UCT Vice Chancellor's Music Concert

I am sorry this post is so long and that the photos are so orange...

First of all let me start this post by saying, I am having a very, very bad day. It’s been bad enough to make me cry. But I will not allow myself to wallow in some murky pond of self-pity and batter-egos; I will, like a phoenix (without being all fiery and a mythological bird) will rise from this slump of unhappiness and tell you about my lovely and inspirational visit to the Baxter last night. Phew.

The Marja works at UCT and so was lucky enough to scrounge together some tickets to the annual Vice Chancellor’s Music Concert. For want of something better to do I agreed to join her and her two lady-friends (thankfully the one’s daughter came too so I had some young blood to hang out with).

Wow. I was totally blown away. The brass instruments, the larger-than-at-least-5-of-me organ, the conductors, flutes, trumpets. They all made me realise there is a whole other world that I’m completely oblivious to. The way these students and lecturers make music, respect music, devour music is incredible.

I sat there, transfixed as the various acts proffered the audience little and large bits of their souls and the souls of the dead composers coming back to life every time their pieces are played.

Most importantly is two things.

Number one, the Traditional African Music made me feel like I was truly a part of Africa. The beats and rhythm warmed my body and the vibrancy onstage endeared me to want to visit Africa. I want to see the tribes dancing and living in the dust. I want to hear their drums and chorused-voices in the jungle. I want to see and feel Africa as much as my having been born here makes me a part of it.

Number two, Cape Town, right now is a beautiful time to be. When the Vice Chancellor of UCT, Max Price, can get up onstage and play his saxophone (skillfully) for two glorious swing songs, you know that right here; right now it’s a wonderful time to be in Cape Town. There are so many things that are not great, granted, but I think we’re failing to see the beautiful things too often.

I love this country, and this city.

Jasmine, remarkable dog

Ok, i'll straight up admit it. i'm the biggest sap alive for soppy animal stories so i just have to, have to, have to share this one with you.

Jasmine is a gorgeous looking Greyhound dog who was discovered by the police in Warwickshire, England. She had been abandoned and abused, so they took her to the Nuneaton Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary and thankfully they helped her recover. That's when they started looking for a home for her.

Little lovely Jasmine instead made herself quite at home at the sanctuary and took up the role of welcomer. Every single animal, EVERY SINGLE animal, that was subsequently brought to the sanctuary was taken under lil Jas' proverbial wing as she gave each and every one a welcoming lick.

She has since helped the sanctuary destress the animals by making them feel safe and warm. She does this with puppies, foxes and even bunnies! She lets birds perch on her nose and licks the guinea pigs.

I think she is just amazing and love her and want her for myself (yes, i know that is incredibly selfish). Here she is with some of her furry friends.

You can read more about this perfectly gorgeous creature here.

10 things to tell me

Hello lovely people. Happy Tuesday.

I subscribe to the Women24.com newsletter, and the other day the editor (I think?) Sam sent a message to all us Women24-ers that really struck me. She told us about 10 things that she would say to her 17-year old self if they were to meet today.

Now I know that 22 (that's me!) is not that far from 17, but when I sat back and thought about it there were a few things that I would want to tell my younger me, so I decided to share it with her and all of you,

10 Things I would tell my younger me:

1. Not everything is your fault, certain things (a lot of them) are completely out of your control
2. Don't try fit in to find friends, find friends who fit into you and your world (it matters and makes a difference)
3. Just because he isn't around much (the father) doesn't mean he doesn't love you
4. The way you dance, so uninhibited and freely, is so beautiful (you have no idea how beautiful).
5. Never lose your easiness to talk to and meet new people.
6. If you love it, don't be too scared or shy to embrace it and go after it.
7. This is the most free you'll ever be, just enjoy it.
8. Your love of animals is NEVER going to leave you, maybe think about doing something with them as a career.
9. Mixing your foods (ie letting your rice touch your cauliflower, heaven forbid) is NOT the end of the world.
10. You're going to find him, and he is going to love you and make you feel like the most important and amazing person on the planet (thank you lovely drummer boy) sooner than you think.

