i think i need a holiday now

although i have been keeping it mum for a while (please note for no other reason than pure slothery), i have been doing an internship in the GQ magazine copy editing department for the past two weeks. well. what this has taught me is that i definitely don't want to do copy editing someday. geez. you read every article in the magazine, about 6 times over, three months in advance, checking for errors. now i know i'm an anal spelling freak but there is a line one needs to draw in order to preserve one's sanity. if i ever do foray in to copy editing, it would be for a shitty magazine that i don't actually ever read in real life - this way, i can maintain the child-like excitement on the 21st of every month when new reading material hits the shelves.

another thing i learnt is that i actually don't want to work at all one day. my dream of becoming a journalist/ fashiony person has (once again) been replaced by the dream of being a lady of leisure.  decadence trumps success every time. 

why? 

after a day of work, i am SO TIRED. like go to bed at 8pm tired, even though my working day only starts between 9 and 10 am every day. exhaustion of such nature means the time i get to spend with the bird after he comes home from work is all a bit of a blur/am i dreaming? vibes. honestly, most of the time i can't remember our conversations at all.

another con of being a bread winner (not that i was earning any bread, just eating it) is that your eating habits have to conform with the rest of society/your office. you see, my eating routine is non existent. i eat when i am hungry. i never eat breakfast (although dossing till 11 makes this easier) and my lunch is usually spread out throughout the afternoon. THIS WORKED FOR ME!! now, getting up at the crack of morning traffic (i live in a busy street, okay), one has to eat breakfast or you'll surely die before you find parking. 

lunch is from 1 to 2, and i learned very quickly (although this donkey made the same mistake thrice) that the coffee shop across the street is a TRICK and will steal all your money - in short, eating out is expensive. so i learned to pack lunch. meaning i never left my desk. which is like the first thing any magazine will tell you to NOT do if you want to lose weight. office chair shapes make all the food go straight to your butt. they should teach us this in pre-primary.

the third con is not being able to do anything in office hours. which is the fatal flaw of life i suppose. everthing is only open/available/willing n office hours. you work in office hours though, as do most people. thus; most people, in the world, can't get anything done.ever. proof, as i've experienced this firsthand!

and now i've been asked to stay another week. in the fashion department!!!! and honestly, i'm overjoyed. maybe i shall become a working woman after all.

crouton, crouton, crunchy friends in a liquid broth

so this post is about soup, soup, a tasty soup, soup.

excuse the constant mighty boosh paraphrasing. i. just. can't. help. it. maybe i should provide the lyrics just to get us all on the same page. mother, as my only reader, i feel i must do this for you. being older and all.

The Soup Song - The Mighty Boosh

Soup, soup, a tasty soup, soup, a spicy carrot and coriander.

Chili chowder!

Crouton, crouton, crunchy friends in a liquid broth. I am gazpacho, oh, I am a summer soup, oh! Miso, miso! Fighting in the dojo, miso, miso! Oriental prince in the land of soup!

AAAND... the link to the video ----->HERE

 (you're welcome)

now, to get back to what i actually was going to talk about. the other night i made THE MOST AMAZING potato and leek soup. i ate it all in a day and a half. which is quite a lot. it is honestly the most wholesome, hearty, and comforting bowl of liquid you will ever consume. even those of you who are domestically incapable and kitchen retarded cannot mess this up, and it will be a very rewarding experience, both in the sense of creating and enjoying.

potato and leek soup FOR DUMMIES  

• take about four or five medium sized leeks, chop of the top bit where its very muddy, then slice finely and chuck in a bowl of water to rinse out all the dirt and grit. (removal of dirt and grit very important!!) 

• meanwhile, chop up an onion or two, and heat up a largeish pot with a knob of butter and a glug of oil.

• muddle the leek rings around to wash well, drain, and add to the (now melted) butter in pot along with the onion.  strip in a few stalks of thyme (this is a herb) and cook over a medium heat until the onions and leeks are all soft and yellowy and yummy.

• add about a glass and a half of white wine, you may drink the rest. while this is cooking off, peel and cube (this means cut into blocks - about 2,5cm x 2,5cm if you want specifics) around about 4 or 5 potatoes. 

