Things I Love #35

So yesterday, I typed up this whole post and then Safari crashed and I lost EVERYTHING.  Seriously.  I tried to redo it and then the internet kept dying so I just gave up and watched Brave and ate toast.  It seemed like the better option frustration wise.  Anyway, here is your day-late list of Things I Love:

First up, Oh So Plush has some new creatures.  I really, really want Fuja...anyone?

I love these Pokemon literary mashups.  Especially The Great Gastly one.

This collection of Instagram photos were taken during the manhunt for the Boston Bombers.  Social media definitely gives us a whole new perspective on new events.

These animated GIFs of earth over time are quite breathtaking.  I'd be lying if I said that the glacier one doesn't make me feel just the tiniest bit insecure!

If you can spare 8 minutes and you need a laugh then check out this awesome Star Wars/Snatch mashup!  Think Darth Vader as Brick Top:

Curious about the new City & Colour album?  You can check out a song preview here.  I rather like it. Also can I just say how much I like the album/song name, The Hurry and the Harm.

I just love this slide show of Europe's Wild Men.  So quirky.

This website has a rundown of all the gadets used in every James Bond movie ever.  Pretty cool.  And while we're on the subject, who do you think the best Bond is?  I'm a Sean Connery fan.

This Cartoon Brew article has some pics from the Princess Mononoke theatre production in London.  Would absolutely LOVE to see this.

The Oatmeal is so good at portraying dogs.  Check out How I See My Dog vs How My Dog Sees Me.

I thought that Rolo's yawns were scary until Kyla Roma shared this link of terrifying bunny yawns.  They are both creepy and cute.  

Here are some random pics from my Saturday - a photo of a rainbow out my mom and dad's flat window and our new orchid:

How great is this chandelier that projects tree shadows onto the wall?  In theory I want one but I know in reality, it'd probably creep me out a little.

I basically want to do all the Galactic DIYs in this list.  Especially the nails and the pants and the shirt and, and, and...

And lastly, tomorrow is my Mom's happy birthday and considering I love her and she is awesome, I thought I'd include her on this list.  Happy (early) birthday my Mother xx

Seen anything you love this week?  Let me know in the comments:)

Currently...

Currently...loving collars, reading a ton, packing up

Watching:  Sound City.  This is Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters directorial debut which tells the story of the Sound City recording studio in Los Angeles.  If you love music, I highly recommend this.  Watch the blog in the next week or two because I am planning a longer post about this one!

Thinking About:  The passage of time and moving on.  My mom and dad are moving out of my childhood home in the next three weeks.  Yesterday I spent the afternoon there going through a few boxes I left behind when I moved.  I never expected to get so emotional about all this but looking through all those old toys and old memories and realizing that this time it's for real was a little hard.  I am excited that they are moving into a new time in their lives but I am really, really going to miss that house.

Reading:  Too many things.  This week I have had to get used to the idea of reading academic texts again.  What a mission!  I had totally forgot how complex and time-consuming they can be.  I'm hoping I will be back into the swing of things soon because I still have the set books to tackle.  Send help!

Looking forward to:  My friend Collette's wedding, Rise Against (as per usual), Jason's band Dirty Royal making their Splashy debut and going back to gym this week!  I never thought I would say this but I have missed gym the last two and a half weeks.

Making me happy:  Having some willpower and seeing results!  I have been on a diet the last little while to try and undo the damage from too much partying in December/January.  Also making me happy?  The fact that my mind is already being challenged at varsity, my Woe Anchor shirt in the post, surprise dinners with Jason, good friends who make me laugh, Rolo's daily quest for toast and the fact that my Dad gave me his framed Normadie picture.  Thanks Dad!

These Currently posts are inspired by the ones over at Sometimes Sweet.  You can check out the most recent one here.

New Things...

So one thing I can say about 2012  is that it's been a year full of new things - some of them good, some of them not so good.  I thought I'd share a few of those new things here:

1) I blogged.  For a whole year.  This is a pretty big thing for me because, as I have mentioned before, I've always been very nervous about writing for any kind of audience.  I took part in 30 Days of Lists, I was Geek of the Week on Chocolate & Cream Cake, I started my own feature and I even managed to finish the 5 Books I set for myself.  I am full of ideas for 2013 and I am going to use my mini break to really plot them out.  Stay tuned!

