First quotes of the new year...

Happiness, in truth, may not be the fruit plucked by my action yet without action all fruit will die on the vine. I will act now – Og Mandino (The Greatest Salesman in the World)

The past is a foreign country - LP Hartley

If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands.-Douglas Adams (Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency)

Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. – Confucius

He who has overcome his fears will truly be free. – Aristotle

New years resolutions...

I know a lot of people hate making these but I really get a kick out of them…also I tie myself in knots trying to actually do it and have great fun along the way. Not sure if mine are the typical resolutions…if there is even something like that?

For 2007 I have decided that 7 will be a suitable amount to keep me busy and make it look serious at the same time…so here goes!

One…Laugh…Love…Live…

Two… Walk as much as possible…look at the sky often…enjoy the simple things…plan less and experience more…breathe deeply.

Three…Study hard…be passionate in my thirst for knowledge again.

Four…Listen.

Five…Do enough yoga to be able to do the dreaded Four-Legged-Table position without hurting myself or looking too ridiculous.

Six…Try new things…be unafraid.

Seven…Host an awesome theme party…make time for old and new friends.

If it’s not too embarrassing (and maybe even then) I will post a monthly progress report… Hope that you will all have a spectacular new years bash and I hope that the whole of 2007 will be filled with wonder and adventure for you…Happy new year!!!

Kick-As* quotes for this week...

There are no facts, only interpretations – Friedrich Nietzche (Thanks Adam!)

Nature is often hidden, sometimes overcome, seldom extinguished – Francis Bacon (Thanks Adam!)

The wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages are perpetuated by quotations – Benjamin Disraeli (Thanks Adam!)

Things do not happen. Things are made to happen – John F. Kennedy (Thanks Adam!)

Never will I allow myself to become so important, so wise, so dignified, so powerful, that I forget how to laugh at myself and my world. In this matter I will always remain as a child, for only as a child am I given the ability to look up at others; and as long as I look up to another I will never grow too long for my cot. I will laugh at the world – Og Mandino (The Greatest Salesman in the World)

It was the week before Christmas...and in SA not a thing was quiet!

Yes…this had been another crazy week! Of course…

To start off it was my brother’s birthday parties. We had a nice sit-down dinner with the family on Wednesday and a big bash (32 people on short notice) at the Keg on Thursday which was his actual birthday. Picture of both the birthday boy and the bash included here.

We have an arrangement that when it’s his birthday I am the sober designated driver and when it’s mine then he is. We’ve had this arrangement for a couple of years and I have to say it works really well…I think everyone who was there had a great time! Although instead of deteriorating into the normal kind of drinking game fiasco at some stage they started playing

Rock-Paper-Scissors (Ching-Chong-Cha!) and best out of 3 got to punch the loser on the chest or arm…being possibly the only sober person there I have to say the motivation for playing this kind of escaped me. But they all had fun, no one was seriously injured and my brother managed to sport some spectacular bruises on his shoulder and arm the next day.

Other than that I managed to visit Simone’ and the kids wich was fun! They are both so cute…I’d say little angels, but I see too much of their mom in them to make that mistake…hahaha! Simma good luck, those two are always going to be keeping you on your toes.

I am also extremely happy that this Christmas madness is almost at an end. And releived to report that I managed to stay out of any major stampede areas (malls) this week…except for the package wrapping that I had to do yesterday for the Lions Club, but it was not too bad since it was done in a fairly quiet centre and close to an escape route! I’m very happy that I don’t have to wrap today…seems a lot of shoppers leave it to the last possible minute. I had such a wide variety of stuff that I had to wrap yesterday…a gazzilion boxes of chocolate…a telescope (that was the most spectacular)…a poop scoop (that was the most bizarre – must be for a neighbour?)…watches…bubble baths ad infinitum…enormous remote control helicopters, planes, bikes, dinosaurs and and and! One the one hand I like that most of the really expensive gifts were for kids because this truly is a holiday for them…but on the other hand it makes me sad to see how big people go…where is the simple pleasure of spending time with loved ones and family and the notion that it’s the thought that counts? I understand that when you have kids you want whats best for them and to treat them at every opportunity (especially to whatever you maybe felt was missing in your childhood?), but I sometimes wonder if we as a society are not doing our babies a dis-service by numbing them to simple things…what exactly does it take to wow a kid these days? Where will it all end?!

Okay…that’s my soapbox moment for the week ;-)…I hope that everyone will be enjoying a blessed time with their families and loved ones over Christmas (or whatever festive season you happen to celebrate). I hope that if you have to travel that you get there and back safely…and that you still get thrilled by the little things that make life special…and I hope that in the next few days you manage to get at least a minute or two to think about the special year that’s almost behind us…what you have to be thankfull for and the challenges and adventures that might be coming your way in 2007…in other words, I hope you manage to make your new years resolutions while you’re not under the influence!

