Masonry Queen becomes Patient Gardener

I am the definition of contradiction, I am the Queen Mason and Patient Gardener, I am both and all at the same time.

From the age of naught, since the time I was but a spec on the imagination of my mother and possibly my fathers mind’s, I have been the Gardener in the people I meet’s lives. A wilting flower? No sweat I will water that sagging flower within you until it blooms once more in all its wonderful colour and array. That is who I am, that is how I have always been, that is how I will always be.

All the while I water your spiritual garden I neglect mine, instead of doing the required regular weed pulling, planting and watering I build walls. Walls around my spirit, my soul, who I really am, I hide. I am the expert in where these walls go, how they are built, how high they should go and what bricks to use. I am the Queen of Masonry.

I understand that in order for me to water your garden I have to do at least a bit of tending to my own, but not to the levels I should have. After all How much water can be thrown over a high wall? How easy is it planting a gorgeous orchid when you are balancing on the top of a wall the height of a skyscraper? Not easy, no. Perhaps my strength in tending to other peoples spiritual gardens is so strong for the fact that I have never really concentrated on my own. My gardening skills are unbalanced if you will.

When you are in a relationship, be it with a partner or with a friend, there are always three gardens to attend to much like the picture below - yours, mine and ours.

Firstly, on the left is your garden that you yourself need to tend to, look after, water, plant and weed.

Then on the right is your partners or friends garden, they to have to water, plant and weed making sure that it survives and grows.

Then finally we get the garden in the middle, our garden, this to needs to be watered, weeded and new plants planted every now and then.

If one of these three gardens is not being attended to then it becomes unbalanced, in discord and will start to resemble something much like a dead ant sucked dry by a leech, it can happen so fast, with a blink an eye, poof all dried out.

Look after your own garden too much and the other two get neglected, enough neglect and they slowly wither and die. The same is true when it comes to looking after the other two gardens more than your own, just this time yours is the one that withers.

All three gardens can be healthy and thriving, the balance perfect in the sense that all gardens are being weeded, watered and encouraged to grow but this takes hard work and practice. Just like anything else, like any garden, you can’t just put a garden together and expect it to grow. No, unfortunately you need to know which kind of plants work best under the different weather conditions, which plants need shade and which prefer full sunlight, how much to water them and what to plant next to them. Then on top of that “knowledge” you also need to think about the colours, sizes and fragrances of the plants you’re putting in your garden, do they compliment each other? Do they work well on the “whole”? and finally do they compliment the middle garden and in turn the third garden?

Now if you are a good mason such as I am, your garden will be filled with walls ranging from little hurdles through to impressive skyscrapers. How do you know where to plant the plants in your garden when you need to travel through an intricate maze first? Never mind knowing where to plant, how do you know what to plant because the sunlight falls differently depending on the day, month and season. The best yet is, how do you know what has already been planted if you can’t see over the walls in the first place?

With all that in mind how can we ever expect to know if someone else’s garden compliments ours if we don’t know what we have to begin with.

We are all masons in our own right, some of us are better with more experience, we all build walls. It is what we do with those walls that matters. Do we leave them up as permanent fixtures or do we instead break them down and use the remaining bricks in a water feature or paving the path in between the flower beds…. What we do is up to us.

I never knew what was in my garden, I was always busy watering others more than my own, the walls sky high, the sunlight very rarely filtered in. Ultimately, no matter what I did, I would never find the perfect partner or the friend that complimented my personality, my nature or my plants.

I still have many many walls to break down, 29 years worth of walls, all of them different sizes, densities and heights. I am retiring as the pro-mason now, I am handing in my wall making tools.

I am now a full time gardener, how about you?

Ubuntu in a Can

No I am not talking about the operating system, I am talking about an African saying that has been blown out by the Western world.

What is the real Ubuntu?

Pronounced as uu-Boon-too or uu-Bun-too.

