Only bad things happen quickly

I must say I completely disagree with this statement, for me all the good things happen quickly. When I'm having a good time, time literally flies by. Its when you're dealing with bad things in your personal or work life that the day never seems to end.

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The Bungalow needs to learn something

They need to learn a little something something about good service that is.

I went down to The Bungalow this past Sunday for drinks with friends only to be disappointed. Not by the venue itself, that's superb. What was once the popular La Med in Clifton is now the newly renovated Bungalow Restaurant and Lounge. Same place, same views and same vibe, except at The Bungalow this weekend I was treated with unsatisfactory service.

It isn't even Summer yet, the place wasn't even full, and I waited 10 minutes at the bar for two beers and a mojito. Our friends who were waiting at a table for us had had a similar experience, on ordering two bottles of Rose they were not served in ice buckets but rather placed on the table in the late afternoon sun. Now I'm not a particularly fussy person, but I do hate bad service and I am not afraid to say so. However at a spot like The Bungalow you expect good service, its a classy joint and for a place like good service isn't just the cherry on top, its the second foundation layer just on top of the view. I've been known to vocalize my feelings in a restaurant but The Bungalow on a chilled Sunday evening just isn't the right spot, especially when you're comfortably seated with the sea right in front of you. So here it is, my written complaint about the service at The Bungalow. Please guys, sort yourselves out before Summer really is here, because the crowds are only going to grow down on that prime real estate you've got there.

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Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid

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BE yourself,
make BOLD decisions,
practice, uphold AND follow
those MIGHTY thoughts
and FORCES
that WILL undoubtedly
COME and take over your being.
TO all who believe in you
and YOUR strengths,
AID them in understanding why and how you are so BOLD.

Be the person you wish to see in all of humanity.

If not now, then when?

Recently whenever I feel like I don't want to do something, or I'm tired and not in the mood, I have to remind myself that I'm young, yes, YOUNG! And whilst I am still young I need to start acting like it. This year has caused me to, or at least I've let it, take me about 10 steps backwards on the progress I made last year. So with Rocking the Daisies around the corner, I leave tomorrow, if not now, then when!?

Baby Jem has finally arrived

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I finally got my hands on her. After much deliberation I decided to go with it and get myself an iPad. I can't put her down, she's like this real lovable character and every App I add she just gets better!

Watch this space...

In the next few weeks we're going to release the band line-up for Up The Creek Music Festival. The confirmation emails have been sent out and post Daisies we'll start releasing the official line-up for 2013 so...watch this space! Or actually watch the official website because that's where it will be posted mid-October.

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Team Ayoba! on the Mashie golf course

Bee and Robs (own photo)

The girls (own photo)

Waiting for the rest of the team (own photo)

Photo opportunity (own photo)

Robs warming up before tee-off (own photo)

Hole 7 (own photo)

Hole 7: Calf fetishes (own photo)

Follow through (own photo)

Coli's 'hat' at the formal (own photo)

My favourite Dr Seuss book

The Once-ler Wagon (image exported from www.greenopolis.com) 

My favourite is definitely The Lorax and for a number of different reasons:

1. It's got a message; Save Trees,
2. There's a love story within,
3. The movie version is just too cute,
4. And the trees are the coolest looking trees I've ever seen.

Why I have conversations?

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Where I work we thrive off conversation; bouncing ideas off of each other, using criticism constructively, etc. 

I have conversations so that the end product is better. 

 

Moving a lifetime worth of stuff

My grandparents have eventually agreed to move into a retirement village. Cue my mother and a sigh of relief. However, its not aneasy hill to climb. My grandmother is a type A hoarder, which means she can't let go of anything without much ummmm-ing and ahhh-ing. "Oh, but all old people are like that," you might say.  I hope not, for my sake as much as yours.

When my grandparents left their farm in Pietermaritzburg outside Durban, they downgraded the size of their home, but they didn't get rid of anything. Everything was boxed up and stored in their double garage. Boxes piled up to the ceiling with little paths created in between them is the order of the day it seems. 

My mum almost lot the plot last week when my grandmother refused to throw out two boxes worth of jam she'd made on the farm (more than 10 years ago), unless all the jam was emptied, the jars were cleaned, and  then taken to the recycling depot. Environmentally friendly she might be, but when you're scraping out all that rotting jam you just want to scream, 'SCREW YOU environment, these jars aren't worth the time OR energy!'

I'm off to do my duty on Thursday, and possibly stake my claim on some kitchenware, but Lord help me and grant me patience!

The pose I'm going to adopt on Thursday
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Drawing up a bucket list

Jumping into the unknown. Isn't that what a bucket list is all about!?

Cliff jumping: image exported from www.murraymitchell.com 

At the moment my bucket list may seem short but being the ultimate realist, I only write the things down I really think I can do, and with a shorter list I've got no excuses not to try.

I've been working my way (very slowly) through my current bucket list, but this post has made me want to add a couple more things. And so the list gets longer:

• Bungy Jump  (2009)
• Try Diving  (2010)
• Sky Diving
• Get my Dive Masters
• Visit Machu Picchu
• Canoe down the Orange River

Helloooooo sunshine!

Even though I can't pull myself away from my laptop today I've moved myself into my sunny lounge. The couch has become my temporary desk because I can't bear the thought of sitting in the cold dark study while there is all this sunshine out there.

Its days like these when I know why I could never live in the UK, I need the sun in my life, it makes me happy just knowing its out there. Even if I can't lie and bask in it I'll make damn sure I can soak it up from behind these glass doors!

Machu Picchu- My Big Fat Big Dream

There are so many things I'd love to do, note to self 'I need to write a bucket list sometime,' that it is difficult to decide between them all. How do I choose my 'big fat big' dream?

As most of you know by now I am a realist, and as one of my least favourite traits it is always the first 'person' to crush my dreams. Being a realist means that I always think of the things a lot of other people don't when I'm planning a trip or thinking of all the places around the world I'd love to see. But for the first time, in a long time, the realist on my shoulder didn't say anything, it just sat there in silence rolling the words around its mouth; Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu.

At a dinner last weekend I heard about this place for this first time. My cousin and I were discussing his honeymoon plans and he mentioned this place, Machu Picchu, that he'd love to visit sometime. He told me that it's in Peru, South America, and its a part of the Inca Trail. Now the Inca Trail I'd heard about, but the idea that there is this hidden city of ruins high up in the mountains just seemed so exciting. I'm not generally a big fan of hiking or venturing outdoors to do anything too adventurous; an outdoor music festival has enough dirt for me for one weekend! But, this idea has been floating around in my head for a couple of days now and just Google-ing some pictures has brought to this conclusion...

My Big Fat Big Dream is to some day see Machu Pichu!

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We're getting older... no duh

So I had my 5 year high school reunion last night. I think what probably surprised me the most was the fact that I was bang on par with the majority of my grade. Whew. Jokes, what can one really expect only five years post your high school graduation? Not much excitement except a few undergrads, some pushing through their masters, some odd jobs here and there, and then of course there's those who have travelled the world.

Take advantage of your youth, because I can guarantee the ten year reunion is going to be much more news worthy!

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Conventional is a good fallback position isn't it?

I don't know about you but I honestly think I'm pretty conventional, and what's wrong with that????

At least I don't try and act like I'm unconventional.

For me, conventional is not a fallback position, its my position, and a pretty good one at that!

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Ayoba! vs. Res Inc.

As Ayoba!s three year run came to an end this last weekend we managed a cracker of a game! I was very lucky this week to receive some 'crib notes' from Amy post-match, I was clearly too busy chatting at the back to realise what was going on half the time.
    
     1. Shelz, always afraid of the cold, wears tights under her shin-pads! According to Amy they
         do that in Malaysia because they're Muslim, although Shelz is not a practising Muslim we
         love it, it's a classy look for sure.

     2. Coach Batman missed the game...AGAIN, but Mikey Mike filled in and was kept busy
         coaching the forwards, lots of 'subbing'.
     3. 13 goals were scored through Res Inc.'s kicking-back's legs.
     4. Emma hurt her thumb...

     5. It was cold.
     6. Sammy did an interpretive dance on the side of the field, apparently it worked on
         Saturday night as a part of her 'naps' strategy.
     7. We're still not entirely sure if Bee played.
     8. Shelley scored a hat-trick; for that she was supposed to take her tights off.
     9. Donne's dreams of a hat-trick were quickly shattered when Mike pulled her off
         after her first.
   10. Candice's dreams of a hat-trick never existed.
   11. Monty shouted something strange at one point and then started running around weirdly.

For all those who have contributed in some way or another to Ayoba! and the past three years, the memories will last forever! Ayoba yoba yoba yo!

You can't chase two rabbits at the same time

Well Mr McGregor definitely proved that was true. Peter Rabbit had him do a complete runaround in Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit. The idea of trying to catch two of them as an old man would be near impossible, both would run in opposite directions.

Mr McGregor chasing Peter Rabbit
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"Nothing is more dangerous than an idea, when you only have one idea," ...

said no one without a plan B and C. If you've ever had an idea, something you really treasure, something you even call your 'baby,' then you know what I'm talking about.

Being a big planner there's always a back-up plan, if there isn't then it probably wasn't the greatest plan to begin with.



Always have your Back-up Plan!
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Have you figured out the second head fake?

When Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 'given' between three and six months left to live he wrote The Last Lecture. This speech hit a cord with so many and led to him becoming famous worldwide. At the end of his speech he asked the audience whether they'd figured out the second head fake? He had written this beautiful piece of inspiration and advice for his children, not for those in attendance.

Randy wanted to leave something for his kids and this was it, a piece that discussed all the best advice he could think of, for when he wasn't there. On his personal website Randy expresses surprise at the amount of people,who have already viewed his speech video online. He admits that it was meant for his kids but that he's also really pleased if other people have taken value from it. At least the second head fake wasn't a waste. Go check it out at http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/ Be inspired!

Ayoba! Vs Carinus Cobras

This past weekend Ayoba! took on the Carinus Cobras and after a messy first goal by Bee, Ayoba! were off to a cracking start. Even the Cobras' coach's play board couldn't help them!

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If Ayoba! manage to keep up their winning streak we could be in the finals again this year, what a way that will be to end a great three year journey. That will definitely be ayoba!