I'm a bit grumpy at the moment because there are contractors in our tiny staff kitchen, all over the kitchen, they've been there all morning, apparently to install the plumbing for a new Dishwasher, and I can't get in there to make coffee. Why the hell they have to deconstruct and re-arrange the entire kitchen just to put in a pipe is beyond me. But I won't be arguing, this is the latest gadget commissioned by our monotone dictator, our resident Bulgarian architect, who I'm sure is a direct relation of Frankenstein, with amplification. She can be quite opinionated and hardcore, not one to do battle with because you will never be right, no matter how wrong she/it is!
Bark bark...
So yesterday evening after a whole day of studying I took a break and made a delicious braai with a steak and a pork Texan that was in the freezer. Massive pieces of meat, so we'll be having toasted steak sandwiches for dinner tonight, the thought of which has me licking my chops already! With the braai I did a large sweet potato wrapped in foil cooked on the coals, and a half a cabbage done the way my dad does it - in foil, sliced into inch-thick chunks with cheese, butter, salt & pepper and a sprinkling of brown onion soup powder between each slice, cooked on the coals. Damn it was so delicious, even Tammy had some! Also did a few braai-broodtjies. The whole meal cooked on the fire, simple and delicious! If my wife and my finances allowed I would only cook on an open fire, no matter the weather. Even back in London my mate and I used to braai, middle of winter, in the snow, standing around the fire in shorts and big bomber jackets with a cold beer in hand. The neighbours thought we were insane, peering at us nosily through their misted up windows overlooking our back yard. We were just normal South Africans!
I have to admit I broke the drought with a couple of beers last night. Sorry but I don't yet have the balls to do a braai without a beer. But it wasn't a piss-up, it was just a few well deserved beers after a determined weekend of studying. I've made good progress with the photography studies. I'm still only about a quarter of the way through the camera user manual, though I'm working through it in conjunction with a book I downloaded off Torrents last week, the "Nikon D7000 - From Snapshots to Great Shots", by John Batdorf. It's an awesome book. I didn't get much done on the Photoshop stuff yet, but I did make a bit more progress on the course material. My target is to complete module one and submit the first assignment by the end of the week.
Though at the moment I'm going through the "professional" shooting modes on the camera (Program, Aperture priority, Shutter priority and Manual), which is very interesting. I reckon pretty soon I will never use the automatic modes again, I'm going full manual! It's amazing what you can do with a camera like this when you know how to use it!
Anyway, tomorrow is a public holiday here in SA, I think I'll head out somewhere picturesque and have a good play with the camera. I need to give it a name, like boys often do with their toys, and other appendages. How about "Mike"? Named after the boxer. "Meet Mike, now smile dammit!"
Monday, 8 August 2011
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Busy busy busy...
Like yesterday, I was up early and fresh this morning, with no after-effects from drinking the night before! Had some breakfast with a very cheerful Tammy, the little chatterbox had TWO bowls of wheetbix!
So last night I was up late studying the user manual for my new Nikon D7000. Damn it's a complicated peice of equipment, with dials and buttons and hundreds of functions that I've neither heard of nor knew that a camera was capable of doing! It's very fascinating and I'm excited to learn what all those thingy-majigs can do, I'm loving the gadget more and more as I get to know it!
Also last night I studied the user manual for the 18-200mm lens I got with the camera and got that waxed. And yes, I needed a manual to operate the lense, it's a bit more than a normal click-on and fire away job. It features the focus ring, zoom ring, zoom lock, distance measure, vibration reduction controls (x 2), removable petal-hood, and some complicated internal organry that is useful to know. I'm so glad I upgraded to this from the standard supplied kit lens!
The next lens I'd like to get is a full 180 degree ultra-wide angle fish-eye. But at around R9000 it will have to wait a while! Might just have to squeeze out a cheaper Macro before that.
Anyway, today I have a busy day planned. This morning, when my dear wife is eventually showered and ready, we're going down to Game at Bayside (Fukken hate that place, but it's the closest!) to get a proper office chair for this workstation. I can't imagine spending all the time I'm going to be spending at my PC sitting on this old garden chair, I'll have a walking stick and a hunch like that old fella from Notre Dame in no time.
Then it's nose into the studies. I'd like to try get Module One finished and a possible start on Assignment 1 before the 8pm movie, and get some more mileage into the user manual for the camera. It's a bible of 326 pages. With all my effort I've made it to page 40 so far, and that's the easy stuff! The next chapter covers scene modes, which are like pre-set settings for various shooting situations. My old Nikon D40x, and the newer very common D3100 has around 6 scene modes, my new D7000 has 19 creative scene modes, including portrait, landscape, children, sports, close-up, night portrait, party/indoor, beach/snow, sunset, dusk/dawn, pet portrait, candelight, blossom, autumn colours, food, silhouette, high-key, and low-key.
The third thing I'm now working on is a brilliant book I downloaded by the worlds leading expert on Adobe Photoshop, this one specifically geared to the latest version of Photoshop, CS5, specifically for photography. It's an excellent resourse with online references which I am using as a text book. I will be working through this and other Photoshop resources in parallel to my diploma course so that by the time the course is complete I'll be fully competent with Photoshop and related software so that post-production will be a breeze!
I have to say though, cracking the latest version of PS was not easy, took over an hour to get it fully activated! But it's working, and it's a brilliant program, and when I'm working professionally I will purchase a full renewable license.
So unfortunately my family is going to be getting used to not getting as much attention as before because I've got a lot of work over the coming months...
For now, I'm going to whip up some bacon & eggs and some hot coffee. Maybe by the time it's done my wife will be downstairs and ready.
Tick... tock... tick... tock...
So last night I was up late studying the user manual for my new Nikon D7000. Damn it's a complicated peice of equipment, with dials and buttons and hundreds of functions that I've neither heard of nor knew that a camera was capable of doing! It's very fascinating and I'm excited to learn what all those thingy-majigs can do, I'm loving the gadget more and more as I get to know it!
Also last night I studied the user manual for the 18-200mm lens I got with the camera and got that waxed. And yes, I needed a manual to operate the lense, it's a bit more than a normal click-on and fire away job. It features the focus ring, zoom ring, zoom lock, distance measure, vibration reduction controls (x 2), removable petal-hood, and some complicated internal organry that is useful to know. I'm so glad I upgraded to this from the standard supplied kit lens!
The next lens I'd like to get is a full 180 degree ultra-wide angle fish-eye. But at around R9000 it will have to wait a while! Might just have to squeeze out a cheaper Macro before that.
Anyway, today I have a busy day planned. This morning, when my dear wife is eventually showered and ready, we're going down to Game at Bayside (Fukken hate that place, but it's the closest!) to get a proper office chair for this workstation. I can't imagine spending all the time I'm going to be spending at my PC sitting on this old garden chair, I'll have a walking stick and a hunch like that old fella from Notre Dame in no time.
Then it's nose into the studies. I'd like to try get Module One finished and a possible start on Assignment 1 before the 8pm movie, and get some more mileage into the user manual for the camera. It's a bible of 326 pages. With all my effort I've made it to page 40 so far, and that's the easy stuff! The next chapter covers scene modes, which are like pre-set settings for various shooting situations. My old Nikon D40x, and the newer very common D3100 has around 6 scene modes, my new D7000 has 19 creative scene modes, including portrait, landscape, children, sports, close-up, night portrait, party/indoor, beach/snow, sunset, dusk/dawn, pet portrait, candelight, blossom, autumn colours, food, silhouette, high-key, and low-key.
The third thing I'm now working on is a brilliant book I downloaded by the worlds leading expert on Adobe Photoshop, this one specifically geared to the latest version of Photoshop, CS5, specifically for photography. It's an excellent resourse with online references which I am using as a text book. I will be working through this and other Photoshop resources in parallel to my diploma course so that by the time the course is complete I'll be fully competent with Photoshop and related software so that post-production will be a breeze!
I have to say though, cracking the latest version of PS was not easy, took over an hour to get it fully activated! But it's working, and it's a brilliant program, and when I'm working professionally I will purchase a full renewable license.
So unfortunately my family is going to be getting used to not getting as much attention as before because I've got a lot of work over the coming months...
For now, I'm going to whip up some bacon & eggs and some hot coffee. Maybe by the time it's done my wife will be downstairs and ready.
Tick... tock... tick... tock...
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Beef Ghoulashanoff and other stuff, with pictures
Not quite sure what to call this stuff, but it worked out blimmin well for a quick Friday night slap-together dinner. It started out as goulash, based on the recipe in my favourite old cookbook "Best Ever One Pot", a wire bound cheapo I found in the budget book section in Sainsbury's in London years ago. Believe it or not, I do often use recipes, though more often than not I stray quite far off the original recipe on a culinary adventure of my own imaginative creation, depending on what's in the pantry cupboard and fridge! Surprisingly most of my concoctions turn out rather delicious, by my own unusual standards anyway!
By the way, it's Saturday afternoon and I'm happy to say for a change I don't have a hangover! (Hooray for J.) It's now a week since I last touched alcohol (except the wine in last nights food, but that doesn't count!). Last night was the first real challenge on my quest to go dry because it's been for a long time now that I systematically drink myself stupid on a Friday night, unless I'm hungover from Thursday. Yes I missed my drink last night, but it wasn't unbearable. I got some stuff done on the PC and got an early night, and better yet was up early this morning, bright and fresh and not with a throbbing dehydration headache and the persistent need to sleep all day like most Saturdays. I got up with a refreshing bounce and was out early to get some banking done before the relentless Bayside Mall crowds arrived. Had a delicious breakfast with the wife at Dolce, picked up some hot, fresh cinnamon donuts, and was back home by 11 where Tammy was having a great time with her Granny Bev.
An even bigger challenge is going to be getting through tonight without drinking either. I won't drink, no question of that, but I am already craving a drink. The idea of a cold beer or a stiff whiskey & coke is very attractive as I write this. But I won't do it! If I can get through the weekend without too much withdrawal pains then the road ahead should be a lot easier. Well it works in theory, in my mind...
Ja anyway, as I was saying, this pot started out as beef goulash from the recipe, because I had goulash beef in the freezer. But as some of the ingredients were missing I flipped a few pages 10 minutes into preparation to the stroganoff page, and I didn't have all the ingredients for that either, so I combined the two, with the addition of wine and curry spices and some extra ingredients, and the result was yet another deliciously hearty meal that solicited more slurping and lip-smacking compliments than negative criticisms from the worlds harshest food critic - my wife!
( I really need to invest in a proper office style chair soon, this old plastic garden chair at my desk at home is seriously uncomfortable, exponentially so as the hours march on with my face stuck to the PC screen!)
Everyday I'm waffling... la la la...
So basically, this goulashanoff curry thing comprised of the following:
At this point we headed off to take Tammy to her swimming lesson. She has really come on a long way with her swimming, and last night in particular she was more confident than ever, co-operating with the instructor happily, and she genuinely seemed to be enjoying herself in the water revelling in her new found confidence. She's not swimming on her own yet, but I reckon it won't be long now. She went a lot longer and further under the water than previously, and she seemed totally comfortable whereas before there was always a bit of drama and spluttering. We are very proud of the little froggy and very happy with the fantastic job that teacher Lindsay of Funki Flippers in Tableview has done with Tammy!
Enjoy the photo's (taken with my old Nikon D40x and the 200mm lens), the rest of the cooking to follow further down...
After swimming and of course a marshmallow for the water-monkey we returned home for a chilled out Friday evening of good food & TV and some chocolate pudding for the girls (I don't like that shit!)
 |
| My dinner. Taken with the new Nikon D7000, no flash. |
An even bigger challenge is going to be getting through tonight without drinking either. I won't drink, no question of that, but I am already craving a drink. The idea of a cold beer or a stiff whiskey & coke is very attractive as I write this. But I won't do it! If I can get through the weekend without too much withdrawal pains then the road ahead should be a lot easier. Well it works in theory, in my mind...
