The Wonders Of My World

My monthly musings...

• Last week, I decided to throw a surprise party for my mum - two days before her birthday. With the help of a few good friends, we managed to turn a milestone in my mum's life into an enjoyable and unforgettable event. It was priceless seeing the completely stunned look on her face when everyone shouted 'Surprise' from behind a darkened room. Thanks to all our friends for making the party possible on such short notice :)


• Small Town, SA (literally) had it's fifteen minutes of fame on an episode of the TV variety show, Pasella. In the feature, our town was presented in all it's historic glory and we discovered things we never knew we had right at our front door. You can read about it on the Pasella website.


• Every time the Sanex body wash adverts appear on TV, I cringe and  quickly change the channel. It's like they're trying to repel than actually 'sell' the product. The ad is really eerie, it should come with a warning for sensitive viewers.


• Advice to friends: When a semi-cute but slightly creepy Italian boy (with an accent) offers to iron/curl your hair for free in the middle of a busy mall walkway...you should know that there has to be catch.


• I used to get mildly annoyed when people took days to respond to a simple text message. Could it really take 48 hours to type a one-line-reply? Then, I got a response to an email after one year. One year? Really? Now I'm just grateful that I get any replies to anything at all.


• This whole satchel bag trend is not working for me - and I did try. It isn't possible to fit all my junk stuff into a an A5 book-sized miniature pouch. That's why we have the oversized Alexa Mulberry bag.


• I have been putting off a much-needed trip to The Dentist, even though 'the dentist' is my kind and dear brother. You think you're going in for a routine scale and polish and then find out that you actually need 5 fillings, 2 extractions and a root canal. Having never had any of these before, I'm allowed to be afraid. 


• The one day of the year that I had to wake up early also happened to be the coldest day of the year. The temperature dropped to minus 6 degrees and there was no water because all the pipes had frozen. I'm taking this as some sort of a sign that I shouldn't be up that early again.


• I was a huge fan of Natalia Kills, until she became famous and morphed into the darker-haired but equally creepy version of Lady Gaga. Do singers have to act insane to sell records these days?


• When I asked my friend Annie what she was going to buy with her very first paycheck, she said to me that there isn't anything that she needs, only she things that she wants. It got me thinking; so often the line between 'needs' and 'wants' is blurred, that we end up with tons of things that are more 'pretty' than practical.

Snow Day in Small Town, SA

Waking up to a world covered in pristine white ice was a truly magical experience. The icy dusting on our little town brought with it a hamper of joy and excitement. Not only because schools and offices were all closed. Snow in South Africa is a rare occurrence, so when it happens, it's pretty much like Christmas in July. 



Cheery snowmen dressed in bright wooly scarves graced almost every garden. Parents enjoyed a day off, while children's laughter and snowflakes filled the air. This was the heaviest snowfall I've ever seen, it was more than 20cm deep. People had to shovel their way out of their driveways. Trees had fallen down due the sheer weight of the snow. Roads were closed to and out of the town, meaning that while we reveled in our snowcapped bliss, many travelers and truck drivers were stranded. A few good samaritans spent their day providing them with warm food and shelter.

These are some photos I took during the day. We drove around for a short while, but soon discovered that the roads were too slippery and treacherous. So we settled for buttered popcorn and a steaming pot of coffee in front of the fireplace instead. As gently as the snow drizzled it's magic upon us, it began to melt. By tomorrow morning all we will be left with are the sludgy remnants of an enchanting snow day that too swiftly passed.

It's Snowing!

The first Winter snow is here...and we're all pretty excited in Small Town, South Africa.



It started snowing at 9pm this evening, and after a few hours a beautiful white blanket covered our town. I braved the cold at about 23:30 and went outside to take these photos of my front garden. My cat is not at all impressed that his playground has been transformed into an icy winter wonderland.

The Wonders of My World

My monthly musings...

