Yesterday's headline: ESKOM INCREASES LOAD SHEDDING TO THREE POWER CUTS PER WEEK
Today's headline: ESKOM ANNOUNCES END TO LOAD SHEDDING
Hmmmm....somehow I think it is safer to keep my stock of candles and plan on electicity-free Tuesday night essay writing sessions.
For some reason I have been feeling unsure about things recently. I am not confident that a certain someone completely believes in me....not only in the cliched sense of trusting that I have the ability to change the world, but also believing that the world needs me as something more than a wife or a mother. I feel like he is more concerned with fitting me into his life than he is in making sure that my dreams are fit into my life.
I suppose that is natural in one sense...of course everyone is primarily responsible for making sure that they attain their own life goals. His goals are his responsibility and I don't put them first in my calculus of future plans. But at the same time I have absolutely no expectation that he will sacrifice any of his goals for our mutual lfe plans. He, however, expects, or at the very least wishes, that I would alter my career plans slightly so that they allow for lots of travelling and time off....which is not exactly possible for a lawyer or politician or even a journalist...or any other profession where you can solidly make a difference in the world.
This is not catastrophic for us, because I don't necessarily have to conform to his wishes. And he understands that we will have to compromise to make any sort of cross-Atlantic arrangement work. But beyond simply working things out, maybe what I want is someone who thinks that I am important for the bigger picture of humanity (lol, silly sounding, I know) and not just important for them. Just the fact that I can write this in here with complete certainty that he won't read this is evidence that he isn't necessarily as interested in how I think and what I think as he could be. If I knew that he had a blog, I would read every single entry. So why is it not the same for him?
"Alice had learnt several things of this sort in her lessons in the schoolroom, and though this was not a very good opportunity for showing off her knowledge, as there was no one to listen to her, still it was good practice to say it over."
-Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Wrong Side of Bed
Types of people that are annoying:
1) People who quite obviously like to have all the attention in the room focused on them. For instance, those people who will "accidentally" cause some sort of disruption during class and then act like all surprised that everyone is looking at them, but are clearly feeling very pleased about it. These people are like cats. I like cats, but people shouldn't act like them.
2) People who moan while the professor is lecturing. I initially suspected this kid had Terrets, now I just think that he has mistaken the prof for a preacher. And he doesn't even do this when a really nice point is being made, where I can see someone would say "ahhh". No, he does it every three minutes, and its more like an amen, than anything else. Save it for church, buddy.
3) People who can't stand swearing. It may be a sin, but its not any worse than being a judgmental prude. John 8:7, bitches.
4) People who swear in every sentence. I especially hate it when high school girls do this, and you can just tell that they are doing it to be all cool and rebellious and to get attention.
5) People who constantly say "Jesus" and aren't even a little aware that it might be offensive. Yes, its a normal habit, and I don't consider it wash your mouth out with soap offensive, but at the same time, I know people would nearly crucify me for my political incorrectness if I went around saying "Mohammed" or "Siddhartha" in place of "shit" or "fuck".
6) People who are convinced that homosexuality is a sin. This elite group includes my parents and most of my extended family. Yes, I've read the Bible, so don't lecture me on whatever passage you think sets it out oh so clearly that the gays are going to hell. But just stop for a minute and think about it. Does it make sense at all that homosexuality would be a sin? That some people would just simply not be allowed to fall in love? My mom says "it's like a disability, God doesn't want people to be blind, but nevertheless some people have to live without their eyesight anyway." That's bogus...gay people clearly have the ability to fall in love. Plus where do you draw the line anyway. At gay sex? Are they allowed to live together without *gasp* touching? And if they can't live together, can they love eachother even if they don't act on it? And if they're are not supposed to love, then how is that even possible. And since when is Christianity going to say that some people are allowed to love and experience being loved in return, but others aren't. It just doesn't make sense, and I wish people would just get their heads out of their asses and realize that even if absurdly, God did mean homosexuality to be a sin, effectively excluding gays from churches is much much worse. It erks me that its not just the historically hypocrital Catholic church that is involved in this...even some of the most liberal, pacifist, accepting churches still stubbornly sanction homophobia with their policies on homosexuality.
7) People who complain too much.....mwahahaha...myself obviously included.
"The Dormouse: You've got no right to grow here.
Alice: Don't talk nonsense. You know you're growing too.
The Dormouse: Yes, but I grow at a reasonable pace, not in that ridiculous fashion."
-Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
1) People who quite obviously like to have all the attention in the room focused on them. For instance, those people who will "accidentally" cause some sort of disruption during class and then act like all surprised that everyone is looking at them, but are clearly feeling very pleased about it. These people are like cats. I like cats, but people shouldn't act like them.
2) People who moan while the professor is lecturing. I initially suspected this kid had Terrets, now I just think that he has mistaken the prof for a preacher. And he doesn't even do this when a really nice point is being made, where I can see someone would say "ahhh". No, he does it every three minutes, and its more like an amen, than anything else. Save it for church, buddy.
3) People who can't stand swearing. It may be a sin, but its not any worse than being a judgmental prude. John 8:7, bitches.
4) People who swear in every sentence. I especially hate it when high school girls do this, and you can just tell that they are doing it to be all cool and rebellious and to get attention.
5) People who constantly say "Jesus" and aren't even a little aware that it might be offensive. Yes, its a normal habit, and I don't consider it wash your mouth out with soap offensive, but at the same time, I know people would nearly crucify me for my political incorrectness if I went around saying "Mohammed" or "Siddhartha" in place of "shit" or "fuck".
6) People who are convinced that homosexuality is a sin. This elite group includes my parents and most of my extended family. Yes, I've read the Bible, so don't lecture me on whatever passage you think sets it out oh so clearly that the gays are going to hell. But just stop for a minute and think about it. Does it make sense at all that homosexuality would be a sin? That some people would just simply not be allowed to fall in love? My mom says "it's like a disability, God doesn't want people to be blind, but nevertheless some people have to live without their eyesight anyway." That's bogus...gay people clearly have the ability to fall in love. Plus where do you draw the line anyway. At gay sex? Are they allowed to live together without *gasp* touching? And if they can't live together, can they love eachother even if they don't act on it? And if they're are not supposed to love, then how is that even possible. And since when is Christianity going to say that some people are allowed to love and experience being loved in return, but others aren't. It just doesn't make sense, and I wish people would just get their heads out of their asses and realize that even if absurdly, God did mean homosexuality to be a sin, effectively excluding gays from churches is much much worse. It erks me that its not just the historically hypocrital Catholic church that is involved in this...even some of the most liberal, pacifist, accepting churches still stubbornly sanction homophobia with their policies on homosexuality.
7) People who complain too much.....mwahahaha...myself obviously included.
"The Dormouse: You've got no right to grow here.
Alice: Don't talk nonsense. You know you're growing too.
The Dormouse: Yes, but I grow at a reasonable pace, not in that ridiculous fashion."
-Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
DIVA
I got Armani sunglasses! Fake of course, but oh so flashy. The guy wanted me to pay something ridiculous like $30 for them, but I bargained him down to $10.
I only decided I wanted Aramani sunglasses when I noticed that all the American girls on campus were wearing sunglasses with little eagle (or something) logos on the side. Then, when I found out what brand they were I went and got them so that I can be just like all the other little exchange students. Mwahahaha.
My dad almost got a "diamond" encrusted G-Unit watch with a rim around it. Just for kicks. But then he came to his senses. Shame.
South African phrase of the day: "Shame." They say it in nearly every other sentence. And like all of their little speech fads, it succeeds in making them seem very bourgeois.
I only decided I wanted Aramani sunglasses when I noticed that all the American girls on campus were wearing sunglasses with little eagle (or something) logos on the side. Then, when I found out what brand they were I went and got them so that I can be just like all the other little exchange students. Mwahahaha.
My dad almost got a "diamond" encrusted G-Unit watch with a rim around it. Just for kicks. But then he came to his senses. Shame.
South African phrase of the day: "Shame." They say it in nearly every other sentence. And like all of their little speech fads, it succeeds in making them seem very bourgeois.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Too Fast Too Furious: Cape Town Strip
I saw car racing!!!!!!!!!! I am talking gritty, over a thousand people watching, underground, midnight races. We randomly ran into the unofficial Indy 500 on the way home last night. There was a long stretch of road that was suspiciously empty and all of a sudden we saw two cars squeal onto the road in front of us and noticed that on either side of the road were hundreds and hundreds of cars parked with people watching. It was like tailgating, except with flashy teenagers from the hood instead of 50-year old university alumni. And except for the fact that we were not with the jailbait tailgaters, we were freaking in the middle of the race.
Let me just say, that it was a wonderful cultural experience that fully broadened by horizons. Vive la Africa!
