fluffy pink thing

Watch this space

2011-06-16T00:03:00.000+02:00

The Dream Police are coming to arrest me

2011-04-11T22:53:00.000+02:00

Isn't it funny the power a dream can have? And I'm not talking about the aspirational, hopeful kind of dream. I mean the little glimpses of the subconscious that slip out when you least expect it.

Very late last night slash very early this morning, I dreamt about an ex of mine. In the dream, he was mean and bitter, and he made me feel awful, a feeling which didn't go away even when the alarm clock went off, and I had to get up to get ready for work. That feeling stayed with for the rest of the day and in spite of upbeat news (like having my leave approved and hearing that my work contract is to be renewed) I've been followed around by a persistent little dark cloud that just won't leave me alone.

It's not like the ex in question is someone I think of often. In fact, I haven't seen or spoken to him in years. Though, like most people, I have a few exes, but there's always one that hurt more than the rest, and yeah, he was that one. But still, it's a little out of the blue for him to pop into my dreams and well, ruin my day.

Something similar happened last week. I woke up dreaming about work - something I seem to do quite a lot. Guess it's not really a surprise as my six month contract is coming to an end this month, and the last thing I want is to be unemployed. I've been pretty confident that they would offer me a new contract, but you know what they say about assumption, and after some fairly unlucky luck lately, I didn't want to take anything for granted. Especially after my recent tax drama. To cut a long, tedious story short, after submitting my tax return earlier this year, I was told I owe the tax man a LOT of money. After three months of sleepless nights, copious Rescue Remedy, phone calls, emails and queues later (not to mention a nasty letter threatening legal action) the situation has been resolved. Turns out there was a system error on their side, and that the tax man actually owes me money. Whew! But my relief soon grew to cynicism as I convinced myself that luck/fate/destiny/life was giving me this little cash bonus to tide me over while I looked for a new job. I was suddenly convinced that my company was going to ask me to leave. That's what my dream last week was about. I dreamt that I was being voted off the island. And again, it completely ruined the day.

I know it's insane to give so much credit to dreams. I've never believed that dreams are prophetic or have deeply symbolic meaning. Instead, I believe that dreams reflect what's in the subconscious. I know the job situation has been lurking around in there. The last six months have flown by, and they haven't been easy. It's been deeply humbling starting at the bottom of the ladder, earning peanuts. But I'm still so glad I took the chance. And now that my contract's going to be renewed, it'll take some of the pressure off. There's still that little matter of salary - the pay is scarily low and I feel like a student again. But it's temporary. I hope!

What's strange, though, is what prompted the 'mean-ex-boyfriend-dream'. I really thought I'd moved on, but if he's still making guest appearances in Dream Land then is he really out of my mind? Seems quite pathetic giving him headspace, after so much time has passed. I wonder if I'm ever in his dreams/nightmares.

Happy happy!

2011-01-01T16:27:00.001+02:00

Happy New Year, darlings!

Can't believe it's 2011 already. Feels like just yesterday we were celebrating the end of the century and dreading the Y2K bug. Ha! So much for that. And now here we are, in 2011. Well anyway, I hope this year brings us all lots of laughter and joy blah blah blah. As for resolutions, I'm not making any. Useless things. Though if I were to make any, maybe I should start with not over-doing the bubbly, like I did last night.

So it's been a while since the last post. Time flies when you're having fun, though I suspect that time-travel feeling is more a result of hectic deadlines and the general day to day craziness. But it's been a really nice Christmas and though I've only been able to get a week's leave, it's been fun and relaxing. Not really looking forward to the return to the office on Monday, but no use moaning about the inevitable.

Anyway, time to wrap up - my poor abused little brain cells aren't coping that well right now and so I'm planning on spending the rest of the day on my couch with The Vampire Diaries and chocolate for company!

x o x o

Monday Mumbling

2010-11-08T22:11:00.002+02:00

So it's been a week since I started my new job and so far, so good. It's been a bit of an adjustment: getting up so early, battling traffic and having to conform to corporate life - I miss being able to work in my pajamas! But that said, I like that I'm doing something new, and so far I'm really enjoying the perks of working for a magazine. And I LOVE working in Cape Town. At lunch time, I make an effort to get out of office - even if it's just to go for a walk. The offices are in a busy part of town, so there's lots on the go. Last week, I took a walk down Long Street and every now and then I walk to the Lifestyle Centre on Kloof. There are so many interesting little boutiques and inviting coffee shops in the area. I'm going to have to try them all out!

Anyway, my new routine of getting up at the crack of dawn has left me a little dazzled, and my brain is feeling quite fried. So I won't waffle on too much. I'm actually supposed to be tackling some (much-appreciated) freelance work right now, but my brain cells aren't co-operating, so I'm blogging instead before going to bed. I'll tackle the freelance stuff tomorrow night - even if it means a late one.

I really wanted to show you a pic of a cupcake I was given today. Now you know how I feel about cupcakes! LOVE them! Then this morning, out of the blue, the fashion intern gave us all one of these beautiful cupcakes! Gorgeous! I felt so guilty eating this little work of art so I took a pic before devouring it. Isn't it absolutely divine?!?!?

And before I go, how cute are these mouse pads?!? They're by Marimekko and I think they are so fab! I'm really bored with my dull, run-of-the-mill mouse pad - I've love to swap it for one of these. Though at $19 (about R140), that's not going to happen. But still. Cute!

Okay, signing off now...
x o x o

Not so Fabulous in the City

2010-10-26T10:10:00.000+02:00

In spite of my best intentions, I didn't actually get to see Sex and the City 2 when it hit the Big Screen back in June. Not sure what happened there - I was so excited about the release of the movie but then suddenly it was a month later and I still hadn't seen it. So I've been waiting patiently for the DVD release, and finally, I rented it from my local Blockbuster last night.

I have to say, Sex and the City 2 just wasn't that fabulous.

For the most part, the reviews I'd heard weren't exactly complementary but I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt. I love, love, love the show! And the first movie was quite decent. But this one? Hmmmm, no. It was just so cliched in all the wrong ways, the outfits weren't so glamorous and the ladies all looked rather well-matured. I know none of them are in their thirties anymore, but all the same, they looked rather hard and leathery. I'm sure make-up played a role in that.

Anyway, I'm glad I finally got to see it. But I think it's time for Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte to stop with the SATC movies and rather leave us with the glowing memories of the fabulous ol' days.

Mixed bag of all sorts

2010-10-20T16:59:00.000+02:00

Hi there. Long time no chit chat! Where did the time go? Seriously, a whole month since I last touched my blog. (Wait, that sounds a little dirty. Meh, whatever.) I don't know how some people post on their blog every single day. Wow.

Anyway, it's been a while, and though nothing much has happened, lots has changed. Does that even make sense? I guess my biggest news is that after months and months of 'freelancing' (or 'starving at home with the cat', as I like to call it) I'm heading back to full-time employment. It's been quite a ride, and after last year's retrenchment and my deep disillusionment with the type of writing jobs I got paid to do, I was feeling very uninspired and flat. But just as I was coming to terms with the fact I may be destined to live on the streets in a cardboard box under a bridge, a rather cool opportunity came along. So as of the 1st of November, I will be a fully employed Copy Editor. Yay for me! I'm quite excited about this new direction my 'career' is taking. I've wanted to work in magazine since, well, forever, and now I'm finally going to get my chance. However, I'll still be freelancing as a copywriter. The irony is, since I accepted the Copy Ed position, quite a few freelance opportunities have come up. Typical, eh? So yes, goodbye freedom and working from home. Hello monthly paycheques.

About bloody time.

Okay, so what else can I tell you about? Oh yes, I came across a few new(ish) albums that I'm deeply in love with. But I think I'll keep that for another post. That way, I'll be more inclined to write another post sooner than later. (It's really very strange, I just haven't had much to say lately. At least, nothing important.)

Oh yes, last week I watched Eat Pray Love. I thought it was great - and it did the novel justice. Check it out if you have a chance.

One last thing... Last weekend I went to Buena Vista Social Cafe in Greenpoint. It's the first time I'd been since they moved, but their cocktails and nachos were as delicious as I remembered. Lots of cute boy waiters too, which never hurts.

And now, to end off with, little red aeroplanes. I shot this pic a few weeks back. There was some or other airshow on just outside of Cape Town, and every now and then, planes would fly over my home. I thought these were really cute.

Cheese Philosophy

2010-09-20T16:27:00.000+02:00

Love these Pearls Before Swine cartoons!

Must admit, I feel exactly the same way about cheese. Even the most horrible vegetables become edible if served with cheese. Let's face it people, cheese makes the world a much better place!

Corny but True

2010-09-14T14:35:00.000+02:00

The other day I was scrounging around in my cupboard of Ancient Stuff I Can't Throw Away when I came across this:

It's a story from a Brownie magazine that published (and paid for) a little piece I wrote 'back in the day'. It's no coincidence the newsletter looks like it was printed on papyrus! I wrote that 24 years ago at the tender age of nine. I was a bright-eyed, bushy-haired little chick who loved the Brownies. I went for my writer's badge and the woman who 'judged' it liked it so much that she asked if she could submit it to Times 6, the Brownie mag. A while later, I got news that they were going to print it and I was sent a postal order for something like R1, which seemed like a lot of money to a nine year old in 1987!

I remember feeling like a bit of a national hero because the pack leaders made quite a splash about it. Ah, good times. Obviously a lot has changed since I was nine, but one thing that hasn't is that I still like being paid to write, though my rates are now a little higher than R1 a piece!

With copywriting, you generally don't get to add your opinion or name to the things you write. That's why I have this blog, so I get to shoot my mouth off and throw my opinion around the Interweb. (Insert evil laugh here.)

Ironically, a few months back, a local fashion magazine sent me some stuff to review for their annual 'Best of Beauty' supplement. Not because my opinion is special but rather because they like to include subscribers in their surveys. Anyway, it was quite nice to open this month's edition and see my two cent's worth (and name) in print. It was only around ten words long, but sometimes it's nice to have another 15 minutes of fame!

Crossing the line

2010-09-07T16:47:00.000+02:00

I'm a BIG believer in freedom of expression but sometimes it's perfectly acceptable to give someone a good smack and tell them to shut the eff* up! That's what I wanted to do this morning when I logged into Facebook and saw this:

This guy was dating a friend of mine who I've known since school days. We live on different sides of the country now and I don't really know what she gets up to and 'who' she gets it with. But one thing's for sure. A rant like that is crossing the line. Even if she really is a nasty skank (which I doubt), can an outburst like this one - on such a public forum - be truly justified? Hell no!

Believe me, I know relationships don't always end with a civil handshake while Disney birds sing in the background. When there are emotions involved it's bound to be messy. Yet surely there's room for a little dignity? I'm all for going into details with close friends, which usually happens around the second bottle of wine. Hey, we're all human. But to splash it across Facebook for your friends, family, colleagues and the pope to see?!?!? Not cool.

There's a little part of me that wants to leave a comment on his page telling him what I think of him. But what's the point? I also feel compelled to tell my friend that her ex is saying some nasty stuff about her. Though it's been so long since I've chatted to her, it would definitely be awkward, to say the least. Need to work on that one. There's obviously more to the story but if this is how he lashes out then I reckon she can do a lot better. Good riddance. She should sue his ass for defamation. Jerk.

*I'm also a big believer of the odd swear word but can't bring myself to write one quite just yet.

Oh no, George Michael

2010-08-24T15:27:00.001+02:00

I'm talking about this George Michael.

Not this one.

It seems George is in trouble AGAIN after getting goofed on weed before driving his car into a shop window last month. (Seriously, surely it takes a LOT of grass to get that spaced out?) Anyway, now he's in trouble and may even be facing jail time. Oh dear. I must admit, I've always quite liked George Michael, in spite of his sometimes dodgy and 'lewd' behaviour. I guess it started off in the WHAM! days. I used to think he was extremely cute.

