Counting Beans...

Ten things about moving

2010-11-03T09:20:00.001+02:00

1. It is *not*, I repeat NOT fun. At all. Not even slightly. Besides having to sort out all your crap (and boy do we have a lot of that), the heavy lifting and the unpacking on the other side is also not exactly a barrel of laughs.
2. Forget bootcamp. Moving is the ultimate workout. I'm expecting shapely calves and bulging biceps any day now after the strenuous work they did this weekend.
3. Cats do not like being in a car. Or in a cage. They will therefore attempt to claw anything within reach to death, including you, their beloved human.
4. The new kitchen is awesome. No scratch that, beyond awesome. Normal-sized oven (as opposed to toy-sized oven) FTW.
5. The simple pleasure of having your own garden and being able to feel grass under your feet at any time is vastly underrated. Even if said garden is fairly small.
6. I am already feeling at home in the new house, even though there is still just short of a thousand boxes to be unpacked. New beginnings and all that.
7. The commute to and from Stellenbosch for work is less painful than I thought it would be. Of course, it's a hell of an adjustment from leaving home at 5 to 8. But worth every minute of it.
8. I finally know what they mean by "nesting". My mind is constantly full of ideas to make our home more livable, prettier, more functional. And it feels good.
9. Our very vocal second kitty is a lot more calm ever since we moved into the new place. Was a garden really all she wanted? Who knew.
10. It's interesting finding your feet in a new town. Figuring out which routes are easiest, which shops are biggest (bigger equals better for a woman okay) and what your neighbours are like is invigorating. As they say, a change is as good as a holiday.

Ten things - mid October

2010-10-18T17:16:00.000+02:00

Inspired by this post from twitter buddy, Polkadotcupcake, I thought I'd try my hand at something similar.

So... things I've learned, things that put a smile on my dial and things I'm grateful for. Here goes nothing:

1. I am stoked that we are going to become godparents to kid #2 in about 8 months time.
2. Seasonal eating is one of life's simple pleasures. It's challenging, but immensely rewarding and opens us up to new flavours and tastes, which is pretty awesome.
3. Kids' birthday parties are super fun. Put on a party hat and stuff your face with cake for a carefree few hours.
4. Almost as much fun is buying presents for children. And getting excited over all the cool toys in the store. Mad scientist set, anyone? Almost makes me wish I was still young enough for toys.
5. A fresh coat of paint (especially white paint) works wonders on tired old kitchen cupboards. Booyah.
6. I love love love how furry and cuddly our kittens are. Happiness is truly a warm kitten.
7. Running (well walking/jogging) makes me feel like superwoman. Something I never ever thought I'd say. After a week of slacking off and feeling sluggish I went for a jog this morning and it was exhilirating.
8. Packing in and slowly clearing our flat of clutter is a vastly underrated joy. Bonus points - I will have super muscular biceps by the end of next week due to carrying boxes down three flights of stairs.
9. It's amazing how much I can accomplish in the kitchen amidst all the chaos of packing. Stuffed gnocchi, a quick chard quiche and some lovely cheesy olive-y flatbread are the latest creations to come out of the mess.
10. I have the most amazingly patient husband in the entire universe. For real. And that is something to not take lightly.

Bad Kids vs Bad Parents

2010-04-23T12:30:00.002+02:00

I know this lady. Let's call her Ms M. Ms M has what you would label a problem child. This is a child who acts out both at home and at school, talking disrespectfully to his parents, grandparents, teachers etc, breaking things (his own and other people's) and generally just being a menace to society.

But. And it's a big but. I don't think that the child is the problem here.

Instead, it seems blindingly obvious to me that the parents are to blame. Ms M has a big problem with responsibility. As in, she takes none. Whenever she is confronted with her mistakes she will try and shift the blame to some other supposedly responsible party. As for the things she is supposed to be in charge of - well let's just say whenever anyone asks her about it, she throws her hands in the air. Most of the time she couldn't be bothered to learn how things work in order to complete her tasks. It's just easier to claim "I don't know" you see.

That I can still handle though. What I can't handle is that she takes this very same attitude with her kid. But don't take my word for it, let's look at some shining examples of her parenting style: (bear in mind this is a preschooler)

Child allowed to stay up into the wee hours of the morning
Child allowed to watch pretty much anything on tv. Parents usually watch with him, but no guidance is offered from their side. As Ms M so eloquently put it, she's glad that such a wide variety of topics (violence, sex, drugs etc) are dealt with on tv, so that she doesn't have to explain them to her kid.
After repeated incidents at the school, the teacher requests that the child no longer brings a certain toy to school. Miss M completely (and very vocally) disregards this and brilliantly models respect for an authority figure.
At a school open day, several parents approach Miss M to complain about her child's swearing. Miss M claims to not know where child gets it from, but regularly swears like a banshee at work. No doubt it is even worse at home. Classy.
When teacher approaches Miss M about her child's bad behaviour, Miss M vows to "get that bitch back". And insists that the teacher is at fault for not being able to control the kid at school. Apparently the teacher is too soft, yet in the same breath she complains that the kid constantly gets yelled at by his teacher.

The best part? In spite of all these reports regarding her child and visits to a child psychologist, Miss M vehemently denies that she or her husband has anything to do with the kid's behaviour. In fact, she got mightily upset with the psychologist when she was told that it wasn't the psychologist's job to teach her child values.

I feel sorry for that kid. I really do. Unfortunately, growing up society will only see the bad behaviour and won't look past him to the actual guilty party, the parents. Yes, Miss M, I place the blame squarely at your doorstep and unfortunately throwing your hands in the air won't solve this problem.

Almost Autumn

2010-03-17T13:57:00.001+02:00

Seems it's time for my quarterly update again.

The ~~healthier~~ watch-what-you-eat regime I/we embarked on at the beginning of the year is paying off. I've lost a total of 4kgs since Jan and TheHusband has lost about 5kg. Not huge, but not bad right? And believe me, we're definitely not on a starvation diet. We started off, rather enthusiastically, with a mild exercise program, but as the days have grown shorter, our enthusiasm has rapidly waned. And so it goes. Weight loss is 80% what you eat though (or so they say) and I console myself on the exercise front with our weekly ballroom classes. Hey it's a workout if you're unfit...

On the foodie front, The Creative Pot (my cooking blog) is going from strength to strength, I've even had a couple of my recipes featured on food24. *grin* And this Sunday I'm attending the first ever South African food blogger conference. Hoping to connect with fellow SA foodies and learn a bit more regarding photography and marketing of my blog. I confess, I wouldn't mind turning the blogging thing into my main venture & source of income. But that's still a looooong way off. Of course, just as lady luck would have it, I broke out with a rather peculiar rash a week ago and my doctor informed me earlier this week that it'll be here to stay for 3 - 6 weeks. I'm sure that will make a superb first impression on my fellow food bloggers on Sunday.

In other more serious business-y news - our bond got approved (after a LOT of waiting) and we are awaiting the completion of our first property in June with bated breath.

We seem to be into the whole home refurbishing thing at the moment, after tackling the nerd room, our bedroom also got a (tiny) makeover and we are currently busy with the kitchen. I'm thinking Italian chic with bold red stripes on the kitchen cupboards, matt silver knobs & handles and a much needed extra shelf above the cooking area. It's about time our poor abused kitchen got some tender loving care and at the moment anything's bound to look better than the tired old cream colour scheme.

Things I'm looking forward to in the next few months:

Grease @ The Artscape on the 20th of March
SA Food Blogger's conference on the 21st of March
Taste of Cape Town on the 27th of March
Bien Donne Cheese Festival (perhaps) in April (notice a food trend here?)
A few days at Goudini Spa with great friends in June - a very welcome midyear break

And of course all the long weekends in April - thank you Mr Zuma. At least one thing you do right...

Beg, Steal & Borrow

2010-01-18T15:42:00.001+02:00

From here.

Opening…

Do you get regular massages? Nope. Actually never been for one. Except for the home DIY type ones from TheHusband. Do you have an answering machine? Nope. Don't even have a home telephone. The closest thing would be voicemail I guess. Though I'm not a diligent user of it. Messages go there to die.

What cuss word do you use the most? The F-bomb. Trying to curb my usage though...
Are you underweight or overweight? Technically I'm in the normal weight range for my height, but I definitely have a belly that can do with some diminishing.
Can you see your veins? Only the ones on the undersides of my wrists. And a little bit on my hands (if you look very closely). And yes, they're blue. :-)

Favourite…

Soap? Whatever smells nicest in the store when we have to replace the old soap.

Fruit? Mangoes and watermelons.

Kind of red meat? Lamb. Beef feels increasingly heavy for me.

Fish? Tuna steak, seared on the outside and still pink on the inside. Heavenly.

Candy bar? Tempo. Or Snowflake. Or Crunchie. And I really like Smarties. And Lindt's Fleur de Sel dark chocolate slab.

Have You Ever…

Eaten a whole bag of potato chips? Yup. *hangs head in shame* Although this is not really a regular occurence. The more regular occurence would be gobbling up an entire slab of chocolate.

Eaten lobster? Not yet. Still on my to-try list.

Climbed a mountain? Yes, not out of my own free will. (Std 9 "leadership" camp - oh the horrors!)

Been skydiving? No - my fear of heights prohibits me from doing these things. I have abseiled though (see above).

Been water skiing? No. Looks kinda fun though, I might consider it. Generally not the sporty/outdoorsy kind though.

Do You…

Wish you could change something about your life? Nope, happy with what I've got.

Like your nose? Yes. It's the smallest in my immediate family, so I guess I scored in one area at least!

Like salt and vinegar chips? No. It's always WAY too vinegary. Like salt & vinegar on "slap chips" though. My favourite chips are Simba's Cheddar Cheese. It is seriously addictive.

Eat salsa? I like it, but don't eat it on a regular basis. No reason. :-)

Own a boat? No. No real ambition to either.

What Is…

A small thing that people let slide but that actually has dire consequences? Manners. Although I wouldn't say it has dire consequences, just unpleasant ones.

Your most macho trait? I'm not a big fan of the telephone. Or small-talk. That counts as macho (or at least non-feminine, right?). I also find it pretty hard to talk about my feelings, and will only open up to the one or two people that are really close to me.

The longest relationship you’ve ever had? TheHusband. Almost 6 years. Canyoubelieveit?

Your most embarrassing thoughts? Too many. And definitely not going to be sharing them here!

Your most shameful moment? One or two drunken youthful nights spring to mind...

This/That…

Bath/Shower? Bath. Although a shower is awesome after a workout.

Markers/Crayons? Crayons.

Pens/Pencils? Pens. Used to be pencils - but the really short, stubby ones.

Jelly/Cream Cheese? Cream cheese. I have weird "issues" with jam (jelly). I know, it's stupid.

Bagel/Toast? Toast. But it has to be wholegrain toast and it has to be spread with butter and it has to be done while it's still warm so that the butter melts into the bread. Otherwise I will not be a happy camper. It really sounds like I'm very finicky with food, but I promise it's just these two things. Oh and yoghurt - no mushy berries in my yoghurt please!

Finish…

My greatest weakness is…procrastinating. And hoarding. And being quite messy in general.

I wish I was…financially free!

Three things I wouldn’t do for a million dollars are…many things! Cheat on TheHusband (not even for 10 million dollars) and eat human excrement (nasty!) are just two that spring to mind.

The oddest thing I’ve ever put in my mouth is…Really can't think of something now.

Firsts…

Credit card you had? The one I still have - an ABSA silver one.

Loan you got was for? Study loan. Although my dad paid it off in the end. YAY! Haven't had any other loans to date, although in the process of procuring a bond. One small step for man...

Paycheck was for how much? R4800. Before tax. However DID I manage to survive? And I had medical aid & retirement annuities to boot!

Time you had stitches? When I was about 8 - I fell my chin open for the second time and had to have stitches. First time was as a toddler, but my dad just doctered it with surgical spirits at home (much to my mom's horror).

Time you went to the hospital for something? Was about 6 or 7. Had to have my adenoids removed. I bet you're going to google that now...

Lasts…

List everything you ate in the last 24 hours? Lunch - Carrot salad, Red grape & blue cheese foccacia, Banana-coconut "ice-cream". Supper - 1/2 beef, mushroom & pepper panini (doggie bag from Saturday's lunch), 1/2 halloumi, olive & tomato panini (also in doggie bag). Snacks - small citrus yoghurt (best EVER yoghurt by the way, just 3 ingredients: milk, fruit & yoghurt cultures), shared a bag of litchi's with TheHusband, a couple of handfuls of goji berries. Drinks - A glass of orange juice and copious amounts of water.

