Monday schmonday

After a particularly fantastic break, today was my first day back in the office. The less said about that, the better. Suffice to say the rainy start and stressy deadlines ensured that Day Numero Uno was somewhat of a trial by fire. 

Let's rather focus on the good things. 

Of course, being the early stages of a brand new year, it's fairly easy to feel happy and optimistic. Yeah, that's a bit of an overstatement. But having spent the last two weeks surrounded by good friends and general juvenile silliness, it was a good end to a rather bi-polar year. (Thanks 2014, don't let the door hit you on the way out.) 

As for 2015 resolutions, don't be ridiculous. I've seen that movie many times before and it never ends well. But I do have a few goals in mind that range from writing more often and getting my running back on track, to wearing red lipstick regularly (with confidence!) and squeezing in an overseas trip at the end of the year.  

Most importantly, however, is inspiration. It's so easy to get bogged down by the daily grind which is an instant slayer of creativity and inspiration. Even just one day back at work and I'm ready to curl up in my bed in the foetal position. So this is going to take a little effort. Okay, a lot of effort. Either way though, I intend making 2015 my personal bitch. Like a boss. 

Of course I mean that in the nicest possible way. 

In other completely unrelated news, SA's matric results were released today. The national pass rate: 75.8%. That's not particurlarly good, especially considering that last year the pass rate was 78.2%. Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga has a lot to answer for. 

Yeah, so what happened? Oh, who can say…

From what I understand, to pass matric all you need is a 40% mark for three of your six subjects (one of them being your home language), and 30% for the remainder. Seriously. That's all. It seems that the department keeps lowering  the minimum requirements for a matric pass and yet fewer kids are getting through. Education equals empowerment, so this is a massive hurdle for the country. It does not bode well. 

Hello the future. Oh sweet Jesus

Anyway, to end off on a completely irrelevant note, this little nerd bought her first Moleskine notebook recently. Personally, I think they're offensively overpriced but I've got quite a lot of bookshop vouchers so I decided to treat myself to one. The plan was to use it at the office (I'm forever writing notes and making lists at work) but honestly, it just seems far too lovely to waste on to-do lists and the like. Especially as I bought one of the limited edition Mickey Mouse versions (god, that sounds childish, but it's actually kinda cool and retro). 

Nerd porn

So I'm thinking I'm going to use the rest of my vouchers for a second Moleskine which I'll use at the office. Is that completely self-indulgent? Should I be ashamed of myself?

Probably.

Oh well. 

Right, enough word vomiting for now. 

Deja moo

Oh sweet Jesus! This blog thing is not working out. Funny how I can always think of a million things to write about when I'm on the train… or in the car… or brushing my teeth… But of course when it comes to actually writing, I'm the world's biggest procrastinator. WTF? This must change.

So.

New blog title. For now. (Because I'm commitment-phobic like that.) With 2014 coming to a rapid close, it's also time for a little introspection, which is why I'm planning to get stuck into this (again):

Back to el blog. This time around, I'm also dropping the cloak-and-dagger approach because let's face it, when you're in your mid-thirties (as I am), you really need to own what you say and do. I won't be sharing my address or bank account number but I'm not hiding behind a cryptic profile pic and a silly pseudonym. This is me. Take it or leave it. And yes, sometimes I swear.

Under toad

So since I've been taking a train into town every day instead of facing rush hour traffic en route to the office by car, I've had the chance to catch up on a lot of reading. It's been glorious. (The reading, absolutely NOT the train.) Lately I've read The Goldfinch (fairly decent, though I don't think it's worth the hype), Doctor Sleep (Stephen King's sequel to The Shining, which I thoroughly enjoyed), and a book by one of my all-time favourite authors – We Are Water by Wally Lamb. Like She's Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True, it's a touching and poignant read. Intricate and all-consuming. Lovely.

However, today I finished The World According to Garp and wanted to share how much I enjoyed it. What a fantastic read. Witty, touching, thoughtful and thought-provoking – it's everything a good novel should be. Published in 1978 (I think?), it's been around for a while. A good friend recommended this book to me a few years ago, though I only got round to reading it now. I wish I had read it sooner. If this novel is anything to go by, I'm looking forward to reading other books by John Irving.

If you haven't yet read it, consider adding it to your Kindle.

Word nerd anthem

I loved the original but this version is almost better. But that's because I'm a copy editor and have to deal with mangled and abused English on a daily basis.

Presenting Weird Al Yankovic's Word Crimes. You're welcome.

(Dumb mouth-breather? Brilliant!)

Well this is awkward...

Yeah, so it's been a while. For a wordsmith, this so-called blogger has sorely neglected her little blog. As in locked-up-in-a-basement. With no windows or chocolate. Josef Fritzel style.

What the hell happened? Life, that's what. It's a pathetic excuse and I won't go into detail. All that matters is that I'm back.

I've also given it a new look along with a brand spanking new title. So long Fluffy Pink Thing, hello Serendipity & Stilettos. Serendipity is my favourite word in the entire world. And I like stilettos, even though I consider them modern-day instruments of torture. Anyway, the point is, it's metaphorical. The new title has a ying/yang feel to it… polar opposites… contrast and all. Because that's what my life is like. It's what I'm like.

So yes, this blog is back in business. And by 'business' I mean it'll be updated a lot more regularly. Expect a mixed bag of tricks. Long waffly posts, snippety pieces, a little ranting, occasional raving and of course, things that I like (pics of adorable animals, firemen, adorable animals with firemen…). And with any luck, there'll be some fairly intellectual stuff here too. Food for thought and all that.

On that note, let's get this party started (high five).