Aaand, regarding other new and exciting South African things, we had just come from picking my cousin up from Grand West Casino. Casinos are an even bigger thing here than they are on Native American reservations. Seriously. Tulalip Casino is to Grand West like Wild Waves is to Disneyland. In huge, gawdy splediforousness, and in popularity. Amazingly, my cousin won 20,000 rand the other night, which initself was cool. Then, she gave me 500 and her brother 1,000 to spend today. Terribly fun to have a no-strings-attached requirement to go on a shopping spree.
It was actually a little bit hard to find stuff where we were though, because "in" south african clothes for females are so different than in the US. There is wayway less bohemian chic and wayway more shiny-ness and animal print. You know how some places like to sell shirts where there are faux snakeskin belts or jewelry items attached? Like that...which is not exactly me. Pshaw. And Josh says that I dress very un-girly. He probably thinks this because whenever I stay over with him I am running around in cozy clothes like sweatpants and sweatshirts, but also because the Cape Town version of girly and feminine is more like constant heels, shiny jewelry and sharp little button up shirts with vests. Now I feel all defensive about my clothing style or lack thereof.....(I am being unfair though, because I actually know he wasn't equating ungirly-ness with lack of style, but I also know he would prefer girly-ness). Anyway, I am complaining for no reason though, because I got an adorable new bag and a sweater and a shirt...all thanks to my cousin and Grand West.
"Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies."
-Nelson Mandela
Let me just say, that it was a wonderful cultural experience that fully broadened by horizons. Vive la Africa!
Aaand, regarding other new and exciting South African things, we had just come from picking my cousin up from Grand West Casino. Casinos are an even bigger thing here than they are on Native American reservations. Seriously. Tulalip Casino is to Grand West like Wild Waves is to Disneyland. In huge, gawdy splediforousness, and in popularity. Amazingly, my cousin won 20,000 rand the other night, which initself was cool. Then, she gave me 500 and her brother 1,000 to spend today. Terribly fun to have a no-strings-attached requirement to go on a shopping spree.
It was actually a little bit hard to find stuff where we were though, because "in" south african clothes for females are so different than in the US. There is wayway less bohemian chic and wayway more shiny-ness and animal print. You know how some places like to sell shirts where there are faux snakeskin belts or jewelry items attached? Like that...which is not exactly me. Pshaw. And Josh says that I dress very un-girly. He probably thinks this because whenever I stay over with him I am running around in cozy clothes like sweatpants and sweatshirts, but also because the Cape Town version of girly and feminine is more like constant heels, shiny jewelry and sharp little button up shirts with vests. Now I feel all defensive about my clothing style or lack thereof.....(I am being unfair though, because I actually know he wasn't equating ungirly-ness with lack of style, but I also know he would prefer girly-ness). Anyway, I am complaining for no reason though, because I got an adorable new bag and a sweater and a shirt...all thanks to my cousin and Grand West.
"Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies."
-Nelson Mandela
Friday, April 25, 2008
I really don't mean to be vain, but...
I have shockingly gorgeous nails. It's genetics. Once they get to a certain length, it absolutely looks like a perfect french manicure. I should have been a hand model for commercials. Olive and I were going to do that....she was going to be a foot model and I would be the hands rubbing lotion (even better, self tanner) on her feet. I think I have mentioned that before. Still, it bears repeating. We were going to be rich.
Aaaand in case you did not read about it in the US....here is a particularly colorful gem of a story from the ANC President, soon-to-be South African President (if he is not convicted of bribery in his upcoming trial):
Long story short, Jacob Zuma was accused of raping this woman...judge ruled that the sex was consensual, but Zuma should still be banned from opening his mouth (and his fly) for the stupidity that he espoused...
"Mr. Zuma said that his accuser indicated she wanted sex by the way she sat while wearing a knee-length skirt — an idea he repeated yesterday — and that it was his duty as a man to accommodate her. He said he had not used a condom to have sex with the woman even though he knew she was H.I.V.-positive because he thought the risk of catching the AIDS virus was low. He said he had chosen instead to shower after sex to minimize the risk of infection. Mind you, this is the man who once led the country's National AIDS Council." (NY Times)
He thought that a shower would be enough to prevent AIDS.
Good to know that South Africa is really being led in the right directions by their political leaders.
Aaaaand, I am at home while my bf is out at a bar. Yay, for bitterness!
Swing low sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home
Aaaand in case you did not read about it in the US....here is a particularly colorful gem of a story from the ANC President, soon-to-be South African President (if he is not convicted of bribery in his upcoming trial):
Long story short, Jacob Zuma was accused of raping this woman...judge ruled that the sex was consensual, but Zuma should still be banned from opening his mouth (and his fly) for the stupidity that he espoused...