Last thing you used a credit card for? Bought some credits on mp3va.com

What was your job previous to the one you have now? Article clerk.

Last thing you celebrated? Christmas & New Years.
Last time you were at a sports bar? Can’t remember.

Quote for the week: "Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man." - Benjamin Franklin

Mirror mirror on the wall

2010-01-03T19:16:00.000+02:00

Subtitle: Reflections

As in - looking back at the past year and anticipating with joy the year to come.

We all do it. And I think it's good to take stock of where you are and where you're going every once in a while. Not necessarily at the beginning of the year either (although it is quite convenient).

So, what happened in 2009?

I jumped back on the blogging bandwagon - somewhat on this blog and much more so on my cooking blog - The Creative Pot. I also have a fan page for my cooking blog on facebook - come check me out!
All the cooking made me a little rounder than I'd like to be - which is why my aim this year is to get trim & fit. Slow and steady wins the race, right?
We celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary in February. Love you bug! As they say, time flies when you're having fun...
We attended KKNK in April (me for the 2nd time, TheHusband for the 1st time) and had a roaring good time.
I started tweeting - come and have a look here (private tweets) and here (cooking/eating related tweets).
We went to Casper's new show's opening night in the Artscape for my birthday in July and I met the man in person backstage. He is supershort!
We made a big decision (more on that in a future post though). Yes I'm going to keep you hanging here. :-)
We finally achieved some order in what used to be the hellhole/spareroom (or more affectionately known as the Nerdroom)
For the first time ever I experienced job insecurity, as a result of having to work short-time in October. Which was actually good in hindsight as it forced us to take a good, hard (long overdue) look at our finances.
TheHusband and I became (superproud) godparents in October and couldn't stop smiling about it. Which of course lead to a whole slew of Godfather quotes...
We embarked on our property investing venture in all seriousness this time. And are currently busy applying for bonds. Here's holding thumbs (and big toes) for being approved with favourable rates.
In December we attended the wedding of two friends who we'd introduced to each other back in 2006. Holla for the matchmakers!

So what happened with you?

Santa's Little Helper

2009-12-02T15:17:00.000+02:00

Aaaaah Christmas time. I don't know about you, but something about all the OTT decorations everywhere really grates my carrot. It starts earlier & earlier each year - this year our local Checkers hauled out the decorations in October - and it inevitably ends up with you feeling like a rat. Trapped that is.

Not only does everything at work need to be wrapped up before the ~~glorious~~ measly 2 weeks off, but you have to somehow scrounge up Christmas presents for friends and family. Preferably good ones. Now don't get me wrong, it's not that I mind giving (and I certainly don't mind receiving...), I just hate the stress that comes with having to get everybody something all at once. Because it usually ends up with me speedracing through the mall a few days before Christmas, searching frantically for acceptable (non-budget breaking) gifts and trying to avoid the sweaty masses all around me as far as possible. Not really my idea of a relaxing time!

Am I the only one who feels this way?

Goo Goo, Ga Ga?

2009-10-30T16:07:00.001+02:00

TheHusband and I have been thinking a lot about kids lately. As in having them. This wasn't brought on by our recently becoming godparents of an awesome little boy. Although I will say if anyone can make you broody, it's that kid. The broody part we've got down pat.

What I've come to realise though is that being broody is not enough. It's not a good reason for having a child and it certainly is no guarantee of good parenting skills. Being a parent, and a good parent at that is something that you can never really fully prepare for. And yet it's the one thing that you should aim to be most prepared for. It means reading books, getting advice, sorting yourself out. Profound, right? I know. Because let's face it, no-one wants a screwed up parent.

It also means growing up. Something I've recently discovered I still have a lot of to do. In the meantime, I'm there for you little B*, 100%. But future-kid, your mom still has a lot to learn before she can welcome you into this world.

*for future reference: little B = our godson. Yes I realise it sounds like something straight out of Gossip Girl. What can I say? xoxo.

Reunion

2009-08-21T10:22:00.008+02:00

I had a strange dream last night. I was at my 10 year high school reunion (which is coming up next year) and everyone who was in class with me was there. And I had a good time. Why strange? Because I don't know if I even want to go to my reunion. No scratch that - I'm pretty sure I don't want to attend such an event.

I know, I know:

"But it'll be nice to see everyone, catch up"

"Even if you don't like it, you can still laugh at how bad the people you didn't like turned out"

"But, that's just, you know, what you DO"

But it's not that simple. As you probably know (or at least suspect) by now - I was numero uno N3RD back in high school. Of course, I still retain my nerd roots, but it's just more accepted now that I'm no longer in school. High school is a very unforgiving place. You have to be cool. Something, I unfortunately (or fortunately??) never achieved. And thus was a bit of an outcast. Really, their are very few people from high school that I would like to catch up with. And besides... isn't that what facebook is for? So I can pick & choose those I want to keep in touch with and shun those I don't?

Yes, I'm talking to you Ms I'mSoPopularIHaveNoTimeForTheLittlePeople.

You + Me = Us

2009-08-06T13:15:00.003+02:00

I've been reading (voraciously!) a lot of blogs from all over the intertubes (yes I've been struck by the LOLcat flu) and this meme grabbed my eye, so here goes:

How long have you been together?

On the 24th of August it'll be 5 1/2 years. Married for 2 1/2 of them. Feels so short but on the other hand it feels like we've been together forever. Of course, I was only 21 when I met The(future)Husband, so I guess it would feel that way. I'd been single pretty much my whole life before that though. I was what you would call a heeee-yooooo-mongous dork at school.

How long did you date?

We dated for exactly three years until we got married. 8 months of which we were engaged.

How old is he?

He's 29 now, the big Three Oh is looming... Hahahah! I can rest safe in the knowledge that my d-day will only arrive in 2012, so lots of time to stock up on anti-wrinkle creams beforehand.

Who eats more?

Hmmmmmm... TheHusband does, but I'm not far behind. I've got quite a large appetite for a laydee. ("But I'm a laydeeee" - Little Britain). Luckily we both have fairly fast metabolisms, otherwise we would've been approximating the Michelin Man by now.

Who said 'I love you' first?

TheHusband. I was a commitmentphobe before I met him and it was also my first relationship to have lasted that long (3 months at the time). He had a lot more experience in relationships, so it makes sense that he said it first. Of course, I said it right back!

Who is taller?

TheHusband, by a little bit.

Who is smarter?

We're pretty equal, although I was the freak who got straight A's at school. TheHusband had a life back then unlike moi.

Who does the laundry?

It's usually me who throws the clothes into the washing machine, but we both hang it up and take it down. Actually more often him who takes it down. I'll happily let it hang on the drying rack for about a week. Ha.

Who does the dishes?

Neither, that's why we have a cleaning service. To be honest, TheHusband is a cleaner & neater person than I am. I'll pretty much only do dishes when we've literally ran out of stuff to eat out of. Which takes quite a while, since we have a lot of plates and bowls. Oink oink.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?

TheHusband. No reason, just worked out that way.

Who pays the bills?

He pays some, I pay others. But we don't really think of it as "my money" or "your money". It's all our money, just sitting in different accounts. If we could get a joint account, we would, but it seems our law doesn't allow it anymore.

Who mows the lawn?

Aahhh the perks of living in a flat. :-) I have a feeling that this one will go the same route as the dishes though when we manage to get a house one day.

Who cooks dinner?

Usually me. Not because it's the woman's job, but because I love cooking. TheHusband makes a mean omelette though. **Drool**

Who is more stubborn?

ME!!!! Hands down. TheHusband is patient, puts up with my moods, always says sorry first (something I need to work on, I know) and is just generally a great guy. I take a while to cool down after an argument, while he can say sorry (and mean it) and go on as if nothing happened. He obviously follows Dr Phil's advice when he asks "Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?". Say what you will about the Dr, but he does have some pearls of wisdom.

Who kissed who first?

Well, technically, I kissed him first, but it was just a little peck to say thank you for the rose he brought me for Valentine's day (3 days after we'd met). Later that night, he kissed me properly though... It was the best Valentine's I'd had at that stage. :-)

Who asked who out?

TheHusband again. About 2 weeks after we met. On a Tuesday evening, after we came back from watching a movie at the cinema. On a bench in the garden of my (then) dorm.

Who proposed?

I'm really sounding like someone straight out of the Victorian Era, right? TheHusband proposed... On the 22nd of June 2006, on the same spot as the one where he first asked me out more than 2 years prior. 'Cause he's romantic like that. :-)

Who is more sensitive?

Probably me. I tend to take things more personally. Although I think TheHusband talks about his feelings much more easily than I do. Told you he's a great guy...

Who has more friends?

It's about equal. Both of us have just a few friends. We also have a couple of mutual friends.We're not part of that group who has a whole bunch of friends. And that's fine. We prefer it that way.

Eggs in 3D

2009-07-31T09:55:00.006+02:00

Eggs, eggs, eggs! I just had a bacon & egg toasted sandwich for breakfast and it was gooooooood. I just feel like eating eggs these days. Weird. Anyway, stepping off from that completely random topic, we went to go watch Ice Age 3 (in 3-D!) last night at the cinema. And I have to say WOW. Seriously.

My first experience with 3-D was in those dinosaur magazines my parents used to buy us as kids. You know, the ones that were all educational and came packaged with glow in the dark build-your-own dinosaur skeletons and 3-D glasses to "see the dinosaurs come to life!" Well, they stood out from the page a little, but they didn't "come to life". Of course, at that stage I thought it was the coolest thing out, and my brother and I used to take turns peering through those red and green lenses and marvelling over the magic of 3-D. But 3-D in a movie? That was unheard of.

Until recently.

Everyone's been talking about the new Ice Age movie in 3D and I was a little bit curious, but to be honest, in the back of my mind I thought it wasn't going to be such a big deal. Boy was I wrong! The experience is something unlike anything else I've ever seen. To be fair, it's a bit disorientating at first and you tend to recoil a bit when something leaps out of the screen and (seemingly) flies straight at you. It's like the characters are living in some unknown-until-now space between the screen and yourself, the movie-goer. I really felt immerged in the movie; I imagine this is similar to how TheHusband feels about surround-sound. (As for me, I just don't get it. Yeah I know, I know...)

Of course, we felt a bit like dorks in those Buddy Holly-esque glasses they hand you at the entrance. But dorks are the new black, so we're going with it. Besides, we're going to be saving them for our future mini-me's who will one day, no doubt, think they are very funny and hideously old-fashioned.

But then, 60 is the new 40, so I'm sure we won't mind too much at that (wrinkly) stage.

Legen... wait for it.... DAIRY!

2009-07-09T09:03:00.004+02:00

Okay I've been watching too much How I Met Your Mother. But I thought the phrase was very appropriate for what I'm about to announce. Yes, dear friends, I am DEBT-FREE!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-ha! Also I'm 2 weeks shy from turning 27 and that marks some significant changes that will be taking place... but more on that later. At the moment I feel terrific, due in part to the new exercise regime we (that is TheHusband and I) have embarked on. Although, I guess one always feels good at the start of something like this. It's the keeping-it-up part that's usually the clincher... But I'm confident that this time we won't be giving it up. Getting started in winter is probably the most difficult time, so if we can make it through, it will be plain sailing come summer time and it's longer sunshine-y days.

I iz gymbunneh... Well, maybe not quite!

I've been a bad, bad blogger...

2009-03-09T18:18:00.003+02:00

So much for my resolution to blog once a week. (098) HA! Although, in my defense, I usually get the urge to blog during work hours and my my internet keeps bombing out as soon as I tried to sign into my blog. They’re onto me…. ;-)

So, what’s new on my side?

