Zombie Lovin

Impossible.
Lets get this straight quickly before I become convinced I should be worrying about myself:
People seems to think I love zombies.

Not true!
You can't love zombies. They're too gross! It's not like they're baby orangutans or elephants which are so bizarre looking that they're cute and you love them for it.
They're super rotting and oozing. Impossible to love see?

I DO love being prepared though.
I also love speculating about how certain people will react in certain situations and a zombie apocalypse presents a pretty extreme situation. Who survives? who looks out for others?... and who of course will go bat shit crazy and try to kill us all to ensure their own survival.
Mostly I wonder which one I'll be and then spend some time reassuring myself I won't be that last freak.

I DO tend to have a zombie apocalypse dream every 3 months or so. This is unfortunate and I have no real explanation other than it started after reading WWZ. Read it before the movie comes out and likely ruins it. It's bloody brilliant.

I DO enjoy zombie humour. But people please... love is such a strong word to be bandying about anywhere near the word zombies. Thanks.

Now THESE people love zombies... :)

We meet again

You know the last week I've gotten 3 very unexpected friend requests on Facebook.

Honestly my once unbelievably strong feelings towards a couple of the people have faded. Anger, jealousy (...man I hate to admit that one) and betrayal being just 3 from a very long list I'd use to describe the dissolving of our relationships in the real world.
I'm just confused on top of genuinely surprised to see that they would once again like to be friends in Facebook land. Hell! I'm suspicious!

This will be one of the first times I ask for advice on this blog I think.
What does a person do in this situation?
Does forgive and forget stretch all the way to inviting that person back into your online life? Can't you just have forgiven and then, well, COMPLETELY forgotten?
In one of the cases, accepting the simple thing that is an online request would invite a LOT of questions from family members and friends not excluding "Are you mad?" - he was a boy who broke my heart you see.

It's repaired and all by now but perhaps somethings just don't go together. Like my memory and social networking. I'll be giving it some more thought this week I guess.

In the meantime HERE are some things that DO go together.
Superheros and Dinosaurs. (and here's a link to a previous post if that's not cool enough for you)
Just lovely

Source: society6.com via Keyna on Pinterest

We've Lost it!

My lovely sister and I have started another blog! In her case it's an entirely plausible enterprise since she's very good at her updates (click and see!) I on the other hand, well this could be a bit of a challenge, but lets kick it off!

There is the chance that I may have lost it, thinking I can write for two blogs when I more regularly skip blog posts than actually post them.

Another thing I'm hoping to lose this month, besides my mind,  is weight! I decided this would be an appropriate topic for Pots & Pantyhose since it's something that even the most confident of us seem to worry about.

Am I thin enough? Can I pull off that kind of outfit? Does my bum look big in this? (It's a cliche men like to throw at us because it's true. Damn them.)

SURE! Worry about this stuff just a little. Try to eat healthily in general and you'll avoid the panic that my sister and I fall into every now and then (read about our diet adventure here), but don't worry about it too much.

No one likes that girl who verbally gabs on about what she's eating, how fat she is, or how she has to go to the gym or she feels simply huge. I was recently trapped at a table full of these women at a wedding and seriously considered poking my eye out. Especially as I was and probably still am twice their size. 

Besides... seriously? At a wedding? What are you people gastronomical masochists?

Here's an example of what we're aiming for – Curves! 

& please note that the pin up versions are just that tad bustier and a smidgen thinner in the waist. Aim for the figures on the left please – evil "photoshopping" has existed for ages!

via A Study of Feminine Beauty

Things my Ouma said

There are two things which I very clearly remember my Ouma saying.

1. "My kind, jy het so 'n kleeeeein hartjie..."
It's not that she was saying I have a tiny unfeeling heart (Afrikaans can be mildly confusing some times) she was commenting on how sensitive I could be about everything.
I was a very awkward looking pre-teen. Sticks and stones break & all, but sometimes words CAN hurt people and I was always so hurt by silly things unthinking people said.
But hey... it could have also been a comment on how I cried for adverts and Dawie die Kabouter episodes all through the years. OK, it was most likely that...

Regardless, she was the one person that first got it through to me that it is what's on the inside that counts towards making you a happy person and can bring others happiness. Sure it is great to be nice to look at and it does open a million doors for people not necessarily worthy of adoration...
but it's when people get to know you and really see who you're trying to become that they'll come to love you.

2. The other thing was "always wash your own underwear". Definitely a more simple message, but still... when you really think about it... really good advice! No really! Think about it!

