chocolate filled, sugar coated, chillie flavoured bon-bons

2011-12-19T23:42:00.000+02:00

The writing (and all the typos) continues… and goes on… and on… and on… and on…

Peanuts!

My fingers are in non-stop mode and if it wasn’t for the limb I seem to be missing my head would actually be screwed on while attempting some smidgen of intelligent thought. What possessed me to think that I could possibly mole myself away and write over Christmas (and New Year?) is beyond me. I must have been on crack. ‘But onwards’ they shout! And march on we will. I’m more determined than ever to hand in now. I’ve just bloody come too darned far.

One of the biggest motivators to get my handing-in ass into gear has been the birth of my mentor’s baby girl. Since the little one’s been born, I’ve had this need (this real, insatiable need) to visit mum and baby in Cape Town. After years and years (and years and years) of trying she has given birth to a beautiful bundle of joy. Alas, fate is cruel and the little one has a hole in her heart and is refusing to eat. I want to be with my mentor so badly I could start walking to CT. This last leg of my masters has really exhausted my pocket and well, reality is reality – I can’t get to CT on a honeyed smile and a bit of cleavage. Feeling the need to burn plastic and get on a plane to be with my dearest friend has been a kick in the backside to get moving with this thing – hand it in and get working. Hell, if it’s a job as a janitor in an NGO I’m there like a bear. Yogi hankers for a foot in the door.

My life has been consumed with my thesis recently. Why, this evening I passed up an opportunity to watch the pantomime with my bhai (brother’s) kiddios in favour of burrowing away in my room – not to mention the constant harp harp at the back of my mind successfully preventing me from engaging with my world in any sort of meaningful manner. That being said – the writing is flowing baby! As much as I’m finding it difficult to navigate being at home and writing up, it’s been equally wonderful sitting down at my comp – the words just flow. What a blooming pleasure! Over the past year I’ve had the good fortune to meet a number of people who have been so very influential in supporting me mentally through my journey and I’m seeing (like literally seeing) their advice ‘happening’. It’s a blessing to have these angels touch my life. I’ve met some at my parent’s health store, some in social settings and others in the field. At the moment I let go, an an angel drifted into my life to part the clouds – how can I ever be grateful enough for this divine presence?

I spent a week at the end of November in Grahamstown taking stock and plotting the trajectory for the final leg of my journey and my – was it a trip! Not only was I missing a limb again (although that experience was lemon and herb to this peri-peri), it was a whirlwind experience which really set my course of action straight for me. It’s amazing how much focus I managed to gain by simply meeting face to face and communicating. If my masters has taught me anything – it’s the importance – the value – the necessity – the sheer enormity (!) of communication. Part of this is letting go the fear. In my case, this would be letting go the fear of sounding like a dim-wit. It’s quite liberating I must say. Splaying yourself out, cringing at the thought of the ‘worst-case-scenario’ and then finally realising it’s not half as bad as you’d imagined it to be. After a few sessions in the tea room talking about my research and how much I’ve learnt, Robin is convinced that I’m in the ‘wrong’ profession – that I’m wasted on anthropology. According to the eldest Anthropod, I should be in stand-up. ;)

And so my friends it is on that note I bid you good night. May your dreams take you to your hearts desires and may your spirit work its magic to bring them to life.

Adieu…

2011-11-14T21:37:00.000+02:00

So I haven't been all that good at regular posting and I haven't been great at keeping in touch... Bite me.

Life has me on a roller-coaster and I must admit, for all the bloody reflexive introspective re-evaluating reality-checking crap that I consistently find myself doing (possibly the only consistent thing in my life at the moment) I still find time to put out a mat on the front lawn and sip a cup of ice tea as the sun goes down. I am pleased to say I have almost but mastered the art of smelling the roses. This weekend Ashish and I watched 'In Time' - a futuristic movie about time becoming the new currency and I really must admit, it hit a few sore spots. It's one thing taking a moment to sip a glass of ice tea as the sun goes down and it's a complete other to be the master of your time. As crazy as life has been over the past few months, I feel blessed to have the sense of mind to know that things can be different (read: calmer) and I have a say in that change. And so phase two begins. Bring on the calm.

I'm also well-chaffed to share with you that on the 11th of the 11th at 7something in the morning I became a Masi (aunt) for the second time. :) *yogi takes a bow. You may hold your applause now. The chatti (naming ceremony) is on Wednesday and I'm itching to see the little one - not to mention my cousin the new old mom. ;)

This whole time issue really has me going. On one end there is the constant need (necessity!) to deliver and on the other there is a strong inclination towards maintaining the organic'ness of life. I rate, it's far too often that we're sucked into involving ourselves in activities and tasks that sap us of life-force - which is (to add insult to injury) hardly appreciated at all. It's not that there is this burning desire to ensure that with every task you volunteer your liver for you get a complimentary mint and a 'Thank You' card, but just ever so simply - is it really essential to world peace that you exhaust yourself to a pithy? *ahem. I talk to myself now. *blush.

God and yogi willing, my next post will be a blah blah woohaa about reaching the end of my thesis writing. By then I hope to be super organised, super cool and super relaxed.

Adieu dear friends...

2011-04-28T15:57:00.001+02:00

and so the journey continues…

to grahamstown they say! as my quest to complete my masters continues i find myself being continually drawn to new experiences. there seems to be a never-ending cycle of new happenings that repeatedly remind me of the precious lessons learnt at lonavala – the most precious of which – WAIT AND WATCH!

and can the girl be patient already? yoh!

admin-wise, i have a new supervisor, a revamped project (continuing from the ‘old’ but with a fresh, more focused outlook) and second wind to ‘whack it’. i’ve declared 2011 as the ‘year of yogi’ and focus is the name of the game along with loads and loads of patience. boy, it’s not an easy lesson to learn and getting back on the tread-mill after yonks of laziness is well… a challenge. but i have faith! these lazy bones have loads of vooma in them and as the days pass and the more exposure i gain to the literature, i begin to see the links between what’s cutting ‘on the ground’ and the theory. my research aims to understand the search for the sacred within social context and already i see fireworks! i can’t wait to get started.

(are you feeling me on the patience thing?)

on the 27th of this month (wednesday) we celebrated freedom day in south africa (ironically my parent’s wedding anniversary too!) and the only thing on my mind was the plight of freedom seekers in the middle east (i use the term ‘seekers’ on purpose and not fighters – is freedom a thing that you flight for or is it something you seek out?) i shed tears of pure joy watching egyptians in tahrir square erupt in elation at the news of former president hosni mubarak’s resignation. what a thing to behold! can you imagine what drives a person to risk everything – everything – for the sake of freedom? as a south african (indeed as a young south african) i feel privileged to live in a country that has emerged from the horrors of an oppressive regime relatively unscathed. it breaks my heart to see our leaders wallow in past achievements – riding on the merit of their predecessors. this freedom our fathers have worked so hard to achieve will lay to waste should we perpetually refuse to engage with what it means to be free. yes, politically, we have the freedom to elect our own government and have equal say in the governing of our country. but what of the freedom to make choices of our own based on our own inclinations and not what economics (for example) force us to? here i look specifically to the poor and destitute of our country. having no option but to accept the low-level of healthcare in the public health system many end up as victims of their circumstance – trapped in a system that allows for very little if any breathing space with regards to their own health. they have no freedom to chose the way in which they are treated, the place or the time. in a capitalist economy, and in this specific instance – money truly can buy time!

anyway, i digress from my point. my point simply is that i believe that we (as members of a ‘free’ nation) are obligated to ourselves and the nation – indeed humankind – to begin to think about this whole thing called freedom and what it is to be free. i certainly don’t expect the average bloke on the street to start discussing foucault’s theories of freedom at the weekly poker game, but what i am saying is that i think the more we are aware of it – the more open we make ourselves to the idea of freedom, the closer we come to achieving it. if the door is open, surely at some point someone will walk in?

and there i stop. i must apologise for my almost ‘over-emotionalness’ but since mauritius – this whole notion of freedom has been getting me going… and what better place than a blog to let rip. ;)

adieu dearest ones…

2011-01-09T00:03:00.001+02:00

i’ve been out travelling again, sue me. :)

having refreshed my travel weary mind with loads of great sleep on my super awesome bed – i am bright eyed and bushy-tailed ready to tell the tales of my exciting travels in the motherland. india never fails to bring me to new experiences and this time – was no different! from the moment i landed, to the very last glimpses of mumbai through the itty-bitty windows of the airplane, i found myself gawping in amazement – at everything! this whole trip was as if i’d been in india for the first time.

i kid you not dear friends. i felt like a japanese tourist floating through the streets of mumbai with my camera glued to one hand and the other nervously clutching my hand-bag (a nasty side-effect from an unfortunate encounter with a wanna-be pick-pocketer). i gawp wide-eyed at the vegetable seller and the mounds of ruby red tomatoes piled up in front of him, at the spice-walla with heaps and heaps of red hot chillies forming explosive mountains in neat rows ahead of me, at the bangle vendor squatting on the floor selling colourful glass bangles bound together with string in flower-like patterns, at the chai-walla who serves me chai in a rather questionable looking glass (but i just close my eyes and sniff-up the aromatic beauty of the chai). yoh, the list goes on.

my reasons for going – twofold. the first being darshan’s wedding (darshan and i did a house-to-house student exchange with rotary in 2003) and the second, ayurvedic panchakarma treatment at a centre in lonvala. both were valuable and insightful experiences. darshan’s wedding was a window into another world for me. it was anthropology ‘in action’ – happening live. of all the wedding events and ‘happeningings’ my favourite was the baraat (the bridegroom’s procession to the wedding-hall). i danced like a wild-thing and pummeled all my excitement and happiness in that one hour through dance and laughter.

lonavala was a different kind of outlet (oh the pun, the pun!) basically, panchakarma treatment is cleansing the body of accumulated toxins through 5 different methods. although not all methods are employed simultaneously. sometimes, not even all 5 methods are used – which in my case was… thank god! (for more info go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchakarma) so basically, there’s loads of purging, loads and loads and loads of purging – physically and mentally. however, i think the most valuable for me was the mental purging. in all fairness, there’s loads of gunk still flapping around, but my approach to the mental gunk has changed… drastically! i feel more mental equilibrium and balanced in my problem-solving approaches. lonavala has taught me that as much of a hero i think i am, there ain’t no way i’m climbing everest in one gainormous leap – it’s all baby steps honey. i feel refreshed, revitalized, recharged – ready and steady to face the year.

i’m reading eat pray love at the moment and feeling like i’m reading my biography. there is so much about the way gilbert feels and writes that echos me to me. what a joy! :) there’s so much comfort to be found in knowing that i’m not the only crack-pot floating the universe in search of meaningful experiences. however, i have to admit it’s not all roses and periwinkles. i do find the book rather self-indulgent and i’m really not sure if it’s going to go on my ‘re-read’ list. there are moments i’m inclined to abandon the book halfway, but in anticipation of the bali-kand (kand meaning chapter in sanskrit) of the book, i hang in there… waiting to love ;)

with all my warmest, heartfelt best wishes for 2011 i bid you adieu till next time…

2010-10-03T21:23:00.001+02:00

And boy, did ‘things’ happen! The universe sure takes this whole ‘school of life’ thing seriously!

