2008 and it's vibe

Due to the craziness that continues across the country as we are still on holiday, I have had a really difficult time sitting down and focussing enough to write something worth your time.

This has technically always been my problem. When have I not wasted you time? Maybe
only here.

And that's because I didn't even write it!

Today is the 31st, despite my own constant forgetfulness about the date. It is indeed the final day of 2008, a year overflowing with joy, happiness, friends and family.

I found this questionnaire here. Her blog is great. Give it a read because she is funnier and a better speller than I.

1.What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

Being proposed to. Had a *severe* wardrobe malfunction. Went to university. Got a Ta too.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I make the same resolutions every year. Every year I fail miserably. Next year I will probably make them once again... I am just that sadistic.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No! The group of us married (slash me being soon-to-marry) girls are all waiting to see which one will fall preggo first. They have all been married a year or two longer so they shoudl get on it!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No. Thankfully God has been gracious.

5. What countries did you visit?

Mozambique and The Free State. I am pretty sure The Free State is it's own strange and backwards country.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

A Husband. A South African Driving Licence. A smaller butt.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

16 August, the day that the Fi proposed. *sigh*

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

This. It's one more step away from her.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I lost my wit. Here I can just link this entire blog...

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Sprained ankle twice. Several icky flus and colds. Multiple mystery bruises and the most recent unknown injury to my toe that has left it purple and in pain.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My tattoo. It's my constant reminder to breathe life in.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The Cope. Next year South Africans might actually have a Democratic election and a chance to break away from the corruption of the ANC.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The choice of the US election candidates.

14. Where did most of your money go?

University and the revolving items. And developing pictures.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?


The wedding.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Sting. His music was the soundtrack for my year at university.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
b) thinner or fatter?
c) richer or poorer?

Happier definitely. I'm probably the same size. And most definitely poorer in money. But I am most definitely richer in other areas of my life.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

I wish I enjoyed res more.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Less stressing about Spanish!

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With the family and the Fi. Chilling SA style.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Re-fell...

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Whose Wedding is it Anyway, Grey's Anatomy and Army Wives

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Probably. I am a really not-nice person most days. But lucky for them I am also a terribly forgetful one as well.

24. What was the best book you read?

eh, I read a lot of books this year. The best one? Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles were actually surprisingly good. I had not read a book like that before and really enjoyed it.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Wind it by Jody. Can't get that song out of my head despite hate/loving it

26. What did you want and get?

A ring.

27. What did you want and not get?

A discontinuation of country music.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Were there any great films of this year?

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 20 and went on a picnic with the Fi and the family.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

A licence or maybe the set box of Greys.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

This year my personal fashion consisted of the "I'm too broke to buy clothes" look, combined with the "I live at res and res food sucks so bad that I am putting on weight and don't really have anything to wear" look, followed by the "I am no longer in res and losing weight and can't keep my clothes on"

32. What kept you sane?

Weekly phone calls from the Fi. Dancing with the flatmates. Chilling with my gnomies.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?


Johnny Depp.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?


South African politics always stirs me up.

35. Who did you miss?

Meeka the BFF

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I met the most incredible group of girls that I lived with.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Things don't always work out the way we planned but sometimes better!

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"That was when I ruled the World"

Today I have nothing to say.

Because I have no words today. See ya'll when I find some.

She's BAAAACK!

I know you loyal readers definitely missed me. I know, I know. It's good to be back.

I had a wonderful Christmas with my family and the Fi. The entire day was spent lounging around, braaiing and eating said braaied food. Yum. Over and over I looked around and thought, 'Man, I am so blessed'. Because I am.

After the whole debacle about Christmas presents, everyone thought up gorgeous presents for the Fi and me.

I must have been a very very good girl this year.

My parents bought us one of these:
Since we didn't have a television. It is glorious! I can't remember the make or size or anything of it, but its ours and that makes it special. In addition we got one of these too:
Same unknowledge of make and size and things. That's what the man is for! You know what I know? I know that ours is black and ours. and shiny. and plays DVDs. Hooray!


The Fi spoiled me with a puzzle with a beautiful picture that I have been lusting after and one of these:

It's possibly the nicest wallet I've ever owned. I mean Mr Price R30 wallets PALE in comparison! Thank you! :)

So that's my bragging! Especially because my sisters, brother and aunts all spoiled us with magazines, kitchen goods and photo frames. *sigh* I must have been very very good.