2) I joined a gym!!  This is another huge one for me.  I never played team sports and, aside from swimming, have a well documented disdain for public exercise.  However, after failing at early morning yoga and breaking my stepper, I was left with no choice but to join Curves!  I can honestly say that it was a great experience.  The branch I go to are super friendly and there is zero pressure to look great at gym.  It's basically perfect for me.

3) I crashed the car...

4) And we bought a new one.  Yup, that was my first accident in almost 8 years of driving.  As bummed as I was to part with the old car, it was just the motivation we needed to upgrade to a bigger, more powerful car.  It's also pretty much the best colour ever!

5) I studied.  For the first time since varsity, I applied my mind and learnt a new skill namely Conceptual Writing for Brands.  I learnt a lot, met some cool people and got great feedback on my writing abilities.

6) I got a hamster!!  After years of mice, I switched to a different variety of rodent and I can honestly say that Rolo is an awesome dog substitute.  He is so small but has so much character even though he can be a little savage!!

7) I made a Totoro plushie.  Using a pattern I found online, I managed to make a passable version of Totoro!!  He turned out quite well, even if I do say so myself.  I hadn't sewed for years and I forgot how cool it is too make something from scratch like that.  I am planning a Domo and a Pikachu in the very near future.

8) I visited a new province.  In July my mom, dad and I took a roadtrip to Mpumalanga, place of poorly marked roads, tons of sugar cane  and cute pups.  It was great fun travelling with my folks, visiting with my cousins and seeing a new part of South Africa.

8) I discovered Wakaberry.  Oh how I love frozen yoghurt!!  That is all.

9) I finally went up the stadium.  If you ask me, Moses Mabidha stadium is on of the coolest things to come from the 2010 Soccer World Cup.  I love it so much.  In February, my friend Sam and I took the Sky Car trip to the top.  Highly recommended!

And that's just a small sample of what I got up too.  In 2013 I am going to be a Maid of Honour for the first time, I have another tattoo lined up, Rise Against are coming, I'll have a junior technical writer assisting me at work and I am hoping to work up the nerve to try Roller Derby.  Plus I'll be 30!!  On paper it's looking like a good year already!

Currently...

Kind of a current photo with my friend Collette after her bridal shower

This is my very own currently post inspired by the ones over at Sometimes Sweet.  I really like the idea and I think it may even become a regular occurrence around here.

Loving:  The slightly warmer weather this past week.  Last week, we had crazy rain and snow really close to Durban which is really unusual!  While Durban Winter is never very cold, I am glad that it's starting to warm up so that I can wear something other than a scarf and a coat with my skinny jeans!

Reading:  One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  It's one of my favourite books by one of my favourite authors who will sadly never write again.  When I read that he was suffering from dementia and probably wouldn't even be able to finish his memoir, I got the overwhelming urge to read this story again.

Watching:  The Big Bang Theory.  I still can’t believe it took so long for us to start watching this series.  I absolutely love it!  Dr Sheldon Cooper is definitely my favourite although how Leonard lives with him I will never know.

Thinking About:  Many, many things but mostly about the fact that in less than a month, my parents will be moving out of the home I grew up in and onto bigger and better things.  It's a strange feeling because even though my parents have been planning on selling for a long time now, it's suddenly become very real.  Every time I visit I get this overwhelming sense of nostalgia and I can't help remembering all sorts of random things about the house and the things that have happened there.  

Anticipating: My new tattoo.  Back when I started gym, I made a deal with my lazy, lazy self that if I went to gym regularly I could get a new tattoo. Nothing like self bribery to get you motivated right?  Anyway, the time has come to book an appointment.  I can't wait!!

Wishing:  That I wasn't feeling sickly on a Sunday afternoon when I know that I have such a busy week ahead of me!  As much as I'd love to go to the doctor and get booked off, I have so many meetings, a deadline and a presentation to do...boo:(

Making Me Happy:  Lots of little things:  the hamster sticking his nose out when we come home at night, our new couch which is sooooooo comfortable, Zambuk Cherry Lip Balm, tons of new music to listen to, the fact that there are slight less road works on my way to work and banana and cinnamon on toast!

Happy Mini Labbits

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A little while ago, I mentioned the Happy Mini Labbits series by Frank Kozik and Kidrobot.  They are a blind box collection of 1.5 inch vinyl toys.

When I first read about them, this was the description that caught my attention (aside from the little dude above with an anchor and a mustache): "If you like blowing bubbles, eating ice cream, or have a thing for swashbuckling buns, you'll love these merry mustachioed mammals."  Sounds awesome right?