"Mr. Zuma said that his accuser indicated she wanted sex by the way she sat while wearing a knee-length skirt — an idea he repeated yesterday — and that it was his duty as a man to accommodate her. He said he had not used a condom to have sex with the woman even though he knew she was H.I.V.-positive because he thought the risk of catching the AIDS virus was low. He said he had chosen instead to shower after sex to minimize the risk of infection. Mind you, this is the man who once led the country's National AIDS Council." (NY Times)
He thought that a shower would be enough to prevent AIDS.
Good to know that South Africa is really being led in the right directions by their political leaders.
Aaaaand, I am at home while my bf is out at a bar. Yay, for bitterness!
Swing low sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Talk Me Down
I am going to seriously start a gang war if one more South African decides to tell me that "America is not ready for a black president." Fuckers. The amount of remaining racism in South Africa couldn't even be contained by a US population filled with Rush Limbaughs. Here, every single race has an issue with every single other one. I can't even count the number of times I have gotten shat on by one of my family members just for mentioning that in the US they would be considered black because we don't differentiate between colored and black. You would think I was saying that they would be considered a member of the "nigger" race or something equally un-PC. So, I don't know how South Africans can get their panties in a huge knot about being at all connected to The Blacks, and then in the very next breath say that they can have a black president but the US is just not ready for one.
Similarly infuriating is when I open my mouth to talk about South African politics and get told, "you don't deserve to have an opinion because you haven't grown up here and you don't know what its like." So? I don't get all up in your grill when you assault me with your even more uninformed opinions on US politics. I have lived here for almost a year now, my dad grew up here, and I am about to be a citizen. Plus I follow the news here here waaaaaaay more than the people who are telling me that I don't deserve to have an opinion on it. I am not saying that my opinion is better than theirs or even equal to theirs, but if I feel like saying that I agree with the Human Rights Commission's ruling that the Black Journalist Association can't bar whites from joining, then argue with me and tell me why I'm wrong instead of telling me that I just can't talk about politics. Fascists.
Being here has really made me defensive about being an American. It's very odd because back in Seattle I am the very first person to give a Howard Zinn version of US history...one filled with corruption, selfish decisions, and egregious mistakes. But after encountering a country full of people who want to tell me that simply being born in the US makes me responsible for invading Iraq, allowing the Khmer Rouge to massacre millions, ignoring the Rwandan genocide, and hundreds of other things, all I want to say is step the fuck off. Its not like South Africa or even Britain or France did anything helpful either in any of those situations....and the French were practically complicit in both the Rwandan genocide and the education of Pot Pot.
Yes, with great power comes great responsibility, but if your president is in the midst of supporting Mugabe and you don't want to be told that you are personally responsible for the condoning of corruption, then shut your trap about how awful Americans are.
Similarly infuriating is when I open my mouth to talk about South African politics and get told, "you don't deserve to have an opinion because you haven't grown up here and you don't know what its like." So? I don't get all up in your grill when you assault me with your even more uninformed opinions on US politics. I have lived here for almost a year now, my dad grew up here, and I am about to be a citizen. Plus I follow the news here here waaaaaaay more than the people who are telling me that I don't deserve to have an opinion on it. I am not saying that my opinion is better than theirs or even equal to theirs, but if I feel like saying that I agree with the Human Rights Commission's ruling that the Black Journalist Association can't bar whites from joining, then argue with me and tell me why I'm wrong instead of telling me that I just can't talk about politics. Fascists.
Being here has really made me defensive about being an American. It's very odd because back in Seattle I am the very first person to give a Howard Zinn version of US history...one filled with corruption, selfish decisions, and egregious mistakes. But after encountering a country full of people who want to tell me that simply being born in the US makes me responsible for invading Iraq, allowing the Khmer Rouge to massacre millions, ignoring the Rwandan genocide, and hundreds of other things, all I want to say is step the fuck off. Its not like South Africa or even Britain or France did anything helpful either in any of those situations....and the French were practically complicit in both the Rwandan genocide and the education of Pot Pot.