Ubuntu, also known as Unhu in other parts of Africa, is an ethical philosophy held by many Africans and now Westerners (First World) that focuses on how we treat one another and the purpose there of, why we do. It’s a word describing an African world view, which translates as “I am because you are,” and which means that individuals need other people to be fulfilled. It is a way of living, it is how you treat your fellow man, it is how you respect them and understand that their beliefs help form the bigger picture, their situations are for purpose.

So many people try to explain it, put it into words, but often come undone with the mere fact that it is more a way of being, it is a feeling, a way of living, the way you are and not easily explained in the context of words. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in my books, gave the best description by far with his words

“It is the essence of being human. It speaks of the fact that my humanity is caught up and is inextricably bound up in yours. I am human because I belong. It speaks about wholeness, it speaks about compassion. A person with Ubuntu is welcoming, hospitable, warm and generous, willing to share. Such people are open and available to others, willing to be vulnerable, affirming of others, do not feel threatened that others are able and good, for they have a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that they belong in a greater whole. They know that they are diminished when others are humiliated, diminished when others are oppressed, diminished when others are treated as if they were less than who they are. The quality of Ubuntu gives people resilience, enabling them to survive and emerge still human despite all efforts to dehumanise them.”

Another way of putting it is in the Zulu sentence “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” meaning a person is a person through other people.

Nelson Mandela describes Ubuntu as

“A traveller through a country would stop at a village and he didn’t have to ask for food or for water. Once he stops, the people give him food, entertain him. That is one aspect of Ubuntu but it will have various aspects. Ubuntu does not mean that people should not address themselves. The question therefore is: Are you going to do so in order to enable the community around you be able to improve?“

The western explanation of Ubuntu I think is “one hand washes the other”.

In reality we can not survive without each other, we breathe, we live but all the while we only truly survive when we are helping each other. Ubuntu is the opposite of selfish, it is the opposite of envy and greed and the most beautiful thing about it? It isn’t linked to any religion, it is the heart beat of Africa.

All things in the world are as they are meant to be, it is all part of the bigger picture and no one man is better than the other, we are all equal.

Sadly not all Africans follow the ancient teachings of Ubuntu. As it is in any culture old traditions get forgotten and times change, it doesn’t mean it has to die.

We can not be one without the other, Ubuntu, it is the true spirit of Africa

Keep Ubuntu alive

I am African, I am Worldian, I follow Ubuntu how about you?

Post Note: Please take note that when I talk about Africans it may not be as the “world” sees it, I am not talking about race, the colour of the skin. No I am talking about anyone who is born on African soil, they are all Africans.

Definition of a democratic and fair election

Apparently the Zimbabwe elections had the biggest turn out ever, people flocked in droves to cast their fair vote, indeed it was both democratic and fair, it was just as South Africa’s president said it would be.

When you speak to someone that is there, watching, voting, looking and seeing everything for what it is it has a tendency to fill you with a slight dose of rage.

Yes apparently everyone turned up for the elections, the reason? Yes there were free buses, cars, people were really helped to get to the polling stations. They went freely because they were told that, if they didn’t have the mark, violet dye on their index finger, the army would attack and kill them along with their family. Yip fabulous turn out as you can imagine, everyone had seen by then that these threats were meant, everyone had heard the screems.

The democratic and fair part, Mr Mbeki, comes in when lines upon lines of people stand waiting to cast their free vote. They stand for hours surrounded by big army tanks, finally they get to cast their vote only to have big army thugs check your voting paper to see if you’ve voted for Mugabe. If you were clever and ticked the box next to Dictators name you get a free pass, you get your life. If you didn’t vote Mugabe? Oh, no worries we hit you over the head with our little big guns, beat you till you can’t walk let alone breathe any more. Sorry you have kids, yeah sure we’ll do the same to them.

Free, fair and democratic, this is the definition in Africa

Ok so the news on the street is that Mugabe has actually lost his mind (no shit shurlock) and that the army is actually in control, Mugabe is but a muppet puppet now. Everyone thinks, and I have to agree with them, the army is shitting themselves because if Mugabe loses they will all be up for war crimes by the Hague. Makes sense.

I am sick of hearing about how fair the elections are in Zimbabwe, I am sick of speaking to family and friends hearing their horrors, hearing of the beatings, the senseless attacks, the beatings, the lawlessness.