Anyway, my mom and dad decided to order me some for my birthday.  Kidrobot sadly doesn't ship out to South Africa but they have an official stockist called ToiToy in Cape Town who ship country-wide.  The Labbits arrived just before we left for Malelane and, because they are such nice parents, my mom and dad let me open one early.  Way early considering my birthday is only in October! Here's the one I got:

I guess he is the bubble blowing one!  They are much smaller than I thought (although 1.5 inches should have been a giveaway) but I am really happy with it!  Now I have to wait patiently to get the rest.  Only 2 months, 29 days to go...

PS.  I've been looking at the rest of the Labbit range and there are so many cool things including plushies and Labbit hats.  I also came across the product preview for the 8 Deadly Sins Labbit Series.  They look amazing and they are designed by an artist called Kronk who is actually South African!  I see more Labbits in my future.

Adventures in Malelane

The weekend before last, my mom, dad and I headed off to Malelane in Mpumalanga for my cousin Natalie's 21st birthday party.  We left at 5:30 expecting a trip roughly 8 hours long but boy were we mistaken!  Turns out the easiest way to get to Malelane is to go through Swaziland so our borrowed Garmin happily sent us toward the border.  Not knowing the area very well, we blindly went along until we saw the big fat Border Control sign...oops.  So we turned back, found a map and continued on our way.  Only to get lost again...this time because of the poorly marked Mpumalanga roads!  What a mission!! Luckily we weren't in a hurry and despite some abuse hurled at the Garmin and the lack of road signs, we all managed to keep our sense of humour.

When we finally arrived in Malelane I was quite surprised.  I have never been to that part of the country before and I was surprised by how much it looked like home.  There are sugar cane fields everywhere!!  We stayed in an awesome guesthouse in the old sugar mill town.  Its called Mhlati Guest Cottages and if you are ever looking for a place to stay that side of the world, I highly recommend them.  Plus their pets are awesome!

On Saturday morning we had breakfast at a place called Hamiltons.  I can honestly say it was the yummiest breakfast I've had in ages.  My mom and I both had poached egg on Italian bread (I don't remember the name) with mushrooms, bacon, rocket and parmesan.  Yum!

The venue my cousin chose for her 21st was amazing.  Its a huge, thatched area that looks right into the Kruger Park and over the Crocodile River.  On Saturday morning we went to help set up and in the few hours we were there I saw buck, hippo and elephants.  And the worlds tiniest croc!

The party itself was awesome!  Natalie's 21st is actually only on the 25th of December but, as you can imagine, that date doesn't lend itself to big birthday parties.  Her theme was Christmas in July and the decor was fantastic.  Sadly, I left my camera at home and my iphone doesn't take the best nighttime pics so the only photo I got was of the bonfire:

On the Sunday we were lucky enough to go into a near by game farm to look at some animals.  The zebras were so used to people that they pretty much came right up to us.

There were tons of Rhino's but as a deterrent to poachers, none of them had horns.  They are such beautiful animals and they just don't look the same without the horns.  Its sad that dehorning them is what they have to resort to keep them alive.

It was a really nice weekend.  I don't see a lot of my cousins so it was great to spend some time with them.  They have both turned into such awesome people and I love them to bits.  It was also really great to spend time with my folks like that.  There are big changes in store for my family and any time that we get to be together like that is really invaluable!

Things I Love # 10

This week's Things I Love starts off with the The Bark Side ad from Volkswagen.  I realise this isn't exactly new but it is new to me and I think it's just awesome:

The Hello Kitty Beauty Spa.  I'd spend some money here...

This origami street art is gorgeous.  I admire people who have the time and vision to do things like this.

The Neon Museum Boneyard in Las Vegas.  I saw this link on the Lucky Pony blog and it's officially added to my list of places to visit.

My Grandmere had the most amazing collection of little boxes that I used spend many hours playing with when I was younger.  She passed away recently and my mom and dad brought me a few as keep sakes.  I love them and I love the memories they bring back:

Pet Jellyfish….I'd love to have one of these.

I present 3 awesome ways to waste some time:  Attack of the Cute (the most amazing small, squishy animal pics), Dear Blank Please Blank and the very aptly named I Waste So Much Time.

Awesome porcelain boxes designed to look like they are overflowing.

This adequately describes my To Do lists.

Gorgeous and colourful art by Emmanuel Malin.

The awesome things you can do with tape and nail polish:

This tentacle doorstop is too cool, definitely need one...