My magazine addiction (047) has been successfully curbed I think. I no longer look longingly at the magazine rack each time I enter a shop and scan desperately for a title, any title, that will grab my fancy. And of course, I’ve become much pickier with the magazines I do buy, since I have a quantity limit now. Sometimes I don’t even get to 4 per month!
I’ve tried to go see an improv show (004), even booked the tickets, but then rocked up at the wrong venue. Very disappointing! For those wondering, the Intimate Theatre is not a separate room at the Kalkbay theatre, it is actually a separate theatre and is in the middle of the CBD. So when we finally figured out we were at the wrong venue, it was too late to still catch the show at the actual venue. Oh well, you live, you learn… Next time!
We did however attend the theatre (010) – this time for Pythonesque (a Monty Python type show, surprisingly…) at the Theatre on the Bay, part of our anniversary weekend celebrations. I’ve never seen any Monty Python (yes, yes, you can berate me later), so the show was a lovely surprise as I quite liked the style of humour.
We’ve also tried some new restaurants out (012) (yes, coffeeshops DO count!) – Melissa’s for a delicious breakfast including a freshly pressed beetroot, orange juice & ginger drink, and Café Crème for an equally delicious breakfast which included a lip-smacklingly awesome apple compote with Bulgarian yoghurt.
I can also tick off nr 013 – we had a picnic for Valentine’s Day. Even though it was on our livingroom floor (it was windy outside!), but we made the best of it with lots of cushions & duvets and in the end it was the best choice as we could pass out there and then when we had sated ourselves on JC Le Roux sparkling rose, homemade flatbread (025), diy marinated olives, garlicky chicken wings, roasted aubergine & redpepper and fried halloumi. Yum-o!
Not making too much progress on nr 019 – I already eat a wide variety of foods, so this one is actually quite difficult to do… I keep threatening to try rollmops, but have not worked up the courage yet. They just look ….. icky…..
043 – I’ve paid off another one, so now have 2 left out of 5. Focusing now on TheHusband’s debt, so will probably take a while before the last 2 is paid off.
022 is ticked off – chocolate salami was a hit during the festive season (off course with extra booze & orange peel added in, why not?)
Still too scared to get on the scale (027). But I think my clothes are feeling a tad looser (or rather, less tight…). Wishful thinking?
Perhaps..Finally read Rich Dad, Poor Dad & can recommend it for anyone who does not look forward to getting trapped in the rat-race.
Made good progress (read: about 2 days…) with nr 063, but then the whole Joost-sex video scandal popped up all over Heat, my colleague showed it to me and I was trapped like a deer in the headlights (albeit a deer that quite enjoys being trapped in the headlights…)
Had a lovely girls night in with Michelle a few weeks ago, was just like the good old varsity days. Not sure if it counts as a proper girls’ night (069) when there are only 2 girls though…
Working on 070, watch this space….071, 074 & 075 are miserable FAILS.
I am a happy postcrosser! (091) Close to the 20 card-mark. Although, had a bit of a dry spell for the first few weeks of 2009, but now I’m all fired up again, since I figured out you can buy airmail postcard stamps in bulk at the post office, so I don’t have to go the postoffice every damn time I want to send a postcard (really annoying)
Stupid computer gave me a bit of a backlog on 094, but I’ve started up a new legacy and will be backing up on a regular basis to avoid any future mishaps. (Stupid Acer!)
The doves seem to not be such keen visitors to our balcony anymore, so I guess 099 has taken care of itself. However, we now have a new plague – cockroaches. They have managed to crawl inside of our microwave (yes! Behind the digital time display – wtf), and give me the evil side-eye everytime I step into the kitchen. However, we have now found a new poison with which we will wage our war, hopefully this time it is successful. FYI, cockroach traps trap NOTHING, Doom-type sprays just sprays them away and then they scuttle off somewhere else, and apparently the old footstomping technique isn’t really the winner either – they release a gazillion egss when they get squashed! Just what I wanted: little cockroach babies!
Urgh100 – FAIL. But I’m glad about the FAIL. I think it actually did more good than harm as initially feared.

Pandora's Box

2008-11-19T22:11:00.004+02:00

I'm aware of the fact that I'm going to open up a big ol' can of worms here, but there's something I just don't get:

Why all the fuss about the Springbok emblem? I'm of course talking about the big hoo-ha about "them" wanting to take the emblem away. And now that "they" have conceded that it can still stay on the jersey, the rugby-"manne" are still not happy, because, horror of horrors, they have moved it to the other breast! O calamity!

Now, before you go accusing me of being insensitive (okay, maybe I am just a tad...), I do understand that people attach meaning to the emblem and that's what all the fuss is about. But, come on! Surely grown people cannot be that dense. The emblem makes no difference to the game in the end. It's not going to change the fact that the average person in this country lives & breathes rugby and it sure as hell isn't going to affect the score at the end of the game. One of the more annoying arguments I've seen, is that the Bok has united us as a nation (World Cup 1995 & 2007) and that's why it should stay. Of course I cannot argue with that, rugby did unite us and it was awesome, but that's just it. It was RUGBY that united us as a nation (even I got excited and I usually battle to stay awake during a game...), not the Bok per se.

Yes, I suppose it has sentimental value, but is that enough of a reason for people to create groups on facebook, to petition the rugby bosses and to feverishly vote in Die Huilgenoot's polls regarding the matter?

Come on people, this really is quite a small "issue" compared to the bigger picture. There are so many other things to protest about in the world, hell even in our own country, why the focus on a picture on clothing?

Or is that perhaps the precise reason for it: it distracts us from the bigger thorns in our sides?

Around the world in 4 postcards

2008-11-10T09:08:00.006+02:00

The cool thing about Postcrossing is that not only do you get to send postcards all over, but you receive postcards from all around the world too. I received the first 4 on Friday last week and it made my day! Even better was that the one from Tanzania had a message in Dutch on the back, and as we all know, I have a bit of a thing for the Dutch language - for some reason I find it VERY amusing. :-)

Enghien - Edingen. Rue Montgomery et Maison Jonathas. (Belgium)

(Norway)

New Orleans - French quarter (USA)

Zanzibar Island (Tanzania)

ZA-4080

2008-11-07T08:43:00.008+02:00

My first postcrossing card has arrived!

Message from recipient (Treelight in Lithuania):

"Hello! Thank you for a wonderful card with Uncle Samie's shop. I am very
happy to receive such a nice card and from so far away. Maybe I'll have a
chance to taste koek sisters one day:) The stamp is also beautiful. Thank you
again, and good luck!"

Click here for more details.

I'm dreaming of Peru

2008-11-02T16:39:00.004+02:00

It's been 3 weeks since I've started with my 101in1001 and I've finished a couple of goals, and have a couple in progress.

The most difficult one is proving to be #47 (the one limiting my magazine addiction). But, so far I've complied by only buying 4 magazines since the challenge started. And I may only buy again on the 12th of November. Granted, the 4 magazines were bought in the space of a week, but that'll teach me to space it out a bit!

This past week has been interesting. Life without TheHusband usually is, as I battle my own demons. For those of you who don't know: he's in Lima, Peru for 2 weeks of training. One down, 2 to go. I think I'm okay so far. The ironic thing is that it's always been a dream of mine to go to South America. So... having TheHusband be away for so long and be THERE is sort of a double whammy. The photo's he's sent me so far looks absolutely amazing and the stories he tells me makes me want to quit my job, pack my bags and climb into the nearest suitcase bound for South America.

I am a cyborg!

2008-10-27T16:44:00.000+02:00

Get Your Cyborg Name

And in other freaky news...

2008-10-21T12:18:00.002+02:00

Kannibaal gaan lank sit

ANESCA SMITH

20/10/2008 11:31:59 PM - (SA)

Londen. - ’n Britse sjef is gister lewenslank tronk toe gestuur nadat hy sy minnaar vermoor en ’n deel van die liggaam in olyfolie gekook en toe daaraan gekou het.

Anthony Morley (36), wat die titel Mr Gay UK in 1993 gewen het, sal na verwagting minstens 30 jaar van sy vonnis uitdien.

Hy is skuldig bevind aan die moord op mnr. Damian Oldfield (33). Hy het hom doodgesteek voordat hy ’n deel van sy bobeen afgesny, dit met vars kruie bedek en toe in olyfolie gekook het.

Die hooggeregshof in Leeds, in die noorde van Engeland, het die afgelope paar weke gehoor hoe Morley die vleis “soos ’n steak gesny” en daaraan gekou het voordat hy dit uitgespoeg het.

W.T.F?

Land of the Afghan

2008-10-12T21:19:00.006+02:00

Or more commonly known: Afghanistan. The first on my list of countries to read about. To simplify matters, I've decided to focus on the internationally recognized countries. Of which Afghanistan is top of the list.

To be honest, I was very tempted to skip this one, due to over-saturation (the whole USA vs the Taliban saga), but in the end I gave it a go..

Interesting fact: The country was a monarchy until 1973, when the King's brother-in-law ousted him with a bloodless coup to become the country's first president. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "trouble with the in-laws"

Little known fact: There is a booming opium trade in Afghanistan stemming from a huge illegal poppy cultivation.

Best part: Culture plays a big part in the average Afghan's life - most households have at least one book of poetry and poetry events are very common (even though a large part of the population is illiterate).
Also, women now form 28% of the cabinet, making Afghanistan one of the leading countries in the world in terms of female representation.

Worst part: The almost constant war the country has been embroiled in since way back when. And the Taliban. Those are not guys you want to mess with. Especially if you are a woman.

Verdict: It doesn't seem as bad as I initially thought, but I'd still hesitate to go live there. Even though women are now well represented in parliament, and the laws governing what women can and cannot do have largely fallen away, I think that large parts of the population still views women as 2nd class citizens. And I'd have a very hard time coping with that.

The Big Bad List

2008-10-12T12:10:00.025+02:00

So. I've stumbled upon an interesting meme and decided to take part in it.

The Mission:

Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days

Start date: Sunday 12 October 2008
Finish date: Saturday 9 July 2011

Magical Mystery Tour/Day Tripper

001. Spend a day at the amusement park & go on all the rides
002. Play a round of paintball
003. Go to an art exhibition
004. Go see an improv show
005. Go play putt-putt
006. See 6 live shows (2/6)
- KKNK (Apr09)
007. Go ice-skating
008. Go Geocaching
009. Attend an International Food Evening in the Neelsie
010. Go to the theatre 3 times (3/3) - Apr09
011. Go strawberry picking
012. Try 10 new restaurants out (4/10)
- Irish Pub, Durban (Dec08)
- Melissa's, Stellenbosch (Feb09)
- Manoushe, Stellenbosch (Apr09)
- Braza, Canal Walk (Jun09)
013. Have a picnic - Feb09

Honey Pie/Strawberry Fields

014. Plan weekday meals & do grocery shopping on a weekly basis - doing this on a regular basis, consider it done
015. Give Brussels sprouts one more try - Oct08
016. Make gluhwein
017. Make ginger beer
018. Roast a whole chicken
019. Try 10 new foods (3/10)
- Belgian endive (Oct08)
- Fennel (Dec08)
- Sauerkraut (Jun09)
020. Make a meal based on a colour-theme - Apr09 (YELLOW)
Starter - Stuffed Pattypans
Main - Yellowpepper & Fontina Salad with a creamy mustartd dressing
- Sweetcorn fritters
Dessert - Caramelized Pineapple with Butterscotch sauce
021. Make ice-cream/sorbet from scratch
022. Make chocolate salami - Dec08
023. Cook 5 things out of every cookbook I own (5/150)
024. Make & bottle something
025. Bake bread

Revolution/I Want You (She's So Heavy)

026. Eat two vegetarian main meals per week - doing so on a regular basis, consider it done
027. Lose 7 kgs (0/7)
028. Exercise for 30 mins, 3 times a week for 12 weeks (2/12) (re-started on 29.06.2009)
029. Touch my toes (without bending my knees!)
030. Drink 4 glasses of water each day - doing so on a regular basis, consider it done
031. Ban sweets for 1 week, 10 times (0/10)
032. Eat only raw foods for 5 days (not consecutive) (0/5)

Ticket to Ride/The Long & Winding Road

033. Go away for a weekend, 5 times (1/5)
- Goudini Spa (Jun09)
034. Go to Darling and visit Evita se Perron for a meal & a show
035. Get a passport & visit another country
036. Take a boattrip to Robben Island
037. Go to the beach
038. Go on a winetour (at least 5 winefarms)
039. Go on a roadtrip somewhere I've never been before

Can't Buy Me Love/You Never Give Me Your Money

040. Celebrate Buy Nothing Day(Nov 29) each year (0/3)
041. Attend a Treoc course - Nov08
042. Buy at least one property in our trust
043. Clear out short-term debt - May09
044. Buy all 3 Austin Powers' movies (1/3)
045. Buy/get another Sims2 expansion pack
046. Don't buy anything which doesn't fit me perfectly
047. Limit magazine buying to 4 per month - doing this regularly now, consider it done
048. Read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" - Feb09
049. Buy a nice pair of boots - May09
050. Save up & register with SAICA
051. Buy proper ballroom shoes - Nov08

