Wednesday, October 12, 2011 8:18:12 AM
The times we live in are exciting. World wide The youth are standing up and saying enough is enough to some of largest and meanest bullies on the planet. Yemen, Syria, Libya even the King and religious despots in Saudi are taking note. The rights of the exploited are being discussed. Its spilling over to the 99% in the US where the people have been oppressed by consumption. This economic meltdown means those in charge have failed terribly and should stand trail starting with Bush. Africa is slow to rise but its youth must stir from the yoke of abuse. Cut down Swaziland, Zimbabwe, South Africa and numerous other Tyrants. Chuck out the old and in with the new...YOU DON'T NEED LEADERS...YOU NEED THINKERS
Sunday, October 2, 2011 5:35:39 AM
Dar es Salaam, Weather, Roadshow, Arusha
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My day started off late again yesterday and this time caused by one of the senior staff, a Kenyan. I jokingly told him that he was in exile in Tanzania because he could not keep time in Nairobi.
Production had over compensated grossly on the "being on time" issue and we were about an hour and a half early at the airport, I could have slept for an hour and a half longer and its sleep I need as I have flu and had a nasty confrontation yesterday for telling the truth. This is Tanzania, people struggle with the truth.
Our destination with the contestants Roadshow was Arusha. We flew via Zanzibar to Kilimanjaro and then were bussed to the pretty town of Arusha.
En-route to Arush yesterday the cameraman said to me Mr Reon (an L is an E in Swahihihili) "We call Arusha Half London" He smiled, I quizzed why? "It has weather like London" Yesterday was a beautiful soft sunny day with long shadows, I fell in love with Arusha; I slept with a proper blanket for the 1st time in 7 months. The I was woken by the sound of rain, thats nice I thought and fell asleep again. ITS NOT NICE. I awoke to rain, we have to film outdoors and have a live concert outdoors and the thought has turned ugly...I have to pop downstairs now to have breakfast with the crew and contestants, we need to discuss the shoot schedule and I hope I hear no drama stories from the previous evening, one story I did hear that upset me was that the town of Arusha has no signal for our channel for a week now. So for one week Arusha has not been able to see or follow our show. We drove through the streets yesterday in an open bus with the contestants on the roof and and were met by enthusiasm.I'm pasting my Facebook status here to explain my experience and to set the scenario: We flew from Dares Salaam this morning to Zanzibar to Kilimanjaro and then drove to Arusha. Its amazing seeing the reaction of the people to our contestants, Talent that I have helped make famous in Tanzania. Imagine being in a beautiful city with a countries talent, imagine standing on top of an open bus driving through the cities busy streets with a sound system under you blowing the citizens away. Imagine the people reacting with massive enthusiasm. Imagine being a foreigner and being allowed into this world and accepted, not only accepted but there to Direct the Talent. Well that is my Job and today I was on a high.
My emotions had gone on a roller-coaster, the night before I had almost packed my bags, not for the roadshow but to leave Tanzania. More on that story later, 1st I check up on our schedule and its stil raining..FUCK
Monday, September 26, 2011 11:12:28 AM
South Sudan, Uganda, Mwanza, Kenya
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I have a friend in Ecuador, I've never met her but we have become friends on Facebook, shes
inspired by my nomadic existence, a life of travel. I'm a TV gypsy going from place to place and entertaining Millions at a time. Few know who I am. I do not like interviews and shy from people taking pictures. She has interpreted my life as something she aspires to .I gathered that life is prison for many who think differently, like me she is an atheist with an agnostic leaning.She lives in a Conservative Catholic South American city. I wrote the following for her. Ironically it made a lot more sense when I first wrote it but here goes:
The Desire to flee is an urge to control destiny. The need to stay is to keep foreign fears of far away at bay.
So I amble down to the corner cafe with you in mind. Inside someone is singing a song that tells me something is missing. Caffeine and toast is fine to fill the gap and bide time.