• add potatoes to the pot, cook for a bit to allow the potatoes to absorb the winey-buttery-oniony goodness. add about a litre of chicken stock - instant is fine - and simmer over a gentle heat for about one to one and a half hours, or until the potatoes are tender. 

• now, if you are lucky and own a hand blender or liquidiser, apply that to lumpy mixture in pot. if, like me, you only possess a potato masher, apply that. it's okay if it's not perfectly velvety smooth - the lumps actually make it more filling and rustic. 

• when your soup is smoothish, stir in one cup of cream and one cup of milk, a good sprinkling (about a tablespoon) of nutmeg, and if you'd like (and i do like, very much), a handful of strong grated cheese, like pecorino or gruyere.

NOW (and only now) may you season with salt and pepper.

• if you're not going to eat the soup all at once, rather sprinkle the cheese onto individual portions, as it tends to form a skin once the soup has cooled. add less salt, in that case, as the cheese is quite salty.

• this soup is delicious on its own, but to 'soup' it up (i had to, sorry), serve with some oven toasted ciabbatta slices that have been rubbed with a clove of garlic and some olive oil before toasting - delish! also nice with some crispy bacon bits on top, or a dollop of sour cream.

serves one very hungry jenna or about eight normal people.  

tonight i'm making butternut soup - stay tuned!

love makes the world go round

love is a word that is said much too easily and far too little

when you've had a shitty day, and it feels like everything is irritating you, you sometimes take it all out on the person who deserves it the least. however, this person is blessed with the patience and the love that allows him to listen to your rants and raves, tell you to relax, and bring you tissues. he then makes it all better with a cup of tea, a kiss on the forehead and an 'i love you'.

for me, this person is the boy i love. for others, it can be a friend or family member. whoever this person may be, he (or she) loves you, and you love him (or her) enough to listen to their advice, however harsh it may be, and see the situation from a better perspective.

without love, we would be selfish, ugly people, narcissistic and ego-centric. without love, the world on't go round.

happy anniversary baby.

even stars die eventually

whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it's very important that you do it - mahatma ghandi

life is what happens in between the kodak moments, the certificates and the prize givings. life is what happens when you are not paying attention.  life is what happens when you are too busy trying to create movie moments, the ugly bits, the outtakes lying on the editing room floor. 


i have spent a great portion of my life waiting for it to begin. "goodness i can't wait for highschool to start - we are going to have the times of our lives". same for varsity. same for graduating. same for living away from home. FINALLY going into the direction i want to go. not only does one wish past most of every year, but you wish past the bits that you were looking forward to  in the first place.  the irony in this is painful, yet we are all oblivious. the sacredness of the hic et nunc, or the sacredness of the here and now, a concept much loved by phenomenological philosophers,  says

 don't spend too much time worrying about the future, or you will become unable to enjoy the only genuine reality we have - namely the moment of our existence we have right here and now.

 this is it.   the future is a collection of hopes. the past is a collection of memories. all we have, is the present. we must stop trying to perfect life. life is in the imperfections. in the end, nothing will really matter. no one is going to comment at your funeral on how your life seemed to be a hollywood screenplay. they're going to remember the impact you had on their lives, and the lives of others. only a nihilist will try to live life in an aesthetic way as to appear happier.

in some way, a blog, with idealistic pictures and preachy messages or excerpts of beautiful moments is exactly the opposite of what we are supposed to do. by trying to capture it, we lose it.  no pictures on this post.

rings on her fingers and bells on her toes

i have several fatal flaws, i must admit. one is a champagne taste on a lemonade budget. the other is a crippling weakness for jewelry, especially rings. one would never think i had only 10 fingers when looking through my jewelery box, and the aforementioned financial crisis means most of my rings have now turned from gold to silver to bronze/copper and my poor 10, over-accessorized fingers, a sickly green.trawling the interwebs and blogs, i discovered THE MOST BEAUTIFUL RINGS IN THE WORLD and would like to share them with you in case anyone is feeling generous during the festive season. yes, this is a blatant skimp.

these are actually supposed to be wedding rings. i want them now. and more for my wedding one day, because, you see, they STACK. these lovelies are from andrea bonelli.

now this little beaut is hand casted, so everyone looks different. i think it's lovely. i've always had a thing for wolves. it is from odette new york. dream on little girl, it costs a few hundred dollars... one day

landscape

i have been waiting for this video to premiere for ages... besides it being one of the catchiest songs in a long time (you have been warned), it features amazing west coast scenery and the beaut running of  ryan sandes - he runs these extreme desert marathon vibes. enjoy!