Mind you, that was also back in the time of My Little Pony and Gummi Bears. And when being gay meant you were a happy person. Aw, good times!

A Soldier and a Nurse

2010-08-18T20:37:00.001+02:00

This is one of my all-time favourite photographs...

It was taken 65 years ago, on August 14th 1945 by Life magazine photographer and photojournalist, Alfred Eisenstaedt. I've always loved this image because it represents relief, elation, hope, humanity. A simple kiss between a soldier and a nurse that turned out to be one of the most iconic images in modern history.

Bikes and boys

2010-08-16T15:39:00.002+02:00

So this past weekend turned out to be pretty good. I started it off at Cape Town's V&A Waterfront. Charley Boorman was doing a book signing and well, being a geeky Word Nerd, I was more than happy to stand in the rather long queue to get a book signed. Boorman is one half of the duo that (in my opinion) made travelling around the world on BMW bikes cool. If you haven't yet had the chance to watch Long Way Down or Long Way Round, do yourself a favour and check it out. The most amazing adventures!

Since doing those series, Boorman has gone on to fly solo and write books of his own, based on his latest travels. There's no doubt about it - he's a cool guy. I'm insanely jealous of the places he's been to - certainly beats the regular nine to five. Nice!

Right to the Edge: Sydney to Tokyo by Any Means chronicles Charley's latest adventure. I've just started reading it but so far so good. I guess if you can't be there yourself, armchair travelling is the next best thing.

Keeper of Arb Stuff

2010-08-14T20:09:00.000+02:00

Being a serial hoarder I find it hard to throw stuff away. Even the most arb things can have sentimental value. Like this wine label.

It's off a bottle I bought when was in France a couple of years ago. Made in Chile, this bottle of GatoNegro wasn't the classiest or most expensive wine I've ever bought. Yet it brings back so many memories of France and the little Italian restaurant near Bordeaux Station where I found the wine.

I love the label. So quaint. After drinking the wine ( which was so-so) I carefully peeled off the label to add to the box of Stuff That I Will Keep Forever. Seems silly, I know. But I can't bring myself to throw it away.

Goats, ducks and pearls

2010-08-11T11:20:00.000+02:00

Last weekend (which already feels like forever ago) I was invited to stay at Pearl Valley. Even though the Cape winter was making its presence felt, it didn't dampen our spirits as we went wine tasting and ate delicious food.

While in the Paarl area, we had lunch at one of my favourite spots - Fairview.

The cheese here is unbelievable! We spent the afternoon eating a good range of cheeses on freshly baked bread, accompanied by delicious wine. Heaven.

Unfortunately, the service wasn't too good. We found our waitress quite sullen and unhelpful, but maybe she was just having an off day. Back to the cheeses though - DELICIOUS!!!

Love that goat turret!

Back at Pearl Valley, this little guy was paddling around the house we were staying at in. After feeding him a substantial amount of bread he got quite brazen and came close enough for me to take a few close-ups.

Quite brave, considering the braai fire was lit, only a few metres away. Though as you can see, he didn't stay for dinner...

Through the course of the weekend, we all ate ourselves silly! Hearty breakfasts, delicious curries and a never-ending supply of wine ensured we all went home well-rested, and a little bit heavier!

Happy Women's Day

2010-08-09T22:19:00.000+02:00

Hope you all got to do Lady things!

Desperately Seeking Mojo

2010-08-03T14:56:00.000+02:00

The last few weeks have been somewhat lackluster and I'm really struggling to find the motivation to do, well, anything. Maybe it's just that time of year, or maybe it's a symptom of the 'World Cup hangover' they warned us about. It probably has a lot to do with spending far too many nights in, watching bad TV But more than anything, it's because I'm tired of freelancing for what basically amount to tips. Freelancers need to sell themselves and that's just not something I'm good at. It really is a vicious circle, because the more pitiful and pathetic I feel, the harder it is to get motivated. Ironically, a couple of months ago, it looked like my mojo was making a comeback. I was going out more, getting interviews for jobs I actually wanted (though not necessarily qualified for) and basically feeling confident. Now I'm back to square one. Self-confidence rock bottom and flat-lining motivation levels.

(From the brilliant Savage Chickens)

It's time to get my mojo back, though I'm not exactly sure how to go about that. I suspect a little exercise might help find it, as well as eating a bit better and not indulging in so many Cadbury's slabs (and those fantastic little vanilla and caramel cupcakes from Woolworths). I've also been trying to de-clutter my home which will hopefully have a domino effect my life. But above all that, it's time to get more productive. I find it so hard to write when I'm feeling this way because everything that spills out is so negative, and let's face it, pity parties are just not entertaining reads. But seeing as this funk seems to have settled in, there's not much choice but to carry on writing regardless. So please indulge my pitiful little saddo self. This too will pass. Sooner or later.

Under-vamped

2010-07-27T18:57:00.000+02:00

I'm not a Twilight fan. Vampires are supposed to be passionate, ruthless and deadly. They're also supposed to spontaneously combust when touched by the sun's rays - not sparkle like a glitter fairy.

Sure, he's hot and all that, but in this role he's more damp than vamp. And while on the subject, Bella has to be the most annoying, sullen teenage character ever created. She makes me want to slap some happy into her! However, the Twilight movies gain one bonus point because of Peter Facinelli. He is lovely!

Anyway, perhaps if I was a teenager reading the books or watching the movies for the first time, I'd have a greater appreciation for the Twilight series. They are, after all, written for and about teenagers. But from where I'm coming from, I just can't understand the appeal. That said, there are definitely a lot of big fans out there, of all ages. So I won't rain on their parade, but let's just say I won't be rushing off to watch these movies anytime soon.

Click the strip to see a larger version of this comic which is from here

What's up?

2010-07-25T23:20:00.001+02:00

Earlier this evening, one of the Idols contestants sang a 4 Non Blondes song in her audition. What's up! It's been ages since I heard this song and it brought back many memories. It hit the charts way back when I was about 16 years old. Feels like yesterday. Anyhoo. Good song!

"And so I wake in the morning
And I step outside
And I take a deep breath and I get real high
And I scream at the top of my lungs
What's going on?"

So Long to the Beautiful Game

2010-07-15T22:31:00.003+02:00

So the FIFA final was played on Sunday evening with Spain scoring one victorious goal against the Netherlands that brought an end to an AWESOME month of football. I've never been so proud of my country and home as I've been over the last few weeks. The FIFA World Cup was a success! I'm so sad it's over but after going to three live matches and watching quite a few games at pubs around Cape Town, I can safely say that I flew my flag proud and high - and I was there! So I guess now it's time to move on, which means this is the last official football-orientated post for a while - if not forever. With that in mind, I felt it only fitting to present to you the players of my fantasy Dream Team. These guys are all good players but let's be honest, I haven't based my team on skills. At least, not football skills. And seeing as poor Beckham had to sit the tournament out because of an injury, I decided to make him the coach of my Dream Team. Because I can. Here is why I call it The Beautiful Game.

Oh to be a fly on the wall of The Dream Team change-rooms...

Slippery slope

2010-07-01T23:18:00.000+02:00

So within mere days of turning 33, I was utterly, utterly mortified to discover my first gray hair. Since that horrible moment, I have been paralyzed with the sickening realisation that my youth may be officially over and I'm now on the downward slope to dying all alone. And then having my cold stiff fingers chewed off by my cat. Obviously I yanked out the little bastard gray hair and analysed it for a good long while. Then I had a little cry because it really was quite a tragic moment. Seriously, how can I possibly be in my thirties?!?!?! I only finished school the other day. Right? Never mind that I haven't achieved ANY of the things I thought I would've by now (successful writer, gorgeous husband, two well-behaved kids and a beautiful big home with my BMW parked in one of the garages, and a holiday house in Tuscany). No, instead I live alone with my cat and now my hair is getting old on me. Oh. My. God.

Pass me the bottle.

Winter Love

2010-06-26T15:28:00.000+02:00

I'm so in love with my new winter coat that I bought with all my birthday vouchers (and some left over Christmas vouchers too).

You likey? It's soft, chic and warm - and I love the charcoal gray. I can't wait for some cold Cape Town days so I can wear this out and about with black boots and maybe a scarf for a splash of colour.

Fortnight Round-up in Pics

2010-06-25T22:09:00.002+02:00

Well it's been two weeks of having the baby brother here on a visit and lots of football. Instead of boring you all with the details, here's a little photographic summary of how the last couple of weeks have gone down...

Arrival of little brother

...and he brought me some Jaffa Cakes

...this gorgeous little Paddington Bear

...and a Scotland football jersey (because my family is Scottish)

Monday at the Game

Had tickets to the Italy vs Paraguay game

The weather was nasty but the Green Point Fan Walk was fantastic!

Finally got to the stadium - the vibe was insane!

The game came and went, ending in a draw. I was supporting Italy who scored their goal while I was in the ladies! Timing is everything...

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. No really. Besides, they're fun!

24 Hours later

I very cleverly managed to lock myself out of the house at one in the morning. Two hours, four policemen and one locksmith later, I finally got back inside! Grrrrrr...

Friday's Game - England vs Algeria

This was the game we'd all been waiting for!

The English supporters were out in their droves.

I had mixed alliances, wearing my Scotland jersey while supporting England.

Truth be told, I was really just there to see David Beckham!

Here's a pic of some of the world's best footballers.

And then the Algerians sent over some very fit subs

to distract me from the game!

After the game (which didn't produce ANY goals) we hit the fan walk once again, heading towards our bus at the Civic Centre. We could've taken a bus from the stadium but the vibe was too good to miss out on.

Look at the pretty lights...

Finally, here is a pic I took on the way to the Waterfront where I watched South Africa play against (and BEAT) France.

The Wheel of Excellence is at the entrance of the Waterfront.

(Please excuse the murkiness of the pic - my car windows need a wash!)

And that's that!

Birthday schmirthday

2010-06-23T12:09:00.002+02:00

“The secret to staying young is to live honestly,
eat slowly, and lie about your age.”

Lucille Ball

Laduuuuuuuma!

2010-06-11T19:52:00.004+02:00

Okay, so I realise that for a blog supposedly about a girly gal and the things she loves, there's perhaps a little football overkill going on at the moment. It's just that I'm utterly caught up in this football frenzy and I'm having so much fun! So indulge me a little - it's not every day SA gets to host the World Cup.

Anyhoo, the World Cup officially opened today, kicking off (pun intended) with a game between Bafana Bafana (ie South Africa) and Mexico. Now, being the underdogs, no one expected our boys to get anywhere. In fact, the only reason we qualified for the WC is because we're the host nation. On top of that, it's common knowledge that the Mexicans are pretty good at their footie. So taking all that into consideration, I fully expected a massacre.

Which is why I'm so proud of our boys. Final score: 1 - 1! Draw. Not a loss! FANTASTIC!!! After a tense first half, Siphiwe Tshabalala slammed a goal! Woohoo! Then Mexico caught up and equalised the score. But still, we didn't lose. Awesome!

Tshabalala (second from left) and the boys celebrate the goal with a little diski

(image courtesy of News24)

I'm particularly pleased about this outcome as last night I was out in Green Point and ended up chatting to some Mexican fans. They were a lovely bunch. Not too much English but very friendly. They were saying how they were looking forward to flying to Joburg this morning to watch Mexico beat South Africa. (Ees that a challenge, amigo?) They also said they were going to be wearing Lucha libre masks to the game as part of their intimidation plan. I countered that by mentioning that most SA fans would be bringing their pet lions to the game. To cut a long story short, there was some smack talk so I'm really glad Bafana Bafana didn't lose. Not only have they thrilled the nation but they've also kept my honour intact.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu celebrating Bafana Bafana's goal

(image courtesy of the awesome Daily Maverick)

Later this evening, Cape Town is playing host to the French / Uruguay game, which kicks off at 20h30. This is the first WC match to be hosted in Cape Town and I reckon it's going to be a good one. Images like the one below make me so proud to call Cape Town my home. Just look at our gorgeous stadium! And check out all those fans en route to the game. Magic!