What things would you tell your younger, beautiful and sometimes timid self?

The Weekend That Was

So we’ve just had a lovely long weekend here in Cape Town. On Thursday afternoon the lovely drummer arrived at my work with 2 puppies. He and a girl from his college had bought them for R100 off a homeless man who apparently was not treating them very well (he had them stuffed in his rucksack!).

Of course I was ecstatic! And so the weekend began amidst a flurry of fur, messy feeding and lots of cooing. This weekend I…

+ Spent 4 almost-sleepless nights coaxing puppies to eat Cerelac, pee and poop

+ Went to a braai to celebrate Heritage Day

+ Got the lovely drummer to watch Bambi with me

+ Had too much wine and loved it

+ Knew someone who got mugged

+ Went to the birthday party of someone I didn’t (and still don’t) know

+ Felt exhausted a lot of the time

+ Realised what it must be like to be a mom

+ Got to laze for an hour with the lovely drummer while the little ones slept

+ Sobbed unceremoniously when we had to give the pupps up to TEARS

+ Needed more sleep than I got

What did you do this weekend?

Happy your and mine and everyone's Heritage Day

When I was a kid (and I’m not too far away from still being a kid in my heart) things were so cool. I believed I could talk to animals

My mom was a single parent so a lot of the time it was just me and her, going about business, taking on the world.

I was confident as a little girl, enough to walk up to a stranger and hold his hand, enough to climb on stage with a performing busker and copy his moves. The world was mine to explore.

I remember so many little and large things. I was the best mistake my mom ever made at 18. She used to dress me in all sorts of outfits; a sailor dress with matching navy shoes (I used to climb trees and pretend they were my ship), some kind of 80s inspired black, white & neon orange and green outfit complete with backwards cap. But mostly I spent my childhood in my blue polyotter or nude. I was a big water baby.

When I was quite young we spent two years in Zimbabwe and those have proven to be the best years of my life so far! We swam in crocodile-waters, camped next to hippos and spent hours in the sun. My favourite toy there was a colourful cassette player that I carried around with me everywhere! I could record myself too as it had a plug-in microphone, I’ve still got one of the tapes of me singing my little heart out.

I also had a Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtle, one of those soft plastic ones. I think it was the purple guy? I loved the way he smelt.

I remember watching Disney’s Robin Hood every single day and just absolutely wishing I could be Maid Marion. My first taste of any kind of thievery was when some guys broke into my grandparents house and stole my Robin Hood VHS! I was heartbroken and really couldn't understand why they would take it.

I (sadly) haven't had time to upload some pics but promise I will soon! I feel happy to be me and have had the past I've had so far. I look forward to new things, but will always walk hand-in-hand with my four-year old self. In many ways she was much braver than I am and she saw life in a way I'd love to. I'm glad I get to know her.

Happy Heritage Day! Please check out the other awesome blog posts on this theme on the other following great blogs:

Fable Fairy: http://fablefairy.blogspot.com/
Glossary :http://glossaryzine.blogspot.com/
Bobbylicious http://www.bobbylicious.co.za/
Gorilla is my friend http://gorillamefriend.blogspot.com/

Lucky Pony www.superduper/lucky

Embracing Style www.embracingstyle.co.za

Cookie Jar http://cookiejarramblings.blogspot.com

Farm Girl http://plaasjapie-farmgirl.blogspot.com/

Ps, thanks to Fable Fairy for such a wonderful idea, glad I got to be a part of something that so many kooky, beautiful and just plain lovely bloggers are a part of.

Meep, Bobby Blah Blah's blog

hello.

:D <-- that's my super chuffed face. if you could actually see me you'd know that i look like a proud puffin sticking out her chest and being all flowery-show-offish like a peacock.

the lovely bobby blah blah asked me to be interviewed on her blog. i answered allllllllll the questions last night and it should be in the next few weeks.

how cool AM i? the pic is just a little teaser ;

oh, and just in case you thought this an uninformative post ... i had pizza for dinner lastnight. it was delicious and it loved my mouth so much that they had to be united as one. it sounded like this:

Pizza: hi best mouth in the world

Me: hi pizza!