Everyone that I have spoken to asks this question…

Why have the big “world” powers not stepped in like Afghanistan, like Iraq, like anywhere else … is it because they don’t have oil? is it because they are poor?

Hey those are the questions I’m just repeating them

Am I angry?

Nah

All I can really say is…

Leaders of Africa and leaders of the world… grow some balls!

End of subject

Car Hijacker explains how it is done

Ok lets look at life in Africa and why in particular I want to leave. Some say that I am just running away while others say that I should be more patriotic.

I beg to differ, firstly in other countries you get Cinnamon toothpaste, you get Apple Butter, Coke with Vitamins and Starbucks. Then of course the fact that our newspapers have gotten to the point where by the headlines read “Wife survives armed robbery” instead of the normal “Robbery gone bad”. Here robberies are normally deathly so the mere fact that she survived is a pure miracle.

Perhaps its the lack of poisonous gas inhalation or perhaps it is the fact that the polls are closed and Mugabe’s forces are armed to the hilt. How sick must a person be to go ahead with an election when you have intimidated every soul that breathes in your country, when the opposition leader is hiding out in the Dutch embassy? How arrogant, senile and jut plain pathetic must you be? Personally I think he just suffers from S.D.S. and is in dire need of a transplant because one thing that is for sure, no inoculation for the politicus bullshiticus virus will work on that magnaerosolus (a really impressively large aerosol)

I’m not going to get into it any further other than that, I’ve deleted a book of rants about today’s headlines alone. No point in bitching about something you can’t change, just get 4 metre high electrified fencing.

Here is the juice on Hi-jackings, perhaps it will educate you on how to get a job as a carjacker or how to prevent one, guess the “what” is up to you…

Before you read on here is a “glossary”

“White area” is a multi racial community that is well off, it is called a white area due to the fact that it was once populated with only that colour walls.

“Sangoma” is a traditional healer that can put potions together, heal AIDS, cure all sorts of strange and wonderful diseases just by mixed a few bones, herbs and well you get the idea.

“Bakkies” Is what I think Americans call a 1 tonner truck? It is the open air transport system here in Africa.

It is R8.50 to every $1

If there is anything else, shout

“HIJACKING MADE EASY - Repentant Car Hijacker Explains How it is Done”
A repentant car hijacker (2 stole and hijacked cars for more than 14 years before deciding to go straight. Now he is a struggling fashion designer who presents motivational talks at schools in Orange Farm, south of Joburg, discouraging youngsters from doing crime. He spoke to Denis Droppa about the murky world of vehicle crime.

Q. 1: Are most cars hijacked on order by syndicates?
Answer: Yes, I would get a phone call to deliver a certain type of car by a certain deadline, and then we’d go out and search for one. If they needed it quickly, I would hijack. If I had a bit more time I’d steal a parked car, as it was safer.

Q. 2: Which types of vehicles are the most popular amongst hijackers?
Answer: We would get orders to steal just about anything. Double-cab bakkies, any make, were in very high demand. Also, “G-strings” (BMW 3-series), Polo’s, Mercedes and Toyotas. I’d get paid a lot more for a double-cab, around R16 000, but only about R500 to R6 000 for a car. If it was an expensive car like the “Anaconda” (BMW 7-series) I could get about 15 grand, though.

Q. 3: Which cars have the lowest hijack risk?
Answer: There’s no such thing. There’s a demand for all sorts of cars, old and new. If the vehicle isn’t sold then it’s stripped for spares. The only thing there isn’t really an interest in is expensive exotics. I once stole a Ferrari from a garage just for fun, drove it around for a while and then left it back at the garage.

Q. 4: Do most of the cars that aren’t stripped end up beyond our borders?
Answer: No, a lot stay in the country. They are given new identities, re-registered and sold here.

