Oh what a night!

So last night my best friend (when I say best friend I truly mean it – we been best friends for 17 years) and I decided to go for dinner to have a major catch. The restaurant of choice was Andiamo in the Cape Quarter in Green Point. So you may asking, why she telling us this...well we went to the restaurant and upon our arrival we were told of the special they have, two pizzas/ pastas and two glasses of wine for...wait for it...only R99!!!

There is no way you can say that that isn’t an amazing deal, where can you go for good food and wine for that amount of money. I had a yummy pizza with chicken and feta along with a glass of white wine – which was equally delicious. I would have indulged in more than one glass but due to the fact I was driving I thought it would be the more responsible thing to rather not.

All I can say is that I had a great evening which cost next to nothing. I got to catch up with my best friend, which included so much laughter (thank goodness the restaurant was just as noisy as we were) and of course, like I have mentioned a billion times before, amazing food.

So go take advantage of this great special – it’s so worth it!

How hard is it to follow instructions?

Well below are some instructions you can follow that, if followed correctly, will produce a delicious mini-chocolate cake J so follow away and see what happens!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE 4 tablespoons flour 4 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa 1 egg beaten 3 tablespoons milk 3 tablespoons oil 3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional) A small splash of vanilla extract 1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe) Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).. And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Andy Worhol said’ “in the future everybody will be world famous for 15 minutes. You can’t choose the 15 minutes but why would you be world famous?”

Nowadays it is possible for nearly anyone to get 15 minutes of fame. With internet sites such as YouTube anyone can get famous for nearly anything regardless of how ridiculous it is. You won’t even have to think that hard to come up with the name of someone made famous by YouTube. The most famous example of all has to be Justin Bieber. Before he was worldwide famous and had hundreds of thousands of girls, young and old admiring him, he was just a young kid who was videoed playing the guitar while singing. While it wasn’t long before that simple video caught the attention of the right people and just like that an average kid became a big well known somebody, all thanks to YouTube.

YouTube has also managed to make the most bizarre things hits such as a little dwarf guy (if I can call him that) who simply sings along to well known pop songs by artists such as Katy Perry, 50 cent and Rihanna. Sound ridiculous? Well it is but this guy gets over 500 000 hits on YouTube just for doing this. Now is that 15 minutes of fame or what?!

So I guess the best way to achieve fame or at least 15 minutes of it would be to come up with something interesting enough that will grab people’s attention and then post it on YouTube and wait for the world to discover you.

Crime and Investigation

So of all the hundreds of channels on DSTV one of my favourites has to be the Crime and Investigation channel (that’s channel 255 for any of you wandering where to check it out). Some people find it so strange that I could enjoy watching about all the gruesome stuff on the C&I channel but in actual fact you learn a lot, like how to look out for psycho killers – ok not really but you do learn a lot – such as there is no such thing as the perfect murder.

For those people that don’t know me I must sound like such a weirdo but I promise I’m completely normal. The crime channel shows the other side of the world, while E Entertainment (also one of my favourite channels) shows programs about celebrities and Hollywood, the lighter more fun side of the world.

For those people who are interested in learning about the criminal world I suggest you watch the C&I channel, I guarantee you will be glued to your seat (if you want to know which shows are the most intriguing don’t hesitate to ask me).

A skill set called leadership

So what makes a good leader or allows a person to take on the role of being a leader. Well all i know is that South Africa was unfortunately not blessed with the greatest people in the role of leadership.

I mean for one our president, Jacob Zuma, doesn’t know much about anything – even once said that you can get rid of HIV by showering and eating vegetables, I mean if the president of the country and the person who so many people look up says that then there isn’t much hope at all. If anyone says that he is a good leader or has great leadership qualities then they are either not too bright or they just ignorant.

Below are some of the quotes by our president, the leader of our country...so hopeless.

You cannot leave a woman if she is already at that stage (of sexual arousal).

~ Jacob Zuma- during his rape trial in 2006

It would minimise the risk of catching the disease.