Pizza: i like your white shiny teeth

Me: i like you! *nom nom nom nom nom nom *

i saved some for lunch today *super chuffed*

What did you have for dinner last night? 

long lost thailand love

i really want to tell you about my days and nights in thailand in march of this year. i have so much to say and explain and describe but i'm scared that it won't come out right and i'll ruin the amazing thought in my head when i try put it into words.

that said, one of my september resolutions (you can see them here) was to write more for me. so. i will do it. i will tell you about thailand.

just. not. yet.

The Plastics, A Giveaway

The lovely BeingBrazen has got a really cool giveaway going on her blog. She's got a retro vibe Plastics Tee to giveaway as well as a copy of their new album Shark...

This album is a great one for the summer and guess what guys n gals? The summer is on her way.

What are you waiting for silly!? Visit here to enter, enter, enter.

x

This Weekend That Was

This weekend the lovely drummer boy played a gig at Earthdance on Saturday night. We had a bit of a girl's night on Friday night as the boys only came up on the Saturday afternoon which was lovely. It was quite an interesting couple of days, this weekend I...

+ Put up a tent on my own (again)
+ Probably drank too much
+ Danced for hours and hours and hours
+ Lazed by the river
+ Tasted the best veggie samoosa's I've ever had
+ Drank delicious punch made by the wonderful Meh and lovely Se in my Sippicup
+ Realised how much I like having the lovely drummer with me
+ Held hands with a stranger
+ Heard some sad news (hope you're ok lil Max head)
+ Fell in love, again, and I liked it ♥

What did you do this weekend?

Date Night

No, not a lovely evening planned entirely by the lovely drummer boy to spoil, surprise and all-round show me that he loves me. The movie. Date Night.

I got it out lastnight and the Marja and I watched. I had heard mixed reviews (see: Everyone said it was crap and the DVD guy with a very cool Brit accent said "whatchit, 'sa laugh." - Who can argue with a "very cool Brit accent"!?)

Anyways, it was crap. Steve Carell and Tina Fey are usually quite funny but here? Na-uh. The comical aspect was dragging so badly you felt awkward. You know that kind of awkward when a few of you are listening to a person's story and their story is actually pretty boring and pointless but you're all listening anyways hoping it's going to reach a climax worth waiting for and then there's that moment, that excruciatingly embarrassing moment when said-boring-story-teller realises that their story is pretty kak and they know that everyone listening knows it but no-one actually says anything. Thats how awkwardly bad the comedy is in Date Night.

The only thing worth wooping for is seeing Marky Mark (Mark Wahlberg for those of you who don't religiously follow sexy Calvin Klein ads)  topless not once, not twice but three times. And c'mon, everyone loves a good hat trick.

Sighs. Onto the next RomCom disaster.

Small Space, No Waste

Ok, I'm the first person to want my space - i.e. when I'm in the lift and you get in the lift and you stand 2cm away from me even though you could be at least 5cm away I start to get tetchy.

But this is really good use of space and I think I could live here.

 

I like this dude's reading area, and the kitchen is really quite gorgeous. Even though I develop nervous twitches in tight squeezes (and even sometimes in not so tight squeezes), I think I could get used to living in this little burrow-apartment.

I also love the mosaic wall and sea-blue basin in the bathroom, it makes the whole room seem clean and fresh.

I found this brilliantly designed 182-square foot (square feet, only thought about this now but square feet?) here.

The Weekend That Was

Oh my goodness. What a weekend! This weekend I...

