Telkom has not been on my radar for quite a while now. No adverts on tv or radio or the internet or billboards or anywhere else.

I hardly even notice the Telkom branch in my local mall even though I pass it most week days and some weekends.

But last week all that changed…

I walked by Telkom’s little shop as I normally do in the evening after work and noticed a long line forming from within to right outside the shop. My first thought was that they were customers paying their monthly phone bills, seeing it was the end of the month.

Not that it made sense, because you can pay your phone account or any account anywhere these days.

The next day at around 5.45pm I passed it again and noticed that the store was once again packed. This happened every day for the entire week.

It made me realise that one of the most annoying parastatals had gone very quiet recently. No adverts to remind us how Telkom connects grandparents and grandchildren and university students and parents. And they used to serve us those adverts when they had no competition. Now that Neotel is around, Telkom has given us nothing. Not a cute advert in sight.

Neotel themselves are more like a state secret than anything else. I only know of one person, my sister, who uses Neotel.

The Telkom mystery bothered me. What were so many people doing in Telkom’s shop and how did they find out about whatever deal was on offer. I saw a few advertisements outside the shop door (had not noticed them before) and a few hanging from the room in the store.

But nothing that looked particularly appertising to me!

I still haven’t discovered what everyone wants from Telkom these days, because the last time I checked they were the scourge of society.

Mind you, I have not heard a complaint about Telkom on a long time…

Have they redeemed themselves in the eyes of telecommunication customers or are the cellphone operators and Neotel making Telkom look a lot better than we thought they were.

Better the devil you know and all that…

One of the closest kept secrets in all the world is the lengths black women go to for our hair to look presentable to the rest of the world.

Most black men have no idea, much less people who were born with hair that can be washed and styled within half an hour and look like they’ve walked out of a hairdresser when they walk out of the shower in the morning.

Of course it’s our own faults. Instead of working with what we were born with, some of us (or our mothers when we were younger) opted for to straighten our hair to look like European women. Sort of.

For a lot of women that look comes at a price. For instance, my sister has very seldom, if ever, washed and styled her own hair. She’s been going to hairdressers on a weekly basis for most of her life.

I on the other hand have had a love/hate relationship with hairdressers. I wanted my hair to be straight, but not look too straight. Those poor hairdressers could very seldom please me.

However, I have spent hours at home trying to get my hair to behave. Typically about two and a half hours each time after I washed my hair.

After washing, it has to be put into rollers, dried for about 20 minutes and then straightened with a flat iron. And that is on days when it is not chemically straightened or dyed!

Well, I’ve had enough!

I have always loved natural black hair – especially curly hair and have always complimented people who wore their hair that way. Actually more than just complimented.

My newest colleague sometimes wear her natural hair curly and her hair is pretty much similar to how mine would be if I left it un-straightened. That poor woman must have wondered if I have a crush on her, because I have stared longingly at her lovely locks.

I mentioned to her that it’s her hair that I love!

So I have decided about two months ago to grow my hair without using chemical straightener ever again. To embrace my natural thick hair and deal with it as best I can.

There’s a transition phase that takes between one and three years – so the process will take time. Lots of time. I have tried to do it before – unsuccessfully – but this time I have found lots of resources online, including YouTube videos, with loads of advice.

And last Saturday I went and got my first fake hairpiece so I can try different hairstyles during the first few months. But that’s another story.

Last Friday, just before leaving work, I was told to be prepared for a meeting with our Director and some other colleagues on Monday morning. As usual I tried to get as much information as I could by asking who else would be in attendance and what was on the agenda.

No one could or would tell me anything.

Monday morning I still tried to figure what the meeting was about by finding out who else would be there. But the mystery was soon solved when we sat down for our meeting and were told that some changed were about to take place in our job descriptions.

From 1 February my main job task would include IT support, information systems and online media!! Not that I wasn’t doing all that before. I was.

But there were other tasks that I had been doing for many years and was bored to tears. This was now tasked to someone else.

If I would have been asked what my dream job was, this would be it! I’ve been blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting and studying IT all towards getting this, my dream job!

Not everyone is as delighted as I am with my new job.