(image courtesy of LeisureHotelsCT's tweet)

Loving the Beautiful Game

2010-06-06T15:53:00.001+02:00

With only days to go before the opening ceremony this coming Friday, South Africa is on the brink of one of the biggest parties ever. The 2010 FIFA World Cup is here and we're ready!

It's been a long road... SA cracked the nod six years ago and ever since there have been countless controversies and frantic construction. As I've said before, I was cynical when we won the bid, because I felt that as a country, we should focus our attention on health care, the education system and correctional services before pouring billions into a sporting event. I still feel the same way but all the same, it is was it is and so why not embrace it? It's created countless employment opportunities, 'forced' the government to upgrade our shoddy transport system and roads and it's also created a tangible sense of national pride. Everyone's excited about hosting the World Cup and we're getting ready to welcome visitors from all over the world.

I reckon many football tourists will be surprised at what they find when they arrive here. Sorry guys, you aren't likely to spot any lions or giraffes on the airport runways. And leave your stab-proof vests at home - you won't be needing them. South African cities are like any other - not crime-free but if you keep your wits about you, you'll be fine. In between watching matches, I hope you take time to enjoy other stuff SA has to offer: beautiful scenery, fantastic food and world-class wine. And don't leave without going to at least one braai. It's winter here at the moment, but I reckon you'll find the weather quite alright. Joburg winters are sunny, dry and cold whereas Cape Town has warmer winters though they are generally a lot wetter. Bring T-shirts and warm jackets.

Above all, enjoy your stay in South Africa! We've been working hard to make the World Cup an unforgettable experience and I'm sure you won't be disappointed! Welcome to my home - hope you have a lekker time!

Cape Town Stadium

"There are other ways to score"

2010-06-01T16:47:00.000+02:00

While Sex and the City 2 hit South African screens last Friday (no, I haven't been yet and yes, I'm going this week), UK audiences have to wait a little longer. The timing isn't particularly great as it arrives the day before the FIFA World Cup starts (11 June) and we all know how much the Brits love their footie. So the SATC promoters have released a new movie poster with a cheeky little World Cup twist.

I quite like it, though I'll definitely watch the movie before the World Cup starts so I can enjoy the best of both worlds. (Only 10 days to go! Woohoo! More World Cup stuff to come...)

Nice try but no cigar

2010-05-31T22:31:00.000+02:00

So I'm feeling a little sulky tonight. This morning I got all dressed up, slapped on my perky face and went off to a job interview. I didn't get it. Well, they didn't offer me a permanent position but rather said they'd like me to work on a freelance basis. Which is all fine and well, but really, I was looking forward to having a nice, secure, permanent job.

So yes, I'm feeling a little sorry for myself. In fact, I'll probably delete this post in a day or so as it's just a reminder of, well, failure and who needs that. Right? But for now, I'm going to wallow a bit.

My Champagne Supernova

2010-05-23T19:52:00.002+02:00

This has been a good weekend.

Last night I finally went to Cape Town's Jade Lounge where I had champagne cocktails, danced to awesome music and kissed a really hot man. It was lovely.

It's been so long since I've gone dancing (other than at friends' houses) and I'd forgotten how much fun it is. Like I said, the music was really good - lots of remixed old school classics. The general age group was also pretty mature. A good mix of people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. That was definitely a bonus as there's nothing worse than going out and feeling ancient. The venue itself is pretty chic - nice décor. In all, it was a very successful evening though it ended a little later than I am used to and so I'm taking some strain today. Worth it, though. I can't wait to go back!

By the way...

Change is as good as a holiday (at least so they say) so I've given my blog a little makeover. I like to think it's an improvement and I hope you'll agree.

Anyhoo.

How to make a Cosmopolitan

2010-05-17T23:27:00.010+02:00

Okay darlings, with the SATC countdown in full swing, what do you say we pour ourselves a little cocktail? Here's how to make a deliciously yummy Cosmopolitan...

First, you're going to need 4 parts Vodka (preferably Citron); 2 parts Triple Sec (or Cointreau); 2 parts Cranberry Juice and 1 part fresh Lime Juice. Don't forget the ice.

Okay, now you need to put all that into a cocktail shaker and, well, shake it.

(Shake, shake, shake. Shake, shake, shake.)

Alrighty, now pour your delicious cocktail into a martini glass, garnish with a little lime and then make a toast to your fabulous self.

Cheers!

P.S. Sharing is caring. Cocktails always taste better when enjoyed with friends!

Coming soon!

2010-05-01T21:25:00.001+02:00

Today's the 1st of May and you know what that means! Only 27* more sleeps until the next Sex and the City movie! Yay! Ooh I can't wait! And before anyone starts rolling their eyes, I'd like to remind you all of the extensive guy-hype over the Star Wars movies... the Indiana Jones movies... Alien... Lord of the Rings... Star Trek... Batman... Spider-Man...blah blah blah.

Boys Gone Stupid

So back off, haters. I'm happily going to over-indulge in the upcoming SATC2 movie frenzy where I'll be counting down the days and drinking countless Cosmopolitans in preparation for the return of my favourite New York girls!

Fabulous.

* Coming to South African cinemas on the 28th, so that's one more sleep for us!

Do zimmerframes come in pink?

2010-04-27T19:47:00.001+02:00

This morning I woke up in an old woman's body. No, seriously. I went to bed with the best intentions of waking refreshed and ready for gym, but instead I woke up feeling a kazillion years old.

I can't be sure, but I think it may be the result of my social activities over the last week. The social life, which often at best is dismal, has picked up somewhat. This is a MIRACLE and I'm not about to look a gifthorse in the mouth so I've been happily donning the heels and plastering on the Mac for much needed social interaction. And it's certainly been entertaining! But yes, it's left me feeling a little... oh what's the word?... tired. Yes.

From lovely lunches that end long after the sun goes down (as you do) to dancing til 3 am at a friend's house party, I've certainly been tripping the light fantastic. But I was shocked and horrified when I woke on Sunday morning with a sore hip (just the one, mind you) and realised it might have been the result of shaking my ass the night before. What's next? A zimmer frame?!?!? By Monday morning, everything felt hunky dory again but then last night I went to a Goldfish gig at Moyo, Spier and did some more of my dancey-ass-shaking-thing and yes, woke up with an achy hip.

I refuse to believe that I've passed my sell by date. But I think I'll take it easy for the rest of this week. Starting with tonight. Half past seven and I'm ready for bed. And then I'm going to wake up tomorrow feeling fabulous! So fabulous, in fact, that I'll leap out of bed and straight into my gym clothes. Yes well, it's a lovely thought.

(Go listen to these guys - they're great!)

Who knew, right?

2010-04-16T22:43:00.000+02:00

So it turns out that, when your dentist gives you an injection in your lower jaw in preparation for a filling, sometimes, just sometimes, they can hit a nerve and leave one side of your tongue numb for up to a month. Crazy. But true. Adding to my dental woes, this is exactly what happened to me last week. I went back to my dentist for a little filling he couldn't do the previous time, and left with the standard numb-mouth-drooling-out-the-side routine. No biggie. A few hours later, the feeling came back to my face, but my tongue still felt fuzzy. I went to bed thinking it would soon catch up with the rest of my face but I woke on Saturday morning with the same numb tongue.

Naturally, I did the responsible thing and frantically googled 'Numb tongue' and was somewhat relieved to discover I wasn't alone. When Monday rolled around I phoned the dentist who explained the whole 'hit a nerve' fiasco.

Well I have to tell you, it's left me feeling rather pissed off. The left side of my tongue has had hectic pins and needles since Tuesday(ish) and it's really uncomfortable. Plus the taste buds on that side are useless now, so everything tastes bland.

Seriously, a whole month of this? You've got to be kidding me!!! First a strange dentist breaks one of my teeth and then my regular dentist hits a nerve. I'm not having fun anymore. Never mind how much all this has cost me.

Anyway, thanks for listening to me vent. I promise my next post will be a happier one.

Getting all serious and stuff

2010-04-05T01:24:00.001+02:00

Every now and then I like to have a little rant about our local politics. I have a tendency to drone on a bit, and I don't expect you all to wade through my irate little ramblings. So, in no particular order, here's a summary of what I'm trying to say. I won't take it personally if you don't read the rest...

1. Some white people are racist.

2. Some black people are racist.

3. Apartheid was wrong. In so many ways.

4. Racism and intolerance is tearing South Africa apart.

5. Julius Malema is a dumb-ass, putting it mildly.

6. Eugene Terre'Blanche was a dumb-ass. Again, that's putting it mildly.

7. The AWB scares me.

8. The murder of Terre'Blanche has fueled the fire.

Still with me? Hmmm... sucker for punishment, hey? Okay, well here goes:

Since the 'end' of South Africa's apartheid era in 1994, the country has undergone immense changes. With such a heavy past, we have no shortage of political drama. Like most governments, South Africa has its fair share of buffoons, liars and zealots that receive more media attention than they really deserve. (For the most part, they're harmless. All bark and no bite. Nothing more than hot air.) In a nutshell, optimists will tell you this is truly a wonderful rainbow nation. Pessimists will tell you the country has gone to the dogs. Whereas realists, like myself, will tell you that with changes have come good and bad. We're a work in progress.

The ruling party, the ANC, has made a lot of promises it is yet to live up to. That said, they're not awful. I'm the first to admit I don't particularly support the president, Jacob Zuma. I find his morals questionable, and his ethics rather low in standard. But since he became president last year, he's pretty much kept his nose clean on a political level. The president of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL), however, hasn't. Julius Malema has made headlines on almost a daily basis for quite a while now. He has an amazing ability to shoot his mouth off, displaying a level of ignorance and arrogance second to none. Ironically, he has a huge following and enjoys support not only from the ANCYL, but also the elders within the ruling party. Julius Malema may be neanderthal, but he certainly knows how to captivate an audience. Sadly, the audience he appeals to is young and restless. Incited by the legacy of their forefathers, they're fooled into believing they need to fight a war already won, often resorting to threats of violence in their protests. I prefer not to comment on him, because I feel he acts the way he does mostly for attention. I think he is an immature little attention whore.Anyway. In amidst all his sexual insults and blatant racism, lately he's been popularising an old apartheid song that's pretty much about killing the boer (farmer). There's been a huge outlash from opposing parties about this, calling it hate speech and the likes. Malema defends his right to free speech (fair enough), insisting the song is from the apartheid era and an important part of the struggle which led them to where they are today. The matter has since been taken to court and he's been told to quit singing the song. Either way, though, the damage has been done.

The other side of the coin. Back in the bad old days of apartheid, it was commonly believed that every white South African was a racist. A stereotype similar to the fallacy that all Germans were nazis. Well, for the record, not all white saffies believed in apartheid, and a lot of us were very happy when the NP was finally kicked out in 1994. That said, to every ying there's a yang and so South Africa was, and still, unfortunate enough to have a right wing white supremacist group that, frankly, is an embarrassment to most white South Africans. They call themselves the AWB - Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging. Loosely translated, it means 'Afrikaner Resistance Movement'. Their emblem strongly resembles the nazi swastiki and bluntly put, they don't like black people. For them, apartheid worked and so when the institution began to crumble, they assembled themselves and tried to keep it alive. They're based on stoic, outdated principles - strongly nationalist and full of drama. They haven't quite embraced the 21st Century.

Their leader, Eugene Terre'Blanche is a rather unsavoury character. Unlike Malema, he's elderly (and white) but that's pretty much where the difference ends. He too has been known to stir up frenzies, and he has staunch followers that, like Malema's, will follow him blindly. Ultimately, he gives white South Africans a bad rep and is a good example of why this country is struggling to heal from the wounds of the apartheid era.

So on the one hand you have the young Malema calling the youth to arms and singing songs about killing the boer, and at the other end of the spectrum you have the AWB warning everyone about the Swart Gevaar and the impending Operation Uhuru. A virtual ping-pong match that rivals a sequel to Dumb and Dumber.