Ja anyway, as I was saying, this pot started out as beef goulash from the recipe, because I had goulash beef in the freezer. But as some of the ingredients were missing I flipped a few pages 10 minutes into preparation to the stroganoff page, and I didn't have all the ingredients for that either, so I combined the two, with the addition of wine and curry spices and some extra ingredients, and the result was yet another deliciously hearty meal that solicited more slurping and lip-smacking compliments than negative criticisms from the worlds harshest food critic - my wife!
( I really need to invest in a proper office style chair soon, this old plastic garden chair at my desk at home is seriously uncomfortable, exponentially so as the hours march on with my face stuck to the PC screen!)
Everyday I'm waffling... la la la...
So basically, this goulashanoff curry thing comprised of the following:
- One large onion, coarsely chopped and caramelised in a big-ass cauldron (I use my trusty pressure cooker) with some brown sugar and olive oil.
- While the onion fries, chop one green pepper (didn't have the red one the goulash recipe demanded) and a slice a pack of fungus.
- Meantime add the beef (cubed steak basically) to the onions and fry on a high heat.
- Add some spice. I added some dry chili powder, ground turmeric, paprika, and about a tablespoon of Woolworths Cape Malay curry spice. Some salt & pepper and a dollop of garlic paste. Mix well to coat the meat & onions and fry some more.
- Meantime peel some carrots, chop into wheels.
- Peel a few potatoes and cut into medium chunks, eg quarter a small potato. That sort of size.
- (The last 2 ingredients are my own addition not featured in either recipe, nutritious pot-fillers to make the food go further)
- Now add the peppers, mushrooms, carrots & potatoes to the pot. Give it a stir.
- Prise open a can of chopped, peeled tomatoes and lob it into the bubbling cauldron.
- Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Pour in about half a litre beef stock (in my case about half a litre of water from the kettle and an Oxo cube! LOL.
- Quickly chuck in around half a leftover bottle of the wife's wine while she's not looking and discreetly discard the bottle (which was a week old in the back of the fridge and probably forgotten).
- Close the cauldron lid and leave to cook on a low heat for an hour and a half.
 |
| "Chooka-train" along the edge of the pool. |
Enjoy the photo's (taken with my old Nikon D40x and the 200mm lens), the rest of the cooking to follow further down...
 |
| Chilling for a moment on the floating foam mat. Life's a beach in Tammy's world! |
 |
| Splashy kicking practice. |
 |
| The floating starfish - totally confident, happy as Larry, and providing constant entertainment with her stories. |
After swimming and of course a marshmallow for the water-monkey we returned home for a chilled out Friday evening of good food & TV and some chocolate pudding for the girls (I don't like that shit!)
- Put a pot of water on to cook a pack of twisty pasta.
- Added a cup of thickening Maizena cornflour and water to the cauldron still simmering away cheerfully, smelling absolutely delectable!
- Plopped in another tablespoon full of garlic paste, pulled out the naked thyme twigs, and sealed the hatch to simmer a bit longer. Stirring every 5 minutes.
- At the end pour in a pot of fresh cream, turn down the heat, and cook for another minute stirring slowly until the sauce is nice and thick.
- Have a spoonful of the sauce to taste, muttering in satisfied delight.
- Dish up generously and enjoy watching the hungry family chomping away like Hungry Hungry Hippo's!
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Dazy 5
Today is the fifth day since I've had an alcoholic drink. Probably the longest I have gone without booze since the last time I tried to quit drinking about a year ago. That time lasted about 6 weeks before the demon bottle got a grip on my balls again.
You may wonder, why am I making public such a personal thing that maybe you'd be embarrassed to admit in public. Well, yes I'm ashamed of my alcoholic addiction, but it's no secret, and I believe that being open about it and talking about it on this blog is better "therapy", or "rehab", whatever you wanna call it, than the AA or other "institutions". Probably because I am a bad bullshitter, and if people know about my perseverance to quit, then if I break down and go on a bender again I'm not just lying to myself but also making a fool of myself and bullshitting the rest of you, which is worse. Besides, it worked before - the blogging thing. Except on it's own it eventually got boring, as did life without the bottle and not much else to keep busy except punishment in the gym.
To be honest, so far it's not been a problem, I'm not really missing my tipple. Yes there are twinges of cravings creeping through at times, but it's nothing I can't handle. I think the main reason this is working for me so far is all the excitement in my life about the very real and possible prospect of a career in photography. Not just because I believe it's possible, but because it is happening - I've got the gear and the training has started in earnest with my course through the PI. Apart from that I have a stack of bible-like manuals to study to learn how to use my new equipment technically. I also have some good e-books to work through, not least one of the books I requested on yesterday'sy's blog, kindly donated by my mother, and a couple of books on learning Photoshop CS5 in detail, as far as photographic techniques are concerned. In particular I'm keen to learn and try HDR photography soon. Also, I have an exciting business to start planning for and developing!
It's all a lot to ponder and work on, work that is going to take up a lot of time, effort & brainpower over the coming months, so I think finding the willpower to abstain from the drink should be easier than I'm dreading it to be!
Fuck knows, maybe I'll quit smoking soon too, but as I mentioned before - one thing at a time! Although when I'm not drinking I smoke a quarter of what I do when I am drinking regularly, I still need my fag every now and then when the need arises! It's good for my circulation, in that it's an excuse to get up from my desk and take a walk.
I better get back to work, before the all-knowing madam comes in and kaks me out from down there again!
You may wonder, why am I making public such a personal thing that maybe you'd be embarrassed to admit in public. Well, yes I'm ashamed of my alcoholic addiction, but it's no secret, and I believe that being open about it and talking about it on this blog is better "therapy", or "rehab", whatever you wanna call it, than the AA or other "institutions". Probably because I am a bad bullshitter, and if people know about my perseverance to quit, then if I break down and go on a bender again I'm not just lying to myself but also making a fool of myself and bullshitting the rest of you, which is worse. Besides, it worked before - the blogging thing. Except on it's own it eventually got boring, as did life without the bottle and not much else to keep busy except punishment in the gym.
To be honest, so far it's not been a problem, I'm not really missing my tipple. Yes there are twinges of cravings creeping through at times, but it's nothing I can't handle. I think the main reason this is working for me so far is all the excitement in my life about the very real and possible prospect of a career in photography. Not just because I believe it's possible, but because it is happening - I've got the gear and the training has started in earnest with my course through the PI. Apart from that I have a stack of bible-like manuals to study to learn how to use my new equipment technically. I also have some good e-books to work through, not least one of the books I requested on yesterday'sy's blog, kindly donated by my mother, and a couple of books on learning Photoshop CS5 in detail, as far as photographic techniques are concerned. In particular I'm keen to learn and try HDR photography soon. Also, I have an exciting business to start planning for and developing!
It's all a lot to ponder and work on, work that is going to take up a lot of time, effort & brainpower over the coming months, so I think finding the willpower to abstain from the drink should be easier than I'm dreading it to be!
Fuck knows, maybe I'll quit smoking soon too, but as I mentioned before - one thing at a time! Although when I'm not drinking I smoke a quarter of what I do when I am drinking regularly, I still need my fag every now and then when the need arises! It's good for my circulation, in that it's an excuse to get up from my desk and take a walk.
I better get back to work, before the all-knowing madam comes in and kaks me out from down there again!
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Crazy + Stupid = Ambition
Right now I'm feeling happy as a pig in a puddle of shit, excited beyond overwhelming at the prospect of the new career I'm embarking on; and at the same time nervous as all hell at the sheer amount of money I have just spent at around 13h30 today and whether/when I will be able to pay it off!
I have just purchased the basic tools that will shape my future career as a photographer, a professional photographer. A career I have been pondering and dreaming of for years with little hope of achieving due to the expense of the training and equipment needed. I now have the training in motion and the basic equipment I need to get this dream to transform into an exciting reality, thanks to my first ever (now blown) credit card!
I went to Orms Photo Warehouse in Cape Town, an amazing place with everything a photographer could dream of! After 20 minutes I walked out with the following:
I would LOVE to also invest in a serious telephoto zoom at least 500mm, which I'll double with a teleconverter unit for bird and wildlife photography, an ultra wide angle "fish-eye" lens for wide angle and landscape shots, and a macro lens for close up pictures. But these and other gadgets will come as and when my income allows and the need arises. For now the lens I got today, an big upgrade from the very good kit lens on offer with the camera, will suffice as it's a multi use lens capable of decent levels of all shooting conditions. Oh yes, and I'll probably make good use of a sturdy tripod too!
I am very much in love with my new toys and chomping at the bit with anticipation of getting to know how it works and taking photo's that make the world a brighter place!
In the meantime, if you've bothered reading this far and are feeling particularly generous, I would love to get my hands on some reading material, either of the following:
Much appreciated, thanks for reading! Now to get this lot insured by the end of the day!
I have just purchased the basic tools that will shape my future career as a photographer, a professional photographer. A career I have been pondering and dreaming of for years with little hope of achieving due to the expense of the training and equipment needed. I now have the training in motion and the basic equipment I need to get this dream to transform into an exciting reality, thanks to my first ever (now blown) credit card!
I went to Orms Photo Warehouse in Cape Town, an amazing place with everything a photographer could dream of! After 20 minutes I walked out with the following:
- Nikon D7000 camera body
- Nikon AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm VR II Lens
- Nikon SB-700 Speedlight Flash
- Sony Cybershot W520 Compact point & shoot camera (For the wife, her birthday present this year)
- Spare battery for the D7000
- 2 x 8GB memory cards for the D7000
- Large Nikon camera bag
I would LOVE to also invest in a serious telephoto zoom at least 500mm, which I'll double with a teleconverter unit for bird and wildlife photography, an ultra wide angle "fish-eye" lens for wide angle and landscape shots, and a macro lens for close up pictures. But these and other gadgets will come as and when my income allows and the need arises. For now the lens I got today, an big upgrade from the very good kit lens on offer with the camera, will suffice as it's a multi use lens capable of decent levels of all shooting conditions. Oh yes, and I'll probably make good use of a sturdy tripod too!
I am very much in love with my new toys and chomping at the bit with anticipation of getting to know how it works and taking photo's that make the world a brighter place!
In the meantime, if you've bothered reading this far and are feeling particularly generous, I would love to get my hands on some reading material, either of the following:
Much appreciated, thanks for reading! Now to get this lot insured by the end of the day!
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
And so it begins...
This evening I began the serious adventure of becoming a photographer! Not just the annoying idiot with a camera stuck to his face, the resident tourist at every event, outing and social gathering, snapping away randomly and relentlessly at everything that moves; as people who know me will begrudgingly recall. I don't think there's a person I know or a place I've been to that doesn't have a folder with a series of photo's on my PC's hard drives.
No, I'm no longer the "happy-snapper" with my fancy old Nikon D40x DSLR, now I'm moving up in the world and going PRO!!!
This evening I enrolled in the Professional Photography diploma course through the Photography Institute, an online home-study based course spanning 6 months of intensive technical training.
The course is expensive, even with the 25% discount I managed to bargain out of them, but I've been researching various courses for weeks now and after extensive pouring through websites and forums gathering opinions from many people I chose to bite the bullet and go for this one.
I've already downloaded module 1, which is apparently easy, and already it's filled with all kinds of fascinating information that I didn't know, and don't yet quite understand. The assignment at the end looks to be a rigid test of my understanding of the equipment described in the 88 page tutorial, I'm sure if that's the easy part the rest of the course will be a challenge, which I will relish, absorb and pass well above the required 60% to achieve my diploma!
This course is my first serious step towards becoming a professional photographer! Big words that, I know. "Professional" means somebody who is a specialist in their field of work, and earn money from that field of expertise because they are good at what they do. I intend to be that person, and I am planning to start my own business as a "Professional Photographer" by mid 2012.
Right now that is still a vague intention, however serious, there are many aspects that I need to figure out and work hard towards before that ambition is realised, many of which I'm probably still not even aware of. But this course, combined with the Small Business Management course I did through Unisa a few months back will be a good grounding for basic business practices and professional expertise. Slot in the great ideas I'm already conjuring up in my wild imagination and I am warning the world now - a revolution is in the making!