Mauritius – the scenic island plonk in the middle of the Indian ocean was the chosen site for my life-learning this time around. Honestly, there is little to be said about Mauritius that hasn’t been said already. It’s the perfect combination of sea and surf – mountain and beach. Every sunset, every crashing wave, every rainbow (of which there are many!) – each a moment to cherish. I won’t bore you with a superlative overload on the beauty of the Island, but yes – it is everything it’s made out to be… and more.

The ‘and more’ comes loaded. Mauritius was not only a place to conduct interesting fieldwork, but a place of great learning and growing. As the organisational hurdles around me grew and seemed almost impossible to pass I grew increasingly aware of my ability to cope and manage the situation. When the seemingly impossible happens, it takes just a split-second to change your perspective on it… and in that moment – you become free.

Bounding, boundary-less through the vast expanse of the universe you discover yourself, your untapped energy becomes a source of inspiration to those around you. Your breath, slowly in slowly out, bringing with each exhale and every inhale a new life. Infusing every moment with the ‘something’ we all seek the, challenge draws you closer to yourself, acquainting you with the eternity that is ‘You’ – You become one, You are one.

The relationships I established, the lessons I learnt, indeed, each one of my experiences will be a part of me forever. But what remains to me the most important ‘take-away’ of all has been the acceptance of ‘universal play’ – the fact that no matter how well you may plan, the universe has a plan of its own! I relish in this play (even though it may be contrary to mine), I find joy in life’s twists and turns and no matter how many times my world is turned upside down – I return to myself, to rest, to calm, to peace, to happiness.

I begin the new path refreshed and washed clean of the muck of the past, holding those experiences which draw me closer close to my heart. None shall touch.

Adieu…

2010-04-19T23:33:00.001+02:00

i’m using windows live writer to write and publish this post and i can’t tell you how excited i am about it! i’m back in the study game and all engines firing and ready to go. it’s incredible how fast time is flying by and as the deadlines draw closer i find myself more and more eager to rise to the challenge.

well… since my last post – i’ve been accepted to read for my masters at rhodes (i’m back!) and it’s been nothing short of a blessing. i’m home for a while now, just until the nitty gritties of my fieldwork are sorted out and then… i’m off to… mauritius! this whole experience – this opportunity has been like a gift from above! i’m being supervised by prof rose boswell (an expert in her field) and have the wonderful opportunity of working for the mauritian truth and justice commission. let me not give the full plot away! i’ll definitely keep you posted as ‘things’ develop!

on the ‘personal’ side of life… well… life carries on. there’s no doubt that it’s been a rollercoaster ride, but the adage – time heals all wounds seems more than apt. the universe constantly reminds me what’s important and necessary – it’s like a 24/7 lesson in learning to prioritise!

i’m going to leave it at that for now… i’ve an enormous pile of reading i need to wade through and my tummy’s trying to tell me something…

adieu!

2009-10-28T09:25:00.000+02:00

Post Laxi, I haven’t been able to do much. I’ve been pretty much a vegetable. That, coupled with loads of work – super boring work, diwali prep, family family family have left me exhausted and downright zombiefied. Small wonder I manage to drive to work in the morning. Speaking of which, the most fantastic thing happened this morning. I was (happily) ‘harassed’ by an Italian diplomat. What a treat! Having cut infront of me in traffic, I gesticulated wildly at the white jetta (with the diplomatic number-plate) with elaborate facial expressions in my oh-so-yogi way. Little did I know that the fellow was looking at me (in his rear mirror) and then apologised rather timidly. That set off a whole chain of rather comic events which involved him nearly missing a head-on-collision twice simply ‘cause his eyes were glued to the rear-mirror. What hilarity yaar! At the robot where we stopped, he proceeded to coax me into lowering my window which I did… not do! The robot turned green with yogi driving off into the dusty construction zone, leaving the gawping diplomat to his stalled vehicle. I haven’t felt so sexy in a long time. A long long time. In so many ways, my encounter with the Italian has been life-giving, it’s breathing spunk back into me – reminding me that I’ve still got punch in me. Lets call it a diplomatic confidence booster shall we? ;) To me, today’s experience was not so much about ‘me’ as it was about ‘there is a God’. No seriously. I had a pretty late night, rolled out of bed super late and stumbled into the car super later. I felt like pooh and all I wanted to do was abscond to a small little dark hole labelled ‘yogi’. And out of nowhere, an angel crossed my path and reminded me of my spunk. Now if that’s not a big booming voice from the sky, I don’t know what is. What do you think?

On the work front I’m ready to pull my eye-balls out. DEAD. That’s all. I’m going to have to change this mind-set fast or I’ll be in trouble. I’ve been late for work every day this week (and most of last too) and it’s not only because of traffic, I just can’t get out of the house in the morning and find myself procrastinating at every turn. Oof. The new year might bring a contract-renewal if the funds become available, but if I don’t find a way around the bordom – I’ve got one tough task on my hands till the end of Nov. That being said, the Uni atmosphere is electric. Some time ago, I had an argument with Ba and I just couldn’t focus on my work. I took a walk around campus (oo – remind me to tell you about the Jacaranda trees!), I did a bit of stretching - nothing doing. And then, in an epiphany, I went to the library and walked through the isles. That’s all. Just walked. I can’t tell you how soothing that was. Yeah – nerd – I know!! But this is just between you and me right?

The beautiful Jacaranda blossoms are almost all but gone. Pretoria is bathed in the most luxurious shade of purple and the ground is covered in a velvety carpet of purple blossoms. It’s really a sight to behold. As I come up the crest on Rigel Ave I get a picturesque view of the Union Buildings (our Administrative Hot-house) framed in an unmistakeable shade of purple. Everyday I curse myself for forgetting my camera at home, and the one day I do remember, it happens to be the cloudiest days. I have an idea - lets ditch the camera, let me paint a picture for you. Now close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Feel the rough, dark bark of the Jacaranda tree against your palms. Now tilt your head towards the heavens and open your eyes. Against the lucid blue of the sky, you see millions of purple bell-shaped flowers fluttering in the wind. Some of them gently floating down, falling onto your cheeks and in your hair. The dark, black bark of the tree is sturdy and its long fingers extend out dripping with hundreds of blossoms like thick, sweet honey oozing from every pore. All around you, the sounds of spring brighten the air and the scent of lush green grass teases your nostrils playfully. Today, nature smiles with you…

2009-10-09T15:54:00.000+02:00

Wow. What a month. Before I started to type this post, I had a squizz at the previous post and it’s really amazing how life can go from ‘normal’ and ‘sane’ to ‘madness’ and ‘insane’ in a few days. I feel like I’ve been captured by an alien space-craft and dropped off on the other side of the universe. Nuts I tell ya. Enough abstract blabbing – let me tell you dear ones what transpires in the state of Gauteng.

I’ve just returned from the airport after a fairly emotional farewell to a dear friend. Laxi finally received his visa and landed in South Africa on the 17th of September. It was a wonderful visit and I can only bow with thanks and gratitude to the universe for manifesting this long-long-overdue dream. Aside from the regular touristy stuff, L was just happy to get out of the little village of Mysore and into some ‘westernised society’. BRING ON THE PASTA!! Unfortunately, he missed his flight to Abidjan on the 2nd of October and so had to re-book for the next flight… Friday the 9th of October! In the meanwhile, any traveller’s worst nightmare happened. He fell sick. With a fever of over 40 for almost 3 days, I made a judgement call and on Monday, dragged his bum to hospital. He stayed in hospital for 2 days! Can you believe it! Apparently, an acute infection had taken over his system and decided to go AWOL at the most inappropriate time. But it has to have a happy ending – somewhat, and so, today, Friday the 9th of October, I tearfully bid an almost-ok Laxi good-bye. Not easy. I could see that he was not 100% ok, and yet I still let him go. What else to do in that situation? I think when you’re that ill, the best medicine is your family. I've never felt so inadequate in my life.

That being said, I feel incredibly peaceful and ok with how things have turned out. I am so blessed to have so many people who love me and support me that I have no choice but to succeed!! Laxi’s visit has taught me to balance the voice of reason and the song my heart sings. It’s an ongoing lesson and one that I will learn to learn! Step by step, moment by moment. But it’s a lesson that has given me the gift of my family. I can’t begin to explain how close we (Ba, Bapu and myself) have become. Our relationship has just mach 3’ed to a new level.

Aaah. Deep breath.

This weekend, I’ve managed to involve myself – however stupidly, in a Diwali show for the Gujerati School in Benoni. It’s not so much the helping out that I’m kicking myself about – it’s the dancing. I’m dancing in the finale with a few other ladies. I just don’t know what possessed me to agree! Aside from the time to attend practice sessions, I just don’t have the energy to pull this one off. And that too, while Laxi was here – and sick! Saturday is going to be an amazing test of my um… dance aptitude!!

That’s it from me for now…

Adieu…

2009-09-15T22:51:00.000+02:00

Oh my gosh – they’ve done it again!! Teamwork Productions has done it again and this time they’ve not only excited and enthralled me, but have successfully managed to electrocute me without stepping anywhere near a power-point.

