Silence can say more than a thousand words

Love Blogthings

Had a good day - sorted things out with my husband, spent time with my daughter and nieces. Their grandparents baby sat them this evening so that we could go out for supper.

Over last week or so I have done quite number of Blothing quizzes. I saved them as drafts. Well I have decided to unleash a few on my blog.

This brought a smile to my face today

You Are 30% Weird

Not enough to scare other people... But sometimes you scare yourself.

How Weird Are You?

You Are a Drama Princess (or Prince)

You're not over the top dramatic, but you have your moments. You know how to steal the spotlight... And how to act out to get your way. People around you know that you're good for a laugh. But at times, your drama gets a bit too much for everyone. Tone it down a tad, and you'll still be the center of attention.

Are You a Drama Queen (or King)?

You Are 80% Feminist

You are certainly a feminist - whether you know it or not. You believe in gender equality, at least most of the time. You also believe there are a few exceptions.

Are You a Feminist?

My life is like a movie - THE IRONY !!!

Its quite amazing how silly quiz I did a few days ago, turns out to have so much truth in it. I specifically refering to my post Lifting my spirits.

The Movie Of Your Life Is A Black Comedy

In your life, things are so twisted that you just have to laugh. You may end up insane, but you'll have fun on the way to the asylum. Your best movie matches: Being John Malkovich, The Royal Tenenbaums, American Psycho

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

South Africa Day

Whenn (Blog Opinion Minions)has been blogging at least once a week an Entry titled South Africa Day where she shares an interesting fact about our country. I thought that was really cool and told her I might follow her lead.
For the first time I feel inspired to share a fact that i discovered thought a question Heidi asked me in a few post down. I did not know that this fruit just like milk tart - is proudly South African.

So Heidi, in answer to your question: What is a naartjie?

Naartjie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

A naartjie (Citrus reticulata, Citrus nobilis), or nartjie, is a soft loose-skinned South African citrus fruit. It is also known as a mandarin, satsuma or tangerine outside of South Africa.

The name is Afrikaans and is originally from the Tamil word nartei meaning citrus. The word has been used in South Africa since 1790, but the first written recorded English use is by Graham Green in the Tavern of the Seas 1947.

In South African rugby the naartjie is customarily thrown at and members of the opposing rugby team. The most frequent target in South African rugby history was Naas Botha, the Northern Transvaal flyhalf.

Lifting up my spirit

COFFEE ADDICTS UNITE
I am feeling a bit down. Its just two weeks and my menstrual cycle is back with all the terrible dizziness, nausea and headaches. Feel like I am fighting with the whole world. I am swing from feeling okay to - "I am going to Kill you".
We have family over at the moment. I feel so bad cause I am sleeping a lot. Tonight they took the girls ice-skating and I stayed at home.
At the back of my mind I got school papers to mark and I am wondering if I must go to psychiatrist's and tell him I took myself off the anti-depressants, he should give me something else or must I continue to try and find alternative methods.
This afternoon I felt like booking myself into the hospital and just escaping the realities - feel like everything around is just falling apart because I don't have any self-discipline.

Then....
I came to my blog and my swap-bot site. I realise that if I have the self-discipline to update my blog and to make up packages and post them on time.
It made start counting all the things I have done right this week and get perspective again.
Still got the headache but at I am smiling.

Think my husband was very worried about leaving me alone tonight. For good reason. I could have been dwelling on what we argued about today and really allowed my thoughts to spiral out of control into a dark hole.
But I have realised that just like my perspective is sometimes warped , so is his - what he saw as undermining really was not> I put everything her plate that you had except for the mayonnaise (which was not a bad thing for her to say no too)and just presented it differently - the aim was to get her eat and supported that.
Really and truly for the past few weeks when I did cook - specifically last weekend you were surprised at how much veggies and salad I made - and she ate it - now this week you are carry on like there has never been healthy food in our house. Yesterday you complimented me on shopping for the right stuff last week and this week you tell me that my child is fat because of me.
I don't want my daughter to have a bad relationship with food and with her body. And I know that I have not been a good example - I tried to kill myself two years ago - because realised that she might be better off without me.
Okay , now I am crying and officially feeling depressed!