I often think about and miss her terribly. I would have loved to grow up to be like her - full of poise and grace - but we can't all be the same and I like to think that at the very least she'd be entertained by the notions that swim through my brain and the words that often run out unfiltered as I think aloud. And maybe also she'd have a chuckle at how I still fall over and whack my funny bones on EVERYTHING. I think I've actually turned out quite similar to how she would have expected... and that makes me quite happy.

{My Oupa on the other hand said things like "Ag gaan skyt jy!" and "Word jou gat nie a bietjie vet nie?" and "Come Keyna... come count my toes!"  I have had some colourful family members in my tree and I'm very grateful for it.}

Microwhatthe!

The other night we went out to Cattle Baron in Durbanville (oh Chateaubriand... how I love thee), so of course while surrounded by mouthwatering food and a bottle of Nederberg Baronne WE think now is a great time to talk about how delicious it it when you over-microwave the simple vienna sausage.
Yes, we be heathens.

This morning I stumbled across the site Microwhat thanks to SwissMiss.
Now I'm not going to run home and throw out my microwave... no ways! But maybe it'll give us all a little pause before we think about microwaving the crap out of something. In our case – distractions everywhere, modern lives and all that – it'll likely only be a short pause and it'll probably be to say "I also want to microwave toothpaste to make it do that!"

seriously though... I should have been micrwaving and documenting it all these years! Go and look at this tumblr! It's both fascinating and worrying.

What gave me a slightly longer pause was this woman! It's kinda scary. Like Death Becomes Her but the secret elixir is actually the juice of your homegrown broccoli. Eep!

Maybe if I try and do at least 1 raw meal a week it will save me from some of the wrinkles and leave me to reheat in peace... maybe.

Damn you Mr Stump

Here's kinda how the other afternoon went.

PROGRESSION from "meh" to obsessive love of a song:
I was listening to new music I got. This song plays.
"Hey isn't this Patrick Stump from Fallout Boy?"

+
I have always loved his voice, but gave a song or two a listen from his solo album and didn't fall in love. I'd resigned myself to officially missing Fallout Boy and my ridiculous twenties. Now this song at first was the same... till something hooked me. I hit replay and listened to the words & they're great.
"Oh nostalgia, I don't need you anymore
'Cause the salad days are over and the meat is at my door"

+
Then i started thinking about my little sister and how much fun we would have singing this song if she were stuck in traffic with me right then. I started thinking about how the words apply to some of the crap she's had to go through over these last few years and how she's still managed to be one of the most compassionate and caring people I know. (& no that doesn't make her any less bad ass for those that know her...)

+
So I Soundtrack the song and that sister posts the video of the song.
Damn you Mr Stump and the director of your music video for being so clever. When that dog runs and jumps that hurdle...


= I have no choice but to <3 it. I'm done for.

oh yes! And I've also realised I really need to get round to developing a youtube worthy skill.

Word Mens

Man there are times where I feel an affection for Afrikaans more than I think I could ever feel for English.
Perhaps there's someone you know who has grown too big for their boots, their ego swelling till you feel claustrophobic in their company, and their actions so RIDICULOUS that you want to shake them.

Just tell them: "Word mens."

SO simple. What a bloody brilliant way to put it.

And if you feel you're in danger of becoming the person who has to have this said to them... try this.

A special thanks for the idea for this post goes to the wonderful Amanda. I remember as a kid thinking to myself, if I could just be as cool and vibrant as you... then wow, I would be happy. Seeing her this past weekend I realise nothing has changed really, even if I've doubled in height.
I'm still going to try and be as full of positive energy as you always seem to be!
(And I'll keep in mind for myself there's always someone cooler than I am :D)

We were talking about someone and you said she'd be happier if she just would just "word mens" and you're right. Humble is the way to go.

And an extra little "dankie aan Maresa". I learn WONDERFUL new Afrikaans sayings every single time I see you! How could I write something about "die taal" without including you huh? Plus you help to keep me firmly down to earth and I'm grateful.

Awkward. What a cool word!

Just call me Socially Awkward girl!

I had another one of those evenings a friday and a bit ago, where you're sitting in a pub, in your home town and about 9 people you went to high school with stroll in.

