I got tagged in Facebook by my Uncle John, to list five things about me that people didn't know. I had a lot of fun drawing up this list, and think I'm going to carry on with this.
1. One of my earliest memories of my grandad was sitting on his lap. He had a green and black checkered sleeveless jersey on. I was very young, and I said to him, "Grandad, you're fat." He chuckled, but my mom and dad didn't find it so amusing. The next thing I knew, I was being pulled off his lap and being told, in no uncertain terms, that that was very rude to say! For quite a while I didn't understand WHY it was rude.
2. I have always been a bookworm. I started wearing glasses in Standard 1, and children are incredibly cruel. My school years were horrific. I was teased and bullied remorselessly. I found refuge in books, even reading while I was walking to and from school, and every other second I could. In fact, when I was in high school, my parents threatened to take my books away from me if I didn't study.
3. In my life, I have played Western Province badminton, WP volleyball, WP pool, WP and National sailing (Hobie cats), been a marshal at Killarney Race Track, have owned two firearms and am a crack shot, done an army camp, water-skiied and water-knee-boarded, and have always wanted to try surfing. My son wants to do sky diving, which I'll totally do with him. I'm kind of an adrenalin junkie. My hubby, on the other hand, won't put a foot on any one of the Ratanga Junction rides lol.
4. I have been fired from a job for trying to tell the truth after uncovering huge fraud. The captain of the cyber-crimes unit contacted me and wanted me to sit with him to build a case against the company. They were planning to go in and close the place down. Although I was willing, the typical apathy of the SAPS in this country meant they dropped the ball.
5. When I was young, I was terribly allergic to cats. I remember my cousin, Audrey Spear Dube, had cats, and I couldn't even go into her bedroom, because my chest would close up and my eyes would puff up horribly. Now, I'm totally devoted to my cats. I currently have three, and I can't remember what it was like without them. I love them like I love any other member of my family.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Friday, May 31, 2013
Creepy Kids
So, I've been browsing the web, and through a series of links, landed up on a page on Reddit where they asked what the creepiest things kids have said to their parents. I've taken out some of the most striking (to me). If you don't believe in reincarnation or that young children can see ghosts, you might well do so after reading these. Warning: disturbing.
My dad watched his mother die of a ruptured gal bladder when he was twelve and still remembers vividly. My sister, one day, randomly gets up almost an hour after she's gone to bed and goes up to him. The conversation went like this:
Sister: Daddy, your mommy died in a red sweater, jeans, sneakers and with her hair in a ponytail, right? And her hair was blonde?
Dad: Drops book he's reading and stares, wide-eyed, and then says Yes...
Sister: What color were her eyes?
Dad: Blue... why?
Sister: Oh, she doesn't have them anymore, just empty sockets. I was curious.
And she goes right back to bed.
*Woah... disturbing images*
I jokingly asked: "What's the best way to get a girlfriend?"
7-year-old's response: "Tell her to be my girlfriend or she'll never see her parents again."
*Wonder what movie that kid had just watched lol*
Getting my two and a half year old daughter out of the bath one night, my wife and I were briefing her on how important it was she kept her privates clean. She casually replied "Oh, nobody 'scroofs' me there. They tried one night. They kicked the door in and tried but I fought back. I died and now I'm here." She said this like it was nothing.
*Holy crap! Poor kid! ... Poor PARENTS!*
Sitting at my friends kitchen table late one night talking when her daughter walks into the kitchen "mommy, when I was older I crashed the car and died. Can I have something to drink?" My friend calmly gave her daughter milk and sent her off to bed. It gave me shivers and my friend didn't want to talk about it. She started crying and told me not to bring it up ever.