Q. 5: How effective are modern anti-theft and tracking systems?
Answer: When I was stealing cars three years ago, most of them were a joke. I could break into almost any car and drive it away within minutes. Some cars were very advanced and a lot of work to steal though, like Volvos. With tracking systems, it was usually very easy to find where the device was hidden. While one guy drove the car, his accomplices would strip the interior looking for the tracker’s hiding place. Then sometimes we’d place the tracking unit into a taxi and trick the police and the helicopters into following the taxi. Nowadays the tracking systems are getting a lot better though, with quicker response times, and towards the end I nearly got caught a couple of times.

Q. 6: How did you learn how to override these high-tech systems?
Answer: Experience, and learning from other car thieves. We all shared information. If I was having difficulty with a particular car, sometimes I’d dress up nicely and go to a dealer posing as a customer. I’d ask the salesman how good the anti-theft system was on that car and he would give me all the details.

Q. 7: What was your hijacking modus operandi?
Answer: We would get people in their driveways, on the way to work or on their way home. Rainy weather is the best time to steal cars. When it’s raining it makes it more difficult for the tracking helicopters to find you.

Q. 8: In a hijacking did you normally go for soft targets like women?
Answer: No, I could take on anyone. I was a professional. Some people wore guns but never got a chance to use them as I was too fast. I’d stick my gun right in their faces and they wouldn’t give me any trouble. That’s why I never shot or hurt anyone; I was against that. A friend of mine sometimes shot people he hijacked and he used to wake up with nightmares.

Q. 9: Which areas did you target?
Answer: Any white suburb, it didn’t matter. I never stole in the townships because people were poor there. I also didn’t rob black people.

Q 10: Is that because you don’t like whites?
Answer: No, it’s because darkies are dangerous. If you rob them, they go to a Sangoma who would “take care” of you.

Q. 11: How much money did you make?
Answer: A lot, but I wasted it all. It was easy come, easy go. Some money would go to police and judges and prison officials in bribes. I got caught a few times but was never convicted. Bribing a police officer to lose a docket cost about R2 000 to R5 000. The only time I spent in jail was awaiting trial. Then I’d bribe the prison guard to help me escape.

Q. 12: Is this the norm, or were you lucky?
Answer: I knew how to find the loopholes and beat the system. Some of my friends were caught and convicted to 8 or 12 years or more.

Q. 13: What made you stop crime?
Answer: I saw I had nothing to show for all those years. I felt guilty for what I’d done and wanted to achieve something in my life. That’s why I do community work persuading other people not to do crime, and I’m also a fashion designer. I’m struggling with money now. My sewing machine broke and I can’t afford to fix it, but I won’t go back to crime. That life is a stupid life.

Q. 14: What is your advice to motorists to avoid hijacking?
Answer: Look out for people following you. Some hijackers spot a car they want and follow the person home. Be aware. If you’re suspicious, make a few false turns and see if that car is still behind you. If it is, drive to a police station.

TV Adverts that *ahem* probably weren’t aired

Well definitely in South Africa, these are just TOOOOO funny!!!

Welcome to my world…

My world is an amazing place, just today from where I sit in my safe little house, I heard gun shots going off again, screeching cars, speeding cop cars and who knows what else but boy did they announce themselves. So I decided to read the news only to find myself shaking my head in feigned shock.

Huge headlines “Zim vote won’t be fair” - No kidding, thanks for sharing, we honestly didn’t know it would be anything but fair. I mean things are just perfect over there right? According to the South African president, one Mr Mbeki, there is no crisis in Zimbabwe, there is no unrest nor is there any reason to worry. We must believe our president, he is our leader after all.

Next headline says that he is going to have a spot of tea with his buddy, the one he walks around holding hands with, one Mr Mugabe. I wonder if he is going to go for a tour around the country and witness the 500,000 starving children on the streets or whether he will go visit the latest opposing party’s casualty who just happened to be attacked by large panga’s (swords) losing limbs… I wonder I do.

On a different note, perhaps not too different, I have a question… So Mugabe says that the opposing party, the MDC, will never rule in his life time. Why is it that they are still going to hold elections? Does Mugabe know perhaps something we don’t?