What the hell does one do? No matter how hard I try I can't bring myself to stroll over and hand out hugs as if we're long lost friends. Sure, that would be lovely, but I'm half the time not sure they even remember who I am! There've been more than two incidents where the conversation has gone something along the lines of:

"Hi there 'popular person because of your surprisingly strong jawline as a teenage boy from class of 1999'. How are you?"
"Oh hey! Um... Kezia er Kiera right? Yeah! Great! How goes it"

(let it slide let it slide)

"Yes, really well thanks!"
"Are you still with that guy you dated back in highschool? The really short one from the sound and lighting crew?"

(at this point do you still just go with it even though that's completely false... or do you go with the possibly more gut churning "hahah I wish! No I didn't date anyone in highschool... ever. Remember?")

"No, that didn't really go anywhere...since he didn't know about it."
"Oh wait! Aren't you gay now?"
"Not in recent rumours I've heard... I think it died down a bit after 2001."

(Awkward silence as the person tries to decide if I'm joking or not. While I start to giggle like a loon.)

"Anyway it was nice seeing you..."
"Yes definitely! You still have a really nice strong jawline by the way."
(...and flee in terror)

This same Friday in question I was also involved in a conversation that went like this
"What do you think Keyna? Is Jessie more a girl or a boy's name?"
"I think it could be a more boy dog's name?...Oh wait... shit... are we talking about names for your baby?"

SO to all those who spot me out and about from school years, PLEASE see my friendly wave as the heartfelt hello it's actually meant as!
Some believe it's a miracle I venture out in society and have friends at all.
Thank goodness for those that understand my gibberish and especially to my boyfriend who's clearly bloody nuts to stick it out half the time! Bless you!
This is how it went down with us huh?

Just like that.

Dear 2012

First, a small confession about my NYE post. I actually wrote it just before I rushed out to a 3hour car ride to Struisbaai where I knew I'd have no real internet connection to write something up.
This doesn't really make any difference I reasoned, since it was all reflection on 2011 and I was quite convinced that everything that could happen was pretty much wrapped up 3 days before all our calendars flipped over to 2012.
Right?

I still feel fond emotions for 2011 as it treated me quite kindly, but not so much all my friends and family. Seems some rather ridiculous things waited to happen in the last 2 months to people that I only just recently heard about. So here is an extra post... and a small request.

Dear 2012, 
Please be a little kinder to all my close friends and family. I hold them dear because they're already so strong and have proved themselves survivors of sadness and heartache. Could we give those two themes a break and bless them all with happier moments in the months to come. Chat to your friend Karma, because I'm pretty sure she has a lot of debts to pay up – she seems to be fond of slacking.
My friends are beautiful enough...

This song is dedicated to The League (which contains an extraordinary gentleman...).

Gosh 2011...

... You were awesome.

Looking back over previous New Years posts I've done, it's kinda clear that although my 20's weren't the worst years of my life, they weren't exactly a piece of cake either.

This year, I am grateful for so many things, I feel a bit as if I'm bursting when I think about it. This of course makes me very nervous because although I'm often told I can be an incorrigible optimist (read "annoying"), I'm actually pretty good at "Final Destination" imaginings and all too often get the "Crud. I'm happy. What's going to go wrong here?" feeling.

Well, give a big welcome to this years resolution – to banish thoughts like that and relax.
Now on to the list for 2011:

• Travelled! Finally! TWICE! (what more is there to say? That in itself makes me so happy I get a big smile just thinking about it.)

Hopefully in 2012 I'll find a moment to make one of these for our wall at home. Clever ain't it? Express your love for all the places you've seen for all to see.

• Studied. Proud of me. I have no idea if I passed or not yet, but just the fact that I finished something feels just fine thanks!
• Painted. Not the 6 paintings I meant to paint, but 1 for my long-waiting Aunt. Also drew and doodled more than any other year.
• Spent 2 weeks alone with my partner in mischief and we didn't kill each other. We came close twice, but recovered well. (Trust me this is a great thing to be grateful for! Worries are now cast aside)
• B-b-b-b-bb-bought a HOUSE!

2011 is leaving me feeling more rested than I have in quite a while and I'm so grateful to all my friends who have helped make it so. It's weird thinking about everything that has actually happened in the world as it's turned upside down in so many ways. I'd already forgotten half of what happened this year... I hope future children in school will find the number an easy one to remember when they sit in their history exams!

Lets look back with Jib Jab. It's pretty America focussed but still worth a watch, if only for the fact that it's all done by a popsicle stick puppet choir!

P.S. In 2012 I plan on watching a WHOLE lot more Korean cinema and series. Care to join me? If so you're a bit behind but I'll wait for you. On the list so far is the highly recommended "Castaway on the Moon" and then also the chick flick "Sunny". Go! Go! 