A very merry Christmas to all!

Summer Madness...

Well! This has been one craaaaaazy week! Remember when I said how everyone just goes social over summer…where every day is a reason to celebrate and get in touch with friends (some who you didn’t manage to see the whole year long!). I don’t know how other people manage to fit it all in but in this last week I had to attend up to three different events a day…I am completely exhausted!!! Obviously I have more photos to show in a week like this – and I didn’t even take photos everywhere…By the way with 30’C plus weather here almost every day this week I have declared Frozen Margeritas THE drink of this season…so far I’ve had many – all good. The one venue did throw me off slightly by doing the rim in sugar instead of salt but it was still tasty and refreshing and they balanced it with extra Tequila so I let it slide…

I think I’ll start you off this week with a nice tranquil shot of a pretty sunset (sky’s on fire) that I saw this week driving between one event and the next one…Oh yes! I've also decided that I'm not going to say much more about the love in my life until I've manged to tell my family about him (It's not right that the whole world should know before I've managed to tell my family) but still John...wish you could have seen this sunset with me...;-)

Next is a photo of me and *Esmerelda* on our joint doctor visit…we basically dared each other to go for the dreaded gynecological visit and so we ended up going together! Actually I think it was such a clever idea that we’ve decided to make it an annual thing…the 13 th of December is going to our day for that from now on…and next year we’re going to see if we can get a bigger group going and turn it into a mob-thing. The new doctor we found is brilliant, but I’m not telling you his name because if word gets out how I might battle to get an appointment myself?! (No, okay I will tell upon individual request…but only because I know how traumatic this experience can be and I want to help).

I also managed to get together with my old school budd Louelle and her mother for afternoon ice tea and some skinder (Afrikaans word for gossip). She gave me a frangipani tree!!! It’s beautifull – I love it. It’s one of my favourite flowers anywhere and usually only grows in a little bit more tropical area…but Louelle has managed to devise a clever trick to help it grow here and I am so excited to have my own now that I have a chance to keep it alive!

I’ve seen a couple of movies with my friend Freddy too…here’s a shot of him at Mugg&Bean Coffe Shop that I had to sneak in because he’s so camera shy… We saw Open Season and The Holiday…both feel good movies which I enjoyed, but Freddy is trying to convince me that I need to see Charlotte (I thik that’s the name?) which is a movie about a spider?! He’s still got to sell this to me a bit more – I hate f-ing spiders!

Further more I also had the privelige of meeting “The Ben” this week. My friend Jacky booked Friday with me in August already to meet Ben who she met when she was working and living in London for two years…Ben is actually from Australia but is busy getting his British passport. What a funny guy! This man went on holiday on his own for two and a half months and just made friends wherever he went. He entertained us especially with his tales of spending three days in Cape Town never leaving his guest lodge’s bar (together with the other people in his tour of course) where they in created the ICK (International Council of Kukao!) and held the World Championships of Kukao! (which basically entails last man standing on a bar making crowing bird noises (Kukaaaaaaooooo!!!!) and flapping imaginary wings while drinking a newly devised shooter …you guessed it – a Kukao (Klipdrift and Kaluha). Ben won the first world cup and intends to start a website for the members…the next world cup will be held on the first full moon of December 2007 wherever Ben is. Funny guy!

Also it’s official – from the 16^th of December you will be taking your own life in your hands if you venture into a mall. Beware of the the Christmas Shopper Stampedes!!! I am thankfully done with my shopping and no mall will see me again until the 26^th…Good luck with your last minute scrambles if you haven’t managed to plan better. ;-)...

This weeks fine selection of quotes to keep you going...

The hardest thing to understand in the world is the income tax – Albert Einstein (Thanks Adam!)

There is more to life than increasing its speed – Mohandas Gandi (Thanks Adam!)

We are made wise not by our past, but by the responsibility for our future – George Bernard (Thanks Adam!)

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity – Proverbs 17:17

I am not on this earth by chance. I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy. – Og Mandino (The Greatest Salesman in the World)

Quotes of the week...

Man knows so much and does so little – R. Buckminster Fuller (Thanks Adam!)

I do not seek. I find – Pablo Picasso (Thanks Adam!)

A man gazing on the stars is proverbially at the mercy of the puddles on the road – Alexander Smith (Men of Letters)

Time teaches all things to him who lives forever but I have not the luxury of eternity – Og Mandino (The Greatest Salesman in the World)

I do not mean to live in vain – Harriet Beecher Stowe

It's the season to be jolly?

This week was a momentus occasion for our dog Diablo who finally after two years of trying has finally managed to catch a Hadidah (I could be off with the spelling here?). This big bird was stealing his food when he outran and caught it. He was so proud of his catch…and wouldn’t let us take it away until he had a chance to show my dad what a good hunter he was. Sorry for the squimish – but I think that’s kind of cute!