BUT, like my dear wife keeps harassing me not to discuss my plans with the world through my blog - I will heed her advice and keep the details of my business plan secret until it is ready to be launched; where the beast will be unleashed unto the world ready to capture it's beauty and savagery in all it's magnificent glory and transforming moments in time into lasting memories of her multitude of inhabitants.
And in between all that I should probably make the effort to get to gym too. I can't conquer the world with a camera as an unattractive fat fuck, unfit and lazy to the core! No, I'm going to look the part too.
BTW, I conquered Tuesday without a drink, day 3, and quite honestly don't even miss it (yet) despite the stack of bottles of beer, brandy & wine on the kitchen counter left over from Saturday.
Anyway, enough philosophical waffling, I'm going to bed!
No, I'm no longer the "happy-snapper" with my fancy old Nikon D40x DSLR, now I'm moving up in the world and going PRO!!!
This evening I enrolled in the Professional Photography diploma course through the Photography Institute, an online home-study based course spanning 6 months of intensive technical training.
The course is expensive, even with the 25% discount I managed to bargain out of them, but I've been researching various courses for weeks now and after extensive pouring through websites and forums gathering opinions from many people I chose to bite the bullet and go for this one.
I've already downloaded module 1, which is apparently easy, and already it's filled with all kinds of fascinating information that I didn't know, and don't yet quite understand. The assignment at the end looks to be a rigid test of my understanding of the equipment described in the 88 page tutorial, I'm sure if that's the easy part the rest of the course will be a challenge, which I will relish, absorb and pass well above the required 60% to achieve my diploma!
This course is my first serious step towards becoming a professional photographer! Big words that, I know. "Professional" means somebody who is a specialist in their field of work, and earn money from that field of expertise because they are good at what they do. I intend to be that person, and I am planning to start my own business as a "Professional Photographer" by mid 2012.
Right now that is still a vague intention, however serious, there are many aspects that I need to figure out and work hard towards before that ambition is realised, many of which I'm probably still not even aware of. But this course, combined with the Small Business Management course I did through Unisa a few months back will be a good grounding for basic business practices and professional expertise. Slot in the great ideas I'm already conjuring up in my wild imagination and I am warning the world now - a revolution is in the making!
BUT, like my dear wife keeps harassing me not to discuss my plans with the world through my blog - I will heed her advice and keep the details of my business plan secret until it is ready to be launched; where the beast will be unleashed unto the world ready to capture it's beauty and savagery in all it's magnificent glory and transforming moments in time into lasting memories of her multitude of inhabitants.
And in between all that I should probably make the effort to get to gym too. I can't conquer the world with a camera as an unattractive fat fuck, unfit and lazy to the core! No, I'm going to look the part too.
BTW, I conquered Tuesday without a drink, day 3, and quite honestly don't even miss it (yet) despite the stack of bottles of beer, brandy & wine on the kitchen counter left over from Saturday.
Anyway, enough philosophical waffling, I'm going to bed!
Dry August
The hot winds of change are blowing... and by that I don't mean the 28 degree berg wind roasting us in the middle of winter!
I have once again reached a point in my existence where I've realised I need to make some serious changes, one of which is to try, for the third time, to seriously tackle my drinking problem. So I've decided to go dry for the whole of August, to remain alcohol free for the whole month. This will serve not only to save money and to be a lot healthier, and more alive; but mainly as a challenge to myself to gage how well I can cope without the booze. I can't afford rehab (nor have any desire for such drastic measures), and I'm not interested in the AA (been there, done that, it didn't work for me!) so I'm just going to slog it out alone, hopefully with a bit of encouragement from my family. If this lasts the month, I'll take it from there. In my wildest dreams I might make it to Christmas, and quit smoking by then too... but like they say... baby steps, one at a time!
My last drink, in copious amounts, was on Saturday night 30 July until about 3am on Sunday the 31st. It's now Tuesday, so far so good! If anybody wants to back me up on my endeavour please do so on the comments below or email me at justindeklerk@aol.com, NOT on my Facebook wall please! I do still have some pride and dignity!
BTW, this has nothing to do with the Muslim fasting of Ramadan, it's just a timely co-incidence!
The reason I've come to this decision to attempt this feat of willpower against a long term addiction which I admittedly enjoy is that I've had enough time wasted through painful hangovers, and I feel I'm missing out on my daughter's growing up by being in the daze of drunk all the time. I get drunk every couple of days, at home, alone, usually on whiskey, which is clearly not healthy nor is it helpful to our already highly strained finances. My wife probably doesn't believe me and I don't blame her, but I'll have to deal with that in stride.
The other thing is I am on an eager and highly motivated drive to invest in starting some kind of serious career in photography, which is going to include undertaking some studies again which will no-doubt take up a lot of time. I've spent a lot of time in recent weeks in thought and researching on the internet about photography, and I'm excited as all hell to get into this like I've not been excited in years! It's something I really enjoy and one of the few things I'm actually fairly good at, and I firmly believe in myself that with some good training and some decent semi-pro gear I will be quite good, good enough to break into the world of professional photography that actually generates a reasonable income. Part-time at first, of course, but someday I'd love, absolutely LOVE to be working full time as a photographer taking the kind of pictures that make people go WOW!
So at lunch time today I'm heading off to Orms in Cape Town to check out some gear. I've got my heart set on the Nikon D7000.
The course I'm almost decided on is the Photography Institute diploma course in professional photography. It's an online home-study course that seems to cover everything photographical.
I'm well excited, and so far it's proving to be a successful distraction from the thought of alcohol.
My life has become frustratingly boring, uninteresting and for much of it unpleasant to the point of near depression (boo hoo for me) due to my deadpan routine, the people that I have to deal with daily and the depressing soul-destroying shit I have to put up with, and still having to mull over the fact that I have achieved nothing worth bragging about in life (besides my awesome child) and the prospect being trapped in this hell hole until I die unless I start fucking climbing!
The time has come for change, for the better...
Wish me luck!
I have once again reached a point in my existence where I've realised I need to make some serious changes, one of which is to try, for the third time, to seriously tackle my drinking problem. So I've decided to go dry for the whole of August, to remain alcohol free for the whole month. This will serve not only to save money and to be a lot healthier, and more alive; but mainly as a challenge to myself to gage how well I can cope without the booze. I can't afford rehab (nor have any desire for such drastic measures), and I'm not interested in the AA (been there, done that, it didn't work for me!) so I'm just going to slog it out alone, hopefully with a bit of encouragement from my family. If this lasts the month, I'll take it from there. In my wildest dreams I might make it to Christmas, and quit smoking by then too... but like they say... baby steps, one at a time!
My last drink, in copious amounts, was on Saturday night 30 July until about 3am on Sunday the 31st. It's now Tuesday, so far so good! If anybody wants to back me up on my endeavour please do so on the comments below or email me at justindeklerk@aol.com, NOT on my Facebook wall please! I do still have some pride and dignity!
BTW, this has nothing to do with the Muslim fasting of Ramadan, it's just a timely co-incidence!
The reason I've come to this decision to attempt this feat of willpower against a long term addiction which I admittedly enjoy is that I've had enough time wasted through painful hangovers, and I feel I'm missing out on my daughter's growing up by being in the daze of drunk all the time. I get drunk every couple of days, at home, alone, usually on whiskey, which is clearly not healthy nor is it helpful to our already highly strained finances. My wife probably doesn't believe me and I don't blame her, but I'll have to deal with that in stride.
The other thing is I am on an eager and highly motivated drive to invest in starting some kind of serious career in photography, which is going to include undertaking some studies again which will no-doubt take up a lot of time. I've spent a lot of time in recent weeks in thought and researching on the internet about photography, and I'm excited as all hell to get into this like I've not been excited in years! It's something I really enjoy and one of the few things I'm actually fairly good at, and I firmly believe in myself that with some good training and some decent semi-pro gear I will be quite good, good enough to break into the world of professional photography that actually generates a reasonable income. Part-time at first, of course, but someday I'd love, absolutely LOVE to be working full time as a photographer taking the kind of pictures that make people go WOW!
So at lunch time today I'm heading off to Orms in Cape Town to check out some gear. I've got my heart set on the Nikon D7000.
The course I'm almost decided on is the Photography Institute diploma course in professional photography. It's an online home-study course that seems to cover everything photographical.
I'm well excited, and so far it's proving to be a successful distraction from the thought of alcohol.
My life has become frustratingly boring, uninteresting and for much of it unpleasant to the point of near depression (boo hoo for me) due to my deadpan routine, the people that I have to deal with daily and the depressing soul-destroying shit I have to put up with, and still having to mull over the fact that I have achieved nothing worth bragging about in life (besides my awesome child) and the prospect being trapped in this hell hole until I die unless I start fucking climbing!
The time has come for change, for the better...
Wish me luck!
Friday, 22 July 2011
Alien Bugz
The other day I spotted this little clump of bugs eggs, no idea what laid them on the wall near my front door, but they certainly fascinated me, and more so little Tammy who was very excited about the eggs.
They are around half a millimeter each, and laid in perfect little rows aligned perfectly alongside each other. If you look closely you can see the little nuclei on each one. Or it may even be the little alien eye watching us from within it's egg. I've never seen this kind of thing before, and although I do really believe they hail from one of our indigenous earth-born creatures, they do seem rather alien. Only in Hollywood are aliens green human-like figures with big bulging eyes and slime-covered skin, or fearsome multi-limbed monsters with jaws full of teeth protruding from jaws full of teeth, acid blood, and slime-covered skin. Who says they can't be like this; harmless looking tiny bug-like creatures that will quickly mutate into cunning parasites waiting for the first intelligent earth creature (good luck finding many of those in this corner of the globe) to eat it's way into and suck out all it's brain juice!
Well exactly 10 days later these things hatched, as you can see on the next photo. Strange even more alien-looking pitch black hairy little worms. Quite cute looking little things actually, I was rather intrigued. They hung around their eggs for about a day then they vanished, or were eaten by something. I don't mind what they are as long as they didn't make my home their home and they don't eat people!
On the topic of creatures eating creatures, last night I made chicken schnitzel for the first time. It wasn't even intended, the schnitzels were the face-saving of another recipe I tried that flopped! I was trying to make chicken escalopes, basically flattened chicken breast rolled up with a filling and fried. Well I destroyed the chicken, rolling them out flat looks very easy in the picture, not so easy to do! Mine were not possible to be rolled up, so I crumbed them in egg and bread crumbs and fried them, then spread the filling I'm made over them and grilled the schnitzels. Sorry I don't have a photo because they looked and tasted fantastic! Even my wife had no negative criticism of my cooking for a change. The filling was made from butter, cream cheese, feta cheese, fresh garlic finely chopped, herbs and black pepper. That wasn't from a recipe, just a mix of stuff that was available in my fridge, but damn it tasted good!
I just had a leftover schnitzel and baked potato for lunch in the office just now. Nobody's said anything yet, but I'm sure the pong of garlic is noticeable!
So for now it's the weekend baby. Woo hoo! It's going to be a busy one. I've got squash courts booked this evening, tomorrow and Sunday morning. Tomorrow morning we've got some banking to do. I'm picking up the first credit card I've ever owned. Although I've had numerous credit cards for years they have always been Liezels cards or joint accounts in her name. We've racked up big debts on her cards, mostly from her obsessive spending so recently she removed my cards from my wallet, which was like an "I don't trust you" kick in the nads, so I decided to finally get my own that I can control, and of course build up a decent credit score. Anyway, after the bank it's Tammy's swimming lessons, then hopefully if I'm allowed to I'd like to watch the Springboks-Wallabies game and chill out the rest of the day with some stuff to do around the house and no doubt a load of chores delegated by the madam. Then Sunday it's off to visit my mom for lunch with a stop over at Ouma along the way. Haven't seen the old birds in a while, gotta do the family duties!
Ag shame, my poor mom had surgery on her foot this morning for Morton's Neuroma. She should be awake by now, I'd better give her a quick call. Hope she feels ok. That's why we're visiting on Sunday, to give her a hand and make her lunch.
