It's Official.

Well, things are all moved over to Wordpress now!

So please find me at http://touchingjoy.wordpress.com

Here's to many many more posts! :)

New ness is revealed.

So, you got up Early just to hear what's happen with Slave to the Ordinary right? Right.

I needed to change, honest I did. This blog has all been based upon the quote in the upper right hand corner. Being daring, impractical, being anything that inspired those around me. And I did.

I succeeded.

Now, I have another journey to embark on. The journey of not being a pain in the ass but soaking up every little bit I can of this life.

Am I still a slave to the ordinary day? No.

No longer is this blog accurate. It's like finding an old diary and trying to reapply those thoughts to your current outlook. It just cannot be the same.

I have uploaded all these posts onto WordPress- all your comments too. I really do hope that you will find me over there and continue with me as I embark on this new journey.

Ok, enough jibber jabber. (ten points if you NAME THAT QUOTE!)

The new and exciting journey I am embarking on is:



It might be a few days before everything is up and running. But I have posted a few pages with new crap on them and all. So take a moment and change your reader.

Oh I haven't told you where I am posting? Bad bad me. You're gonna have to wait until tomorrow.

Just kidding. You can change your blog reel to:

http://touchingjoy.wordpress.com


What do you think? Will you be following me over there?

Moving?

That's it. I am moving. I hope you'll be following me too.

I didn't get my own domain, but rather am in process of moving all my posts etc over to wordpress. I like their setup. I want multiple pages. The restriction of bloggeer is frustrating. Blogger was fabulous to step into the blog world on. Next step is Wordpress. It's like the pull ups you wear before the big girl panties.

I also think that in honour of being just a few posts away from the big 200th post, made me rethink my blog life.

It's time to dump the depressing name. It's time to unify my image. I don't know if I will be changing my twitter account yet. You all can still follow me there for the time being.

I havn't actually moved over to wordpress, I am merely warning you as I set up my blog over there.

Are you anxious to hear my new blog name?

I'll tell you tomorrow. I think it's perfect.

Happy Friday

I have a secret

I've heard that everyone has a weird neurotic trait. For some, its an alterego. For others it is a tick or learning disability.

I have several imagined neurotic traits. Several neurotic dislikes that I have accepted as a personality trait.

I've got to be the biggest freakshow occupying the planet.

But, the most embarrassing and frusterating and not imagined trait I have... is my secret.

I stutter. *cringe*

I work hard to not let it take over my whole speech all the time. Hubs thinks it cute. My family thinks it slightly annoying. But when I am excited or nervous my words sound like they are in a blender.

It's do frustrating to not be able to communicate like a normal human being. Or to be angry and have my words tumble out sounding nothing like I meant them too.

So it's share time. What is your secret or not so secret trait?

Keyword Wednesday

It's that time. The time when all your secrets are displayed on my stat counter. I know what you searched for to find me.

These are the recent keywords that readers have used to find me on Google.

Sometime I've gotta wonder...

1. Messy Beauty- This obviously links to Klara's Blog. But seriously. When I looked it up on google I got nothing but random ridiculous searches. What are you looking for?!?!(Unless you are looking for Klara's blog. And if that's the case, go check it out!)

2. One day as slave- we we forced to harvest tabacco. Are you serious?!

3. guyus as slaves- Sounds like porn to me! Try again later.

4. Tea for my aching tummy- Rooibos (or red bush)tea, honey. Does it every time.

5. letting go- It's hard. But a good Facebook clean out does wonders!

6. stood up quotes- If you don't stand up for something then you'll fall for anthing.

7. Best friend getting married letter- Glad they found me. I could totally help with that. Not.

8. mullet with a farmers tan - Oh the wonders of the internet

9. dahlingitsme- Hi.

10. oh my tummy aches- Why are you tellin Google?

11. funny crap to say- Now this is something I can help with!

12. why do people meddle?- Why the heck should I know?!

13. "the day of destiny" - Tada!

14. How to make my husband a slave- Um.

Pretty Nutso me thinks.

Pop (goes the weasel) art.

They {Pop art pieces) don't pretend to be precious stuff; they'll be torn down in a little while and others will be put up and so on: they don't give a damn! That's great- and that's art by God, and the best kind, mixed in with life, art without any bluffing or boasting and with in the easy reach of ordinary guys. - Felix Feneon

Not so much into the nicknames...

Apparently I slightly resemble Betty Boop. Cute right?

Not so much.

This has unleashed many horrific nicknames spurred from this...

Bethie Boop

Boopie

Betty Boopie

Bethy Boopie...

And the greatest Bethie Boob.

Nice right?

I'll let you be the judge here:





Betty Boop? Maybe not so much...

What do YOU want?

I read more than 100 different blogs every day. I don't usually comment, but I read.

I have gleaned some incredible things from these blogs.

Something I have been excited to impliment is a weekly dose of some of my favourite things.

I want to know what you want to hear about.

Do you want more pictures? (Grandma, I'm putting you down on this one as a yes?!)

Some recipes?

Art Techniques?

Creative writing examples and encouragements?

Guest bloggers?

Cartoons?

Money/time saving tips?

Funny crap that happens to me?

Books I read/shoes I love?

I suppose, I am leaning the blog away from me and more into things I am passionate about.

I have said 'I' a lot in this post and I want YOU to leave a comment stating "I want you to have..." And give some feedback...

The Journey of the Giraffe which is probably the least eventful story in the world. But is complete with pictures.

Of course, I have many giraffe stories. However, I have yet to have a giraffe story with a CAMERA on hand. Lucky for me, while on a walk through our chalet park, we stumbled across this:




I know. Adorable.

I had a camera this time. No make up on my face mind you, but a camera. Proof:



Make-up aint nothing when you are staying in a chalet with a private pool.