Oh yes, sorry, he had a massive shipment of arms just delivered *smacks herself on the head*

Zuma, the president of the leading party (I know confusing) is smiling, apparently the youth league are willing to kill for him, willing to die for him, willing to do what ever he wants, no questions asked. This reassures me I must say, I am so overjoyed that they will don’t believe in the saying “Where there is smoke there is fire”. If they did there would be so much unhappiness, well, I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself. Thank goodness no one can see the smoke, back in the courts for corruption and possible bribery, his buddy Sheik’s appeal being thrown out for the hundredth time… phew I am so happy they can’t see the smoke, can you just imagine?

Hmmm and he was upset when the xenophobics chanted his song “Bring me my AK47, ttt ttt tttah!”… at least they are willing to kill for him *shrug*

Fuel prices are on the rise again, I am so relieved that the government is only increasing the tax portion and not the actual cost of the fuel. We are now going to be paying 40% of what we pay for fuel over to the rich government all the while our bankruptcy rates are up because. Who would’ve thought pay increases were necessary to the general public. Phew did you hear about Eskom (electricity) boss’ bonus? Apparently he did such a good job the country ran out of power, continually suffers from major black outs and they now have the opportunity of increasing the prices a measly 60%.

Oh dang, sorry, not allowed to call them black outs anymore, I meant periods without power as the newspaper said we should call it…. Hmmm I wonder how long black airwaves chewing gum will last seen as Tin Tin has now been banned…

Thumbs up for TAC our local AIDS activists took our Health Minister to court because she is following tge one and only Matthias Rath in his “Vitamins cures Aids” saga”. Apparently she is most upset about it but has said that she will not take the judgement handed down by the courts any further. Yeah, you know Matthias Rath, the guy that was thrown out of Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France and the USA… Before I forget it has just come to light that she is a convicted thief. Apparently she stole jewellery from patients in a Botswana hospital, she was thrown into the courts and now she is banned from ever entering there again. Yes, she is our Health Minister.

I don’t know, honestly I don’t. We’ve just had our “estimated” 50ieth living death. I think we now have the world record on this amazing miracle. Being dead with a beating heart is no mean feat folks, it takes practice beyond the imaginable. Though I must say it probably can be quite a pain when you want to collect your pension from the state as poor Andries found out “For quite a few months, I didn’t even know what I had died of”. If I was him I’d call up the coroner for sure and demand my autopsy report! The cheek of it!!! Please note that he is now known as “Late Andries”.

Don’t be too shocked if you read the papers and find yourself being transported back to the time of the Salem witch trials folks. Afraid to say that Kenya has picked up the trail a bitty late and so far has managed to capture 18 witches. What are they doing with the witches? Go read up on the history of Salem.

Please note that South Africa is actually quite a safe country. Our Postal Service is one of the best in the world I’ll have you know. So good that Amazon has now blacklisted it. Yip, you heard that right. Amazon has officially taken South Africa off its shipping destinations list. To be honest, I am quite shocked that it took them so long, considering 10 years ago we watched a special bulletin of the staff caught on CCTV cameras opening all packages and taking what they wanted. Now I have been thinking about this and I’ve always wanted to do a little bit of “pay back”. What is the freakiest thing you can think of to ship? This post is not PG rated so you must rather use your imagination and ten to one what I am thinking of shipping here is 100 times worse

But can you just imagine their faces as they go through the parcel???

South Africa is the top destination in Africa… No other African country’s postal service had been blacklisted by Amazon… *shrug*

Please note, in the words of our dear president who must be trusted, honoured and bowed down to… “We do not have a crime problem, we do not have an AIDS problem, HIV is not related to AIDS, There is no crisis in Zimbabwe, I am not friends with Mugabe, We do not have an electricity problem, There is no xenophobic unrest nor is there a problem”

I agree Mr President, I agree whole heartedly

*bows and kisses his pedicured feet*

You gotta love the Irish!

FLOWER POWER?

US President George W Bush is given a pot plant during a visit to a school in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Niall Carson, AP)

… I say no more …

Man kidnaps ex to do the dishes

16/06/2008 12:35 - (SA News - World headlines)

Rome - An Italian man was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping his ex-girlfriend from a pub, taking her home and forcing her to iron his clothes and wash the dishes, police said on Monday.