I have not drank filter coffee for two weeks now. Started drinking instant coffee. But I have joined another coffee swap!Coffee Addicts Unite Swap, the picture above comes from the swap page - I looked at it and I felt my spirit lift up. If I make plans for the future and I am looking forward to it, I know myself well enough to know that I will not let my myself give up. Thank you Andrea for your picture and your swap.

COFFEE

International Coffee Swap
Swap-bot URL: http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/3203
Swap Coordinator: Le Fleur (contact)
Swap categories: Food Themed
Number of people in swap: 7
Last day to signup/drop: April 28, 2007
Date items must be sent by: May 31, 2007
Number of swap partners: 1
Description:

Rules: 1.Send approximately 100g of coffee (3.53 ounces or 0.22pounds) 2. Include 1 edible treat 3. Include 1 inedible (bought or made) item coffee related theme. (bookmark,ATC,postcard,teaspoon,ball of wool,mix CD, etc...)

Cost of the total package excluding postage should be approximately $5-$10 /R35-R70 / £2.50 - £5

QUESTIONS 1. Whole bean or ground? 2. Fully-loaded or decaf? 3. Regular or flavored? 4. How do you drink your coffee? 5. Favorite coffee ever? 6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do? 7. Favourite treats to have with your coffee? 8. Anything else about your coffee preferences? 9. Favourite colours? 10. Allergies? 11. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest?

This swap is INTERNATIONAL - 1 partner

Categories: Food,miscellanous and themed

Open to swappers with rating above 4 and no no-sends. Newbies with a completed profile are welcome too ;)

Have fun!!!

Weighing Wednesdays #3 on THURSDAY

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY IS BELOW





The scale is not moving but I have lost another 1cm .....maybe there is something wrong with my scale.

I have exercise 3 times since the last week Wednesday and I am averaging 8-10 glasses of water & herbal tea.

My skin is breaking out in pimples - guess it is all the water!!!!!!

I am eating less carbs but struggling to only stick to the 5 portions I supposed to. My fruit well that has just been a disaster. Monday my apple rolled under a car, yesterday I drank fruit juice and today I lost the two naartjies I thought I packed in my bag.

WW 8

Responsible Commenting

I think this issue is so important. Plan to explore it in more detail later on in the week when I have some time.

I agree with Ze'ev..please visit the site Responsible Commenting and leave suggestions and comments.

He writes:

Last week I read about a blogger getting threats to her life by people commenting on her blog. Kathy Sierra who writes at http://headrush.typepad.com (it is a fantastic blog with some great insight into user interaction) received several life threatening comments and some very ugly sexual insults on her blog. I suggest that you visit her blog to read the details. We get hundreds of comments on Sportingo daily and for the most part they are insightful, add value to the conversation, present a supporting or opposing opinion or correct facts. Yet a very small amount seem to cross the line and turn very personal and ugly. Sexual or personal insults that have nothing to do with the article or other comments add nothing to the conversation and only subtract from it. As a founder of Sportingo which encourages a civil conversation among sport fans around the world I feel it is my responsibly to tackle the issue of inappropriate commenting. And take a clear stand about what we want and most importantly what we do not want to see in comments. We the people (that means all of us, blogers, writers readers) what to be treated with respect. We want to be listened to and listen to others, we want to argue, voice our opinion and raise controversy. We want to keep the right to our opinion, and we don't want to be censored, but we do want and expect to be treated with respect and dignity even if you find our opinion disturbing. I realize that free speech proponents will yell fool and call this post an attempt at censorship. I also realize that the line between keeping a civil discussion and censorship is a very fine line. Yet sexual insults and life threats have nothing to do with censorship they are plain wrong. Calling someone a cunt just because she wrote that her football team is going to beat the team you support is plain wrong.

We each need to set our own boarders, define our own set of morals and apply some plain common sense, and then go out and state our opinions, get a conversation going about what we as a global society of bloggers/ writers/ net citizens feel is the make up of a responsible conversation. But most important lets make it clear that we will not accept members of our community abusing our fellow citizens. We will stand up and use our key pad to state our disgust by their actions.

