LothedInApril&May

My car will probably never ride again. She is totalled. Sigh

I was turning right at an intersection - on the amber - and some absolute effing idiot decided that I wasn't going to turn, and to gun it for the lights. The first thing I knew was that crunching sound of glass and metal colliding and being thrown around - not too badly, since I was only going about 20km/h. The next thing to register was that I was watching the undercarriage of his car sliding away from me - with the accompanying surreal though; "That only happens in the movies." The moron had succeeded in using the front of my car as a bit of a ramp - he went sliding about nine meters, across the road and up the curb where his car collided with a lamp post and proceeded - with the shattering of all his windows on the right side - to come down again on the car's wheels.

Fortunately no-one was injured. Unfortunately I now need to buy a new car. Well, I think so, the front right end of my 'little blue tin-can' was a crumpled wreck. The entire chassis looked slightly twisted. The radiator resembled kitchen foil after Mishka's been at it. The right front side panel that I'd had replaced a few months ago was looking even worse than it did after my encounter with a certain medium blue pole.

BTW, the wiki's still being a bastard....

And I'm going to donate blood now. After having the needle jabbed into me 3 times (well, one and a half, plus one and a half - the nurse stuck it in, missed, pulled it out a bit and stuck it in a bit again - on both arms - fortunately she found a vein eventually) I am understandably a little apprehensive. That and having spent a couple of hours on Monday in shock.

I have discovered Actifed, and lo am I happy! Finally a sinus medication that works - mostly? And doesn? make me want to crawl into bed and sleep.

I have also discovered that Rensia can't stand living with Belinda either and so it moving out, and lo am I unhappy! This means that I have a house I can't afford, with an occupant no-one can stand, which has a stove which doesn't work properly, a shower which doesn't work and a geyser which doesn't function either. I am in dire need of a lawyer. I need to find a way out of this lease, and quick. Sigh. Anyone know any nice lawyers based in Joburg?

Oh, and to top it all off The Spark thinks I'm male?

Someone has whined that I haven? been posting enough. This is because a) I've been busy with something that closely resembles work, b) my life has been dull, I haven? really been out for the last two weekends running therefore meaning I haven? had much to say, c) I'm a lazy bitch and d) the wiki, or my server, is being a bastard and I? having trouble logging on, leading to immense frustration that I could do without.

I'm currently sick. I took yesterday off. I probably should have taken today too. Although I'll admit that isn't because I'm that ill, but rather since I've been given one hell of a job to do (with one hell of a deadline) and well, my bosses creative vision and mine just don't quite mix...

I went to the Koi show on Saturday (highlight of my weekend - that and re-watching Ocean's Eleven), of course there was no way I coundn't go, and no way that I could go and not come home with some more fish... I came home with another three smallish kio (although they dwarf the ones I've already got), they only cost me R30. However only one of them is really happy (Rabbit - he's all white), I'm going to give them a water change since I've spent most of today researching Koi on the net and I can't figure out what's up with them that it's not affecting the smaller fish? Arg, fish.

It was two degrees last night. Two. And its only May.

I had a long warm bath. Put on pyjamas. Changed to my winter duvet and was snug and toasty and warm all night.

I'm still having house issues. I really don't want to go into them though since they're a surefire way to drive me to a frothing rage. Today's the last day that ad runs amd they haven't found anyone from what I can gather. However the damn thing is too bloody expensive to run again. Its going to cost me more to run it again than I'll get back if they find someone to take the room. Well, sort of. I'll see if Belinda's ready to pay me the rent she owes. If so I might run it one more time...

 Have to ask for more money from my boss today, wish me luck.

Well, I'm back at work. In for the long haul, no more public holidays, no more four day weeks. I go permanent next week - hopefully accompanied by that raise that I'm forever mentioning. Admittedly it's not all bleak, I'm going down to Durbs next month for Alan and Laura's wedding and in July there's ICON of course. Arg. I've just realised how much I have to do - well, how much costuming I have to make - and how little time we have. I've also got a LARP to finish and play test. Oh dear. Guess I needed to save money... now I have a few good reasons to stay in and work... Dammit, there goes the social life.

Well, when I left Jo'burg it was definitely autumn, getting chill in the evenings - no rain and a few clouds. I've come back to early winter I tell you, it's been 5 degrees for the last two nights and I've been freezing in the evenings - another reason not to leave the house. Guess it's less than two months till the shortest day of the year. At least, unlike all you poor sods who come up to Icon I'll have a chance to acclimatise myself before the frost sets in.

Hehehe, I've come up with a perfect subtle revenge scheme. Not only has my almost-housemate Rensia not paid me rent, but she pretty much accused me of lying to her the other day, and no-one get away with accusing me of lying when I'm not (especially when it's something as stupid as me saying; "Rensia, I'm driving, can I call you back later?" and her whining in a belligerent tone; "Well, it doesn't sound like it!" - who the hell does she think I am?). I have had to place an ad in The Star advertising 'my room' to let. You get a special deal if you take the ad out for a week. I took the ad out for a week. You can cancel the ad if it is no longer necessary. I have no intention of canceling the ad. R225 is a small price to pay for wewengie!

