Croak

Jozi: Siting up in bed, this is way past my bedtime. I'm beyond exhausted, but, unusually, my head won't switch off, at all.
I'm in the upstairs room of one of my favourite places to stay, except that through the wide open summer-night window I can distinctly hear a one-frog band rasp-croaking way too loudly.
Waiting for the small piece of sleeping tablet to kick in, because I need a rested brain. And I need to hey back to centre. It's been a harrowing week.
I'm working on a story that I need to get as near to perfect. It's about a schoolyard bully, but a fully grown one. One that has threatened to break my legs. Both of them.
The story is to be my lead for the November issue. Although we're a few days late, I made the decision to take the pressure off myself - it's my paper after all - and to delay it further, while I get more meat into the story pot.
And because of the intimidation, to tell you the truth, I've taken a bit of a hammering...so my aim is carry on telling the truth, even if my voice quavers.
And, in the background, I thoroughly enjoyed the three intense days of the Power Reporting African Investigative Journalist Conference.
As a direct result of it, I've some great collaborators backing me up.
And now to turn in.
Night night world.

I've got a thing for storms

It's the moodiness that draws me, that inspires me. These images were taken after the conference yesterday, as I was leaving the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Hail storm

These are just some of the images I managed to capture of the storm that engulfed me during my journey between Mpumalanga and Johannesburg on Sunday. It was exhilarating, and summer was instantly transformed into winter.

AIJC power reporting conference - Joshua Prager

Some notes:
The Wall Street Journal's Joshua Prager has been blowing our minds for the last hour and half. He's spent the time focusing on four of his stories in his 'writer as sleuth: bringing narrative to investigative journalism' slot.
He's adamant that it's good for people to know the truth. He says the best way to do it is to just tell a story: "And subtlety works...tell it simply.
And remember that understatement always rather than overstatement; don't hit people over the head!"
He also emphasised that authentication is crucial: "I'm obsessive about checking the details! You have to get the facts straight."
"I'm also a big believer in chronology. And define one character for each component of the story, so that they can bring it to life."
Joshua highlighted that when he writes the narrative he thinks about the five senses over and over: "Description! Describe things. Describe what you witnessed."
He said that what guides him is honesty and decency; that's why he believes people should always be given a chance to respond before publication.
While he doesn't want to hurt anyone, he also is adamant to not allow the possible outcry, reaction to the end story hold him back from writing it. "It's good for people to know the truth."

The man, who walks with a cane as the result of a bus accident when he was younger, has got a brilliant, sharp sense of humour. His talk this morning was inspiring and immediately put my future into perspective.

www.joshuaprager.com

Coffee before AIJC

Thoughts getting snarled in unbearable traffic knots inspired me straight out of bed at 5h30. For that I was rewarded by a magnificent summer's morning...one that is 'deteriorating' into moodiness and a cold front chill from Mozambique in the west.
Walking past Wits university's senate house all I could dream of was a great cup of coffee. Well, I'm satisfied with hot and strong for now...
Registration for the African investigative journalism conference starts at 08h30n but between then and now I've got a sh*tload of work to get done.
Oh yeah, happy Monday.

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AIJC

I've come to Johannesburg to partake in the African investigative journalism conference at Wits university for the next three days. It will be the first one I'm attending. Now that last week is behind me I'm looking forward to it.
It took me well over four hours to get here this afternoon; my first delay was caused by a devastating hail storm that saw me drive off the road and under tree canopies for protection.
The storm took out the power to pumps at the petrol station I desperately needed to stop at for fuel, so I thought I'd have coffee there.
Water from the ferocious downpour was flooding the roadside restaurant, so I promptly ordered a cappuccino and breakfast, which arrived in record time.
Wind buffeted the car the remainder of the stormy route to the big smoke, with it at least three dust storms for company.
But all's well that ends well - I type falling into bed, a sumptuous curry & rice later, washed down by a glass of dry white wine.

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