We’re going home…

I never thought I would say this, but we are going back. We are going home.

We prepared for so many years before we left, and all we wanted was out. And now, all we want is to go back.

It has been just over two years since my mother passed away. And in those two years, the urge to return has just grown stronger and stronger. To rebuild those few family connections we have left. To wallow again in a culture we fully understand. To stand under the African sun.

So, here we are, preparing for yet another international move. The face of our family looks very different to when we left South Africa 10 years ago.

When we left, we were four in the house. Our offspring has, in this time, grown up into a fully formed adult human who is about to get married, in Norway. Husband’s father is no longer with us. And we are returning with four feline boys.

On future planning, upcoming events and hidden art

It is hard to believe that a short two years ago, we were rushing around madly trying to sell our home and belongings, arrange our visas and planning for the biggest adventure we could imagine. It feels like we have been in the UK for a lifetime already.

We have been talking about our next steps recently, as our visas only allow us to be in the UK for five years, and we don’t want to leave it for the last minute and get caught with our pants down. And while we have a few options we are mulling over, the one thing we know for certain is that we simply do not want to return to South Africa. We rather enjoy being so close to the things we enjoy, and cannot imagine living in that constant state of fear again.

But really, for us it is about the lifestyle that we’ve always wanted. Going to Wacken now means a quick 1.5 hour flight to Hamburg, rather than the 10-18 hour flights from the Southern Hemisphere, which means we can now attend every year. We can also go to gigs and events all around the UK without having to apply for a visa and saving for a year or two. And while we are here, we are going to do this as much as possible. Which is why we have already lined up tickets for the following:

• Powerwolf and Amaranthe in November
• The Unnoficial Stargate Convention in November
• Nightwish in December
• Peter Murphy in December

And the husband is going to see Dimmu Borgir and Kreator in December as well.

We’re also planning to see Turisas and Korpiklaani in February, and I am going to try and see George Ezra in March. And then there is also the opportunity to see great minds like Professor Brian Cox share the wonders of science with vast audiences.

We took a wander through London again yesterday, and my bestie Mandy introduced us to a wonder that’s been hidden right under our noses, the Graffiti Tunnel located under Waterloo Station. It’s actually called the Leake Street Tunnel and was first turned into a street art gallery by the famous Banksy. It is now a legal space for street artists to show off their skills, and it truly is a magnificent sight. I took some photos, but they really don’t do the space justice.

On beginnings and endings

I attended a work-related training course this week with some colleagues I knew from South Africa, as well as ones I haven’t met before, and it has been a great week of learning and introspection. I’ve been thinking for some time about changing the direction of my career a little, and this week has contributed to that feeling. Not quite sure where we will end up, but looking forward to the journey.

It is with great sadness that I say goodbye to my beloved Windows Phone this week. Since the platform is end of life and has been put to sleep, I have no option but to switch platforms. I have been looking at different options for some time now, because I knew this was coming, but finally decided to go with a One+ 5T, which I picked up yesterday. My last dance with Android was not too successful, but that was a few years ago. This time, we are not stepping on each other’s toes as much, but I think a big contributor to this is the fact that Microsoft has released a large stack of applications for Android, including Cortana and a launcher that gives a similar feel to Windows Phone, so the environment does not feel as alien to me.

I am quite happy with the camera though, so this makes up for the weirdness of the platform.

On dreams

The inspiration for my domain name and onilne name is not, as many think, the Rammstein song. Instead, it is this one:

Tomorrow, after being a fan for more than 20 years, I finally get to see this band live. Live. In the flesh. I may just explode.

Five

Today I sat on the grass in Sea Point, sunburnt, homesick, miserable with many, many thoughts floating through my head, reading Amanda Palmer’s The Art of Asking. And as I read, I cried several times. But in a good way.

A long, long time ago, when I started blogging, I wrote for me and wrote what I wanted to. Over the years, however, I have self-censored too much, to the point where I no longer write anything other than trite little comments. Maybe I will write a bit more for me again.