Hard Day's Night/In My Life

052. Wash the dishes every night for one month (0/30)
053. Put clothes away every night for one month (0/30)
054. Go one day without saying anything negative about anyone
055. Apologise first 20 times, even (especially!) when I think I'm right (2/20)
056. Make a point to NOT overreact (when I'm angry) 10 times (0/10)
057. Deal with an issue I'd usually try to avoid
058. Do not indulge in any gossip at work for one month (0/21)
059. Organise favourite recipes into a recipe binder
060. Declutter: get rid of 101 things (57/101)
- Shoes & clothes (Nov08)
- Clothes (Jul09)
061. Get rid of old magazines
062. Finally unpack the 'Box of Horrors' in our bedroom
063. Avoid celebrity gossip for one month (0/30)
064. Put away laundry the same day it's dried for 6 consecutive weeks (0/6)
065. Go through digital photos, print & frame (or put up for display in some other way) the best ones

Got To Get You Into My Life/With A Little Help From My Friends

066. Meet up with Michelle & Lee-Ann once every 2 months (2/16)
067. Host a dinner party once every 3 months (2/7)
- Caribbean party (Dec08)
- Bollywood Dreams (May09)
068. Go visit Nelia in Namibia
069. Have a girls' night out/in - May09
070. Make a new female friend
071. Write (& send) a letter to my brother once a month (0/33)
072. Visit my Aunt & Uncle once every 3 months (2/7)
073. Treat my mom to a spa day - Dec08
074. Talk to/email my dad once a month (5/33)
075. Call my mom more regularly

Love Me Do/Oh! Darling

076. Go on a date with TheHusband once a month (8/33)
077. Go for a Sunday/Saturday afternoon stroll with TheHusband once a month (1/33)
078. Re-read the Five Love Languages & also the Five Languages of Apology
079. Watch 10 "boy"-movies with TheHusband without complaining or falling asleep (3/10)
080. Do 101 romantic things for TheHusband (2/101)

The Fool on The Hill/I Am The Walrus

081. Learn to speak Spanish
082. Catch up on current affairs via news24 once a week - added to my RSS feed
083. Finish reading the Combrink/Combrinck genealogy books (0/3)
084. Complete Bronze ballroom dancing programme
- Preliminary - Mar09
- Secondary - Jul09
085. Take an online course
086. Read up on the history and culture of a different country once a week (3/143)
- Afghanistan
- Peru
- Finland

Happiness is a Warm Gun/I Feel Fine

087. Watch the Comrades once from start to finish
088. Re-read the Adrian Mole books (3/6)
- The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (Oct08)
- True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole (Nov08)
- Adrian Mole: The Cappucino Years (Nov08)
089. Have/go to a poker evening
090. Comply with the Four Agreements for one week
091. Send 20 postcards via postcrossing - Oct08 - Jan09
092. Join the bone marrow donor register - Oct08
093. Talk to 10 strangers (more than just "hi"...) (2/10)
094. Build up to 10 generations in one family on TheSims2 (3/10)
095. Host a Murder Mystery Evening
096. Learn how to & make a quilt
097. Make something for our flat (the quilt doesn't count)
098. Update my blog once a week (6/143) (exceptions will be made for periods away from home, w/o internet access
099. Find a way to get rid of the damn doves on our balcony - they left on their own!

Do You Want To Know a Secret

100. Do not **private misson ** - fail
101. Do **private mission**

CrazyBusyMessy

2008-08-27T11:52:00.003+02:00

Geez! I feel like I've been dumped on some alternate universe where people are expected to literally work their asses off! Not only is it month-end, not only is there all sorts of issues with payments,not only do we have our bi-annual stocktake,but my boss is going on holiday for the next 2 weeks meaning I am seriously overworked with trying to sort out everything before he leaves! Where is a person supposed to find time for browsing and daydreaming with such a hectic workload??

In the midst of all this, it is TheHusband's birthday next week (thank heavens for online shopping!), and I start a driving crash course next week in the hopes of (finally, maybe, HOPEfully) obtaining my driver's licence this time around. What with the ridiculous hourly charge for the driving school, I'm expecting an end-of-the-month-salticrax situation for most of the month...

Oh and to top it all off, our maid has been pulling a Houdini act for the past few weeks, which means our flat is a complete disaster area.

Seriously, Katrina in New Orleans has nothing on me and TheHusband.

Arrriiiiiibaaaa!

2008-08-21T09:10:00.003+02:00

Had the best dream last night!

Me & TheHusband in South America, dancing the night away, mixing with the locals, attending shows and exploring the culture.

Who knows, perhaps it was a glimpse into the future?

The Truth in Humour...

2008-06-09T13:48:00.005+02:00

Annoyances - Part One

2008-06-09T13:48:00.003+02:00

Stupid/ignorant people. This includes people who have no common sense e.g. they do not know that the United Arab Emirates is a country. This also includes people who cannot spell even the easiest words. Honestly - get a dictionary/use the spellchecker. This also includes people who misspell your name in reply to an email with your name at the bottom/companies who enter your name from the application form you filled out. VERY annoying.
Stupid/ignorant people who think they know it all. And who lose their temper when you point out their mistakes. The. Worst. Breed. Ever.
Bad customer service. The annoyance I feel is inversely related to the level of remorse displayed by the person delivering the bad service.
Computers with a will of their own. Isn’t the whole point of a computer that it does everything right, so as to eliminate human error? Or at least consistently wrong? But no… evidently I seem to be missing something.
Queues. Specifically loooooooong queues. Even more specifically when only 2 out of a possible say 6 tillpoints are open for business. How does this make sense in notoriously busy times of the day?

Nutshells and links

2008-05-21T07:21:00.002+02:00

Well, I don't have much news of my own to report, nor any profound thoughts, so I thought I'd just do a quick update of my life and then move on to some interesting things I've stumbled upon all over the internet (yes, I've become a slave to del.icio.us)

So, to sum up my life in a nutshell:

The Husband is away for business this week (again) . Hopefully his business trips will now become less frequent.
I have a horrific cold and feel like crap.
I have come up with a plan to tackle our debt and am very excited about it.
It's raining and miserable outside.
Our flat is no longer in its usual state of chaos ever since we employed a maid (Thanks Yolanda!)
I am still deeply in love with The Husband and magazines (in that order, mostly).

Moving on to more interesting things found all over the net:

Ridiculous celebrity baby names - seriously, there's something fundamentally wrong when you name your child Jermajesty or Moon Unit
Okay, so I've written a lot about nerds, enginerds and geeks. But have you ever wondered where you lie on the geek-scale? Well, luckily for you, there is now a handy chart to determine just how geeky you are. I notice The Husband in multiple descriptions on this chart - is that good or bad? On a related sidenote - watch the genius that is The Big Bang Theory. It's all sorts of brilliant.
Chocolate-covered bacon. Some might think it's crazy, I think it's a breakthrough! And while this post is written tongue-in-cheek, I'm seriously considering giving it a try.
I know I'm not an expert on the subject, but the stories on this site makes me feel a whole lot better about my computer abilities.

Dreamweaving

2008-04-24T13:21:00.004+02:00

Why is it that we sometimes have dreams we really enjoy until we start to think about them the next morning when we wake up and come the the unsettling realization that the event that took place in your dreams wouldn’t really be that enjoyable in real life. In fact most of the times it would just be downright weird or even creepy.

Of course there are also those times when you find it difficult to decide whether or not the event would be enjoyable had it occurred in real life. Those times strike me as the most unsettling, because of the indecisiveness of the matter. At least in the first scenario you know how you feel, while with this it just leaves you feeling… well, that’s the point! You don’t know how it makes you feel. The thing is the event that you enjoyed so much in your dream is usually some sort of forbidden fruit that you technically shouldn’t want and at the very least shouldn’t enjoy when it happens. Yet you find yourself wondering…

This happened to me last night and I’m still wondering.

Anyone know how to contact the dreamweaver?

Trained for divorce?

2008-04-24T13:21:00.003+02:00

Hmmmmm....

With reference to my post of last week - 'Love & Marriage', I've stumbled upon the following:

"A pattern of late marriage may actually *increase* the rate of divorce. During that initial decade of physical adulthood, young people may not be getting married, but they’re still falling in love. They fall in love, and break up, and undergo terrible pain, but find that with time they get over it. They may do this many times. Gradually, they get used to it; they learn that they can give their hearts away, and take them back again; they learn to shield their hearts from access in the first place. They learn to approach a relationship with the goal of getting what they want, and keep their bags packed by the door. By the time they marry they may have had many opportunities to learn how to walk away from a promise. They’ve been training for divorce."

While I don't necessarily agree with everything in this rather lenghty post, the excerpt I posted above seems to make a lot of sense.

Love & Marriage

2008-04-18T17:38:00.002+02:00

So happy as The Husband is flying back tonight after a weeklong business trip to Pretoria. Sadly the feeling will be shortlived as he flies back on Sunday for another week, but I’m trying to delay that thought until Sunday evening. In the meantime – utter bliss for the 48 hours that we’ll spend together.

Makes me think about these Hollywood types whose entire marriages play out like this. For us, luckily, this is only a temporary arrangement, for them, a way of life. Which begs the question of how stable such a marriage can be? Does absence really make the heart grow fonder or is out of sight, out of mind at the order of the day? For me, absence seems to make the heart grow fonder, but I do believe that this hinges on the fact that it’s only for a week at a time at most. When your spouse is away for 3 months filming on the other side of the world it’s hard to believe that your marriage can stay strong. Part of marriage surely is to grow together and be together and live together. I just can’t help but wonder what it’s like when they do spend time together. Can they see each other for who they really are or are both of them wearing rose-tinted glasses?

Seems to be a plausible explanation for the high rate of divorce in Hollywood. What I don’t understand is why so many of them get married so quickly, only to get divorced just as quickly. Surely one puts more thought into a life-changing decision such as marriage? Evidently not.

Problem is, people view marriage as just another step in their relationship “to prove my love for him/her”. They don’t seem to get that it is a life-long commitment. Of course, these days that's no longer a given with the ease of getting a divorce. Sure, there are some cases when a divorce is the best option, but I’d take a guess that’s only true in about 10% of the divorce cases around the world. The rest are just people not wanting to make an effort and not honouring a promise made to each other.

Do our promises mean so little these days?

Cavemen & Keyable Options

2008-04-16T15:38:00.004+02:00

Went to watch “Defending the Cavemen” at the Theatre on the Bay on Saturday night and let me tell you all the reviews were on the spot. The show is brilliant and it’s clear to see why it is now in it’s 10th year running. Alan Committie does a great job of exploiting the differences between the sexes for comedic relief, however manages to avoid it being offensive for either sex – quite a feat. I can highly recommend this show – it managed to clear up quite a few things for me along with the belly laughs it provided.

Back at work we’re busy developing a new product (well, when I say ‘we’, I mean my engineer-colleagues of course). However I’m expecting to play quite an important role in this as I have to perform a viability study at a certain juncture in the project. I’ve only just started to gather the information, and already this has provided for a few amusing incidents. When asked how long it would take to develop certain “keyable options” (watch me work that lingo…) the engineers responded with mild bafflement – it seems there was a bit of a communication gap between sales & development as sales is fully intent on selling these keyable options. However what I don’t understand was them asking me to explain these keyable options. Honestly, did they really think I’d be able to explain it to them? So I merely shrugged and referred each department to the other to sort it out. Aaahahhhhh the joys of being a bystander… (and simultaneously putting my colleagues to work!).

Letter of Complaint - Woolworths

2008-03-14T10:44:00.001+02:00

Dear Sir/Madam

I’m writing to convey my disappointment at the way a problem was handled at your Stellenbosch branch on the 12th of March 2008.

I went to your store to pick up a few items for lunch & supper. When I got to the till I presented my Woolworths card as I normally do, but was told that the transaction would not go through. Upon my enquiry as to the reason for this, the lady behind the till could not give me an answer, merely insisting that the transaction would not go through and implying there was something wrong with my card. I told her that I’ve never had a problem with the card before, but she just shrugged. She proceeded to swipe the card again, but encountered the same problem. She then enquired whether the card had been blocked or whether it was a new card, to which I answered in the negative.