I should be flattered that my colleagues I worked with don’t want to see me leave my previous post, but at the same time I was a bit disappointed that they were not excited for me.

That’s life though…we have to move forward at some point. And I was languishing in that job for far too long.

So the year has started off with some excitement and new challenges.

Just today I was tasked with presenting information in our staff meeting. Something I have never been good at, but I relaxed and shared what was asked of me as best I could.

Of course now I have to deliver…

Wednesday 1 February
San-Mari and Kim decide to teach two-timing Bernard a lesson, while Oubaas and Hilda try to make a match for Marcel. Is Herman and Helena’s dinner date as innocent as they make it out to be?

Thursday 2 February
Daleen arrives in Hillside – but why is she suddenly so meek and mild? Bernard wonders why his girlfriends are giving him the cold shoulder and Helena is not impressed when Felicity returns sooner than expected.

Friday 3 February
How will the meeting between Daleen and Bonita go? Sanjay receives the lab reports on the skin lotion he had tested and why does Marko tell Paula she can’t work on the Miss Madeleine project anymore?

Monday 6 February
Vince and Bonita find a house they like, but will their offer be accepted? What is Helena’s agenda with Herman? San-Mari & Kim start manipulating Bernard.

Tuesday 7 February
San-Mari and Kim put Bernard on the spot at Ryno’s fish braai. Helena threatens to make life difficult for Herman. Is romance blossoming between Paula and Marko?

Wednesday 8 February
Why doesn’t Daleen want to return home when her apartment in Cape Town is burgled? Are there ulterior motives behind Helena’s sudden friendliness towards Felicity?

Thursday 9 February
Will head office approve Marko and Paula’s plans for the Miss Madeleine event? Helena sows the first seeds of doubt with Felicity about her marriage.

Friday 10 February
Sanjay suspects there’s a much bigger story behind the Daffodil Dew skin products. Will Neville find a buyer for the Gazette? Herman and Felicity hasten back from a weekend away when there’s a break-in at the boutique.

Monday 13 February
Annelie and Pieter have a row over his attitude. Will Vince & Bonita buy a house they can’t afford? A visitor from the Cape surprises Daleen.

Tuesday 14 February
Sanjay makes a breakthrough in his investigation of Zadar Laboratories. Will Bernard notice that San-Mari and Kim are playing games with him? Daleen realises she’s in trouble.

Wednesday 15 February
Bernard decides to turn the tables on the girls. Gary demands more and more, and Daleen is becoming desperate. Sanjay steps up his investigation. Helena’s behaviour worries Herman.

Thursday 16 February
Bonita finds out Vince wants to borrow R70 000 from private lenders to buy the house. Herman asks Xander for legal advice against Helena. Gary’s threats reduce Daleen to tears.

While in Melbourne, we went to a Gold Class cinema to see The Iron Lady starring Meryl Streep.

I felt a bit weird at fiest reclining in my Lazy-Boy style seat with feet up, eating popcorn and drinking Coke. But the movie was so interesting, that I soon forgot my initial discomfort.

Nevertheless the movie started with the former British Prime Minister retired and suffering from dementia.

She sees and speaks to her deceased husband Dennis who had passed on 8 years previously. In her lucid moments she flashes back to the start of her political career.

It shows a young Margaret who fore goes outing with people her own age to attend political meetings (with only men in attendance) and working in her father’s grocery store.

All this foreshadows the type of political leader she would become. Strong. Not afraid to stand up to a room full of men and hard working – not feeling entitled to handouts.

And she expected the same from everyone else.

The movie looks at some personal aspects as well. Like her meeting her husband, some scenes with her twins – Mark and Carol. There are a few mentions of her husband going off to South Africa and her son Mark’s residency in SA at one point.

Meryl Streep is Margaret Thatcher in the film. You sometimes have to remind yourself that she isn’t the Iron Lady herself. Alexandra Roach plays the role of the young Margaret as you would imagine Margaret would have been in her younger days.

I enjoyed the sense of history and getting a glimpse of the inner workings of an era I was aware of, growing up in the 1980′s.

The movie was quite short – which I appreciated – what with every new movie seeming to be 3 hours long!