Its not the geographical journey, its a trip, a slip towards serenity or a place that bans stupidity. We need to flee, simply without someones anger intrinsically buried inside me. Within it stirs like life in a pregnant woman. Give birth to escape, give life to live and death to fear if you want to be free.
Read more...
Thursday, September 22, 2011 5:02:03 PM
Julius Nyere, Dar es Salaam, Rugby, Bongo Star Search.
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Its 4am my brain splutters awake, they fetch me at 5am we fly off in a tiny little plane at 6am to Mwanza at lake Victoria, more on that later once I have got there with our Bongo Star Search contestants. it's 4.15 I had specifically asked the hotel take me up at 4. Tanzanians cannot keep time.
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Tuesday, September 20, 2011 5:28:31 AM
Charlie Chaplin, India, Durban, Asia
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Self doubt prevails. Who am I to write a travel blog. Clever established stars Blog and tweet. That could be so but I have done more and achieved a lot more with a lot less, so I can put up my blog. This Blog has no pressure to be produced other than I want to write it. Why? to document my travels and encounters and to hone my writing skills. I write for TV, I'm writing a book that I got reminded about today..writers block has stopped my book in its tracks, attacked the creative binge.
Writing without the drama of picture and music and the other exciting bits is a different calling and I'm quite aware of it. The author needs to replace the music, the call of the city the cacophony of life crossing life or the large dramatic musical score that will switch to a minor chord to empahsise sorrow or care. Yep then there is the art of replacing the missing visual, I'm well aware of the skills needed and I'm sure I can work on it. I'm autodidact at most of my skill so I'm sure I could write a blog. TV will be a recurring theme as that is my profession, by choice. I made the choice to get out of Politics and music and into TV while I was just sober enough to realize that heroin and groupies last but 5 minutes in a life cycle.
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What is my theme, my genre? well Blogs like TV and life can be about a physical venture or a cyber armchair amble I'm calling my blog WWWanderlust, Visual Comments from the Global Village. I have been in this Industry for many years and have been traveling for most of those. Diversity keeps it fresh and attractive for me. I have gone from doing intense documentaries about war and gang wars to catwalk wars in Paris. I have done cooking, gardening, fashion, sport, travelogues and extremely intense stuff. I've seen the facades and have had the privilege of seeing more of many countries than the residents get to see themselves. As a TV director doors open for you more often than they shut, especially if your camera is about to roll on content that they want to boast about or shout about. I love my job and am thankful for being able to join the ranks of traveling tinker, tailors and TV makers.
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011 1:33:06 PM
Tanzania: I was meant to come here for 3 months to set up a TV show. I got ripped off by the cops, had malaria and a hectic accident. Its now been 6 months, I've turned their TV show around set a benchmark for their industry and I'm enjoying the people and the country. Slow pace but Lovely place.
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Saturday, September 10, 2011 11:28:25 AM
Well done to New Zealand for am inspiring Opening Ceremony last night, One of the best I have ever seen. Thanks I had goosebumps and pushed aside a stray tear or two.
This blog follows the normal story structure and an extended explanation to the rules of Rugby. Interesting if you love rugby but are not sure what you are looking at, Interesting if you want to know what the Southern Hemisphere and France, Italy, Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland are getting excited about, its also interesting if you consider that countries like Romania, Japan, Georgia and Russia are playing in the world cup or that Rugby is the fastest growing team sport in the USA. If it bores you I'd say skip it.
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Friday, September 9, 2011 12:29:57 AM
Morgan Freeman, Lone Lee, Rugby World Cup, Invectus
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(I photograph as afronaut, my TV company is called afronaut and me I'm Lee on set here in Tanzania in the second pic I'm with with our presenters Godwin and Bobby Junior- Bobby is quite a famous musician here watch him here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BURnFMhmLY&feature=related . My 1st Press card in 1989 and The Black and white pics from top down, Me on percussion with the Ak47's and Deez and Greg on stage while we were in exile in Holland)
This blog is a short desperate attempt at trying to explain my loneliness to myself and whoever wants to hear me whine. My sadness is legit as I am nursing a sad heart and my loneliness is very obvious. The self indulgent wine is a link to a bigger story...its about Sport and more.The Rugby World Cup, The Springboks and democracy on life support.