Have a great weekend peeps!
They are around half a millimeter each, and laid in perfect little rows aligned perfectly alongside each other. If you look closely you can see the little nuclei on each one. Or it may even be the little alien eye watching us from within it's egg. I've never seen this kind of thing before, and although I do really believe they hail from one of our indigenous earth-born creatures, they do seem rather alien. Only in Hollywood are aliens green human-like figures with big bulging eyes and slime-covered skin, or fearsome multi-limbed monsters with jaws full of teeth protruding from jaws full of teeth, acid blood, and slime-covered skin. Who says they can't be like this; harmless looking tiny bug-like creatures that will quickly mutate into cunning parasites waiting for the first intelligent earth creature (good luck finding many of those in this corner of the globe) to eat it's way into and suck out all it's brain juice!Well exactly 10 days later these things hatched, as you can see on the next photo. Strange even more alien-looking pitch black hairy little worms. Quite cute looking little things actually, I was rather intrigued. They hung around their eggs for about a day then they vanished, or were eaten by something. I don't mind what they are as long as they didn't make my home their home and they don't eat people!
On the topic of creatures eating creatures, last night I made chicken schnitzel for the first time. It wasn't even intended, the schnitzels were the face-saving of another recipe I tried that flopped! I was trying to make chicken escalopes, basically flattened chicken breast rolled up with a filling and fried. Well I destroyed the chicken, rolling them out flat looks very easy in the picture, not so easy to do! Mine were not possible to be rolled up, so I crumbed them in egg and bread crumbs and fried them, then spread the filling I'm made over them and grilled the schnitzels. Sorry I don't have a photo because they looked and tasted fantastic! Even my wife had no negative criticism of my cooking for a change. The filling was made from butter, cream cheese, feta cheese, fresh garlic finely chopped, herbs and black pepper. That wasn't from a recipe, just a mix of stuff that was available in my fridge, but damn it tasted good!
I just had a leftover schnitzel and baked potato for lunch in the office just now. Nobody's said anything yet, but I'm sure the pong of garlic is noticeable!
So for now it's the weekend baby. Woo hoo! It's going to be a busy one. I've got squash courts booked this evening, tomorrow and Sunday morning. Tomorrow morning we've got some banking to do. I'm picking up the first credit card I've ever owned. Although I've had numerous credit cards for years they have always been Liezels cards or joint accounts in her name. We've racked up big debts on her cards, mostly from her obsessive spending so recently she removed my cards from my wallet, which was like an "I don't trust you" kick in the nads, so I decided to finally get my own that I can control, and of course build up a decent credit score. Anyway, after the bank it's Tammy's swimming lessons, then hopefully if I'm allowed to I'd like to watch the Springboks-Wallabies game and chill out the rest of the day with some stuff to do around the house and no doubt a load of chores delegated by the madam. Then Sunday it's off to visit my mom for lunch with a stop over at Ouma along the way. Haven't seen the old birds in a while, gotta do the family duties!
Ag shame, my poor mom had surgery on her foot this morning for Morton's Neuroma. She should be awake by now, I'd better give her a quick call. Hope she feels ok. That's why we're visiting on Sunday, to give her a hand and make her lunch.
Have a great weekend peeps!
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Farewell to a legend, RIP Ronald Yon!
Yesterday was the funeral of Ronald Yon, my wife's uncle, a legend of a man, the rock of a family, and the inspiration to turn a funeral into a party!
About 3 weeks ago Ronald was diagnosed with a brain tumor, last Thursday morning he passed away from complications as a result of surgery to remove the tumor. He was 64.
I didn't know Ronald all that well, and I've only had the pleasure of being in his company a few times, but what I do know of the guy is that he was a top bloke and adored by many people, especially his family. His cheerfulness and warmth was always infectious. The times I did see him there were always lots of people around, and usually copious volumes of brandy! He was the life of the party, the centre of attention, people gravitated to his warm, cheeerful and welcoming personality. He would usually talk the hind legs off a donkey, the stories getting more extravagant the more brandy was consumed, his tales were always entertaining and often fascinating, albeit sometimes to be taken with a load of salt. We got on well together, as did everybody around him, we had a good few laughs over a good few drinks on a number of occasions. He was great with the kids, my Tammy loved him, often following him around and playing with him in the pool.
His departure from this world has certainly left a large void in many people's lives. As little as I knew him, I will certainly miss him too. The world has lost a true hero, a legend of his time; and heaven has scored a great angel!
He leaves behind his wife Wilma, 3 daughters, a mom, sister, brother, 4 grandchildren and a large network of extended family and friends.
Fortunately him and his family did not have to endure a long drawn out suffering with the cancer, as so often happens causing severe damage to families. Of course I wish he was still around, and that I'd seen him before he passed away like we'd planned to do last weekend, though I am happy that my memories of him were while he was his usual happy and healthy self! It's how I would also prefer to be remembered, not as a sick dying old man with tubes and machines protruding from my failing body.
Today, the day after his funeral, his wife Wilma is attending to the birth of his youngest daughter Linda's first child. He missed it by less than a week. A life to replace a life. It certainly seems like a cruel joke from above, but I think most people have accepted that this is the way it works.
As for the funeral - well I can say for sure that I am one of a group of people who have a hangover today as a result. (note the first 3 letters of "funeral" = "fun")
Ironically one of the last times I actually saw Ronny was at his younger brothers funeral, his brother being Cedric, my wife's dad. And that too ended up as a pissup. Just the way I reckon they would've wanted! The last time I saw Ronald was at his daughter Linda's wedding, the daughter who is delivering his 4th grandchild today.
The service itself was held at the New Apostolic church in Milnerton. Attended by his closest friends and family, it was a lovely service and a fitting tribute to his life. Afterwards the congregation gathered at the Edgemead scout hall for snacks. Actually is was a feast fit for kings, loads of delicious food all prepared by Ronalds wife and family. As a professional eater of all things edible (except brinjil) I was highly impressed. Unfortunately I couldn't stay long, this sucker had to get back to work.
Then the fun started... I was instructed to go back to Ronalds house after work, where I found my girls, Wilma and a group of friends and family, already a few innings into various forms and strenths of alcohol. I expected no less, needless to say we all drank loads and were actually quite merry, I'm sure the way Ronny would've wanted. After getting to know his lovely family a bit better I took my family home.
The day was a fitting farewell to a wonderful man! My prayers and thoughts go out to his family as they begin the grieving process and I wish them all long, prosperous and happy lives, revelling in the happiness and love that Ronald left among them. All the best to Linda and Richard, I hope the birth went well this morning!
Despite the void left behind him down here on the ground, Ronald is now re-united with his younger brother Cedric in the afterlife, probably both having a good laugh with an infinite amount of ice cold brandy & coke!
 |
| Ronald Yon & his neice Liezel. |
I didn't know Ronald all that well, and I've only had the pleasure of being in his company a few times, but what I do know of the guy is that he was a top bloke and adored by many people, especially his family. His cheerfulness and warmth was always infectious. The times I did see him there were always lots of people around, and usually copious volumes of brandy! He was the life of the party, the centre of attention, people gravitated to his warm, cheeerful and welcoming personality. He would usually talk the hind legs off a donkey, the stories getting more extravagant the more brandy was consumed, his tales were always entertaining and often fascinating, albeit sometimes to be taken with a load of salt. We got on well together, as did everybody around him, we had a good few laughs over a good few drinks on a number of occasions. He was great with the kids, my Tammy loved him, often following him around and playing with him in the pool.
His departure from this world has certainly left a large void in many people's lives. As little as I knew him, I will certainly miss him too. The world has lost a true hero, a legend of his time; and heaven has scored a great angel!
He leaves behind his wife Wilma, 3 daughters, a mom, sister, brother, 4 grandchildren and a large network of extended family and friends.
Fortunately him and his family did not have to endure a long drawn out suffering with the cancer, as so often happens causing severe damage to families. Of course I wish he was still around, and that I'd seen him before he passed away like we'd planned to do last weekend, though I am happy that my memories of him were while he was his usual happy and healthy self! It's how I would also prefer to be remembered, not as a sick dying old man with tubes and machines protruding from my failing body.
Today, the day after his funeral, his wife Wilma is attending to the birth of his youngest daughter Linda's first child. He missed it by less than a week. A life to replace a life. It certainly seems like a cruel joke from above, but I think most people have accepted that this is the way it works.
As for the funeral - well I can say for sure that I am one of a group of people who have a hangover today as a result. (note the first 3 letters of "funeral" = "fun")
Ironically one of the last times I actually saw Ronny was at his younger brothers funeral, his brother being Cedric, my wife's dad. And that too ended up as a pissup. Just the way I reckon they would've wanted! The last time I saw Ronald was at his daughter Linda's wedding, the daughter who is delivering his 4th grandchild today.
The service itself was held at the New Apostolic church in Milnerton. Attended by his closest friends and family, it was a lovely service and a fitting tribute to his life. Afterwards the congregation gathered at the Edgemead scout hall for snacks. Actually is was a feast fit for kings, loads of delicious food all prepared by Ronalds wife and family. As a professional eater of all things edible (except brinjil) I was highly impressed. Unfortunately I couldn't stay long, this sucker had to get back to work.
Then the fun started... I was instructed to go back to Ronalds house after work, where I found my girls, Wilma and a group of friends and family, already a few innings into various forms and strenths of alcohol. I expected no less, needless to say we all drank loads and were actually quite merry, I'm sure the way Ronny would've wanted. After getting to know his lovely family a bit better I took my family home.
The day was a fitting farewell to a wonderful man! My prayers and thoughts go out to his family as they begin the grieving process and I wish them all long, prosperous and happy lives, revelling in the happiness and love that Ronald left among them. All the best to Linda and Richard, I hope the birth went well this morning!
Despite the void left behind him down here on the ground, Ronald is now re-united with his younger brother Cedric in the afterlife, probably both having a good laugh with an infinite amount of ice cold brandy & coke!
 |
| Brothers Ronald & Cedric |
Monday, 18 July 2011
Perfecting Perfection
Dear readers & fans...
Last week I felt like burgers again, as so often I do, and as usual got a little more creative than the last masterpieces I constructed that would have any semi-respectable burger-munching Americans proud, and envious! This version was a next-generation upgrade from the last ones, a few posts down, using chicken livers as the prime topping.
And so it began with a trip to the local Pick & Pay for some basics on a tight budget, with the ever talkative Tamsyn in the trolley, babbling away about her day and her friends and what toys she's planning to play with when we get home; and of course stretching out her cheeky little hands in all directions trying to grab sweets and toys and colourful accessories and all other expensive goodies that she takes a fleeting fancy to. Liezel was at the time at the hospital round the corner to have a mole on her temple removed, which the doctor decided wasn't immediately necessary, so the lucky old mole gets to continue it's free ride on it's temple with a view of the world. Until the next time little miss Tammy has a pick or a scratch at it again.
With the ingredients for the mix I began the mission:
Made the patties with a pack of lean beef mince and a pack of lamb mince, a handfull of breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, rosemary, salt, pepper, some Ina Paarmans Sticky Marinade, and some olive oil. Lobbed it all in the Kenwood multi-chef blender thing and mixed it all up into a sticky, meaty goo.
The sauce was concocted with a tub of frozen livers and one and a half medium sized onions fried up with some olive oil and a generous squirt of Veri Peri sauce. Of course garlic was involved, 4 large cloves of, roughly chopped up. Added some salt & pepper and balsamic vinegar and poured over the burgers!
Slap on some nice thick slabs of cheese at the bottom, and the masterpiece is ready!
Each burger was such a large amount of food I was beyond stuffed after just one, so I had one for dinner, breakfast the next morning and lunch at work the next day (Liezel didn't want her second one), much to my colleagues gawking fascination! At least the inevitable reek of garlic wafting off out from my presonal space kept them at bay for a day or so.