And now, Terre'Blanche has been murdered - allegedly by two black guys.

Talk about fueling the fire! Apparently he was killed over a wage dispute. He came to a horrible and violent end, one I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy but more than that, his murder has brought about a climax of racial tensions that have been simmering for a while now. The AWB are already talking of avenging their beloved leader's death. Ironically, Terre'Blanche's murder has made him a martyr for his cause. It would've been better for everyone if he had been left alone to die of natural causes. I don't mean to come across as harsh, but he's spent his life protesting that black people are sub-human and dangerous. Meeting his end hacked to death with pangas at the hand of his 'enemy' has most likely cemented his credibility in the eyes of his followers as well as a few who were on the fence. Unsurprisingly, the AWB are blaming Malema for inciting his murder with his hate speech. Can't really blame them for saying that, though I'm willing to bet the two guys who (allegedly) killed Terre'Blanche weren't remotely motivated by Malema's sing-song, but rather the fact that Terre'Blanche didn't pay them what they wanted.

Now it's wait and see. What worries me is these small sort of groups are somewhat militant. The last thing this country needs is for this to get out of hand, which I suspect it is about to do. It breaks my heart. South Africa is so full of potential, but as long as racial hatred still exists, I don't see how we can move in the right direction. This isn't a Disney film, but seriously, we're in the classic motion of one step forward, two steps back. It's times like these that I suspect we're going nowhere slowly.

Flick that switch

2010-03-27T14:22:00.000+02:00

Don't forget to switch off this evening for Earth Hour! I'll be doing my bit by dancing the funky chicken by candlelight at my friend's wedding later, while my cat sits at home in the dark.

Cue the Bridget Jones dinner table scene...

2010-03-26T16:08:00.003+02:00

My friend Diane is getting married tomorrow. She's madly, deeply in love with a boy who loves her just as much and so now they're getting ready to kick-start the next chapter in their lives. All very romantic.

I'm looking forward to the wedding. I reckon it'll be quite the party though I'm a little disappointed that I'll be flying solo. Again. I thought about finding a suitable wedding date but it's slim pickings these days and I don't really want to spend the evening making sure a relative stranger is comfortable in an environment that screams 'relationships' and 'commitment'. So I'm going alone even though I promised myself at the last wedding I went to that I'm not going to any more weddings by myself.

To be fair, it's not that bad. With any luck, I'll sit with friends at the reception, unless I am cruelly sent to the singles' table. Gulp. The only icky part really is the dancing, because that's pretty much my favourite bit (next to the complimentary wine of course) but it's not as much fun if you're dancing on your own. So now I've decided that this is definitely the very last wedding I'll go to without a partner. And this time I mean it. If I'm not with man the next time someone I know gets married, then I'm afraid I'll be washing the dog on their special day. No offence. That said, most of my friends are already married, so unless they pick up the pace and move onto second marriages, I should be off the hook for a while.

Anyway, I'm sure it'll be a beautiful wedding. I've booked a hair appointment for tomorrow morning, bought a gift off their Woolies list and found a pretty little silver gray dress (that was on sale). Now I just need to decide between my delicate silver sandals (that will no doubt leave me crippled) or my sexy black boots that may be a little too much for this time of year (but are infinitely more user-friendly, in spite of their considerable heels). Nothing like a shoe dilemma to distract a girl from her single-wedding-guest status.

Yeah right.

The Lesser Known Eleventh Commandment

2010-03-15T23:22:00.004+02:00

The first ten sound familiar enough to me... Thou shalt not lie, steal, murder, be a nasty cow, blah, blah. But CLEARLY I was off sick the day they taught the eleventh commandment: Thou shalt NOT Cheat on thy Dentist. Had I known that this was a mortal sin I would definitely have made a better effort to stay out of the chair of a dentist that was not mine, thereby avoiding the ginormous bitch slap karma sent my way.

What. Did. You. Do?!?!?!?

It all started last week when it occurred to me that something was awry in my mouth. It felt like I had lost a filling or something and, after a rather nasty root canal a while ago, I was quite wary. So I decided to bite the bullet, so to speak, and rush off to the dentist. Unfortunately, my dentist and I aren't in an exclusive relationship and so he could only fit me some time next week. The receptionist suggested, however, that I make an appointment with the new associate in the practice. She assured me he was lovely so I made an appointment to see him last Thursday.

It began innocently enough. Though I should've known there'd be trouble when I realised he was incredibly good looking but too young to have gone through puberty. Within seconds, he had me on my back with my mouth wide open. He flashed me a reassuring smile (through his mask, mind you, but I'm sure it was flashy) as he told me I'd need a little filling to repair one that had chipped. Not a big deal, he told me. This won't hurt a bit, he said.

Flash forward to about half an hour later... mouth numb, defeated owner of another filling, I stumbled out of his big blue chair, drooling out the left side of my mouth while promising to return soon. Later in the day, as feeling slowly came back to my face, I was overwhelmed with the relief of having endured another visit to the dentist.

I thought I had gotten away with cheating on my regular tooth guy. I thought there would be no consequences. I was wrong.

Two days later, on Saturday morning to be exact, I was tucking into a tasty breakfast of tea and toast when suddenly I felt something pretty hard in my mouth. Erring on the side of caution I decided to spit rather than swallow which is when I discovered a pretty damn big piece of tooth. Horrified, I did a quick tongue check of my mouth and then nearly passed out when my tongue got to where my new filling was. Sharp and jaggy. I rushed to a mirror to survey the damage, and let me tell you - it was horrible. Where there once was a tooth stood nothing but a gun metal gray filling. I looked like a goddamn hillbilly!!!!! It seemed Dr Hottie had been a little over-eager with the drilling, and now my tooth had broken in two. Ironically, the filling hadn't budged.

Dida ding ding ding ding ding ding ding

Frantic phone calls to the dentist proved futile - it was the weekend after all. So I had to spend the weekend looking like the henchman from a James Bond flick. The good news is I lost a little weight, as I pretty much resorted to a liquid diet in lieu of having to chew anything.

So this morning I went crawling back to my usual dentist. I told him how I had been unfaithful by seeing his partner and that as a result I now looked like I belonged in the hills with a banjo. Thankfully, my dentist and I have been together for years and so he knows that my teeth and I are prone to a little drama. He just laughed and told me it wasn't that bad (he's a good liar) and then he set about sorting out my problem.

I don't know how he did it, but I no longer look like a hillbilly. He fixed me up in short of 20 minutes, sans injection! There was a little bit of drilling and that sucking thingie and then - VOILA - my broken toof was back. Except it wasn't all real. But it looks like the real deal, so yay!

On the way out, I cancelled my follow-up appointments with Dr Hottie 'cos god knows I don't want to break any more teeth. I've learnt my lesson and will Never. Ever. Do. That. Again. Take it from me, kids, cheating on your dentist is a no-no and can only end in tears. Stick with what you know, no matter how hot the new dentist is, it's just not worth it.

Amen.

Yes. Number eleven - it's right over here.

I'm on a horse

2010-03-12T20:59:00.002+02:00

There are so many good ads doing the rounds but my absolute favourite right now has to be the latest Old Spice ad. (If you haven't seen it yet, stop reading this and check it out on YouTube. Right. Now.)

I can't stop watching this - it's hilarious! What makes it even cooler is that it was filmed in one continuous shot. That's no mean feat. PLUS there's hardly any CGI. If you're curious about how 'the man your man could smell like' moves from his bathroom to a boat to sitting on a horse, check THIS out. Really. Very clever.

I love everything about this ad - from the delicious eye candy in the form of Isaiah Mustafa to the witty and sharp script. "...it's an oyster with two tickets to that thing you love..." Cracks. Me. Up.

Nice.

Mao's Last Dancer

2010-03-05T14:56:00.003+02:00

A couple of weeks ago, I got lucky. Sadly not in the Gerard-Butler-dressed-as-a-fireman kind of way, but still, lucky. I won tickets to a breakfast at the Cape Town Convention Centre hosted by world-famous ballet dancer and author Li Cunxin. (Pronounced "Lee Schwin Sing")

Now to be fair, up until quite recently, his name didn't really ring a bell. But he's the Chinese dancer who defected to the States in the early eighties, after a pretty precarious stand-off at the Chinese embassy. Since then he has toured the world as a principal dancer, and has subsequently retired from ballet and gone on to write his autobiography: Mao's Last Dancer, published in 2003. This critically acclaimed book has recently been adapted into a feature film, directed by Bruce Beresford.

When I received the news that I had won tickets, it seemed only fitting that I read the book. And I'm so glad I did - what a story! From the most unimaginable poverty, 11 year old Li was randomly chosen to audition for the Beijing Dance Academy where he struggled his way to becoming a world-class dancer. It's a story of determination, perseverance and great personal sacrifice - beautifully told with humbleness and modesty.

So after speed-reading the book over the weekend, the Monday morning breakfast talk was really special. Cunxin is in his late forties now and lives in Australia with his wife and children. He's an eloquent speaker who keeps his audience captivated with personal anecdotes that share a little of what it was like to grow up in a world so far away from the one I know.

Mao's Last Dancer is certainly worth the read, though there's nothing wrong with just watching the movie. That said, I thought the book was much better than the movie - it offered a better sense of where Cunxin is from, and the truly great sacrifices he made to be where he is today.

Ms Featherstone took this photie. Thanks!

Another tough day in Africa

2010-03-04T15:43:00.007+02:00

On Wednesday evening I got to go sailing - a first for me. Seriously! Could there be a more beautiful setting?!?! Table Mountain in the background and a crisp sea breeze to cool what had been an extremely hot Cape Town day...

(Note the new stadium in the background there)

Word Nerd Musings

2010-02-15T07:30:00.002+02:00

After having much success at Exclusive Books' Summer Sale, I couldn't resist going back a couple more times to see if I could score any more bargains. Here's what I ended up with...

Margot Fonteyn, A Life (Meredith Daneman)

When I was a kid, all I wanted was to be a ballerina. Ten years of ballet classes and a pair of stubborn flat feet later, I abandoned the dream but ballet will always be close to my heart. I've always loved Margot Fonteyn (and Rudolf Nureyev) which is why I was really pleased to find this biography on sale.

Lighthousekeeping (Jeanette Winterson)

A few years ago I read Written on the Body, a novel from the same author. I really enjoyed it, so I'm hoping Lighthousekeeping will be good too.

Two Caravans (Marina Lewycka)

I have to confess, I totally judged this book by it's cover. It looks quaint and quirky. I'll let you know how that turns out.

Beautiful People (Simon Doonan)

This looks like a fun read. Simon Doonan is the Creative Director at Barnabys and the review on Amazon.com has this to say about Beautiful People:

"Simon Doonan's life is atawdry and hilarious romp.' Rupert Everett... 'Beautiful People is wickedly funny. Simon Doonan has anear and an eye for sublimely bizarre details that will make readerslaugh out loud.' Candace Bushnell, author of Sex and The City. 'Simonis a male Lucille Ball.' Donna Karen..."

Okay, I'll bite.

Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?

2010-02-14T07:00:00.003+02:00

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I feel compelled to share this little gem with you. I found it in the latest copy of FairLady.

Fay Millar is a London-based baker who offers her clients a decadent range of cakes that celebrate many of life's big occasions including weddings and, well, break-ups. Yeah, that's right. Divorce cakes. Now call me cynical but I think it's a great idea. Why end a relationship whimpering in a dark corner with a box of tissues, Celine Dion whining in the background and a month's supply of chocolates when you can end it in style with a gorgeous cake?!?! Here, take a look at these:

So long, dumbass

Hit the road, Jack! (Erm, Jill)

You've lost that loving feeling...

See, just when things hit an all time low, you can have your cake AND eat it. (And if you wanted to eat it all by yourself, that would be okay too. You're grieving. Or something.) I think these cakes are GORGEOUS!!! Especially the middle one. (Though the bride in the last pic looks like a crazy psycho bitch - not very flattering.) Anyway, if ever any of my girlfriends get dumped or divorced, I'll scour the streets of Cape Town until I find something similar. And hopefully they'll do the same for me. Any excuse for cake. Yum!