*Mmm... sounds to me like this child has said things like this on more than one occasion*
I know a teacher (in her 40's now) who says her parents told her when she was about 3 they were watching a documentary about the launching of the Titanic. She dropped what she was doing and stood in front of the tv for a minute - then turned and said very seriously, "That's the boat where I died"
*Well, why not? Hundreds did die...*
My brother grew up being terrfied of water, i'm 4 years older than him and during the nighly battle for bathtime when he was about 3 or 4 I asked him why is so scared of the water (being a water baby as my mum put it i just didn't understand) he looked at me and i remember this word for word 'i was in a big unsinkable ship, we hit the biggest iceberg and then it was really busy and then I got really cold and wet I went to a warm bright place and waited until my next family came' my mum heard it all and decided bathtime was over. creepy thing is my brother was born April 15th 1992 - the Titanic sunk April 15th 1912. he's over his fear now and doesn't remember it all and he's even a swimming instructor now but it creeps me out just thinking about it. * I just mentioned it to him and he say's he's still scared of sea water and he's not a fan of boats
*Another one...*
Not me, but a friend.
His mother had two miscarriages before he and his brother were born. His brother, maybe 4, said something like, "Those babies were us. You weren't ready for us so we had to wait until you were."
Creeped the hell out of his mom.
*Makes sense to me*
I wasn't raised to believe in reincarnation and frankly DIDN'T until our oldest son was about two or three years old. One day he asks me 'Mommy, do you remember before?' I was all distracted and wanted him to clarify 'Before what? Before Today? Before right now?' 'No, BEFORE. When I was a man and I went to my office every day and I had a brown briefcase and...' It was very detailed and he had never heard of a briefcase but described it perfectly.'
Fast forward several years until our second son is about the same age when one day he has a full blown meltdown and demands to be returned to his family in China. He says he can't take it any more, he misses them so much and demands that we get in the car and drive to China (we live on an island, this isn't happening--also, he's Caucasian and has blonde hair). He'd never been that upset before. For a few years while he was a toddler he would come running if he heard any music that sounded even faintly eastern and would dance to it with moves none of us were familiar with but were certainly similar to Thai and Chinese dances that I've seen since.
So I have to give reincarnation a maybe.
*No comment*
My younger brother has, on multiple occasions, told me how somebody died. One of these times I was sitting next to him in the car (he's 5 in this story) and he just looks out the window at a stoplight and said, "a girl died here." There weren't flowers or anything like that to signify a death, so I asked him how she died. He told me that she was rollerblading and was listening to music with headphones so she didn't hear the bus coming when she crossed the street. He seemed really calm throughout the entire thing, and he told me that he knew because she was standing outside the car talking to him.
I went home and googled any accidents that had happened at the intersection, and yep. A girl had died there in the EXACT circumstances that he told me....almost 2 years before he was born.
He's done this more than once, and every single time he's 100% right. Freaky as f***.
*Damian did something similar once... but that's a story for another time*
I joined Reddit JUST so I could share this! When I was 9 years old, my aunt had a miscarriage. During my teenage years, she had two children who were 4 years apart. One day when her oldest son was 2 or 3 years old, he said to her "Are you happy I came back, mommy? I went to heaven but you were sad, so I came back to you." I get chills to this day just thinking about it!
All of these stories make me feel so peaceful about the after life... cannot stop reading!
*I wonder if miscarriaged children DO get another chance?*
I've told this story before, but it seems to be relevant to the discussion. My daughter told me this story when she was around four years old.
(This is as close as I can remember to her exact wording, and told from her perspective)
I was with my old family that I lived with before, and they were very, very mean people. My mom was dead because they didn't like her anymore, and my dad and brother hated me; they tied me to a chair in the basement, beat me, stuck things in me (I couldn't get clarification on this, how the fuck does a 4 yr-old know about this kind of abuse??!) and never fed me. Sometimes I would get free and would have to eat dirt and bugs.
They let their friends do stuff to me too.
(Me:) What kind of stuff?
Bad stuff, I can't say, but it was bad. Their friends later killed my bad dad, and bad brother, and stole me away. They chained me to their wall and threw knives at me, and burned me with sticks from their fire.
When they got tired of my crying, they held my throat until I died, then they cut me up into little tiny pieces and put me in the blender, then they found mommy and made her drink me...and that's how I was born.
(Me:) Well, that's quite the sadistic dream, sweetheart.
It wasn't a dream, daddy, that's what really happened.
There were other stories she told me about her old family, and none of them were good. It wasn't just the stories though, it was the absolute certainty with which she told the stories, and the very matter-of-fact way in which each story was related. Still gives me chills.
*It breaks my heart that this is TOTALLY POSSIBLE! People are so terrible :(*
My son´s best friend, age 5: "I found Satan while I was digging in the sandbox. Now he lives inside me."