+ Giggled, drank & talked naughty with the lovely Se & wonderful Meh
+ Saw a band that amazed me *When Karma Sleeps*
+ Drank Savannah with lemon slices
+ Went shopping with the lovely drummer (whom I love enormously)
+ Bought a summery one-piece from The Lot
+ Had amazing vegetarian sushi from Salushi
+ Had sundowners on Llandudno beach with beautiful people
+ Saw the lovely drummer's band at Zula
+ Mixed my drinks and so the night from 12.30am til 5am is a major blank (I was safe though, the lovely drummer looked after me)
+ Slept until 3 on Sunday
+ Made plans for Earthdance next weekend
+ Realised how much I love my friends

How was your weekend?

Pic from here

lost&found

Friendly guy from Nu Metro

Grumpy Sonic from BoKaap

Headless Gorilla from the park (I gave him a head though, shame)

Kinda sad-looking guy, found in the grass

The gang.

A few days ago I did a post here about my discarded treasures, and now here they are.

I also have a piggy, shark and dinosaur from the lovely drummer boy:

What treasures are your favourite?

My Life In Pixels

A spider with his tasty morsel

Autumn trying to come in

Fast train leaves moments behind

Whiling time away in the sound dungeons

Vida for the boss

Sights taken for granted sometimes

Blue bottles and a lone coin

Mind thieves

I just thought I might share some snapshots of my world with you.

Enjoy.

Just Like Honey & Finding Things Once Lost

Dear Bambi, I love you

Bunny. That is all.

I do love these little trinkets. I'm a big fan of anything vintage and these have that age-old feel. And apparently they're handmade! Squeal! I found them on Just Like Honey's blog here.

I'm a definite collector and it's almost as if it's innate. On numerous occasions I have very randomly come across and discarded little toy-man. Here are my finds to date:

1. Headless Gorilla in the sand at a children's park.

2. Smiling Soldier standing, watching me wash my hands at the Waterfront Nu Metro washbasins.

3. Soldier with paint on his face in the grass on the large circle just in front of my house.

4. Angry-looking Sonic the Hedgehog in a cobbled road in Bokaap as I stumbled barefoot down the steep slope.

I treasure these little finds and look forward to finding more. To the little kids who loved them and lost them. I'll look after them for you, I promise.

Pics to follow. 

Sharky

*yay* I was involved in helping the lovely drummer boy with his band's album launch campaign recently.

For me this was a real treat as I love being involved in creative projects where lots of cleverly creative people get together and be creative and drink lots of lovely, luscious wine <-Yum

The theme was "Shark" and after hours (and hours and hours and hours) spent cutting styrofoam, painting shark shapes and making sure all the little bits of delightful decor was in its place or on its home the end result was exactly that: Result!

The Assembly looked incredible and throughout the night of the launch I overheard people commenting on the jagged-tooth bite marks out of the records, and watched drunk young girls in belt-sized skirts posing with the cheesiest grins inside the photo-booth shark mouth, I also saw more than a couple of people walking around with a styrofoam shark under their arms merrily spilling their drinks on themselves.

Ah what a night. It felt so good to work so hard and then see the result being just super awesomeness! We really were a great Sharky team!

You can see the pics here on 10and5.

Vote Brazenly

Hello lovelies (yes, that's you). I'm just here to say that Being Brazen is a lovely blogger (and a lovely person). That's all.

Um, ok there IS more, but just a little bit. Being Brazen's blog has been chosen as a finalist for the SA Blog Awards (how awesome!?) its under the category "The Best Personal Blog".

I think you should vote for her lovely blog here. It's on the lower parts of the page so when you get there, adventure downwards and cast your vote! Easy hey? I think so too!

The End.

Lady Meat(y) Gaga

I really, really, really don't like this publicity stunt Gaga has gotten herself into (literally).

Some people do the most obscene things just to be "seen" and it's so sad that people love this kind of dramarama.

So, just to make myself feel better I'm making my stand right here: Lady Gaga, I do not like your less than covered body with your secret hidden bits only covered by raw meat. What are you trying to say? Must we eat you? Are you hungry? Have you run out of clothes and the nearest thing to one of your ridiculous outfits was your little Chihuahua named "Luscious" (although considering the amount of meat on you "Luscious" might not have been enough.