What another crazy week! It has just been one social event after another including my 10 aniversary of Voortrekkers yesterday. For those that don’t know Voortrekkers is very similar to the scouts only it’s a cultural movement for Afrikaans kids where they get to learn more about their culture, learn to respect and use their language, get in touch with nature all in a Christian context. It was great seeing everyone again! Hopefully we won’t let another 10 years go by before we catch up again?

Other than that I’ve been busy doing the dreaded Christmas shopping. I have only one or two items on the list left to get…and even though I told myself that this year I would keep it low key I have not managed it as well as I had planned…oh well, maybe next year? ;-)

I’ve been helping out the Lions too with the gift wrapping kiosk at the mall. (I knew all those years of wrapping would come in handy at some stage?). Other than this little bit of work I have been mostly filling up my days with seeing friends and daydreaming about the man in my life…what a sweetheart…*sigh*

I can’t believe how fast this year has zipped past…I need to start working on my new years resolutions and I haven’t even got the Christmas tree up yet!!! Hope you all have a great week…and that you manage not get trampled in a mall shopping stampede!

Quotes, quotes and more quotes!!!

Definition “Love”: …Love is not a get-out-of-reality-free card but rather an emotional bond between two people who accept each other beyond the confinement of outdated roles. – Caroline Hurry (Handbook for the Huntress)

The enemy of art is the absence of limitations- Orson Welles (Thanks Adam!)

Wealth, my son, should never be your goal in life. Your words are elequent but they are mere words. True wealth is of the heart, not of the purse. – Og Mandino (The Greatest Salesman in the World)

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. – Proverbs 24:3-4

A hospital bed is a parked taxi with the meter running – Groucho Marx (Thanks Adam!)

Once apon a time...

Mmm… I guess we all want a fairy godmother to take a swipe at us with her magic wand and take us to the ball from time to time? This has been a week like that for me…I’ve had some of my highest highs and lowest lows in this one single week. It’s been a roller-coaster ride from ecstatic to miserable and everywhere in between. (Obviously everyone knows that almost the only thing that can take you on a spin like that is Love, Lust or a severe case of Infatuation – or/and the process of determining which of them it is ;-).

While you’re soaring on the wings of “In Love” you don’t think about a lot (because the air is a bit thinner up there I guess?), but when you’re wings get clipped or you fly into a tree there is always a lot of time to reflect on anything significant previously overlooked. And so when I hit bottom this week I did get a chance to do some serious thinking, which was needed… (it seems my OCD includes a urge to attach silver linings to everything?) and do you know what? I am even happy to be miserable…odd as that may sound… I feel alive!!!! The Pleasure and the Pain of this adventure is so intense it takes my breath away, but I’d pick this over the numbness and indifference any day of the week… (I’m soaring again if you didn’t pick up on that).

More on this topic soon, promise… ;-)

Other news of this past week…it’s been another crazy social week in true SA summer way. I was asked to help out at a golf day (golf I detest), and I agreed because it was for my dad and he asked nicely…It was actually a lot less unpleasant than I anticipated. I got to handle all the registrations which meant I basically took money from big boys so that they could go play in the garden, yeah I can do that! But really it was also nice because it was a charity event and the money raised +/_ R30 000 went towards a computer centre for a primary school in Nylstroom. Warm fuzzy feelings about that. The event was hosted by the club and they are talking about doing four a year and giving the money to someone else every time. I like that. I like that so much – I might even volunteer to help again? Lol…

Other events this week was GJ’s birthday party, Ryan’s birthday party, Movie and coffee with Freddy, Ladies night with Simone’, Braai at Dylan’s house, picnic with *Esmerelda* and Jacobus at the botanical gardens and coffee with Wanette! See what I mean? Crazy…

I didn’t have my camera everywhere and some of the photos didn’t come out but I’ve included a few for you anyway…enjoy! One is of me and Simone' on Friday and the other of the waterfall at the botanical gardens that I took today...

Better late than never? ...Best quotes of this past week...

The supernatural is the natural not yet understood – Elbert Hubbard (Thanks Adam!)

Definition-Confidence: Boldness stemming from self-assurance. Being flase and submissive will only please a man who wants someone false and submissive. A huntress does not rely on others to provide her with a feeling of self-worth. – Caroline Hurry (Handbook for the Huntress)

The harder I work, the luckier I get – Samuel Goldwyn (Thanks Adam!)

I will greet this day with love in my heart. – Og mandino (The Greatest Salesman in the world)

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life – Mohammed Ali (Thanks Adam!)

My lilies...

I know you're expecting the quotes of the week right about now...uhm...I'm running a little bit late with them...but don't worry - they are definitely on the way. i'm just putting the finishing touches on the list!