I don't mind smelling like garlic, it's something I love so why be embarrassed! Like the Indians love curry, I suppose, except I do bath daily so the stench of sweaty body doesn't aggrevate the garlic fumes. There were few stinkier experiences than the Indians, Pakistani's, etc on the London Underground in summer ponging of old curry and unwashed bodies crowded up around you! Enough to make one puke!
LOL that was quite an ending to a food blog!
Last week I felt like burgers again, as so often I do, and as usual got a little more creative than the last masterpieces I constructed that would have any semi-respectable burger-munching Americans proud, and envious! This version was a next-generation upgrade from the last ones, a few posts down, using chicken livers as the prime topping.
With the ingredients for the mix I began the mission:
Made the patties with a pack of lean beef mince and a pack of lamb mince, a handfull of breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, rosemary, salt, pepper, some Ina Paarmans Sticky Marinade, and some olive oil. Lobbed it all in the Kenwood multi-chef blender thing and mixed it all up into a sticky, meaty goo.
The sauce was concocted with a tub of frozen livers and one and a half medium sized onions fried up with some olive oil and a generous squirt of Veri Peri sauce. Of course garlic was involved, 4 large cloves of, roughly chopped up. Added some salt & pepper and balsamic vinegar and poured over the burgers!
Slap on some nice thick slabs of cheese at the bottom, and the masterpiece is ready!
Each burger was such a large amount of food I was beyond stuffed after just one, so I had one for dinner, breakfast the next morning and lunch at work the next day (Liezel didn't want her second one), much to my colleagues gawking fascination! At least the inevitable reek of garlic wafting off out from my presonal space kept them at bay for a day or so.
I don't mind smelling like garlic, it's something I love so why be embarrassed! Like the Indians love curry, I suppose, except I do bath daily so the stench of sweaty body doesn't aggrevate the garlic fumes. There were few stinkier experiences than the Indians, Pakistani's, etc on the London Underground in summer ponging of old curry and unwashed bodies crowded up around you! Enough to make one puke!
LOL that was quite an ending to a food blog!
Friday, 8 July 2011
It's the weeeekend baaaaby!
Ja like that title is so Gareth Cliff corny! Not the most creative ever.
This blog has no particular topic, I just feel like writing something. So here it is: "something". Ok I know I need a klap for that one. Something even more funny is a comment I saw on some body's facebook status today. If you know what a "camel toe" is, you'll understand this. If you know not the derogatory meaning, don't ask, you're probably better off not knowing.
""
I laughed so loud and suddenly when I read that my colleague nearly shat herself. She doesn't know what camel toe means, and being a respectable 50 something year old lady I didn't explain it.
Totally random, this is a photo I took on the garden table the other morning where the water had formed in triangular shapes on the flat surface, seemingly avoiding the criss cross pattern of the support seams underneath. The table is a flat surface, so this is bizarre.
I so much wish I could afford some decent camera equipment and a professional photography course. These damn courses are just so expensive, but maybe if my bank decides to give me a credit card I can stick a course on there and if there's any credit left invest in a decent lens and a speed-flash. Yes I'll be stuck with a shitload more debt that I can't really afford right now, but it will be for a good cause - funding my passion! And with some decent gear and some professional know-how I could possibly start making a bit of cash from my hobby. That would be awesome actually, like being a paid tourist! I'd quite enjoy doing family portraits and photo-shoots, schools, corporate functions, parties and gigs, even weddings!
But hey, nice to dream, because that's all it is at this stage. Racking up another credit card debt is simply not a good plan at this stage, there simply isn't enough money coming in to cover it. Maybe at the end of the year when I get my meagre Christmas bonus I'll look at the options again. Meantime those lotto tickets are slowly streaming through. Law of averages I got to strike a lucky win soon!
But that's enough whining, it wasn't the plan for this little chat!
Check this pic. Roasted vegetables I made last week. Was sooo delicious, and healthy for a change!
Oh yes... after all my bla bla bla about getting healthy again (says he while scoffing down the last mouthful of carrot cake) I am going to start gymming again! I've booked squash courts on 10 days over the next 2 weeks, starting tomorrow morning. Next week evenings are fully booked so I booked a Monday and Wednesday morning at 5am. I told my wife she seriously needs to help motivate me to get my large lazy ass out of bed to make those appointments. I probably won't make all bookings, I'm sure my wife will have other plans for me on some of those days, or I will likely have hangovers on either of the weekend days, but I WILL get to most of them. It's just such a mission getting slots on the squash courts in the evenings these days because that place is so busy the courts are booked out soon as they become available 2 weeks in advance. The gym has seriously over-subscribed it's memberships and it's actually quite kak gymming when it's crowded. But it's the way it is these days so I'll get into the routine and keep it up. Someday when I'm running my own business, and I'm my own boss, then I'll gym in the mornings in the week before work, much easier that way. At this stage mornings are just a bit too early for regular workouts!
I should probably get back to work, lunch is over! I end this blog with a picture of my gorgeous daughter:
This blog has no particular topic, I just feel like writing something. So here it is: "something". Ok I know I need a klap for that one. Something even more funny is a comment I saw on some body's facebook status today. If you know what a "camel toe" is, you'll understand this. If you know not the derogatory meaning, don't ask, you're probably better off not knowing.
""
I laughed so loud and suddenly when I read that my colleague nearly shat herself. She doesn't know what camel toe means, and being a respectable 50 something year old lady I didn't explain it.
I so much wish I could afford some decent camera equipment and a professional photography course. These damn courses are just so expensive, but maybe if my bank decides to give me a credit card I can stick a course on there and if there's any credit left invest in a decent lens and a speed-flash. Yes I'll be stuck with a shitload more debt that I can't really afford right now, but it will be for a good cause - funding my passion! And with some decent gear and some professional know-how I could possibly start making a bit of cash from my hobby. That would be awesome actually, like being a paid tourist! I'd quite enjoy doing family portraits and photo-shoots, schools, corporate functions, parties and gigs, even weddings!
But hey, nice to dream, because that's all it is at this stage. Racking up another credit card debt is simply not a good plan at this stage, there simply isn't enough money coming in to cover it. Maybe at the end of the year when I get my meagre Christmas bonus I'll look at the options again. Meantime those lotto tickets are slowly streaming through. Law of averages I got to strike a lucky win soon!
But that's enough whining, it wasn't the plan for this little chat!Check this pic. Roasted vegetables I made last week. Was sooo delicious, and healthy for a change!
Oh yes... after all my bla bla bla about getting healthy again (says he while scoffing down the last mouthful of carrot cake) I am going to start gymming again! I've booked squash courts on 10 days over the next 2 weeks, starting tomorrow morning. Next week evenings are fully booked so I booked a Monday and Wednesday morning at 5am. I told my wife she seriously needs to help motivate me to get my large lazy ass out of bed to make those appointments. I probably won't make all bookings, I'm sure my wife will have other plans for me on some of those days, or I will likely have hangovers on either of the weekend days, but I WILL get to most of them. It's just such a mission getting slots on the squash courts in the evenings these days because that place is so busy the courts are booked out soon as they become available 2 weeks in advance. The gym has seriously over-subscribed it's memberships and it's actually quite kak gymming when it's crowded. But it's the way it is these days so I'll get into the routine and keep it up. Someday when I'm running my own business, and I'm my own boss, then I'll gym in the mornings in the week before work, much easier that way. At this stage mornings are just a bit too early for regular workouts!
I should probably get back to work, lunch is over! I end this blog with a picture of my gorgeous daughter:
Friday, 1 July 2011
Ribs, ribs & more ribs...
Yesterday at 2pm I was invited down to IAPO (International Academic Programmes Office) on UCT's Middle Campus to recieve my prizes for coming second AND third for this years UCT Africa Day photography competition. Yes that's right, second AND third place, after I won it last year. So of the 4 winning prizes this event has held since it's inception I have bagged 3! I think the deputy vice chancellor is getting a bit sick of shaking my hand and giving me money for being at the right place at the right time with my camera (which with me is everywhere all the time!). But anyway I gratefully accepted the two little envelopes of cash with a few customary cocky chirps on the way. People still find my corny humour funny so it's fine.
So last night I took my delightful little family out to dinner for a treat with my new-found wealth of R375. After much debate we ended up at Cattle Baron, a local steakhouse I've been slobbering at the thought of trying out for a while now. You see, I'm a proper carnivore, an intense lover of all things meaty, and their menu of steaks, etc looks absolutely delicious and I was positively excited at the thought of a few options such as the 400g garlic rump steak, just about chomping into my own tongue a few times on the way there in anticipation.
We get there, the place is fairly quiet, the atmosphere serene and serious, the staff overly professional (probably because we're plebs!), we take up residence at a nice table in the corner, and order a round of drinks.
At about this time my brat of a daughter discovers there's no play area for kids, something she's used to associating an excursion to the restaurant with because we usually frequent kak places like the Spur with complex play areas and jungle gym's. I'm seriously sick and bored of the Spur, so I insisted on this place.
Well did my high-pitched spawn of beelzebub embark on one of her epic tantrums because she doesn't want to be there because she can't play! The waiter quickly brought paper and crayons to diffuse the impending destruction to no avail. So we decided to scrap it and head home.
I was furious with Tammy for ruining a nice evening with her spoiled brat attitude and I was happy to go home and make sandwiches and save my hard won money for another day.
But no, mom decided she still wants to go out... to the effing Spur. I was even less impressed, because I was not keen on wasting my hard-won money on that crap food but it did not give a good impression on Tammy if she sees us giving in to her tantrum. I wanted to go home with her horrified that I was being serious because by now she wanted to go back to the restaurant just to not have to go home.
Well halfway home I reluctantly gave in to their demands (two strong-willed females versus me) and headed for the Spur at Big Bay with solemn promises from Tammy that she would behave.
It actually turned out to be quite a good decision because Tammy hit the play area immediately and had an absolute ball for hours playing on the massive jungle gyms and all the other fun stuff they have there, making new friends along the way.
Better yet they were having a special on spare ribs - for R70 eat as much as you like. I don't normally buy ribs at restaurants because they are so expensive, but last night I did and I ate like a pig. Ok that's a bad analogy, seeing as I was eating pig, or more like a couple of pigs! I had SIX portions of deliciously sticky BBQ spare ribs. By the time I threw in the towel with the last rib my throat was no longer allowing me to swallow any more, my stomach was stretched rock hard with the 3 or 4 kg of fatty pork meat within! I felt disgustingly satisfied but oh so uncomfortable!
I never want to see spare ribs ever again. Or at least not for another week or two.
Liezel had enchilado's, I still don't quite understand that concoction. Tammy ordered fish fingers, of which she ate none, though she did tuck into a rib which ended up all over her face!
The other positive is that I spent half the amount of money as what Cattle Baron would've cost, but I will still go to the 'Baron sometime for that garlic steak, this time leaving tammy with a babysitter.
So last night I took my delightful little family out to dinner for a treat with my new-found wealth of R375. After much debate we ended up at Cattle Baron, a local steakhouse I've been slobbering at the thought of trying out for a while now. You see, I'm a proper carnivore, an intense lover of all things meaty, and their menu of steaks, etc looks absolutely delicious and I was positively excited at the thought of a few options such as the 400g garlic rump steak, just about chomping into my own tongue a few times on the way there in anticipation.
We get there, the place is fairly quiet, the atmosphere serene and serious, the staff overly professional (probably because we're plebs!), we take up residence at a nice table in the corner, and order a round of drinks.
At about this time my brat of a daughter discovers there's no play area for kids, something she's used to associating an excursion to the restaurant with because we usually frequent kak places like the Spur with complex play areas and jungle gym's. I'm seriously sick and bored of the Spur, so I insisted on this place.
Well did my high-pitched spawn of beelzebub embark on one of her epic tantrums because she doesn't want to be there because she can't play! The waiter quickly brought paper and crayons to diffuse the impending destruction to no avail. So we decided to scrap it and head home.
I was furious with Tammy for ruining a nice evening with her spoiled brat attitude and I was happy to go home and make sandwiches and save my hard won money for another day.
