Tuesday, December 19, 2006

'n Eerste keer vir alles...

'Hulle' se daar is 'n eerste keer vir alles. Vanaand is dit weer bevestig. Ek het na 'n laaaang dag op my voete by die werk (12 ure!!) besluit om saam met my werk-buddies oor te stap na ons hotel se pub, die BLACK SHEEP, net om gou vir 'n ander buddy, Ryan, hallo te se, en dan soos goeie mense huis en bed toe te gaan. Daar aangekom was daar 'n privaat funksie aan die gang: een van ons geliefde regulars, Mr. Williams, wat 'n afskeidspartytjie hou vir 'n kollega wat binnekort aftree. Mr. Williams nooi ons toe ewe vriendelik vir 'n drink of twee, en ons besluit om te bly. Ek bedoel, why not, hy betaal en 'n pint Carlsberg sal nou regtig nie sleg afgaan nie.

Enigste snag was die karaoke. Ek is 'n sucker vir karaoke. Let wel, ek het dit nog net een keer gedoen, saam met twee pelle in Hatfield, halfpad besope. So toe besluit ek en Ashley ons sing nou wel nie alleen nie, maar ons sien kans vir Grease se 'Summer Nights' so saam-saam. Wat ons toe sing, en kry 'n groot applous (nie omdat ons noodwendig so great was nie, maar net soveel beter as die res van die mense wat vroeer gesing het, byvoorbeeld Tim die Bar Manager... ek het hom eerlikwaar gese: "Tim, don't quite your day job!" en hy het saamgestem). Ok, toe oorreed ek vir Dhevan om saam met my Ben E. King se STAND BY ME te sing, weer nogal nie te sleg nie, alhoewel Dhevan baie soos Tim sing... En toe het ek al twee Pints Carlsberg agter die blad op 'n nugter maag, en Mr. Williams cheer en moedig ons aan... So toe besluit ek... Wel, eks eintlik deep down inside moerse skaam, maar die bier help beslis, en ek dink dat Sarah McLachlan se ANGEL een van DIE mooiste songs ooit is, en vra toe vir Mr. Williams hoeveel hy my dare om alleen te sing, considering ekt nog NOOIT ge-Solo nie. Hy se toe tien pond, of twintig as dit regtig goed is. Ek besluit toe what the hell en stap net daar en dan na die DJ en se ek gaan sing. En daar staan ek toe alleen voor al daai mense. En vir die eerste keer in my 22 jaar op aarde nie skaam om alleen daar te staan nie. En ek begin sing, en die mense raak stil. En ek sing verder en die mense maak die ander wat nog probeer praat stil. En ek het nie 'n clue of ek op die noot is nie, maar dit klink vir my moerse goed, so ek is seker nie te erg off-key nie. En toe die liedjie klaar maak is daar so paar sekondes stilte, en toe applous en wolwefluite en mense wat my hande skud... Sug, ek het my paar minute in die Limelight gehad, en boonop twintig pond gekry om een van my favourite songs te sing! Wow. Wat 'n aand... En om te dink ek wou net huis toe gaan en in my kamer sit...

Weet tot nou toe nie waar ek die skielike moed vandaan gekry net nie (moet seker maar die Carlsberg gewees het...) Maar dit was die eerste keer wat ek nie uitgefreak het voor 'n gehoor nie (en ek WEET daarvan... baie jare se (mislukte) klavier optredes wat getuig daarvan...) en dit het great gevoel. Ek gaan sommer een van die dae weer 'n plek soek om te Karaoke!

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

My most eventful off day in a looooong time...