Ah yes... and for series watch "The First Shop of Coffee Prince". I was addicted. 

Gong Yoo: More recently stars in "Finding Mr Destiny" and "The Crucible" which are on my to watch list.

(Anyone care to introduce me to him? huh?)

Christmas Cheer

Bless the funny, witty people out there. YOU have made my Christmas.
This of course includes my madcap family (as well all you extended members we've collected over the years.)

These two gems from the net had me chuckling so enthusiastically that my belly shook like a bowl full of jelly.

I hope everyone has a very merry day and gets as much enjoyment out of these two creations as I did!

Doesn't this just make a ton of sense to your child brain? Of course Santa is most fantastic!

 "and mama in her kerchief and I in my cap, had just settled ... our brains..."

(Zombie Christmas?)

Those unexplainables...

OK, to be fair none of the mysterious injuries I've found the next morning after a night out could really count as completely unexplainable... there's this lovely concoction called alcohol that combines with my natural grace and coordination to render the results of an evening unpredictable. That I guess makes the whole whole question "What the... HOW'd I get this?" a silly one to ask.

I recently was mercilessly teased by some friends when I bemoaned the fact that surely a 30yr old grown-up woman should no longer have to worry about wearing longer skirts in case someone sees her latest grazed knee. (Not you too. I trip! Ok people? Happy?)

That following weekend we all went off to watch two VERY happy friends walk down the aisle. And what a celebration! It truly was one of the most fun wedding's I've been to with not just a band or a DJ, but instead a singing group called The Imaginations who we're great sports and only cried the tiniest bit with laughter as the groom sang Lionel Ritchie to his beautiful bride. Oh and how we DANCED! The best weddings are the ones with dancing and boy was there was plenty. So much so that I danced my teeny toenail off...
Gross and painful but...Hah!
I showed those teasing friends! These things just happen. Simple.
The good news is it really does warrant me getting these plasters I think, as surely I could now use the "DANCE OFF" one?

Now all I would change about these is I'd add one about Pirates to explain the brand new graze on my left knee I got from posing during the Twilight run. Nice.

Tip Tap Tops

This Saturday past, Miss J and I took to the stage once more and wowed our adoring fans.

Translation: We took part in a dance show, with a bunch of 7-11yr olds and my mum clapped for us.

(I take the "make a fool of yourself" part of the quote below very seriously)

About a year and a half ago now, "Ginny" (new blog/nickname) bought my sister a tap lesson for a birthday present and convinced a few of us to join.  I've been happily tapping and living out my daydreams with an invisible Gene Kelly ever since.

So this is a post of thanks to her for her mad ideas which always end up being fun, and a shout out to all the rest of you out there who don't give a hoot what people think of you. Nerds and geeks might not all necessarily rule the world like the 90's told us we might, but you sure end up a bit happier at the end of the day.

These gems just look like they should have taps on them don't they?! I spotted them via Pinterest - my latest vice. Go look and get hooked!

Feeling Sluggish

I was browsing the site of one of my long-time favourite illustrators and found this great image.
(I'd avoided it for a while as I was incapable of emotionally distancing myself from some memories...*cough cough* Don't we all have and hate an evil ex?)

Now if only I hadn't been avoiding the site for that while. This would have been a perfect image for a weird little story.
Have you ever had a slug on you? There are a LOT of ads out there at the moment for snail gel and that sort of...ick. I had up until a year ago managed to avoid the scenario quite effectively. Even through all those weird tasks they set you in primary school (don't tell me I'm the only one?). I mean I've been told I'm a bit of an oddball when I get caught calling a little snail cute, but that does NOT mean any amount of wrinkles are going to make me like the idea of one sliming up my skin.

As I was leaving my friends house I reached down to get my bag and saw an ENORMOUS slug on my arm. Not even I expected the way I freaked out let alone my poor friend's dogs.
There was squealing and jumping around and a lot of post-moment gagging, (from me obviously not the pups) as well as the expected cacophony of laughter from those who'd seen.
Thats fine. If you're me this kind of thing happens all the time. Sure.
Now time for the hug goodbye near the gate. Reach up with both arms and... ANOTHER giant slug!
Cue now BOTH of us squealing and hopping around like lunatics.

Would you believe me if I told you that in the five steps it took me to actually get to that gate and leave her garden we found another 2 slugs on my body? It happened.
I should just get used to this kind of thing like the unphased lass in the pic above.
Love her expression, love the colours, love Stuntkid... and now I want her hair.