The Fi and I have been busy moving his junk...err... things around into the place we will be living in after we are married. It is a beautiful flat complete with balcony and an extra room deemed 'the study'. This makes us sound educated and intelligent and well, that's the vibe I am going for. Inside The Study we have his books (soon to be joined by my books) and his desk (soon to be joined by my desk) and all the smart things we can possibly cram in there to be- you know- studied.

I do suppose that is the best synopsis that I can give you, dear reader, this evening. I am tired. I have 70 more Thank You for Attending the Wedding cards to produce. I probably should go do that.

Or maybe I'll just go to bed and sleep off the cramp in my tired-of-moving shoulder.

Merry Christmas eve!

The title pretty much says what I wish to say. Have a wonderful holiday today and tommorrow. Drive safely, drink responsibly and all the rest of it. :)

Until I see ya'll again! xxoo

Bertha is a stalker.

Facebook has enabled many different things. I am able to see when my friends hook-up/break-up/argue/cut their hair/stir their coffee and all the other GLORIOUS aspects of facebook-dom.

Its amazing the people who invite you. I wasn't really popular in high school because I preferred to keep a small group of good friends and a lot of acquaintances. These lovely folks that I hardly knew in high school ALL have invited me on Facebook. The cheer leading girls who drove me insane in gym class are living it up in France and the nerdy boys who sniffed snot all throughout English class are astonishingly good-looking and well rounded individuals.

Let me just say that I, Elizabeth, am anti-stalker. When I lived at the coast I had my fair share of 'stalkers'. I do suppose they were just love-sick puppies hoping for my number, but seriously following me to the beach/work/home/school is creepy. And a tad stalker-ish. Stalking is uncool.

Bertha, however, does not have the same ethical boundries that I have.

I know all this information about all these randoms because Bertha facebook stalks them. They invite me as friends, she checks out the photos and information they post and heck, I know more about them now than I have EVER known about them.

Bertha is creepy.

Then there are those blog comments she posts. Yes, Scoman, she does this to you excessively. She has the most outrageous way of sounding like a weirdo.

For this I apologise.

On behalf of Bertha.

She is a creep.

What I *LOVE* about Christmas

Today is a glorious day! I have completed the Christmas shopping. Hoor-freaking-ay!

I must admit I am not a fan of Christmas shopping and every year I end up thinking to myself that I have GOT to start earlier. I am a very bad Santa's helper. OOh, I enjoy gift giving. I enjoy finding fabulous finds for my loved ones based on my personal financial strain. Love that.

I am a big fan of shopping in general. It's grand and fabulous, especially when you have cash to spend. Halle-freaking-lujah.

But what can't stand, and encounter every freaking time I went out Christmas shopping, is the dreaded, the horrible, the irritating 'stop-directly-in-front-of-you-to-chat-to-some-distance-
acquaintance-about-the-weather-and-block-not-just-the-
aisle-but-the-entire-corridor-making-it-impossible-to-
get-by-until-they-finish-the-dumb-conversation' Person. The 'SDIFOYTCTSDAATWABNJTABTECMIITGBUTFTDC' Person is usually the affluent Bimbo parading around in high heels with gazillions of parcels being juggled by their significant other. The SO of the SDIFOYTCTSDAATWABNJTABTECMIITGBUTFTDC stands there shifting their weight awkwardly behind the SDIFOYTCTSDAATWABNJTABTECMIITGBUTFTDC and stares awkwardly at you, the extremely irritated unable to walk shopper.

This strange traffic jam enables the second dreaded person to irritate the Unable to Walk Shopper. The dreaded Neck Breather comes up behind the Unable to Walk Shopper and breaths from their nose upon your irritated neck. This allows you to feel two steaming streams of toxic nose breath colliding into your neck hairs. The stench is horrendous, the claustrophobia is growing and you.are.angry.

And you can't do anything about it. Until the weather-talkers realise they actually don't want to talk to each other and continue on their merry ways. Until the Nose breathing Neck tickler holds his breath, you are stuck.

*sigh* Christmas Joy. Christmas Cheer. Yeah, I love Christmas.

Shameless Plug

So yesterday my baby bro started his own blog. Please go show him some bloggy love. Thanks. Check it out here

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Self- Absorbsion might just give me what I want?!