He comes from a christian family. That shit can´t be healthy.
*The Excorcist, anyone???*
My dad watched his mother die of a ruptured gal bladder when he was twelve and still remembers vividly. My sister, one day, randomly gets up almost an hour after she's gone to bed and goes up to him. The conversation went like this:
Sister: Daddy, your mommy died in a red sweater, jeans, sneakers and with her hair in a ponytail, right? And her hair was blonde?
Dad: Drops book he's reading and stares, wide-eyed, and then says Yes...
Sister: What color were her eyes?
Dad: Blue... why?
Sister: Oh, she doesn't have them anymore, just empty sockets. I was curious.
And she goes right back to bed.
*Woah... disturbing images*
I jokingly asked: "What's the best way to get a girlfriend?"
7-year-old's response: "Tell her to be my girlfriend or she'll never see her parents again."
*Wonder what movie that kid had just watched lol*
Getting my two and a half year old daughter out of the bath one night, my wife and I were briefing her on how important it was she kept her privates clean. She casually replied "Oh, nobody 'scroofs' me there. They tried one night. They kicked the door in and tried but I fought back. I died and now I'm here." She said this like it was nothing.
*Holy crap! Poor kid! ... Poor PARENTS!*
Sitting at my friends kitchen table late one night talking when her daughter walks into the kitchen "mommy, when I was older I crashed the car and died. Can I have something to drink?" My friend calmly gave her daughter milk and sent her off to bed. It gave me shivers and my friend didn't want to talk about it. She started crying and told me not to bring it up ever.
*Mmm... sounds to me like this child has said things like this on more than one occasion*
I know a teacher (in her 40's now) who says her parents told her when she was about 3 they were watching a documentary about the launching of the Titanic. She dropped what she was doing and stood in front of the tv for a minute - then turned and said very seriously, "That's the boat where I died"
*Well, why not? Hundreds did die...*
My brother grew up being terrfied of water, i'm 4 years older than him and during the nighly battle for bathtime when he was about 3 or 4 I asked him why is so scared of the water (being a water baby as my mum put it i just didn't understand) he looked at me and i remember this word for word 'i was in a big unsinkable ship, we hit the biggest iceberg and then it was really busy and then I got really cold and wet I went to a warm bright place and waited until my next family came' my mum heard it all and decided bathtime was over. creepy thing is my brother was born April 15th 1992 - the Titanic sunk April 15th 1912. he's over his fear now and doesn't remember it all and he's even a swimming instructor now but it creeps me out just thinking about it. * I just mentioned it to him and he say's he's still scared of sea water and he's not a fan of boats
*Another one...*
Not me, but a friend.
His mother had two miscarriages before he and his brother were born. His brother, maybe 4, said something like, "Those babies were us. You weren't ready for us so we had to wait until you were."
Creeped the hell out of his mom.
*Makes sense to me*
I wasn't raised to believe in reincarnation and frankly DIDN'T until our oldest son was about two or three years old. One day he asks me 'Mommy, do you remember before?' I was all distracted and wanted him to clarify 'Before what? Before Today? Before right now?' 'No, BEFORE. When I was a man and I went to my office every day and I had a brown briefcase and...' It was very detailed and he had never heard of a briefcase but described it perfectly.'
Fast forward several years until our second son is about the same age when one day he has a full blown meltdown and demands to be returned to his family in China. He says he can't take it any more, he misses them so much and demands that we get in the car and drive to China (we live on an island, this isn't happening--also, he's Caucasian and has blonde hair). He'd never been that upset before. For a few years while he was a toddler he would come running if he heard any music that sounded even faintly eastern and would dance to it with moves none of us were familiar with but were certainly similar to Thai and Chinese dances that I've seen since.
So I have to give reincarnation a maybe.
*No comment*
My younger brother has, on multiple occasions, told me how somebody died. One of these times I was sitting next to him in the car (he's 5 in this story) and he just looks out the window at a stoplight and said, "a girl died here." There weren't flowers or anything like that to signify a death, so I asked him how she died. He told me that she was rollerblading and was listening to music with headphones so she didn't hear the bus coming when she crossed the street. He seemed really calm throughout the entire thing, and he told me that he knew because she was standing outside the car talking to him.