Had I been immortal...

Had I been immortal I think I would have definitely tried to save all my outfits and made this video!
(also forEVER would have given me time to actually learn these moves... ) In my head all this stuff really happens.

As Diamonds and Dust says on her blog "I can’t stop watching it."
Agreed!

Dots and fulllstops

I started another journal a while back (me and my journal issues huh?) and it reminded me again that I've become ridiculous with writing.
Everything ends on a question? or an outburst! When did I stop expressing myself like a nice normal-toned human being?
Why am I ending everything on an up sound... have I become Australian?
Point is (see what I did there?) that the good old full stop is underrated and I'm going to focus on remembering him in my writing and my speech.

I always used to have the urge to do dot-to-dot with them on book pages. How amazing were dot to dot drawings when you were a kid? Those and those other books where all you needed was some water and a paint brush and an awesome colourful painting would pop out of the page.
I miss them!
Then I found this and now I miss them even more.

Mona Lisa - 6,239 dot to dot drawing from Thomas Pavitte on Vimeo.

Via The Worlds Best Ever 

Now to find out where I can find one for my flat! 

Sorry, I meant flat.

I'm not Knit picky

I love google reader, but mostly I'm glad I'm such an obsessive blog follower!

How else would I have found two beautiful projects, so very different and yet both using knitting?

#1. Ginormous knit used to upholster stools

Claire-Anne O'Brien has used a combination of hand and machine knitting to create dramatically oversized patters as upholstery

#2. Teeny Tiny two-year project

Anna Hrachovec embarked on a two-year project after knitting a tiny brain. She's now made over 100 tiny designs and written patterns for some of them! Amazing madness! If you'd like to read an interview with her there's a great one on Craftzine where I found her.

What I would love to be doing right now is reading a book, with my feet happily resting on THIS stool, and THIS cutie-pie of a donut lovingly attached to a silver chain. (or any of the characters from this big little collection - I'm not picky ;))

Move it or Lose it!

We're moving offices this Friday! FINALLY.

This is something that the powers that be have been dangling as a carrot for, oh, about 2 whole years.
Only thing now is we've been told we can pack a box. One. Each. One box will hold all our notes, files, our "help me remembers", our multi-coloured highlighters and pens so very necessary to survive this office jungle. Most disastrous of all, this box will have to hold all our reference magazines.
IMPOSSIBLE.

I wonder if they'd consider me bringing some chairs with me to my new little "pod person" space.
Hmmmmmmm.

This is brilliant and I think I could do with some at home as well. That might just JUST help me out.


by Sut Kutusu
Via Swiss Miss

Oh Hello Monday. Oh? Uhoh... Boom!

Not a Monday person.
I think that will be one of the things said about me one day when I'm gone.
I'm one of those people whose mood actually starts to plummet on a Sunday evening in anticipation of the horrors I suspect are lurking in the next day.

So this is just a quick post for these beautiful pieces (via The Given Collective) by Zach Johnson.

THIS is what I feel like at the beginning of every week!
(or at least it's pretty damn close to what I keep imagining I must look like when the day's tasks POUNCE! and cause my poor unsuspecting brain to explode.)


Boom.

Better than Barbie or Barney fo' sho

Contradiction...
One of the things I try very hard not to be is a hypocrite and yet some days I find little inconsistencies which tug at my brain going "hey... but yesterday you were moaning about that VERY thing!".

Here's an example. I haven't always been treated kindly by my chosen profession. Design is a harsh and fickle deity to worship and loves reminding you that you'll never quite be able to completely absorb or understand everything. So I hate telling people I'm a designer. Absolutely, utterly, hate it. I always feel like they immediately put you in a box. A very pretty creative box, sure, but I've never really felt comfortable there. Don't get me wrong... I still LOVE design (my posts should show a little of that at the very least), but I find the pressure and other people's expectancy to be cool a bit much. (flashbacks to high school *shudder*)
SO I do what I always do... try to ignore it. Deny it. Only buying things I really like and not things just because they're currently fashionable. Sometimes just plain hiding out in the suburbs helps quite a bit. You know that old trick of signing up to be a library monitor on your first day during lunch because you KNOW it's the wrong thing to do but you love books? - That's what I'm still doing.
Ridiculous? Yes! Childish? Yes. I have no excuse.

So here I am coveting these...
Dammit.



If you like them as much as I do you can get the whole LOT of them as part of their launch special over at Tattly