In fact, I like this idea so much that I've decided that I must use it again. Come next year, when I leave this country and that asshole still, undoubtedly, hasn't paid me back, I intend to place ads in his name... a variety of ads. Oh, and I may place his pic on a few choice gay websites... Call his car in as stolen... etc. etc. It's going to be fun!

I'm coming to Cape Town! I'm coming to Cape Town!

Whoot! And I get to fly! Today! With BA! And hopefully: Booze! Last time I flew BA I wasn't feeling even slightly alcoholic, so I don't know if their drinks trolley is still quite as well stocked as it used to be. A few years ago - having missed my flight from JHB and having to board the next one (Much thanks to Alan and JHB rush-hour traffic) - I ordered a vodka and appletiser (being the most expensive drink I could think of - and actually wanted to consume) and got give the cutest double shot bottle of Absolute! If they have, this time I'm going to nick the bottle. That flight has endeared BA to me for all time.

I'm betting that the weather is going to suck though! It would, just for me, but you know what, honestly I want to see typical Cape Town rainy pouring weather at least just for a day or two. I miss the rain, we just don't get enough of it up here. It's approaching winter and every morning I wake up to yet another bloody sunny day. It's disturbing to my fundamental Capetonianism. I want to stay in, watch DVD's, eat warm biscuits and maybe disturb myself enough to go to the Natural History Museum.

I haven't been the Museum in years - the reason being that I don't get winter holidays anymore... Somehow it seem sacrilegious to go to the Museum on a warm sunny day. Too many wet school outings have made the place synonymous in my mind with crap weather. However I miss it! I miss those huge dinosaurs that used to scare the crap out of me as a small child with a hyperactive imagination - I'd picture them coming to life and since there was no glass... I miss the pretty gem stones, the silent bushmen and the huge plastic fish that hung above one like the sword(fish) of Damocles. All those nooks, crannies and corners full of wonderful things! It was a paradise to me as a small inquisitive child. A sort of menagerie of the bizarre.

You know, I like Jo'burg. I like Cape Town too, and I definitely miss it, but Jo'burg has it's redeeming qualities. The biggest one is that I don't get as much hay-fever as in CT and for some reason the altitude seems to agree with me. Also I earn buckets more money here than I did in CT, and that's important because it's a sorry thing to be a 23 year old who's not studying yet can't afford to move out of the parent's house. And of course, the clubs are pretty decent and the people more inclined to chat to a stranger.

Cape Town is beautiful, the mountain, the sea, the green. That - and some of the people - are what I miss most about it. I long to walk along the contour trails, or sip cocktails while watching the sun go down over the sea. I was aware even before I moved here that I took these things for granted. But it? the even smaller things, like looking up at the mountain on a clear morning as you drive to work, that make the difference.

However things are far from all bad here. I know when I leave I'll miss the thunderstorms. They roll in on a hot afternoon and deliver lights, drama and a rain. Rain which falls straight and even from the sky, not in sheets driven before the north-wester. There's the odd day when the weather starts to change and the whole sky turns this unbelievable shade of green streaked with charcoal. And the sunsets this time of year! I'm told they get even better the later into winter you get, spectacular slow affairs rich with colour that fill the sky. Certainly winters here are unpleasant in their own way, icy temperatures at night, everything is so dry that the city burns, a cloud of smog and smoke covers everything (helping those lovely sunsets). However, at least your washing still dries, and by 10:30 or so the sun is bright enough to warm you up - if you can find the time to stand around in it...

 Cape Town will always be home, but Jo'burg is the city I've chosen to be in, and I'm happy here for now.

Yeah, I'm working late. I'm currently colouring in a Magic: The Gathering logo - well, colouring the white background black. I'm working on the Icon 2003 flyer - which, btw, will be from the 11th to the 13th of July, so come along and wish me a belated "happy birthday". I'll be 24.

Yeah gads. I can't believe I'm that old. I mean, really, I've only been working full time for two years! I also don't look that old! I still get carded for crying-out-loud! Why can't I still be 21? My brother, my little brother, is turning 21 this year!

Anyway, enough self-pity. Time to party. I'm having and "ello Cape Town!" Party at my place (in Cape Town) on Sat the 3rd of May. Details can be found at ElloCapeTownParty. So go there now! Tell my friends (and my parents)!

Apparently I'm in the wrong career. Apparently I should be a 'voice artiste'. This doesn't quite ring true, since I hate the sound of my own voice, well, not really hate, more like substantially dislike. Either way, I did a narrator-type voice-over yesterday for a video presentation for one of our client's internal awards shows. Actually it was fun. Chalk it all up to experience. Oh, and I might be paid a bit for it. Money goood!

Nothing has happened with the house. Need to make a follow up call today. sigh I really don't want to. Honestly, the more time passes the less I want to have to do with the damn place. I'm tempted to just not pay rent next month. Technically the lease I've signed doesn't allow me to, but sucks to them. Arg. I'll try sort things out legally first.