Yes, with great power comes great responsibility, but if your president is in the midst of supporting Mugabe and you don't want to be told that you are personally responsible for the condoning of corruption, then shut your trap about how awful Americans are.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Recession vs. Inflation
It's easy to get wrapped up in the money system here and forget the exchange rate. When I buy new flowered flats or something and spend 100 rand I feel like, gosh, that was really a splurge, I just spent and ENTIRE 100 rand. In retrospect, though, that is only 15 dollars. And I get all upset about having to pay a whole 50 rand for two movie tickets....but thats literally 7 dollars. In the US, that won't even get one person into the movies unless it is an 11 in the morning matinee. Seriously. We may be headed for recession, but the dollar is still dope in Africa (except of course for the Zimbabwean dollar...which is worth more as cigarette paper in which to smoke dope than its monetary value).
My Grandmother is here visiting from the great psuedo state of E-Wa. It's lovely having her and I am so impressed that she flew all the way to Cape Town alone. She is providing for much entertainment and is lengthening the list of her in-the-car moments of hilarity. Here's a recap of two old ones and the new one...
Frick funny moment in the car with Grandma #101:
Driving through Montana she is convinced that the Xhosa and Japanese cd's my sister and I are playing are Christian music, and she does not hesitate to throw in effusive "Hallelujah's". This becomes a problem when the praise chorus of J-Pop gets her into such a jubilant frenzy that she careens the wrong way down a one way street. Mojo and I escaped with our lives and have stopped playing non-english music on roadtrips with Grandma.
Frick funny moment in the car with Grandma #102:
Squished into the backseat with my sis and I, she drinks from a particularly crackly-sounding water bottle. My irritable father, thinking Mojo and I are purposely cracking something to annoy him and end our little family roadtrip, growls "Stop that cracking noise RIGHT NOW!" My grandmother gives us a big guilty shrug and stows her waterbottle in her bag for in-flight safety. But as she does the plastic crinkles again twice and my dad says "WHO IS DOING THAT!!!! I told you guys to stop! Stop that cracking or you are grounded." The fear in my Grandmother's eyes was palpable. Of course, my dad felt horribly guilty when he found out that it was actually my Grandmother who he was scolding.
Frick funny moment in the car with Grandma #103:
In the car with my cousin Darren, a fairly articulate freshman in high school, (i.e. he's colored and can speak and understand english very well, especially as it is his first and only language). My grandmother shares memories from the good old days and says "Well Darren I snore quite a bit, and when Mojo was little, she used to call it 'snorking'....Do you know what snoring means? Snoring is..." At this point my parents broke up the vocab lesson and explained that Darren was, in fact, fluent in English. My grandmother seemed relatively impressed. I would like to know, though, how at no point in the week she has spent with him did she not realize that he spoke english.
My Grandmother is here visiting from the great psuedo state of E-Wa. It's lovely having her and I am so impressed that she flew all the way to Cape Town alone. She is providing for much entertainment and is lengthening the list of her in-the-car moments of hilarity. Here's a recap of two old ones and the new one...
Frick funny moment in the car with Grandma #101:
Driving through Montana she is convinced that the Xhosa and Japanese cd's my sister and I are playing are Christian music, and she does not hesitate to throw in effusive "Hallelujah's". This becomes a problem when the praise chorus of J-Pop gets her into such a jubilant frenzy that she careens the wrong way down a one way street. Mojo and I escaped with our lives and have stopped playing non-english music on roadtrips with Grandma.
Frick funny moment in the car with Grandma #102:
Squished into the backseat with my sis and I, she drinks from a particularly crackly-sounding water bottle. My irritable father, thinking Mojo and I are purposely cracking something to annoy him and end our little family roadtrip, growls "Stop that cracking noise RIGHT NOW!" My grandmother gives us a big guilty shrug and stows her waterbottle in her bag for in-flight safety. But as she does the plastic crinkles again twice and my dad says "WHO IS DOING THAT!!!! I told you guys to stop! Stop that cracking or you are grounded." The fear in my Grandmother's eyes was palpable. Of course, my dad felt horribly guilty when he found out that it was actually my Grandmother who he was scolding.
Frick funny moment in the car with Grandma #103:
In the car with my cousin Darren, a fairly articulate freshman in high school, (i.e. he's colored and can speak and understand english very well, especially as it is his first and only language). My grandmother shares memories from the good old days and says "Well Darren I snore quite a bit, and when Mojo was little, she used to call it 'snorking'....Do you know what snoring means? Snoring is..." At this point my parents broke up the vocab lesson and explained that Darren was, in fact, fluent in English. My grandmother seemed relatively impressed. I would like to know, though, how at no point in the week she has spent with him did she not realize that he spoke english.
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