WOW!!

Four words: Daksha Seth Dance Company

Forgive me, for the moment my entire vocabulary will only consist of the finite words the feeble use to describe the infinite. After a LOOOOOOOONG time, I’ve walked out of the dance theater feeling fantastic. Usually, the scene plays out thus: yogi books tickets for dance show (enthusiastically); yogi (enthusiastically) prepares to watch dance show – diarised (check), camera (check), me (check); (enthusiastically) yogi waddles off to watch dance show; yogi watches dance show (enraptured); yogi leaves dance show wowing at the art-work but crestfallen, blue and thwacking herself madly (wif her shoe) for leaving dance. Not this time! Not at all. Isha Sharvani is nothing short of out of this world in her dance. She literally has the audience eating out the palm of her hand and boy, does she know it. The one thing about a good dancer (apart from rehearse rehearse rehearse) is that elusive juju. Oozing with this mystic energy, the dancer draws the viewer (or rather – the participant observer) into the dancer’s world of passion, fun and ecstasy. Isha Sharvani SO has the juju. She’s loving what she does and there’s no stopping her. From the moment she puts her toe on stage, she’s oozing confidance and all eyes have no choice but to superglue themselves to her plastacine (sp?) body.

Ok, I could go on forever. In short – look out for the Daksha Seth Dance Company. They’re performing again tomorrow night at 8pm at Dance Factory in Newtown (Jozi).

I can’t leave out Shobhaa De from this post! Also as part of the festival, the literature fest ‘Words on Water’ saw Shobhaa De coming to S.A and dialoguing on a panel on Saturday. What a friggin treat yaar! Not only did I get to meet the fantastically fabulous, famous and infamous De, but I had a chance to chat with her too and really – what more could I ask for? Imagine sharing space with your muse. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and let yourself float… it’s something like that…

*pause…

Eargh, ok, I’m getting all soppy on you. Apologies. Good news, L has his visa and is (hopefully) getting his bums to S.A. If there’s anything else I can cross (fingers, toes, hair, legs, arms… can you cross your eyes?) please let me know – I need all the luck I can get. Shamrock anyone?

On the other end… I haven’t even told you (hai hai); I have started a new j-o-b! It’s a contract position at the University of Pretoria and I have one fancy ass title: Senior Administrative Assistant (in the Department of Community Engagement). I wasn’t even sure I qualified for junior and I’m senior already! Anyhoo, the job’s going good and time will tell if the contract moves to not-contract-and-more-permanent. The plus is that it’s in Community Engagement which is right up my alley-way and definitely in the direction I see myself moving in. The plus plus is that I see anthropology being applied sooo frequently (really means a lot to me) and the plus plus plus – I get my own office. Awesome! So ya, this is where yogi finds herself. Status quo.

Talking about work, it’s 10 past 30 and I’ve a 5:30am start tomorrow. Eargh. Not as bad as driving to Jozi though. Jesus loves me.

Sweet dreams and adieu dear ones…
:yogi

2009-08-31T00:22:00.000+02:00

i'm so incredibly exhausted. my mind refuses to function and my eyes droop down heavily. tonight i was out with ryan and his lovely girlfriend malgojata (spelling!)(a very close friend) for a game of pool. and the previous night with himal bhai and ramona bhabi (from cape town) and friday night with sheetal (the homeopath at the shop) and her cronies. and this is night only - i'm not even mentioning what happened during the day. ok, so i'm exhausted. that - apart from the emotional exhaustion from waiting for laxi.

laxi's visa hasn't come through yet and it's not only exhausting but incredibly frustrating. it's been over a month now and our patience is wearing dangerously thin. i constantly feel that something is blocking our path - that something is preventing the full light from shining and i have no idea what to do about it.

i guess it boils down to keeping your nose to the grind-stone and keeping the faith. in the end, in the good 'ol end, it's the universe and only the universe that's real... it's only love that's real...

2009-08-26T22:06:00.000+02:00

wow - what a week, and it's barely half way through. as i'm typing this, my eyes are sinking into sweet oblivion and my brain has moved into stoopid-mode. the weekend was madness but one huge ball of fun with niks, ashu and i leaving for grahamstown on saturday morning at 4am! the drive down was loads more fun than i thought it would be and our stay there was lovely! sunday was a treat-filled day for me, starting off with the traditional breakfast picnic and then moving onto lunch at kleinemonde at mama's flat. it all rounded up well with mandir in the evening and then a quick supper and of our madness - the drive back home. all of us were completely exhausted so we ended up taking a rather laxed amble back to jozi as opposed to a screeching speed!

all in all i feel that this year is off to a swimming start and i just feel that it has to get better from here - it just has to. laxi hasn't had any luck with his visa yet or with gaining any headway with getting here but i guess it's all about taking challenges in your stride and facing things as they come along. it's not been easy. i haven't been the most patient person or the most co-operative, but as time passes i'm learning the art of stepping back and observing.

life's thrown me some hectic stuff ths year and despite all the up-ing and down-ing it's been a year of great growth, adventure and learning for me.

dear god, please keep me sane but insane enough to love the ups and downs.

2009-08-06T00:45:00.000+02:00

There are sometimes in life when the world seems an empty and barren place. When life ceases to smile its bright-eyed grin and the energy in the air stops pulsing with the warmth of a thousand mystic suns. My thirst seems to consume me and I’m trapped in a deep dark hole with no light in sight. I’ve forgotten how to laugh, live, love and dance. There is no stillness or silence but a buzz, a fury of mental activity waxing and waning in furious crescendo. This is my life without you. This is what it feels like when your empty words drill holes into my fragile soul. This is what happens when my glass-house shatters and I am left home-less in a barren land.

There is silence. Nothing but deep, lonely silence. Silence.

There is a knock at my door. Through cracks and gaps in my previously airless room I see bright light pounding its way through the darkness. My God has not abandoned me. He has sent his messengers of light – the light, to remind me of my essential nature. I feel a tingling on my tear stained cheeks as my tired eyes struggle to adjust to the returning light. My bones begin to thaw and my heart sends pulses of warmth through my body. The darkest hour of night is just before dawn and as I prepare for its coming I feel anticipation, a hope growing within me.

Everything is going to be alright. The sun will shine again. You will learn to love again and life will breathe with love again.

--------------------

The above is written by an anonymous poet and I just had to share it with you!! Isn’t it just amazing!! There is something about poetry that just transports you to a different level – that allows you to explore the passages of your own understanding and I think that the poet has quite ‘hit-the-nail-on-the-head’.

So ya, long silence – I know but what to say, it’s been nothing short of hectic. Between balancing the shop and processing my trip to India (mentally, emotionally, spiritually), I feel I’ve been hit by a bus! Working with my parents has been a challenge I’ve welcomed with open arms. I feel that for this moment and in this space it is the best thing to do now. This is good for the here and now. Being in the present and being with what is has been nothing short of wonderful. For the first time in a long time I feel fully going with the flow which is great. That being said – it’s not that I don’t have my idiot moments, and lately there’ve been a hang of a lot of those. I wish there was something I could say to make all the time I’ve been an ass better. But the truth is that at the end of the day, they’re all excuses and I only have myself to deal with. Who do I look at when I look into the mirror? And I’ve been quite a freek of late make no mistake. It’s slow learning now. The hours pass into days and the days into weeks. And between all this I’m like a junkie for India. It’s just madness I tell ya. Just madness.

So um, ya hey. Wow – haven’t been that brutally honest in a while. It comes with the wanting to indulge in a cathartic mode. I feel the need to atone for my sins and I guess my blog confessional will simply have to do.

On the bright-side, I’ve passed my learner’s license for a motorbike!! Yaya!! How exciting hey! I miss my India scooty and although I’m not keen on a scooty per se in South Africa, there’s nevertheless a half a door open.

Two things happened today. Raksha Bandan – which was lovely being around and in-person to tie rakhee albeit oh-so very late! And for the how-many’ith time, acting like a complete git-wad with Laxi. For someone who has an endless Vapi well of patience I really do know how to screw things up well and solid. I’m sorry… I really am.

Happy Raksha Bandan everyone – hope the coming year is filled with love, light and plenty of happiness!!

With all my love
:yogi

(p.s. uploaded wildcave adventure pics to my picasa web album, check it out dude!)

2009-05-16T10:57:00.000+02:00

...and i'm back!

South Africa has greeted me with cold arms but a warm warm heart, and as much as I miss my beloved India, I am glad to be home. Somehow, I feel that this is the next logical step in the scheme of things. My intution sings to me in many voices and I feel completely protected and loved by the universal flow.

mm... ya, soppy - I know, but true nonetheless! My journey to India wasn't just a physical one, just short of sounding rather cliche - it was a soul journey or rather a life journey. India is always generous with her spiritual bounty and this trip was no exception. My time at the Krishnamurthy Foundation was not only about teaching English or business development. On a deeper level, a more inter-universal level, Kashi taught me how to live. In many ways (in retrospect) I feel like the boy Santiago from Paulo Coelho's magical Alchemist - the eternal student to the universe.

so ya, I find myself back home and... and... and... to be continued!

2009-03-02T08:39:00.002+02:00

I'M IN INDIA AGAIN!!

hahaha! maddess i know! what can i say about my khwaja (love)?? over and over i am called - no, pulled to her feet and this time to the sacred and special city of varanasi in the uttar pradesh province.

thankfully, i'm not plonk in the city itself... i'm on a 300 odd acre estate on the banks (literally) of the ever blessed Gangaji (i have a crystal clear view from my door). based in rajghat, the krishnamurthy foundation has warmly invited me into its arms and i've found myself in a haze - still trying to absorb this paradise. it's truely something else.

ok, enough foofy talk. here's a bit of history, varanasi is known by 3 names: kashi, benaras and varanasi. the ancient city of kashi is said to have been on the rajghat plateux (where i am) around the varuna river. the current location of the city is a more 'recent' development relatively speaking (considering that the history of kashi dates back more than several centuries). the name varanasi comes from the varuna and assi rivers between which varanasi lies. and the ganga-varuna confluence lies plonk in the middle of the krishnamurthy foundation grounds. i'm not going to go into the layout of the campus here cause it's rather complicated, but essentially, the krishnamurthy foundation consists of; the rural centre (where i am), rajghat besant school, study centre and vasanta college.

there are a few ways to reach varanasi city from rajghat, either by boat up gangaji (my FAVOURITE thing to do), auto rickshaw (indian standard), tempo (larger than a auto - seats about 10 plus) or walk!;) i really don't know what to say about varanasi city. truth be told, i'm still trying to get my head around it. in an sms to ba and bapu i said one word to describe Varanasi city... huh? :) it's just a mixture of everything - as people here say - it is india in one glance. i think the most alluring thing about varanasi is not so much the religious pull but the blatant paradoxes that stare you in the face. swamiji mentioned in one of our 'chats' that profound truths are paradox, and i think that the allure of varanasi is in this. there is really no telling what's in store. as shayur says - it's organised chaos. the traffic is MAD - dude, believe me when i say this - mumbai bangalore... they're kabootars (pidgeons)! it's amazing that one can get from a to b. and although there are traffic police around, there's this crazy rush to move at 20km/h!! aaah, how to describe the madness, even as i'm typing this words seem inadequate. on a completely different note, the pictures of varanasi are not 'just pictures'!! the sadhu babas, the pandits, they're all real - they're all here!! i think one of the nicest things is going up the ganga early in the morning or at dusk and simply observing the various rites and rituals - even morning p's and q's!! ;) i'm not going to go into my thoughts on gangaji and pavitra etc, but it's almost enlightening watching the variety of activities that take place at the shore. there's a simple beauty in observing.

ok, my fingers are tired. this keyboard is wack and i haven't been on a comp in ages! i will try keep in touch as often as i possibly can and try get some pics up too.

with love from kashi
:yogi

2008-12-02T18:24:00.003+02:00

i look back on the previous year and can scarcely believe that it's been my year. a year i've lived through - a year i've spent every moment engaging with myself and my environment. i think of all the moments i've sat in frustrating grappling with myself to understand and trust that everything happens for a reason and i can't help but smile at the irony of the universal play. and that play still continues - continually challenging and inspiring me to god knows what!!

i'm 23. i'm 20 freeking 3 years old and i still can't tell my ass from my elbow! there's a silent amusement in the fact that i still enjoy (so-called) childish pleasures. my world lights up when i see the sound vibrations in a bowl of water, when i plunge my hand(s) into a bowl of rice or mung (or any bean/grain) or when i allow my paint brush free-reign on my canvas. the truth is i'm a modern day peter-pan. or rather - peter-pamela? the thought of growing up scares the living daylights out of me and i find myself at a point in my life where it's do or die time. lets be reasonable. choosing not to grow up wouldn't be the smartest idea right now, especially since i've had a taste of the perks of grown-up-life having lived on my own for some time. and yet, i find myself cringing at the thought of marriage, work, career, children, house - home, the white picket fence - aaagh, the list goes on. inevitably, it seems that the moment work and career is settled the next (so-called) logical step is marriage and thereafter children and thereafter their marriage and thereafter retirement - and here is where i stop!!! yes, i do realize, i'm making excuses, but i also am highly aware that phobia is beyond reason.

hi. my name is yogita (chorus: hi yogita).

and i'm afraid of growing up.

2008-05-22T21:22:00.000+02:00

i can't believe i'm back.

soon, it will be 4 months since my return from india and yet, it feels like a lifetime. so much has happened in between that i seem to lose track of time as the days pass. being back is a blessing no doubt, but naturally quite a disappointment. i keep thinking 'was mysore that bad?' and the honest answer is no. however, when i think about the university my toes curl and i'm left with sad, frustrating memories of a potentially amazing experience gone very very wrong. i could go into philosophizing about this for pages and pages, but i think it simply boils down to this little thing called life. just when you think you've figured it out – it bites you in the butt just to let you know who's boss. and in the meanwhile, your left to pick up the pieces and carry on the journey... for what else is there to do!!

i look back on my time in india and can scarcely believe i was there or believe the things i did. for me, india was an amazing experience – madness aside. i learnt more about myself and about life than i ever thought possible and i learnt that my boundaries are further than i thought. i could go on with the i learnt list forever, but essentially – my spirit has grown from this experience and the learning?? nothing short of fantastic. i may not have gained academically from india, but in terms of life – i'm a freeking billionaire!!! it can only get better from here...

so... i'm back in s.a and getting back on my horse. i'm eager and excited to start studying again, so project number 1 is re-establishing the passion and getting back on the study wagon. i have no idea where, when or how, but it will happen. i'm determined to make it happen! and no, i'm not looking for a job – and heavens no – i really don't intend on going back to my old job in jozi... mind numbing is definitely not on my to-do list this time round. i've been moving between anthropology and international relations, but deep down inside, i know that i'm an anthro girl through and through.

coming back to s.a has been hard and difficult. i feel like the s.a i left and the s.a i came back to are two different places. i'm really concerned with the recent upsurge in xenophobic violence only because i wonder what kind of an example is this for the youth. young minds are learning at an impressionable age that violence is the way to resolve issues and furthermore that there is no retribution for violent behaviour. these are the future citizens of south africa, these are the children who will grow into acting members of society – what awaits them and how will they deal with it? it is proven that children learn through imitation, i shudder to think of the long-term consequences.

righty'o... that's me for now. hopefully the next one won't be as late as this one was!

adieu...

2007-09-04T06:23:00.000+02:00

*the author wishes the reader to note that the following is not intended to offend or impose on anyone's belief in any way. it is merely a purging of emotion and an expression of opinion at the present moment. it is in no way a permanent statement, but rather a fluid observation. that being said - enjoy reading...

Yeh mera des hai, let’s rock in the motherland… Blah blah woof woof.

Ladies and Gentlemen: I have smelt the coffee. And the pooh, and the garbage, and sambar, and the incense, and the sandalwood, and the diesel, and the pee, and the car fumes, and the fried onions, and the fresh vaada, and the, and the, and the…

I’m having issues with India – can you tell?

Man, Damnit!!!! WAKE UP GREAT FREEK! Why doesn't the population realize what they have going for them? All they do all day is squat, chew paan; spit at your feet and watch the cows go by – literally. And as the cows go by, with them goes the charm and greatness of this amazing nation. It’s almost as if they (them Indians) hold in their hands a rare and amazing gem, unseen/experienced in any other part of the world, and they fart, burp, snort out mucus, drink tea, mumble how the west is polluting their country (Ha!) and let dust settle, cake and become hard and crusty – hiding from the world the brilliance of all that is India. Truly, India is practical experience in debunking Maya – some sort of training in going beyond the illusion.

I’m sitting on my bed in a house that is considered ‘livable’ and feel like a pauper according to western standards (but lets not play the ‘we-do’-‘you-do’ game, that’s not what I’m here for). What shocks me is that people are prepared to settle for substandard when they can have so much better. Ahem. Perhaps the same can be said about me. But the fact is that India is the land of plenty. It is the Promised Land and it is being ruined by complacent attitudes and corrupt minds (listen to me – I sound like a contemptuous westerner. But that’s beside the point – wink wink, nudge nudge). I’ve been informed (‘as a matter of fact madam’) that it is practically impossible to get any official work done (both government and private) without providing an ‘incentive’. Bollocks!! Can you believe it? The saddest part is that not only does this occur frequently, but also it occurs so frequently that it has become a way of life for these people. Paying bribes, offering ‘incentives’ and generous ‘donations’ have become a matter of course here and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to change soon unless there is a national mental renaissance. Two of my closest buddies (from my previous trip to India) who have moved abroad have shared some amazing insight and support with me. They are both born and brought-up in India (itself) and have gone searching for better pastures, refusing to settle for second-best. Nikunj (who is in Ausssie) and Ankit (in Amreeka). After lots of whining – on my part, scolding – on theirs and plenty of advice and encouragement, I feel much more comfortable that I’m not simply a spoilt foreigner scoffing at ‘primal’ Indian mentality. That I’m not over-exaggerating the frustration, anger and angst that seems to be part of the package of living here.

God I hate India. Um, no… actually I love it… yes, yes, I love India. I love India! Sometimes. Most of the time. No no… sometimes… maybe more seldom than often. But then again, if I go home (South Africa) I’d miss it. So ya, I do love India.

*Silence…

Maybe ‘love’ is too strong a word…

*Aaargh!!!

This is the status quo dear ones – it’s truly a love hate relationship of note. I’m being constantly confronted by the stark, harsh realities of life (and I don’t just mean poverty – which in itself is an entirely different topic which bizarrely begins with dogs). Dichotomies plague everyday life – they stare you in the face so frequently you have no choice but to look.
Venerating cows – while they eat garbage.
Universal love and respect for all – as they elbow, push and shove their way through a crowd.
The need for better amenities like water – while taps everywhere drip endlessly, liquid gold down the drain.
Deeply religious and pious people – itching, waiting for the perfect moment to con you out of your last penny.
I could go on forever.
India is deeply materialistic and spiritual at the same time. Loving and yet filled with anger. Careless and overcautious. Starving and unashamedly pot-bellied (and I don’t mean due to malnutrition ref: Ethiopian children). My mind goes blank – a thousand thoughts crowd my consciousness and I have no idea in which direction I should go forward.

But back to the present – and the light-hearted! Things are (thank God!) settling down with uni ‘stuffs’. After a major rigmarole with papers, blue ink and stuffy international center officials, I’m in the clear. I’m now a registered student for an MA in Anthropology at the University of Mysore aka Manasagangotri (and don’t ‘ag shame’ me, I chose to do anthropology and was not rejected for engineering or some equally bland course) and am one of a class of four – three of which are males. Whoopee. I haven’t met any of my classmates and I must say that I’m quite looking forward to it in some sort of voyeuristic cum sado-masochistic bizarre way. Lectures are scheduled to start on the 3rd of September. ‘But that is still to be confirmed’ says the HOD with a nervous giggle and shifty eyes. Deep breathing…

Pity-party aside, India is giving me exactly what I asked for – an experience. It’s challenging the very foundation of my beliefs, thoughts and ideas and is readily shaking the ground beneath my feet (ref: Salman Rushdie). I’m trying to take it as it comes – not to expect the best or the worst and deal with ‘it’ as ‘it’ comes (…whatever ‘it’ might be). Although, that’s the original attitude I set out with from South Africa, I’m not sure how well that worked out. But deep inside the darkness of that graying thing called my brain I think I’m on the right path.

I spent this weekend (31st to the 2nd) in Silicon Valley – the IT capital of India. Kavita and Avinash and their delightful bundle of joy – Kush were my hosts for the weekend and it was lekker J to use words like lekker, bummed and phased without getting a blank stare. Avinash is on sabbatical and is with the Bangalore Law College (Lauw kaa-lej) in Nagarbhavi – a quite, quaint campus in the middle of god-knows-where in Bangalore. As I jumped onto a train to Bangalore (which I was lead to believe stops in Kengeri – about 8km from Nagarbhavi) I found out that yours truly was a non-stop Mysore-Bangalore superfast train. Fantastic. Some freak actually jumped out of the moving train when we got to the Kengeri station. Albeit it slow, rather slow, I still think it was madness. Anyway, I got to Bangalore, made like local and push-shoved-grunted my way down the subway to the bus-stand where I barked ‘Nagarbhavi’ at anything in brown (Note #1: I’ve noticed that ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ don’t work here – a grunt and snort will do. Note #2: all bus personnel wear brown, which is awesome until you get some uncle who decides it’s cool to traipse around in a safari suit.). For a smooth Rs.9 I got to Nagarbhavi Sarkal (circle) in one piece, compared to an autorickshaw, an otherwise Rs.80. Man I’m cool! He he. Anyway, after spending a delightful weekend with the family, I made my way back to Mysore (where I am now) and am quite happily tucked into the cozy confines of my mozzie net. I fear that when I finally return home, I’m going to find it difficult to sleep without the protection of my beloved scotch-guard.

My clothes smell like mothballs, I do my laundry like a five-year-old playing house-house and I’ve read far too much philosophy for my tiny brain to handle (I can hear my synapses misfiring), but it’s all ariight!! I’m exactly where I should be and everything is in its place, happening as it should. I’m taking one day at a time, enjoying the experience for what it is (the up’s and down’s) and taking-in every bit of this fantastically crazy land. But make no mistake, if the chips are down and I don’t feel they’re coming up – I’m a coming home!!… But not before a fight… tooth and nail… down to the bone.

Here I am India – bring it on…

2007-07-29T08:15:00.000+02:00

*the author wishes you to note that this is a long long post. should you not wish to read it or not have the time, the crux of the message is that she is ok, doing well and is happy - no major train-smashes... yet (simply small ones!!)

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Namaste Namaste Namaste!!

Two words – Shabaash India!!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I’m not sure if I’m brave or stupid and I hoped to find out by the time I arrived in India. Unfortuntely I haven’t an answer for you yet!

And so the journey begins...

I arrived in the motherland at midnight at the tail end of the monsoon season. I was met at the airport by an angel who had taken me under her wing before we had even met (through e-mails and smses)! Savita Bhen took me to her home and after a long flight and bad food I enjoyed some amazing hospitality. Fortunately, I didn’t catch any rain at all and was on the 10am flight to Bangalore in the morning. In Bangalore, I was met by Ashika Kaki – another god-sent in a crazy crazy city! Although I’d never been to Bangalore before, the atmosphere was lovely (although looney) and it’s definitely a place I could have some fun in! Bangalore also houses the legislative buildings which are truely something to see. Without sounding soppy, seeing the huge ashoka pillar mounted atop the roof filled me with pride – yeh mera des hai!! Onwards to the bus-stop which was complete chaos! The bus ride to Mysore was around 4 hours and the scenery en route was lovely (even though by this stage of my journey keeping my eyes open was truly a challenge!) – although I must say that not much can beat South African landscapes! Anyway, after arriving in Mysore, I could not find (Shamla) Amma and (Krishna) Appa anywhere!! I felt like a sore thumb!! No doubt, my enormous suitcase and confused expression gave me away! Luckily, I had taken some Rupee coins with me from South Africa and was able to call Amma from nearby p.c.o – aka callbox (please don’t ask me what that stands for – I’m not sure I’ll ever find out either!!!). It turns out that they were at the other end of the bus-stop at 3:45 and my bus only pulled in at 4:30. Oi vey. All’s well that ends well and at the end of an exhausting journey I reached a destination that has fast become home.

Amma and Appa have taken me in as their own and I really do feel comfortable – totally at home here. I’ve learnt to make tea and coffee (yes, the sugary, milky, espresso size type oh-so-unique to India!) and have learnt a few of the local customs. The language here is Kanada and slowly slowly (nidhaana nidhaana) I’m picking it up. Amma has been very instrumental in this – insisting that I note down and memorise at least 10 words every day. Amma and Appa’s house has become home and I think there are going to be a few tears when I move out.

On the uni side of things – if I prepared myself for things to be different I was grossly wrong. My God, things here are TOTALLY different!!! For starters, the uni confidently forgot to mention that admission dates have been extended to 31 July – which means that academic admission will only start after 31 July. They also kindly omitted to let me know that lectures start (or the academic year starts) at the end of August!!! Mmm… I have a feeling I have much to learn in this foreign yet strangely familiar country! The hostel is a totally different story. The rooms are tiny tiny tiny and are sharing – yes, sharing… which means that there are two beds, two desks and one cubboard for two students. The bathrooms are from another planet – eastern toilets and bucket baths with no hot water in the taps – there is one central hot water tap. Don’t get me wrong – I’m here for a different experience but dude, I still need to get qualification! I’m not sure if I would be able to function for long in that kind of an environment – I’m not sure if I want to! Generally speaking, hostels are not cool – the doors shut at 7:30pm, which means you absolutely have to be indoors by 7:30, or you’re sleeping with the cows for the night. Also, I’ve heard some nasty things about ‘ragging’ and initiation practices that I really don’t want to be a part of. So… after far too much roaming round Mysore city in the blazing sun looking at different types of accommodation, I’ve finally settled on a room as a paying guest. It’s a sharing room (which for the most part is unavoidable) and rent includes food and peace and quiet! It seems relatively safe and there is someone to do washing as well (for a small fee). The owner is a spinster and my room-mate is a computer engineer. Considering the options, I think it’s the best move and Appa is very happy with the arrangement. We all feel that at the beginning, it would be good to have some sort of support before I try a hand at the independent thing.

Phew! What a story na!! And all this in less than one week!!

Honestly speaking, I think I’ve been too pre-occupied to miss home – but but but – what I miss more than anything else is the people at home and the relationships we share. The ants bite, Amma and Appa call my mug a jug, and I have to squat and bath, as there is no warm water shower (something I’m going to have to get used to – fast!)… But pity party aside, I’m in for the ride of my life and even though a part of me rebels against it, there is equally another side, which gracefully embraces it.

And so begins the journey of a lifetime… and ends my rather long-winded Ramayan.

Until next time

Adieu…

2007-07-11T11:44:00.000+02:00

friends!!

i have great news!!! the dream is finally becoming a reality!!!

i have been awarded a scholarship from the iccr (indian council for cultural relations) to do my masters in mysore, india. i will be based at the university of mysore, for two (yes two) whole years!!!

at the moment, things are totally looney here at home - my folks leave for the himalayas on the 18th and i leave on the 24 so there's absolute chaos!! neverthless, things are moving fast and i am (seemingly) keeping up.

what a story... and one that i shall indeed share, however for now... i'll leave it at that!!!

next post - inshallah (god-willing), in india!!!

till then... adieu...

2007-05-29T08:08:00.001+02:00

as i opened up my blogger account this morning, my log registered that i'd last posted on the 21st of april. oi. my bad dear ones - i know i have left it late, and i have no other excuse but to say it was pure laziness... *ahem*... i do do apologise!

on the up side, i'm EMPLOYED!! a real job with a real contract and a real salary! how cool is that! the company is called Hi-Performance Learning (www.hpl.co.za) and it's a type of training company that deals with long term learning solutions - somewhat on an organisational development level. it's interesting work, and i'm really grateful for it, however i do recognise that it is a stepping stone to where i want to be ultimately - studying for my masters!!!

so, this is my story. madame fifi rises at 5am (bright and somewhat breezy), leaves home by 6 (although this is rarely the case). arrives at work (traffic permitting) at 7:15 ish and leaves work at round about 4pm. i gets back home at about 5:30ish, put my feet up for a while and get cracking in the kitchen. all going to plan - i'm in bed by 10 - latest 10:30!! phew! what a day!

no complaints - i'm learning so much! i'm learning about what i want in life, how far i can push my boundaries, organisational skills, multitasking - shucks, the list could go on and on!!

ba (mum) is doing ok. she had a hysterectomy exactly 3 weeks ago - and is recovering well. last night, i almost killed her - forgot why she was in bed and pounced on her belly - oh god. you have no idea what an absolute idiot i felt like. after lots of gentle rubbing (yes, i am capable of gently rubbing) and kisses and coo's, everything settled down. but not after i had given myself the fight of my life and promised to keep my hands, knees, elbows, toes and any other protruding body part away from the vicinity of ba.

ta, i should run now - procrastination is a wonderful thing - but not so wonderful in an officeful of people.

adieu dear ones...

2007-04-21T04:07:00.000+02:00

Yogita Kunvar (BSS - Rhodes)

man, doesn't that look smashing!!! yup - the bodies... i have graduated... been thwacked on the head by rhodes university's very own vic-chancellor - dr saleem badat. and now (i'd like to hope) i'm ready to face the next challenge... post-grad!!

on the whole - grad was a fantastic affair. the uni and its relevent departments really do make a effort to make you feel special. the order of events for the weekend:
13 april (friday) - grad ceremony, evening snacks and supper at ma's house, out with me mates
14 april (saturday) - departmental party, garden party (for all parents, graduates, families, lecturers, friends... erm, just bout everyone!!) and grad ball!!!
15 april (sunday) - garden tea at emese's place (with yummy hungarian cake!!) and mandir (temple) in the evening.
over and above that i had two fab days to spend with me mates - bonding and all that.

and it's back to the city! before i left, i had been doing some temp work at a storage company in brakpan (hai sies!!) and am subsequently unemployed!! (eish!) i have an interview on wednesday for tutoring and hopefully the ithemba rape and trauma centre is willing to take on a volunteer. other than that - i've been painting to my heart's content and doing odds and sods! i'm really not complaining (at least - i've stopped now!!) and whatever is meant to happen will happen. i'm just really glad that i can take this time to chill and that there's no hectic pressure (like bills to pay or mouths to feed) to get a job.

other than that - yes, i miss rhodes terribly, and more than missing the place, i miss the relationships and lifestyle in gtown. but on we go and i'm happy to say that as much as i hate... no no... dislike joburg, i might as well enjoy it for what it is. so here's to good 'ol jozi - and the prospect of an exciting future!!

adieu...

2007-03-27T01:39:00.000+02:00

i apologise for the lack of a photo on my profile. blogger seems to be conspiring to keep me from posting my pic... nevertheless, i shall persevere.

onto more pressing matters...

am i losing my sense of humor? (eek!) a few days ago, i made a comment ('could you go any slower') about a car driving really slow in front of us and it was brought to my attention that i am sarcastic. crap. sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, and i am sarcastic. double crap.

have i really lost my sense of humor or am i simply another victim of the brutal school of life? i miss rhodes (no doubt) and the fact that i haven't found a half-decent job makes my liver sad, but does that also mean that i've subconsciously slipped into a state of subliminal morbidity? mmm... let me be more clear - have i become a boring, city-worn, past-its-sell-by-date overwashed bon bon? blimey, i hope not...

2007-03-26T03:30:00.000+02:00

If you've seen 85 movies or more, you apparently have no life.

Copy and paste and mark an x next to the films you have seen.

( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
( ) Blazing Saddles
( ) Airplane
Total: 2

( ) The Princess Bride
( ) AnchorMan
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
( ) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
( ) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 4

( ) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
(x) Scary Movie
(x) Scary Movie 2
(x) Scary Movie 3
(x) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 10

(x) Harry Potter 1
( ) Harry Potter 2
( ) Harry Potter 3
( ) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
( ) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 12

(x) Finding Nemo
(x) Finding Neverland
( ) Signs
(x) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
(x) Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30
( ) I, Robot
( ) Robots
Total so far: 17

( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snickt: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
( ) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
( ) King Kong
Total so far: 20

( ) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
(x) Dumber & Dumberer
(x) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
(x) Flubber
Total so far: 25

(x) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(x) Practical Magic
( ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
(x) I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 29

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
( ) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
( ) Nightmare on Elm Street
( ) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 31

( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Sleven
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
( ) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 37

(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds (the original, not the Tom Cruise one)
(x) Rush Hour
(x) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 42

( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
( ) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
( ) The Terminator 2
( ) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 47

(x) X-Men
(x) X2
( ) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
( ) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(x) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
( ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 55

( ) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf's Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old-virgin
Total so far: 56

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
( ) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
( ) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
( ) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 59

( ) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
( ) Elf
(x) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
Total so Far: 60

( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 63

( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicle Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
(x) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
( )Waterworld
Total so far: 66

(x) Kill Bill vol 1
(x) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
(x) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) The Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 69

( ) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
( ) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
( ) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
( ) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
( ) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 69

(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
(x) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
(x) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
(x) Hannibal

grande total: 75!! shucks! not too bad ey man!!!

2007-03-12T10:47:00.000+02:00

on a completely different note, life is good - i have a lovely roof over my head, yummy food in my tummy, nice clothing on my back.

other than that it sucks... still no job, still no word from the millions of people i've sent my cv to and still no bleeding sign of light at the end of my rather bleek looking tunnel...

ok, so maybe i'm painting a rather too-bleak-a-picture, but the world is a complicated, ironic, cruel place... that being said - oh things could have been so much worse.

in the light of things being much worse and in absolute gratitude for the things i do have - lets end this one on a good note:

*ahem

don't worry if your job is small and your rewards are few... remember that the mighty oak was once a nut like you...

adieu...

2007-03-12T10:43:00.000+02:00

*ahem

let me recite a couplet...

i wish i was a glow-worm,
a glow-worm's never glum.
how could you be unhappy,
when the sun shines out your bum!

thank you very much.

2007-02-11T01:24:00.000+02:00

wow, i can't believe that it's feb already!! it feels like the year has barely started...

well... i'm back in joburg after my little 'stint' in cape town and back to getting a job, phaffing around at home and getting extremely frustrated. i can honestly say that i fell in love with cape town. it's a chilled place and time literally seems to stand still... nevertheless, i don't know if i'd move there just yet - maybe when i retire!!! he he!!

the wedding was amazing - the connection between himal bhai and ramona bhabi was felt by everyone and that's what stole the show. it was fantastic seeing two people who are so deeply connected. special stuff.

anyway, other than that life carries on... and on... and on... and on...

2007-01-29T00:00:00.000+02:00

bon jour all!!

i do apologise for the super delay in posting (no... i have been ignoring my blog), i've just been having trouble logging onto my blog. and so... i throw myself before you and beg your pardon...

and on with the show...

well... there's lots and lots to tell! firstly, (hold the applause) i have passed all my exams and am now (almost officially) the proud holder of a Bachelor of Social Science Degree. Ms. Yogita Kunvar BSS (Rhodes). Yay! (ok, you can clap now...) yes, yes, i know - you never thought this day would come... you're so proud of me... you just can't believe it's all over so soon... next thing you know i'll be getting married (erm... well, not quite!!)!! oi!

and now for my talent portion:
at the moment, i am unemployed and not going back to rhodes (yes, shock horror - *gasp*). the truth is that as much as i know i will miss and always love rhodes, i also know that i need a bit of a change of scenery, so... while i wait for a few applications to come in from a few uni's i've applied to, madam sits and wiggles her toes. the way things are going, i'm probably going to end up standing at a busy intersection with a cardboard placard inscribed: NO JOB, BSS GRADUATE, WILL WORK FOR COUTURE.

for the meanwhile, i am in kaapstad (cape town) pretending to be a good girl and helping out for my cousin's wedding. and just in case you wanted to know, i'm wearing a red and tan sari - the one i wore for anj bhen's wedding. just in case you wanted to know...

adieu brave knights of camelot and sweet princesses of the night...

2006-12-01T10:12:00.000+02:00

Shucks, I can’t believe it’s the end of the year already. As I sit in my empty room, I strange wave of nostalgia sweeps over me. It’s good to leave – it really feels good to have something new and potentially exciting to look forward to, and yet, it’s a sad moment because I’m leaving possibly the best thing that happened to me.

Res is completely completely empty, I’m the only person on my floor and jess (the other sub-warden) is to leave in about half an hour. Funny, the year began with an empty res – being the only one on the floor, and is ending the same, like a neatly tucked in bed-sheet. Saying good bye to everyone hasn’t been that easy, but there’s comfort in the fact that I’ll be back for grad.

Bapu has come from joburg yesterday (Thursday) and we’re scheduled to leave on Sunday (although that’s debatable at this point in time). The car’s already packed up – can you believe… I’m early for once in my life!!! I’m really hoping that we can meet ba and anjani bhen in ficksburg and go for some cherry picking, but we’ll have to play it by ear for now. then, once I’m in joburg, I need to start sorting out what I want to do with my life – ie the next few years. I’m totally clueless… still totally clueless!! So… I’m going to do a bit of major brainstorming, relaxing and decision making over this vac.

For now it’s adieu… I don’t know when I’ll be able to update (the internet connection at home isn’t all that hot!) but until next time…

Adieu…

2006-11-18T06:30:00.000+02:00

i’m feenished!!!

the feeling of relief sweeping over my sleep-deprived body was – is an indescribable sensation… something like making it to the loo when your eyeballs are floating, or snagging the last piece of chocolate cake… mmm… chocolate cake. yes, the feeling of relief… incomparable to any other human experience.

in other news…

hopefully, my synapses catch up with the good news and allow me some sleep… i’m starting to see square circles floating on my ceiling - which makes me doubt my sanity (irony!!). on the flip-side, i now have time to chill, do some art, go for walks and just generally flomp around camps – which i probably won’t end up doing in any event. tee hee – nevertheless, it’s good to have dreams na?

ok, all together now…

(p.s in case you’re not on the train – i’ve just feenished exams… like forever – well, almost...)

2006-11-17T10:51:00.000+02:00

so it’s my last paper tomorrow… my last friggin paper…

the day before my first anthro paper – the mutant spider bite on my ankle flared up, was itchy as hell and woke me up at 3:32 am. because of the wonders of nervous energy i found myself staring at the ceiling for a solid 4 hours, before finally giving up and getting ready for my paper (which was in the morning). therefore, all in all, i had about 3 hours sleep before my crack ‘o dawn morning paper. call my pissy, but i can’t even tie my shoelaces on 5 or 6 hours sleep, let alone 3 before a big exam… and somehow, by a miracle that is all wonderful, i felt surprisingly alert and awake enough to write my paper (quite well mind you…)!! surprise surprise!! been wondering whether i’d have felt so good and up for it if i had had a full night’s sleep. mmm…

anywhoo…

writing tomorra… wish me luck… last paper and all… and the all and all and all and all and all…

2006-11-12T01:32:00.000+02:00

and the noise goes on...

i can't believe how badly - or how well - noise travels in oriel. last night, i pulled an all-nighter, working into the wee hours of the morning, and i was very suprised at disgustingly inconsiderate people are. at 2 and 3 in the morning, doors were slamming, and people were talking - not even whispering - in the coridoors. i'm so over res. just so over it.

the drama continues...

sam and i went jogging last thursday, and we stopped for a rest in the botanical gardens. some mean-ass thing bit me, and now the area's gone all red, swollen and a tad blueish... eeew! it's also super itchy. great, this is just what i need to keep my o.c.d under control...

on the bright side of life, this time next week i will be foot-loose and fancy-free!!! yipee!! my bapu (dad) is coming to gtown on the 26th to help pack up all me stuff and cart it back to jozi, and we're only going to go back on the 3rd 'o december, so, it'll be a super week to bond, go to the beach, do all that nice father-daughter stuff!!! he he!

more awesome news...

i recently googled the name of a friend of mine from prep school, and found a mini profile on her as well as an address - and so i e-mailed her to find out howzit going... and... i've received a reply!!! she's doing her DOCTORATE in the u.s and is going strong as ever!! the amazing part is that she's my age!! i'm oh-so-proud to say that i know one of the youngest doctoral students! i can't get over the fact that it's been almost 10 years and in a matter of clicks, seconds, and an e-mail later, i've managed to re-establish contact with a special person from me past.

*glow*

righty'o... must get back to the grind... have exams to write, insomnia to experience and another jar of pickled gherkins to polish off.

adieu...

2006-11-10T13:59:00.000+02:00

it’s that time of the year again (no, not christmas – but that too is coming around soon!)… it’s exams!! and apart from the copious amounts of gherkins i’ve been munching on – i’ve actually not been procrastinating as much as i usually do. the freeky part though has been having insomnia and hypersomnia at the same time. as usual, i’m a terrible insomniac at exam time, and yet, i find myself sleeping soooo much during the day. it’s probably to make up for my lack of sleep at night, but i’m getting over and above 7hrs of sleep a day!!! freekin me out!!

so… my exam time table looks like this:

4^th november: psychology (written)

13^th november: psychology

15^th november: anthropology

18^th november: anthropology

…eeek! just short of stating the obvious, next week i will be seeing mass fire!!

anyway, on the flip side, this is the last year of undergrad studies. from here on, it’s postgrad or i enter the working world. i still have no idea what i plan to do next year. i’m quite keen on taking some time off from academia and getting a new experience, but then again, i don’t want to lose my momentum. so… here we find ourselves at crossroads, floating along with the current, hoping for the best!

we had a terrible water shortage in grahamstown for about 3 days… there was nooooo water in many many parts of the town – and in some places, no electricity either. many residences on campus were affected, but fortunately, our res wan’t hit. when the water finally came back to the res of campus – we all got muddy water! it was insane! and then there was a scare that the water contained heavy metals and other toxic materials. oi vey. and so… for the next 3 days we all lived on bottled water – kindly sponsored by the uni! phew! now everything’s pretty much back to normal – except that sam refuses to drink tap water until he gets home (thank goodness he’s ok with showering!!!)!! tee hee!

that’s all from me at the mo.

adieu…

2006-10-29T16:46:00.000+02:00

to blog, or not to blog… that’s is the question…

the most trickiest things about blogs are how much information to include, or how much not to. i could ramble on about the 15 fantastic orgies i attended this week, maybe you’d enjoy hearing tales of crimson dyed animals, or how about the one where my psychiatrist recommended that i self-commit to an institution, ‘somewhere quiet, with lake or a garden’ – a sort of mental ‘time-out’ (oh do pardon the pun). yet the amazing thing is that you (the reader) may chose to have trust in the fact that i am indeed writing the truth and not rambling on about a fictitious life, spurred on by your seemingly insatiable curiosity. you may now chose to believe that underneath that colourful, bubbly façade, there lies a mentally unstable, tormented yogita, waiting – wanting to crawl out of her skin… or… you may simply realize that i’ve been watching far too many hannibal lector movies and am now considering eating your brain…

mmm…

2006-09-21T02:42:00.000+02:00

i have to have to have to brag about this...

rob started experiencing pretty nasty stomch cramps and a runny tummy - not good when you trying to break a world record...

so... after taking some lodium (similar to immodium) - rob took it not me!!!, i realised that this man needs some immidiate symptomatic treatment otherwise he's going to be a very unhappy chappie for a very long toim. and so, oh best beloved, this wee first aider wracked her brain to find a way to make a hot compress for the fellow. now bear in mind that we are in a radio studio and there is barely any coffee, tea and sugar. so, using two engergade bottles, i made a hot compress with boiled water and prevented them from melting by putting them in a sink of cold water...

my bad if i'm making a big deal over small stuff.. but at this point in time, i'm bloody chaffed with meself! :D
(check out previous post for details)

2006-09-21T02:17:00.000+02:00

it's 2:11am and i'm at the rmr (rhodes music radio) studios on campus and doing first aid duty for a crazy (yet amazingly balanced) fellow who is attempting to break the world record for the longest dj stint. currently the record stands at 125 hrs and he's now through 66 or 67 ish hrs... more than half way - yay rob!

so... i have taken his pulse, which is at 90 - good and healthy considering he's had about 2 or 3 hrs sleep max in the past 3 days. also gave him a massage and helped him get some shut eye for 10mins... you cannot imagine how crazy the situation here is. it's literally a game of fantastic endurance.

check out http://www.rhodesmusicradio.co.za/rmr/index.htm for more info on this amazing... yet amazingly crazy bloke!

oh yes... and just in case you're wondering - rob is doing this all for charity... so - if you can, are able to and have the resources to, please contribute to this venture in any way you can!!! if you can't get hold of rmr, you can contact me on +27 84 506 0113 or e-mail g04k0226@campus.ru.ac.za thanks a mill...

2006-09-13T16:32:00.000+02:00

oh life life life…

i am so loving student life at the moment!! on vac at the moment in joburg and loving every moment of being a busy student!

i’ve been doing a lot of fieldwork – interviewing various people for my fieldwork project on snuff (non-smoking tobacco)… and trying… trying oh so hard to relax!

life has been treating me pretty well… at major crossroads in my life – choosing between carrying on with honors next year or getting some experience and joining the working force. eish! tough decisions to be made relatively soon! what do you think? should i take a gap year or so, or should i just plough on with my studies? would love to hear what you’ve got to say…

also, exams are ‘round the corner and i’m already starting to feel the burn! it’s going to be a tough, long term – but in the old end… it’ll be worth it (or so i’d like to think!)

there’s not much to be said at the mo… life is good (relatively) and so we plod on…

adieu…

2006-09-07T11:59:00.000+02:00

and now… for the looong overdue birthday update!

before i begin anything, i’d just like to send one humungo thank you to each and every person who contributed to my day in some way or another… you really made it amazingly special!

so… the big 2-1!! and my was is a big 2-1!!

it all began, oh best beloved, on wednesday morning outside oriel house (my residence/hostel) with a breakfast picnic at 8am. steph, jonno, sam and me-self sat and ate… and ate… and ate…ba surprised me and organized a few platters that sam picked up from pick ‘n pay, which included sandwiches, muffins and some awesome mouse-cup things… mmm yummy!

in the afternoon, sam and i went for lunch at gino’s where i had me favourite pizza – sundried tomato, olive and feta!!! i cannot begin to tell you how much i love love love that pizza!

in the evening, i went to meena mami’s, and ajima (grandmom), ajabapu (granddad), masiba, both mama’s and mami’s and the kids – priyanka and trisha were all there to have supper and open… wait for it… (drumroll…) 21 presents!! it was the coolest and sweetest thing! and i got some really awesome prezzies too!

and after that… sam, kish, steph, jonno and meself went out dancing to friars!

all in all – an amazing day, filled with lots of love – definitely one i’ll cherish for a long long time to come.

but wait… it doesn’t end there!!!

on thursday, left for joburg, and was thoroughly spoilt by my parents… here’s the cleft-notes version, or i’ll be here for years!

thursday: room decorated with purple balloons, and a ginormous bunch of flowers!
friday: woke up at crazy ass 5am… actually, at 5:30am! for a beautiful havan performed by my hero… mahendra bhai! i don’t want to single out any event, but the havan was simply marv! i couldn’t have asked for more! then, at about 1-ish, ba blindfolded me and took me to an amazing day spa, where i had a chololate body wrap! yummy! but, friday didn’t end there! in the evening, me folks, the wonderful folks that they are, booked out a vip lounge in monsoon lagoon at emperors palace in joburg! it was mind-blowing!!! had an awesome time with anj-bhen, j-b, sue bhen, pinto banevi, damoo, nischol, edwin and sam!! check out http://www.monsoonlagoon.co.za/.
saturday morning was a tad sad! ha ha! mind you – depends on whose perspective that’s from! let me say that i was just a bit ‘fragile’!! tee hee! in the afternoon, went for lunch with sam’s sister, and after that, (got blindfolded again!!) was taken to the lemongrass – an amazing indonesian-dutch restaurant in benoni. i can’t begin to explain all the emotions that overwhelmed me… practically my entire family was there to share with me in this special moment. for once in my life – i was totally speechless!!
sunday morning… early early, i began my trek back to g’town. and so, a very special, very sentimental weekend came to a close.

please feel free to have a squizz at my pics of the breakfast and the weekend at www.photos.yahoo.com/ykunvar.

2006-08-23T07:20:00.000+02:00

Bhanu masi, my heroine and role-model. always miss you, love you forever…

(Bhanu Masi at Khetan Bhai's Wedding)

(Bhanu Masi at 17)

2006-08-20T11:07:00.000+02:00

life is beautiful.

fact.

as much as so many of us bitch and moan (me included) about the shittiness and complexities of life, the undisputable fact is that life is beautiful.

one of the most amazing things is that no matter how many times we chose to ignore or reject the eternal divinity, when we are ultimately ready, it reveals itself to us in a grand manner. i think that in a lot of ways, we need to change or adapt our mindset and how we chose to view the world and the things that happen in it. should we see life as a collection of experiences, tailor-designed to help us learn and grow – life becomes a rich tapestry of interwoven, interconnected life-lessons.

ok, that’s my bit of existentialising for now…

week update:

the funniest thing happened. on monday, sam, kish and i went to debonairs for pizza and as we drove up to res (from debonairs), my mouth started getting all itchy and a bit swollen. slowy it got worse as it traveled down my throat (yes, but this stage i was going slightly kookoo – itchy throat not good eeaaagh!!). so because i couldn’t phone ba that evening, kish (aka the darling) phoned his dad (who is a doc) and asked him what the course of action should be for an allergic reaction (to mustard). after some strange anti-vom pills, lots of water and listerine the situation ‘calmed-down’ so to speak. except that now i was buzzing from the listerine!!!

but it gets funnier…

and so, oh best beloved, after my test on tuesday i went to sam's and was super duper starving... so, i made a nice steamy cup of noodles for meself and settled down on the bean bag to enjoy them... then, dearest sam cracks some wise-ass joke about mustard and oh-so-casually looks at the ingredients on the pack of noodles... need i say more? luckily, i had only had 3 spoons, so the reaction wasn’t as bad as the whole pizza, but hows that for irony!!!

and jai shri krishna for wednesday. hope everyone had a special, wonderful... blessed janmashtami!

2006-08-14T12:24:00.000+02:00

sam is wounded that i said that the night out was boring... this is to publically announce that sam and kish's company is great - no no, fantastic! it is simply the multitudes of drunken rhodents that irritate the ba-nanas out of me.

adieu...

2006-08-11T11:43:00.000+02:00

it’s 1:30am on a friday morning and i’m wide-awake - like a 5 year old on red bull. oi. save my hyperactive ass.

rhodes is a bad place to be sober. sam, kish and i went out tonight (to get into the vibe of tri-varsity) and because it’s shraavan (hindu holy month) none of us were drinking (yes, we were stone sober… J). i can honestly say that it was one of the most painful nights i’ve had out. no really… flat boring… not a pithering of emotion – not even irritation with all the drunken rhodents falling all over the place, nada, niks, nothing, bugger-all.

am i turning into an old lady?

2006-08-01T11:34:00.000+02:00

i solemnly swear not to ignore my blog…

well, the upside is that now that i’m back at uni, things in terms of internet should be easier! for those of you who are otherwise uniformed… i have a lan internet connection in my room… yay for technology!

vac update:

for the first week of vac, i did absolutely bugger all!! and guess what, it felts bloody good!!! *yogs grins inanely!*

apart from doing nothing (which one can never finish doing!)… i changed my fieldwork topic about 3 times and feel like i’m still getting nowhere really really fast. background: in anthro 3, we’re required to do a field work project on a topic of our choice, accompanied by a research proposal etc etc etc. sorta makes us feel like mini anthropologists! tee hee! so, this so-called mini-anthropologist feels minute…

in the second week, i went to ermelo, a small (but rapidly growing), practically frozen town in the middle of mpumalanga, just half an hour from bethal. you’re probably thoroughly confused by now… so let me clarify a few issues. no, ermelo is not in deep dark africa, it is in fact one of the most swiftly developing mining towns in south africa. recently, a few previously closed mineshafts were re-opened and this has brought major industry into the town. yay for development! i am also proud to say that i have 148% vision. that’s according to my jija (brother-in-law) who is an optometrist in ermelo. and now i have a super cool set of polo sunglasses!

in the third week, my folks went on holiday, which was a well-deserved break for them… and so, i manned the kunvar fort! working in the shop was an amazing experience. i can’t say that i thoroughly enjoyed it; it had its perks and downfalls – like everything. but i learnt a lot and now know that i don’t ever (never say never!) want to go into retail business!

and the fourth week? well… let’s not go into that. the drama, oh the drama! after much swelling, pain and lots of myprodol, i had a cyst that had found a home in my gum (eek – yes, my gum!) removed. the procedure’s called an apicoectomy (‘scuse my fetish for big fancy words!). i really don’t want to go into it much – for the sake of my liver and all those queasy ppl out there, so the important thing is that i’m doing fine now, and the stitches are healing nicely. according to bapu (my dad), i have a left-hand smile, according to emese i have an aristocratic smile and according to me, i look like a lopsided chipmunk trying to smile! tee hee!

righty’o, that’s it from me.

2006-06-24T14:34:00.000+02:00

ok, all together now...

yes people, i am finally on vac!! the miracle of this all is that i have managed to crawl out alive and well, a small feat of nature! psych (paper 2) was a tad painful, but do-able none the less, and all i have to do now is wait... wait for that fateful sms to tell me whether i'm not-so-smart, or just a little bit smart.

the up-side of this is that i shall finally have a social life!!! yay! there is finally a bit light at the end of my tunnel... *yogs happy dances around the room*

2006-06-20T12:25:00.000+02:00

right, i believe a pity-party is in order…

i don’t know where to begin… should i begin by slating my oh-so irritating neighbour to the depths of hell, or should i target her parents, who have obviously taught her that it’s ok to be a screeching, squealing abomination? in all fairness, her ‘dear’ (note: none is a dear – save for an animal) friend should take at least half of the blame – for she was the one doing the most screeching.

pardon me, in the midst of my frustration, lack of quality sleep and general grumpiness, i fear i am being rather unclear… so here’s the real sheezy…

at 12 midnight, this soul decided that she had had her lot for the day, and retired to bed. now, if you’ve read my previous posts, you will have noticed the reference to insomnia, which continues to plague my oh-so fragile liver… so, in the beginning best beloved, i found it difficult to fall off to sleep. i finally feel into some vague stupor (yay – applaud now…). HOWEVER… that was not to last long, as at about 3am… yes, you read right… 3 bloody a.m., my bloody neighbour and her bloody pal decide that it’s bloody fun to bloody laugh (oh-so-very loudly), and bloody talk at the top of their bloody voices. now if you know oriel at all, you’ll know that it’s made out of paper, and the fact that res is dead quiet at that dead hour, does much for the acoustics. (this is the part where you start to feel very sorry for me). after much whining, groaning, and whimpering, i mustered up the courage to leave my warm spot and ask my fellow housemates to tone it down a bit. which (in all fairness and due credit to the brain-less) was done. HOWEVER, at 5am… the saga recommenced… and at 7am this poor sod (i am feeling very sorry for myself right now) went yet again to ask the hooligans to get a padded cell.

the irony of this all is that i have the power to fine and give-hell-to and yet i chose not to… i’ve fined this individual before, and given a million warnings, and still… nooooo change!!! i ask you with tears in my hazel brown eyes… aren’t i just the biggest sucker you’ve met?

2006-06-19T23:04:00.000+02:00

the irony of life: youth day (an official public holiday in south africa), is on the 16th of june… june is that time of the year when students recycle washing, scholars draw spots on their faces with markers and moms pace around their kitchens with anxious tension. yes, june is exam time. and the strangest thing is that the 16th of june, happens to be in the middle of the month, which also happens to be (by some miracle of nature) the middle of exams!! well would you believe it…
ok, so before you think that i’m the village idiot regarding history let me offer a few tit-bits on this ever so conveniently placed public holiday. the 16th of june 1976 marks the day of the soweto uprising, in which very many students were killed because they refused to accept being taught in afrikaans (well, that was the spark that set the fire off – it was a number of contributing factors). the saddest thing about the 1976 uprising is that children were the victims of the atrocitities. ok, it’s it from me, but, there’s a happy stash of information on wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/apartheid) if you’re interested.

on a completely different note…

me last paper is on thursday… yes, yes, you can stop happy dancing now! it’s psych (paper 2 – duh!!) and aside from being grossly dissatisfied with the entire psych course so far, i’m quite excited (and keen) to write this paper ‘cause it means that at 4pm on thursday the 22nd of june, my holiday officially starts, and that i’ll have the horrible first semester over and done with and out of the way… yippee… (you may recommence the happy dance).

2006-06-14T09:26:00.000+02:00

niks has kindly pointed out to me that i have another spelling error in my previous post. from now on i'm cutting and pasting from word... my liver just can't handle it anymore...

on a brighter note… i’m writing anthro tomorrow (tourism) and will only have 1 paper left after that! yay… the challenge at this point is to get through the next 48 hrs alive… someone save my oh-so-traumatised bum-bum!!

aside from anthro (which is happily chomping on my liver), procrastination and insomnia i’m doing ok!! steph (see photo) and i had an awesome evening last night… just chilling and chatting… lying on sam’s bean-bag staring at my white ceiling and existential-ising – and no, we were not high!! it was one of those moments when all around (and inside) of you is going bezerk and somehow, you know it’s all going to be ok. yes, yes, the warm fuzzy feeling… that nice squishy feeling you get in your toes – like when your mum used to put little notes in your lunch…

2006-06-11T12:41:00.000+02:00

i've found a spelling error in my previous post... that traumatises me.

blogging is so wierd... it's like talking to all your mates (and a bunch of randoms) all at the same time, in the same room... and yet, you're all alone... mmm... someone should write a book about this- any takers?

ok, so i've progressed from procrastinating and studying, to procrastinating, studying and eating. was video conferencing with a mate a few days ago, and apparently, i've put on weight. i'm a fatty boom boom. crap. so, instead of doing something about it - exercising, starting a 'healthy eating plan' or simply watching what i eat, i've gone ape and eating even more. and what makes this disastrous situation all the more disastrous is that my ba (my mum) is down in grahamstown from joburg... and feeding me all sorts of 'oh-so-nice', yummy food. oh lordy, i can fully empathise with fat bastard from austin powers now... this is sad.

right, i'm off to lunch (tee hee)...

2006-06-08T17:51:00.000+02:00

i've finally got a blog... and i have no idea what to write... oi.

ok, so lets start in the now...

i'm stitting in me res room and procrastinating like it's on sale and... i'm feeling rather lazy. so, rather than be totally unconstructive, i thought i'd share what's goin on in me life now.

for starters, i wrote anthro (theory and fieldwork) yesterday (8th June), writing psych (paper 1) on tuesday (eek!) and thursday i write anthro (tourism)... (double eek!!). then i get a bit of a breather till the 22nd, when i write my last psych paper!! yay... then i'm footloose and fancy free...

at the moment, studies have been all consuming and taking up most of my time - studies and procrastination...

i don't get life... i don't get myself. i mean, i love anthro... i really really love anthro, and yet, when it comes to getting down to the grindstone, my head goes all funny and i'm floating in 'mind-space'... ever get that feeling? soooooo frustrating... or maybe i'm just rather strange. mmm... yes...

well, i leave you on that rather morbid note, my books bekon... *sniffle*!
adieu...

2006-06-08T15:30:00.000+02:00

how exciting is this... i have managed to (by some miracle of nature) set up my very own blog!! oh and the fun begins here!!!

so... pls bear with this yogi-bear as she fumbles and stumbles over the wonders of 'Blogdom'.