In the mean time let me share something else with you: my lillies that I planted in Sepetember have all started blooming madly this week. I am as thrilled as a new parent. Look at my babies...

Summer...at last you have arrived...

In last week's post Gobody commented that he didn't know how a SA summer would be like. Well, I've been thinking how best to describe it and I keep coming up with silly descriptions like ...hot and humid...fun...alive...easy going looooong days of summer...I don't know. I think everyone just generally seem much happier in summer, must be the regular exposure to sun?

Well yesterday (Saturday) we opened summer in a big way at our house. My brother and our one of our friends Denise came up with the brilliant idea that we should have a pool party. So they invited all the hooligans over and it turned out to be quite an event. It feels like it's official now! Gobody...I don't know how to describe a SA summer to you (but I'm going to work on it) but for now what I can do is show you some pictures of our welcome summer pool party, and you should get a fair idea how much we enjoy this season around here. ;-)Here is a picture of my brother and Denise...the two main culprits (geniuses behind the event)

Even my parents got into the whole event...

Here's a nice shot of almost everyone in the "pool"...
This carried on until the sun went down...then we made a big fire and BBQ'ed loads of meat and partied until almost midnight! Doesn't that sound like fun?

This is basically what happens round here in summer - only the venue changes. We like getting social in exotic locations too. So you can basiaclly take all the main ingredients and stick it on a beach...in the bush...on a partyboat...in a club...next to a lake...at someone's house. It doesn't really matter. I guess summer is so well loved here because summer means good times with friends.

Quotes for this week...

This week selection:

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination – John Lennon (Thanks Adam)

Mother nature is not sweet – John Shelby Spong (Thanks Adam )

Definition – Moderation: This is not a word in the huntress’ vocabulary. Moderation is for bores. – Caroline Hurry (Handbook for the Huntress)

Never will I be of concern that my goals are too high for is it not better to aim my spear at the moon and strike only an eagle that to aim my spear at the eagle and strike only a rock? – Og Mandino (The Greatest Salesman in the World)

Complacency is a far more dangerous attitude than outrage – Naomi Littlebear

Busy busy busy!

This has been a crazy week. For one I finished my exams and now have a lot more time to contemplate my unemployment. Luckily I have found some very interesting ways to distract myself ;-)

I have “invested” in a new toy…meet my zippy new data card. It is the best thing to happen to my computer since virus pretection became available in free software too. Since I am going to be on the internet feeding my addiction I might as well be faster? Anyway, it’s bliss. I refuse to say anything negative about it.

Observe the next picture…this is what happens to you when you spend almost two days uninterrupted in IRC chat and MSN messenger. You get really really tired and forget how to talk coherently! I’ve had so much coffee in the last few days that my hands start shaking just at the mention of the word.

Other news this week – I’ve finally updated my links. Actually this development was inspired by Gobody’s blog (where I also have a link now J). Not everyone I connect with have blogs so you’ll notice that some are just bulletin boards in MySpace, but for the sake of completeness I added them too. Also note that there is a section on Me,Myself and I…this is a list of all my official sites but I use them all for different objectives. This is my one and only Blog, MySpace is my bulletin board and a few of my friends are there which helps me connect with them, and then LiveSpaces I’ve decided I’m going to use mostly as a photo album, so loads of albums to get onto that in the next few days.

I hope that you all will have an excellent week ahead full of surprise and adventure.

Why does it still feel like August to me?

Geez but this year has whizzed past! I just realised today that it’s almost December – I should definitiely start panicking about Christmas and what-not. It’s been more than 2 months since I’ve listened or watched any news other than the opinions I encounter in news groups. *No news is good news, right?

This week I rediscovered IRC chat – and it’s still as addictive as it used to be, that’s for sure. I used up my monthly data in a week!(On text?!). *Bright side coming: Lucky thing too, since I would otherwise never have found out that I was being charged for double the data package I was actually being allocated…some sad story was told to the effect that my requested upgrade only went through in some of the systems and not the others. Yeah right! Just fix it or I might come rattle things personally to see where in the world it really got stuck. A system will only what the operators make it do. (#@! In,will give #@! Out, isn’t it?). *More Bright side coming: Buuuut, I finally got transferred to someone who knows the system, and who felt inclined to help me so it’s all sorted out now – and just so you know I’m not a complete cow, I did say some very nice things about him on Hellopeter.com and recommended that he should get a big fat bonus for being so clever. I once recommended a very good sales lady should be cloned and one put in every branch – but he wasn’t THAT good.

I wrote Civil Procedure (again) on Monday and I have a sneaky suspicion it won’t be the last time. That subject is fast becoming my unicorn. *See gone in 60 sconds – Eleanor. But thankfully I only have one exam left for this semester on Thursday – Advanced Family law. Let it be known that 6 in one semester is a foolish thing to take on, and no fun. I am sick and tired of exams for this year.