To encourage this dialog I set up a site www.responsiblecommenting.com my friend and very talented designer Udi Bobrovsky designed a button which I encourage you put on your blog, forum or website which shows your support to this issue. Please visit the new site and give me your suggestion on what else we can do to support this initiative and improve our community.

To include Responsible Commenting button to you web site, just copy & paste the following piece of code to your HTML page:

Coffee tweaker?

I was wondering what does tweaker mean. So did google search. Came across some interesting and scary information.

Interesting stuff included this coffee recipe titled :

"Cheap Gourmet" Coffee post by Beautiful Nightmare

Now the scary from Wikipedia on Tweaking and Caffeine

"Tweaking also means to make subtle changes in thought patterns or environment. People who do this to others are referred to as tweakers and can easily be confused as meth users

Tweaker describes the "two week" no sleep, no eat, erratic behavior binges. Hence, the term tweaker."

Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino

Smooth and sweet, you fit in to almost any crowd. No one would suspect you of being a coffee tweaker!

What Flavor Frappuccino Are You?

Earth Day

EARTH DAY

I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.
Each blade of grass,
Each honey tree,
Each bit of mud,
And stick and stone
Is blood and muscle,
Skin and bone.
And just as I
Need every bit
Of me to make
My body fit,
So Earth needs
Grass and stone and tree
And things that grow here
Naturally.
That's why we

Celebrate this day.

That's why across
The world we say:
As long as life,
As dear, as free,
I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.

Talk to the HAND

What Your Hands Say About You

You are logical, analytical, and rational. You have good verbal skills. Flexible and broad minded, you can fit in to any situation. There's no telling where your life will take you. Consistent and reliable, you like to count on structure and routine in your life. Your emotions tend to be relaxed and uncomplicated. You don't read too much into things.

What Do Your Hands Say About You?

Exercising for Comments

Thank you so much for your comments and encouragements.

I have just completed a 30min Cardio Yoga. I feel great.
Could not do everything. Find that I cannot do the "child pose" properly.

Bought a Fitness magazine for R35.00 at the Paper Weight store in Somerset West and got this DVD free. I was surprised to find that the DVD was was not just a sample but actually contained all 3 -30min workouts. What a bargain !

I have also managed to drink 10 glasses of water and herbal tea.

So no more excuses for me. I have all the tools, knowledge and support that I need to be successful in transforming this fat caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.

I am also publicly promising my husband that I will stop spending money on buying tools that I don't use. (Confession - I did order The Four Day Win book I spoke of in my March 15 Post)
mmmm that means I need to start figuring out and using my heart rate monitor and Polar watch.

Consciousness

Self-awarness Your Psyche is Blue

You are deeply emotional and very connected to everything (and everyone) around you. By simply understanding other people, you are able to help them heal and let go. While you are a very deep and thoughtful person, you do have a very silly, superficial side. When you are too blue: the weight of the world's problems hangs over you When you don't have enough blue: you lack perspective and understanding

What Color Is Your Psyche?

Weighing Wednesdays #2

My two month menstrual period finally ended last week Wednesday. But the nausea, dizziness, headaches have just continued. My anti-depressant came to an end - and I just decided that I have had enough of taking medication that is not working or making any difference.

Friday night I starting vomiting, got that under control but the feeling keeps coming back.- and since Sunday i have been off Coffee. That was so scary that I went and did another pregnancy test.

Sjoe, thank goodness, no bun in the oven. I think I can finally lay that fear to rest. My husband had his tubes tied last year - think we have passed the danger period.

Went to the doctor again. He is happy taht I have stopped my anit-depressant, his of the opinion that it is messing up my system. Unfortunately though it means that my body is now adjusting to being off the Mirena (contraceptive) and off the anti-depressant, so my body may continue feeling like it is detoxing. The increase water intake and 'exercise' is adding to the detoxifying of my body.

I feel like this is such a mess - I feel sick - so I need to change my diet and exercise- then when I do I feel so sick that I don't feel like exercise and I am craving chocolate mousse etc......

Talk about a catch 22 situation.