• Having five email address is becoming rather confusing. I have a personal one for friends, one for my blog, another for work/academic purposes, one for my online subscriptions and finally an archive address to which I forward all my important emails for storage. I'm afraid that one of these days I will mistakenly send my college assignments to all of my friends and absent-mindedly send a very scandalous email to a potential employer. 


• I used to think that the bulletproof glass you find in banks is there for the safety of the bank tellers. After visiting the bank, I realized the the glass is actually a safety mechanism for the clients - it's there to protect them from being strangled by frustrated, irritated and infuriated bank employees. 


• I was quite disappointed when Klaus was finally revealed on The Vampire Diaries this month. I was expecting someone more dashing, macho and evil looking. This Klaus character looks like he should be on a stage somewhere acting out Shakespeare's Twelfth Night as Duke Orsino. 


• In Small Town, SA, the dry cleaners are a place where you send your delicate, non-washable clothes (such as a snow white fur-lined jacket) to be 'safely' cleaned. They will return it to you two and a half weeks later, dyed in a new ash grey colour, buttons missing and completely de-furred. And the revamping of your coat will cost you more than you originally paid for it. Small Towns, go figure.


• I desperately need to find a waterproof mascara that actually is waterproof. All the tubes I currently own and use have a special talent of making me look like Kung Fu Panda by the end of the night.


• I always mock the soapie The Bold and the Beautiful, because since it began, the same circle of 5 characters have hooked up, broken up, made up, swapped partners, snatched spouses, sabotaged relationships, cheated on each other with each other then got back together again. Then someone pointed out to me that Gossip Girl is the exact same thing, with better clothes. Sad but true. I will not be making fun of the B&B anymore.


• If your car doesn't start after putting in the key and trying to turn it 500 times, you should check if you've actually got the right key. It will save you from a whole lot of anxiety and well wasted time ;p


• We all know that too much sun is bad for you, so I did my best not to get 'too much'. Turns out this is equally as bad for you, because I now have what is nicknamed 'Vampire Syndrome', which is just a cool name for Vitamin D deficiency. No wonder I was being mistaken for a Cullen sister.


• The audition phase of SA Idols is sadly over, but you can still get some comedy relief from the Wooden Mic auditions and also enjoy the best of SA's talent here

A Small Town City Girl

Growing up in my pink little bubble in Small Town, SA, I was quite oblivious to the bigger and some what intimidating world out there. Although not technically a farm, we have the luxury of breathing in fresh, unpolluted air, live amidst green open fields, peaceful streets and picturesque mountains. The furthest you have to drive to go anywhere is 5 minutes, In fact, you could even safely walk to your destination. The only kind of traffic you'd have to worry about are the small herds of cows or goats, that harmoniously reside amongst the lush meadows and cozy residences. Everyone knows everyone in the hamlet, which can be advantageous, because theres always a helping hand literally around the corner. On the other hand, it can be slightly annoying with the entire population always knowing your every move.



City Slickers live under the misconception that we on the countryside, or 'rural areas' as it's been called, don't have basic amenities such as electricity & running water. This is far from the truth, as we have most of what they have, just on a much smaller & simpler scale. We may not be able to pop down to Woolworths Food to purchase organic strawberries, but better still, we can get it from our local grocer, newly picked from a nearby farm, and at half the price too. Another countryside component people ask me about is how we survive without any malls, cinemas and fancy restaurants. I suppose when you grow up without extravagant entertainment options, you make the best of what you have.



My school down the road, not only offered a solid, dual medium education, but also provided a social playground. Kids grow up playing outside without fancy gadgets and without shoes, riding their bikes across leafy streets, camping out on weekends & enjoying the innocence and beauty of childhood. Instead of shopping for designer clothes to wear to the movies, friends got together to play sports & boardgames, or watch DVD's & have slumber parties. It didn't matter what clothes you wore, what kind of mobile phone you owned or if you even had one, or what social background you came from. You were accepted and liked for who you are. It was a blissful, carefree life, the only one I had known...well, until I began the “Campus Girl” Chapter of my life.