I went home and googled any accidents that had happened at the intersection, and yep. A girl had died there in the EXACT circumstances that he told me....almost 2 years before he was born.
He's done this more than once, and every single time he's 100% right. Freaky as f***.
*Damian did something similar once... but that's a story for another time*
I joined Reddit JUST so I could share this! When I was 9 years old, my aunt had a miscarriage. During my teenage years, she had two children who were 4 years apart. One day when her oldest son was 2 or 3 years old, he said to her "Are you happy I came back, mommy? I went to heaven but you were sad, so I came back to you." I get chills to this day just thinking about it!
All of these stories make me feel so peaceful about the after life... cannot stop reading!
*I wonder if miscarriaged children DO get another chance?*
I've told this story before, but it seems to be relevant to the discussion. My daughter told me this story when she was around four years old.
(This is as close as I can remember to her exact wording, and told from her perspective)
I was with my old family that I lived with before, and they were very, very mean people. My mom was dead because they didn't like her anymore, and my dad and brother hated me; they tied me to a chair in the basement, beat me, stuck things in me (I couldn't get clarification on this, how the fuck does a 4 yr-old know about this kind of abuse??!) and never fed me. Sometimes I would get free and would have to eat dirt and bugs.
They let their friends do stuff to me too.
(Me:) What kind of stuff?
Bad stuff, I can't say, but it was bad. Their friends later killed my bad dad, and bad brother, and stole me away. They chained me to their wall and threw knives at me, and burned me with sticks from their fire.
When they got tired of my crying, they held my throat until I died, then they cut me up into little tiny pieces and put me in the blender, then they found mommy and made her drink me...and that's how I was born.
(Me:) Well, that's quite the sadistic dream, sweetheart.
It wasn't a dream, daddy, that's what really happened.
There were other stories she told me about her old family, and none of them were good. It wasn't just the stories though, it was the absolute certainty with which she told the stories, and the very matter-of-fact way in which each story was related. Still gives me chills.
*It breaks my heart that this is TOTALLY POSSIBLE! People are so terrible :(*
My son´s best friend, age 5: "I found Satan while I was digging in the sandbox. Now he lives inside me."
He comes from a christian family. That shit can´t be healthy.
*The Excorcist, anyone???*
New House
As promised (even though it's taken me a while), here are some pictures of our new house. I have started with the front garden, the formal dining room, and our bedroom. The rest will follow (I promise lol).
Okay. Now the dining room. Please excuse the office chairs here - our dining room suite is very old, and the chairs are all broken. Artwork by Sue ;-)
And now our bedroom. The beds are brand new (like, a week old). We used to have a queen-sized spring bed, which was TERRIBLE. If Squirrel so much as hiccuped, I bounced up to the roof. And he WRIGGLES in his sleep :( Being the chronic insomniac I am, eventually we agreed to two single beds in order for us to get some decent sleep.
The really nice thing about our room is that there are blackout blinds on both windows, so on Friday nights I pull them down, and the light doesn't wake us up on Saturday mornings - I actually get to sleep late! (okay.... 9am IS late for me lol).
More pics to follow.
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| Front garden |
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| Side gate - you can see the huge palm tree in our back yard |
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| Ivy wrapped around a tree - gorgeous |
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| Front gate, and lounge windows |
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| Another view of the front garden |
And now our bedroom. The beds are brand new (like, a week old). We used to have a queen-sized spring bed, which was TERRIBLE. If Squirrel so much as hiccuped, I bounced up to the roof. And he WRIGGLES in his sleep :( Being the chronic insomniac I am, eventually we agreed to two single beds in order for us to get some decent sleep.
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| Our beds |
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| A view of some of the back garden through our windows, as well as the exquisite kist my dad made me for my birthday |
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| Two windows letting in lots of light |
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| The view from my bed |
More pics to follow.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Real Conversation
So, Damian is really tall. And he's just realised that he's strong too. He picked Squirrel up and started walking down the passage with him.
Damian: "Hey mom, I'm carrying around your dwarf!"
Me: "Damian, PUT your father down! Stop playing with him."