The one bit of good news I got this week was from the Dietician. (my husband decided that enough was enough, we needed to go get some professional advice and help). My target weight according to her is about 75 kg and not the 57kg dictated by the BMI chart. I personally feel I will be happy at 65kg.

Okay, now to the moment of truth.

On her state of the art scale my weight is 107.7kg.
Which means no change from last week

My waist measurement has shift by 1cm from 116 to 115cm.

I am entering this week armed with a better eating plan, my husbands support and a determination to exercise despite the nausea (even if its just weights and yoga - I will do something).
I am drinking 8-10 glasses of water or herbal tea and taking an omega 3 supplement (recommended by the dietician).

Doctor has me on iron tables and Nux vomicaHomaccord. I am also taking a Zinc & Vita C and Vitamin B Complex supplement.

I WILL CONQUER

WW 7

My first ATC Swap.
I am made the card and I sending some coffee just as a little extra.



My dancing ballerinas.
Elenora (Italian) and
Jeandre' (South African)

Question me ?

Interview questions from LadyBug Crossing

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your weblog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.


1. If you could do it all over, what would you be when you grow up?

I would choose the career - teaching. Its one of the few careers that give you an opportunity to do a variety of things.
2. Who is your best friend and for how long?

This is a hard one. I have two best long lasting friends: Denise (18 years) and Claire (23 years).

3. How did you meet your spouse/significant other?

I met my husband three times. The first time its was not official. We wer 16 years old at a Youth Camp. My first impression of him was that he was a irritating mister the know-it-all. The second time was at a Chruch Youth Council meeting. Its was the begiining of his first year in the ministery and I was leaving at the end of the that month for to Au Pair in USA. My impression of him: For an afrikaner boy, this guy actually has some great ideas and thoughts. Then our official, official meeting - when we actually introduced ourselves to each other and had a conversation- happened my accident. I was going to my pastor's house to let him know that i was back int he country from Au Pairing in the US. Instead I found PS Weiers Coetser - who asked me the following weird questin which even more weirdly decided to answer honestly. He asked when: When are you getting married? (He assumed that I had a boyfriend for some odd reason & as I found out later loves asking people weird questions). The rest is histor and we are now almost 8 years married.

4. If you could live anywhere, where would you choose to live?
ooooh. The West European country side or an island.

5. Silver or Gold?

White Gold

Blog Critique and ........

Critique My Blog

Simone's Butterfly

http://simonesbutterfly.blogspot.com/

Regular and down to earth is the feel of this blog as Simone blogs about her life and times and everything in between. Side bar is formatted with all the right bells and whistles and content is well written. No complaints here.

Thank you for review.

I found some interesting sites in his blog. It is worth the visit.

AND...........................

.......through Wordless Wednesday I found another South African Blogger (Nogal lives in Cape Town) Whenn and she led me to Critique My Blog. Thanks WW and When.

Wordless Wednesdays has been an interesting experience for me so far. Its like travelling through the world get little snap shots into what's happening around you. It also makes you feel connected because you actually get comments from others. Its like when you smile at someone and they smile back at you.

Its been a fun way of travelling , learning new techniques, gaining knowledge, recognising and appreciating others, LAUGHING and truth be told something to look forward to.

Hosting a swap on Swap Bot

International Coffee Swap

Copy the code below and paste it on your site:

I swap with Swap-bot!

Swap-bot URL:	http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/3203
Swap Coordinator:	Le Fleur (contact)
Swap categories:
Number of people in swap:	1
Last day to signup/drop:	May 2, 2007
Date items must be sent by:	May 31, 2007
Description:
Making this a slightly more personal swap. Which means you need to answer the questions below. Aim: a)hopeful get something you will like, b)giving you space to be as creative as you want to be. Rules: 1.Send approximately 100g of coffee (3.53 ounces or 0.22pounds) 2. Include 1 edible treat 3. Include 1 inedible (bought or made) item coffee related theme. (bookmark,ATC,postcard,teaspoon,ball of wool,mix CD, etc...) Cost of the total package excluding postage should be approximately $5-$10 /R35-R70 / £2.50 - £5 QUESTIONS 1. Whole bean or ground? 2. Fully-loaded or decaf? 3. Regular or flavored? 4. How do you drink your coffee? 5. Favorite coffee ever? 6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do? 7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee? 8. Anything else about your coffee preferences? 9. Favorite colors? 10. Allergies? 11. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest? This swap is INTERNATIONAL - 1 partner Categories: Food,miscellanous and themed Open to swappers with rating above 4 and no no-sends. Newbies with a completed profile are welcome too ;) Have fun!!!