Dearest Readers, (yes that included you almost-Husband)

My infamous Christmas list is just that. Infamous. Hence, I will be unable to explain the items that I require for Christmas besides the three cuties (JD, JR, and TDMB)Please revert to item one and purchase him for me. Then resort to item two and purchase him for me. Please remember to include house training and a flat that allows animals in the parcel. Number three will probably the hardest to arrange although it might be the best for South African society. So take one for the team.


Best of the seasons greetings to you.

Thank you,

Elizabeth

The most amazing post! :) (David the "Fi)

Well now that I've hacked into your account( Mr. Fi), I have to say, that your Blog Picture is so cool! :) Johnny Depp is cool, well I'm glad that I came close by having a brother that is a Johnny depp Look-a-like. ;) Little cute dogs are, well, cute... As long as it's a Jack Russell. Dave Matthews , ROCKS... , I guess there is something to be said about being born in South Africa, Johannesburg. Ok, seriously, WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS??????

My Christmas List

With a lot of nudgings from the family and the Fi, I have created The ULTIMATE Christmas List.

Read on and buy. Thank you very much!

The most Legendary Christmas List:

1. Johnny Depp. 'nuff said.



Yummy.

2. A Jack Russell puppy. Preferably super cute. And house trained.



Thanks.

3. A Personal Concert from the Dave Matthews Band. I choose to have this concert on the day of my wedding. Thank you very much.



*sigh*

Maybe my sights are a bit high. But seriously who wouldn't want Johnny Depp carrying a puppy walking onto the stage of your wedding band (aka Dave's band)?

Clearly, no one.

Zapiro is my hero

I love Zapiro.

Today he has come into hot water yet again because of a cartoon published by the Sunday Times earlier this year. Jacob Zuma is suing Jonathon Shapiro (Zapiro) and the Sunday Times for R7 million. The claim consists of R5m for alleged damage to Zuma's reputation and R2m for alleged damage to his dignity (as said by NEWS24).

The cartoon, posted below, shows lady justice being pinned down by political leaders and Zuma preparing to rape her.



Has Zapiro crossed the line?

I personally side with Shapiro. The elitism of the South African government is disgusting. The disregard for justice is more than merely concerning. This is a blatant and shocking image that accurately reflects my own shock and disgust. The fact that Zuma has recently been acquitted of rapes charges is moot. This is clearly a separate issue.

Pity, because I wouldn't mind writing another post about how much I despise Zuma and the ANC. I am ashamed of you ANC. I am ashamed of you Zuma.

First Dance Stumbles.

In case you haven't noticed, I am getting freakishly excited about the wedding. I am pathetic... Pathetically excited.

Like that puppy that wees on the floor when you get home. That is me. Without the weeing.

I am absolutely stoked for every moment of the rest of everything that is coming. Except one.

The One.

That's it.

You're right.

The first dance.

I can't dance.

Oh I can break it down. I can make the room hot and happening with my moooves but a nice little dance with the new Hubs is... put lightly, scaring the crap out of me.

The Fi can't dance either. He doesn't really want to learn either. So. There's us, in my minds eye, stepping on each others toes and looking absolutely ridiculous. ehm. Lame.

In any case.

We have a lovely song. *if you click there you can watch their youtube video of the song* It's so beautiful and the lyrics are very special to both of us:

Dance With You

sittin' on the beach
the island king of love
deep in Fijian seas
deep in some blissful dream
where the goddess finally sleeps
in the lap of her lover
subdued in all her rage
and I am aglow with the taste
of the demons driven out
and happily replaced
with the presence of real love
the only one who saves

I wanna dance with you
I see a world where people live and die with grace
the karmic ocean dried up and leave no trace
I wanna dance with you
I see a sky full of the stars that change our minds
and lead us back to a world we would not face

the stillness in your eyes
convinces me that I
I don't know a thing
and I been around the world and I've
tasted all the wines
a half a billion times
came sickened to your shores
you show me what this life is for

I wanna dance with you
I see a world where people live and die with grace
the karmic ocean dried up and leave no trace
I wanna dance with you
I see a sky full of the stars that change our minds
and lead us back to a world we would not face

in this altered state
full of so much pain and rage
you know we got to find a way to let it go

sittin' on the beach
the island king of love
deep in Fijian seas
deep in the heart of it all
where the goddess finally sleeps
after eons of war and lifetimes
she smilin' and free, nothin' left
but a cracking voice and a song,

I wanna dance with you
I see a world where people live and die with grace
the karmic ocean dried up and leave no trace
I wanna dance with you
I see a sky full of the stars that change our minds
and lead us back to a world we would not face
we would not face.