It's a four day weekend! Whoot! More time to party, more time to get stuff done, more demands on my currently limited finances...

Gak, today's running slowly. Which is pretty impresive since I managed to waste about two hours this morning writing an e-mail. Well, it was a rather important email. It was the email which details blow-by-blow the saga of the stove (which is not yet finished, as the stove, while delivered, has yet to be installed). I have also demanded that they, Trafalgar, credit us the rent up until the stove is installed since, as I've mentioned before, it's illegal to rent or sell a premisis that lacks one in JHB. I suspect I'm going to have to ask Grant if he knows any lawyers. That or threaten them with journalists or something. Rabid things journalists, apparently as a species they can drink more booze (and still stand) than one could possibly imagine.

Guess that's probably the reason I've had a hard time focussing. Never really got into the swing of the day. Swing swing swing. Woosh. Thonk. Ow! Random wabbing accidents. Can be fatal. Frequently involve superglue.

Apparently the first time they got a model to dress up as Vampirella for a comic con they superglued her into the costume...

Our studio head is still looking after that baby monkey - it bears and uncanny resembalance to George W. - except that it's eyes are substantially larger and they actually hold a glimmer of intelligence.

I love chicken. I really do. I could eat chicken day after day; roast chicken, chicken curry, chicken stir-fry, chicken natcho's, chicken pizza, chicken burgers, baked chicken breasts in a lemon and herb sauce. The only problem is that chicken is the number one cause of food poisoning. Remind me, in future, to refidgerate my left-over chicken pizza. Chicken is good, except when it's bad.

The plus side is I got to mooch round the house, sleep late and catch up on the last two episodes of Angel.

Oops. I switched my cell off a bit early last night. Got a message when I switched it on this morning - should have gone back into work last night... sigh. Ah well, shit happens.

Still haven't moved. Don't have anything to sleep on and Belinda's friend who I haven't met has filled the entire of my three double door built-in cupboards with her clothes. Plus I think the stove has yet to be installed.

It's a Sunday. Which is what makes today's post unique and special - it's the first one that I've ever posted on a weekend. However, unfortunately for me, it it not the first one that I have even posted from somewhere other than the office. Yep, I'm at work.

Discovery, one of our clients, has a launch on Tuesday morn/day and well, Wes and I have to put together the PowerPoint presentation for the whole damn thing - today. So that it can be proofed on Monday morning! Joy. However, I am not unprepared. I have chips, muesli, 2 litres of coke, cocoa-powder (for if I get desperate enough to try drink coffee - the point being to make it not taste like coffee) and 4 gigs of mp3's, oh yeah, and an ISDN line.

Last track: Portishead, Wandering Star; Current Track: Blink 182, All the Small Things. I have also discovered how easy it is to use my Mac to write audio CDs? from my mp3's and we have towers of CD's lying around the office from which no-one will miss one or two... sneaky evil look

Went to the Doors last night, they had an 80's party. Someone explain to me why I thought this would make the things better? Well, actually, it did. A little. A very little. Doors is only really worth going to if you're certain that you're going to know at least 15 people there - or you want to get very drunk, cheaply.

I love my mp3's.

Wiki congestion seems to be clearing up as students discover that free web and email is not as cool as they thought it was. That and when there's a few thousand of you all trying to surf at one time there really isn't that much bandwidth to spread around and so the web's no longer fast 'like burning'!

Donated blood yesterday, a remarkably unpleasent experience compared to the prior few times. Drank so much water that all I could do was slosh quietly and feel slightly off. Then I had a gloriously slow and incompetant nurse who is apparently only any good at drawing blood from career athletes with their bulging veins. I have two needle marks, not one, one for the left and one for the right. I also have a what appears to be lovely bruise, but is more like a huge blood blister or something in my arm - it hurts. Grant didn't come out entirely unscathed either...

Oh, my L5R? character is now the Provincial Daimyo's daughter. Her daddy got a 'promotion', Russel is slowly working his way toward making my character's life living hell - starting with a line-up of suitors all of which she'd probably rather gut herself than marry - well, not quite, since gutting herself would be quite an acceptable way of avoiding it. Knowing Russel, it's just a case of picking which evil I want to be betrothed to (if I actually do get a choice in the end), there will be no 'lesser evil'. I'm pretty much certain they'll all turn out to be equally awful. I'm almost tempted to find the one who's tainted and marry him, simply because it'll give me a valid reason to kill him later. (What do you mean one of them won't be tainted? Ha hahaha!)

I thought about writing some crap up here as a prank. Something along the line of "That bastard called last night, and you know what - he explained everything and appologised and well, we're going to get back together on a trial basis", but gah! The idea was so bad I just couldn't go through with it. So instead I'm just going to give you a run down of some of the headlines I saw in the papers on my way to work:

Sadam on way to SA?

 New fuel system saves 14c/litre
 ID card for dogs
 New license shock for cyclists

I'm certain there were a few more, but either I didn't get them, or more likely I've forgotten them.

Have a good day, and don't be too much of a Fool.