Moving to The City had me wrapped up in an anxious knot, excited by relocation but also fearing the unknown. I had often made many weekend visits to the City of Gold, and vacationed at the Cape & KZN Coast, but actually living in a city left me feeling a little jellyfish out of water. My first week of orientation as a bemused Bachelor of Arts student was a complete culture shock. Verdant valleys & picket fences long forgotten, I had stepped into a concrete world of shadowing skyscrapers & reckless roadsters. Besides the smoggy air clogging up my lungs, the nightmarish traffic turned a 20 minute journey to university into an hour long, snail paced drive. The cool crowd on campus would only be friends with you if you 'fit in' to their savvy city lifestyles; wearing the right brands, cruising around in fancy cars and hanging out at the hottest venues, all armed with street conceit smart attitudes. I refused to be consumed by it all, afraid I would lose my sense of self & forget the unpretentious world I came from. I became disillusioned with the bright lights, fast lives and freeways. Far from what I had anticipated, I began to research the benefits of long distance learning.



Upon receiving the campus diary & lecture schedule, I tried to decipher the cryptic subject codes & allocated time slots. I longed for straightforward school days where your form teacher told where you had to be at what time and that ENG 154 was just English and not linguistics or lexicography. My spirits were drowned, rather than dampened when I found out, in order to receive the required credits, I needed to take up 26 modules. In One Year. I had back to back, overlapping, hour long classes in different, distant venues & adding to the stress of it all, poetry at university level made my entire Matric syllabus look like a preschool nursery rhyme. Returning my copy of Norton's Anthology, I took up Anthropology instead. It was then, I wondered whether if it was too late to take a gap year.



However, once my the first set of lectures began, a new wave of creative encouragement aerated my deflated aspirations. I was inspired by the compelling contents of my study material, knowledgeable lecturers, and even the vast, dusty lecture halls filled with students just as confused as I was. It was here that I met my kindred spirits, both also studying Journalism. Once the initial 'Hello's' and introductions were exchanged, we instantly clicked, connected by our love for all things Glamour, Cosmo, frills and thrills. They became my support system, my home away from home, ensuring that my 4 year stay in the city was an unforgettable one.



My metamorphosis from Small Town to City Girl became an amazing adventure, fulfilled by mall-hopping, class skipping, note copying, faithful friendship and of course, some studying in between.



I realised that living a city life doesn't change who you are, as I will always a small town girl at heart.

A Newsless Newspaper

In Small Town, SA, nothing noteworthy really happens. We do have occasional offenses, minor political problems and some farm related issues. When these incidents occur, you can read about it in our local newspaper. 3 weeks after it happens or, most likely, not at all. 

I recall the first thing I learnt about 'the news' in a Journalism lecture at university. That it's new, topical and based on current events that are significant to the society it is aimed at. That does not apply here in Small Town, SA. Our local and only newspaper has been running since 1903, and since then, the only thing that has changed is the introduction of colour photos. It comes out once a week, which is too often, as there is nothing relevant to fill the pages. Actually, there is, but you would probably hear about it from your next door neighbour, not your newspaper. I have no idea why they completely omit 'the news', as there is news to report on. Wherever you go, no matter how small or boring a place is, there will always be something to write about.

During the medical strikes of last year, our newspaper failed to report about the seriously ill patients that were turned away from the hospital, or the extent to which innocent people suffered. During the school strikes, there was no mention of the worried teachers, panicked parents or rebellious students. Nor the vandalism and intimidation that came with it. Two years ago, I heard over a national radio station about a major uprising against the mayor in our town. Our newspaper seemed oblivious to the riots and homes set alight. A string of violent crimes took place recently, but that too, of course was not important enough to feature in our local paper. So what then is? 

Well, each week, the front page story will almost always have something to do with the local high school. Students that did well in exams or victorious sports teams, cheerleaders, concerts or any other trivial school event. The next page will be a religious note, followed by 2 more pages of school news. Then a 'Women's Page' with copied-and-pasted health articles and really unappetizing recipes. This is followed by the last few pages, which reports on local sporting events. By sporting events, I mean school rugby and hockey matches and weekly results from the golf club. In between all the 'news', there are promotions, classifieds and adverts, which finance this publication. There are more advertorials than there are editorials.

I shudder to think that if the high school or golf club closed down, we may not have a newspaper at all. Maybe that's actually not such a bad thought. Perhaps you're wondering why I never applied to write for our paper. When I completed my Journalism degree, it was the first thing I did. However, they told me that they didn't need any 'journalists' to write for their paper, and they were doing pretty fine just as they were. At least I tried, so now I don't have to feel guilty about not informing the community every time something newsworthy does happen. That's what we have neighbours for anyway, right? To tell us about the news. Newspapers are so 1903, they have become obsolete :P

So, as this farm-town newspaper has no real use, I have decided to collect my weekly copies and turn it into something fashionable. I'm going to use the picture below as inspiration ;)

Party in Small Town, SA

7 days, 70 guests, 2 birthdays, 1 party. This weekend proved that it is possible to plan a party in just one week. In Small Town, SA, we have no event planners or decor hire, nowhere to buy party clothes or birthday gifts and no available venues. When two of my close friends decided to throw a combined 21st/18th birthday party, no one thought it could be done within the time limit. We couldn't find a venue that was not falling apart, booked out or overpriced in such a short time. After much searching, pleading and negotiating, we managed to book a venue that included a roof, tables and some chairs. Everything else had to be done ourselves. 





In a whirlwind of a week, we organized everything from invitations, decor, music, menu, food, drinks and all the little trimmings that take an event from drab to fab. There were many nerve-racking are-we-going-to-get-this-done-on-time moments but, with the help of friends and family, all the party plans finally fell into place. We transformed the dreary venue with dazzling decor in black and red. Buffet tables were deliciously lined with braai favourites, delightful drinks, mouth-watering desserts, cookies and cakes. After far too much good food, the band of bewildered DJ's set up their decks (aka a Hi-Fi and computer) and tried to get the crowd to liven up a bit. This was actually more of a mission than planning the entire party, as no one likes to stand out in a crowd. Luckily, the Birthday Girls stepped in and set a spark to the dancefloor, and others slowly started to ease up and join in. The rest just turned their seats towards us, hoping to catch some free entertainment in the modern-day Small Town version of Saturday Night Fever. As they say, if you can't beat them, join them. If you can't join them, pull up a chair and stare.





Party Round-Up:





Theme song of the night: Only Girl In The World by Rihanna

Best dressed: The Birthday Girls of course!

Most delicious: Creamy coffee marble cheesecake

Most surprising: Seeing people you'd never expect busting their moves on the floor.

Most awkward moment: A bar-style brawl breaking out over some mindless miscommunication and attention seeking.

Most annoying: The unpaid paparazzi capturing our every move on film.

Worst decision: Wearing high heels. Our feet were aching after just 10 minutes in.

Best decision: Kicking off the high heels and walking barefoot.

Worst revelation: Realizing that walking barefoot was not such a good idea, as the carpet was covered in all sorts of unidentifiable gross and sticky things. My galpal Ms Mocha advised us to wash our feet with Dettol & Domestos when we got home, to prevent any infection.

Best line of the night: Don't talk to me, talk to my Blackberry.





I am happy to report that the party was a huge success. The night was lit up with some much needed excitement, fun & laughter with the presence of great company. I would like to say that we partied until the sun came up...but we only had the venue until midnight. A minute after that, and any Small Town Cinderella may turn into a pumpkin ;) Oh yeah, and the security guard would've had to chase us out.

The Wonders Of My World

• I really need to stop buying things just because they're pink. Sometimes it's just not functional nor smart and turns out to be completely useless. But it is oh so pretty.


• Thank you to everyone who has invited me onto WhatsApp. Sadly, I cannot get this application on my 'smartphone', as apparently, it is not smart enough. But it is pink.


• It's possible to watch P.S I Love You for the 300th time and still get teary-eyed. Although it's the saddest movie I've seen, I don't think I will ever tire of watching it.


• Expresso should be labelled as either a) A drug b) Food poisoning or c) The secret to staying awake for eternity.


• It isn't fair to judge someone on a bad decision they've made, unless every single decision you've made in your own life was the right one.


• It's easier to buy a firearm than a memory card in South Africa. Purchasing a Micro SD card from a well-known franchise required me to place a special order through a glass window, pass several security checks and pay for it at a separate part of the store, then return with the stamped receipt to receive my card. I then had to leave my name, number, ID, address, blood type, next of kin, etc with the sales lady (who tried to dissuade me from buying it in the first place). When I tried to leave the store with my newly-bought card, the security alarm went off and all the shoppers turned to look at me like I was a Lindsay kleptomaniac Lohan (so embarrassing). Finally, the security guard cleared my purchase and I was free to go. Needless to say, I won't be showing my face around there for a long time.


• Buy the March 2011 issue of South African Elle and receive a free L'oréal Glam Shine lipgloss (my ultimate fav). You won't find any copies left in Small Town, SA, 'cause I've cleared out the stands. 


• If someone doesn't pick up their phone after the 10th ring, it probably means that they're very busy, unavailable or they just don't want to speak to you. Either way, after the first 5 failed attempts, you should really just stop calling.


• In an attempt to reduce my caffeine intake, I decided to try decaffeinated coffee. In Small Town, SA, there are only two types of decaf brands available. One that tastes like coffee-flavoured sand, and another that's slightly worse - decaffeinated gravel.


• I am really not a violent person, but the next time someone starts chatting away while I'm watching The Vampire Diaries, I will have to stab them with a spoon. You have been warned.

The Wonders of My World

*Image from weheartit

• The whole inner as outerwear trend should be banned for health reasons. Wearing a corset may look fabulous but it can stop your circulation. And the strangling effect it has on your stomach prevents you from eating. No wonder models are so skinny.


• According to Wikipedia, a download quota is a restriction fixed by an Internet Service Provider to limit the volume of data downloaded during a fixed period, usually a month. Once a fixed download cap (e.g. 250 GB/month) has been reached by the end user (me), the speed at which they access the internet is usually throttled to a slower speed or they are charged for excess data usage. All this means to me is that my internet stopped working earlier today because I download way too many Mp3's, recipes, photos and other unnecessary web-junk.


• A GPS is a device that can be used to get you lost. Yes, lost. Ours kept telling us to turn left into a non-existent road, straight into a cornfield. After 20km of that annoying all-knowing voice saying, 'Turn left, Turn left, Recalculating, Recalculating', I almost threw it out the window and into the cornfield. Maybe some farmer can use it to find his cows.


• The state of Mpumalanga roads is atrocious. You have to replace all your tyres after hurdling through the craters and boreholes. Now I know why the local government is doing nothing to improve it, because if they do, they will no longer have an excuse to buy ridiculously overpriced cars every other month.


• Grammy Award winning artist, Imogen Heap will be performing in SA at the end of this month. I really like the ambient sounds of this electro-folk singer. You will recognize her voice from Jason Derulo's Watcha Say and Hide & Seek, mixed by Tiesto. Book at www.computicket.com


• If you live in the city, check out the supercute Benefit Brow Bar at Woolworths. It's a good idea as long as you don't mind having your brows done in front of all the other shoppers.