All in all a good night at the movies.

My year will be starting in earnest on Monday when it’s back to work and studies, so this is likely the right time to be looking ahead and setting some goals for the year.

Looking back at last year’s goals I have reason to set some more for this year.

I just came back from a trip to Australia that I stated I wanted to do at the end of December 2011. I went into apathetic mode for a while but was somehow pushed by life-happenings to book my ticket. Consequently, everything fell neatly into place. And I had the time of my life!

So for 2012 my goals are:
1. To put in the extra effort it will take to pass all 8 subjects I registering for this year. If I pass them all, I will be well on my way to completing to my course on schedule.

2. Socialise a lot more than in 2011, including visiting my Mitchell’s Plain aunty more often. I almost forgot how to deal with people outside of work! And they would probably say that I have no idea how to deal with people AT work

3. Take photos! Arghhhhh I loved walking around with a camera in Melbourne – shooting all sorts of pictures. Some of which are on this site. The best pictures I couldn’t publish because they contained family pics.

4. Take another holiday in December – an island one – or a cruise! A water holiday!

5. Save, save, and save! Money, electricity, water, food, etc. by living a more conscious life.

6. Meditating daily. I do this most of the time and I’m not sure if meditation has made a difference, growing older or just a change in attitude, but I’m a lot calmer and accepting of life’s little annoyances these days.

7. Committing to a relationship. Probably my most challenging goal of the year!

8. Exercise, eat properly, spend time with my family, laugh as much as possible, read as many books as possible.

9. Go with the flow of what ever life throws my way in 2012.

10. Use my all my skills at work and step up to the challenges and opportunities that will surely come my way.

That’s one busy year that lies ahead! Let me get to it!

While we spent a lot of time walking visiting the beaches and playgrounds around Melbourne we managed to go into the city a few times.

I simply fell in love with Melbourne for the first time. I could have spent every day just walking around and absorbing the atmosphere.

The city felt a lot more vibrant and lively than I remembered.  Or maybe I was just a lot more open to enjoying the city.

Either way, I promised myself to spend more time in the city if I ever made my way back to Australia.

We took the train to Flinders Street Station and navigated our way from there.

We passed these three quirky statues of businessmen – on the corners of Collins and Bourne Streets – that looked very real, until you get up close and personal.  I wouldn’t even have noticed them if it wasn’t pointed out to me.  I couldn’t miss the photo opportunity, of course!

Then it was off to see the Meyer Christmas Window in the Bourke Street Mall. The window wasn’t that spectacular in the daytime, but I spotted a reminder of home.  It would be me

I insisted that my trip to Melbourne would be almost worthless without a trip on a tram.  Not really.  But a 3 minute trip down Collins Street to the Paris end did the trick.  Waiting for the pram/stroller friendly tram took longer than the ride itself!  But I got my tram ride!

We were in the city at lunch time and came across a whole host of runners, walkers and cyclists doing their lunch

time workouts.  One of my favourite aspects of the city of Melbourne is the very apparent culture of exercise. There is just so much space to run/walk or just relax. Pathways and resting areas are well serviced  and used!

We decided to go to Federation Square via a walk along the Yarra River.

As we approached Fed Square, I saw this amazingly beautiful building that I was told is St Paul’s Cathedral.  Just that whole area had me enthralled.

Then it was on to Fed Square.

Federation Square is seen by many Melbournites as an eyesore .  Although it is also the gathering place visitors and residents alike.  There was so much colour and vibrancy around the area, that I’m sure  the city planners would be forgiven for coming up the concept.

Walking around Melbourne made me feel like a child in a sweet shop. I didn’t know where to start because there was so much to see.  I wanted to take everything in and tried to remember everything I saw.

Immediately I thought that I wanted to return and spend more time in the city centre.

I’m loving my holiday in Melbourne so far and since I’ve been here before, decided to not do the usual tourist things.

Not that it always turned out that way

On 23 December we went to a Carols by Candlelight in Docklands. There were a few traditional Christmas Carols, but was mostly a festive music festival on a perfect evening.

We also we went to the MCG to watch cricket Australia play India on Boxing Day. My holiday gift from my family and also one of the highlights of my last visit, and this one as well.

