30 - Love

Congratulations nasty Mister Flu Lurgy.

For the second time this month, you got the better of me. You win. Once again, you made me feel like crap and confined me to my bed, where I spent my precious time coughing and sneezing and whimpering like a little baby. I hate you.

But next time, you won't be so lucky. This is war. Bring it.

Definitely rockin' the super-sexy look at work today!

Bob and the Queen

'Saw this on the back page of an old Financial Mail and thought it was worth sharing...

Robert Mugabe flies to England to see the Queen. Over a cup of tea, he brings up his plans for his country.
"Your Majesty, can we turn Zimbabwe into a kingdom, in order to increase its force in the world market?"
The Queen shakes her head and replies: "One needs a king for a kingdom, Mr Mugabe and unfortunately you are most certainly not a king."
Not to be dissuaded, Bob asks: "Would it be possible to transform Zimbabwe into an empire then?"
"No, you silly chap," snorts the Queen, "for an empire you need an emperor, and you are most certainly not an emperor."
Bob thinks for a moment and then asks if it is possible to turn Zimbabwe into a principality.
The Queen replies: "For a principality, you need a prince, and you Mr Mugabe, are definitely not a prince."
Pausing for a sip of tea, she adds: "I don't mean to appear rude but having met you, I think Zimbabwe is perfectly suited as a country."

Heading for the hills...

What a gorgeous Autumn day it is! While Cape Town is waiting for the next winter storm to hit, we're being treated to a couple of days of glorious sunshine. Pity I'm stuck in the office, but at least my view ain't too shabby. Here, I just snapped this pic:

Nice, eh? Those rolling hills in the distance, my friends, make up some of Durbanville's famous wine farms.

Anyway, not much to say today. Just thought I'd share my view.

P.S. The window is quite grubby - sorry about that.

8 Recently stumbled-upon realisations

Number 1: Spending a weekend snuggled on the couch in front of a roaring fire, with a good book and the sound of rain falling on the roof is great for the soul, but definitely not romantic if you're doing it by yourself.

Number 2: Cats can sit dangerously close to a heater for extended periods of time without spontaneously combusting into a flaming fireball. It's just not natural.

Number 3: Dreaming Big is crucial, yet utterly pointless if you're not prepared to take any risks. Pansy.

Number 4: Freelancing has its rewards. Just as long as you know a couple of heavies who can sort out the client who hasn't paid you yet. Grrrr...

Number 5: Ugly Betty is incredibly corny. That said, for some reason it makes me feel very optimistic about love love love.

Number 6: Being brunette is a much more fun than I thought it would be. So bye-bye blonde locks!

Number 7: No-one's told the last few die-hard mosquitoes that it's apparently winter, because they're still doing the rounds. You don't need to worry though. They're all at my place. And they only come out at about 3 a.frikken'.m. Bastards.

Number 8: Right now, at this point in my life, I prefer puppies to babies. Is that wrong?

Random Tuesday Waffling

So, did anyone watch Zuma's inauguration on Saturday? I caught snippets of it, including the arrival of Mugabe. (What a pity he was invited! I guess they kinda had to send him an invite, being neighbours and all, but still.) And at last all the mystery surrounding which of Zuma's wives would attend as the First Lady was cleared up. The winner being Wife Number One: Sizakele Khumalo. She's not quite a Michelle Obama but then again, JZ is no Barack Obama either. Oh well. His other two wives also attended, but they had to sit in the cheap(er) seats. Anyway, the new cabinet has been announced and today is Zuma's first proper day in his new office. I suppose all we can do now is watch and hold thumbs.

Jacob and Sizakele Khumalo Zuma a.k.a wife numero uno...

...and the other two wives, Thobeka Mabhija Zuma and Nompumelelo Ntuli Zuma.

Of course, mustn't forget the (rather happy-looking) ex-wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Speaking of new offices, I've also got a new one. It's certainly a down-grade though. I mentioned a while back that, like so many other companies, we too are feeling the effects of this $#&^*& recession. To cut overheads, we're sub-letting some of our office space. My office space. So I got kicked out of my pretty little corner with the lovely views to be stuffed into a little sardine can of an office where my colleagues and I are pretty much on top of each other. Sigh. As a result of the move, I've also lost my parking spot, which certainly has not helped my mood. Cape Town winters are generally wet and miserable and so covered parking is well-coveted here. Hopefully, I'll be given a new spot soon but I'm not too optimistic.

Anyway, enough moaning. Happy thoughts... happy thoughts...

Oh, something very cool happened to me recently. I entered an online competition and actually won it!!! The prize was a book hamper from Exclusives and so they sent me a box of their 'top 10'. I was So. Incredibly. Chuffed!!!! What a happy little nerd! (It's the little things, you know.) It happened at a good time because lately NOTHING has been going right and I'm really on the brink of dropping out of society and heading for the hills. Now at least I'll have lots to read once I've resorted to living off the land.

My fabulous loot

P.S. Thanks Getty, for the inauguration images. Please don't sue me for using them. Pretty please.

Dear 'guys in my office with your music blaring through your earphones',

Just a quick note to thank you both from the very bottom of my heart for sharing your own special and unique music tastes with someone as insignificant and undeserving as me. You display true selflessness as surely by now your ears must be haemorrhaging profusely as a direct result of your earphones being turned up to full volume. Oh, how I treasure the dependability of you spending a solid eight hours behind your desk, forsaking conversation altogether in order to provide me with a full music experience. Every. Single. Day.

What a pity though, that you do not confer with each other before proceeding to play your sweet music. Perhaps if you did, then that special leprechaun-type flute stuff you having been sharing with us for the last 84 minutes could be timed to harmoniously coincide with the delightful beat of the other’s rave bonanza, which is now into it’s fifth hour. But really, who am I to complain? Indeed, I am too spoilt. And to think I spent all my hard-earned money on an mp3 player of my very own. If I had only known how truly generous and sharing you two are, I could have saved myself a lot of money. No harm, though. After all, why on earth would I want to listen to my music when I have been afforded the special opportunity to listen to yours? Both of yours. At the very same time! Oh yes, I am a lucky, lucky girl to be sharing an office with the two of you. Bless.

Regards
Me in the corner