Apr 21, 2010

Post Secret

I don’t have the heart for a Post Secret today... They’re just too depressing, and most of them are about abortion. I’m so pro-life and anti-abortion (yes, it’s the same thing). I can’t imagine not having a child, and want one more than I could ever say. I just don’t understand...

Quick Catch Up

I actually don’t know how I managed to maintain a regular blog for two years. Blogging has become almost tedious, but I still end up doing it. It is, I guess, a way of venting.

Date night with Chris didn’t happen. As expected he has let me down and hasn’t gotten back to me. He did have a valid excuse, but like Darren, they’re just empty excuses at the end of the day. So I guess this means that we’re not dating.

I’ve been chatting via FaceBook email to a guy called Jayson, who lives in JHB. He seems like such a nice guy. Why are all the nice ones either taken or so far away?

Work has been hectic, but enjoyable. I seem to be evolving from account management into online marketing, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s broadening my knowledge base and because it’s challenging it means that I’m not bored.

I’m excited about Emma’s birthday party this weekend. A 7 course picnic in the midlands with good people is just what I need. Mom knitted her a scarf, which I will take photos of. It really came out beautiful.

Otherwise, we’ve got a feria coming up on the 8th of May. That should be a nice night out. Katia and Justin are probably going to come too, which means that I will have friends there.

This has turned into a really disjointed post, hasn’t it? I’m tired and my brain is battling to string together full sentences.

I think I best quit whilst I’m ahead. ‘Til next time :)

Apr 13, 2010

Post Secret

My pick of the Post Secret cards this week is:

Dinner is on Friday, with Chris

We’re going to Pizza Pazza in Kloof, and although I’ve never eaten there, Katia says it’s the best Italian restaurant she’s come across in Durban.

I’m looking forward to dinner as he is always good company. So does 2 dates (well, almost 3) mean that we’re dating? Yes? No? Maybe?

We shall see...

Apr 10, 2010

Jason Grimaldi, SWARM and an African lady

The title of this post pretty much sums up my weekend thus far. It’s been an interesting one, filled with good times, fond memories and even a smidgen of drama.

Last night started out somewhat challenging with the electricity going off in my neighbourhood from about 6:30pm. This was extremely problematic as no electricity meant no concert. Thankfully someone hired a generator and the concert kicked in at about 7:30pm.

Talk about a blast from the past. Those of us who grew up in Amanzimtoti, Warner Beach and the immediate surrounds, in the 90’s, will remember the band SWARM consisting of the Roscoe brothers Dean and Michael, Grant van der Linda and Jason Grimaldi. Jason moved on to the UK with his wife Sian (pronounced: sh-ah-hn) and has been making music over there. The remaining members of SWARM, including one new member, who’s name I don’t know, formed a new reggae style band called Manuvah to Land. Their music style is very far removed from the old garage-band, grunge style of the original SWARM, but it was still easy-listening, enjoyable stuff. Another good band also played, but I missed their name as I was hunting frantically for Maxine and her hubby Lionel. Eventually I caught up with them and we had a fantastic evening.

I have to say though that Jason hasn’t changed at all in the 15 years since high school.

I managed to hunt down this YouTube video of him singing Sweet Home Alabama, which he played at the concert. He has a wonderful raspy, whiskey-worn voice that is easy and enjoyable to listen to.



At the concert they were selling R50 cd’s made up of a bunch of local bands which is actually pretty good. The money for the cd is going towards a cancer fund. The only damper on the evening was a fight that broke out between two drunken idiots… But this is Toti, and it wouldn’t be Toti without a fight or two. Fortunately it was contained within minutes and no one was seriously hurt.

We eventually got home at about 12:30, and I managed to hop into bed around 12:45. Please note that this is a somewhat miraculous time for me as I NEVER manage to stay awake that late these days.