The 43-year-old man dragged the woman out of a pub in the port city of Genoa, shoved her into a car and took her to his home where he made her iron and wash dishes after threatening her, they said.

Police arrived at his house after being tipped off by a friend of the woman who watched the scene at the pub.

The man, who was apparently furious at his ex-girlfriend for leaving him, was arrested on charges of kidnapping, police said.

I checked, no it isn’t April Fools…

Phew is it another one?

As the weeks pass they just seem to be getting better and better to the point that this morning, while trying to fall out of bed, I found myself unable to walk. Why? Because of a full chockablock week of laughter and inspiration has made my body ache. Oh how I have cried from laughing so hard with tears streaming down my cheeks only to be followed by contemplative thoughts and wisdom. Phew time flies when you are having fun (or is it because I am getting older? Don’t answer)!

So much has taken place, some people have lives and haven’t blogged that much, we’ll forgive them but I have one question for all you quiet ones… Where can I buy a life???

Deeps over at Simply Life N Me has finally written about her views on New York entitled Days passing by… Very informative and had a good giggle at some of her, I mean others, antics. (Note to self… when in NYC take GPS)

You know there is not a week that passes by that I am not either touched or inspired by Enreal words. This week she’s been busy but two posts really stick with me like pollen on the clothes of my heart. Her post on Miracles made me smile and all warm inside with the thought that someone else also believes in them as I do (yes it is now fact that I am not the only crazy one ). Your book is also a must read, the symbology threw me and then made me smile like this –> .

Another poem that caught me into thinking was One Second Please by Vishesh, both thought provoking and well written! Most definitely not to be missed is the one about DM’s pet pig, how cute is that!!!

You remember my post An African Questioned? Well Abroad had (no doubt many) a similar situation except in my books this one was way more funny and a classic with her post I’m Sorry that is Classified. If you want a good chuckle then definitely head over there.

Lindsey over at *! [emphatic asterisk] wrote a number of inspirational pieces this week, this woman’s talent for words, the heart she puts into them and her wisdom never stops astounding me. Her post on Self Mutilation, Self Hatred and Suicide blew me away only to be followed by Modesty is about more than skin which has really stuck with me. Go read her first chapter of the book she’s writing, one day I hope to walk into a book store and buy her book with the biggest grin on my face!

Don’t miss CordieB’s “Spiritual riddle” about all of this, if you’ve ever been there her words will connected with the deepest parts within you, you will find yourself nodding and then perhaps smiling as I did.

Along the same vein Martha over at Recovered Bulimic has written a number of posts that I feel will touch many hearts the world over. Her recovery from one of the biggest diseases to hit this planet is nothing short of pure inspiration, the fact that she is able to share her experiences and what she learnt even more so! Her fairy tale of hope I still smile about, oh how I wish I lived near such a beautifully spiritual place!

Phew I had my eyes opened this week by Persistent Illusion with the students at Harvard, I myself think JK Rowling is inspiring, clever, funny and wise so what if she isn’t a politician. In my books all politicians need to find their hearts perhaps then they will become wise… Ah there were many inspirational posts on this blog for this week alone never mind its entire existence… go have a read you won’t be sorry that is one thing that’s for sure!

I had a good chuckle at @mmonyte’s post The Science of the Bleedin’ obvious and felt encouraged by his post A Rare Beast for the fact that someone in government is standing up for what they believe to be wrong and right. Oh before I forget, this election over in the US is all the buzz! I really do want to get my hands on some of these though, pure genius!

From politics to quotes, Enreal started one of those taggy meme things with his Favourite Quotes which hit a few of us Moi, Sorrow, CordieB and Amberfireinus to name a few (apologies if I have missed you please let me know!!!). If that wasn’t enough I seem to have made a Meme tag thingie out of one of Amber’s posts “Things that make me interesting and unique” which inspired me to take a long look at me, my past and all my quirks (some of them scary). It then got passed onto VanessaLeigh’s Blog, her interpretation of one of my favourite movies versus her life was beyond amazing!