The cashier had run out of ideas by now and called another store clerk to come assist her. He tried the same procedure of swiping the card, but again without success. I was asked the same questions and replied in the same way. At this point he asked me whether I had another card that I could pay with!! I was incredulous that he would offer this temporary solution to an obviously bigger problem. Whether or not I could pay with another card was irrelevant; the problem was that my card was not working for some reason and I needed this problem solved. I asked him what was wrong with my card and I was then referred to someone else to help me. He would have to look up my details on the computer.

When he had typed in my card number my details appeared on the screen, showing two surnames (my maiden name and my married name). Then I was asked if the two names were both me! As if I had somehow gotten hold of a card in a fake name! After I assured him that it was in fact me, he informed me that the card in my possession had been blocked as it was still in my maiden name. This infuriated me as I had not been sent a new card yet, so how could my old card be blocked? I voiced my opinion in no uncertain terms to the man attending to my query to which his reply was that the card was probably still in the mail. When I pointed out to him that the card had obviously either never been mailed or gotten lost in the mail (given that the change in my surname was effected on 15 January 2008 and it was now almost 2 months later), he merely shrugged and said that an independent contractor was responsible for printing & mailing the cards to their customers. As if this should’ve somehow appeased me! Surely it is Woolworths’ responsibility to check that the independent contractor does their work? And especially before they block a customer’s old card?! His only comment was that I should’ve applied for a temporary card. Now I ask you – how should I have known that if no-one had informed me of this when I originally came in to change my details? After all, I hardly expected my old card to be blocked before I received a new card. The man had no answer for me and just said that I could apply for a temporary card now, provided I had my ID with me.

Luckily I did (I do not make a habit of carrying my ID around since it was once stolen from my bag) and I could receive a temporary card with which to fund my purchases. When asked how long it would take for my new card to arrive, the answer was ‘one month’. I fail to see why it would take so long, since, theoretically, my card has already been printed (in the 2 months since 15 January 2008) and hence only needs to be mailed to me. Which should take a maximum of 4 days to reach me, assuming it gets sent from Johannesburg/Pretoria.

In the meantime I have to carry my ID around with me whenever I want to use my temporary card (until I receive my new card). The effect of this will be that I will opt not to purchase goods at Woolworths until I receive my new card, since I do not make a habit of carrying my ID around with me as mentioned previously.

What really annoys me about the whole situation is that no apology was offered to me during this whole saga. Instead blame was shifted onto the mysterious “independent contractor” who was responsible for sending the new card to me. This is completely unacceptable.

Another thing - surely I am not the first customer who’s surname has changed because of getting married? Why did it take so long to figure out what the problem was? And do all newly-married women have to go through this ordeal or was I just very unlucky?

I hope that this matter will be attended to swiftly and expect at least the following to come from this:

a) A written letter of apology from both head-office & Stellenbosch branch
b) Proper training of your cashiers to not immediately insinuate that the customer did something wrong when a card does not work
c) A card to be issued in my married name within the next week and couriered to me at no extra charge

I trust this matter will get the attention it deserves.

Kind regards
Mrs M Hendricks (néé Combrinck)

No-service service

2008-02-19T18:09:00.004+02:00

You know, I’ve had it up to here with the level of service in this country! Everyone complains about it, but nothing gets done to improve it. To be quite honest I’m not even sure what one can do to improve the situation, but to put it bluntly, I’m now GATvol!

I express my written disappointment to the parties in question and still receive the equivalent of a bored look in my direction.

Let me illustrate two recent cases:

First was a questionnaire emailed to me by my new ABSA relationship manager. This, in itself was surprising to me as I am a private bank customer, but up to now have been largely ignored by “my bank, my friend”. But okay, this was someone new who had taken over my account and I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. The questionnaire’s main purpose was to confirm whether all my details were correct; if not, to update them. Right at the end was a space for extra comments. Well, giving someone the benefit of the doubt was one thing; keeping quiet in the face of an open invitation – quite another. So I filled in my comments – that, to be quite honest, I was not satisfied with my ABSA experience.

One would think that any self-respecting person/entity with the intent on keeping it’s customers happy/continuing to live off their money would not hesitate to grab the phone and enquire as to why their supposedly valued customer was unhappy and how they could rectify the situation.

Unfortunately one would be incorrect in this train of thought. The only reaction I received was an email thanking me for my honesty.

On to the next blood-boiling incident:

I finally decided to tackle the dreadfully annoying task of updating my details (for my ‘new’ surname) with all relevant parties (Truworths, Foschini etc.). It’s not that I didn’t want to make it official, but by the time I received my new ID (a big shout-out to Home Affairs – SIX MONTHS after I applied for it), the initial euphoria over being a Hendricks had passed and the updating of details was now just another thing on my to-do list. Which I wasn’t particularly looking forward to, due to the high schlep-factor.

Anywho, so I set off to town – on the first attempt I could only change my details at the bank as the “load was shed” (translation for the non-south africans – the power went off) directly after that change was made. On the second attempt I had just finished up at Truworths, when, again, the load was shed. By this time I was quite annoyed with the whole situation and definitely NOT in the mood to sacrifice another Saturday morning sleep-in for this, so we headed off to Somerset Mall (where, hopefully we would find light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak).

Arriving there I had to stand in an extra-long queue (it being Saturday at the mall after all). I was armed with any and all documentation they could possibly ask of me (old ID, new ID, marriage certificate, you name it, I had it). Explaining to the lady what I needed, she asked for my new ID. I expected her to hand me some sort of form to fill in to change my details, but no, this was obviously a revolutionary operation and so no form was deemed necessary. Instead she handed me a till-slip and instructed me to write my new details on the back of said slip. Right. Handing it back to her, I enquired whether that was all, to which she replied “Yes”.

Walking out of Foschini, I had the sinking suspicion that my details would NOT in fact be changed on their system. Needless to say, I was right. Upon receiving my statement (addressed to Miss M Combrinck) I almost lost it. A scathing email was sent off to Foshini by yours truly, explaining my severe disappointment in the fact that clearly they had not managed to update my surname on their system.

Today I received their reply, kicking off with "Dear Miss M Combrinck".

The irony was just too much...

The New Nerd Times - Afternoon Edition

2008-01-22T13:40:00.000+02:00

I’ve had a chance to settle into my new job. Although I don’t really know if my 2 weeks experience can be counted, seeing as the boss (a.k.a Bossman Bing) has been away for the last week. And as we all know, things tend to be slightly different when the cat is gone…

That aside, I do feel a bit more comfortable in my current position. Of course, I am still WAY out of the comfort zone I had created for myself at my last job, but I think it’s good. (Note to self: I must get out of the habit of comparing everything to my last job!).

I’ve been moaning about my predecessor who um… well let’s just say that he didn’t really do his work properly. I could think of more descriptive ways to describe the state of affairs, but that might cause this blog to adopt a “not suitable for minors”-rating. Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is that I actually shouldn’t complain about it. I’m actually enjoying sorting everything out and reconciling accounts into oblivion, sad as it may sound. And of course the thought has popped into my head that, if it were not for the crap I had to sort out, I wouldn’t have too much to do on a day-to-day basis. Which sounds pretty good, but believe me, it’s not (refer to a previous post I did on that very subject).

So, to sum things up:

I’m enjoying my new work, give or take a few minor details.

One of the highlights of my day is the quiet amusement I get from my co-workers. The engi-nerds, I mean engi-neers. During the course of everyday, at some point there is a discussion regarding the pros and cons of a particular Linux distro (that’s distribution or VERSION for those of you less familiar with nerd-lingo). It is endearing, I must admit. What I do admire about them, is their uncompromising passion for what they do. This is not as prevalent in other career choices. I mean, even during power cuts, they will talk about work-related stuff! What is up with that? With me staring into space and trying not to appear too bored...

I do find it interesting, but I prefer to get my nerd-quota in small doses, thank you very much.

Confucius says: "BOM?"

2008-01-08T20:58:00.000+02:00

Well, I've started my new job, and man, do I feel like a fish out of water!

This is due to a couple of factors:

The office is tiny (only 9 employees, including me) - quite a contrast to my previous job where there were over a hundred employees.
Everyone is so Q-U-I-E-T.
I'm surrounded by engineers!!!!! (well, actually I sit in a corner, but you get the idea)

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against engineers (hey, I married one, I have to say that), but boy they do make you feel like a moron, without even trying. The thing is, with most other jobs you at least have a general idea of what the person does and of some of the terms that gets used. With engineers it's a bit like feeling around in the dark... and bumping your head everytime!

Today, the boss had to explain their products to me - the most thorough discussion I've ever had involving a PCB... Now I must admit, at first I felt a bit chuffed with myself, as some of the terms were familiar to me courtesy of The Husband (not that I had much clue as to the meaning of most of those terms), but as he went on, I quickly realised I'd let myself in for a LOT more than anticipated. But I suppose this is a good way of broadening my horizons - and appreciating my husband a LOT more!

Grumble Rumble

2007-11-07T19:45:00.000+02:00

What is the deal with inconsiderate morons?

This morning I got woken up at 4 o’clock by students returning from a night out (presumably) blasting Bok van Blerk – of ALL things! – at full volume. Now first off, let me say that I am a very sound sleeper, so the mere fact that it awoke me speaks volumes (pun intended) about the decibel at which the music was being blasted.

So I lay there for a few moments hoping against hope that it would stop without me having to move a muscle. Alas, it was not to be. After a few annoying minutes, the music died down, only to be replaced by an extra loud conversation underneath my window. The acoustics of the quad also didn’t improve matters.

Finally I got up, opened up the window and asked the moron to please keep quiet as I was trying to sleep. To which the arrogant bastard replied, “Sorry, I can’t!” This made my blood boil, but luckily the conversation only lasted another few minutes, before the idiot went inside to get some sleep.

Now as we all know, it’s virtually impossible to get back to sleep at that time of the morning, however I did at last manage.

Can’t say I didn’t have an urge to turn the music up to top volume at 6:20 when I had to get up. Unfortutely I have too much consideration for my other neighbours, unlike other people.

What’s that about nice guys finishing last?

Feminine Gripes

2007-10-31T07:14:00.000+02:00

I'm busy job hunting at the moment and boy does that open up a whole new Pandora's box!

I've had my brush with feminism in the past, but have since learned to tone my views down a bit for the sake of actually getting along with people (read: men). And so far it's been good.

But boy, oh boy, have my beliefs been challenged these past few weeks. Because of one little (innocent?) question that every recruiter or potential employer keeps asking me:

"So, when do you intend on having children?"

Subtext: So, when will you stop becoming useful to us/the world/as an individual with dreams & ambitions?

I mean, YES, of course children is in the (near-ish) future for me as a woman. And YES I'll be off on maternity leave for a few months. But that's just one of the facts of life. I mean, somehow the population has to grow! And it doesn't change anything with regards to my skills, my talents and my ambitions.

Call it naivety, but I truly thought that we had come further by now, to not just see women as breeding units anymore, but as people with something to offer besides children. And anyone who knows me will know I'm crazy about children and would LOVE to have some of my own, but I don't see how that would cause me to negate my studies (which took 4 years) as well as the 3 years I've spent working as a semi-slave in order to get my qualification.

And it seems it doesn't get better once you actually have the children and will no longer be having more. Then you get asked things like "Well, how will you handle it when one of the children get sick?". But I've yet to hear of a man (who already has children) to be asked the same question. Because "it's not his responsibility", I suppose.

This country has the most ridiculous laws against discrimination; one example is that you can't discriminate against someone with Aids (who will definitely stop being productive a few years down the line). However nothing is being done to stop this blatant discrimination against women.

Go figure.

Maternal Unit

2007-10-31T06:47:00.001+02:00

So, there I was, excited beyond belief to receive a visit from the maternal unit, after 8 months of absence.

And it was ever so good, brilliant in fact, for the first few hours. After which she started to drive me insane! Don't get me wrong, I love my mom dearly, but damnit the woman needs to learn how to switch off.

She kept on cleaning things for the entire 3 days she stayed at our flat (she is still in town, but staying with my aunt now). And, for the first little while, the cleaning is appreciated, but then it starts getting too much. I mean I woke up yesterday, to find her washing the windows! Now that to me is ridiculous at any time of the day, let alone before 7 in the morning. But how do you tell your mother to stop, well, being a mother?