The bit that got me most though was where she described a conversation with her mother in preparation for a talk at Microsoft, and her mother recalled how teenaged Amanda would say that her mother wasn’t an artist, just a computer programmer. Her mother went on to say:

You know, Amanda, it always bothered me. You can’t see my art, but… I am one of the best artists I know. It’s just… nobody could even see the beautiful things I made. Because you couldn't hang them in a gallery.

While I don’t write programs, I have done and continue to do many, many artistic creative things in my IT career. And while you cannot hang it in a gallery, I am still proud of where I am today. But there has always been this voice, I guess it is the Fraud Police, telling me that I have sold out, because I chose to focus on IT rather than writing. And this happens every time I see a friend or family member publish a book, or do something visibly creative. Maybe now I can finally tell the Fraud Police voice to fuck off.

Sunday 8:39

Last time I wrote, we had 20 days to go to our holiday, I can’t believe we’ve been back home for 19 days already. We had an absolutely fantastic holiday – one of those where, at the end of the holiday, you are ready to go home and face life again.

Since we’ve been back, we’ve been busy busy busy. The new house has a fair amount of work for us to do to make it ours, and some of it we are able to do ourselves too.

Our first priority was to set up our office/study, as this will be our base from where we plan all the other work to be done. And this space needed a fair amount of work before we could use it. There was a carpet on the floor, which the husband ripped up before I could even get a picture. We chose a lovely blue for the main walls, which immediately changed the space once it was applied.

We also tried to do a polished cement floor ourselves, but we weren’t that successful. Took a trip back to the hardware store, and invested in some self-levelling screed and laminate flooring, which worked like a dream

Replaced the lights with some cyberman-inspired spots, fitted blinds and painted the bricks and suddenly we had a very nice space.

I also framed the bits and bobs that I collected at the Discworld Emporium and put it up over my desk, along with the Assassin's’ Guild flag that I had acquired at the same slice of heaven.

My desk is set up and ready to go. Let’s hope my muse loves the new space as much as I do.

We also gave the kitchen/dining room a bit of a make-over, with some new curtains and accessories, and I am really enjoying this space as well.

My favourite, however, is the sparkly things dangling in front of the big sliding door – most of which we bought from the Christmas store in Bremen – and the rainbows they cast across the kitchen as the sun shines through.

We met with our builder last week-end, and he is currently busy drawing up the plans for the other renovations to be done. Can’t wait to see the pictures in our heads become a reality.

Saturday 12:42

I dunno if I’ve told you, but house hunting is a bitch. But the hunt is over, and we are moving in *gulp* 7 days. We have a house that will be ours, and we have many, many plans.

But look at that

We have a pool. We have a pool. We have a pool.

I have missed swimming, and loathe swimming in public spaces, so it will be nice to be able to swim regularly again.

We move in a week. The truck is booked, our phone line installed, we’re 98% packed up and ready to go.

The hunt is over and it feels good.

On the future

Since my current ponder is on what the world will be like in 30 years time, the following videos provide much inspiration:

What is your vision for the future?

Winter is nature's way of saying, "Up yours." ~Robert Byrne

Have I mentioned that I really don’t like winter? But it really does make for pretty pictures, even if all the pictures contain so much death. Above, my favourite Agapanthus, and below, trees from work.

Luckily I only have to endure another 20 cold days until my husband and I are off on our first European adventure. The excitement is tangible. I am not sure if it is quite normal for people to be this excited about a holiday, but I think we’ve reached the point of not caring. The two weeks we will spending across the pond consumes every space available in our limited mental facilities.

Just over a year ago, I dragged my family out in the cold for something we have never done before – we went to go watch a sports match. To be more specific, we watched the Germany-Argentina football game as part of the Fifa World Cup hosted in South Africa. It really was a fantastic experience, not because we are the biggest spots lovers on the planet (far from it),  it was something so different from our usual experiences, and we shared it with a bunch of strangers. Little did we know then that a year later, we would be preparing to head off to the winning team’s homeland.

Our cats have found warm sunny spots, that just happen to be in pots, and this is where they while the short cold days away.

And then, my favourite picture from the past week is this sunset.