Sunday was my only off day last week. Ryan and I decided to go and do a bit of Christmas shopping. So after I slept about 5 hours (because I can't fall asleep at 'normal' times these days) he woke me up at 12 and we set off to the Filton Abbey Wood Retail Park. I bought a few Christmas presents and a load of Christmas cards, and started looking for an outfit for our annual staff party in January, but was unable to find anything I liked even though (or maybe because) the Christmas specials are currently all over the place. And then I got bored because Ryan buys more clothes than any female I know, and takes a long time! ;-)

So very hungry (I didn't have anything to eat yet) and in desperate need of a cup of coffee, we headed to the Bradley Stoke Pub close to our house (we fondly call it the 'Sadley Broke') got ourselfs a pint and ordered a meal. I couldn't even finish half of my steak, mainly because I ate way too much garlic bread. Then I got an invite to go for coffee at my new SA friends who live closeby, so I first went to Tesco to buy a few vital things, went home to drop it off, and then spent an hour chatting in my own beloved language with people who are the same as me (we all know the rednecks are a bit weird!). I lost track of the time and got a call from Rodwill who was waiting on the bus stop for me, because a group of us from work decided to go ice skating. Goodness knows why they decided to only meet up at the icerink at 8:30, but oh well. So we spent a cold and wet half hour waiting for the bus, and then another 45mins on a bus full of loud teenage girls going downtown for the night. Now, I must confess that for some reason I NEVER EVER went ice skating before, so I was quite nervous. Got on the ice, and had a few tips from Tony (the cute Irish guy) and he took me on my first round. Then I was left on my own and had to get the hang of it quickly. And hey, I have to say I was pretty good!! Only stayed near the side for about 15mins and then managed to slowly but surely skate around the rink. Didn't try too much speed though, and constantly had to dodge the pros wizzing past me. I only fell twice (when I tried to go too fast) and therefore have a bruised butt today. And muscles in agony!

Well, we stayed there for about two hours and I was ready to go home, but everybody was heading for Bristol's nightlife and they said I'm leaving soon, I shoudn't be so anti-social. So we started out at the Australian pub Walkabout, had a drink or two and then headed for Syndicate. Walking in the rain to get there, I must add. In Syndicate we found all the other people that didn't go ice skating. So we were happily drinking and dancing (and for once I actually enjoyed it, maybe because of the stress of the last few weeks that I just let go then) and rapidly getting sloshed. We were the talk of the hotel today, as a lot of us in our drunken states hit it off with our collegues... uhm... including me... So therefore I got a nice snog from a polish guy called Kacper... uhmmmmm yes, I blame the alcohol.

One of our friends, Toni, joined us after work, around midnight. Two hours later she was lying paralized on the bathroom floor because she got a spiked drink from a strange guy. Our night suddenly went crazy. The bouncer had to carry her outside and we called an ambulance. Somehow her state and the fact that everybody tried to help and thought they knew better than the others, some of these supposidly good friends started screaming and cursing eachother. The ambulance arrived and suddenly everybody was very eager to bundle into the closest taxi and head home. I then offered to go with her to the hospital. If she had to stay overnight I would have had to get a cab back home alone (very expensive!) or if not she had someone with her to take her home. By the time the ambulance left everybody had disappeared, not worrying about what happened to me or Toni. By half two we reached the hospital and they told me to wait in the reception area, they will call me when I can see her. 45 Minutes later I was still waiting and when I finally saw someone again at reception, asked them what was going on. They said very matter-of-factly I can go through now and see her...just to find out they told HER that nobody was there for her! They put her on a drip and said when it was finished we can go home. So there I sat, dead tired and the drunkest I've been in months, waiting for Toni to be sent home. We finally got out around five, and got a taxi to take us to my house, as she couldn't go to her home alone. Managed to get in bed around six.

I was supposed to start work at 12, but you can imagine what I felt like when I woke up at 11. So Toni insisted to call our boss and explain that I was the only one who stayed with her and she won't allow me to work a 12 hour shift in my state. Thank goodness for that!

This Sunday didn't turn out exatly as chill as I wanted it to, but it sure was eventful and very memorable... Sure is different than just relaxing at home on an off day!!!

My song of the week

I decided my favourite song for this week is "True Colours" by Cyndi Lauper. Just because it is one of my "memory songs" of England and suite my current state of mind. I slowly have to start saying goodbye to the place that was my home for more than a year...