In 1995 Nelson Mandela Donned on the Number 6 Jersey of the Springbok Captain. A gesture that set the country on a path to transition and peace. All his efforts were stunted by the evil Poison Dwarf. Democracy and one Nation had a Gremlin, Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela's support act was about to undo all that Mandela had achieved and South Africa slipped back into being a race conscious country.
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Wednesday, September 7, 2011 2:31:23 PM
The word sweeping through my mind with less hesitation than a Tsunami is...RESILIENCE, play with that for a bit....it rolls off the tongue..rrrresilience. Theres almost a dignified silence in it, yet its stronger than any tank. RRRRRRResilience, you can twirl it twixt your fingers into a tight ball and flick it at your adversaries.....PING. Africans are extremely resilient, sometimes to their detriment. I was talking to a group of Tanzanians last night who said that they allow the leaders and Politicians to abuse office. Theres almost no accountability. and it is vibrant press culture that can call a government to order, that is why The ruling party in South Africa wants to curb and limit the freedom of the press. South Africa has no enemies but its own politicians. If African Leaders spent less on ego's, extended families and exploitation this would be one very rich and happy continent (oh and the people need to learn to be on time..helps with getting crops in and doing business)...and its that simple
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Wednesday, September 7, 2011 6:15:07 AM
Mandela Bubble wrap, south africa, Velvet Revolution., Police State
(LeeOnearth looking for something interesting and not finding it, well not in the pic)
The TV Production I'm working on is entering its final stages. I've lived in an insular TV world because of my tasks as Creative Director and Consultant.Now all the hard work I implemented in the beginning of my stay here in Tanzania is finally bearing fruit.I'm still feeling imprisoned, Fearing to venture to far in-case I'm needed to rescue the show, that what I'm paid to do. I've had an urge to get into my rented dilapidated vehicle and drive out of Dar es Salaam. My paradigm has shrunk. In hindsight These past couple of months have been hectic, firstly because I needed to implement a mind-shift to the way Tanzanians approached their Productions. We've had the Arab Spring and in particular the Libyan story, it became very personal when a friend Anton Hammerl got shot by Gadaffis henchmen and left by both loyalists and Rebels to die in the desert, it wad a difficult saga to deal with particularly knowing he had a 6 week old baby back home. I had a severe dose of Malaria that had me entertaining suicide and then my emotions became en-strangled in a love destruct, Gabriela my girlfriend in Spain and I split.
(Dandala, these buses are dangerous even forcing other drivers out of the way)
What is a blog unless it takes the writer on a journey, this blog throws me back and forth along the chronological time line from pre- exile and my post exile period, the pre- Apartheid and post Apartheid period. Life for me has always been about justice and that is probably why I am so angry with Nelson Mandela and his ANC, The Liberation Party that has became more PARTY than Liberation.
I'm ADHD so its easy for my thoughts to via off in another direction, although all material on this blog is interlinked in content and history. We pop off for a musical moment, it is a link I was sent by members of my former Dutch band called Splash on Passion. My motivation then as songwriter and lyrics writer was to show the world Apartheid Atrocities and sprinkle Romance into the Dark Days of the Cold War and Apartheid...This song was taken from a live recording. I wrote the song with Rowin Schumn and Bas Odink and sang it with Splash on Passion in 1985
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pNBOymCck0 I also found this compilation of practice and demo material. I think Bas Odink compiled this. I still cringe when I hear my voice on some of the songs, but it's history now and I gave up singing to save face and to start a career in TV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh8ua44aK3UHere is a link to compilation of my TV work
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtQe0iiyhksRead more...
My Opera