But no, mom decided she still wants to go out... to the effing Spur. I was even less impressed, because I was not keen on wasting my hard-won money on that crap food but it did not give a good impression on Tammy if she sees us giving in to her tantrum. I wanted to go home with her horrified that I was being serious because by now she wanted to go back to the restaurant just to not have to go home.
Well halfway home I reluctantly gave in to their demands (two strong-willed females versus me) and headed for the Spur at Big Bay with solemn promises from Tammy that she would behave.
It actually turned out to be quite a good decision because Tammy hit the play area immediately and had an absolute ball for hours playing on the massive jungle gyms and all the other fun stuff they have there, making new friends along the way.
Better yet they were having a special on spare ribs - for R70 eat as much as you like. I don't normally buy ribs at restaurants because they are so expensive, but last night I did and I ate like a pig. Ok that's a bad analogy, seeing as I was eating pig, or more like a couple of pigs! I had SIX portions of deliciously sticky BBQ spare ribs. By the time I threw in the towel with the last rib my throat was no longer allowing me to swallow any more, my stomach was stretched rock hard with the 3 or 4 kg of fatty pork meat within! I felt disgustingly satisfied but oh so uncomfortable!
I never want to see spare ribs ever again. Or at least not for another week or two.
Liezel had enchilado's, I still don't quite understand that concoction. Tammy ordered fish fingers, of which she ate none, though she did tuck into a rib which ended up all over her face!
The other positive is that I spent half the amount of money as what Cattle Baron would've cost, but I will still go to the 'Baron sometime for that garlic steak, this time leaving tammy with a babysitter.
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Tamsyn Rose de Klerk, Miracle Baby - The Beginning
Tamsyn Rose de Klerk was born to Liezel and Justin de Klerk on the 6th October 2007 at St Georges Hospital in Tooting, London. She was delivered by emergency ceasarian section 11 weeks premature weighing 1.2kg. She left the hospital neonatal unit to come home with us on 29 November at 2 months old weighing only 1.9kg.
This is the heart-wrentching story of how Tammy came into this world, and the first few months of her life as the perfect little angel whom God gave us the ultimate honour of being truly blessed with. The apologue is narrated by me, Justin, her dad, and this is my account of the story.
Parents History:
This is the heart-wrentching story of how Tammy came into this world, and the first few months of her life as the perfect little angel whom God gave us the ultimate honour of being truly blessed with. The apologue is narrated by me, Justin, her dad, and this is my account of the story.
Parents History:
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Very Peri Chicken Livers & Cheese Burger
Yes you read that right! This evening I made burgers for dinner. Burger patties were just ordinary supermarket beef patties for a change, instead of my usual home-made masterpieces! Liezel's burgers just had boring old cheese & tomato.My two burgers had chicken livers fried with onions, garlic, peri peri sauce and balsamic vinegar. And oh my glory it was close to the nicest burgers I've ever tasted. If they were made with my own famous patties they certainly would rate easily at the top!
Understandably it wouldn't be everybody's taste, especially the chicken livers part, but I like them if they're cooked properly and not bland and dry. But then again I'll vainly admit I have a more exciting and adventurous taste in food than most people! I'll eat just about anything, as long as it's dead and preferably cooked, and it's not been near a brinjil (eggplant).
Damn this PC is so slow today! I think the computers memory is getting virtual alzheimers, or amnesia, because it's not handling much! CPU is fine, rarely clocks over 25%. But I need another gig of memory!
Just watched the video of our last band practice. We are sounding great! On Friday lunch time I'm off to the music store Paul Bothners in Cavendish to invest in some new Vic Firth 7A drum sticks and some new skins, a fresh sound for Friday's gig.
Well I'm off to bed now, with a glass of Eno on the way to quench the heartburn furnace in my stomach.
Barefoot & Bushy-tailed
The title of todays blog describes my beloved daughter in her school class photo below. The rest of the group is neatly dressed and looking respectable, while my scruffy little tomboy parked in the middle of the front row like the leader of the brat-pack is barefoot, in shorts, sporting her usual "boskop" (bushy head), and looking ready to tackle her next mischevious mission. She's so used to having a camera shoved in her face flashing off thousands of snaps since she was so young the remains of the umbilical cord was still wet and not even dreaming of becoming a belly button yet, that she has become quite impatient of camera's. So much so I find it increasingly difficult to get a good shot of her anymore unless it's snuck in by surprise, and then she blinks or pulls faces half the time!
So, this photo below of a class of 21 three year olds all looking in the right direction, reasonably happy, eyes open, and properly composed, is sheer brilliant! Well done to the photographer, I'd love to know her tricks!
Lunch today was toast with peanut butter & syrup, and cream cheese (on seperate slices of course!) Before that at around 10am, usual mid morning snack time, or noodle-o'clock, I had noodles with a dollop of cream cheese. How delicious that was! Cream cheese was leftover from last week's waffles, but it's finished now.
Dinner tonight will be something with mince, that's all that's left in the freezer to cook. That and the 4 remaining tubs of part-eaten ice cream. I did a clear-out of the freezer on the weekend, there was very little food but there was 6 tubs of ice cream, some of which looked about as old as the fridge!
Last night I managed to fix my useless computer at home. Turns out it was the graphics card, an ATI Radeon 512Mb monster (or it was a monster a few years back, it's small by today's standards). I unplugged and re-connected all kinds of peripherals inside the box, including memory, hard drives, cards, etc, one by one, process of elimination. Then I unplugged the monitor cable and plugged it into the onboard graphics as part of the motherboard, and it came to life! But the picture quality was terrible. In the meantime I took out the ATI card, cleaned it, cleaned the points, shook it around a bit, and just before I stomped on the damn thing in anger at the money it would cost to replace, I tried plugging it in again and hooking the monitor back up to it - and it worked again! Imagine my sheer delight!
But now I think one of the DDR memory cards is not in properly because the machine is very slow. Will check that tonight!
Damn computers! We can't live without them, but sometimes they annoy the crap out of us! (Sounds a bit like women!) ...runs, ducks and hides!
So, this photo below of a class of 21 three year olds all looking in the right direction, reasonably happy, eyes open, and properly composed, is sheer brilliant! Well done to the photographer, I'd love to know her tricks!
Lunch today was toast with peanut butter & syrup, and cream cheese (on seperate slices of course!) Before that at around 10am, usual mid morning snack time, or noodle-o'clock, I had noodles with a dollop of cream cheese. How delicious that was! Cream cheese was leftover from last week's waffles, but it's finished now.
Last night I managed to fix my useless computer at home. Turns out it was the graphics card, an ATI Radeon 512Mb monster (or it was a monster a few years back, it's small by today's standards). I unplugged and re-connected all kinds of peripherals inside the box, including memory, hard drives, cards, etc, one by one, process of elimination. Then I unplugged the monitor cable and plugged it into the onboard graphics as part of the motherboard, and it came to life! But the picture quality was terrible. In the meantime I took out the ATI card, cleaned it, cleaned the points, shook it around a bit, and just before I stomped on the damn thing in anger at the money it would cost to replace, I tried plugging it in again and hooking the monitor back up to it - and it worked again! Imagine my sheer delight!
But now I think one of the DDR memory cards is not in properly because the machine is very slow. Will check that tonight!
Damn computers! We can't live without them, but sometimes they annoy the crap out of us! (Sounds a bit like women!) ...runs, ducks and hides!
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Chicken a-la-Kingdingaling
Lunch today was delicious, and it was leftovers from last night when it was fresh and even better! Unfortunately I don't have any photo's of the dish, it was pretty much a chicken ala king made with a pack of whole chicken drumsticks, potatoes cut into smallish pieces, onions, red & yellow peppers, mushrooms, mixed herbs, salt & pepper, a tablespoon full of garlic paste, and milk. Served with macaroni pasta. Really a basic meal, nothing special or spectacular, except for the love that it was made with made it taste great! Even Tammy ate some, and she is a proper mission to get any supper into these days.
I actually don't know what to do about it, maybe I'm not as good a dad as I thought I was because she's got a discipline issue lately, and she simply refuses to eat what we give her. I usually have to bribe her with some delicious treat like ice-cream just to get a few mouthfuls of the cooked dinner into her spoiled-brat gob. If there's vegetables involved there is no amount of bribing that will get her to eat it, with the result that we end up having a fight because I get seriously angry and frustrated at her resistance and defiance of my authority, usually ending in her crying.
Any advice from some experienced parents out there would be much appreciated! I usually don't have much trouble with disciplining Tammy, I have my ways of getting results and actions from her more than anybody else, her mom and teachers included, but the eating thing is really bothering me. Not that she goes hungry, she'll often have 2 minute noodles, or a vienna sausage, or a peanut butter sandwich; and of course a couple of bottles of milk (which is another bad habit I need to break her out of soon, preferably before she starts high school!) But she doesn't eat the dinners I cook no mater how tasty, attractive and child friendly I try to make it! Shit I made bangers and mash the other day, with cauliflower blended invisibly into the mash. She wouldn't touch the mash, and bitched that the sausage was spicy! IT WASN'T!!!.
Please give me some pointers.
Shame, this morning at about 4am she asked for a drink so I made her a bottle of Oros juice, by 6am when I came to wake her she had wet the bed, which she hasn't done in ages. Poor thing was horribly upset with herself.
Anyway, mom is home today, sick with the flu, so hopefully she's sorted the bed out because I didn't have time this morning having had to do everything getting myself and Tammy ready to go. We left a few minutes late, then I got stuck in a very long traffic jam because our stupid fucking traffic cops decided to put up a roadblock on a very busy route! Idiots made me nearly an hour late, but my colleague was late too so I didn't get the usual snotty comments.
Well, back to work, lunch break is over.
I actually don't know what to do about it, maybe I'm not as good a dad as I thought I was because she's got a discipline issue lately, and she simply refuses to eat what we give her. I usually have to bribe her with some delicious treat like ice-cream just to get a few mouthfuls of the cooked dinner into her spoiled-brat gob. If there's vegetables involved there is no amount of bribing that will get her to eat it, with the result that we end up having a fight because I get seriously angry and frustrated at her resistance and defiance of my authority, usually ending in her crying.
Any advice from some experienced parents out there would be much appreciated! I usually don't have much trouble with disciplining Tammy, I have my ways of getting results and actions from her more than anybody else, her mom and teachers included, but the eating thing is really bothering me. Not that she goes hungry, she'll often have 2 minute noodles, or a vienna sausage, or a peanut butter sandwich; and of course a couple of bottles of milk (which is another bad habit I need to break her out of soon, preferably before she starts high school!) But she doesn't eat the dinners I cook no mater how tasty, attractive and child friendly I try to make it! Shit I made bangers and mash the other day, with cauliflower blended invisibly into the mash. She wouldn't touch the mash, and bitched that the sausage was spicy! IT WASN'T!!!.
Please give me some pointers.
Shame, this morning at about 4am she asked for a drink so I made her a bottle of Oros juice, by 6am when I came to wake her she had wet the bed, which she hasn't done in ages. Poor thing was horribly upset with herself.
Anyway, mom is home today, sick with the flu, so hopefully she's sorted the bed out because I didn't have time this morning having had to do everything getting myself and Tammy ready to go. We left a few minutes late, then I got stuck in a very long traffic jam because our stupid fucking traffic cops decided to put up a roadblock on a very busy route! Idiots made me nearly an hour late, but my colleague was late too so I didn't get the usual snotty comments.
Well, back to work, lunch break is over.
Saturday, 18 June 2011
Lazy Saturday part 2
Ok I have found flaw on the iPad... It's impossible to scroll through a text input box like the one I have to type in for this blog entry. The text I'm typing passed the end of the box, I moved to an earlier spot to make an amendment, then couldn't get back to the end of the text. Seriously annoying!
Anyway, at the end of the previous entry (Lazy Saturday) I was talking about Tammy developing an understanding of the boundaries of going into the water based on the dangers of being in water without being able to stay afloat. She is such a clever kid.
I absolutely adore my child, she is just the sweetest most lovable and adorable little girl, and she adores her daddy!