---Live---

I do suppose that the beauty of the song will over ride our pitiful performance. *right* And if not there is still hope in a magical dancing fairy *right*

There goes the puppy again. *sigh*

I won!

I came back today from my extreme camping trip to see that I won Hillbilly's giveaway! Needless to say I am so very excited! Thanks again to her and her fabulous Husband for choosing me! I suppose I should begin thinking of my own giveaway! Would ya'll be keen on something South African? Or something more fabulously chic? Weigh in and I'll keep my eyes open!

The camping trip was amazing! Thanks for hanging in there with the scheduled posts. Although it looks like only a few actually posted. Ehm. Lame. I would care more but last night I was caught in a ferocious thunderstorm and yeah, nearly died. Ok not really but it kinda felt like it.

It looks like I did promise a sneak peek at the invites. I have to be honest A good little blogger would blur out all the names and yadda yadda. So if you are planning on stalking me, please don't. Thanks.

Here was our inspiration: The Fi and I saw this on theknot and LOVED it.



We made a bit less stark and more elegant using, of course, chocolate brown and red! I tried really hard to get a good picture of it but this was the best I got:


It was very exciting giving them to our friends and family. Sorry Grandma, yours will be posted soon! Just waiting to hear from Ann about her or Grandpa's postal address :)(Shameless I know! :) )

Sorry to the men out there...I like weddings.

** this post is totally scheduled. I am actually getting dirty and chillin' with the wildlife... err... my family right now!***

I enjoy wedding planning. A lot. I have moments of thinking, "heck I could so do this for a living." I watch Whose Wedding and I can't help but think "I could do that!!"

Th problem is of course that finicky women drive me insane. There that goes off the radar. merr.

Anyway,

My bridesmaid Pookie is getting her dress made for her. LUCKY! It's gonna look like this:



The colours are blood red and chocolate brown. The main portion of her dress is brown with a red sash. She even found a brooch to wear like this:


*Sigh* She's going to look exquisite!


Tomorrow I'll continue the weddingness and post the invitation design since we got those done and out! Hooray!

I like camping

I am really looking forward to this weekend. Its a 5 day weekend for me mostly because my company is taking off Monday and tuesdays is a Public Holiday. This is rad. My family and some friends of the family are all going to make a noise and party til the break of dawn. The Fi can only come part time since his silly boss demands he works on the Monday. Dumb.

So in essence tonight I will look like this



Except in colour. And there will be many more people. woohoo!

My top Seven Favourite things about camping are:

1. The Food. I don't eat bread, chocolate, or any other carbohydrate and I haven't for a month. This wedding means weight loss means no bread or anything like that. So camping means braais! (BBQs) and Potjies! (stewish stuff) and biltong (beef jerky but yummier!)

2. The Fire. burn baby burn.

3. The company. Camping means lots of friends which means lots of laughter and games! which brings me to numero 4

4. Games! I am the poker champion. Bring it on boys!

5. The Fiance. Obviously camping with him is great!

6. The wildlife. I love the possibility that a rhino will crash into my tent. (or not)

7. Camping makes me feel wild and unpredictable. I am just that hardcore!

You know things are getting bad when people get creative.

I'm not sure where I saw this first. Heck, who knows where they see things like this first. In any case, I am being a horrible bloggy lady today and actually going to work. Yesterday i got a 1/2 day at the office and so today I better, you know, pick up the pace.

This is a supposed email that I got off funnyandjokes.com Hope you enjoy it

Modern Sexism?

Last year I was jobless and desperate. I was so desperate I was ready to go into....


Retail.


I figured I knew music better than average folk, and so when I walked by the local music shop and noticed it was hiring I walked in to ask for an application.

Do you know what I was told?

No.

I asked why. (apparently pending humiliation does not act as a strong deterrent.)

We don't hire girls.

I asked why again. (I have no shame)

The hours are long.

Sir, I currently work 12 hour night shifts. I can work. (No I do not know WHY I remained there.)

