone so he got a few minutes head start. The crew ran wildly down the road looking for him all foaming at the mouths. It was a sight to behold this mob running into darkness looking for a good looking smooth talker with long hair. I look at this and could only pray his feet was as good as his pick up lines or he was dead........and back to the party chaos I go. For you info he made it out untouched and ran home non stop.


DJ
So the dude that stole famous gun bag made his way into my room which was the DJ box. While passing out on my bed the fokker starts throwing up and sleeps in his own puke. DJ starts bitching he cant work like this and tells me his not paid yet. Ha funny because........... I had no money left and forgot about him. Ok......heres the plan. Make DJ happy or party is dead.......leave puke boy on my mattress and just pull the mattress with this idiot on it all the way out of the house onto the pavement. Grab a hat and make rounds on the dance floor collecting money to pay DJ. I really cant remember from there....... I think he got paid and played to the end.........crisis averted.They DJ rocked it even under to the most trying circumstances.

The universe was clever not to bless my generation with cell phones and cameras the sight would just of been too much to handle.

Hammock
Heard some screaming in the yard and found 6 people trying to climb on the fancy hammock I set up and all fall on their asses and breaking the damn thing. As they all wasted no one could get up from the lawn so I just left them there. These no gooders did not deserve a hand up.

Mom
So mom comes home early hours of the morning and she was well proud of her boys. Pulling up theres a couple kids passed out on the front lawn with puke nearby except for one kid sleeping in style on his own mattress on the pavement. The damn nerve of him. I know!! She found a kid passed out in the bathtub he looked like he was still in primary school though. The kitchen was a disaster with apparently pots, pans and cutlery missing from the kitchen. Furniture was moved all around the house and she could hardly make it to her bedroom. She took one look at my brother Jerram and I and just shook her head. Words were useless and not necessary. We pulled of the greatest party ever and she was proud.

Please forgive the lack of accuracy because I am the last person who remembers anything that went on that night. Maybe Jerram would know but I am not sure he was normal either. You know the party was a huge success when years later people would approach me in the clubs as one of the brothers that threw that party. Tradition needs to be passed on and my kid will have the most digusting party Canada has ever seen by a 15 year old! Yes I said it!