So tomorrow is fathers day, I wonder if my family will remember. Tomorrow is also the first band practice in about a month, haven't seen the band since the last gig. We have another gig confirmed for this coming Friday the 24th at Voom Voom club in Loop street, its a 1950's theme party, I'm looking forward to that.
On thursday my wife Liezel cooked up a roast chicken. Last night I caught her eating leftovers, chicken, potato and veg, alongside two slices of toast with syrup on the same plate! As you can see by the photo. I really married a strange one!
Shit, just discovered another restriction on this iPad, it's not possible to upload photos to this blog from the pictures on this gadget. I think this is the last time I blog from the iPad, this has not really been much fun, as you can probably tell by the noticeable lack of humor. Tomorrow I'll see if I can get some life into my PC and try again from there.
Anyway, at the end of the previous entry (Lazy Saturday) I was talking about Tammy developing an understanding of the boundaries of going into the water based on the dangers of being in water without being able to stay afloat. She is such a clever kid.
I absolutely adore my child, she is just the sweetest most lovable and adorable little girl, and she adores her daddy!
So tomorrow is fathers day, I wonder if my family will remember. Tomorrow is also the first band practice in about a month, haven't seen the band since the last gig. We have another gig confirmed for this coming Friday the 24th at Voom Voom club in Loop street, its a 1950's theme party, I'm looking forward to that.
On thursday my wife Liezel cooked up a roast chicken. Last night I caught her eating leftovers, chicken, potato and veg, alongside two slices of toast with syrup on the same plate! As you can see by the photo. I really married a strange one!
Shit, just discovered another restriction on this iPad, it's not possible to upload photos to this blog from the pictures on this gadget. I think this is the last time I blog from the iPad, this has not really been much fun, as you can probably tell by the noticeable lack of humor. Tomorrow I'll see if I can get some life into my PC and try again from there.
Lazy Saturday
A the moment I am parked on the couch in the lounge comfortably under a warm blanket, typing this on my iPad because my computer is still fucked and I don't know how to fix the piece of crap. So this will not be my longest ever blog because it's quite cumbersome tapping away with 2 fingers on this oversensitive little screen, that and I'm watching the Stormers rugby game at the same time. I do love this little iPad, it's an amazing piece of technology and I'm really grateful to have won it, especially since my PC is cocking up on me, it's a window to the world via my wireless Internet. That said, I do miss the versatility of the PC.
16 - 6 to the Stormers so far.
So today was yet another waste of a day because of a hangover, as is all too often the case on Saturday's in my life lately. I really do wish I could stop doing this to myself, I tend to be useless and short tempered on hangover Saturday's, and I don't like myself like this. Of course I have known for a long time now that I have a drinking problem, and when I'm sober I can see that the alcohol is in control of me, and my life, and I know its destructive in many ways.
So how the he'll do I stop?
I do want to quit the binge drinking, have done for a long time now, I just don't know how because it's an addiction which has a firm grip on my willpower. That cheap 3 Scotsmen whiskey at Midmar Liquors has an attraction I can't resist.
Apart from the health, social and family damage the drinking does to me, it's actually an expense I'm embarrassed to be burdening my already very tight financial resources with.
Basically, I dunno what to do but I know I've got to do something before this disgusting poison does irreparable damage in some way or another that I will seriously regret.
But enough about that!
Dinner tonight was a simple pile of toasted tuna mayo sandwiches, the tuna mayo mixed with garlic, fresh tomato, feta cheese, salt, pepper and mild chili sauce. Quick and easy and went down a treat. Being the lazy slob I have been today the dishes have not been washed, the kitchen is a mess, but I promise to clean it in the morning when my mojo returns after a good nights sleep.
The one thing I did do today was take the Tammy to her Saturday swimming lesson. She is getting better very quickly, Im sure she will be swimming on her own any day now, if she can just get over getting freaked out by water in her eyes so she can take those silly goggles off. She loves the pool and she looks forward to lessons excitedly all week, and today the swimming teacher pointed out that Tammy is learning the boundaries of going in the water based
16 - 6 to the Stormers so far.
So today was yet another waste of a day because of a hangover, as is all too often the case on Saturday's in my life lately. I really do wish I could stop doing this to myself, I tend to be useless and short tempered on hangover Saturday's, and I don't like myself like this. Of course I have known for a long time now that I have a drinking problem, and when I'm sober I can see that the alcohol is in control of me, and my life, and I know its destructive in many ways.
So how the he'll do I stop?
I do want to quit the binge drinking, have done for a long time now, I just don't know how because it's an addiction which has a firm grip on my willpower. That cheap 3 Scotsmen whiskey at Midmar Liquors has an attraction I can't resist.
Apart from the health, social and family damage the drinking does to me, it's actually an expense I'm embarrassed to be burdening my already very tight financial resources with.
Basically, I dunno what to do but I know I've got to do something before this disgusting poison does irreparable damage in some way or another that I will seriously regret.
But enough about that!
Dinner tonight was a simple pile of toasted tuna mayo sandwiches, the tuna mayo mixed with garlic, fresh tomato, feta cheese, salt, pepper and mild chili sauce. Quick and easy and went down a treat. Being the lazy slob I have been today the dishes have not been washed, the kitchen is a mess, but I promise to clean it in the morning when my mojo returns after a good nights sleep.
The one thing I did do today was take the Tammy to her Saturday swimming lesson. She is getting better very quickly, Im sure she will be swimming on her own any day now, if she can just get over getting freaked out by water in her eyes so she can take those silly goggles off. She loves the pool and she looks forward to lessons excitedly all week, and today the swimming teacher pointed out that Tammy is learning the boundaries of going in the water based
Friday, 17 June 2011
Waffles and stuff...
Did anybody check the lunar eclipse on Wednesday night? I did. Well sort of, I was well into a bottle of whiskey by the time I realised it was happening, first time I've seen something like that and it was pretty cool! I tried taking photo's most of which were quite blurry, despite using a tripod. I then filmed it for a while, which was a slightly better picture, though in my state it was rather all over the place. The camera can be very sensitive when zoomed in that close, and more so when the camera man is ridiculously clumsy! The picture shown here is the best I got!I kinda caught it as the shadow of the earth was already moving off the moon, quite a surreal sight to behold! Fortunately I had a clear sky too, Cape Town was cloudy and miserable the rest of the day and soon after old cheese-face cleared the clouds rolled back in again and continued throwing copious volumes of rain on us. The rain lately in CT has been awesome actually! I really do love the rain, the heavier the better, and throw in the odd violent electric storm with booming thunder and massive erratic cracks of lightning then I'm happy. I love big storms, a proper electric storm is awesome. The only time I didn't enjoy an electric storm was a few years back in London, when a huge bolt of lightning struck the communal TV aerial above the flat next door so hard that their roof caved in, and half of my electrical appliances were fried, including my microwave, PC (which Dell repaired as it was under warranty!) and a few smaller things. Fortunately my TV was OK, it had it's own set of bunny-ears on top of the set. The rest of the block of flats who were hooked up to the communal aerial had their TVs fried and blown to shit irreparably. The guy downstairs had just purchased a big flat screen the week before, I heard him crying himself to sleep for weeks afterwards! Anyway, after that I invested in surge-protector plugs!
I do miss the big storms up north of SA in the bushveld during summer! We had a few up in Botswana over Christmas last year! It's awesome how they suddenly appear in the sweltering heat of the afternoon, drop massive amounts of water on the world with a big noisy fuss, then disappear just as quickly leaving the world refreshed and alive, albeit uncomfortably muggy from the humidity of the evaporating rain!
Man I love Botswana, I've been there twice recently. It's the most awesome place! I am seriously in love with the African bush, the wilder the better. My soul is out there somewhere at one with wild Africa, you won't see me more content in my element than when I'm in the bush. Even just staying around Gaborone last year I was constantly disappearing for hours on end on foot into the bush with binoculars and my camera. The birdlife is just incredible!Yes I am still a bird nerd, when a good birdwatching opportunity presents itself!
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| My waffle with butter, cream cheese, cheese & syrup! |
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| The ladies having a waffle feast! |
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| Chef at work, in the office! |
But honestly I gave little thought to the meaning of the holiday, I enjoyed a relaxing day at home with my family, and got some much needed chores done, like fix the upstairs security gate lock, replaced the back door lock, fit a new outside light in the back yard, fixed the front gate lock, propped up the jacuzzi cover, cleaned up and re-built my dying PC, cut my hair and beard, and hacked of my toenails which were becoming a serious health hazard to anything my talons got near, including myself!
Well I need to get back to work for the last 2 hours of this staggered week. Then it's the weeeeeeeeeeekend baaaaaby!!!!
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Another canned lunch
Lunch today was a tin of Heinz chicken, a little tuna can sized tin of shredded chicken breast, this one in a sweet chili sauce. Predictably I loaded it on toast (the last of that 2 week old loaf which supported yesterdays spaghetti bolog-dogfood) with a smear of mayo. Honestly, these little Heinz chicken things are really tasty. A little on the expensive side at around R12 a tin, compared to R8 average for tuna. The other one I like is a lemon mayo flavoured job. The sweet chili one is a tad on the oily side, and loaded with the mayo I know I've cursed myself to an excruciating bout of stomach-disintegrating indigestion in about an hours time, the usual punishment for the crap I put in my system sometimes!
But far more interesting than that was my dinner last night - pork chops crumbed with lemon juice, garlic and a mix of herbs & spices, served on a bed of fresh fluffy mash with a garlicky pepper sauce, and brussel sprouts steamed and lightly fried in olive oil and brown sugar. Liezel's chop was un-crumbed. She doesn't like crumbed chops forever, just because I overcooked them into pork rocks once upon a time! Well I enjoyed last night's meal to bursting point. I had two big juicy chops with a nice thick crispy cooked strip of fat on one, swimming in sauce. I very guiltily do so enjoy a good bit of pork fat now and then {runs ducks & hides from the incoming "heart-attack" lectures)
Unfortunately I didn't bother photographing either, so this article is a bit colourless! Use your imagination!
So... tomorrow is yet another public holiday in this country. Youth day apparently (like who cares, it's a day off work!). Apparently youth day commemorates the death of a few black youngsters killed in a riot by some racist Afrikaaners way back in 1976, the year I was born, and I'm 35 years very old. That's a long fucken time ago, and apartheid ended 17 years ago! GET OVER YOURSELVES ANC & YOUR BRAINWASHED COMRADES!!! These okes are still constantly harping on the past, creating hell for all of us through persistent racial segregation and violent racially motivated crime! Thousands of whites have been deliberately brutally murdered of forced out of SA since then in the name of the "struggle" and racial hatred but we have to just shut up and take it and get back to work so we can pay taxes to support the 90% sector of the population who don't pay tax, who are too stupid, useless or lazy to get off their butts and learn something so they can fend for themselves and make their own living! And of course fund our useless corrupt BLACK government in all their dishonest and luxurious lifestyles!
What gets me even more is the fact that Ascension day, a long time traditional Christian holiday in this country and the world over, was excluded by the black government! Surely that has more meaning than one particular riot gone bad in a long unpleasant history of many unpleasant events in this country!
I'm sorry, but I feel fuckall for the meaning of tomorrows public holiday, but I'm sure as hell going to enjoy it!
BTW, I'm not essentially a racist, I am just sick and tired on the attitude of the majority of the people of this country, particularly the aggressive and open racism by the blacks in SA, fuelled unnecessarily by complete morons like Julius Malema, against white people who are not otherwise concerned with racism as much as getting on and making the best of life with their families and enjoying their self-made successes! If the poorer and older blacks got over the heavy old (blame apartheid and all whites for all our problems) chips on their shoulders we'd all get on a shit load better!
That was a good rant! Have a good Youth Day tomorrow South Africa!
But far more interesting than that was my dinner last night - pork chops crumbed with lemon juice, garlic and a mix of herbs & spices, served on a bed of fresh fluffy mash with a garlicky pepper sauce, and brussel sprouts steamed and lightly fried in olive oil and brown sugar. Liezel's chop was un-crumbed. She doesn't like crumbed chops forever, just because I overcooked them into pork rocks once upon a time! Well I enjoyed last night's meal to bursting point. I had two big juicy chops with a nice thick crispy cooked strip of fat on one, swimming in sauce. I very guiltily do so enjoy a good bit of pork fat now and then {runs ducks & hides from the incoming "heart-attack" lectures)
Unfortunately I didn't bother photographing either, so this article is a bit colourless! Use your imagination!
So... tomorrow is yet another public holiday in this country. Youth day apparently (like who cares, it's a day off work!). Apparently youth day commemorates the death of a few black youngsters killed in a riot by some racist Afrikaaners way back in 1976, the year I was born, and I'm 35 years very old. That's a long fucken time ago, and apartheid ended 17 years ago! GET OVER YOURSELVES ANC & YOUR BRAINWASHED COMRADES!!! These okes are still constantly harping on the past, creating hell for all of us through persistent racial segregation and violent racially motivated crime! Thousands of whites have been deliberately brutally murdered of forced out of SA since then in the name of the "struggle" and racial hatred but we have to just shut up and take it and get back to work so we can pay taxes to support the 90% sector of the population who don't pay tax, who are too stupid, useless or lazy to get off their butts and learn something so they can fend for themselves and make their own living! And of course fund our useless corrupt BLACK government in all their dishonest and luxurious lifestyles!
What gets me even more is the fact that Ascension day, a long time traditional Christian holiday in this country and the world over, was excluded by the black government! Surely that has more meaning than one particular riot gone bad in a long unpleasant history of many unpleasant events in this country!
I'm sorry, but I feel fuckall for the meaning of tomorrows public holiday, but I'm sure as hell going to enjoy it!
BTW, I'm not essentially a racist, I am just sick and tired on the attitude of the majority of the people of this country, particularly the aggressive and open racism by the blacks in SA, fuelled unnecessarily by complete morons like Julius Malema, against white people who are not otherwise concerned with racism as much as getting on and making the best of life with their families and enjoying their self-made successes! If the poorer and older blacks got over the heavy old (blame apartheid and all whites for all our problems) chips on their shoulders we'd all get on a shit load better!
That was a good rant! Have a good Youth Day tomorrow South Africa!
Fathers Day Morning Ring
This morning yours truly attended the Fathers Day Morning Ring at Tammy's school, a once-a-year event where us dads come to school and watch the kids in action in class for the first half hour of the day until 08h30. (Yes the mom's also had their turn when it was Mothers day.)
The whole thing was very sweet, nice to see the kids in their environment, albeit unnatural for them as their big burly old dads were milling around clumsily like giants in a dwarf sanctuary. Everything is midget size in there, the little classroom chair I sat on surprisingly didn't collapse into a mangled heap under my hefty arse!
Before class officially started the kids were excitedly showing the dads what they can do with all their puzzles and activities, all neatly laid out on the foot high tables by teacher Judy and aunty Gloria. Tammy was no exception, I had to make a geostack puzzle with her, draw faces and stuff, and help her arrange the furniture in one corner of the room into a kind of kraal to keep us safe from monsters.
Then teacher called the kids all into a big circle on the mat where they basically sang songs about bible stories and animals and other kids tunes for about half an hour. The kids all took their places and participated excitedly in the animated sing songs, cheerfully showing off for their proud daddies... all except one... my Tamsyn!!!
My adorable daughter simply did not conform to the norm and do what the other kids did! She kept ducking the teaching assistant Gloria to get to me to give me a hug, she barely sang along, and did the opposite movements to the rest of the class. She parked herself in the middle of the circle like the star of the show, like it is her rightful place to be, then went and ploncked herself on the teachers lap and promptly re-arranged teachers notes and class register. In her own way she was a little chaos! All the while the rest of the class carried on uninterrupted!
But the teachers were not at all bothered, apparently it's her normal free-spirited behaviour! They are used to it, and if it is a problem they certainly didn't give it away!
I think it's great that she is independant, does her own thing in her own way, but I didn't realise she was quite this persistent in going against the flow, and I'm a bit concerned about her behaviour to be quite honest!
I love my child and every thing about her, there is no more awesome kid who ever lived and I'm honoured to be the luckiest dad in the world. But I fear she may become a bit of a handful as she grows up if she continues to do her own thing with no regard to playing as a team or following expected protocols!
One thing I'm sure of is she is going to grow up into a proud, intelligent, confident, free-thinker, and she is going to be a great success in life, she will be a leader and the best at whatever she does! As long as we can keep her in check in the meantime, once we figure out how to do that!
I'm so proud of my beautiful girl, my heart swells to bursting point with love and the happiness she brings into my otherwise monotonous life!
 |
| Just started and already she's looking for dadddy |
Before class officially started the kids were excitedly showing the dads what they can do with all their puzzles and activities, all neatly laid out on the foot high tables by teacher Judy and aunty Gloria. Tammy was no exception, I had to make a geostack puzzle with her, draw faces and stuff, and help her arrange the furniture in one corner of the room into a kind of kraal to keep us safe from monsters.
 |
| Tammy like the town Princess parked in the middle |
My adorable daughter simply did not conform to the norm and do what the other kids did! She kept ducking the teaching assistant Gloria to get to me to give me a hug, she barely sang along, and did the opposite movements to the rest of the class. She parked herself in the middle of the circle like the star of the show, like it is her rightful place to be, then went and ploncked herself on the teachers lap and promptly re-arranged teachers notes and class register. In her own way she was a little chaos! All the while the rest of the class carried on uninterrupted!
 |
| Off she goes, dodging aunty Gloria again |
I think it's great that she is independant, does her own thing in her own way, but I didn't realise she was quite this persistent in going against the flow, and I'm a bit concerned about her behaviour to be quite honest!
I love my child and every thing about her, there is no more awesome kid who ever lived and I'm honoured to be the luckiest dad in the world. But I fear she may become a bit of a handful as she grows up if she continues to do her own thing with no regard to playing as a team or following expected protocols!
 |
| Re-arranging teacher Judy's paperwork. |
I'm so proud of my beautiful girl, my heart swells to bursting point with love and the happiness she brings into my otherwise monotonous life!
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Delicious spaghetti bolognaise in a can, true story!
You guessed it, lunch today was a cheap R8 can of Koo spaghetti bolognaise, and it was surprisingly enjoyable, it actually had quite a nice flavour! Yes I know it doesn't contain real meat, rather some soya mutation, and it's full of artificial preservatives, anti-oxidants, colourants, and other life-threatening man made chemicals that are probably dissolving whats left of my pickled guts as I write this. You need to understand that I'm on a tight budget lately and I need to keep lunch-at-work costs down, so I buy this crap every now and then, and this crap actually tasted quite nice, on a bed of 2 week old toast (it's fine, it's been in the fridge) with a dollop of mayo on top! Usually these meals in a tin are quite gross, even for me, and believe me I'm quite brave when it comes to food, I'm not a squeamish pussy like the rest of you, I'll eat just about anything and in pretty impressive portion sizes too, in fact the bigger the better! Except brinjal (or eggplant, or whatever you call that revolting troll turd, I don't care, I won't touch it).
Anyway, my belly is full and I'm uncomfortably stuffed like a Christmas turkey!
But now comes the part where I start feeling guilty about my weight and my health, because since I last composed a decent blog I have admittedly gotten lazy and unhealthy and embarrassingly a few kilo's heavier! Which is sad really since last year and for a couple of weeks a few months ago I was doing so well with the health drive! I think my gym has forgotten I exist, I think I've forgotten where the gym is!
"But hey, keep scoffing down cheap cans of poisonous artificial food substitutes and see where that gets you, you fat lazy, scruffy, unshaven bag of pickled lard; shameful embarrassment to the gloriously handsome specimen you once were!" says my conscience, the red one with the pitchfork on my left shoulder that talkssss in parsssseltongue. The other one on my right shoulder, the sweet sexy one with the halo and wings disappeared a while ago, I think I sat on her one drunken Friday night!
Moral of the story... once again in my confused existence I think it's time to:
Well, it works in theory.!
What I need is motivation, if you're reading this... any support will be much appreciated! Maybe there are clubs or groups or places out there for people like me! (Just don't anybody fucking suggest AA, that's a load of fake bullshit and I'll swear at you!)
All this from a can of dog-food-like spaghetti bolognaise that tasted slightly better than stale shit for a change!
I had loads of other more interesting stuff to talk about and here I'm feeling all useless and sorry for myself again! How embarassing! Realistically, the list above is not going to just happen, much as I'd really love it to, it's just not because those things (eating, smoking, drinking) are pleasures in my life these days; besides my wife and child everything else is truly just a monotonous drag, the lack of money to do anything enjoyable besides drink is like a soundproof cage!! Maybe I'll try one point at a time, but certainly not all at once! Except the sex, that's just got to happen more often, that's task no. 1, and it's free, sometimes (depending on how much shit I'm in!)
The next blog will be more up-tempo and happy, and it will be soon! Promise!
Anyway, my belly is full and I'm uncomfortably stuffed like a Christmas turkey!
But now comes the part where I start feeling guilty about my weight and my health, because since I last composed a decent blog I have admittedly gotten lazy and unhealthy and embarrassingly a few kilo's heavier! Which is sad really since last year and for a couple of weeks a few months ago I was doing so well with the health drive! I think my gym has forgotten I exist, I think I've forgotten where the gym is!
"But hey, keep scoffing down cheap cans of poisonous artificial food substitutes and see where that gets you, you fat lazy, scruffy, unshaven bag of pickled lard; shameful embarrassment to the gloriously handsome specimen you once were!" says my conscience, the red one with the pitchfork on my left shoulder that talkssss in parsssseltongue. The other one on my right shoulder, the sweet sexy one with the halo and wings disappeared a while ago, I think I sat on her one drunken Friday night!
Moral of the story... once again in my confused existence I think it's time to:
- Start eating healthier again: smaller portions, more rabbit food, less carrion, and a good balance!
- Hit the gym again, especially squash, if I can just avoid crashing through the floor boards!
- Try cut back on the drinking sessions! I still have the problem that once I start my mission is to get plastered (as some of you who're on Facebook on Friday nights will know!), but if I can just cut back the frequency of those sessions will be a good start!
- Smoke less! I'd actually love to quit outright, I just don't have the willpower or backing for it right now! But, drinking less will mean smoking less. If, and it's a big if - the time comes that I actually manage to give up the bottle, I know that giving up smoking will be easy! Hopefully that will happen, I know I'll be happier for it!
- Get some vitamin supplements.
- Get out into nature more, like hiking! That would be great fun actually, I get excited at the thought. Problem is I'm normally too hungover on weekends to consider it!
- Most importantly - have more sex! It would be nice if my wife could ablige this one, it would be to her own benefit too!
Well, it works in theory.!
What I need is motivation, if you're reading this... any support will be much appreciated! Maybe there are clubs or groups or places out there for people like me! (Just don't anybody fucking suggest AA, that's a load of fake bullshit and I'll swear at you!)
All this from a can of dog-food-like spaghetti bolognaise that tasted slightly better than stale shit for a change!
I had loads of other more interesting stuff to talk about and here I'm feeling all useless and sorry for myself again! How embarassing! Realistically, the list above is not going to just happen, much as I'd really love it to, it's just not because those things (eating, smoking, drinking) are pleasures in my life these days; besides my wife and child everything else is truly just a monotonous drag, the lack of money to do anything enjoyable besides drink is like a soundproof cage!! Maybe I'll try one point at a time, but certainly not all at once! Except the sex, that's just got to happen more often, that's task no. 1, and it's free, sometimes (depending on how much shit I'm in!)
The next blog will be more up-tempo and happy, and it will be soon! Promise!
Friday, 10 June 2011
Remember me...
I think it's about time to get back into writing my blog again, I've been quite lazy for a while, sorry folks! But right now I'm at work and about to get shat on for doing this while I should be working on space plans. So You'll have to wait until a bit later for a juicy story, probably involving some food again!
Later...
Later...
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