Stripper puppets, asthmatic chameleons and volcanic ponies

Where has the past month gone? Whoooooshh…

A month ago, I took part in the democratic process by not only voting in our local elections, but by also spending the day working at a voting station as a party agent. I woke up super-early the morning of the 18th of May and arrived at the voting station before 6am to witness the opening and unpacking and sealing of the ballot boxes and the setting up of the voting station. I spent just about the entire day at the voting station – apart from the 2 hours I spent going to vote at another station and charge my phone – and stayed for the count at the end. It was a long day – I was awake for 23 hours straight – but it was worth it.

I think it is something that each voter should do at least once. It makes you appreciate the system, and I definitely gained some trust in the process, and the IEC. Speaking of which, the IEC staff were wonderful, friendly and helpful all the way through, even though they were also awake from very early that morning. The guy in charge was incredibly dynamic, and he handled a very difficult and long day with grace and the patience of a saint, while being incredibly competent at keeping the wheels going.

Other than that, in 42 days time the husband and I are off on our very first adventure, and we have spent the past month getting our visas in order, buying the last of the camping gear and practised setting up the tent. We have also booked all our hotels and train tickets, which means we are set to go. I am still struggling to wrap my head around the size of Wacken (the festival, not the town), because my brain simply cannot comprehend seventy five thousand people in one place. I am really looking forward to seeing the sights and hope I can capture each sight adequately photographically.

We had a brief moment of panic when another Icelandic volcano erupted and caused some havoc with air traffic in Europe, but luckily that seems to have calmed down now. And I have made friends with Iceland. Tonight, while in conversation with the family, I brought up the Icelandic ponies and volcanoes, which immediately conjured up images of cute ponies ala Viva Piñata somersaulting into an active volcano. Much laughter ensued.

I have been playing a lot of Viva Piñata recently. I started over, because I finally have my own XBox and profile, so I am raking up my own gamer score now. I have finally broken my previous scores, and am starting to attract some interesting piñatas to my garden, the strangest of these to date being the Jameleon, which really sounds like an asthmatic chameleon, especially when it is sleeping.

Jameleon Romance Video

My daughter started her first exams for high school this week, and the first subject was Art and Culture. The grade’s classes were divided into smaller groups, and each group was tasked with putting together a 60 second puppet show. On the way to school one morning, she told us about seeing one of the other groups’ puppet, and it happened to be a stripper, “with a g-string and everything”. Much laughter ensued.

Laughter is a frequent friend, and it is good. I must just sometimes remind myself of this. Been a bit wound up recently, and swinging between what feels like more than two poles, each with their own brand of insanity woven through the cracks. I am missing writing again very much right now, but as soon as I sit down in front of the keyboard, the words are gone. I sure do hope they return, because there are many many stories that still need to be told. Maybe my muse awaits in the country of my ancestors. And hey, I wrote a blog post. With words and everything. 671of them to boot. There is hope for us yet, captain.

Dreams, Wacken and Vegas

‎"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
— Eleanor Roosevelt

Dreams are wonderful things. And I am not talking about the pictures your brain conjures while you are sleeping. No, I far prefer the dreams you dream while you are awake.

And 2011 it would seem is the year where some of our dreams are coming true.

Our Wacken tickets arrived this morning, finally. Now it is more real than real, because, up to now, it has been a bit of a dream. A wish. A far-away place on the other side of a forgotten cupboard.

We have changed our itinerary a little. The husband, shortly before the end of 2010, decided that he no longer wants to visit the Nurburgring during our trip. Instead, he suggested that we turn this trip into our very very long overdue honeymoon*

So, our trip now as follows:

Fly out at the end of July, and spend 3 days in Hamburg, before we hop onto the Metalbus for Wacken. 3 or 4 days in Wacken, and then back to Hamburg for a day. From Hamburg, we will hop on the train to Bremen to have lunch with the husband’s cousin, and then we head off to the Netherlands for a couple of days before we return home. The route looks something like this:

View Directions to Amsterdam, The Netherlands in a larger map

I am also incredibly fortunate to be attending MMS 2011 this year in March, which means I get to visit Vegas for 5 days. Vegas has always been on my list of places I’d like to visit – even though I don’t gamble at all – and I am quite excited for this trip. More exciting, of course, is the fact that I’ll be able to speak to all the MVPs and industry leaders in my field, and hopefully make a couple of new ‘friends’ in the process.