The shifts are dangerous.

I am hardly someone people mess with. *insert angry eyes*

We have a policy to only hire men.

So me and my curvalilciousness marched right outta there.

I vowed to never ever buy anything from there ever again. No matter how great of a deal it was.

But I failed.

The Fi took me on a date on Saturday and before the movie we ravaged this shop like never before. The sale... was astonishing. R10 per CD. That's $1. Per.CD. *sigh* and they weren't terrible CDs. We scored. And I gloated. In front of the the very man who told me last year I couldn't work there. I have no problem helping him lose money. Surely after this sale, the products that don't sell will be put back on the rack for R180. That's R170 you lose dumb Afrikaans chauvinist. Suck on that!

With great thanks to the Fi, I realised my own hypocrisy. I worked as a cocktail waitress previous to this conversation. I was hired on the spot as most waitresses are and I happened to be one of the longest working female waitresses there. For good reason. But I digress.

I overheard one of my managers turn down a girl because she wasn't pretty enough. What kind of discrimination is that? It's crap and I knew it. At that moment I should have quit. I should have waltzed right outta there. But I didn't.

So as I complain that I was born the wrong gender, I myself removed the rights of the other girl by staying there. By enabling those men to pick and choose and even getting an ego trip out, I became no better than the company who refused to hire women.

So while the man sucks on my wicked deal, I gotta suck on my own inadequacies.

*sigh*

Even I contribute to the discrimination in society.

The Naked Truth

Prompted by Hillbilly's contest I have been thinking a lot about my expression of truth.

It really baffled me. How do I express truth? When has truth been best expressed to me? What is truth? How do I know that it is true? And worst of all how the heck am I going to communicate this to a gaggle of strangers?

And so I thought. A lot. And I worked out clearly what I know truth is NOT.

I really don't buy into relativism. The thought that truth is transient doesn't fit well with me. I am transient. I am fleeting. My mortality encourages my search for truth that is steadfast, unwavering, and strong.

My closest experience to Truth was when I was taking a picnic in the Pilansburg Mountains. I wandered off by myself exploring and found a spot on a gigantic rock overlooking a scene much like this one.

I looked out. The wind picked up and threatened to throw me over. The jutting dead trees littering the ground deep below me offered little comfort. For a brief moment,vertigo gripped me fiercely.

I panicked.

I was going to fall.

In my panic I looked to my feet. They were firmly planted. The rock had been my support and I was, in fact, in no danger. I sat there for a while because, despite being on a cliff overlooking a kilometer plummet, I was completely secure. I was not going to fall.

Truth to me has inherent religious connotations. I have no shame in saying I put my trust and my hope in Jesus Christ. This is rock solid. This is stable. This has found me completely secure in my situation. Much like how I felt on that rock in the Pilansburg, despite the immediate danger I am facing, I am safe. The truth is that when the wind dies down and the sun beats upon my face once again, my feet will remain firmly planted in truth and I will not fall.

Nana's Box

Nana's box is a touching blog supporting the victims of cancer. It is a nonprofit service which provides a photo box to cancer patients who are under going treatment.

This service provides support the patient through volunteers who are interested in the emotional support of cancer patient. She says it more eloquently than I. Go read it here.

Nana's box is doing a fantastic giveaway with the most beautiful pendants! I can't seem to get the pictures of the pendants on here. (darn) But go check it out! There are some FABULOUS pendants! Here is the link for her entire collection.


Go here to enter before 14 December!!

I may not be as computer-savy as I should be...

*sigh* I just figured out how to add badges in HTML to my sidebar. I am finally displaying my two badges to the two sites I am a member of. They rock and stuff and you should totally check em out.

I am writing this tentatively. I was hoping that 8 days into my blog hiatus I would have been inspired. I should have something extremely well written by now surely.
Alas, I am at a loss.

I am stumped. Hillbilly has an awesome contest going on. I can't think of what to say! My expression of truth is... something solid. Something unmoving. Firm and concrete. I may be a thinker, but I don't buy into this relativism of truth. Sorry. If I'm gonna believe in something, its gotta be rock solid. I don't have the means, the strength or the desire to put my hopes in something transient. I am transient and I believe truth is not.

I'm as stuck as the 12 year bubble gum under your chair at the local diner. the ideas are just. not. coming.