Hans' Milieu

Well tickle my nipples and call me Bob! South Africa has become the 10th largest user of Twitter in the world.

According to Canadian research company Sysomos, South African Twitter users make up 0.85% of total online Twitter interaction, beating Japan (0.71%), the Philippines (0.64%) and China (0.49%) to a spot in the top 10. Quite impressive for a third world country, hey?

Overall though, the US is the winner by quite a large margin with 62.14% of the world’s users, followed by the UK (7.87%), Canada (5.69%) and Australia (2.8%).

According to the study, Twitter attracts around 55 million unique visitors worldwide per month! Of that figure, 0.85% are South African. That amounts to about 467 500 SA visitors per month. Can you believe that? Almost half a million South Africans log on to Twitter each month. Incredible!

Looking at the popularity of Twitter today, it is amazing to think that it all started as a simple pet project in Evan Williams’ basement, way back in March of 2006. Since that time Twitter has become the world’s most popular social networking and micro-blogging site, attracting celebrity users such as Oprah, and a growing mountain of media and blog coverage. In all honesty, I use Twitter so frequently, that I sometimes wonder why no one thought of it any sooner.

[Sources: News24, IOL]

For those who still do not know, you can follow my Twitter here: www.twitter.com/HansHaupt.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

This morning I went to the airport to bid farewell to my cousin and his family who have immigrated to Sydney, Australia.

This is not the first time that they have immigrated. As a matter of fact it is the second time. The first time they went to Dubai, where they lived for about three to four years before returning to South Africa. However, they always knew that Dubai would only be a temporary change. Going to Australia on the other hand, is an entirely different scenario. For this time they have immigrated in an attempt to begin a completely new life.

As a result, a farewell was held for my cousin and his family on Sunday 13th September 2009 at Gilooly’s Farm. You may have a look some of the pictures in the album below.

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Saying goodbye is never easy. This time around though, I knew that I would be seeing them soon, thus delaying any emotional responses to their subsequent departure. Nevertheless, it still was not easy to have said ‘goodbye’. So this is for you, my cousins.

I know that my time is coming. For those who do not know, my family and myself have been thinking about immigrating for many years now. Unfortunately, we have not taken any ‘permanent’ measures to ensure a way of immigration. However, my plan has always been to complete one year of my Masters studies in South Africa and the final year in Australia. As a result, and should everything go as planned, I will leave for Australia by March of 2010 (next year). I will most likely post about this, in more detail, at a later stage. So… do not be a stranger!

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

Regular visitors to my blog (Wishful thinking, right?) will notice that the site has undergone a few stylistic changes. The change has occurred for a few reasons:

1. Hans’ Milieu was too ‘cluttered’, resulting in long load times, and needed to be streamlined

2. A new look for a new year

3. I’m sure there is another reason but between my throbbing ear and lack of sleep I just can’t think of anything else right now… except maybe of food *Hans stars blankly at the laptop screen for several moments, eardrums pounding all the while, bats his scratchy sleep deprived eyelids and proceeds to wipe the drool from his mouth – all while offering venomously furtive glances at his little cousin whose slowed breathes indicate a deep peaceful coma like sleep*

4. Man… I’m hungry. Ravenous in fact. It feels like I am being eaten alive from the inside out. Okay… I need to focus… *Hans disappears to the kitchen for a snack – Yummy, leftovers: chicken Parmesan*

5. Ah, much better… Oh… where was I?

So 2009 will be the year of the ‘New’. What that means exactly, I have not fully decided, but I reckon it will, unsurprisingly, have to do with ‘new’ experiences in love, life and studies/work/play… in everything really.

Speaking of new. A few posts back I mentioned that I was attempting a physical transition from ‘Flab to Fab’ – a 16 week challenge to turn my flabby self into something fabulous. Well… that 16 week period ended three weeks ago. The results? Enough fab to dither the flab, but still enough flab to denounce the fab.

In other words, although my strength and size have improved, there is not yet enough definition. For example: With a light press I can feel the rippling washboard that is my abdominal region, however I just can’t physically see it *sigh*.

I have not given up hope though and look forward to obtaining that ‘Men’s Health’ look within 2009. For now, I have posted a few pictures to indicate my ‘progress’ (the pictures were taken this holiday season). The fact that I have posted a photograph of myself without a shirt on (those who know me will know how big a deal this actually is, for a variety of reasons) is testament to the improvements in self confidence one can gain through exercise.

The ‘new’ year is almost upon us, only 15 odd hours to go. Have you got your new years resolutions ready? I have a few, but I have yet to put pen to paper and jot them down. What an old adage. It no longer reflects the times, in the literal meaning, and really should be updated. Let’s see… putting ‘fingers to the keyboard’? Heh heh. Or, even simpler, ‘post it to my blog’. Well, something to that effect. If you have any suggestions, I would like to here them, so please don’t hesitate to post them in the comments section. Without further ado, here are some of my ‘resolutions’ for 2009, listed in no particular order:

• Blog more often
• Get that ‘Men’s Health’ look – Abs people, abs!
• Attempt to upgrade my Masters study to a Doctorate
• Finalise our move to Australia
• Attempt to do at least one A.R.K. (Act of Random Kindness) a day

Some good news… the ear appears to have stopped throbbing. I will still have to get it sorted today though, don’t want the same thing to happen to me again tomorrow. Okay, it is the last day of the year, so I am going to attempt to make the most of it… whatever that entails! Heh heh!