Dreams are wonderful things, especially when you have worked really, really hard at making them a reality.

 

 

* We’ve been married for almost 16 years. When we got married, we were but kids, with hardly a cent to our name, and didn’t really have the opportunity to go on honeymoon. Since then, life has been a roller-coaster, and we have spent many, many years trying to get into the green, which we finally achieved last year.

Wednesday 21:40

Lots of things on my mind at the moment. Have absolutely sucked at NaNoWriMo this year – managed a meagre 3600 words before I ran out of… not sure what, but something.

Absolutely obsessed with every detail of our trip to Germany next year. I keep plotting it out on Google Maps, and then googling every single stop along the way. It cannot come soon enough. Have also decided to see the world around music festivals, and have started compiling a list of festivals we want to attend.

Cannot believe this year is about to end. Some moments, the end cannot come soon enough, others, there is still so much to do. Changing role at work on 1 December, which is going to bring all sorts of new challenges – makes brain happy.

My daughter goes to high school next year. This finally hit me some time this month. She’s actually going to high school.

And all I can say is thank you for Beacon Midnight Velvet and Alpro Chocolate Soy Milk. Life without chocolate seemed very, very bleak. Still need to find a suitable replacement for cheese, and then life will be all good.

And have I mentioned how much I love MusicBee?

Germany 2011

The husband and I have been talking for some time about taking our first trip across the ocean some time next year, and have finally decided on a destination and time frame.
Destination: Germany
Time: August 2011
I want to attend the Wacken Open Air festival, which will be taking place from 4 to 6 August 2011. The husband also wants to take a turn around the Nurnburg ring. Here is the route I have planned right now:

• Fly from Jo’burg to Hamburg to arrive 3 August 2011.
  
• Make our way from Hamburg to Wacken for the 4th, spend 2 days at Wacken
  
• Return to Hamburg for a day or so, and then make our way down to Nurnburg where we will spend at least 2 days
  
• Make our way to Frankfurt, spend a couple of days there and then fly back from Frankfurt to Jo’burg.

View Germany trip 2011 in a larger map
I’d love some suggestions of things we can do along the way, or any tips on planning our trip or anything else that may be useful

Friday 10:02

10:02. Interesting.

Anyway… moving on. It is under 3 months to kick off, and can I just say… I don’t normally get excited for these things, but somehow, this footie fever is even catching me.

[source]

Last night, the husband and I went out for dinner at Cynthia’s Indigo Moon. The restaurant is gorgeous, and the food was incredible. Oh, and the service is pretty damn awesome too. The restaurant was voted the best romantic restaurant (in SA I think) recently, and I think it would be pretty great for groups as well.

We had to drive in the rain though, which was a little stressful, and really spoilt all my photo ops. It’s a pity, because it has been a while since I’ve been to Pretoria, and I have forgotten what a pretty city it can be. Here are the best of my pictures from last night (*sob*):

I have been trying really, really hard to ignore the news recently, because, honestly, I am tired of giving Malema or the ANC any more of my time or energy. But I am really, really happy to see that the High Court has gagged the young man a little, and I wish they could simply order him to keep quiet full stop. But then, I read an interesting comment yesterday that made me think. I’ve looked for it again, but it seems the original article has been removed, so I will try and summarise from memory. The poster said that he realised that this country needed Malema, because Malema is like the black hole that is causing the ANC to collapse in on itself. I have been thinking about this comment since I read it, and I am inclined to agree. I am not going to suddenly become a Malema fan, but I think it may be worth giving him some space to allow him to complete this task that has been bestowed on him :)

Then, I leave you with a classic.  Eddie Izzard always cheers me up, and this one combines a bunch of my favourite things: Eddie Izzard, Darth Vader, Lego and trays