Environmentally conscious

Its been something nagging at the back of my head. My husband and I fleetling speak about using less plastics and recycling. We feel guilty for a moment. Then because its its just too much work, too much effort, too difficult, we just continue living with too much consideration to our impact on the environment.

I have been so focused on cleansing my body and making the right choices for my health. I have realised that the consequences for not using my knowledge to positively impact my life is disastrous for me mentally, spiritually, physically and emotionally. Not allowing my health conciousness to turn into positive action has cost me a lot and those around me.

Suddenly it occurred to me that I have not only not been health activist in my life but I have also given up my most of good enviromentally conscioud habits because they were inconvieniet.

Now I know I should take one step at a time. I have just started implementing good health habits. But I have also realised that the term if you son't use it, you lose it. I have not been using or applying my environmental knowledge for a few years (I once work for WESSA - Wildlife and Environmental Society of South AFrica as an education officer).


I did an online eco-quiz - true it was an American orientated one - but I came out as 3 out 6 - an eco disaster.




I did better on quiz 2 - but not much rated 4 out of 6 -
eco- conscious. Thank goodness - I was almost starting to feel depressed.





Excellent Site especially for South Africans: Harmonius Living

I am committed to ensuring that I will not be environmental ignorant and that I will make changes to my lifestyle to ensure that my eco-footprint is as small as possible.

My daughter will be the greatest benefactor of the positive transformation in my life. I want her to be "healthy, wealthy and wise". That means I have to model that . My husband has to model it too.

Exercising for comments

A letter from Sonny posted in January 2007. Read it and decide whether you would like to join me in supporting her endevour. Better late than never.



My dear Blogosphere-Friends!
You can help me.
As I told you many times before, I want to get rid of my overweight.
So my biggest resolution for this year is to star my Weight-Watchers-Program. Not really to start it but to hold on to it. I started it twice and lost weight, but my weaker-self always won the battle.
But now, the point is there and I really want (and need) to reach my goal: get skinny again.
I know I can. But I need a bit support.
I joined the "Will Excercise for Comments"-Pledge, just like lots of Bloggers did before.

So please! Keep me going! For every comment you make, I'll do on minute excercise.
And for proove that I kept my Pledge, I'll post pictures showing me doing my excercise.

If you would do me a really big favour, you can post about my pledge in your blog and let your readers know bout it. If you do, I will name your blog in my posts and if you send me a photo (of you or whatever you like), I'll do some scrapbooking with it and send it back to you. Furthermore I will do FIVE extra minutes of excercise.
So it will be a win-win situation for both of us: I'll loose weight through excercise and you'll get some more blog-traffic and a "scrappy-you"!

So, will you help me please????

With lots of love,





P.S.: Duchess and I are planning to set up a "weight-loss"-meme. It's just right at the beginning and we didn't start it yet, but if you're interested in it (it means, if you're a "wanna-loose-weight"-one) and want to join, please drop me a mail (sweet-like-kitty@web.de) or tell me via comment and leave your mail-address.

Dreams & Makeovers

(me at 10 years ago) (Chato)

One of my most common dreams is one of a major makeover. Probably one of the reasons I have liked the movie "GREASE".

I especially had this dream after I broke up with a boyfriend (sometimes because I though he was planning to break-up with me) or we mutually agreed to part company.

Now it happens when I feel unappreciated or not sexy or too fat. It amazing that one can feel sexy no matter ones size. Its also amazing how you can actually forget that you are fat.

A few weeks ago I attended a Chato Romano workshop. A few things she spoke of , i realised that I already knew and I was even applying some of them. But the thing that stood out most was that I could actually do a full day makeover or at least a wardrobe one - it might take a while to save the money - but I could it. The price we received said R2000.00 the website says R7500.00 for a full day makeover. Think it depends on what you do or what advise you are looking for.