These amazingly nerdy skirts on Etsy.

What if Doctor Suess wrote Star Wars? Well now you can find out.

The Django Unchained trailer:

Superhero Saints.  This probably won’t appeal to everyone but I like the combination of religious art and superheroes.

Speaking of superhero art, these cubist illustrations by Liam Brazier are pretty amazing.

Brain Cupcakes…kind of weird, kind of cool.

This Boombox cabinet.  Love it.

And also, this chair that holds books.  Perfection!

The art of Jeremy Geddes…amazing.

This article about using undictionaried words was pretty interesting.

And finally, the awesome Misko Mini Owls:

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Found anything cool lately?  Feel free to share:)

Mid-month Randomness

On Thursday last week, Jason and I celebrated one of our two wedding anniversaries.  Yes, you heard right, we have two.  One, which was on Thursday, is the anniversary of us getting married in home affairs.  The other, which is on the 29^th of May, is the anniversary of us getting married in front of friends and family in a small informal ceremony.  It’s fun having two anniversaries and I love being  married!  It helps that Jason is pretty much the most awesome husband ever!!  Anyway, we got this beautiful bonsai from my family as an anniversary gift:

Cool right?  It’s a Ficus Ginseng which is apparently a good starter bonsai.  We’ve been doing some reading up on how to care for them and it sounds like we have to treat it like another pet.  Which means it needs a name.  Any suggestions?  So far we have Hiro (from Heroes), The Hulk (because it's green) and Mr Miyagi (for obvious reasons).

I have decided to try my hand at making my own plushies!  I love all the random creatures people make and I have discovered quite a few patterns online.  Because I am in the midst of a full-blown Totoro obsession, I’m starting with this Totoro pattern.   Provided it doesn’t turn into a large disaster, I will share it when I am done.

I am in gadget heaven right now!  Work gave me an iPad, a Galaxy tab, a fancy Galaxy phone and another iPhone to write documentation for a new system.  Right now work is a lot more like play than actual work:)

I finally finished Brave New World!  5 Books Update to follow shortly!

And now we are all caught up…mostly.  Anyway, I am definitely feeling more like myself than I was last time I posted so you can expect to see more of me round these parts.

PS.  It was my mom’s birthday on Monday…HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER.  Again:)

Accidents, Attachments and a New Car

The last two weeks have probably been some of the most stressful I have had in a long time.   I work in an industrial area and with that comes some heavy truck traffic.  They are reckless, they block the roads and it makes for driving interesting to say the least.  Did I mention that I drive a small car? A Chevrolet Spark to be exact.  Anyway, the Wednesday before last, one of those trucks didn’t see me, crossed over into my lane and damaged my poor little car badly…two gouged doors, a bent wheel/axle, a damaged bumper and the central locking is poked.  I am lucky that it wasn’t worse and that my car took the damage instead of me.  It was my first accident and to say that I’ve been feeling gutted would be an understatement.

I bought the car back in 2007.  It was my first real car, a demo model, and I was so proud of it.  Proud of the fact that my degree was finally paying off and that I was earning a salary that could allow me to become independent.  Jason and I have been through so much with that car.  It moved us into our first flat, carried us on endless band related trips and was our partner in crime for many adventures.  From being lost in the sugar cane fields in torrential rain to more sane trips around Durban and the surrounding areas it always got use where we needed to go safely.   It was full of friends, full of loud music, band paraphernalia and cigarette ash.  Sometimes, we hardly even had the money to fill the tank other times it was washed weekly and filled regularly!  In fact, I still have a scar on my finger from one of those washes.   It moved us into our second flat too, it was there on our wedding day and looking at it all mangled up really does break my heart. 

There is more to those memories than just Jason and I.  On the day that I took ownership of my car, my beloved Gran passed away.  What started as one of the most exciting days of my life ended as one of the saddest.  And one of its first trips was carrying us to family and funerals.  Later, I remember my Granddad telling my mom how proud my Gran would have been to see me with my new car and my new life, happier than I had been in a long time.  In a strange way, this car has always reminded me of both my grandparents and when I miss them terribly (like I do most days) it comforts me to know that they would be proud of the person that I have become. 

It’s amazing how attached you can become to something like a car.  I guess it’s because you spend so much time in your car, dealing with life, on the way to places that matter and people you care about.  The bright spot about this whole car mess is that we are now the proud owners of a shiny new car.  

Its red, it’s bigger and it’s ready and waiting for brand new memories.