I had to buy a Permaculture 2012 diary for my colleague, so ended up in Ackland Street in St Kilda – famous for it’s cake shops and their window displays.

We came across another Nando’s slap-bang in the middle of the busy street. (Nando’s franchises are on every street corner, it seems.)We instead stopped for ice-cream at 7 Apple Gelato where I bought a Ferero Rocher and French Vanila cone.

Then it was off to take a touristy picture at the entrance of Luna Park – a sort of Ratanga Junction.

I was more interested in getting photographed with a tram!

As luck would have it, someone mentioned a community garden so off we went.

 gives flat-dwelling residents of Melbourne the opportunity to grow vegetation of their choice. Some grew fruit trees and vegetables and others flowers. We even passed by a family playing with toy trucks with their daughter in what looked like a sandbox.

Someone saw a reference to Cape Town and offered to photograph me next to the sign. I declined but took a picture anyway.

Next we visited Collingwood’s Children’s Farm since my nieces love farm animals.

They loved petting the goats and sheep. My 2 year old niece referred to the goats as “bokkies” in her Aussie accent. Too funny!

In between we visited the beach and a few parks. But I will write about that in another post.

Happy New Year to you, dear reader!

A lot about Melbourne reminds me of Cape Town. The weather when it’s mild, easy access to beaches, malls all over the place and Christmas in summer amongst other things.

The outdoors lifestyle and relaxed way of life is similar too. Not forgetting sport! Especially cricket.

Here in Melbourne poverty isn’t noticeable at all – it certainly doesn’t exist even 1% of the extent it does in Cape Town. Houses are generally huge and I heard on the news the other day that the average house in Australia costs around AU$540 000 (about R4,3million!)

What I find most notably different from Cape Town is that people just are not as friendly in Melbourne. Greeting strangers is very rare. The odd person has shouted a hello here and there, but it is not the norm as far as I have experienced in my two weeks here.

At home walkers, runners and cyclists doing their morning/evening session greets everyone they meet along the way back home. In Melbourne it just doesn’t exist. And we have been on a few walks.

People are not unfriendly at all, in fact they go out of their way to be nice. There just isn’t the same warmth as at home. Maybe it’s just me since Cape Town happens to be my home.

Don’t get me wrong. I like it here. I like being a visitor here.

You don’t have to hang onto your
belongings for dear life when you leave home. If you forget to lock your front door it doesn’t turn into a major catastrophe. Your chances of being a victim of violent crime is basically zero here.

Public transport is clean and generally safe.

I couldn’t live in Australia though. Even as an introvert I enjoy the way we embrace strangers (literally and figuratively), the way we speak to people who are not part of our inner circle. The way we accept people for who they are.

I’m surprised that of all things I noticed the friendliness factor, because I sometimes get annoyed at home when it seems like I can’t leave my home without having to greet half of Kenilworth and Lansdowne.

I think when I get home in 10 days time, I will appreciate our friendly hospitable people most of all. Those people who it so much better than I do.

Before I left Cape Town in mid-December many people told me to just see that I return. As if I would ever consider not doing so.

It’s that time of year again – when we look at trimming down in the new year.

While I still don’t personally do diets, because I would never be able to stick to an eating plan.

But some people like having the discipline of planned meals and exercise programmes.

The Paleo Diet is all about eating meat, nuts, fruit, vegetables and seafood. But no grains, dairy or gluten and minimal carbs.

Celebrities like Megan Fox and Uma Thurman have apparently followed this diet.

The diet supposedly takes one back to the Stone Age when hunters had to gather food in the natural environment. Surprisingly they gathered no legumes like beans, peas and lentils.

Primarily the diet consists of:
1. Lots of Animal fat (meat)
2. Fibre from fruit and vegetables
3. Moderate amounts of essential fatty acids.
4. Foods with high potassium and low sodium content.
5. Foods rich in antioxidants.
6. Probiotics from plain yoghurt.

Avoid:
1 Snacking between meals
2 Salt and sugar – eat honey instead
3 Refined and processed food
4 Ceral grains
5 Legumes and pulses
6 Dairy produce, except plain yoghurt.