It kinda reminds me of that time in Sex and the City* when Carrie goes to a baby shower and ends up having her gorgeous Manolos swiped. When the hostess brushes off the incident and refuses reimburse Carrie, she decides to throw herself a fabulous single and baby-less type party which has a guest list of one and a gift registry at Manolo Blahnik. That's how she gets her shoes replaced.

You're probably thinking that's pretty petty. But then again, any woman in her thirties would agree that there's a limit to how many bridal showers and baby showers a girl can endure. Let's face it, the only person who really enjoys those is the bride- or mum-to-be. For the rest of us, it's really an obligatory appearance and another present to fork out for. I mean c'mon, it's great that you found 'true' love and are getting married but do you really need a pre-party party and gifts for that? Isn't lifelong companionship and a big rock enough reward? Seriously! All I'm saying is the next bridal shower I go to had better be my own, damnit!

Anyway, hope you have a lovely V-day regardless of your relationship status. Now go eat some chocolate!

*Season 6, episode 9 to be exact. Speaking of which, almost time for the sequel to the first movie! Yay, I can't wait!!! Happeeeeeeeeee...

Crazy Cat Lady Chronicles

2010-02-13T08:04:00.000+02:00

'Was going through some old photies when I came across this one.

It's a pic of Phoebe taken the day after I brought her home from the SPCA. She was eight weeks old then and full of energy. (And full of powerful little farts too - we blamed the SPCA nosh. Luckily she grew out of that and into those rather large ears:)

Who knew this cute little thing would grow up to ruin that settee she's on - not to mention kill hundreds of geckos, about 30 chameleons and two goldfish.

No glove, no love big guy!

2010-02-12T22:48:00.002+02:00

Oopsie daisy. Seems our JZ has been a naughty boy. Again. Our esteemed leader has recently become the proud father of bambino number 19 20. Not bad going for a 67 year old. God Bless Viagra.

Ahem.

This Hugh Hefner wannabe recently made international headlines when he married his fifth wife. One of them is dead and the other is an ex-missus but the remaining three have the privilege of sharing of the massive hunk of man love that is the president.

Gotta love the funky chicken

But now it seems there's even more competition on the scene as JZ's baby mama isn't one of them. Nope, the lucky lady is the daughter of one of Zuma's friends.

Classy.

Anyway, his latest antics have left controversial cartoonist Zapiro with no choice but to firmly re-attach that infamous shower head to the Big Guy's forehead. It's a shame really. He was doing quite nicely and while his bedroom antics shouldn't really have any affect on the rest of us, he's not helping the fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic which is ravaging the country. "Please practice safe sex. Unless you're the president." Eish.

Aikona

Another week done and dusted

2010-02-05T19:52:00.007+02:00

Another week has flown by at the speed at sound and I'm sorry to say I haven't had a chance to tell you all about the amazing Top Gear Live show I went to on Saturday. It was really, really cool and worth mentioning. Just not right now. I need to run and something as delicious as Richard Hammond and Top Gear need love and attention. So I'll get 'round to that in the next day or so.

In the meantime, I'd like to share a little cartoon that appeared in The Times a while back. I love it because on good days I feel like the pink elephant. (And yes, the rest of the time I feel like the flower.)

(Click on the image for a bigger, better view)

Friday of Splendiferous Bargains

2010-01-29T17:10:00.002+02:00

Today shall here forth be fondly remembered as Friday of Splendiferous Bargains. This is why:

Exclusive Books is having another one of their lovely book sales where you can pick up some pretty sweet deals. It was a great way to kick off the weekend, and though you kinda have to fight for space at the mountainous book-laden tables, it's a worthwhile endeavour. This morning's loot comprises the following...

After Dark (Haruki Murakami)

I loved 'Kafka on the Shore' so when I saw a novel by the same author I had to make it mine.

Lucky Man - a Memoir (Michael J Fox)

This isn't his latest book, which I'm also quite keen to read, but having grown up with Alex P. Keaton in Family Ties and then joining him on crazy adventures as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future movies I think this will be a really interesting read. Never mind the fact he seems to be a genuine all-round awesome guy with an amazing fighting spirit.

Friday Nights (Joanna Trollope)

Nothing like a bit of light-hearted chick-lit!

The Darkest Evening of the Year (Dean Koontz)

I'm not ashamed to admit this - I really enjoy scary books. They're such a great escapism! I started reading Dean Koontz when I was about 15 and spent a good portion of my late teens ploughing through his spooky little stories. These days I rarely read his novels so when I spotted this one, I grabbed it right away.

Crank (Ellen Hopkins)

Really not too sure how this one will turn out but I liked the look of it. 'Sounds like a scary psychological thriller - my FAVOURITE!

(and lastly...)

Paddington: Now and Then (Michael Bond)

Call me old-fashioned but I adore old(ish)-school stuff, like the original Winnie-the-Pooh (not the Disney version) and of course, Paddington Bear. So I was really chuffed to find this two-book pack released in celebration of the Bear from Darkest Peru's 50th anniversary. First there's A Bear Called Paddington, followed by Paddington Here and Now. Gorgeous! I grew up on this stuff and one day, when I have little sprogs of my own, I'll make sure they get a personal introduction to Paddington. And Pooh. And Rupert. And Rubarb and Custard. And the Wombles. And and and...

So the book sale was a winner. Especially being an unemployed copywriter, nothing makes this word nerd happier than Books On Sale. Well, except maybe for... A SHOE SALE!!!!!!

To put you in the picture, Cavendish is having one of their sidewalk sales so each shop in the centre has something on sale. But most of them (apart from Exclusives and the shoe shop) were doing it half-heartedly, with only a couple of rands off here and there. But the shoe shop, oh the shoe shop! Earlier this week I spotted a pair of shoes that were rather pretty and quite frankly perfect for the new work wardrobe I'm going to need when I finally find something. (Ahem.) But the shoes were about R350 - not hugely expensive but a little extravagent for someone with very little (no) income. However, this morning the gods were smiling on me and the shoes were on sale! R99!!!!!!! I mean, c'mon! If that's not a sign then I really don't know what is! Look!

Aren't they cute?

And so that, my friends, is why today was a good day for bargains and a great start to a weekend that can only get better. I know this for a FACT because tomorrow I'm off to Grand West for the Top Gear show. Yes, THE Top Gear show with Jeremy Clarkson and (swoon) Richard Hammond! I'm so insanely excited not only because I have a serious school girl crush on Richard (he's so dishy) but I'm a genuine fan of the show - along with the rest of the world, that is. I can't wait to see what they'll be up to! So I'll be back to share all that soon. But in the meantime, I need to get cracking on my 'Marry me, Richard' poster. First impressions are so important, you know.

Isn't he cute?

Skillz. Jean-Claude gots them.

2010-01-10T21:36:00.001+02:00

In true e-tv (SA) fashion, tonight's crappy Sunday movie is pretty ancient. Yes kids, we're talking about that amazing Jean-Claude movie Double Impact where he works extra hard and plays the role of not one but TWO characters who just happen to be TWINS!!! Exciting stuff. Sadly, it's not the same movie where he does this...

...because THAT would be worth watching. Say what you like about the Muscles from Brussels but you have to admit, the boy has skills! Not sure if he can still pull off the splits these days but that's irrelevant because it's nice to think back and remember all the times he could (and did) do the splits, like this...

And this...

Oh yes, and this too...

Now if only Jean-Claude would teach Gerard that neat little trick, the world would be a much better place!

Yes, much better.

Stir the eggnog, lift the toddy, Happy New Year, everybody!

2010-01-05T22:58:00.000+02:00

So did you have a good Christmas and a happy new year? I hope you did. Mine was pleasant and lovely, though it's completely flown by. Can't believe it's already time to take down the Christmas tree and get stuck into 2010. The date alone sounds completely futuristic - even Stanley Kubrik didn't think that far ahead when he made his sci-fi 2001: A Space Odyssey. To think it was 10 years ago that the dreaded Y2K was looming and people were flocking to supermarkets to stock up on Koo beans and corned beef. Not me though.

The end of a decade and the beginning of a new one. Cool. Let's see what this one brings.

As for resolutions? I'm not making any. Totally refusing to set myself up for failure, so I'm not going there. But I will say this - I really want to make this a year for being happy, and if that means working on finding my dream job, getting reunited with my inner skinny and falling head over heels in love, then that's what I'm going to do. Lately I've come across so many reminders that life's all about taking chances and making mistakes. And learning from them. So my motto for 2010 is to practice being brave. It's never come naturally to me but sitting at home playing it safe isn't working out so great either.

Anyhoo, on that note, "here's to wishing you a sturdy home, a large garden, many friends, good books and a fine wine!"

Slangevar x o x o

'Twas the night before Christmas...

2009-12-24T22:46:00.002+02:00

...when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Snaps

2009-12-20T08:30:00.005+02:00

Here are some pics I took at Big Bay last weekend. The wind was HOWLINGwhich made walking on the beach less than ideal. But the wind surfersand kite surfers were in their element.

These were taken around 7 in the evening, which is a gorgeous time of day, especially in the heart of Cape Town's summer...

How's this pic below? I was focusing on the kite surfer in the foreground

so at first I didn't notice the guy in the background, suspended mid-air!

Hectic!

These dogs aren't mine but I kinda wish they were!

This cat was hanging around the parking at the beach,

leaving its paw prints on the vistors' cars

Tweet this

2009-12-19T15:54:00.000+02:00

Last weekend I abandoned my kitty and home to house-sit for friends in Table View. A swimming pool and DSTV sweetened the deal so I was there like a bear to make sure the pets were all taken care of. Of course, with two dogs and three cats in the mix, a little animal drama is to be expected and sure enough one of the cats brought home a baby bird on the first night I was there.

Luckily the kitty got so carried away with happiness at his treasure find that I was immediately alerted to the situation, enabling me to snatch the baby birdie from certain death via torture before consumption. I reckon the bird was blown out of his nest by the hectic wind, as he didn't have a scratch on him. But you know how it is... these guys are super sensitive and traumatised birds rarely survive though they take forever to head towards the light and the Big Nest in the Sky waiting beyond.

This guy was tiny!!! Not sure what type of bird he was, but he seemed to be quite greenish. Straight away, I bundled him into a little tupperware dish where he sat trembling and teetering On The Edge, so to speak. Throughout the night I kept checking on him, hoping that he had passed away peacefully and without too much drama. But the little guy hung in there. I couldn't believe my eyes the next morning when I opened the lid of his container and he stuck his head out, beak wide open, noisily demanding breakfast! I tried feeding him some bread soaked in water, but I had no idea if I was feeding him the right stuff or right amount. Plus, the noisy little guy had piqued the other animals' attention, which made it even harder to feed him. So I decided to seek 'professional help' and took the bird over to SANCOB.

They're also based in Table View and even though they deal more with the rehabilitation of coastal birds, they were lovely and accommodating. SANCOB was happy to take the bird and feed him a proper breakfast before passing him on to experts. Who knew?!?! So next time you have a bird emergency, don't forget that SANCOB can help you out. They ask for a really tiny donation in exchange, but it's worth it considering the amazing work they do. They're really an awesome bunch - just ask all those rescued penguins!

Sizeable breezes

2009-12-18T22:01:00.002+02:00

So I spent yesterday in Langebaan, a quietish little town about 120km out of Cape Town, up the West Coast. The road to Langebaan is long and pretty much runs parallel to the coast, and in true West Coast style, the landscape is covered in rugged fynbos. On the way to Langebaan, it's hard not to notice the four enormous wind turbines that dominate the hillside just outside Darling and so, with time on our hands, a visit to the white monstrosities was in order. It was definitely worth it.

The dirt road leading to the wind turbines is guarded by a locked gate, but thankfully the wind farm care-taker was only too happy to let us in.