Damian: "Hey mom, I'm carrying around your dwarf!"
Me: "Damian, PUT your father down! Stop playing with him."
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Real Texts
So, you know the Damn You Auto Correct website? I often have a good giggle at those texts. But, I had a look on my own phone the other day, and realised we are just as weird - without the Auto Correct! Here are two text conversations from my phone from the last week, between me and my hubby, Squirrel (Andre):
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Wow. The move is FINALLY over, and the keys to the other place have been handed over. Now it's a case of making sense of the chaos in our new home. Thank heavens the house is so huge that it totally swallows up all our furniture and boxes. I will get around to taking photos, but I want a bit more order before I do. I did most of our main bedroom last night, and I think the study will be next since those are the two rooms we mostly live in. Although... the lounge in this house is DIVINE - it is SO inviting and comfortable. Now that I have handed the keys over, I am able to focus totally on our new home, and the design and layout of the rooms are playing in my head... The most important thing, though, is communication between all members of the family as we decide where things need to go. It's totally pointless for me to choose to put, for example, a key somewhere that nobody else knows about, and have them get frustrated because they can't open the door.
I decided that I am not going to kid myself any more. I am not sorry to see the back of the old house - it was a kak design, and, sadly, in such disrepair that moving into a new house with decent carpets and painted walls feels like moving into a palace. Having said that, moving IS traumatic. We lived there for 5 years. We're a 5-person family. We have never before undertaken such a difficult and complicated move before. I need to acknowledge that it is difficult, that my body will feel like I've been hit by a ten-ton truck (which, believe me, it does), and that, until I have all my little "things" in their rightful place, I will be edgy and exhausted. I think that's only being fair to myself - something that is LONG overdue.
I decided that I am not going to kid myself any more. I am not sorry to see the back of the old house - it was a kak design, and, sadly, in such disrepair that moving into a new house with decent carpets and painted walls feels like moving into a palace. Having said that, moving IS traumatic. We lived there for 5 years. We're a 5-person family. We have never before undertaken such a difficult and complicated move before. I need to acknowledge that it is difficult, that my body will feel like I've been hit by a ten-ton truck (which, believe me, it does), and that, until I have all my little "things" in their rightful place, I will be edgy and exhausted. I think that's only being fair to myself - something that is LONG overdue.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Amusing Reading
I read this passage in a book I'm currently reading, and found it really amusing.
"He got me some. He was a good barman, I decided. The place was free of corporate androids, and the only other guests were a very old foursome in the corner. They'd looked up at me grimly when I came in. I didn't blame them. When I get to their age, I'll resent young people, too. I resent them already, in fact, the slim little fresh-faced assholes. I don't find it surprising that super-old people are so odd and grumpy. Half their friends are dead, they feel like shit most of the time, and the next major event in their lives is going to be their last. They don't even have the salve of believing that going to the gym is going to make things better, that they'll meet someone cute in the small hours of a Friday night or that their career is going to suddenly steer into an upturn and they'll wind up married to a movie star. They're out the other side of all that, onto a flat, grey plain of aches and bad eyesight, of feeling the cold in their bones and having little to do except watch their children and grandchildren go right ahead and mak all the mistakes they warned them about. I don't blame them being a little out of sorts. I'm just surprised more oldsters don't take to the streets in packs, swearing and raising hell and getting drunk. With demographics going the way they are, maybe that's going to be the next big thing. Gangs of octogenarians, taking drugs and running amok. Though walking amok is more likely, I guess - with maybe an hour of dozing amok in the afternoon."
From The Straw Men, by Michael Marshall
"He got me some. He was a good barman, I decided. The place was free of corporate androids, and the only other guests were a very old foursome in the corner. They'd looked up at me grimly when I came in. I didn't blame them. When I get to their age, I'll resent young people, too. I resent them already, in fact, the slim little fresh-faced assholes. I don't find it surprising that super-old people are so odd and grumpy. Half their friends are dead, they feel like shit most of the time, and the next major event in their lives is going to be their last. They don't even have the salve of believing that going to the gym is going to make things better, that they'll meet someone cute in the small hours of a Friday night or that their career is going to suddenly steer into an upturn and they'll wind up married to a movie star. They're out the other side of all that, onto a flat, grey plain of aches and bad eyesight, of feeling the cold in their bones and having little to do except watch their children and grandchildren go right ahead and mak all the mistakes they warned them about. I don't blame them being a little out of sorts. I'm just surprised more oldsters don't take to the streets in packs, swearing and raising hell and getting drunk. With demographics going the way they are, maybe that's going to be the next big thing. Gangs of octogenarians, taking drugs and running amok. Though walking amok is more likely, I guess - with maybe an hour of dozing amok in the afternoon."