Not to worry: it’s not all work and no play. They had a belated Holloween party at the club this week and we all had to dress up as witches and wizards. I’ve included a few pics for you here. I like dress-up parties! ;-) Can’t wait to see what’s next. I’m thinking of maybe organising a Mad-Hatter’s (Long Island Ice) Tea Party – or maybe just some LazerQuest war games in camo. *Excuse me while I nurse my aching head and rethink this for a few minutes.

Hope you have an excellent week!

Quotes of the week

Adam is working off his notice period (and seems to be busier than ever!) so this week I had to find some of my own material too… Enjoy!

Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one – Malcolm Forbes (Thanks Adam)

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no point being a damn fool about it – W.C. Fields (Thanks Adam)

There are as many opinions as there are experts – Franklin D. Roosevelt (Thanks Adam)

Reasons to travel: Number 6 – I want to find myself: Mmmm. If you’re having problems discovering yourself in a place where you can actually read all the signs, what makes you think it’s going to be any easier where they’re all in a foreign language? – Peter Moore: No Sh*tting in the toilet (The travel guide for when you’ve really lost it)

Falling in love is like getting hit by a cattle truck. Either you go straight to heaven or you spend six months in traction sucking nourishment through a straw. – Caroline Hurry (Handbook for the Huntress)

The 115Kbps Connection

Once again tonight

I glance at my connector cable

Coiled up like a snake

Ready to strike

It lures me

To a society of like minded

Intellectuals? Loners? Outcasts?

I call them on-line friends.

Like the rubber-hose tourniqette of TV junkies

I slip it on and fasten it tight

Cutting off my circulation with my mundane life.

A few breathless seconds

…alone…

Between this world and the next

Before the info-bubble pops up:

Connected

Soft sigh of relief

I just a need a little bit more…

Favourite quotes of the week...

Okay, since I have now started mailing my posts in I have no excuse to be lazy anymore… Hope you find this week’s selection inspiring.

1. Take my love, take my land. Take me where I cannot stand.I don't care, I'm still free.You can't take the sky from me.--- "Firefly" theme.[Quoted off a thread on Rasfc]
2. Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the only one who asked why. (Bernard Baruch) [Thanks Adam]
3. We are retreating-we are advancing in another direction (Douglas McArthur) [Thanks Adam]
4. I have found power in the mysteries of thought (Euripides 438 B.C) [Thanks Adam]
5. Send the Universe mixed messages and it will support the message with the most power attached to it. If you focus on lack in your life, lack is what you will manifest. (Caroline Hurry) [Handbook for the Huntress]
   

5.

This (and a bit of last) week in a nutshell...

Well, it was a pretty uneventfull week. Compared to last week at least? I was still battling with Blogger to update at that time so I may have left out some details, so I better clue you in on those too.

Last week was not really a good week for people to know me I guess…

One of my buddies (Tanya) was involved in a smash and grab robbery (as the victim of course!) and even though she was not injured, she did suffer some emotional trauma. That makes me really mad! How dare these criminals carry on like this and make prisoners (of their own fear if nothing else) of people like that?! It’s probably better that nothing like this has ever happened to me – because I think I would most likely react so violently that I may end up endangering my own life or that of innocent people around me. I just skip scared and go for furious. *Note to self: re-look at that anger management thing maybe?

Then, after that another family friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. This illness is apparently more common than one would expect, last I heard if you are a woman you stand a 1 out of 10 chance of getting it? (Mmm, this is sales pitch data – so it could be ever so slightly inaccurate) Those odds suck if you ask me – especially since I am apparently in a high risk bracket (Don’t ask…I won’t ellaborate). Luckily it was an early detection and the cancer has not yet spread into the glands. They have already operated and successfully? removed all the cancer, but her doctor has recommended a full masectomy on both breasts and she has only a week or so to decide if she “wants” to do that. Apparently her chances for the cancer not to return is much better if there is nothing to return to? That is truly horrible! I’m not sure if I would be able to make a decision like that if I were in that possition. I hope it works out well for her whatever she decides…

Then, my friend Simone’ lost her husband Pieter in a very tragic bike accident last week. He was driving around a bend in the road when a taxi-bus popped out of a blind entrance and they collided, since there was no time for him to avoid it or stop – it was instant. He leaves behind two very young children too: Mishcke (4) and Juan-Antonio(2). pic of Pieter with his son

And of course my exam – all in one week!

That’s why I am really releived to say that this week was fairly uneventfull. But nonetheless, here are all the events of the week:

My mom went back to work on Wednesday after almost a month recuperating from her 3-in-1 operation.

We bought a new not-inflatable pool (the other one got slashed by Tigger in a survival attempt after she decided to drink water from it and fell in…the patches come off in the heat, so I constantly had to re-fix it!)