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Do you have a role model?

I thought it would be interesting to hear what people have to say about role models. Do you have one, who is he/she, what part do they play in your life, etc...

I was chatting with Adam on Skype the other day, and I said something about my role model. Now, I never previously in my life had a role model, esp. not a celebrity, but I came to realize this year that I have found a role model.

My role model is my boss, Chris Mariette, at the Aztec Hotel in Bristol. He is not just a role model, but a valued friend. He's the most motivated and dedicated person I know. He followed and accomplished the big dreams he had even though his circumstances was anything but easy. He has REAL passion for his job and life, something you sadly don't see in enough people these days. Even with the horrible hours he works and the fact that he has three young kids and a wife to keep him busy away from work, he always manages to keep a (sincere) smile on his face and always have something positive to say to someone. He really cares about people. This year he was my pillar of strength, supporting me while my friends and family were far away. He is always ready to be a sympathetic listener, advice giver and shoulder to cry on. And I know he really believes in me and my dreams. We had endless discussions about our (very similar) passions in life, including catering, people, music and photography. I learnt so much from him during this year; how your attitude determines your own happiness, how to be passionate about your job and give your everything, and how to be an 'actor' on the stage of life (even when your heart might be crying inside). Although there are a lot of situations and people that played an important part in my life during my time in England and had some kind of effect in my life, he was and always will be the most significant.

Quote of the day...

"I'd rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are; because a could-be is a maybe who is reaching for a star. I'd rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far; for a might-have-been has never been, but a has was once an are."
-Milton Berle

Thursday, December 07, 2006

The Ventersdorp IT Dictionary...

The Ventersdorp IT Dictionary...
(Please note, I may be a Venter, but at least I'm not from the Dorp)

Log On - Make the braai hotter
Log Off - The braai is too hot
Monitor - Keeping an eye on the braai
Download - Get the firewood off the bakkie
Hard drive - Trip back home without any cold beer
Floppy Disc - What you get lifting too much firewood at once
Keyboard - Where you hang the bakkie and bike keys
Window - What you shut when it's cold
Screen - What you shut in the mosquito season
Byte - What mosquitoes do
Bit - What mosquitoes did
Mega Byte - What mosquitoes at the lake do
Chip - A bar snack
Micro Chip - What's left in the bag after you have eaten the chips
Modem - What you did to the lawns
Dot Matrix - Old Jan Matrix's wife
Laptop - Where the cat sleeps S
oftware - Plastic knives and forks you get at KFC
Hardware - Real stainless steel knives and forks from Checkers
Mouse - What eats the grain in the shed
Mainframe - What holds the shed up
Web - What spiders make
Web Site - The shed or under the verandah
Cursor - The old bloke who swears a lot
Search Engine - What you do when the bakkie won't go
Yahoo - What you say when the bakkie does go
Upgrade - A steep hill
Server - The person at the pub that brings out the lunch
Mail Server - The bloke at the pub that brings out the lunch
User - The neighbour who keeps borrowing things
Network - When you have to repair your fishing net
Internet - Complicated fish net repair method
Netscape - When fish manoeuvres out of reach of net
Online - When you get the laundry hung out
Off Line - When the pegs don't hold the washing up.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Engeland verander my...

Ek dink ek het baie verander hierdie jaar. Wel, mens kan seker nie verwag om in 'n ander land te woon tussen mense van verskillende kulture sonder dat mens verander nie, of hoe? Maar ek voel ek ken myself nie eers meer nie. Is bietjie nervous oor die GROOT TERUGKEER na SA. Gaan die mense sien ek het verander, of het ek miskien net in my eie oe verander? Wel, ek weet ten minste vir 'n feit dat een groot ding wat anders is, is my immer-groeiende perfeksionisme by die werk. Ek dryf myself al teen die mure uit! Maar dis seker nie 'n slegte ding om 'attention to detail' te gee nie, of hoe?