• Some people use Facebook to stalk their secret crushes, then they wonder why their victims beloved ones block their photos and activities on their profile page. Em, I think they're hiding it from you, so you can't use their photograph as your screensaver and to stop you from 'showing up' at every place their status says they're going to.


• If you like to watch culinary competitions, you will enjoy a double dose of the exciting reality show, Top Chef. Season 5, Tuesdays on the Series Channel and catch the older seasons on Wednesdays on SABC 3.


• For something fresh and zesty, try out Laager Green Rooibos, Citrus and Ginger tea. It's caffeine free, rich in anti-oxidants and tastes really good.


• Strangest thing - every new person I meet from around the country has a friend, cousin, aunt, grandparent or knows somebody from Small Town, SA. We are famous! Who knew?

In Search of Sustenance

Besides for a starburst of sparkles in the sky, New Year's in Small Town, SA was pretty much uneventful. So, we decided to take a 50km drive and spend the day in Much Bigger Town, SA. Things there were quiet, all shops were closed and streets were empty but evident of the massive party the night before. While most revelers were re-enacting The Hangover, families picnicked in the park. I was looking forward to eating out at a fancyish restaurant, seeing that we have none in my hometown. Arriving at the empty parking lot of the designated restaurant; we found closed doors, chairs up and shutters down. It was disappointing, but we decided to try another place on the other side of town. 

As we drove up to the entrance, large letters inside read “Sorry, we're closed.” That's not a problem, we thought, we'll just drive around and find somewhere else to eat. That clearly was enough optimism for the first day of the year, it actually was a problem, because everywhere else was closed. Alright, alright, I would be lying if I said absolutely every eatery was closed. Mcdonald's was open, but no one was in a mood for an MSG overdose and a tasteless, trans fatty, super-sized slice of cholesterol. Trying to find an open restaurant on New Year's Day is like trying to find sense in a Wayan's Brothers movie. There is None. 

It was past 3pm on our hunger hunt, when we came across a small eastern restaurant. Someone in our group suggested that we try it out, just for the 'experience'. Faint and famished, we all agreed. We entered hesitantly, looking around and realising that we were a tad bit overdressed for our dark and dingy surroundings. Walls that were once cream and orange had a dusty brown tinge, burgundy chairs and plastic covered tables lined the sticky floor and all that separated us from the kitchen was a faded floral curtain. Sweltering in the 30 degree heat, I wondered how many food safety and health regulations were being violated in the dining area and kitchen. 

The menu had an identity crisis, offering traditional dishes from all over India, Pakistan and China as well as modern fast-food favourites. I chose Chinese chow mein, while everyone else settled for peri peri chicken made on an open fire outside. Maybe hunger is the best spice, as once our flavourful meal arrived, we couldn't get enough. You really can't judge a book by it's cover, or in this case, a restaurant by its dilapidated décor, as the results can turn out to be far more pleasant than you thought. The aromatic dishes were a delicious end to our good food quest and a spicy start to 2011.

A Fair To Remember

As you can imagine, the entertainment element in Small Town, SA is basically non-existent. So, when there's word of a town fair, we get pretty excited. I always imagine any fair to have lots of little stalls selling quaint crafts and collectables, homemade confectionary, carousels, freshly made pancakes, pony rides and my all time carnival classic, candy floss. It's a place where families flock to buy handmade ornaments they will never find space for, 

get a tooth ache on a toffee apple and lose their kids in the crowd. 

After actually attending the fair, I realised that I may just have an overactive imagination. Our local event involved a kilted Scotsman playing the bagpipes, some lost American tourists and a bunch of stylish Joburgers, drunk on the fresh farm air, among other things. The entire 'fair' was a single table selling overpriced gardening gear. Not a stick of candy floss in sight! Under normal circumstances, I would have been disappointed, but I figure that a country fair with 10 attendees, R700 pot plants and some bagpipes is far better than not having one at all. Here's to next years fair! It couldn't possibly get any worse, right?