But it wasn't just about the cleaning. She also decided to play interior decorator.

Q - "Don't you think this chair will look better over here?"

If I thought so, I would've put it there in the first place, right?

Co-Dependancy

2007-10-02T18:25:00.001+02:00

It's amazing how you only realize how dependant you are on someone when they are not with you everyday. There are so many people like this - my parents, my friends (who don't live in the same town as me anymore), and, in the past few months, my husband. I've learnt to cope with not seeing my family and some of my friends on a regular basis - after all I've been doing it for quite some time now! - but being without Phillip for days on end is a new phenomenon, and one which made me quite uncomfortable in the beginning.

But you know what? I think this is a very necessary lesson for me. For while it's glorious to be with him everyday, I've come to realize it's not necessarily the healthiest option. Step-by-step I've started to embrace these times on my own (when he has to go away for a few days for work). Of course I'm not overjoyed when he has to go, but I'm fine on my own. In fact it's nice to just be in my own company. And of course, absence does make the heart grow fonder. I admit, I take him for granted waaaaaaaaaay too much. So it's nice to miss him a bit and rekindle some of that initial desire.

"Marriage is hard work". I've never understood what people meant when they said this, but I'm starting to get a glimpse. Note: "hard work" does not equal "awful". And it also doesn't mean that your marriage won't work fine if you don't put in some work. Instead what I've noticed is that when you put in a bit of extra effort it just elevates it from nice to superb.

To a real connection of souls instead of just two people living together.

The Art of Doing Nothing

2007-09-26T21:06:00.000+02:00

Well... actually it's not really an art, but the heading sounded cool. Yes, I admit, I have fallen into the trap of tweaking my post-headings in order to sound a little bit more interesting for my imagined audience.

Anyway, where was I? Right - the "ART" of doing absolutely nothing. Usually very cool, but only - and this is a very important proviso - if you are able to choose the location and mode of this nothing-doing. For example - doing nothing (by choice) on a Saturday afternoon at home is pretty damn near to heaven. However, doing nothing (not by choice) at work on a regular Tuesday is a tad further away from the aforementioned ideal. In fact its pretty crappy. Even worse when you actively asked for work and still had zero to do. Worse still when you have to fill in a timesheet detailing the complete lack of productivity that was your day at work.

Yup, that's been my life for the past two days and while not having anything to do at work sounds pretty cool, in reality it sucks...

... like Electrolux!

Better Together

2007-09-22T10:42:00.000+02:00

I just love this song of Jack Johnson! It perfectly encapsulates my mood today.

" Yeah, it's always better when we're together"

Had to go to the the docter this morning because of a dodgy mole on my leg and I have to admit I was quite worried about it. The docter threw some medical terms around, which basically means that, while it doesn't appear to be serious, it still has to be removed. So I've made an appointment for Tuesday morning first thing. Just want to get it over with.

Meanwhile I'm sooo loving this longweekend. Best of all is that it just kind of sneaked up on me, which made it a brilliant surprise. Not that I'll be able to have too much fun, I have to study after all, but the mere fact of being able to stay at home (and sleep LATE) on a Monday just feels incredibly decadent.

Urghh this week has been quite tiring. Had something on almost every night of the week. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to go out and socialise, but sometimes you just feel like curling up on your bed and not having to say a word.

Or is it just me?

Over the Hills and Far far Away

2007-09-16T19:00:00.001+02:00

So here's a quick update of events since my last post:

a) We celebrated 6 months of marriage in August
b) I've become addicted to facebook
c) I went out and bought a stack of books for my exam at the end of the year - no more excuses!
d) I've started looking around for another job for next year (my contract ends in December).
e) I've joined a gym and started exercising on a semi-regular basis. Hey, I'm trying...

Things that have remained unchanged since my last post:

a) The chaotic state of our flat. Okay, I'm NOT a neat person
b) My magazine addiction is still in full swing

And now my craving has spoken and I'm headed off to Spar for a sugar fix.

Lazy Days and Sundays

2007-04-29T20:39:00.000+02:00

Writing this at the tail end of a simply wonderful day.

Woke up, went to church, had a full-on brunch, and dove straight back into bed. Only woke up again at 6 - just in time for supper!

Really, is there any better way to spend a Sunday?

I suppose it'd be stating the obvious to say that I looooooooooooooooooooove long weekends; pity it's the last one for a while.

But there's still 2 days left! That's a really good feeling on a Sunday night. Planning on going to the Bien Donne Cheese Festival tomorrow - I'm already salivating at the thought of all those cheeses on display. Give me some cheese, a loaf of freshly baked bread and some wine and I'll be quite content for a few hours.

And how great to have someone to share it all with - the cheese tasting and the afternoon naps!

Intelligence

2007-04-11T19:40:00.000+02:00

Last night I had a revelation.

TheHusband had to work on a project at home, trying to, um..., well I don't know exactly what he was trying to do! Which is the part of the point of this particular entry.

It was amazing to just watch him work - tinkering with circuitboards, various electronic components, computer simulations and measuring devices. This is a field where my knowledge is VERY limited (to matric science to be precise), and it was quite interesting to see him do "his thing" with such confidence and preciseness.

First off, I would've lost my temper quite early on, as he had to keep on modifying the circuit over and over again to get the correct results, since each time the results were not quite as expected. Quite frankly I don't have the patience for things like that. If I expect something to work and it doesn't work I get extremely frustrated. Call it a character flaw, I prefer to refer to it as "preserving my sanity".

And secondly I found myself intrigued and... dare I say it: turned on by the knowledge he had of his field. Especially in reference to my limited knowledge thereof. And I was in literally in awe of him.

I've always had a thing for intelligent men...

A Long Long Time Ago

2007-03-25T10:04:00.000+02:00

Been going through my box full of old letters and photo's and man! it took me waaaaaaaaaaay back.

Thinking of myself back then, I feel like I'm a totally different person now. Mostly "better" different, but different none the less. And it's quite bizarre to think of yourself in terms like that. I mean, to me I'm just, well, me. What I mean to say is that I don't really think about myself as a distinct person, until confronted with the self of the past. I sometimes want to go back and just talk to her and prevent a lot of stupid decisions! Although, I suppose that's a self-defeating mission, as I wouldn't know to go warn her if it didn't happen. Mostly I'm grateful for everything that's happened and everything I've been through.

I do feel though that a lot of my innocence has been lost. I'm well and truly past that bright-eyed wondrous stage in a lot of ways. But in a lot of other ways I'm only entering that phase now. And it's magical. More magical now. I can identify and fully appreciate the feeling now, something which I never could do in the past. I feel like a lot of the time I've been very disconnected from my feelings and not as spontaneous as I could have been. There was a time when I was a lot more serious, a lot more planned, measured, controlled. And it's absolutely great to let go of that with so much abandon. To experience life in abundance, to FEEL freely and passionately.

I'm loving every moment of my life currently!

Mr & Mrs

2007-03-19T19:40:00.000+02:00

The NEW Ball & Chain

2007-03-11T08:53:00.000+02:00

Yup, so I'm officially a "Missus" and it feels great!

Got back from the holiday part of our honeymoon on Thursday and today marks the last official day of the honeymoon. Uuuurgggh can't wait to get back to work....

I still sometimes can't believe I'm now actually married. It feels a little surreal, especially for the bit that we were on holiday, but now that we're home again (in OUR flat!!!), it's starting to sink in a bit. And of course the l-o-o-o-o-ng wait in Home Affairs on Friday to change my surname helped with that...

TheHusband has now moved most of his stuff across (well, the stuff he needs on a day-2-day basis anyway), but there are still some odds and ends left at his previous place - I don't know where we're going to find space for it! I've discovered that he has been hoarding a LOT more stuff than I thought. Example: While helping him pack up, I found 4 empty cooldrink bottles. Upon enquiring why this has been kept for so long (about a year), I was informed that he just never got round to exchanging it for money. I ask you! But in all fairness, I'm quite high up in the hoarding stakes myself, so I guess it is a little bit of the pot calling the kettle black!

And in the spirit of all the award shows that we've had recently, a few Wedding awards:

Best part of the run-up to the wedding: The anticipation of the rest of our lives together
Worst part of the run-up to the wedding: The squabbles over small meaningless things - yes people, it DOES happen, the stress starts to get to you in those last few weeks
Best part of the actual wedding day: The vows - they were incredibly meaningful to me
Most fun part of the wedding day: The dancing
Most tear-inducing part of the wedding day: Just after walking up the aisle, standing in front of the pastor with my soon-to-be husband, the reality of the moment engulfed me...
Funniest part of the wedding day: TheHusband and I were busy talking to some guests, arm in arm, when one of his friends sneaked up from behind and held his hand. TheHusband, thinking itwas MY hand, started stroking it, much to the delight of the table next to us
Most surprising result of the day: The hook-up of my gothic cousin with TheHusbands long darkhaired cousin. Apparently they're together 24/7 now
Best part of the honeymoon: Well.... use your imagination!

The Amazing Longwinded Man

2007-01-10T21:12:00.001+02:00

Well it's been my 3rd day back at the office and so far it's okay. Not doing much work, but that's to be expected in the first week back in Jan.

The cool news is that us clerks were moved around again, so I could finally move away from my super crappy old spot (it had boss-sneaking-up-on-me capabilities, what with my back to the walkway, which kind of puts a cramp in one's emailing style...), to my new improved private corner WITH a window, I might add. Lovely! And wonderful for my non-work pursuits...

Well we managed to find a lawyer, although may I just use this moment to object against lawyers that will happily charge you double what another one will for doing the EXACT SAME thing! But then, we knew lawyers weren't exactly stand-up people (apologies to all lawyers out there, but you know it's true!). So we proceeded to almost get lost in trying to find this guy's office and, upon getting there, almost wish we had. Got lost, that is. I've never met anyone who talks slower than this guy. Granted, he is close to retirement age, but geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzz. I could've rattled off his whole spiel in 5 minutes flat, whereas he comfortably stretched it out to almost 45 minutes. In the end I was just glad it was over, as I was on the verge of clawing out my eyeballs.

Again proving that old adage - there's nothing like a free lunch. If you want to go for the cheaper option, you'll pay for your choice in some other way...

Internet Bliss

2007-01-02T14:24:00.000+02:00

Aaahhh, it's absolutely wonderful to get all my admin schlep done in the comfort of my own home, with just the click of a few buttons.

Yes, people I've discovered (albeit somewhat belatedly, I'll admit!) the wonders of internet banking and I'm a very happy convert. Well, in my defense, I actually signed up for the service a while ago, but haven't really been able to fully appreciate it yet, since I didn't have internet access in my own home. However, since finally getting rid of my old crappy phone and logging on to the joys of 3G, those days are long gone. Mind you, I discovered to my shock today that my bank, my friend (ABSA) charges me R40 for this pleasure, but quite frankly, not even that knowledge is enough to dampen my mood today.

I have only just arrived back from holiday and, for the time being at least, am in quite a good mood. This good mood can't just be ascribed to the last few lazy days of vegging at home, but also due to the fact that this year I actually received a quite decent bonus from my employer. What a winner! Otherwise I would've been quite screwed at the moment after the effects of holiday travel (the long trek to Durban) and Christmas presents for the family and TheFiancee. And then, of course, being on holiday it just seems much easier to swipe, swipe, swipe away in every other shop.

TheFiancee's cousin reminded us on Saturday that it was only 8 weeks to go until D-Day. Neither of us had actually realised, so that was pretty cool to know. We can now actually answer "next month" when asked when we are tying the knot! Must say the wait is excruciating... But I think the last bit will now go swiftly, what with all the last-minute things to organise (like his wedding ring, the marriage contract, confirmations with florist, DJ, caterer and pastor). Which reminds me, I have to go let my fingers do the walking in the yellow pages for the name of a (cheap, preferably non-dodgy) lawyer who will do the honours.

My Personality Defect

2006-12-24T15:48:00.000+02:00

You are 28% Rational, 28% Extroverted, 71% Brutal, and 42% Arrogant.

You are the Bitch-Slap, the hallmark response of any abusive husband! You are more intuitive than others, focusing more on feelings than rational explanations, and you are also probably very brutual because you care more about yourself than the well-being of others. As all nagging wives know, brutality combined with emotion often leads to BITCH-SLAPPING, which is why you are called "The Bitch Slap". Your humility probably stems from insecurity, if anything, because people fond of slapping the shit out of someone in place of rational discussion are usually not humble in the true sense of the word. Possible sources of insecurity? A small penis, a small bank account, a small intelligence...gee, when you say "small" a lot, it stops sounding like a real word! Not only that, but you are also rather introverted, and any tendencies towards brutality you possess may also result from the fact that you bottle up your emotions and don't show them to others until you explode in rage like some sort of shaken soda can. Take it from me, it is much more rewarding to bottle beer over emotions. You can't get wasted on emotions. Aside from all my talk you are probably not a VIOLENT person, just someone who is rather selfish and who makes decisions based upon emotional motives. At any rate, being a bitch-slap does not necessarily mean you will abuse your spouse; it only means you are rather intuitive, uncaring toward others, brutal, introverted, and possibly insecure.

To put it less negatively:

1. You are more INTUITIVE than rational.

2. You are more INTROVERTED than extroverted.

3. You are more BRUTAL than gentle.

4. You are more HUMBLE than arrogant.

Fa-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la!

2006-12-22T11:41:00.000+02:00

Aaahhh, Christmas-time. That time when you get to take a well-deserved break from work, when you're able to do all the things that you never get around to doing (read: all the "fun" stuff) and also that glorious time when you get to spend some quality time with your family....

... which inevitably leads to at least one humongous fight!

Yes, that's what I've just experienced. A major blow-up. Over something really quite silly (it always is). Almost feels like the clock's been turned back a couple of years and you're a sulky teenager again. Except this time around there is definite light at the end of the tunnel in the form of time constraints putting a limit on the happy holidays with your folks.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Yes, the mother-daughter relationship is a very complex one. On the one hand she wants the best for you, on the other hand she wants that "best" to fit in with her ideas for your lifestory. After all, this is the woman who was in charge of you from the very beginning, and that mothering instinct is so ingrained, that it must be hard to come to the realisation that, for the most part, you're not really needed anymore.

But of course she is. Needed, that is. Just in a (VERY) different way. The day-to-day activities are best left in the capable hands of her daughter. But there will come those times when her advice is much needed, as, let's face it, she has a lot more experience and is very willing to share her wisdom. But, and this is a very big BUT, this advice should only be dished out when requested.

Otherwise, just smile and nod...

History Lesson

2006-12-03T07:41:00.000+02:00

Okay, okay so I've been quite lazy in posting...

Anyway, here's a quick update on events that took place in the last 3 months:

1. My mom came to visit to help with the wedding plans. The visit started out on rough footing, but luckily progressed more smoothly and ended up really great. It was nice to have a bit of a woman's touch with the choice of flowers and table decor, because lets face facts, The Fiance's interest in these topics are somewhat limited. And I don't blame him for it. I mean, my eyes also glaze over rather soon after being dragged into Incredible Deception, so... what's good for the goose is good for the gander I suppose. Although I have to give kudo's to The Fiancee who spent no less than 3 hours (yes, 180 excrutiatingly long minutes!) wandering around in a fabric shop while me and my maternal unit shopped for material for The Dress. You might be surprised to know that there are literally millions of shades of white. Crazy.

2. All major plans for the upcoming nuptials are now officially organised. So the last 2 and a half months can be spent relaxing.... and wishing the time would pass by quickly!

3. I wrote my second board exam in November and thank heavens it's over...

4. It's just 2 and a half weeks until we go on Christmas holidays!!! The atmosphere at work is definitely no longer serious and/or productive. Even worse was when all the partners in the firm when 4x4 driving last week Thursday and us poor plebs had to stay at the office and (pretend to) work! They might need a lesson or two regarding motivating employees... but that's just my humble opinion.

Anywhoo, got some websurfing to catch up on.
Au revoir,

I pity the fool!

2006-09-14T19:14:00.000+02:00

I've been reliving my 80's childhood these past few weeks. First, I bought TheFiance a Knig htRider dvd, (featuring our beloved Hoff) then his brother bought a box set dvd's of The A-Team and so the fun began. Every so often, we watch an episode or two, and man, does it take you WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYY back!

Let's rewind: The 80's - when life was still simple, tv-shows were all about good clean fun (and looking back, super dodgy!) and you were only allowed to watch the 7 0'clock show before you were sent to bed at 8. And that was it, no matter how much you begged and pleaded. After 8 there was nothing else for kids to do but lay in bed. (Do kids' these days still have an official bedtime? Anyway, that's not really the point...). But man, how we lived for those 7 0'clock shows, from A-Team, to MacGyver, Knightrider, Miami Vice and a little closer to home Vyfster was a winner. Remember Skollie? Looking back, of course, very white trash, but back then, the phrase did not puncture popular culture and we were happy with pretty much anything that was served up as long as there was some action, a bit of humour and a catchy tune.

Now, few people will admit how hooked they were and will all too often offer up a pitying "What were they thinking?", but consider this - how many hours did you spend as a kid, just waiting for the intro to start? How many fond memories do you have of those shows? How many times have you, unwittingly, quoted from one of these golden oldies? As Mr T says: Crazy Fool! And, now, kitsch has become cool again, with the remake of Miami Vice.

Goes to show, a classic never goes out of style. Hats of to the eighties, those glorious years!

Online quizzes

2006-09-10T19:24:00.000+02:00

Well, I suppose it's time to admit that I'm one of those people who can't get enough of (read: is completely addicted to) online quizzes. So I've decided to share the results of a few...

You Are a Creative Cook

Your cooking is unusual, inspired, and definitely one of a kind. People love your unique style, but you've had your share of kitchen flops.
You have the makings of a cult chef. You may not cook at the Four Seasons, but you could have your own little funky cafe in San Francisco!

Are You A Good Cook?

Well, I kinda figured as much...

Your Career Type: Artistic

You are expressive, original, and independent.
Your talents lie in your artistic abilities: creative writing, drama, crafts, music, or art.

You would make an excellent:

Actor - Art Teacher - Book Editor
Clothes Designer - Comedian - Composer
Dancer - DJ - Graphic Designer
Illustrator - Musician - Sculptor

The worst career options for your are conventional careers, like bank teller or secretary.

What's Your Ideal Career?

Hmm, interesting, considering my current profession!!!

You Are 86% Feminine, 14% Masculine

You are totally in touch with your feminine side.
Chances are, you are a very typical woman.
And if you're a guy, then you're just super sensitive.

Are You Masculine or Feminine?

Well, I didn't think that I was too manly...

Pure Nerd

69 % Nerd, 21% Geek, 30% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.

A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.

A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.

You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.

The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.

THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

This is something I've known my entire life. Nerd & proud of it!

You Are 40% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird...
But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

Thought I was weirder, maybe my true nature is more hidden than I think

You Have Your Sarcastic Moments

While you're not sarcastic at all times, you definitely have a cynical edge.
In your opinion, not all people are annoying. Some are dead!
And although you do have your genuine moments, you can't help getting your zingers in.
Some people might be a little hurt by your sarcasm, but it's more likely they think you're hilarious.

How Sarcastic Are You?

No surprises here!

You Belong in Barcelona

When it comes to Europe, you don't want to decide between culture and fun. You want art by day and a big party by night.
Barcelona is ideal for you. You can check out some Picasso, eat some tapas, take a siesta, and then dance all night!

What European City Do You Belong In?

Barcelona, here I come!!!

You Are 64% Gross

You're pretty dirty, and there's a good change you're living in a total dump.
And your body? Not too clean either. Watch out for killer bacteria, Pig Pen!

How Gross Are You?

:-) Yessss welllllllll

Rage

2006-09-10T14:06:00.000+02:00

Why is it that a seemingly inoccent request from your boss can leave you walking a thin line between breaking down in tears or delivering a window-shattering yell as you tell him/her exactly what you think of their little
"request"

I had the pleasure of working overtime on Tuesday. Let me first say, that I don't mind working overtime per se, what I do mind, is if said overtime falls into my lap unexpectedly, through someone else's poor, no LACK, of planning. Of course, it goes without saying, that I already had other plans for Tuesday evening (which did NOT inclued work in any form)

The cause of my misery on Tuesday was the fact that I was informed just before lunch time on Tuesday that my boss had arranged a meeting with the client on Wednesday morning, in spite of the fact that he had not yet reviewed the file and given it back to me to make the neccessary changes and print out the final stuff for the meeting. (this being about 2/3 months after I'd completed my work and handed him the file).

So, there I was, in Cape Town city centre at another client, with no way of even starting with the work for the meeting until I got back in Stellenbosch, which would be 5 o'clock at the soonest.

And, to top matters of, I arrived back, to find out that the meeting involves work that someone else did, but seeing as it's after 5, she's already left and hence who gets to finalise that as well??? You guessed it. So you can imagine my fury, when, upon mentioning this fact to said boss, he just replied with, "Well, who's final responsibility was this - yours or the other girl's?" Of course, I only came up with the perfect reply later on - which was "YOURS!" (meaning my boss's).

New Beginnings

2006-09-02T09:39:00.000+02:00

Spring is here!!!!! And isn't it lovely? For the first time in ages (that I can remember anyway) the 1st day of spring was a lovely, sunny day. Although the lovely sunniness, coupled with the fact that we could wear casual clothes to work yesterday, did not do much to aid productivity in the workplace... In fact, got a bit of a talking-to from one of the managers, but I didn't really take it to seriously since NO-one was really working hard yesterday (including the managers, who prank called one of the clerks later on. So much for the seriousness of the auditing business...)

Any-whoo, I've got other great news. I FINALLY (after more than a month ladies and gentlemen) received my brand-spanking-new laptop. Bliss. It's gorgeous (well I think so anyway) and soooo much better than my old crappy TOS-hiba. For those of you that are more computer-inclined (read: "geeky"), you can go check out the specs at digitalplanet.co.za. For the other people (read: "normal"), here's a pic of the new techno-accessory in my life.

AND also TheFiancee got a new (well, new to him anyway!) laptop too. He's been dreaming about a laptop for some time now and finally took the plunge and swopped his pc for a laptop. For the geeks among you, it's a Dell Latitude C600. ;-)

AND TheFiancee also got a cool new car!!! It's a lot bigger than the old one (an Opel Corsa) and... well, it's just cool! My apologies for my rather non-existent vehicle knowledge, wish I could describe it better, but other than the fact that it's a Ford Focus, I'm not really able to elaborate too much on the whole thing...

Well, now I have to be off to go buy some ingredients - I'm baking a black forest cake for TheFiance's birthday tomorrow.

Testing Times...

2006-08-20T13:21:00.000+02:00

Well!!! Long time, no post...

Been busy working and studying for my test yesterday - 2 x 3 hour papers - always a winner...

I'm hesitant to say it went well, lest my words come back to bite me in the ass. But it was allright. Do-able I suppose. Anyway, I know I won't do very well, but I'm just hoping to pass. That's all that really matters at this point!

And now it's over!!!! Whooo--hooooooooo! It's a wonderful feeling not having that itching guilt at the back of your mind when you're doing everything but studying...

The next one is end of November, so plenty of time for rest, and believe me, I'll be putting that to good use.

Wedding planning is going well, as The Fiance mentioned in his blog... Couldn't believe it when my mom phoned me from Harrods the other day about napkins. I mean really! Was even more suprised when she asked for my email adress (my mom is afraid to even turn ON the computer, never mind use it). So it was quite nice getting an email from her all the way from London. If I can be soppy, it really warmed my heart that she would step out of her comfort zone like that to send a message to me.

But let me be off - my stomach is growling and food has yet to be made!

Computer Woes

2006-08-04T21:18:00.000+02:00

It's been 1 week and 2 days now since my laptop was given in for repairs and I've yet to get it back. It also doesn't look as if I'll get it back anytime soon. Nice.

At least I've now (finally) received a spare laptop from work to use until I get my laptop back. Until now I've been relagated to the furthest corner of the office, where the old desktop pc's are located. Windows '98 was the most advanced o/s on offer. Looking on the bright side, I guess an experience of extreme discomfort such as this, makes you appreciate your usual good fortune a lot more!

At the moment I'm still putting of studying, but I definitely have to start hitting the books tomorrow. You can only imagine my level of excitement...

My mom is leaving for London on Sunday - I wish it was me. Not so much to go to London though, just out of the country. Just for holiday. Would love to explore a new country. But not somewhere as ordinary as London or America.