Of course I would have to convince my husband that it would a wise use of money.

On the other hand I wonder how healthy it is for me to be absorb with my exterior. What would I really benefit from a makeover.
I am already a confident, outgoing person. My self-esteem has edged low with the weight-gain and some set backs I have over the few years.

What does having this dream say about me? I have been grappling with this question for a while. I have tried searching the internet for why women like having makeovers but I have not found anything substantial.
Maybe I need to have my dream analysed. Looking good and sexy is only one aspect of the dream.

I do have some of my own negative analysis of why I have this dream - the truth is I don't want to believe or dwell on those thoughts. At the same time my mind cannot seem to open up to positive analysis.

Connecting, Helping & Sharing

Shane is a brave 7 year old cancer patient, and he has one wish for his birthday, on May 30 2007. He wants to break the Guinness world record for the most number of birthday cards received.

Shane's story, and I know Bloggers a wonderful heart, so please, let's help this little boy. It doesn't take much and what a difference in his world would it make! You don't have to wait for his birthday to send your card(s). Start sending them today to:

Shane Bernier
Box 484
Lancaster Ontario
CANADA
K0C 1N0

Wordless Wednesdays WW6

My carefree butterfly

WW 6 Improved picture

My friend Claudelle has taken my raw pictures and made them look great.

She is a great photographer, photo editor and poet.

Thanks Claudelle for this lovely gift.

To see some her original work or get her prices visit her blog:
Digital Memories

Weighing Wednesdays

Starting at 106.6 Kg

Waist measurement: 116cm

The Freelance Cynic: Win 250 Free hits to your blog!

The Freelance Cynic: Win 250 Free hits to your blog!

Saved ?

Seems like I may have recovered my old layout.

DARN DARN DARN

I was playing around with some codes trying to get a background with butterflies.
And now I have lost all my hard work - links, pictures etc.....

That was stupid. I do have another blog I could have experimented on instead. What a watse of time. Hard lesson learnt.

Well now you can experience the transformation of my blog first hand.

Who knows maybe it will even be better. Unfortunately it may have to wait till the weekend.

Later

Drumming

My first drumming experience.

It was great fun. At times I felt completely lost and other times I felt myself closing my eyes and getting lost in the rhythm. It reminded of dancing to trance music or belly dancing. Definitely relaxing and uplifting.

I needed to rest my hands every now and then (if you have ever clapped so much that you get a numb tingling sensation then that is more or less how it feels)- our facilitator also gave us some rest periods to flex our fingers. He joked that drumming isn't so much about talent but about stamina.

I would definitely do it again. I think the more one practises and opens one self to the experience the more you can experience a variety of benefits.

So the Cape town Drum Cafe maybe seeing me soon. The UU are planning to host another drumming circle.

Read more about Drumming and it benefits on the following sites:

The Drum Cafe
Why Drum?
The primal Connection - Drumming 101
Drum Cafe Cape Town (Unite, inspire and Uplift)

PS - my husband forgot my camera in the car. Hopefully I get some pictures from Dave's wife later the month. Will have to scan them in though.

Insomina AGAIN

Staring to think I need a label just for insomnia.

What did I do? I completed knitting a sample pattern for a possible gift for Ruth. She is just over three months pregnant and the person who inspires to try out knew crafts (like sewing, card making, scrap-booking and to continue knitting) and swapping. She has been a great friend since she arrived in our country last year.

I also worked on a puzzle for a short while and surfed the net for inspiration for a Mathematical Literacy paper I need to set.

I just feel awful from the time I was woken up - first by my husband , then by my daughter . It was finally a phone call from my mom that got me out of bed.

She has given me another fun project to work on - her holiday to theNorthen Cape and West Coast to see the Namaqualand wild flowers and do some Whale watching. I have not been up the West Coast yet, but I really want to.

The tiredness from the insomnia,the fact that I don't have milk for my coffee and my menstrual cycle is continuing for 7 weeks running means that I am having a pretty yucky day.