We walked 20 metres up to the guy on our side of the fence and he decided to step forward to greet us.

He halved the distance in one step.

I chickened out. Ran away and used the zoom.



Magnificent.

The End.

Things I am not a stranger to...

It's been officially three months since Hubs and I returned from honeymoon. Boy, has it been an adventure. Which is fabulous because, as you know, I am no stranger to adventure.



Or Danger...



or beauty





And definitely not hugs.

I like my husband.

Hubs is a great guy. He took me to the art store when I told him that everything was 50% off. (In SA the best sales are 35% off at best. This is a BIG sale) I was so excited. We waltz through the steel gate into paradise.

And I saw them.

Inkadinkado Rubber Stamps.

They are gorgeous.

Hubs looked at me when I pulled them off the shelf. I begged he conceded. As I pranced with the joy of holding beautiful objects, he casually mentions "Babe, I have wooden blocks at home for you to decorate." Oh how sweet! I giggled and thanked him and we paid.

Utterly confused, Hubs says, "I'm sorry. How in the hell are you going to fit a BLOCK OF WOOD into a book."

A block of wood?




A block of rubber stamping wood.

And then everything made sense.

Poor supportive Hubs. He did everything to make sure I found joy even if it meant gluing blocks of wood into a book.

Doesn't he win?

Sometimes we all need a little giggle.

Third week of surpressed joy.

But this cartoon unleashed it! :)

**image via whiteninja.com

I eat toast in bed for revenge.

Oh crumbs. I ate my toast in bed last night.

Oh crumbs Hubbles. Did you really think I'd forget?

Oh crumbs. Crumbs. Crumbs.

Crumbles.


Take that, Mr Hubs.

Take those crumbs.

I got my reveng-umbles.

Blog Crush Monday

I am hereby admitting to my one terminal downfall. I fall in love easy. And there are just so many writers that make my heart ooze joy.

So even though frequently my posts have been lamer than lame, and more noob than N00b, I am going to point you in the fabulous directions of some of my favourite Blog Crushes. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Megan at Somewhat Voluble. She probably thinks I am stalking her now. Poor thing. But She is also one of those crazy girls who got married before 21 and her blog is utterly heartwarming.

ScoMan at A Name in your Recollection He recently joined Twitter, and we've become great friends. He posts once a week now a days, and even though I protest daily, he will contiue to do so. Sad Day.

Ron at Ronzworld has taken the blog world by storm. He is witty and fresh and inspiring.

Brandy at It's like I'm...mmmagic Its like reading my alterego at times. Utterly fabulous!

Kerri at Your Wishcake. Another ridiculously heartwarming blogger. *sigh* She's like the nice girl in all of us.

So there you have it. My newest blog crushes. I seriously have a reader of a gazzillion blogs and love them all. *double sigh*


Have a fabulous Monday dear ones! :)

It's about you.

Today is about you:

What do you wish there was more hype about?

Or

What do you wish there was less hype about?


Less hype about: Winter

I am so over winter. Let's not talk about it any longer. Maybe if we ignore it it will go away.

More hype about: Sleep.

Sleep. There should be more of it.


Your turn

My best friend is getting married. Wait. What?!

Meeka is getting married. She's getting married! While my joy is indescribable and my anticipation to save enough cash to be in the States for her wedding is reeking havoc in my mind, my nostalgia is even stronger!



Here is a picture I found of her and her sister and my brother and I. We've been BFFs since we were five. She's come to South Africa twice and I am so excited to join up again.

Rare is the friend that puts up with me for 16 years!

Tough Tuesdays

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life

***Winston Churchill ***

Standing up

Personally I don't consider my self either conservative nor liberal. The closest political word for my beliefs is Right-Libertarianism. I believe in freedom. I believe in small government. I believe, like Ronald Reagan, that government is the problem not the solution.

I don't want Gay-rights limiting my opinion. If homosexuals want to have the same rights as heterosexuals- fine. Just don't make me have the same opinion as you do. Give me the freedom to disagree and protest without labelling me a bigot.

I don't want the NRA limiting my opinions either. I don't support the gun laws. I want the right to say so. I also don't support the anti-gun movement. I want the right to say they are both ridiculous.

I don't support abortion. I believe that babies have rights. But I believe that if it's legal, I want the right to say I think it's wrong, just as if it's illegal you want the right to protest about the woman's choice.

I don't like President Obama and the socialist practices he is implementing. I don't approve of President Zuma and the communist policies he is shoving down our throats.

I wish to reserve the right to disagree. And this right is so slowly dissolving under the word "tolerance" and the dogma of being narrow minded.. What is narrow-mindedness? According to Merriam- Webster narrow-mindedness is lacking in tolerance or breadth of vision. According to many, I am narrow minded because I don't agree with popular opinion.

But real narrow mindedness is placing your opinions above others. Being narrow minded is the lack of width in your vision, that you can't see that all this mumbo jumbo is truly just that. Mumbo Jumbo.

Isn't that what tolerance really is? It's not supporting gay rights. Nor is it supporting liberal ideals. True tolerance is respecting opinions, both those that support your view and those in disagreement.

Free Speech as a constitutional right is slowly disappearing. God forbid that Facebook refuses to shut down Aryan Supremacist groups! Where has the freedom to state unpopular opinions gone?

I support a new kind of tolerance. Not of the popular Obama catch phrases but of the respect of differences.

Martin Niemoller said: "In Germany, the Nazis came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak for me."

The same can be said for our constitutional rights. First they came for Gun rights and I didn't stand up because I didn't own a gun...

The 'tolerants' are coming for Free Speech and I am standing up.

What are your thoughts?

I quit.

I am hereby handing in my resignation to today. I quit today. I quit this week. How do you feel now week?! How do you feel now today?!

I win.