I wrote another exam on Thursday

I went bowling with Freddy and some of his friends (and I came second – whoo-hoo!)

Had a great seafood dinner with *Esmerelda* and Jacobus on Friday and saw a spectacular sunset of which I couldn’t get a decent photo taken (so you’ll just have to imagine it – it was a sky’s on fire type)

I’m exhausted! Wish I could sleep now – but I’m writing on Monday morning so no rest for the wicked (or even just for me). ;-)

The storm pic at last!

Whoo-hoo! Pics are working for me again. :-)

Buggered Blogger

I wrote a little piece about my blogger experience over the last few weeks, and how I felt when I couldn't get to my blog...and even though those days seem to over now, I would still like to post it now for entertainment value (a for the sake of completeness of history).
...
It seems like Blogger is down for some much needed maintenance, repairs or exorcism? Anyway, apologies for not being able to meet my usual Sunday deadline - hopefully when you read this it will be Monday and not next Sunday (Gmf! Obviously this was when I was having a naive moment).

Rant: I have been able to compose just fine, but as soon as I try to Save or Publish the post all I get is a Big White Screen. Ever heard of the dreaded Blue Screen of Death? (I have just recently been introduced to this technical term so I might be using it in the wrong context), anyway...I shall call this new adventure in the wonderfull world of Blogging the White Screen of Frustration. It has the super-power of rendering any victims instantly aggravated and unable to find suitable help files. That is an awesome power to harness - well done Blogger.com! ;-) Marvel should make you your own movie...

Now I will breathe out all this negativity and try to focus on good news that comes my way, so that I may come here to RE-F-ING type it out ONE WORD AT A TIME and be unable to use pictures (which are apparently worth a thousand words so that probably explains it?).

Breathe in....Breathe out...Okay, I feel a bit better now. I really would like to post again on how you fixed it all and turned it around, so please don't dissapoint me.

A very long update...

This will be a very lenghty update since I now have TWO weeks worth of news to share with you.

I was going to upload a picture of the fantastic storm we had last week, but I still can't get images loading at the moment and I'm so happy about having text appear that I am willing to just give it a week or so before I start getting seriously annoyed by that.

Anyway, last week we had a great storm...40 mm in a few minutes in Johannesburg when the skies opened up. All the roads instantly turned into little fast-flowing rivers (I would have like to get a good photo of that but I needed both my hand to keep my boat - Toyota Tazz - floating in more or less my lane). * Note to self: get new wiper blades fitted ASAP!

Okay that was last week: this week Friday we had another very nice storm - 64 mm this time. :-)

Exam news: Last week and this week - both subjects feel okay-ish, but not as great as the first one. We'll have to wait and see. Next week will be another tough one so I will be very unavailable this next week. Nose in the books where it belongs...

Favourite quote of last week...

Okay, I've been consistently putting up 5 quotes a week since I started this blog. But if you check out the comments on my first attemp at "One of my babies..." you'll see that I now have to retype EVERYTHING I want to post - so now we will change this feature to my favourite only (yes...because I am lazy and prone to typos - not preferable when quoting)

So here goes: favourite quote of last week (thanks Adam!)

1. Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news which obeys it's own special laws. (Douglas Adams)

Okay...we'll just try this again

One of my babies becomes a song...

As you probably know by now I like to dabble with a bit of poetry now and then and I'm very excited to report that one of my babies will be coming out on a CD soon as a song! My cousing Melanie is busy with her recordings and she asked me on a previosu occasion if she could use this specific poem. There are still a few details to sort out, but if all goes well - My Blood Curse - will also be a gospel song by next year. (I've included it here in it's original form for your entertainment)

My Blood Curse

The sins of the fathers
are passed down the blood-line.
You may have left me this curse,
but I have made it all mine.

Depression, Addiction, Abuse,
Of my "gifts" these are just a few.
Madness, Anger and Violence,
Yes, those are within me too.

Today...I'm taking control
and braking the age-old spell.
I'm saying a prayer to set my soul free
My one-way ticket out of hell.

No more will this legacy plague me.
Behind me the pain and despair.
I'll never pass this on to one of my own
I'm the last of the blood-cursed heirs...

testing...

If you can see this - please tell me...because then and only then will I not spit every time I here the word Beta (or Blogger).

One of my babies becomes a song…

Braai (BBQ) at Mount Olympus

Well…yesterday was the 2^nd Birthday bash of my news group Kwaaiplaas and as I mentioned we decided to have a Greek Mythology party this year. Incidentally next year apparently we’re doing dress up like your favourite (or your own) zodiac sign. Now I have loooooaaaaads of time to come up with a costume that will make me look like a lion. I like to plan these things, what can I say?