Ek het vanaand 'n Skotse gereg geeet wat ek nog nooit rerig van gehou het nie, EN DIT BAIE GENIET: smoked, cured Salmon with Oatcakes. Ek eet nie eers meer dieselfde nie en hou skielik van goed waarvan ek nooit gehou het nie... interessant! En my aksent het (hopelik) verander, alhoewel mens mos nie self kan seker wees nie, ander moet vir mens se. Dus sal ek maar sien wat die mense vir my se as ek terug is... is ek nogsteeds dieselfde Madeleine van altyd, of het ek baie verander?

Random Question Tag

1) Take a book nearest you, go to page 18 and write the 4th line:
"that mind candy."

2) Without checking, what time is it?
3:00 am

3) Check: 3:05 am

4) What are you wearing?
Black work trousers (way too big these days), black t-shirt "Die Voortrekkers" and their logo on the front, and the words "Gaan groot of gaan dood" on the back, ACG Thermal jacket... (I got rid of the shoes, socks and work shirt as soon as I got home around 12:30)

5) Before answering this questionaire, what were you watching?
The second half of 8mm, an old Nicholas Cage movie... sitting in one of my housemate's room and drinking tea

6) What noise can you hear besides that of the computer?
The totally crazy wind howling around the corners of the house. When I walked home half the dustbins along the way has been blown over and contents spilled all over the place!

7) When you went out the last time,what did you do?
Went out socially or anything where you leave the house? Can't remember the last time I went out for fun, but the last time I left the house was to go to work three o'clock yesterday

8) Did you dream last night?
Yup, can't remember exactly what, but I know that it featured a lot of the people from my life back in SA, similar to all my dreams these days.

9) When was the last time you laughed?
Dunno, was definately not yesterday as it was one of the most stressful days I had in a long time and there was nothing worth laughing about.

10) What is on the walls in the roomwhere you are?
Pictures of SA and most of my friends, a few poems and quotes that I love, a cat calender and a small print of my favourite Jack Vettriano paintings: Dance me to the end of love

11) If you became a multi-millionaire over-night, what would be the first thing you’d buy?
A metallic blue Audi TT convertable

12) What is the last film you saw?
On TV: 8mm (earlier tonight), on DVD: Stander and in the cinema: The devil wears Prada

13) Did you see something strange today?
Oh yeah, most of the things and people at my work I find extremely strange!!!! ;-)

14) What do you think of this questionaire?
I like the odd questions not normally found in similar questionaires

15) Tell us something about yourself that we don’t already know?
hmmm now the question is what DON'T you know! Well, ok, let's see... Oh I know! I watched my second ever (and first voluntary) rugby game EVER last week Saturday and actually kinda enjoyed it (maybe because it was in an English pub, I was the only SA supporter and we were winning... haha)

16) What would be the first name of you child if it were a girl?
Well, I have more ideas for boy's names plus I'm not really keen on having kids, but I like the name Jessica

17) What would be the first name of you child if it were a boy?
Tristan, Gustav or Vincent... what a choice

18) Have you ever thought about living overseas?
Yes, and I've been doing it for more than a year now in the UK. Would love to live for a while in the Netherlands or Germany to top-up my knowledge of the languages which I can read, write and understand but not speak well enough!

19) What would you like God to say to you when you reach the heavenly gate?
"You used your time well!"

20) If you could change something in the world, outside of politics?
I would love to delete the general stupidity, carelessness and "kannie-worry houding" of humans

21) Do you like to dance?
LOVE it! Can dance for hours on end. Really missing it at the moment as there's no-one I've met in the UK who can dance like a boerseun ;-)

22) Georges Bush?
Who cares? I don't have the slightest interest in politics.

23) What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Yet again, I have to write 8mm

24) Name 4 people who also have to copy the questions and give answers?
I can't coz nobody ever bothers to read my blog except Adam and I got the idea from him!!!