This morning Maxine and I were up with the birds and on our way to Yours Forever Craft Studio at the Heritage Market in Hillcrest. What a fantastic morning. I had decided on a painting of sorts and Maxine ended up doing a mosaic pot stand, which was initially going to be for her mom for Mother’s day, however, she liked it so much that she’s opted to keep it.

I am extremely pleased with the way my painting came out. I know she’s not perfectly in proportion, and my lines aren’t perfect, however, I really don’t care. I haven’t painted a thing (fabric painting does not count as it really is paint-by-numbers) since high school so for me this was quite an accomplishment. I’ve bought another two canvasses and am going to paint the other two to match the first, and hang them as a set. I just need to decide on the images that I’m going to paint. I’m thinking that perhaps the middle painting is going to be something like African mud huts with pots and animals and the third is going to be a woman carrying a pot on her head. I’m not 100% sure yet though, so I’ll give it some more thought and take it from there.


Tomorrow I need to figure out what I am going to do for Emma for her birthday. I don’t know as yet and it’s concerning because her birthday is in a couple of weeks time, which means that I don’t have a lot of time to get something done. I’m leaning towards mosaic candle holders, but I will think about it properly tomorrow and make a decision.

And that’s been my weekend so far.

Apr 9, 2010

Quick Update

I heard from Chris!
Believe me... NO ONE is more surprised than I am. I even got a dinner invite for this evening, but I turned it down... I have a concert to go to :) Another time :)

This is turning into an interesting situation. What do you think the chances are of this turning into something serious? Look, don't get me wrong, I'm not hoping for anything more than a friendship that lasts more than two weeks... but imagine if it turns into a relationship... And do I want it to turn into a relationship? At this point in time the answer is no, but who knows? You know what, I'm getting ahead of myself here and I don't want to do that... Nope, tonight is concert night, and I'm going to focus on that. Everything else is detail that I don't need in my head right now.

Enjoy the weekend!
x

Apr 8, 2010

The good, the bad and the sad...

This has been a long and tedious day. I’m feeling alone today, very alone.

Donna’s car was stolen right outside of our office. The security guard was somewhere up the street, chatting to a mate, so of course he didn’t see anything. Two weeks ago Faith’s car radio was stolen out of her car. Granted, she was really stupid for leaving the radio face in, but still… where was the security guard? This is concerning, especially for someone like me who does, more often than not, work late. This is also concerning because I love my car… I work hard to pay for it, and I don’t want it getting wrecked or stolen because of a lack of interest on the security guard’s side. I’m angry with the security guard and angry at the fact that I have to worry about my car now when I go into the office.

On top of that, I’m disappointed in Chris. Although, I don’t know why, because I have known Chris for a very long time and this is very much Chris’ style… catch & release. He’s ignored me for two days. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not putting myself in his face, but if I send you an sms (I have only sent him one in two days) I expect some form of reply. And if you say that you’re going to reply to an email, then do so. *sigh* I’m probably feeling a lot worse about this than I would normally feel, but this week has been a hard one, and actually I needed a little bit of love this week… which of course isn’t going to happen. This has turned into a pity party, hasn’t it?

Moving on…

I’ve got some good things coming up that I need to look forward to.
It’s Emma’s birthday party in the Midlands on the 24th of this month. Tomorrow night is the concert at Lords. Maxine and I are doing the girl thing on Saturday and I got my invite today to Pat and Ros’ wedding in August. Actually, I think the invite has only added to my misery today… it’s a reminder of how empty my life is. It doesn’t matter how many things you try to shove into your life, doesn’t matter how busy you are, nothing can fill the gaping hole in your heart that a broken love has left behind. Don’t get me wrong though, I am unimaginably happy for Pat & Ros. They love each other so much, and no two people are more suited for each other. I think it’s wonderful that they’re getting married and I can’t wait to celebrate that day with them… celebrate them and the beginning of a new life together.

It’s been a running backwards week this week. I need to find a happy place, and soon or I’m going to drown in my misery and make everyone else around me miserable too.

Deep breaths Ash… It’s almost the weekend.