I have to say that everyone climbed into this year’s theme with gusto! We had Madusa (me), Poseidon (Wanette), Cupid (Annelie), Zeus (Tiaan), Aphrodite (Marizca), Hercules (Jaco), and even –believe it or not- the Greek Easter Bunny (Melanie) who at some stage in the proceedings declared herself renamed to Rings of Saturn due to a extraordinary amount of glowstick bangles that she festooned her wrists and ankles with.

I’ve included a few picks from the day – hope you get a kick out of it!

This week’s favourite quotes…

This week we have a mixed bag. Mostly quotes by Adam (thanks again Adam!) and I’ve also thrown in one of my own. ;-)

1. You are remembered for the rules you break (Douglas MacArthur)
2. There are no original ideas. There are only origianl people (Barbara Grizzuti Harrison)
3. If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking (George S.Patton)
4. Wisdom outweighs any wealth (Sophocles)
5. Blood might be thicker than water, but not as thick as chocolate (Me) Context: The integrity and safety of my Belgian chocolate pusher (Vera) questioned and or threatened by a close relative (Melanie my cousin)!

EVI101-3 The Law of Evidence

I wrote my first exam for the semester this week (One down five to go!) and I am happy to report that it went great. I am really glad that I have so much time and head-space to focus on my studies now. I even knew case names – a previously inknown phenomena for me! I will be very surprised if I don’t get a distinction for this one, and that makes me very very happy since I’ve tried completing this module on a previous occasion (or 2) with dire results. This was exactly the mental boost that I desperately needed…from here on I believe that things will only get better and better. Yay!

Quotes of Note:

My friend Adam can always be trusted to provide me with something to mull over for the day. Every single day he sends a quote of the day as inspiration. Sometimes serious, sometimes funny – always appreciated. Here are my favourite quotes of the week, all of them provided by Adam (Thanks!).

1. Weather forecast for tonight: dark (George Carlin)
2. Confusion is always the most honest response (Marty Indik)
3. Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry (Bill Cosby)
4. About the time we can make the ends meet, somebody moves the ends (Herbert Hoover)
5. Oh just bear with it… (Adam Martin) - Original Oprah quote that caused this one was ommitted.

Pipe Cleaners save the day – an unlikely story of desperately needed support obtained from ex-smoking paraphernalia.

On the 14^th of October Kwaaiplaas (the news/chat group) is having it’s 2^nd Birthday party and the theme is supposed to be Greek Mythology. A certain wise-ass declared that she would be appearing as the one and only Madusa (you know the one with the full head of snakes…or having a very bad hair day?), and honestly I thought it would be really simple.

My plan was to strap some toy snakes to an alice-band and voila! Madusa as promised. But in not one single toy shop out of the 6 that I’ve visited have I been able to allocate a damn rubber snake that is suitable for this mission. Some of them are so big that if I had to strap only two onto my head I would also have to figure out what an Ancient Greek neck-brace looked like too, so as a plan B I decided to just add some coloured shiny ribbons and hope for the best. Unfortunately this did not even vaguely resemble snakes and I ended up looking more like the NixNax guy than Madusa.

Finally today I experienced a breakthrough! Yay! I was cleaning a corner of my room and discovered a bag full of old smoking stuff (4 pipes, 2 packets of pipe cleaners a big box of matches and about a kilo of flavoured tabacco). For in case you were wondering: I may have bordered on chain smoking but this was actually bought for a fundraising event at church – I’m just the custodian. Today is day 332 that I am clean of smoking, and still going strong. Anyway, back to Madusa… with the help of some pipe cleaners and red ribbon I now have a full head of snakes ready for next week. (Okay maybe half a head of snakes, but I ran out of pipe cleaners and frankly I think it will do).

See below – my snakes – expertly modeled by my lovely kettle together with a fetching black head scarf! I’ve grown quite attached to them already and can’t wait to show them off next week. ;-)

Bonsai!

I just thought I’d post something on here about how nicely my little trees are doing now that I’ve made an outside haven for them. I don’t have to waffle on about this: the pictures speak for themselves… (I’ve included a before and after shot of the corner and of an individual tree as well, sorry it’s a lot of photos for one week but I really wanted to share this with you).

Republish:
A job to die for…

Here is the open grave
of a woman whose filing
was always up to date,

whose children now
stand dry-eyed
and unattached
at her final resting place.

They never knew her anyway.
But at least her manager will miss her
timely reports and fondly remember her
stylish power point presentations?

Republish: September sees its ass.

Well, this week has been chaos from start to finish! My mom started on her soft diet on Monday (from tomorrow she is on a completely liquid diet for three weeks…one week in preperation of her major surgery on the 10th, and another two weeks after that for the wounds to heal internally). After the liquid diet phase she’ll spend another 4 weeks on a soft diet and then she’ll have to relearn how to eat solid food after that. I’m still not completely comfortable with the idea of the stomach bypass that she’s having done, but I have to admit that so far her discipline on the diet is good to see. Obviously she is really serious about this.