Thieve ft Die Heuwels Fantasties -- Way to Go

(click it. you know you want to)

i am excited to go to the beach for summer...lazy sunsets, braais, warm juice and sunscreen...glowy skin, freckles and curly curly hair! i'm planning big reads, big sun, big spf and big relaxation.

thieve is an awesome local boerewors belt band that has a great sound. here is a link to the anthem of my summer vacation last year - this song will have you singing at the top of your lungs in no time!     Thieve -- Last Day December

go look them up on facebook to hear some more of their choons ...

supper

so the other night the baby bird cooked the rabbit some supper. dating a chef has some pro's and con's. on the downside, his hours are long and the waist level proximity to ovens and micro waves might be potentially hazardous to my picket fence dreams. on the plus side though, i can be spoiled with home made bearnaise and hollandaise sauce, perfectly cooked meat and everything delicious. here are some pics of our beautiful evening - i wont post the finished product to prevent jealousy!

laduma

since the 2010 fifa world cup ( which is what it should officially be called), or as us saffa's know it by - 2010 (cue consternation and babble by the peanut gallery), i have noticed a surge in bafana support amongst white people. this poses a problem, as luminous yellow and green is not made for pale complexions. there is a reason why the majority of bafana bafana is melanin-rich people, its all in the name of fashion! a a lover of neutrals such as black, white, grey and navy, i find the south african flag a style dead end as well. don't get me wrong - i am all for a united nation and general soccer gees, so i tend to turn a blind eye during soccer and other patriotic events where style seems to go out the window - bade farewell by the honourable funeral anthem that is the vuvuzela. however, watching the soccer on wednesday evening, i spotted a stunningly fashionable sista (who, i must add, had melanin to her advantage). this just proves that style can be found everywhere!

yes, that is a south african flag. loving the puffed sleeves, nipped waist and fitted skirt. the v-neck beautifully accentuates a fuller bust and simple accessories such as a thin necklace and earrings complete the look along with pulled back hair to show off the look to full effect. how great is her girl friend pimping her out to the camera?

 how beautiful is the stadium, no? a sea of yellow to support our national side. not knowing a thing about soccer, i spent most of the game watching the crowd - how a mexican wave started in one very enthusiastic section and spread around the stadium - once, twice, three times. how vuvuzela tunes (if one could call them that, more like patterns in blowing) caught on till the stadium was literally vibrating with gees. on my left was the world's most enthusiastic woman who was literally bouncing up and down with vuvuzela blowing, to my right was a charmingly positive gentleman who was always smiling and laughing and even asked me for a camera tutorial which i gladly provided (being the most amazing-est camera exxxxpert!)

 my soccer crew - please note my absence of yellow and green with my see-through skin

a happy blur of soccer excitement captured in time. even though we lost to usa 1-0, the experience was a winner and bafana will always be champions in my heart!

broody hens

just like girls become broody and dream about babies, I am becoming broody about moving into a flat next year. all that i can think about is furniture, cutlery, crockery, paint and decor. I see it everywhere. i think about it before I go to sleep. I dream about it. I google it. I need help. And a flat - so I can start painting!

addicted - a short story

Cautiously, she peers over the top of her office cubicle. the need has overtaken her, consumed her. There is no time to escape to the ladies, or to wait until lunch. She must do it now. She can feel a bead of perspiration trickling down her cheek. The nape of her neck is tingling, the hairs on her arms are all alive with the eyes of her co-workers, staring, judging. Again she checks if the coast is clear, scanning the sea of grey, dull worker bees droning at their desks. She slowly lifts her hand to her face, casually pauses... and picks her nose.

camera obscura - french navy

i wish there was a soundtrack to life.

and that all your experiences played in dreamy montages such as this one

you are but the clothes on your back

in an interview in GQ magazine, fashion designer Mokotjo Mohulo said :