From The Straw Men, by Michael Marshall
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Christmas 2012 Jewellery
Here are two sets I made for Christmas, one for Sue, and one for Vanya. I liked Sue's one so much I almost kept it for myself :P
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| Sue's bangle |
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| The necklace and bangle set |
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| Earrings for Vanya |
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| Vanya's necklace |
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| The whole set |
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sylvester - The Beginning
Here's a blast from the past - this video makes me smile every single time I see it. I checked with Vanya if it was okay to give Jay a kitten for his birthday, and she was quite excited about it. Squirrel and I went to a pet shot, and looked at all these gorgeous kittens in their cages, but I kept being pulled back to the one black-and-white kitten that was bigger than all the others there. Apparently his entire family had been adopted already, but he remained behind. He was a couple of weeks older than all the others, and the pet shop employees had dubbed him Sylvester (he looks exactly like the comic cat). After a while, I gave up - it was Sylvester or bust. I just KNEW he was the kitten for Jay.
We took him home, and being the amazingly good cat he is, he fell asleep just before Jay and Vanya arrived. I carefully picked him up and put him inside the box, which I then gave to Jay.
Enjoy - smile like I do :-)
We took him home, and being the amazingly good cat he is, he fell asleep just before Jay and Vanya arrived. I carefully picked him up and put him inside the box, which I then gave to Jay.
Enjoy - smile like I do :-)
The Year That Was - 2012
Let me just start by saying that I am unbelievably glad to see the back of 2012, and it has nothing to do with the fact that we have survived an apocolypse (yet again). Here is the questionnaire that I filled out last year, changed for 2012.
What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
Professionally, the entire year until November was pretty much a year of things I’d never done before, running our own business. Unfortunately, there was absolutely no time or money to do anything unusual personally.
Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did not make new year’s resolutions last year, but I do have a number this year, for the first time in a long time. And I’m taking them seriously.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes – a very close friend couple had a little boy last year.
Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank heavens.
What countries did you visit?
None, but that will soon change.
What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Freedom, money, security, safety... at least I had a lot of love.
What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Mmm... probably the 30 November 2012, when we closed Silkstream (THANK HEAVENS)...
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My relationship with my husband is better than it’s ever been. Also, I kicked an addiction to codeine.
What was your biggest failure?
We had to close the company due to a number of factors. I took this as a really huge personal failure.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious.
What was the best thing you bought?
I was unable to buy ANYTHING due to the fact that I was totally broke the entire year.
Whose behavior merited celebration?
My hubby – he had some issues, and he finally dealt with them, making our lives fantastic. BUT... I was given an iPad for my birthday – I LOVE IT.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Every single other person on this planet.
Where did most of your money go?
Into the business... I lost everything I had.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
We decided, at the end of 2012, to move to New Zealand. I am incredibly excited about this.
What song(s) will always remind you of 2012?
Carly Rae Jepson – Call Me Maybe (such a catchy song – and have you SEEN the video they’ve made with all those yummy men?)
Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
And of course... let’s not forget (ugh)
Psy – Gangnam Style
Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Definitely happier now that the business is over
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter :( I need to work on it.
c) richer or poorer? As poor for now, but as soon as I start working, things will change.
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercise and fun. No time or money.
What do you wish you'd done less of?
Work. We rang in the New Year by working over 40 hours on the New Year’s weekend :(
How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas with my family. It was fantastic. (Photos to follow)
Where did you begin the year; and where did you end it?
I began the New Year at home, in front of my PC working, totally zombie-fied because of working so many hours straight (which we did NOT get paid for, at the end of the day). I ended the New Year at home with my family. I will never make the mistake of working over weekends like that again – it’s not worth it.