Please. Get. Over. Yourself. Besides, meat isn't something that should be made a spectacle of, its sad that we eat as much meat as we do as it is and now you're rubbing it in the brain-dead mass' faces making them think it's ok to wear the stuff!?

Woosa. Woosa. Ok, Rant over. But still Gaga, i'm watching you.

Amigurumi Rat

I just absolutely love this rat. Who wouldn't? Or couldn't? It is illegal for things this cute not to be mine.

I didn't even know what Amigurumi was before this lovely little rat came along and changed my life (ok, in a very teeny-tiny way), but still: this rat is amazing! isn't it? Thank goodness for the Japanese right?

I found it on the lovely pages of Etsy over here. Sighs

And yes, I think real rats are gorgeous too. So there. I'd pull out my tongue at you if I could see you 

The Weekend That Was

The lovely drummer boy took off for Durban & Pmb this weekend for a tour with the lovely band, so I was woman alone this weekend and it proved to be quite delightful.


No damsel in distress symptoms (as I had imagined) were used in the making of this weekend. I survived two days sans the knight behind shining drumkit. This weekend I...

+ Was a third wheel (this never happens)
+ Was part of a team-effort
+ Got to see my lovely cousins (& aunts & uncles &...i have a very large family)
+ Shared secrets, smses, giggles and drinks with the wonderful Meh
+ Had a car-dance party for three minutes before going to Neighbourhood
+ Saw my gran who is slowly getting better ♥
+ Spent some time with the best mother in the land: My Marja
+ Saw people dressed as Penguins, Statue of Liberty and Mel Gibson from Braveheart all run into the icy waters at Fish Hoek Beach to celebrate Spring arriving
+ Met an (much) older man who I think is very, very sexy (Didn't know it was possible past George Clooney) [Also, love you lovely drummer]
+ Pretty much got nothing done that I wanted to do.

Sounds lovely right? It was.

How was your weekend all you wonderful people?

Hideaway Spot

Hello all, I like this little hideaway spot. If this were in my house I'd lay on the couch reading books or napping all day.

I think the rough wooden floor is gorgeous, I love natural aspects like that in a house.

If I could I'd probably live in a treehouse.

Oh, Happy Friday. Hope you find love or happiness or giggles today

What are your plans for the weekend?

A. Thought

This morning, I was lying awake in bed, feeling warm and safe in the arms of the lovely drummer boy when some words ran across my mind.

I thought I'd share them here seeing as writing more for me was one of my September Resolutions from yesterday,

His fingers in mine,

we lay there.

he, fast asleep in our wrapped up warmth

and I intent on listening.

the traffical trucks & motors grumble past:

a layer beneath the calls and falls of the outside birds,

heartbroken yet able to soar.

And this is the meaning of just one of my lives.

The others for now, forgotten.

Hope you like them.

[hello lovely] September Resolutions

Hello September. Can I tell you a secret? You're supposed to be Spring! It's ok though, I also forget things sometimes.

And also, I love the rain. September and I are going to be good friends, I can just tell.

So another month has started and it's about this time that I realised that it's only four months (4, in case you hadn't grasped the smallness of that dear little even number) until December (Christmas, New Years, my birthday) and there are SO many things that I wanted to get done this year that I just plain haven't.

Seems even though we all know that time flies past at a super fast pace, we never learn to just get things done now! I'm an expert procrastinator, I'd love not to be but I am.

So my September resolution: I will procrastinate less and do the things I want to which are,

Find out about buying a sewing machine
Go for sewing lessons
Book lessons for my drivers (30 Sept eek!)
Draw more
Look into doing a design course
Write more, for me
Make the lovely drummer dinner (without his help *see: taking over completely)
Go back to the gym, and keep going regularly
Eat more vegetarian food (because I actually love it)

This stormy(ish) Cape Town weather doesn't do much for my wanting to be active as all I want to do right now is go home and curl up under the covers with a good book or even better Gossip Girl episodes...

Though I do love the thought of kissing the lovely drummer in spring showers

Any September resolutions you want to share?