~ Jacob Zuma- during his rape trial in 2006, explaining to the Johannesburg High Court why he took a shower after having sex with an HIV-positive woman

So after reading the above quotes, I’m sure we can all agree that a change in leadership of South Africa is needed.

“Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read”

This topic is just too random for my liking so I am just going to look at one of the most famous rock n roll superstars of all time...Elvis Presley. You might not like his music but no one can say that he wasn’t one of the most famous singers of all time.

Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in East Tupelo, Mississippi, he was the first widely known rock-and-roll singer star - and subsequently named the King of Rock and Roll.

Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967 after 7 years of courtship.  They had one child, Lisa Marie Presley, born in 1968. 

Elvis died totally unexpectedly in 1977 from heart attack, prescription drug abuse being indicated as a cause.

Elvis Aaron Presley is the best selling solo artist In U.S. History and remained 80 weeks at the top of the charts, more weeks than any other artist. Elvis has sold over 1 billion albums worldwide, has over 100 gold/platinum awards for his singles and albums within the United States and is by far the most popular artist ever.  His records, CDs, and movies continue to sell well even today.

Saying Goodbye

So now that the holidays have come to an end there are a few sad truths that I am going to have to face come Monday morning. The thing about holidays, especially when they are a month long, is that you forget that you have to go back to reality and when that realisation suddenly dawns it is no fun.

So some of the things I am going to miss about the holidays is definitely the part where I get to sleep late regardless of what day it might be, it could be a Monday or a Thursday, makes no difference. Also hanging out with friends all day and then partying all night (luckily for me most of my friends were also on study leave) and being able to sleep off the effects from the night before was always a great help. Not having to worry about assignments and due dates was also great, I could just do nothing the whole day and not even have to feel bad about it.

But I guess all good things come to an end and this will be the situation I face tomorrow morning as I walk back into the dreary doors of CPUT. So goodbye holidays until next time.

Blackberry Haters

So as popular as the Blackberry is you still get those people that won’t give the cell phone it’s due and just admit that it is amazing. It has BBM and you are able to browse the internet constantly, of course there are other similar things like Whatssup and Mxit but in the end they just not the same.

Of all my friends there are maybe 3 that don’t own a Blackberry, they claim that they are not one of the sheep that follow what everyone else is doing and that a Blackberry is a ‘bad’ phone (whatever that means) but I just think they being haters. Yes my Blackberry has been in for repairs more than once through no fault of my own but that could happen to any cell phone whether Blackberry or not! Just the other day my sister’s new Nokia went a bit loco.

So that’s just my thoughts on this insignificant matter. In the next year there will probably be an even better brand of cell phone with even more to offer, so maybe Blackberry won’t have the haters hating for too long.

Good Fruit

So now that winter is upon us I can indulge in one of my favourite delicacies, the naartjie! A naartjie is one of my favourite fruits and I can literally eat about 8 in one sitting – I always tend to over indulge in the things l like. Not only does a naartjie taste soooo good it is also one of the top 10 super foods to eat. So along my quest to find out more about naartjies I came across the 10 super foods that are essential in our diet to stay healthy (according to Health24.com) – ok so I might not stick to them but here they are below for those of you interested to know:

1. Tuna
Tuna, and other fatty, dark-skinned fish, came out tops.

Fatty fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

2. Eggs
A single egg is packed with goodness. And while eggs do contain cholesterol, the effect is not as detrimental as scientists once believed.

For as little as 75 calories, an egg provides 12% of the daily recommended value for protein, as well as a wide variety of other nutrients such as vitamin A, B6, B12, D, folate, iron, phosphorous and zinc.

3. Beans
Baked beans, black beans, lima beans, kidney beans. Eating plenty of beans can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke and help prevent cancer, researchers say.

4. Cocoa
Here's a bit of good news for chocoholics: the delicious treat could lower your risk for heart disease and hypertension.

5. Brazil nuts
Due to Brazil nuts' high selenium content, these nuts can be seen as a "complete" protein source.

This means that, unlike the proteins in most plant products, Brazil nuts' proteins contain all the necessary amino acids to foster optimal growth in humans.