Thursday was also a big day for me, since I got inducted into the Lions Club. I first got involved with the organisation through my buddy Louelle and all the great projects she told me about. Warm fuzzy feelings about trying to help other people (I better delete this post later before someone realizes that I have a soft side?). Annelie decided to come and have a look this month as well and we ended up missing most of the meeting because the three of us were giggeling and writing notes the whole time – still had loads of fun though. (See pic of Annelie & Louelle at the Lions meeting)


The weekend was action packed! On Friday I kicked it off with “buckets” of red wine kindly provided by Phillip and Ivy, then I attended a ballroom dancing social (even though I can’t ballroom dance…more red wine involved here), after which myself Annelie and her dance instructor known as Mr. Nel ended up running into my brother at Partyhouse. I only got home at 3:00AM and my dad must have known that we all felt very fragile since he (LOUDLY) sang us awake Saturday morning at 06:37. If he wasn’t blood family I might have killed him.


Today we travelled to the crazy town of Pretoria for my cousin Melanie’s birthday…I made brownies…And they came out perfectly?! @#. It was a fun day, thanks cuzz. And I finally met Mias’ son Nathan – what a cute friendly baby! (See Pic of Nathan and Melanie attached)

As far as my studies are concerned: I’ve managed to work my way through most of the Law of Evidence this week , so I’m feeling very positive about that. I have to finish that up tomorrow and then get stuck into Advanced Law of Succession next.

So nothing outrageous happened this week, but keep watching it can’t be far off…

Republish: Huh…What happened?

A little bit of history is in order I guess? (Don’t panic – just a little bit). Until fairly recently I was a full-time employee (logistics manager for the factory) of Carrier SA whilst studying (also basically full-time) law through UNISA. In my spare time I also tried to save the world of course…For a couple of years it almost looked like I was going to make it (except for the saving the world bit), but in July this year I hit rock bottom. Burned out! Shame… Anyhoo, I got to a point where working and studying because mutually exclusive. So I had to choose: continue with the last 14 out of 40 subjects for my degree or carry on with my job.

And that is how I became a truly full-time student for the first time ever! (Talk about priorities). I am officially unemployed at the moment and remarkably calm about it. I figure I have a few (6 or 7) months worth of breathing space from my first cushion (the name I call my savings by: “here cushy-cussion!”) before I need to actively start panicking. Nonetheless I am tightening my belt a bit to keep with the times. For instance I only shop once a week now, and since I’ve limited that I only use a fraction of the petrol that I used to as well. See? It’s a win-win situation. No seriously – I’ve negotiated a very good deal at home in an effort to help. I rent a room from my parents and the new deal is that if I do the cooking I don’t have to pay rent. Since I’m here anyway (busy studying of course!) I might as well, and on the upside I now get to choose what I eat. Once a month I do a spreadsheet of my expenses for the food and get re-imbursed. How cool is that?!

Ryan and Tammy pointed out to me on Saturday that I am doing this totally backwards of course. Most people study, then work, then marry and live alone. Mine seems to be working exactly in the opposite direction… I hadn’t actually considered it from that angle to be honest, but I guess they’re spot-on. (This is what happens when you don’t like following the instructions, right?). I’m trying to figure out what’s supposed to come next in the sequence but currently a solid possibility still eludes me.

Well…there you are! Just a little bit of history from my side. So I guess what you might be expecting is a pretty boring blog by a burnt out full-time student/part-time cook but since things never tend to be that simple in my experience don’t be too startled if it turns out a bit more hair raising than that, okay? I hope to give you a once a week peak into my world from the mundane to the bizare, so let’s see how that goes…

First instalment due Sunday 1/10/2006. (I had this in on time by the way - but silly Beta blogger wouldn't show it)

Republished post: Everything seems to be working except the damn headers! (I'm to tired to get annoyed about this now) This post is supposed to be called: And so it begins...

Well, I've decided to try my hand at this blogging business. Seems like everyone's got one - so I was starting to feel a little left out! Not sure when I'll manage to update this in between my studies, my cooking and gardening and keeping up with a gazzilion news groups so it might end up only happening once every week or so?Oh well, here goes!;-)

Ek het my ander blog (stupidly) verander na 'n Beta version toe en nou is dit onmoontlik om enige ding op dit reg te kry! Ek kan nie prentjies laai nie, en my boodskappe kom net met die titel op.

So toe besluit ek om maar oor te begin en nooit weer 'n Beta version van enige iets te gebruik nie - DIT SUCK!!! Aan die postiewe kant het ek nou 'n nuwe browser...Firefox is baie vinniger as Internet Explorer.

Ek sal al my ander goed weer oor post hier, en nuwe links vir almal uitstuur. Jammer vir die verwarring.