Plastic Friends

I went travelling around the world of blogg feeling a little out of my depth and blushing at many of the 'private' journals that I came stumbling across. It seemed that a large percentage of user's see blogging as a way to publish their own Adrian Mole with relatively candid elaborations of their days events.

I also discovered how many are owners of plastic friends that operate at different speeds come in a variety of colours and some with optional extras. I am assuming that these bloggers have either hidden their identity from those who brought them into the world or that they have much more open relationships with their family and colleagues than this little blogger...

Did I miss the memo? Does everyone on the planet own a plastic friend? When did it get to the stage that we paparazzi them for the world to inspect? I am feeling a little like I may have recently emerged from a cave somewhere very far away...

Bliss

I have the task of attending a wedding in 2 weeks time. I have been trying to mentally prepare myself for this for almost a year. Everyone treats the occasion as that wonderful happy brilliant day that we all stand round glowing and ushering praise and adoration for the lucky couple…

I am more Ebenezer Scrooge than Martha Stewart at these occasions. This usually finds me running around pretending to be busy, avoiding eye contact with anyone and watching time tick by at the usual pace when watching a pot come to the to boil.

The last one saw me toss the bouquet, which had so obviously been flung in my direction, as if it was the first evil incarnate. This was topped by my partner uneasily capturing the garter that had spent the duration of the occasion around another woman’s leg…

Why must we be lined up as if we are missing out on the bigger picture? Singles this way please, oh those who haven’t managed to tie the knot, over here please. Ok, if u are really lucky you get to catch our joy and presto rush off into marital bliss.

Haven’t we emancipated ourselves from this societal spell? Why do you get made to feel like a crusty kill joy if you don’t think that lambasting ones feelings in public is the ideal slice of fun? Endurance of another of these events leaves me needing a spa treatment. My jaw is left in the uncomfortable tension that only pageant queens should have to endure, as you are constantly made to validate your life choices on receipt of ‘that look’.

Honestly I think the whole thing is quite selfish.

Goooal!

I have been banished to the computer, because someone can’t accept that Brazil is going to beat Japan. Rather than continuing to watch what I know is certain to happen, I would prefer to fill out my score sheet, as I am slightly behind on the happenings in group C through E, but someone thinks that watching the game is a better idea...

Finally the 'golden boys' are aware of where each other are on the field and as this has been a mystery to most since they began to play I can almost understand someone's need to watch every little foot tap of the ball for this game.

Honestly, it’s Japan that they are playing! Shouldn't they be scoring goal after goal after goal? They are multi-millionaire football legends playing against a team with a quarter of their ego's…

I feel that time would be better spent filling out my score sheet than watching a larger than usual man who continues to miss running onto the ball…

Oh crap, another goooal…

sushi

Last night I discovered a few things, most of them in the ‘eat as much as you want’ deal bracket. It seems that many restaurants, after sucking you dry in the summer months are feeling the pinch through winter and to honour your patronage they are giving their food away for a very meagre amount.

I have a rather high tolerance for raw fish and sticky rice. I am sure that when most proprietors see me enter the door they think 'oh this little one will be easy' only to be left in tears after my ability to consume vast quantities of their product...

The charge for raw fish seems somehow disproportionate to a cow or vegetable as freely available in modern society. Knowing the endless void within my tummy that simply cannot be sustained by the usual serving of 8 maki and maybe 4 nigiri with one or 2 other rolls, that would usually leave the bank balance a little undernourished, I had to take advantage of this deal. I admit I was hesitant as these deals are usually limited to barely anything on the menu…

The sushi I had last night was amazing, from the freshness, to the cute little boat that it came served in. While there is quite a wait for you hearts delight at Sauls, it is well worth it. The waiter is friendly, always keen to offer suggestions and somehow seems to take pride in getting you your food. The reason for delays between portions is how popular this place is and the fact that everything is freshly prepared, no conveyor belt crap, it comes straight from the chef to your mouth. The choice is also endless. There is the unfortunate but understandable exclusion of sashimi, eel and caviar but everything else is for the picking. They offer all types of nigiri, maki, a few adventurous kaisama maki (line fish, honey &dukkah goats cheese and spring onion, admittedly not sampled), sandwiches with assorted fillings, gunkan, inari (the spicy prawn and spring onion inari was yummy) and what looked like massive temaki. The portions are more than generous and the chefs clearly don’t hold back.

There appears to be a pride in filling you up and nobody makes you feel uncomfortable ordering another round of tuna nigiri with some salmon maki and ok a prawn nigiri if you insist…

To round off the appeal of Sauls you have to sample one of the 12 teas on offer. The vanilla was beautifully scented and served in a delicate oriental teapot with matching cups that was reminiscent of your own private tea ceremony. An excellent find…

splish splash splotch

I was wondering around the land of blog and stumbled onto an amazing link
jacksonpollock.org/

When I am bold enough I will publish one of my masterpieces...

Amandla awethu

June 16th marks the day that the world woke up to a gruesome image splashed across the front pages of their morning news. The body of a child being carried by another child, alongside them a screeming child and behind, a mass of children running...

Students in a township known as Soweto had managed in secret to spread the word that today; they would take it no more. Today they would gather for assembly and then armed with bed sheets, placards and protest slogans such as 'no more Afrikaans' they would walk together to the authorities and make themselves heard.

The youth marched in protest of Afrikaans being the medium of instruction in township schools, the Apartheid regime, separate education based on your classification according to the various Acts promulgated by the minority, poor facilities, subjects such as domestic education (that tutored black females how to become good domestic workers) and the overcrowding of their schools.

In a time when they were not permitted a voice, were denied the right to gather or protest, these youth rose up together to ensure they were heard.

Today is a sad day as many who should be amongst us are not. However, they are who we have to thank and celebrate that today we are able to publish posts such as this one without fear of arrest, that we can all go to the same schools, and that education in your mother tongue is a right for all. 'Amandla awethu!'

Mbuyisa carrying Hector Peterson's body with Lulu Peterson running alongside them. Images were captured by Sam Nzima and taken off Common Dreamers News Centre

Other images were souced from SA History

The Hector Peterson Memorial has been established in memory of those who gave their lives for freedom

Happy holidays

I am now officially on holiday. I have written my last little evil exam for the semester and this marks the official beginning of a 6 week vacation. A long time is what I hear being mumbled from those with the option of regular jobs rather than that glamorous life of the broke student...

Well, varsity seems to agree, and every lecturer has taken it upon him/herself to ensure that we are well equipped with material to occupy our time. Neither of these intellectuals bothered consulting each other or perhaps they did and this is all a vindictive ploy, but I have estimated that I should need to complete around 2000 words a day to have everything done by the end of the vac. This seems to exclude the amount of time needed to do the actual research, so as of yet I am soldiering onwards practicing principles of avoidance and tabulating and calculating everything for the sake of not working.
I am sure that I will have many important stats for your perusal by the start of the next term!

set up

I am having set up issues and am hoping that the world of bloggers can come to my aid... Who better to ask than those who have the experience?
My stat counter is only visible when I am previewing my blog yet it vanishes when I view my blog, weird. If there are any suggestions please feel free to add a comment...
cheers