It really does seem like there were a lot of questions asked this week but the most profound was by ifoundme with this one. Simple and yet very thought provoking indeed! Even more profound is Visionary’s Perfection Deception of Perception post (yip a mouthful), I dare you to go do the “test” and count how many balls are being thrown about… go on I dare you!

Hmmm there really have been so many different posts that have inspired me, Speeding to the red light, well it just struck me as prophetically true. How many of us speed through life, multi-tasking and trying to get everything done… spooky … it stops you in your tracks just like a red light, makes you think and head out to smell the roses, excellently written! On a similar note Ilegirl’s post comes to mind about Waste Not Want Not, as we get older boy is it more tough to juggle… I think we need to all get those signs on our forehead that read “Circus Pro Watch OUT!”

Ever suffered from Road Rage? I experience it daily, motorists aiming for me while out being a good civil pedestrian, I mean can they not see my black jacket with the “No Whining” logo on??? When life gets toooo fast then this place comes to mind, it is must be the most beautiful place in the world, I now lie in bed and dream of one day visiting it. Can just see myself practising Tai Chi there.. oh what bliss!

As you know art is one of my great passions, I live it every day and aspire to one day be able to create something that doesn’t look like a dog’s breakfast. I found Single for a Reason™ posts on Anish Kapoor’s work incredible, the way she writes literally pulls you in and puts you right there, smelling, seeing, feeling, it’s definitely an “Oh wows“! Not only art though with Single, this week I got to see a first that I had only ever dreamed of, a spider actually heading towards the moon!!! Yip it sure made sexy Spiderman turn a pleasant shade of emerald green not to mention me!

What? You have not read the Spud series??? You mean to say you have not yet read Part 1, Part 2 or Part 3? You have not lived until you have, I can honestly say that I bruised my ribcage from laughing so hard… ok perhaps it was because I have done similar … ok fine often… but that is just between you and me. BTW Single … SA Spuds say hi

Ok I have been trying to avoid this but I must admit something to you, I lost a bet yesterday with our friend Amberfireinus.. no I am not proud of the fact. It was only one small puff I swear it! But alas she was the sweetest and posted her end of the bet anyway with her post Thank you for smoking - its soooo good for you - yip she’s trying to encourage me to continue smoking! Shock Horror… My end of the bet? Yes the bet I lost entails a disgusting post filled with the most vile images that I still can’t get out of my head Kissing an Ashtray… If you’re brave go for it, just not before lunch ok.

Public Announcement: Brit in California is not addicted to food here is his proclamation!

Oh before I forget! Phew the Personal Ad candidates are coming out in droves, two such possibles contacted Psychscribe go see what you think..

As you can see it has been quite a busy week with so so so many posts that I just loved, if I forgot any please forgive me my brain is small just like Winnie the Pooh says… yes it really is small!

P.S. My jeans are now loose, another kg gone Thank you to all of you that are helping me in my exercise regime… laughing is the best one can get

P.S.S. If you want to do your own review it will make my day, nothing like spreading the wisdom around and am always interested in reading more inspirational or funny posts.. spread the love and never stop smilin’

And to end it all off? I was blonde enough to write this over my last post Whoa what a week… Can someone give me a Noddy Badge? Please? Pretty please? With a cherry on top?

Kissing an Ashtray

Ok so I was meant to give up and FINE I cheated every now and then with a little small eeny teeny puff. Did I feel good after each puff? No, it tasted like I had dragged my tongue over a dirty pavement and then back again. I think it is round about now when I tell you or rather suggest that you don’t read on if you have either a weak stomach or smoke…. the inconvenient truth is not pretty.

I have been smoking since the age of 14, I only really got into it when I was 18, by the age of 21 I smoked 60 a day if not more. I have donated many brain cells to this cause, I am now 29 going on 50.

Nope not joking, 50 is the age of my lungs, 29 the age of everything else (not the liver mind). So here comes the disgusting bit that I really can’t avoid. The lungs on the left is what I should have, the lungs on the right are probably still better than what I have today as I sit here and type this.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT