Parys, "Paris", Parys

We spent the weekend in Parys, in the North-West Province. It was quaint. That's the only way to describe it. The town is a lovely walk through antique stores meets modern living. Very sweet. The cottage the 7 of us stayed in was also... quaint, and very pretty.

Walking (read unexpected midday hiking), Kings of Leon, No Doubt, bon-fires, wine, sunshine, antique shopping, relaxing, bug avoiding, Jack Russels, horses, cows, a wagon, trucks, laughter, friends and fun times.

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today"

- James Dean (1931-1955)

Take It or Leave It

This was written on my pizza box...

"The perfect lover is one who turns into a pizza at 4am"

- Piza e Vino

Lyric of the Day

It was one of those days again. But it did end well I say. Spending it with a great bunch of friends over pizza and wine at Melrose Arch. Good Times.

"She’s a lot, a lot like a robot

And she can’t be bought, and her nerves are shot

And she starts to rot, from the inside out

She said I don’t need you to save me, but there’s people here trying to blame me

And there’s no jobs that will pay me, enough to feed my family"

- Back Up Against The Wall by Rancid

P.S. (to myself). This too shall pass.

Lyric of the Day

Working late sucks sometimes. Especially when you are all on your lonesome in a cold and internetless office (yes we suffer from internetlessness). I am despising my ever impending, fast approaching, deadliest of deadlines. And I am going away on the Friday (this Friday) that my edit/s is due for. Good times. No stress (haha). However I believe I will get all this done in time. It's only 5 hours or so of footage to be done. No biggie. Bleh!

Oh and did I mention I got the nastiest of paper-cuts (a sure hospital admittance). Instant Karma I tell you. I was scanning these uber heavy photo albums for a client (for my edit). I made a comment... *slice*. Bleeding on someones beloved snapshots is always fun!

So on my drive home from said empty office I was listening to Rancid and this song was playing. Aaah, I think I could find meaning in a chappies wrapper. haha.

"Game over its no fun,

Got me on the run,

I’m gonna go get my gun,

Blam blam blam your done..."

- Travis Bickle by Rancid

I must add that I am by no means in "victim mode". I am just venting. I think it is good to do so. Keeping it all bottled up inside will make me don a trench coat and take up shooting friends for fun. hmmm.

Lyric of the Day

I chose this as it is definitely my song of the day, I have been singin it all day! And for the irony too. Tim Armstrong (Rancid lead singer) was emotionally destroyed by Brody Dalle. My choice lyricist of yesterday. Aaaah, life!

"Ruby's heart ain't beatin cause she knows the feelin' is gone,

she's not the only one who knew there's somethin' wrong,

her lover's in the distance as she wipes a tear from her eye,

ruby's fading out, she disappears, it's time, time to say goodbye,

Destination unknown (Ruby ruby ruby ruby soho)

Ruby ruby ruby ruby soho..."

- Ruby Soho by Rancid

Take It or Leave It

I went to see "Whatever Works" (the new Woody Allen flick) with my mom. I had little to no expectations of the movie as I have had a tumultuous relationship with Allen's films. I have not enjoyed his last few movies and did not feel like another disappointment this time around. However I was told it was rad and I convinced my mom to see it. It was AWESOME! So funny. Well acted, excellent script, and some nice faces to look at. It is quintessential Allen. All his elements were there. The older, Jewish, neurotic cynic who has a thing for younger (Blonde) girls. He has such a way with words and I really love the characters he creates. So I have picked a line from the movie as my quote. It really stood out for me. Very original...

"I sense death by culture shock"

- Larry David in Whatever Works

(he is commenting on how one of the characters will react to finding out about his wife's new life)

Lyric of the Day

I love The Distillers.

Brody Dalle is amazing. Her voice, her style, her attitude. Admittedly she has broken a few hearts and is not the most loyal of ladies. Still gotta love her though. I have been listening to their Coral Fang album a lot these past few days. And have the title song playing on repeat in my head. It doesn't make much sense to me and I wouldn't normally post a lyric I can't or don't relate to. But hey, the song rocks and it has indeed been the song (lyric) of the day for me...

"Oooh, whaoh the coral fang,

sinking in to make you well,

Oooh, whaoh the coral fang,

sinking in to make you ill..."

- Coral Fang by The Distillers

Lyric of the Day

"We live, in fear, of our own potential,

to win, to lose, it's all on our hands now..."

- Black Masks and Gasoline by Rise Against

What a discovery!

I stumbled upon the most awesome of photo blogs and photographers I have seen in a very very long time.

Check his work out at: his website

his london band photography site

and his blog of course

Enjoy! As I have!

Take It or Leave It

"We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented..."

- Christof from The Truman Show

Lyric of the Day

What a day. It takes a lot to turn my smile upside down. I am very much a happy-go-lucky kinda gal. But today was one of those days it seems.

- Sudden power failure at work when I least feel like or need a break, I was busy busy you see.

- Going out to get warm food, as the microwave will not work if there is nothing to power it.

- Having my brakes fail and driving into the back of a parked car... as I am parking (I did write a note to apologise to the driver, who then called and thanked me for my honesty).

- Coming back to the office to see the power is back on.

- Paying too much for a gross pizza.

- Turning my PC back on and seeing that the changes I had made had not in fact saved (losing a mornings worth of work)

- Driving to my billionaire boss' house to collect things for project.

- Scan and log lifetime of photos for project... only to be told they are in fact not the ones that should be included (this was after a discussion)

The only thing now... to declare war on my bar fridge and chill out.

All is not lost I say.

There is always something wonderful when you are driving home (in the traffic) and hear the words that seem to fit and uplift. Thank you Finch.

"The worst is over for now,

Take a breath now let it out..."

- Post Script by Finch

Lyric of the Day

Of course I am obsessed with The Killing Tree. This is the band formed by Tim McIlrath from Rise Against. They are so very different to Rise Against, but oh so very good. I ordered the CD from Neil (thanks bud!) and am so glad I did. Around and around it spins in my car. I do tend to kill things (oh dear) when I like them, people not included. heehee. So naturally my lyric choice/s this week have come from the lyrical stylings of Mr McIlrath. This band is oh so very emo compared with Rise Against. Alas, I think I love anything old Tim has an influence on, or over or whatever. So yes, here it is.

"Go your own way,

Go your own way,

(the city grieves in unison)

Go your own way..."

- Mascara by The Killing Tree

Take It or Leave It

"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today,

life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow."

- Maya Angelou

They wore pyjamas

I watched "The Boy in The Striped Pyjamas" last night and was completely distraught by the end of the movie. Not just because I am Jewish but by the absolute turn around at the end of the film. The story is essentially about a Nazi Family who move to a house by one of the Nazi death camps. 8 year old Bruno befriends 8 year old Shmuel who is in the camp. In the end Bruno climbs under the fence to come over onto Shmuel's side. The people are then herded into a gas chamber and all gassed. The sick twist is that Bruno's father signed the document for the gassing of the people in the camp.

"Struggle is the father of all things. It is not by the principles of humanity that man lives or is able to preserve himself above the animal world, but solely by means of the most brutal struggle. If you do not fight, life will never be won."

- Adolf Hitler

Ironic, no... coming from the man who made them wear pyjamas... I may be taking it out of context yet however I choose to interpret it, it works for me.

Food for Thought

On Sunday night I went with my mom and Caroline to see "Julie and Julia". We do a movie every Sunday and quite frankly I forget about what I have gone to see the moment I walk out of the cinema. But "Julie and Julia" was different. The movie was lovely. But something about it got me completely inspired. It made me want to be a better (read more disciplined) blogger and it made me want to COOK! I love cooking and do not do it nearly enough. Sheesh, my friends claim I have never set foot in a kitchen. So I made a bold and loud proclamation to start cooking every night. To reignite my passion in a sense, hopefully not the kitchen. This movie had indeed given me the kick in the butt I needed. So... It is Tuesday and how many meals have I cooked for my family? Well, none yet. So I think I will have to start on Monday. As I am booked (socially that is) for the rest of the week. Le sigh. At least I have made a blog entry. I am being disciplined about one thing! I promise to myself and my family stomachs that I will cook (good) meals for them. And I will blog about it like my fellow-cooking-blogger Julie Powell, such an inspiration!

Take It or Leave It

"Sometimes we love with nothing more than hope. Sometimes we cry with everything except tears. In the end that's all there is - love and its duty, sorrow and its truth. In the end that's all we have - to hold on tight until the dawn..."

- Excerpt from Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

Lyric of the Day

Sissy. You are so strong and so beautiful. I heard this lyric and thought of you. You will heal... in time. I admire you and love you so much!

"I see your face in the sky,

Someday I'll put this all behind,

I'm getting on with my life,

And they tell me to look alive..."

- Look Alive by The Killing Tree

Lyric of the Day

Such lovely words...

"I hold you and I am fearless

I touch you and I'm not afraid

I see you and I'm overcome

With feeling I cant explain..."

 - Look Alive by The Killing Tree

Take It or Leave It

"It's forgiveness that makes us what we are..."

- Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

Lyric of the Day

"Everything you say you stole,

Every dream you dream you bought..."
- Autobiography Of A Nation by Thursday

City and Colour

I met a friend, Claire, at the Doll's House on Thursday for some convo and coffee. We could hear the storm approaching but we were sitting under the trees so could not see it. As we said our good-byes and parted ways, I looked up and saw the most incredible, indescribable storm cloud in front of me. I was in awe. It was grey, yellow, white, blue, green... It was monstrous. I whipped out my happy-snappy and started as usual snapping away. To Claire's annoyance. I tried to capture the beauty of this beauty but alas I don't think my little cam cam could do it. As I drove home I was filled with happiness, and continued snapping away more pics of the clouds and the city. I love this city! Jozi my LOVE!

So here are some of the pics... Enjoy!

Take It or Leave It

"If there were dreams to sell, what would you buy?"

- Dream-Pedlary by Thomas Lovell Beddoes

Lyric of the Day

"I'm burned out at 22.

I lived too fast and I loved too much and I'll die too young,

but I chose this cup that I drank from.

Knew what I was getting into.

But I couldn't let out what I had to keep in.

I'm ashamed of myself and unspeakable sins,

that I've committed and:

I've made mistakes,

but I'll find my way.

There's no explanation for,

the things I've failed at before..."

- Tortures of the Damned by Bayside