The wind turbines look huge from the West Coast road so you can imagine how incredibly massive they really are up close. Each of the four wind turbines stand at 50 metres, towering above like something out of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds. And the sound the turbines make is nothing short of eerie. But cool, very cool.

What impressed me about the wind farm, other than the sheer size of the turbines, was the incredible alternative to conventional energy generation they afforded. According to the care-taker, one wind turbine has the capacity to power a small town. At the moment, the wind farm is home to only four turbines but you can imagine the limitless potential many more would have. (California's San Gorgonio Pass wind farm boasts over 3 200 wind turbines!!!) It's an incredibly environmentally friendly alternative, although the initial cost is quite hectic. Apparently the four turbines cost around 84 million rand to set up!

Seems the four turbines are part of an experimental project to determine if wind-power really is a viable option. The power generated by the turbines is already being trickled into the main power grid. I'm not sure how long they need to think it over, but considering the mess the planet is in and the dire need to reduce climate change, there's no time to lose.

So next time you're in the area why not pay the wind turbines a visit? It's really interesting for kids and grown-ups alike. And remember, don't be put off by the locked gate - it is open to the public. I think they're just keeping the place safe from vandalism by asking visitors to sign in. I think there may also be wild animals in the area, so perhaps the gate is there to keep them in. Or out. Or whatever.

C'mon guys, seal that deal

2009-12-16T08:30:00.003+02:00

Copenhagen Climate Change Summit

December 6th - 18th 2009

Climate Change And Animal Distiction

Hong Wang, China

Life clock

Cai Shi Wei, China

Extinction

Marco Valentini, Italy

It's high time

Pamela Campagna & Thomas Scheiderbauer, Spain

Help

Ulas Ugur Pinar Akkurt, Turkey

Ho ho ho and all that

2009-12-11T11:13:00.002+02:00

'Decided to embrace the impending Christmas season by putting up my Christmas tree.

Must say, I love my tree. It's gold and glitzy - a tad kitschy - and gorgeous. It's also a fairly minimalist tree, which means NO decorations, so putting up the tree is a cinch. It's the lights, however, that complicate things. And when I finally switched the lights on, I discovered that the pack of 50 clear Christmas lights that I bought on sale in February are of the flashing ilk. I personally don't like flashing lights but can't for the life of me figure out how to make them stop. But 'tis the season and all that, so I'll risk the seizure.

Stalker view

The gold blur in the background is said Christmas tree

Good vibes

2009-12-08T21:57:00.004+02:00

Things have been a little heavy for a while now (unemployment is such a buzz kill) so I reckon it's time to lighten things up. Here's a post about everything and nothing. No negativity here!

So my dad recently upgraded to a new camera. This was great news for me as he gave me his 'old' camera. For many moons now I've been perving over digital SLRs and I'm pleased to announce I finally GOT ME ONE!!!! I'm really chuffed. It's a Canon EOS 300D and I'm so in love with it. I foresee a long and happy future with my beautiful new toy. I've been playing around with it a bit - here are a few of my favourite pics:

Jeep at Eaglevlei Wine Farm

Cue cliched cat pic

Ducks in a row, at Groot Constanta

Different angle of Groot Constantia quacks

A random kid and his dog

My friend Karen,

whose birthday we were celebrating at Groot Constantia

I love the control it offers the user. Compact cameras are a lot like Microsoft - they assume you don't know what you're doing and try to do everything for you. I hate that. But not my little baby. No. That's not to say my little Sony compact camera is to be kicked to the curb, but SLR is obviously first prize!

Anyway, been keeping an eye on all this Fifa World Cup stuff and I must say, I am very willingly letting myself be swept up in the momentum of excitement. Last Friday was a glorious day for Cape Town when it hosted the Fifa WC draw. I was so proud of the Mother City! The vibe was fantastic! (Not so sure about Ms Theron's outfit though. Just saying.)

The weekend started on an exuberant high note and ended equally wonderfully at The Killers concert. God, I love those guys! Brilliant show! Val de Vie Wine and Polo Estate was a stunning setting for the concert but turned out to be a less than ideal venue logistically. One access point to and from the wine farm?!?!? Traffic was a nightmare - some people sat in their car for up to four hours waiting to get out. Insane! But yes, The Killers. Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I snuck my little compact camera in (see, it still has its uses) but once it got dark it took rubbish pictures. So here are some of my photies plus a couple I pinched from News24 (Thanks News24, please don't sue me.)

Beautiful clouds littering the sky above Val de Vie

Before the concert

Love those pink dusk skies (random dude unknown)

And now here are those News24 photies I mentioned...

This photographer had a MUCH better view than I did

Brandon Flowers for President

Anyway,on that note I'll wrap up now. Off to write my letter to Santa before it's too late!

P.S. Have you added your name to the Seal the Deal campaign? Check it out and make a difference at Copenhagen. More info here too. Oh, and here as well!

The story thus far...

2009-11-05T16:42:00.003+02:00

So about four weeks ago, something big happened. I went into what I assumed was a bog-standard company communication session and walked out 15 minutes later with a piece of paper that held bad news. The company was undergoing its second restructuring exercise this year and this time around I wasn't so lucky. I'd been retrenched.

It's been a bumpy ride since then. Like most people in the office who had also been affected by the restructuring, I had no desire to stick around and so I immediately set about signing papers and wrapping things up. And now I'm at home. Trying to keep some semblance of a routine while saving money, hunting for a job and staying motivated.

It's by no means the ideal situation but I'm trying hard to stay positive. I expect the next few months will be quite rough but I reckon this time next year I'll be in a much better 'space'. (With any luck, I won't have to take up pole dancing, unless the Dr Phil and Oprah reruns turn my brain to complete mush and then let's be honest, anything goes.)

Being retrenched has also given me the (not so gentle) push I needed. I now have time to focus on my writing and put plans into place - something I should have focused on a long time ago.

But better late than never, right? Yeah.

Climate Change: Blog Action Day 2009

2009-10-15T14:14:00.005+02:00

Okay so listen up. Being October the 15th, it's Blog Action Day. And this year the topic is one that affects you and me. It's CLIMATE CHANGE!

Yeah, that's right. Climate change is something that has a direct impact on all of us and, if you choose to breed, it'll affect the lives of your sprogs and their sprogs and so on. It's surprisingly easy to ignore the facts and leave the responsibility of change to big corporations and powerful governments. But who're you kidding? You know that change starts with each and every one of us, and that only by working together will we be able to make a sustainable difference.

Come on guys, learn to recycle, preserve water and cut down on your carbon footprint. And if that seems like more bother than it's worth, think of majestic polar bears who, unable to find solid ice to rest on, meet their demise at the depths of the ocean. Polar bears shouldn't die by drowning, and yet they are.

Because of us.

Where oh where has my little muse gone?

2009-09-23T16:59:00.005+02:00

So today marks the two-month anniversary since the last time I posted. An unintentional yet self-imposed sabbatical that was meant to be ended by the unveiling of a fantastic new blog name. Thing is, I can't for the life of me decide on a blog name that isn't naff/inane/pointless/unsuitable/used. Keeping in mind that I am paid MONEY to work as a copywriter this failing to find a new name is particularly crushing as surely wordsmiths are supposed to find this sort of thing, well, easier. But no, not me. I'm beginning to suspect my worst fears are true and that I'm a truly awful copywriter with no business going near words of any sort. There's just one problem: I wouldn't know how to do anything else. And truth be told, I quite like this writing gig. But for some reason, I have a humongous blog name block. It's got me quite perplexed.

I haven't given up though - my quest continues. The perfect blog name (for me) must be out there somewhere - it's just a matter of finding it. I think it's close - I can almost feel it. Just can't 'see' it. Yet. So for now, I'm sticking with Fluffy Pink Thing. (Groan)

So yeah, consider the drought broken. I'm back. And any day now I'm going to surprise my one reader (yes, you) with a brand new fabulous looking extremely made-over blog. Just not today.

P.S. I missed you. Hope you're keeping well...

'Last night I had the strangest dream'

2009-07-22T15:07:00.001+02:00

...And NOT about sailing boats to China. No sir. This one was about being PREGNANT and then having a (gulp) BABY!!! Where'd that come from?!? Funny thing was, I was quite pleased with myself (in my dream) and seemed to have no worries about having just given birth. Or being a single mother. Or having no idea what to do with my screaming bundle of joy.

It's a boy, by the way. In case you were wondering.

I'm sorry to say there was no Gerhard Butler look-alike daddy in the picture - or any recollection of the 'knocking-up' process. Which means my little bambino could very well be the result of divine intervention. Or the downfall of a boozy evening out. Whatever.

Anyway, I just thought it was strange to dream about having a baby because I'm not feeling particularly broody at the moment. 'Haven't in a while actually. In fact, right now if I had a choice, I'd definitely get a puppy rather than have a baby. That's just where I'm at, for now.

'See? Baby elephants are CUTE!

Baby meerkats (pups) are also cute!

And how's this little kangaroo for C.U.T.E.?

Even baby Binturongs (Asian Bearcats) are totally cute!

Cute puppy!

And speaking of cute...

Pics from News24, thanks!

Objects of my affection

2009-07-15T17:14:00.002+02:00

So yesterday's little revelation got me thinking about the crushes I had on celebs when I was a little girl. Some of those crushes were short lived, while others never really ended. Anyway, here's a little list of my favourite objects of affection, back in the day:

The King of Rock 'n Roll.

I pretty much grew up with Elvis, even though he died about two months after I was born. But my mum was (and still is) a fan and so we got to hear a lot of Elvis and watch a few of his movies. This all led to the development of a pretty huge crush on the King. I must point out though that the object of my affection was the young and handsome Elvis of Jailhouse Rock and Blue Hawaii - as opposed to the larger, sweatier rhinestone-bejewelled Elvis. Anyway, I was pretty young when I had my crush - around 8 years old - but it was true love! And who could blame me - Elvis was SO handsome and nice and all that!

Moving on... First there was Battlestar Galactica. And then there was the A-Team. And both were AWESOME thanks to Lieutenant Starbuck and Face.

Dear God, what a major girl-crush that was. I used to think Lt Starbuck was so insanely good-looking. And as Face, Dirk Benedict was even better! This was around the same time as my Elvis crush, so I was also pretty young then - but not too young to recognise HOTNESS when I saw it!

Then, a few years on, the New Kids on the Block came into my life and it was love at first sight. Yes, I'm talking about you, Joey McIntyre! (Hey don't judge - they were cool back in the day!)

Yup, it was love with a capital L-U-R-V-E! Step by Step, Hanging Tough, Tonite... aw, good times! I remember spending hours in my bedroom just staring at the NKOTB posters on my wall, daydreaming about marrying Joey one day when I as older. You see, there was a 'major' age-gap between us. I was only 12ish whereas he was a whopping 17!!! But sooooo... cute! Aw yummy!

Let's hear it for the wrinklies!

2009-07-15T16:18:00.002+02:00

Remember this guy? That's Jan Michael Vincent. But you may remember him as Stringfellow Hawke from Airwolf...
Well it's his birthday today and guess how old the birthday boy is...

He's turning 65. Yes, 65!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, how did that happen? Wait, it gets worse! Remember Face from the A-Team? Damn, he was hot!

I used to have a MAJOR crush on him when I was a kid! Good times!

Well he's 64!!! 'But wait! There's more!'

Et tu, MacGuyver?

He's 59 years old. Nooooooooo... say it ain't so!

Seriously, when did all these guys get old? What's going on here?!?!?

Moving swiftly along...

2009-07-14T14:01:00.000+02:00

Looking back on my last couple of posts, one thing's for sure - they're decidedly boring and crappy. Thing is, I don't have much to waffle on about at the moment - just trying to stay warm and dry (and make it to pay day!).