"fashion is an illusion. a way to make people see you the way you want them to see you"

 i laughed after reading it, the kind  of silent laugh that you use when you laughing at someone to their face, because it was just so true.
every day when you stand in front of your wardrobe - before you have even put your undies on - you assume a character. Black lacy bra - woman in charge. Nude seamless T-shirt bra - simple and understated, functional.
its up to you, every morning, to decide how your day is going to go. many women shy from so much responsibility in their own lives, from so much control - so they resort to a bland, depersonalized 'uniform' that they can pull on every morning, knowing that everything will go without even having to bother to put the light on. this is the easy way - and the boring way.

every day is a new you that you create. my one friend dresses 'clever' when writing a test or exam - pencil skirt, crisp white button down shirt, hair in a classic chignon. when i am at home on the farm, i look like i have walked off the cover of a Country Life magazine - bootleg jeans, golfer tee and a round neck, cape cod inspired jersey draped over my shoulders.
its not like you have to be someone you are not - a person's personality is multifaceted, like a diamond. it is only when you allow all parts to see the light, that it shines. there is a very fine line between being a different self, and trying to be someone else.

take some girls in the more alternative Stellenbosch hangout, Bohemia. the whole point of Bohemia is that you don't have to fit in, everybody come just as they are. then you find the poppie girls who come dressed in leopard print, lace and black - their idea of alternative. just because some punks shop at jay jays, doesn't mean that if you also shop at jay jays you are a punk.

knowledge

So today I am writing the first last exam of my university career. Economics. The most boring and useless subject in the world, if you ask me. After 3 years of it I still can't manage to make my pocket money last an entire month. I've been studying for this exam for about a week now, 10 hours a day, only to never use any of the knowledge I have forced into my brain ever again after 10pm tonight.

This got me thinking about knowledge and the problem with the way the university tries to apply it. Most of the stuff I have learnt -facts, numbers, dates and rude acronyms - over the past 3 years is actually absolutely useless in the real world. Perhaps it is because I'm studying a very wishy washy, academic degree - Politics, Philosophy and Economics. I suppose an engineer learns something useful in his time as a jeans-and-takkies dork. I recently read the Tao of Pooh - Chinese Taoism through the world's most loved bear. It kinds of makes you understand what Milne meant when he said he did not intend the book to be read by children. I came across a bit on knowledge, which kind of said what I felt:

"Owl, instead, seeks the Knowledge for the sake of Appearing Wise, the one who studies Knowledge for the sake of Knowledge, and who keeps what he learns to himself or to his own small group, rather than working for the enlightenment of others. That way, the scholars can appear Superior, and will not likely be suspected of Not Knowing Something."

Maybe we should stop trying to know everything, and be everything, and rather just be. As Piglet said : "Pooh hasn't much Brain, but he never comes to any harm. He does silly things and they turn out right.". Maybe we should be more like Pooh.

when girl meets boy

interviewer: why can’t you be alone without yoko?

john lennon: but i can be alone without yoko, but i just have no wish to be. there’s no reason on earth why i should be alone without yoko. there’s nothing more important than our relationship, nothing.

and we dig being together all the time. both of us could survive apart but what for? i’m not going to sacrifice love, real love for any whore or any friend or any business, because in the end you’re alone at night and neither of us want to be. and you can’t fill a bed with groupies. it doesn’t work. i don’t want to be a swinger. i’ve been through it all and nothing works better than to have someone you love hold you.

never let yourself forget

i am an incredibly nostalgic person. i get all teary eyed 

when i look at old family photos, and when i scratch

  through boxes filled with letters, report cards and 

newspaper clippings. i am also a die hard romantic, the 

type of person who gets a warm fuzzy feeling when i see my parents kiss, or my grandparents hold hands. i cling to

these moments with such vigour that i sometimes find 

myself living in the past. these are some things i never

want to forget:

riding on the back of the motorbike with my dad, and racing my sister and my grandpa

birthday parties and cupcake decorating tables

flora bay and playing with the dassies

christmases and my dad in green wellies

high school pool parties and lying in the shade of the bulldozers at the show

standard nine december holiday

falling in love

"There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colours are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again."
Elizabeth Lawrence

chase the moon