Apr 7, 2010

My must-have Item for this year...

From ShanaLogic.com
Something that has been on my shopping list for a year, and I think this is the year that I'm going to buy it...

Brooklyn Photo Cuff

My pick of the Post Secret cards today is...



And when the lights go out...

... I play :)

Our electricity was out from 6pm until 8pm last night. There has been no mention of load shedding, but the timing was just a little tooooo precise for my liking.



The weekend as planned…

Well, so far the weekend is shaping up nicely.

Friday evening I’m heading down to Lords & Legends with Maxine & Lionel to watch Swarm… Yes, the local boys from way-back-when.

Jason Grimaldi is visiting from the UK and for one night only they’re putting on a show. Should be an interesting one.

Saturday is painting day. Maxine and I are going to Yours Forever in Hillcrest. That’s pretty much an all-morning thing. I have no idea what I’m doing in the afternoon though… And Sunday is still a mystery. Will take it as it comes.

Quick life update

Well, after my little pity-party a couple of posts back I have been trying my utmost to get up and get on with my life. For the most part, I am succeeding.

The arts, crafts and dancing have been keeping me busy. I have also been on a date, but more about that in a minute.

Dancing is wonderful. We are on a break at the moment, because our classes run with the school terms, however, we should be back in the swing of things on the 14th of this month. We have a Feria coming up at the end of April. Here’s a little bit of a background on what a Spanish Feria is, and why we have a special evening for one. Obviously, ours is only one night and we usually go to a restaurant and have a meal and dance the Sevillanas.

The Seville Spring Fair, La Feria de abril de Sevilla, is held in the Andalusian capital of Seville, Spain. The fair generally begins two weeks after the Semana Santa, or Easter Holy Week.

The fair officially begins at midnight on Tuesday, and runs six days, ending on the following Sunday. During past fairs, however, many activities have begun on the Saturday prior to the official opening. Each day the fiesta begins with the parade of carriages and riders, at midday, carrying Seville's leading citizens which make their way to the bullring, La Real Maestranza, where the bullfighters and breeders meet.

For the duration of the fair, the fairgrounds, a vast area on the far bank of the Guadalquivir River, are totally covered in rows of casetas (individual decorated marquee tents which are temporarily built on the fairground). Some of these casetas belong to the prominent families of Seville, some to groups of friends, clubs, trade associations or political parties. From around nine at night until six or seven the following morning, at first in the streets and later only within each caseta, you will find crowds partying and dancing "Sevillanas", drinking Jerez sherry, or manzanilla wine, and eating tapas.

I may or may not invite Chris to the Feria. I am as yet, undecided. Chris is the man whom I am “dating”. I say “dating” because we have really only been on one date. The first date we had set ended up being a casual lunch with another friend of his. The second date, which ended up being the first, was at Cubana on Florida. We had initially intended to go to Spiga, but the place was packed by the time we got there, and so we ended up further down the road. Cubana is certainly a very vibey restaurant and not really somewhere to go if you’re looking for a nice quiet meal. That said however, the food was great, and Chris was excellent company. The only mild damper on the evening was that the music in the restaurant was too loud for any real, expressive conversation. If we do this again, we’re going to have to find a quieter place to meet.

And that’s all I have time for at the moment I’m afraid.
I’ll pop another catch-up on in a day or two.
x

A side note on the importance of friendship

Dictionary.com defines a friend as “a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.”

I am blessed to have the friends that I do.

I think that there are so few people on this earth who can say that they have the kinds of friends that I do... The kind of friend you can call in an emergency; who will stand by you when you’re backed-up against a wall. I am blessed to have the kind of friends who will laugh with you in times of joy, and cry with you when your heart is breaking.

Cherish your friends, be honest with them, but above all love them... because when all else fails in this world a true friend will stand by you, and if need be, hold you up.

I miss my most cherished friend, who moved away last year.
x

YES!

I figured out how to create animated gif's in Photoshop CS3!
Tutorial coming soon...