Did you fall in love in 2012?
I remain in love with my husband and family. I am no longer in love with my city or country, unfortunately.
How many one-night stands?
None.
What was your favorite TV program?
My favourites remain (as last post), but I’ve since discovered Elementary, Criminal Minds, The Vampire Diaries (excellent!), Body of Proof, Revenge... I collect series, and have terabytes of them.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Um. I try not to hate, but I am feeling incredibly cynical and bitter about a lot of people.
What was the best book you read?
This answer remains the same as it has since I was about 13... The Belgariad by David Eddings, followed by The Mallorean. I re-read them every couple of years. But I have read a number of really good books in 2012. I think I’m going to start keeping a database of them.
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Someone introduced me to The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow. It is an amazing song, just two voices and a guitar. The rest of their album is pretty good, but all along the same sound, so it does get repetitive.
What did you want and get?
I got an iPad for my birthday – my prized possession!
What did you want and not get?
I have everything I need.
What was your favorite film of this year?
I don’t really watch movies, although The Avengers was good fun.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 39, and I was very spoiled by my family (iPad, as mentioned).
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting on a plane and getting the heck out of Dodge.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
I always dress for comfort, but in 2012, I tended to go more towards flow-y tops and cardigans.
What kept you sane?
My family, my iPad, my computer, and my books. I tend to hide away when I get really stressed.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Still Duchess Kate, as well as Katie Holmes. Good for Katie for getting away from Tom! Both of these women are elegant and poised.
What political issue stirred you the most?
I don’t even want to really address this. South Africa is worse than it was 10 years ago. This year, the first “free” generation matriculated (i.e. those born in 1994), and the pass rate is worse than it has ever been. Take that, along with the riots, protests, killings, crime sprees... I can’t WAIT to leave this dump. There is absolutely no hope right now, and this country is going to go even further down before there will even be an inkling that they’re going to go up.
Who did you miss?
I miss my mom, and other members of my family that probably don’t even remember me. I have been thinking a lot of my past, the fun times I had in my childhood with my cousins.
Who was the best new person you met?
My psychologist, Elmer (lol). He is an incredible man, very well read and intelligent, and he taught me a lot of good things.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
I learned that it’s okay to be 99%. I am a perfectionist, and this tends to paralyse me. While it’s good to be picky about the quality of work that leaves one’s desk, if one spends too much time making sure it’s perfect, nothing ends up being done. This was something Elmer taught me, and while I totally understand the concept, I am still working really hard to put this into practice.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Don't give up
It's just the weight of the world
When your heart's heavy
I...I will lift it for you
Don't give up
Because you want to be heard
If silence keeps you
I...I will break it for you
Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you
Everybody wants to be loved
Don't give up
Because you are loved
Don't give up
It's just the hurt that you hide
When you're lost inside
I...I will be there to find you
Don't give up
Because you want to burn bright
If darkness blinds you
I...I will shine to guide you
Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you
Everybody wants to be loved
Don't give up
Because you are loved
You are loved
Don't give up
It's just the weight of the world
Don't give up
Every one needs to be heard
You are loved
Song: “You Are Loved (Don’t Give Up)” – Josh Groban
What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before?
Professionally, the entire year until November was pretty much a year of things I’d never done before, running our own business. Unfortunately, there was absolutely no time or money to do anything unusual personally.
Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I did not make new year’s resolutions last year, but I do have a number this year, for the first time in a long time. And I’m taking them seriously.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes – a very close friend couple had a little boy last year.
Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank heavens.
What countries did you visit?
None, but that will soon change.
What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Freedom, money, security, safety... at least I had a lot of love.
What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Mmm... probably the 30 November 2012, when we closed Silkstream (THANK HEAVENS)...
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My relationship with my husband is better than it’s ever been. Also, I kicked an addiction to codeine.
What was your biggest failure?
We had to close the company due to a number of factors. I took this as a really huge personal failure.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious.
What was the best thing you bought?
I was unable to buy ANYTHING due to the fact that I was totally broke the entire year.
Whose behavior merited celebration?
My hubby – he had some issues, and he finally dealt with them, making our lives fantastic. BUT... I was given an iPad for my birthday – I LOVE IT.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Every single other person on this planet.