Girl gone wild

Last week, when I was called into my editor's office, the inner critic that lurks inside my head pointed me to the conclusion that I must in some sort of trouble – no doubt some errant spelling or not-so-factual fact (these are the things that keep copy eds up at night). But I was pleasantly surprised when instead of a lambasting, she asked me if I'd be willing to fly to Sun City – for three (work) days. 

After careful consideration that lasted for about 1.3 nanoseconds, I said yes, without even caring what the reason for my little trip was. My mind was too busy doing a happy dance, like that weird cousin from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Fast-forward a couple of days later, and I'm at the airport – boarding a flight for Lanseria. Jet-setter. Yeah, that's me.The entrance to the Palace. Pretty, no? Sun City Girlfriend's Getaway – that's what they were calling this expedition. Basically, in celebration of Women's Day – and the ensuing month – Sun City, the PR agency and a few sponsors had thought it a good idea to round up some local female celebs and send them to Sun City for three days, where they'd be wined, dined and pampered. 

Day One: the good life

As you've no doubt guessed, I'm not quite a celeb, but I am female, local and in media – hence my invite. On arrival, we discovered that we were staying at the Palace – the grandest and most expensive of the hotels. (Cue happy dance again.) And the suite certainly lived up to the hotel's reputation – oh-so-very jouge. By the end of day one, I found myself happily fed, sufficiently tipsy and the owner of trendy looking and properly manicured nails. 

The next morning started off with a full breakfast at the hotel's impressive dining room. I had to suppress my inner kid just to stop myself from running up and down the buffet line screeching 'Whheeeeeeeeee'. (I didn't, in case you were wondering.) And then it was time for the main event around which the entire getaway had been organised. An 'Amazing Race', based on TV's Amazing Race. Bearing in mind that the female celebs in attendance were mostly diva TV presenters and beauty queens, I felt fairly confident that the race wouldn't be all that taxing. Jesus Christ was I wrong. It started off well enough – we were all presented with brand new watches and Clinique misters and suncream (yay free loot!). And then it began – three solid hours of extreme exercise that shaved about five years off my life. The race started with a memory challenge, which I'd assumed would set the tone for the remainder of the race. My team won the challenge and so we headed off first. Running. Running up the countless stairs leading back to the hotel. Running through the hotel. Running to the golf course towards the driving range. Then it was back, past the hotel, to the amphitheatre, galloping all the way. After searching for clues, it was off to a water park where, instead of floating down the entire course, we ran it. In the water. Fully clothed. On a cold Highveld morning in the middle of winter. Ice ice baby. With a newfound respect for water aerobics and weighing about 10 kg heavier thanks to my drenched gym clothes, it was back to running – all the way to the entertainment centre. Then all the way to the tennis courts. There I had a chance to catch my breath as we signed indemnity forms and received a quick crash course on how to ride a Segway – around an obstacle course. As a girl with zero ability to ice-skate/rollerblade/skateboard, I suspected this would prove challenging, but I was just so incredibly grateful not to be running that I jumped the queue and volunteered to be one of the first to try it out. It was nerve-wracking, and with TV cameras trained on my still-soggy butt, the pressure was on. But I bravely soldiered on and completed the course – albeit in record slow mo. Whatever. I felt like a winner. After my team members had also rocked the Segway, it was back to running – this time to the archery target place thingie. There's a term for it, I'm sure. Anyway, turns out yours truly doesn't entirely suck at the bow and arrow, with one of my three tries finding success. Yay! 

Chicks with balls

Then it was a little paintball, which truth be told, I didn't even get to try, which was disappointing. Then there was a touch of football scoring, which wasn't bad either.  Turns out that I'm not terrible at activities that don't involve running. Go figure. Then came the highlight of the entire event (second to it being over, that is) – jet skiing!!!!! I've always wanted to try that, and it was so much fun! If we weren't in a race, I don't think I would've ever got off. After that, it was off to the cultural village for the final challenge which, to my horror, involved eating chicken feet and drinking traditional sorghum beer. I know it could've been a lot worse and that we got off relatively lightly, but it was utterly disgusting and I really struggled to get it down. But I did – well at least, some of it. Sadly, our stoic efforts weren't quite enough and we were narrowly beaten to the finish. I remain convinced that there was cheating on the victors' part, but at the time, I was just relieved that the suffering was over. Although we had lost, I decided to reward myself with a delicious G&T, double thank you very much. It effectively calmed my nerves and took away some of the nasty greasy feet taste that lingered in my mouth. So foul. (Ha ha. Geddit?Foul? Fowl? Never mind.)

I mean, have you ever?!?!??!

The remainder of the day centred around much-needed makeup makeovers and wheezing like a chronic smoker. Sexy. Even the cocktail party that evening ended early as no one had the energy to party like it was 1999. What surprised me was the tenacity of the celebs on my team. While myself and the other two journalists plodded along at the back, the more well-known ladies were in the front the whole time, encouraging us and being supportive, albeit a little snappy at times. Specifically when I was hesitant to eat un-manicured chicken paws, at which point a certain ex-Miss SA screeched at me to "JUST EAT IT!" She was scary; I complied. 

Just like that, the getaway was over, and I was being shuttled back to Cape Town, laden with goodie bags, achy limbs and a dire need for a good night's sleep. It was quite an experience, I must say. Between running like a crazy woman to drinking Jagermeister shots at the bar of a R50 000 suite with a cute TV producer, it was all good. Plus it certainly beat being at the office. And I'm loving my new watch and fabulous Clinique skincare products but I can honestly say that if I never have to run again, it'll be too soon.

Happy happy!

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hope you all got to do Lady things!

Desperately Seeking Mojo

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.