Every alternate month I have the privilege of attending Jozi 27Dinner. I’ve been to a few tweet up’s in Cape Town and created one or two of my own in Durban and in Jozi, but tweet up’s are Mickey Mouse compared to the fame of 27Dinners.
Yeah, of course they’re informing and interesting to see who’s doing what online and which business is kicking ass at whatever convention / conference / geekery collection of businessy type people, but I’ll leave that section of things to someone less inclined to swear and talk shit – instead I’ll be up front with you. Besides, it’s likely that you’ll hear the professional take on the dinner from a milliontyseven other geeks in attendance anyway – so why on earth would I want to repeat what the nerds are saying? Funny, as I type that I’m have a flashback of me with my feet up on the table at FTV on Monday night cigarette in one hand, double alcoholic something in the other, blurting out “Of courshe I can be profeshhhional man! Look at me!”. Anyway, I digress…
I don’t need to attend 27Dinners to find out what’s what – I go purely to see who’s who in this elaborately full-of-kak twitterati* zoo. I go to mingle, listen to ideas, offer opinions on dress senses and exchange words with my counter parts, ExMi and SnowGoose, on who we’d most likely kick out of bed in the morning…
The boys from the land of The Mowwwwwntin, bru.
This Monday night was no exception. Aside from the regular hotties I perv over, we were joined by a few Capetonian people – Elite Blogger himself, Mr. Shawn Jooste, a couple of girls I didn’t have the chance to meet and my personal favourite baldy, Neal Tosefsky aka BlindCripple. These two were seen harassing poor NadiaVDM the minute after I told them about her modelling career, sorry dear – you held their captivity with grace and good nature. Next to her was cute Brad Seaton-Smith who wore his own twitter handle on his shirt – I was so impressed, I ordered one for myself too. Speak to him for more info. Next time you shouldn’t cover it up with a jacket hon, show off those muscles!
Brad, chuffed.
I was quite pleased to spot some of the elite twitterati out in the crowd too, one EveD who analytically observed the speeches, tweeted her amusement and then promptly disappeared before I could tie her down to a chair and force her to let me interview her for NerdMag and one Melissa Attree who I happily smoked and chatted with, about Homoeopathy of all things. What an awesome chickie, even cooler in person than she is online. She was closely followed by Hans Mol and they both vehemently pointed out that they weren’t married… hmmm. Looked like it to me, I’m just saying.
I don’t know if any of you know, but the elusive MsBehavn was there too! I had the privilege of chatting to her in the corner and let me tell you, she is every bit dynamic in real life as she is online. At this point, I feel compelled to put in that @za5 gets hotter every time I see him. Good lawd that man is fine!
The two speakers had to make do with using their voice boxes and shouting out their speeches to the crowd of 110+ people as the mic had one epic failure just before kick off and I have to say that even though ExMi and I had bad timing and landed up stuck in the bathroom staircase right up front of centre stage and although we didn’t mind too much what with being nearer to the coctail table, even I battled to hear what Steven Newton from Google South Africa was saying. Justin Spratt on the other hand, could be heard all the way back in Australia if he tried hard enough I’m sure. Yummy piece of man meat, him, and it sounds like he’s got half a brain to boot! I love Australians – God save the Quee- what? Oh, wrong continent, nevermind. There were a few complaints in the crowd afterward about the lack of volume control, but fuck it, I say – these things happen, what’s the big deal? Besides which, both speaker boys stayed after and I secretly observed them both mingling with the minions – so if you left 27Dinner without hearing their point it is, quite frankly, your bad.
To be a little critical I have to mention that my boobs and I battled somewhat weaving in between the cramped venue chosen, but I’m happy to report that I spoke to FTV manager, Sue and she told me of plans to expand the place, so I immediately put on my big girl panties and sucked it up, at least next time we’ll have more space to accommodate more geeks and that makes it all the more worth while if you ask me. In saying that, the current outdoor section was perfect for gossip, tequila shots, cocktail chugging and the odd serious encounter with one or two of the serious geeks demanding to know how I fitted into this online community. Once again, boys, when you find that one out please be sure to let me know.
Moral Fibre's very own Vince, with Antony Adelaardelaaaar.
The rest of the evening? Um. Well I’ve used up all my information and now I’m sitting here trying to not word how it’s all a cocktail induced blur, man! All I know is, I spent all of yesterday huddling around my heater trying to relearn how to count in my head again.
27Dinner – another win. Well done to Melody Maker & Mike Stopforth, I for one enjoyed my evening immensely.
*I’m claiming that term, bitches. Leave it alone.