Where did most of your money go?
Into the business... I lost everything I had.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
We decided, at the end of 2012, to move to New Zealand. I am incredibly excited about this.
What song(s) will always remind you of 2012?
Carly Rae Jepson – Call Me Maybe (such a catchy song – and have you SEEN the video they’ve made with all those yummy men?)
Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
And of course... let’s not forget (ugh)
Psy – Gangnam Style
Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Definitely happier now that the business is over
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter :( I need to work on it.
c) richer or poorer? As poor for now, but as soon as I start working, things will change.
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercise and fun. No time or money.
What do you wish you'd done less of?
Work. We rang in the New Year by working over 40 hours on the New Year’s weekend :(
How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas with my family. It was fantastic. (Photos to follow)
Where did you begin the year; and where did you end it?
I began the New Year at home, in front of my PC working, totally zombie-fied because of working so many hours straight (which we did NOT get paid for, at the end of the day). I ended the New Year at home with my family. I will never make the mistake of working over weekends like that again – it’s not worth it.
Did you fall in love in 2012?
I remain in love with my husband and family. I am no longer in love with my city or country, unfortunately.
How many one-night stands?
None.
What was your favorite TV program?
My favourites remain (as last post), but I’ve since discovered Elementary, Criminal Minds, The Vampire Diaries (excellent!), Body of Proof, Revenge... I collect series, and have terabytes of them.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Um. I try not to hate, but I am feeling incredibly cynical and bitter about a lot of people.
What was the best book you read?
This answer remains the same as it has since I was about 13... The Belgariad by David Eddings, followed by The Mallorean. I re-read them every couple of years. But I have read a number of really good books in 2012. I think I’m going to start keeping a database of them.
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Someone introduced me to The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow. It is an amazing song, just two voices and a guitar. The rest of their album is pretty good, but all along the same sound, so it does get repetitive.
What did you want and get?
I got an iPad for my birthday – my prized possession!
What did you want and not get?
I have everything I need.
What was your favorite film of this year?
I don’t really watch movies, although The Avengers was good fun.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 39, and I was very spoiled by my family (iPad, as mentioned).
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting on a plane and getting the heck out of Dodge.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
I always dress for comfort, but in 2012, I tended to go more towards flow-y tops and cardigans.
What kept you sane?
My family, my iPad, my computer, and my books. I tend to hide away when I get really stressed.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Still Duchess Kate, as well as Katie Holmes. Good for Katie for getting away from Tom! Both of these women are elegant and poised.
What political issue stirred you the most?
I don’t even want to really address this. South Africa is worse than it was 10 years ago. This year, the first “free” generation matriculated (i.e. those born in 1994), and the pass rate is worse than it has ever been. Take that, along with the riots, protests, killings, crime sprees... I can’t WAIT to leave this dump. There is absolutely no hope right now, and this country is going to go even further down before there will even be an inkling that they’re going to go up.
Who did you miss?
I miss my mom, and other members of my family that probably don’t even remember me. I have been thinking a lot of my past, the fun times I had in my childhood with my cousins.
Who was the best new person you met?
My psychologist, Elmer (lol). He is an incredible man, very well read and intelligent, and he taught me a lot of good things.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
I learned that it’s okay to be 99%. I am a perfectionist, and this tends to paralyse me. While it’s good to be picky about the quality of work that leaves one’s desk, if one spends too much time making sure it’s perfect, nothing ends up being done. This was something Elmer taught me, and while I totally understand the concept, I am still working really hard to put this into practice.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Don't give up
It's just the weight of the world
When your heart's heavy
I...I will lift it for you
Don't give up
Because you want to be heard
If silence keeps you
I...I will break it for you
Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you
Everybody wants to be loved
Don't give up
Because you are loved
Don't give up
It's just the hurt that you hide
When you're lost inside
I...I will be there to find you
Don't give up
Because you want to burn bright
If darkness blinds you
I...I will shine to guide you
Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you
Everybody wants to be loved
Don't give up
Because you are loved
You are loved
Don't give up
It's just the weight of the world
Don't give up
Every one needs to be heard
You are loved
Song: “You Are Loved (Don’t Give Up)” – Josh Groban
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