If you’re wondering about the title of this post – I’ll explain briefly.

I was having a skype conversation with my good old buddy Bill Jones – you know the one whose up for election? What you didn’t know that he’s running for presidency? You better check out the video on the side bar quick.

Well anyway back to the Zimmed Out Blues story – as I was saying I was chatting with Bill about Africa, in particular we were gossiping about South Africa. And I said to him you mean it’s going to be Zimmed out in 20 years? He loved that and now when we refer to feeling down we say Zimmed out.

South Africa has always been the pulse of Africa – yeah okay maybe because the honkies were the last to let go of their power. What ever. I know it wasn’t right. I remember asking my father as a kid where the garden boy went to at night. Seriously the “garden boy” was a grown man. I did wonder about that. And it bothered me a lot that the black kids didn’t go to school with me. Although later I was sent off to private school – Damelin College and low and behold non other than Zinzi Mandela was in attendance.

But that doesn’t make anything right. I’m a firm believer in the law of attraction and I’ve learnt to not focus on problems but rather on solutions. So with all the news about the elections in Zimbabwe I could feel my blood boiling. I also felt like I was about to explode and go into a whole political tirade. So knowing what I know about the law of attraction i focused my attention on the African summer we’re experiencing in good old Austria right now.

But the Zimbabwe elections were even being reported on in my neck of the woods which is a sleepy town 50 km from Vienna. Every body that knows me would ask me what I think and what a shame and what a mess Africa is and bla bla…

Truth is I love the place madly, passionately.

I hate to agree with Ernest Hemingway because he just was such a macho hunter type, drinking gins and tonics and making cynical remarks about life. And as for his book about the old man and the sea – it just wasn’t my favorite literature. I didn’t understand what was so thrilling about being out at sea in a small boat trying to reel in a magnificent water beast. But what old Hemingway did say was Africa gets under your skin. And does it ever.

But back to the Zim blues.

I’ve noticed that no one is reporting about Zimbabwe any more. All the noise has died down and Robert Mugabe is dictatoring on. I mean what gives?

If any body had to do that here in Europe or the USA people would be freaking out. It just wouldn’t be accepted. Some other country would come declaring war and taking radical actions. Yet because it’s Africa nobody gives a damn.

I’m not saying that Zimbabwe must be colonised with pale skinned lap top bearers. But the people must be free to elect who they want and they are obviously sick of Mugabe. I mean wouldn’t you be? How would you feel if you couldn’t choose? It’s not very democratic is it?

So Bush said he would sanction Zimbabwe – excuse me while I kiss the sky. Sanction Zimbabwe from what? And does any one care?

By the way if you’ve ever been to Zimbabwe you will know that it has breath taking African terrain and raw materials as well. In the old days there were thriving mines – I know my Pop supplied the mines with equipment. It was about 10 years ago when decline was seeping in and hyperinflation taking over. My Dad had a huge box full of Zim dollars which no bank would cash and even in Zim there was nothing you could buy with it. So that was the last time he serviced the mines.

Of course Robert Mugabe believes it’s a western plot and refuses to have any economic reforms or allow democratic elections.

My heart is Zimmed out when I think of it so I keep a prayer in me for Africa.