So I'm not going to say anything. Instead, I'm going to leave you with this:

Oh yeah

Mid Year Review

2009-07-09T12:39:00.000+02:00

People tell me that the older you get, the faster time flies. I think those people may have a point. I can't believe it's already July! Anyhoo, now that we've officially passed the half year mark, I thought I'd take the time to list all the things I've been procrastinating over. Unfortunately, procrastination is one of my stronger points.

I haven't... sorted out my CV and started job hunting.
Lame excuse... recession. It's so easy to blame everything on the recession. And I'm in a serious comfort zone, even though it doesn't necessarily make me happy.

I haven't... submitted stuff. To magazines.
Lame excuse... if it turns out I really am rubbish, then I'll be totally and absolutely lost.

I haven't... reached my goal weight.
Lame excuse... gym is so boring plus food that's good for you never tastes as good as food that isn't.

I haven't... been focusing on the course I'm studying this year.
Lame excuse... I'm struggling to get excited about it. The texts bore me. Even though I know they're not supposed to. Clearly I'm missing something. Perhaps maybe a LOT of things.

I haven't... been feeling optimistic lately.
Lame excuse... I started the year with a really positive attitude but I've lost that lovin' feeling. Instead I feel tired and drained.

Okay, that's just depressing. Enough of that. Time to break up this pity party and Sort That Stuff Out. Starting now. Or maybe after lunch.

Ow. Cha-mon.

2009-07-08T15:15:00.002+02:00

So I guess chances are you watched the MJ memorial on tv last night. I was at Buena Vista - munching down on chilli poppers and nachos (yum!) - so I missed most of it but I caught the end of it when I got home. One of the local channels had a delayed broadcast.

The whole thing's pretty sad, hey?

I've never really been a Michael Jackson fan, but love him or hate him, there's no denying the impact he had on pop music - and pop culture. Most of us grew up with his songs - some of which have really stood the test of time. But more than anything, I feel really sad for him. Michael seemed like such a tortured creature - tragic. The poor guy never really stood a chance. And the media certainly made a circus out of his many strange little idiosyncrasies - I really couldn't tell the difference between the truth and fiction when I saw and read reports on him.

Anyway, as I said, I was never a huge fan but here are my 10 favourite MJ songs. I thought they were pretty great:
1. Ben
2. One day in your life
3. Billie Jean
4. I Just can't stop loving you
5. Don't stop till you get enough
6. Black or White
7. Man in the Mirror
8. Bad
9. I'll be there
10. Thriller

Weekend post-mortem

2009-07-06T17:23:00.001+02:00

What a weekend! It started off really badly and ended really well.

I've been a particularly sick puppy this winter. (I blame it on age. After all, I am 32 now.) Anyway, on Thursday I started hacking and coughing again (so sexy) and by Saturday I thought I was DYING! So I stayed in bed, only leaving it once to make a run to the chemist where I bought enough drugs to keep a Columbian druglord satisfied, and then it was straight home and back to bed. I felt so insanely sorry for myself that I would've cried except I knew it would just make my throbbing head all that more worse. Let's just say I saw the light a few times, but when I woke up yesterday, I felt So Much Better. And good thing as it was one of my favourite gal pal's birthday and we were off to the Barnyard to watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

After nearly getting arrested at Cavendish (thanks to an old foundation compact I keep in my hangbag that kept setting off Woolies' alarm) I made the trek north to Willowbridge. This being my first venture from my death bed, I definitely intended to take it easy. So much for that. Of course, I had quite a bit of fruit (read: wine) but I was relatively responsible. (So proud!)

The Rocky Horror was awesome! It's the second time I've seen the show at the Barnyard but it certainly didn't lose any of its appeal in the repeat performance. So dodgy but so good. I really think everyone should aim to live life like Frank N Furter. Well, maybe not exactly like him, but you know what I mean. Anyway, we went to the afternoon show which meant when the show finished it was still daylight. Which meant (of course) that it was way too early to be responsible adults and head straight home. Yeah. So we headed out for more wine. And then some more. As you do.

Monday morning was a little touch and go. But not as bad as I thought it would be. Anyway, that's my weekend in a nutshell. I'm looking forward to the next one!

The local cast may not include Tim Curry but the guy who plays Dr Frank N Furter is Pretty Damn Impressive!

Good grief, Becks

2009-07-01T17:18:00.002+02:00

Sexy Becks strikes again.

Yup, nothing wrong with these new Armani ads.*

But here's something that is DEFINITELY wrong. On so many levels...

Not for sensitive viewers! No, sir...

Why, lads? Why?

Don't you know that you have to be Kylie Minogue OR a prostitute OR a member of the Village People to pull off hot pants? Have your fashion stylists taught you nothing? Whatever you're paying them, you're being ripped off. Now please, do us all a favour and go ask your buddy Dave to loan you a pair of his Armanis...

See? Much better!

* Not loving the hair, though.

Damn you, Grey's Anatomy

2009-06-30T17:37:00.002+02:00

Why'd you have to make me cry last night?

K', so I know I wasn't the only one sobbing into my hankies. (I texted one of my best gal pals to see how she was coping. She wasn't.) But no wonder. When Meredith suddenly realised the mashed-up bus accident victim was George, followed by Izzie flatlining in Karev's arms... I mean, c'mon! Seriously?

Seriously!

That and the mushy vow exchange between Meredith and McDreamy plus Yang and her screwy sexy doc love meant my Kleenex never stood a chance. It gave me goosebumps, I tell ya!

And then when Izzie was in the 'express elevator to heaven' in her pretty pink dress and the doors open to find George standing there all ready for the military (not really), the floodgates opened and left me crying like a baby.

Way to end the season. Sheesh. (Can't wait for the next one!!!! :)

Sure, they're smiling now. They haven't got to the finale yet...

Going up?

Holy crap, Batman! I'm old(er)

2009-06-23T09:46:00.004+02:00

Yep, today's my birthday. I'm 32 years old. Can you believe it? I can't. I still feel the same as I did when I left school. So basically, I'm a 17 year girl in a 32 year old woman's body.

32. That's 224 in dog years! Good thing I'm not a dog.

Last Girl Standing

2009-06-19T11:21:00.004+02:00

Last night, the last of my single friends got engaged. This means that three of my close friends are currently engaged while the rest of them have already tied the knot. I'm now officially the last (single) chick standing.

Now, if this was Survivor, I'd be the Ultimate Survivor and Jeff would be holding a $1 000 000 cheque with my name on it.

I'm a winner! High-five!

But this isn't Survivor and there's no Jeff. All the same, the tribe has left the island and so I now have the place all to myself. The upside is I can run around my island naked, eat whatever I want on my island, and sleep whenever I want. On my island. Yup, my very own big, deserted, lonely island.

Sigh.

Outwit, outplay, outlast. I guess one out of three isn't bad.

Counting the sheep

2009-06-18T17:23:00.002+02:00

Aw man, for a change I've actually GOT stuff to blog about but I've run out of time for today. 'Will try again tomorrow but in the meantime, here's a lovely little pic of Jacob Zuma's wives at his State of the Nation address, just the other week.

Clearly riveting stuff. Yeah.

Sweet dreams, little cherubs...

(Then again, maybe they're not actually sleeping. Maybe, just maybe, they're praying for him to hurry up and finish his speech. Hmmm...)

Follow Follow

2009-06-12T17:18:00.002+02:00

The clock is ticking and it's now only a year until South Africa hosts the 2010 Football World Cup. 'Must admit, when we were bidding to host the games, I was really against it. I didn't - and still don't - see the logic of spending so much money on a sporting event when our education system, correctional facilities, health care system and police force are in such desperate need of funding. I know that the World Cup creates thousands of job opportunities, but surely that's a temporary thing. Once the event is over, what are all those builders and vendors going to do? Yeah, I'd really prefer to see the money go towards education (which will alleviate crime and poverty in the long run), health care, the police force and correctional facilities. I believe if the country focuses our time money on those areas, the country will gradually grow from strength to strength, and we can curb the awful crime, poverty and unemployment that plagues the nation. But the fact of the matter remains, we are hosting the World Cup next year, so there's no point in griping about the coulda, woulda, shouldas.

I'm not a sports fan. I couldn't care less about who the Stormers are playing and cricket sends me into a spontaneous stupor. But if I had to choose a sport, it would be football. (And tennis too - that's often good to watch.) Growing up in a typical Brit family with two brothers, I was pretty much surrounded by football. I remember way back in the day, when I was very young, I'd kick around a football with my dad and brothers in the lazy late afternoon sun. Both my brothers played football at school and at a club, so I'd often to be dragged along in the evening to watch their practices, or early on Saturday mornings when they'd play against other clubs. Now that they're all grown up, the boys no longer play footie but it's impossible to visit my folks without seeing and hearing a game on TV. In fact, the only reason my dad got DSTV was so that he could watch the football. Poor mum. So my dad and one brother spend a good portion of their time watching football on the telly while my youngest brother - who lives in the UK - often spends his weekends attending live matches supporting his favourite team while proudly dressed in his team's colours.

Hey, you still there? Sorry for the boring family history. Didn't mean to send you to sleep. It was just my long, roundabout way of saying that I'm actually looking forward to next year's World Cup. I've even got some tickets! Two earlier games and the Cape Town semi-final, which I think is going to be pretty damn awesome! Like I mentioned earlier, South Africa is spending a ridiculous amount of money in preparation of the World Cup - money that could perhaps have been put to better use. That said, I'm sure a good portion of the money comes from sponsorships. South Africans are quite divided on how they feel about the upcoming games. Some feel that it's going to be a humiliating embarrassment and that there's no way we'll meet our targets. But others, like me, feel that a lot of progress has been made and so I have little doubt that we'll probably end up doing a good job. It may cost us an arm and a leg, but it'll be good.

While some of the country's existing stadia are being upgraded, other stadia are being built from scratch. Being huge projects, the building started a good couple of years ago and now, as we draw closer to D-day, they're really beginning to take shape.

Soweto's Soccer City is probably the most African-themed of all the stadia - made to look like an enormous calabash.

Durban's Senzangakhona Stadium is set to be pretty magnificent, complete with a panoramic sky arch.
But being a Cape Town girl, I'm really excited to see how the new Green Point stadium is going to turn out. It's been dogged by controversy since the outset, but now that the finish line is in sight, it's really looking good. I pilfered these images off of a City of Cape Town website - they show the progress of the stadium as it's slowly being resurrected. Photography is by Bruce Sutherland.

This was taken 2 years ago, before construction on the stadium started

Making good progress

Some of the construction crew

Getting there...

A job not recommended for those wary of heights

A typical Cape Town morning, sporting a stadium shrouded in a misty blanket of cloud
(pic courtesy of www.rycatprojects.org)

And if everything goes according to plan, this is what the Green Point Stadium is going to look like, some day soon...

Nice, eh?

So you see, I'm looking forward to the 2010 Football World Cup, and I really do believe everything's going to turn out just fine. You may think I'm being naive, and perhaps you'd be right. Who knows. Either way, only time will tell. But I've got a good feeling about this. Only 363 days to go. And counting...

P.S. Oh jeez, I almost forgot. There's another upside to the World Cup but in this case, the pictures speak a thousand words :)

Oh yummy
(Pic courtesy of The Times)

Bad ad deluxe

2009-06-11T13:00:00.004+02:00

You know what I hate? These ads.

H.A.T.E. them! Here, have a look:

and this one...

It's not the nekkedness that rubs me up the wrong way. Really, it's not. I've never been a prude and so I'm pretty okay with flashing breasts and other body parts. At times I even encourage it!

But in this case, I just think the ads are horrible and tacky. Eeuw. I can't even put my finger on it exactly. I just dislike them immensely.

'You'll want to show it off'? Yeah sure, but unless you're a stripper surely there are more subtle - classier - ways of doing so.

Just saying.

I don't mean to sound all women's lib and stuff (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I've got the sneaky suspicion that the 'creative' team behind these ads may be guys. Just a feeling. It's like that tv ad for sanitary products that finishes with the tagline: "Have a HAPPY period". Happy?!?!? Are you frikken' kidding me?!?!?!? Let's be clear about this. A period may be many things but 'happy' is NOT ONE OF THEM. It doesn't have to be bad, but happy? No. And I'm sure there's not a woman on the planet who would disagree*. So again, I'm thinking maybe, just maybe, the tagline for that ad was coined by a male copywriter.

