Eish, Monday hit out of nowhere. Been flat out with welding lessons, sorting bits and pieces, and trying to keep things on track. Suddenly realised it’s newsletter time with, like, two hours left—might be a bit late, sorry if it is.

Belinda and I did a mastermind course this weekend—two full days, eight hours each. No wonder Monday caught me off guard; the weekend just vanished. Up at 7, coffee down, brain proper tired by the end. But, man, it was worth it.

One thing that got me stoked was this AI music generator. It’s a proper jol. Pick a topic, choose a style, and bam—a tune in seconds. So, when Angelique dodged the dishes, I made her a rap song (her vibe, not mine, yuck). Got her laughing and upstairs quick, even if the dishes are still there. Small wins, hey.

Music’s a mood-lifter, gets you going, makes you feel good. When it’s about you? Whole new level. More on that in the AI Tip later.

🎵 Check the “Do the Dishes” tune → https://youtu.be/loFqkAHOCIo

What’s in This Week’s Newsletter

• Upcoming Events – What’s on for Saffas across Canada.

• Saffa Spotlight – Chatting ICBC insurance with Daniel.

• Thought of the Week – You’re in Canada, make it lekker.

• AI Tip of the Week – That neat music generator.

Upcoming Events

August’s a bit quiet, but there’s still some good stuff. The Netvleish Boere Fees in Dawson Creek is the big one. It’s a trek from Vancouver, but if you’re nearby or up for a road trip over the long weekend, go for it. Proper kuier, boere kos, and a cracking opskop. Vorster, Hantie, and the Gauche crew are solid people—worth the trip just to hang with them.

Here’s what’s coming up:

• South African Pub Night – August 18, 2025 – 86 Semisch Ave, North Vancouver, BC

• Disney’s The Lion King – August 20, 2025 – 630 Hamilton St, Vancouver, BC

• Hemingway’s Saffa Pub Night – August 20, 2025 – 142 Cumberland St, Toronto, ON

• South Africans in New Brunswick – August 30, 2025 – 399 Rookwood Ave, Fredericton, NB

• Netvleish Boere Fees – August 30, 2025 – 5892 243 Rd, Dawson Creek, BC

I’m looking forward to pub night next Monday. Bringing my boy Connor along for the first time—gonna be lekker to have him there. Come pull in, let’s make it a vibe.

Saffa Spotlight – Daniel on ICBC

Was at Real Canadian Superstore on the North Shore when I hear, “Howzit, boet!” It’s Daniel Poggenpoel, a Saffa at the ICBC counter. Here since 2008, been in insurance forever. Got chatting, and thought, let’s do a video to break down this car insurance business.

Daniel laid it all out—liability, comprehensive, collision, hit-and-run cover, low-mileage discounts, and why you gotta list everyone who might drive your car. Plus, tips on when collision cover’s a waste if your car’s a jalopy. He’s a straight-up oke, explains it clear, and sorts you out without the faff. If you’re doing a renewal, give him a shout—he’ll make it painless.

So when the time comes for you to renew your insurance, why not give Daniel a call? It’s all going through ICBC anyway, so it’s not going to make any difference to you. The only difference is he earns a bit of commission and you get to deal with another Saffa instead of some random oke you met at the garage for five minutes.

Need insurance on the North Shore? Hit him up at [email protected] or pop by Superstore.

🎥 Watch the vid → https://youtu.be/WhWCGVuiw5o

Thought of the Week – Make It Lekker

Always had this motto: don’t chase what you think’s fun — make what you’re doing fun.

Too many okes get stuck in the “grass is greener” loop. “If I had that job, that house, that life…” Then they finally get there and… they still moan. Why? Because if you’re wired to look for what’s wrong, you’ll always find something. Doesn’t matter where you are or what you’ve got.

Truth is, happiness is on you. You can sit around and grumble, or you can decide to make it lekker. Same glass — half empty or half full, you pick. And here’s the thing: the situation doesn’t have to change for your mood to change. It’s how you decide to look at it.

Got dishes to do? Stick on a tune and turn it into a mini jam session. Stuck in traffic? Belt out your favourite song or call a mate you haven’t spoken to in ages. Stuck behind the desk? Grab a decent coffee, put your head down, and smash it out.

Every moment’s got something to complain about — but it’s also got something to enjoy. The difference is which one you choose to focus on. And the more you practise looking for the good, the more you start seeing it everywhere.

So next time you catch yourself thinking “I’ll be happy when…”, stop. You’ve got everything you need to make right now a bit more lekker.

AI Tip of the Week – Your Own Tunes

That mastermind course? Hectic, but a real eye-opener. If you’re not messing with AI now, you’re going to get left behind. This stuff isn’t creeping in slowly — it’s arriving all at once.

One of the coolest tools I played with was an AI music generator. Type in a few words, pick a style, and boom — your own song, just how you like it. Got me thinking: music’s going personal. Live gigs will always be great, but imagine a radio station that only plays songs about your life, in your style. The tech’s already here.

And then there’s this other little gadget I’ve got (haven’t worn it yet). It’s basically like the AI you see in online meetings that takes notes and action points — except this one clips onto your collar and stays with you the whole day. It listens to everything, records it all, and at the end of the day gives you a full summary, a to-do list, meeting bookings, and reminders. You can ask it to do stuff on the fly, and it just… does it. I’m not going to lie — it feels a bit creepy having something listen to you all day, which is why it’s still sitting on my desk. But imagine combining that with the AI music generator. It knows your mood, knows what you like, and starts making music for you in real time. Your own personal radio station that’s just for you.

And it doesn’t stop there. This week I also heard about two different AI agents that now have full “computer use” built in. That means instead of just working online, they can sit on your own computer and use all the programs you have installed. We’re probably a month or two away from you being able to load one up, head to the beach, and your boss will think you’re at your desk working away — meanwhile, it’s just your AI agent doing the job.

If you want to start getting into AI and don’t know where to start, drop me a line. Maybe we set up an AI Pub Group — beers, chats, and geeking out every couple of weeks. Or even an AI Zoom / mastermind group for those further afield. Keen? Hit reply.

That’s a Wrap

That’s it for this week. Catch you next Monday. Summer’s still here, so get out—braai, beach, whatever makes it lekker. Oh, and the van build’s coming along—check the updates on YouTube, have a laugh, drop a comment.

👉 See the van build → https://youtu.be/dHYdkXcI7Kw

Cheers,
Callie