6. Garlic
Garlic is not only a great way to add a little kick to a pasta dish; it also offers tremendous health benefits because of its high antioxidant content.

Research has shown that garlic could help prevent heart disease, hypertension and cancer, and can possibly improve lung function. Garlic is also a great way to boost one's immunity – especially in wintertime.

7. Yoghurt
Yoghurt not only contains bone-building calcium, but is also a great source of probiotics.

8. Citrus
You probably know that citrus fruits are a fantastic source of vitamin C, but did you know that oranges, naartjies, lemons and grapefruit are all also rich in antioxidants?

Citrus contains zeaxathin (like eggs) that maintains healthy vision. These fruits are rich in flavanones that play a role in preventing cancer. Citrus fruits also contain caffeic acid that may reduce the risk of heart disease and eye disease.

A variety of delicious citrus fruits are available in South Africa. Depending on the season, try to include citrus fruits in your diet as often as possible.

9. Bananas
Research has shown that high-potassium foods, of which the banana is a prime example, may lower the risk of stroke.

Potassium also plays a vital role in the functioning of the muscles, heart and nerves. It ensures that the body’s fluid levels remain balanced and that the body is neither too alkaline nor too acidic. It also prevents calcium from being lost in the urine.

10. Cranberries
Cranberries are packed with proanthocyanidins that have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and improve urinary tract health. New research shows that cranberry juice may also work against gastrointestinal viruses.

List your top 200 achievements

Wow this might be quite a mission, or more like mission impossible. At the age of 22 yes I have many achievements but not many that might be worthy of mentioning. If you looking for achievements such as I was the first person to land on the moon or I invented the light bulb then you came to the wrong place.

No matter how young or old we all have had achievements in one way or another. A baby taking its first steps is an achievement so although we might not all invent or discover things, we all have achievements no matter how big or small to be proud of.

When someone asks you about your achievements in life it seems at first like the easiest question to answer but dig a little deeper you will find it rather difficult to answer, well that is the situation I found myself in. The first job interview I went to I was asked what my greatest achievement was in life, as I opened my mouth to answer I found myself at a loss for words, I mean saying one of my greatest achievements was getting WP colours for swimming would be meaningless to my  employer. So not cool and the fact that I couldn’t think of anything else was even less cool.

So regardless of what you have achieved in life be proud and don’t be ashamed to own what you have done no matter how insignificant you think it may be.

What motivates me?

Hmmmmm what motivates me in life? Well I know nothing gets me to up and motivated to start my day like a good breakfast. Picture it, it’s raining outside, cold and you are all warm in your bed, what could possibly inspire you to get up and out of your bed? Well for me the answer is simple, breakfast!

Anything will do really a nice big bowl of Coco Pops, a cup of hot chocolate, toast with cheese, French toast and on rare occasions bacon and egg (that depends on how lazy I am to actually make it for myself). Well besides breakfast there are more interesting things that get me through my day and motivate me. My friends play a large role in my life, they are always there and I know when I am feeling down a night out with them or even just going for lunch will lift my spirits.

Of course there is alcohol to lift ones spirits too but that usually ends badly with a sore head the next day and avoiding any loud noise – not very ideal really. Music is also a great motivator; all I need to do is listen to a happy song to put me in a god mood. So many times I don’t feel motivated to go out but all I need to do is listen to a party song and just like that I’m in the mood to go out.

So these are just the little things that motivate me daily not exciting but they work wonders for me.

To be young....

I Resign
Unknown

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8-year-old again.
I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four star restaurant.
I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with rocks.
I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.
I want to lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer day.
I want to return to a time when life was simple.
When all you knew were colours, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care.

All you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset.
I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good.
I want to believe that anything is possible.
I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.
I want to live simple again.
I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip,illness, and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So...here's my checkbook and my car keys, my credit cards and all my responsibility.

I am officially resigning from adulthood. And if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first, 'cause,

"Tag! You're it."