Just Some Things and Stuff

Hey there! It’s been a while since my last post, and I apologize for the delay. I know I’ve been slacking on my blog, but honestly, I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately. Instead, I’ve been posting short updates on my Threads feed, which has become my new go-to microblogging platform (for now).

If you want to stay in the loop on what’s going on, follow me on Threads. You’ll get to see the best and worst of me, my silly antics, and my boredom-fueled rants. If you’re already following me on Threads, you’ll know all about these things. If you’re not following or if you’ve missed anything, here’s a quick rundown of what’s been happening since my last post…

Update on the C-Word Situation

I finally got an appointment at Oncology on February 10th. Unfortunately, the outcome wasn’t great. My oncologist thinks there might be a recurrence of the cancer I had before. We’ll know for sure after a PET-CT scan on March 18th. Even after the scan, I still have to wait for the follow-up with Oncology on April 1st.

So, I’m still in the dark about what’s really going on. I still have to go for the scan, and I won’t know the results until April 1st. This whole situation is super stressful, and the fact that it’s taking so long to get some answers has been driving me crazy. But at least the process is moving forward, and I’ll eventually know what’s wrong with me. I’m still hoping that my issues are all related to a recent muscle injury or prolonged use of unsafe water, and that it’s not cancer again. Fuck Cancer! Cancer is a CUNT!

New Music, Out Now!

My new single, ‘Be with Me,’ is out now! It’s available on all the major music streaming platforms and digital download stores worldwide.

This song is a bit different from my usual style. I wanted to experiment and try something new. It’s got an 80’s Electronic Pop vibe to it, with lyrics and vocals by yours truly. And here’s the exciting part: this is my first release without using any sample music. In the past, I’ve used sample drum and synth loops in certain parts of my songs, but this time, the music is all original—composed and produced by me. I’m really proud of it!

I had a blast making this kind of music, but I think I’ll go back to my roots and make some underground techno (tech house, minimal techno, deep techno, and deep house) for my next releases. But right now, everything else is so overwhelming that I don’t have any new music planned for the foreseeable future. I’ll get back to it when inspiration strikes and I’ve got some time to breathe.

I hope you enjoy listening to ‘Be with Me’ as much as I enjoyed making it!

Clean Water, Finally!

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know about the water problems I’ve been having since I moved to Polokwane. We don’t use city water, so we have a borehole. The water looked clean, but it wasn’t filtered. I’ve been telling everyone to get a filtration system since we moved here, but some people didn’t think it was necessary because the water looked clean. Well, guess what? After using the water for a while, everyone in the house experienced new strange medical problems. I was pretty sure it was because the water was dirty.

I was right! The water test showed that the water is unsafe to drink, cook, or wash with. We needed to get a Whole House Filtration System and UV Filter to make it safe. We finally got the system installed, and now we have clean water that’s actually safe to use.

It’s only been a couple of days since the system was installed, but I can already feel the difference. My skin is clearer, and baths don’t feel like torture. I just hope that the other medical problems we’ve had since moving here aren’t chronic. Fingers crossed that everything will get better now that we have access to safe, clean water.

Van Life Goal Progress Update

So, things haven’t been going as planned lately. I had to dip into my savings to make ends meet, and unfortunately, I’ve lost a bit of ground. I was at 10% towards my goal, but now I’m at 8%.

A friend suggested crowdfunding my goal, and I’m already trying to do that by asking for donations on Buy me a Coffee. But it’s been slow going, and I haven’t been able to set up a proper crowdfunding request because none of the trusted platforms (like GoFundMe) support payouts to my country.

Buy me a Coffee used to have a wishlist function that kind of worked like a crowdfunding system. I could list a specific financial goal, explain the details, and anyone could contribute towards it. It showed a progress bar with a percentage breakdown of contributions made. But they’ve removed that feature and replaced it with a digital store function, which I haven’t used and can’t use since Van Life won’t involve me selling anything.

So, for now, my only options are direct donations or monthly memberships. If you’re feeling generous and want to help me reach my goal, please contribute through Buy me a Coffee or get in touch with me by email if you’d like to help in some other way.

Despite my challenges with Autism and ADHD, which have made it tough to find a stable job, I’m determined to make this goal happen on my own. Last year, I had a business idea that didn’t quite pan out, but I’ve started something new that I’m really excited about…

Pressure Washing Was Just a Silly Idea

So, last year, I had this awesome idea to start a pressure washing business. It seemed like such a fun and rewarding job, and I thought I could totally make it work. But guess what? After doing some research, I found out that it’s not really a thing here in South Africa.

You see, most people here clean their own driveways, cars, and walls. They either do it themselves, hire a garden service that also includes lawn mowing and gardening along with pressure washing and leaf blowing, or take their cars to the car wash. And the only time pressure washing crews are hired is for big commercial projects like cleaning car ports, malls, solar farms, and stuff like that. Even then, those places usually have their own staff or hire specialized companies that cater to corporate clients.

So, trying to do it on a small scale like many guys do in the US and other countries just isn’t feasible here. It would mean buying industrial-style pressure washing equipment, which requires big vehicles, massive water tanks, and trailers. And then I’d have to compete with the companies that already fill the field. No thanks! Not to mention, I simply do not have the funds to even attempt to do that.

My idea was to just buy a small household pressure washer and offer to clean people’s driveways. Market research indicated that very few people (if any) would hire me for such a purpose. It’s just not something that people even consider here in South Africa.

A Potentially Viable “Day Job”—Maybe!

I’m on a mission to find a way to make some extra cash and make progress towards my van life dream. I’ve been thinking about something I tried before, but never really stuck with. It was just a fun hobby, a way to pass the time. I didn’t have a plan, no strategy, no research. I just thought it was a bit of a gamble, and I was okay with that. That thing is CFD Trading.

Looking back, I only traded CFDs a couple of times. Between 2017 and 2021, I only put in $40, and I took out $121. Even though I didn’t have a real plan, I still made a profit. I’m not sure why I stopped, honestly. Trading CFDs can be risky, maybe that’s why I gave up. I didn’t think it was a good way to make money until recently.

I had a chat with ChatGPT about it, and I came up with a detailed 5-year strategy. I decided to focus on specific commodities and only trade at certain times. Now I’m getting back into it, following a strict strategy. If it works, I could make a stable income in 3-5 years. I’m starting small and playing it safe. I’m using small trades, small stop-losses, and slowly working at it while sticking to my plan. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

If this turns out to be a success, I’ll share my strategy, my 5-year plan, and more info on the trading platform I’m using. For now, all I can say is that I’m giving it another shot, this time with a strict plan and schedule. I’m starting small since I can’t afford to make big trades right now. I hope to build it up to making larger trades that will eventually lead to a steady income if I can keep at it.

The best part is that I don’t have to sell anything, market anything, or work with anyone. So all the Autism-related job difficulties don’t apply to this. It’s also great for ADHD because it’s short and provides instant dopamine boosts when trades are successful. Following my detailed plan, I only have to “work” for two hours, one day a week, and then within 3-5 years, following my strategic plan (which I will share if successful), profits could at the very least earn me the equivalent of a middle-class income. I just need to stick with the plan; and not deviate from the strategy. This could be my new “day job.” Only time will tell.

Thank You for Reading!

If you’ve made it this far, thanks a ton for reading! I hope you found my ramblings interesting and informative. If not, at least you’re now in the loop on what’s been going on in my #Personal life. I’d really appreciate it if you could keep following along on my journey and offer support if you can.

[The featured image of this post was taken in my backyard during sunset with a 3-second exposure]