Anyway, regardless of whether the bust cream ad was driven by a male or female team, I still think it's a crap ad. Maybe I'm being silly over nothing but c'mon, you don't advertise Viagra using pictures of triumphant erections. And that's a good thing! :)

* The only time when 'happy' and 'period' do work together is when your period is late and you start to suspect the worse. Then, when 'granny and the red ferrari' do eventually pitch, yes, there is a moment of happiness. But it's fleeting. Oh-so-fleeting.

Lost in translation

2009-06-10T11:33:00.000+02:00

"Let's have some fun, this beat is sick.

I wanna take a ride on your disco stick."

Hmmmmm... interesting. Something tells me that by 'disco stick' Lady Gaga isn't referring to the thing that suspends a disco ball from the ceiling.

Yeah.

Mommy, mommy! What's a disco stick?
(Pause) ...Go ask your father.

Well, tickle me pink

2009-06-05T17:11:00.001+02:00

So much for my 'post-per-day' plan. 'Will try again next week. We're heading into Friday evening and most of my colleagues have already left the office to get a head start on the weekend. Which is pretty much what I'm about to do. Somewhere out there in cold, wet Cape Town, a glass (or two) of wine and a delicious Thai curry is waiting for me. Yummy.

But here's my parting gift: I read this online a little earlier today and while it's hardly earth shattering, the thought of research that involves tickling baby orangutans, baby bonobos, baby gorillas and baby humans until they laugh is absolutely delightful. So here's wishing you a weekend of many giggles and tickled monkeys.

Plagiarism is the most sincere form of flattery*

2009-06-03T17:07:00.001+02:00

I kinda set myself a target of posting every day for the month of June (at least on weekdays) but today's flown by and I haven't had a chance to give it much thought. So today, I'm going to cheat and post some funny stuff that other people came up with ;)

*Liked that, did ya? Well run right over to these sites for more where that came from...

Cats That Look Like Hitler
The Shoebox Blog
LOL Cats
Savage Chickens
Graph Jam

P.S....

Last but not least, the prez and his lady du jour.
(Yeah, Barack and Michelle, they are not.)

Me, myself and I

2009-06-02T15:18:00.002+02:00

So what's up with people who refer to themselves in the third person?* It's the weirdest thing. Last night I caught an episode of America's Next Top Model (yes, I'm a reality TV whore) and one of the model wannabees is this chick called Jade. Jade has got some serious 'tude and comes across as a downright biatch. And to make matters worse, she always talks about herself in the third person. As in 'Jade doesn't do this' and 'Jade doesn't do that' and 'Y'all better watch out cos Jade is so fierce right now she's gonna take you bitches down.' Okay so don't quote me on that - I can't remember what it is exactly that she said, but you get the drift.

Fierce / Scary (such a fine line)

But seriously, what's up with that? And it's usually society's dumbasses that make this a habit. A while back I heard ex-Cape Town mayor Peter Marais being interviewed on CapeTalk and throughout the segment he kept referring to himself in the third person. Seriously! I mean c'mon. What are you? Schizophrenic? Maybe, but I'm thinking it's more a case of a super-sized ego. Yup, no self-esteem issues there. Maybe I'm just from a generation of low self-esteem kids.

* That said, I think some situations call for third-person referrals - like when blogging. Then it's kinda quirky and cool. But in all other situations, I think it makes you sound like a first-class eejit.

(still funny even after all these years...)

Deja Moo

2009-06-01T17:15:00.001+02:00

My life has been considerably dull lately and so while I work on a plan to remedy that, I'm going to waffle on about stuff that has nothing to do with me. (Believe me, it's better that way.)

So did you guys hear about the pod of whales that beached themselves on Long Beach in Kommetjie on Saturday? Really sad stuff. In the end, they had to euthanise about 40 of them, as it was the kindest thing to do. Quite tragic, really. But I wonder what it is that makes whales and dolphins beach themselves in the first place? Mystery of nature, I suppose. Still, very sad.

Onto movie stuff... I had an assignment I had to work on this weekend, and so in true FPT style, I avoided it like the plague and left it to the very last minute (ie. Sunday evening) - which gave me plenty of time to catch up on some movies. I was too lazy to make myself decent and leave my house so I dug around and found a couple of flicks I hadn't yet watched. First up was Eagle vs Shark. Quite a strange little movie - sweet and quaint but also a little off-sides. A New Zealand production, the film didn't have any recognisable names or faces. But I enjoyed it. You might too.

Then I decided to watch Sweeney Todd. I won't lie. Johnny Depp was a major factor in choosing the film, but I really struggled to get into it, and I fell asleep before the end. Must've been all that singing. I'm not really a fan of singing in a movie (with maybe Mamma Mia being the exception) and so I think that's what put me off. (Why Johnny, why?...)

Moving on... Can you believe Susan Boyle did NOT win Britain's got Talent this weekend?!??!?!?!? Och aye, it's true! Really, what's this world coming to? First Adam and now Susan?!?!?!? Someone needs to have a serious word with the voting public - are you guys all on crack?!?!? C'mon!!!! Poor Susan, she wuz robbed. :(

Anyway, we've now come to the awwww... sweet... segment of today's post. Here are some warm and fuzzy photies of a brand-spanking new panda cub who made a grand arrival a few days ago after its mother was artificially inseminated with her partner's panda sperm. And look! 200g of cute baby panda! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww... Too cute!

How gorgeous is this little guy?!?!?!?

(and one more time for the people in the cheap seats...)
Awwwwwwwww...

30 - Love

2009-05-29T10:25:00.007+02:00

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

2009-05-27T10:34:00.003+02:00

'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...

2009-05-26T11:22:00.001+02:00

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

2009-05-20T16:26:00.004+02:00

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

2009-05-12T14:33:00.001+02:00

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',

2009-05-07T17:12:00.004+02:00

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

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

2009-04-21T15:14:00.001+02:00

Election day. It's been a long time coming but after much political drama, it's only a day away. Personally, I'm looking forward to voting. I'm also looking forward to no longer being bombarded with campaign material everywhere I go. And who knows, maybe Julius Malema will even quieten down after his idol is voted into the presidency. Nah, not likely. Anyway, the important thing is tomorrow we get to vote and have our say. I won't even begin to pretend I believe that Jacob Zuma isn't going to be the next president, but I'm certainly going to use my vote to help ensure he has a strong opposition.

The thing with politics, I feel, is the sense of helplessness the general public has. We see the craziest things happening and watch in shock and horror as high-ranking officials walk away from corruption scandals and the like unscathed. So when it comes to elections, it's almost as if a little bit of control is redeemed, giving people like you and me a chance to have our say - and be heard. It may be a little voice, but it can go a long way. So yeah, I'm looking forward to casting my vote tomorrow.

On a lighter note, have you guys seen any of the recent ads that play on the political slant? One of my favourites is the Nando's ad, which 'interviews' Julius Malema. (That's certainly got his panties all twisted, but it's not personally demeaning - it makes a play on the concept of 'change'.) I also LOVED this ad for Wimpy's Cups for Votes campaign. It's not a new concept - apparently Starbucks did something similar. But the ad itself is simple and quite, what's the word, touching? Nice copy, nice music. Check it out.

Anyhoo, seeing as tomorrow is a public holiday and there are more of those to come, I've put in for some additional leave and so will only be back in the office in about two weeks from now. Bliss! I'll miss the Internet access, but it's a small sacrifice for some much needed time out. Catch you on the flip side, and don't forget to vote!

Sweet 47 and never been kissed...

2009-04-20T12:33:00.001+02:00

If the Monday blues are bringing you down, here's something that's bound to make you smile and perhaps even give you some goosebumps. Just in case you haven't already seen this, here's Scottish lass Susan Boyle's 'audition attempt' for the latest season of Britain's Got Talent...

Well, whoddathunkit, eh?

Much ado about nothing

2009-04-17T12:12:00.003+02:00

Remember the (big and expensive) ad that appeared in the Sunday Times the other week... the one about lengthening the skirts depicted in restroom signs? (Here, this one):

Well, as suspected, it was indeed part of an ad campaign. For this:

Yup, that's right. Good ol' Mrs Ball's Chutney.

But what's the connection you may ask? Good question. Seems the marketing guys behind the Mrs Ball's brand are trying to get across this message: If it ain't broke, don't try fix it.

Hmmmm... It's a bit of a stretch if you ask me. I think advertising should be product-appropriate. For example, I hate watching a long and emotional ad that practically leaves me in tears, only to find out AT THE END that it's a frikken' Telkom ad. Another example: there was recently an ad on the telly in which a guy scales buildings and does some hectic stunts in a race 'against the clock' to put coins in his parking meter before the gap-toothed meter-maid gives him a ticket. The 'big finale' comes when he tosses his coin which bypasses the hungry meter and inserts itself snugly between the two front teeth of the surprised meter-maid. All this for a glass-fitting company(!!!). Too much, I say. I hate it when advertisements build you up and then let you down.

So I do think that all the fuss created around the 'NSEP' is a little OTT. Besides that, this sort of campaign misses the mark a bit when you have to stop and explain to the market what the correlation is. And all this for chutney? C'mon...

Post bunny ponderings

2009-04-14T12:35:00.010+02:00

Well, I don't have much to talk about today. The long Easter weekend was really nice and filled with delicious chocolate and much-appreciated relaxation. I also went to a friend's birthday on Saturday which was pretty cool as I saw people there who I hadn't seen in ages. Nice bunch! And I'm pleased to report that I was very civilised with the wine and woke up the next morning without even the slightest hint of a hangover. Yeah, I know. Impressive. So it's back to work today and I must admit it was really hard to get out of bed this morning. What hasn't helped is that I've been struggling to sleep lately and so last night I took a couple of sleeping tablets. They certainly didn't help me fall - or stay - asleep, but they've made me feel seriously groggy this morning. I'm waiting for the caffeine to kick in and then I'm sure my day will improve considerably. But for now, I have a cotton-wool-filled noggin.

Anyhoo.

Cape Town has been enjoying some seriously beautiful weather over the last few days and so I took full advantage of the warm autumn sun and spent lots of time in my garden over the weekend, with a book and copious cups of tea. (See, it's not all about the wine!) I polished off 'The Inheritance of Loss' and I have to tell you, it's a pretty damn good read.

The novel has been sitting on my book case gathering dust for quite a while now. I bought it a book fair back in 2007, after hearing Marian Keyes rave about it. When I headed over to the Penguin stand to buy it, the author (Kiran Desai) was there doing a book signing so yeah, I've got a lovely little message from her in the front of the book. It's just a pity it took me so long to read it! I've got such a huge backlog of books at home that I still want to read, never mind the books I'm reading for my course. (I'm slowly working on an honours degree in English literature and this year I'm doing a paper on 19th century literature. I wish I could tell you that I love Victorian novels, but I'd be lying. So there.) Anyway, that's my excuse for not reading 'The Inheritance of Loss' sooner. It's a great read - if you come across it, be sure to grab it!

So what with all the reading in the ol' garden, there was also some local squirrel action. 'Cute little guy though nowhere near as friendly as his pals in the Gardens.

Here he certainly looks like a rat. You'll just have to take my word for it that he has a bushy tail and really is a squirrel.

All that squirrel/tree rustling piqued the cat's interest. Though considering the size of his gnarly squirrel gnashers, I reckon it would be a fair fight and so I'm not too worried about finding regurgitated squirrel bits on my lounge floor rug anytime soon.

Playing the waiting game...

(Ooh,' Al no corrida' is playing on the radio. Haven't heard that in ages - kinda corny but still a good song. Yeah, old school is cool!)

Okay now that I've resorted to waffling about random squirrels and my sleeping patterns now seems a good time to, erm, stop.