What I'd really love would be to go to South America, immerse myself in the local culture, converse in Spanish, dance the mambo and explore the local dishes.

Hopefully I get to realise my dream someday. In the meantime, all donations are welcome!

Lazy Days...

2006-08-02T21:53:00.000+02:00

Hmmm I've been rather lazy in posting recently. Come to think of it, I've been rather lazy in general. My room (and in fact entire flat!) looks like a tornado has passed through it; I've been meaning to hit the books for my upcoming test, but haven't actually done so yet and this morning I really had to present a good argument to motivate myself to getting my butt out of bed and drag it off to work.

Maybe it's the cold weather? I'm beginning to suspect I might suffer of a mild case of S.A.D

Anyway, the time has come to expose you to my peculiar brand of websurfing. It consists of a great deal of fashion sites, quiz sites, the weird&wonderful sites and then (my ultimate guilty indulgence) - the trashy celebrity gossip sites. blisssssssssssssssss....

So here, to name but a few, are my current favourites (in no particular order):

A) Glamour - one of the firm favourites offering everything from the latest gossip, celebrity fashion Do's & Don'ts (yes admit it, - you love it too!!!), various quizzes and tips on beauty, fashion, relationships, etc.

B) Tickle - The biggest selection of quizzes that I've stumbled across - ranging from the frivolous ("Who's your Inner Rockstar?"), to the serious ("The Emotional IQ Test"), to the just plain ridiculous ("What's Your Baby's Theme Song?")

C) Postsecret - people send in their secrets on decorated postcards, the best ones get chosen to put on the site and it gets updated every Sunday. Satisfies the voyeur in everyone of us. Two of the best of this week's selection is: "When my co-workers go to lunch, I go to their desks, print out their personal e-mails, and read them at my leisure". & "I use the handicapped stalls in public restrooms because I like to stretch my legs when I'm taking a crap". Maybe these two speak to me, because it's not so farfetched to imagine myself doing either one...

D) Tom Cruise is Nuts - well, this one doesn't need too much comment...

Dodgy Omies & Bondage Boys

2006-07-23T21:36:00.000+02:00

Last night we indulged in two activities that were polar opposites of each other.

First we went dancing with my best friend (Michelin Man) and her new victim, er... boyfriend, at Klipwerf - a rather interesting cultural phenomenon where couples get the opportunity to dance to music ranging from traditional boeremusiek, current Afrikaans "treffers", golden oldies and English chart-toppers. Always interesting, especially when you look at the various personality types you encounter at such a place.

First you have the Dodgy Old "Omie" - in his 50's, nice and mellow after his 7th Klippies & Cola, and fancying himself to be the stud of the town, able to score with girls half his age.

Next you have the Standard Slutty Girl - usually dressed in as little as possible, usually NOT with the body to match and doing choreographed pole dancing without the pole.

Third in our line up is the Hot Old Couple - they are usually in their 40's and keen to show off how passionate they can still be about each other. Their way of demonstrating this fact to the room is by some rather embarassing dirty-dancing style grinding.

Fourthly is the Kugel Poppie. Dressed in matching belt, high (usually platform) heels , designer (but badly fitting) jeans, and litlle sparkly top. Difficult to discern any facial expression through her thickly plastered make-up.

And last, but certainly not the least, the Rugby Buffoon. You will recognize him by the rugby jersey that he is proudly wearing and the determined, but stupid, expression on his face.

We spent the first half of our evening at Klipwerf, getting to know Michelin Man's new Michelin's Man. Just before midnight The Fiance received an sms from GreenDemon, saying that him and Just-ify! are now in Denim&Diamonds (a nightclub in Stellenbosch), in bondage gear. Recognizing that this was an opportunity not to be missed, we excused ourselves and headed back to Stellenbosch.

Upon arriving at D&D we immediately spotted GreenDemon & Just-ify! - in crowded places it's always handy to have above-average height friends. There they were - with chains clipped to a band around their necks, and attached to this, pink fluffy handcuffs. Interesting... Of course, GreenDemon proceeded to hook The Fiance with one of his cuffs, quite soon after our arrival. I knew hereenD couldn't resist for too long... ;-) I soon found myself in the rather bizarre position of playing photographer to The Fiance and GreenDemon, playing it up for the camera with the bondage gear. Less secure girls would've been worried... Just-ify later joined in by spanking The Fiance with one of his chains. None of these antics however seemed to attract any attention whatsoever from the patrons - although I suppose that, in a nightclub, after midnight, nothing really raises eyebrows. Also met The Pony, Justi-fy!'s latest flame, and seems like a nice enough girl, although she was quick to assure me that she is not normally in schoolgirl attire. I just smiled... The evening was cut short however by the 21st celebrations of The Pony's friend which got the better of said friend. Let's just say he was on the wrong side of sober.

So an evening of extremes came to an end and we happily toddled off to bed.

Punch-drunk love

2006-07-23T16:30:00.000+02:00

Ooooohhhh I'm so excited.

Three of my girlfriends are in those first few weeks of being hopelessly in love and I just love seeing them so happy. They have this GLOW about them, can't stop daydreaming about the man they're seeing and are just generally so loved up, they cannot focus on anyone else.

Sometimes it feels like a loss to think I'll never experience that again, but on the other hand I wouldn't trade what I have now for anything. I know that, whatever happens, I've got someone who's got my back covered, someone who'll drive to me 2 o'clock in the morning if I need him. Best of all is knowing that The Fiance loves me unconditionally, even after seeing me at my (very) worst.

I remember once, almost 2 years ago I think, we were out with friends and the place we were at had this cocktail promotion - two for the price of one. Being a sucker for a bargain (and at that point also still a cash-strapped student!), I made generous use of this offer. Problem was though, I kind of misjudged the amount of alcohol I was ingesting due to a couple of reasons:

a) It was served in a small glass jar as opposed to a normal glass
b) The fruity flavours was rather deceptive and masked the alcohol taste
c) The old "sipping-through-straws" (note the plural - it was TWO straws, not just one!) enabled me to get a lot more down my throat a lot faster

To make a long story short, I soon started to feel a bit dizzy and went to the bathrooom to try and compose myself. However, upon getting there, I realised that I was past the point of revival and could not drag myself up from the floor of the bathroom stall. My fiance (then boyfriend) started getting a bit worried at this point in time as it'd been quite a while since I excused myself from the table and came to the ladies' to investigate matters. Quite a feat in itself, seeing as he had to do careful planning to ensure there were no girls in the bathroom at that point in time. So, there I was, hugging my porcelain saviour, feeling rather out of it, when I suddenly heard something above me. I looked up and next thing I knew, he'd climbed into the bathrooom stall from the next door one. Apparently he'd been knocking on the door of the stall I was in for some time, but I had not heard a thing. (Well, in the state of mind I was in, that was hardly surprising... ) I've never been so glad to see someone. I know I would've passed out right there if I was left to my own devices for 5 more minutes. The night came to a rather abrupt end after that as my man made apologies for the both of us to our friends and carted me home. I seem to recall he had quite a hard time getting me to bed that night...

It's my party...

2006-07-22T16:11:00.000+02:00

Well, I've aged since my last post. I am now the ripe old age of 24, and at times that fact is scarily apparent... Not so much in my state of mind, I actually feel rather ageless at the moment, I had to do a quick calculation when a friend asked me today how old I am now. But when I closely examine myself in the mirror, the lines around my eyes are starting to show. And you know it's bad when a friend comments on your grey strands! But I've made peace with that, as my mom says, it gives character - in which case, it seems I've got a LOT of character!

Unfortunately I had to work on my birthday. Well, I say unfortunate, but it wasn't actually that bad. Was a nice quiet day at the office, no hectic rush to do anything, so that was nice. And of course, the fact that it was a Friday and the weekend was the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

The evening was spent at home with my man - wine, cheese, mussels, oysters, a DVD.... and the rest is censored... ;-) I received quite a few cool gifts - most notably beautiful crystal earrings from my husband-to-be (that phrase feels very good to read!), glazed orange slices dipped in Belgian chocolate from my best friend and a funky notebook from another of my more quirky friends.

And on Thursday, as an early birthday present, I received my results from my first APT paper - I passed! Quite a feat, considering I got engaged 2 days before the test, and hence my focus was not entirely on the subject at hand! Next test is much too soon for my liking, the 19th of August. At least I've started studying, although that's also where it's stayed...

As for the wedding plans, it's going well. We're looking for a photographer at the moment, and meeting up with a reasonably priced one tomorrow afternoon to take a look at his portfolio. Here's hoping his work is good, it seems quite a few of the photographers are already booked for the 24th, so I want to book one ASAP. We're' hoping to get all the big stuff sorted out before the end of August, then we can sit back and relax in the run-up to our dream day. It hit me yesterday - I'm going to be married in just over 7 months!!!

Game, Set & Match!

2006-07-15T11:29:00.000+02:00

The venue is booked for our wedding! 24th February 2007 is D-day, so watch this space...

This makes it much more real - and it's a great feeling. But a lot to suddenly get used to. I still catch myself referring to my fiance as my boyfriend, but apparently this transition takes time...

Now I'm all excited about booking the rest of the stuff - photographer, DJ etc. Been trawling around websites this morning and there are literally thousands out there! For anyone wanting a lucrative career, anything involving weddings is the perfect solution. It's become a real money-spinner, and what gripes me most is how suppliers try to milk you/your parents for even the most unneccesary detail of the day. Of course, everyone will tell you that this thinga-ma-bob is of crucial importance for the success of your day, when in reality this is the biggest load of junk. Every day I am more flabbergasted by all the expensive tidbits on offer.

Note to self: Keep wedding simple and not only will you save costs, but there is lots less opportunity for anything to go wrong.

WeddingDayCountDown: 7 months & 9 days

The Alien Species

2006-07-15T11:03:00.000+02:00

12 July 2006

At the moment I’m auditing at an engineering firm, and I am always amazed by these strange creatures we call engineers. Let’s face it, no-one really understands what they do, not even to mention why they dress the way they do. So, when I’m afforded the opportunity to be in their presence I always take the opportunity to observe quietly and note just HOW different they are from normal life forms on earth.

Take today for example. It was lunchtime and I had some leftovers that needed heating up (in July in the Western Cape, hot food is a necessity, not a luxury). So I climb the stairs to the top floor where THEY sit. (Interesting to note that they are on an entirely different floor than the other staff – coincidence? I think not….). To start off with, the kitchen is inconveniently small; strange, if you consider that they are engineers after all, whose purpose in life is to design things to make life more convenient. So while one of them is busy in there, I wait in the hallway.

And here’s where my observation technique comes in handy. Because, without fail, they all comply with Enginerd Practice #7 – which is to stare at any member of the female species as if they’d never seen one before. Understandable, I suppose, if you take into account that their university years were spent mostly in social isolation from girls (the few females opting to study engineering are so bizarre, they do not seem to fit the normal female mould anyway). So, they all proceeded to stare at, no – inspect – me as I stood there, as if they were trying to reverse engineer the female form. Normally, glances one gets from the opposite sex tend to be quite flattering. However, when it is this kind of clinical inspection, the correct word seems to be creepy.

However, all said, I still love 'em...

Panic Attack!

2006-07-11T20:52:00.001+02:00

My parents. Again. Well- meaning, I suppose but sometimes so damn clueless as to what effect they're having on their children. Then again, I don't think anyone would have children if they ever knew that...
The latest overreaction/panic attack is linked to the wedding planning. Mine that is. (or should I say ours? I sometimes forget). And it seems there's not too much I can do - either I give them information and they overreact to that, or I give them nothing, they proceed to make assumptions and then overreact on those. Lose-lose situation..
Anyway, I've decided to put my blindfold back on with regards to other people's insistence on giving you all the advice you never needed. Take it with a pinch of salt, sieve through the info, take out the useful bits (if any) and toss out the rest.

I seem to be coming off very negatively in this first post. Oh well, at least you, dear reader is getting the pure unadulterated version of me.

But I am excited about the planning though. We've set a date - the 24th of February 2007 - and a venue - Morgenhof, a wine estate just outside Stellenbosch. It's absolutely beautiful there, not stuffy and overly formal like some other venues I've seen. I don't think I'd fit in with that kind of vibe anyway... But Morgenhof... we're onto a winner. And the best of all is that we have the perfect date too - our third anniversary.