17 February 2016

When did destruction become ok?

This morning when I woke up I heard on the radio how the students who were protesting at UCT about how there is not enough accommodation for students had set alight a Jammie Shuttle, (the bus UCT uses to transport students to different campus's), as well as set alight a car, burnt some paintings that were in two of the res's and stoned a bus. When I heard this I was completely shocked that people could do something like this. 


When did violence and vandalism become ok? When did setting things on fire and destroying things become ok as a method of proving a point or showing you disagree with something?


When I got to work this morning I saw this on News 24 http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/uct-to-suspend-protesting-students-will-file-criminal-charges-20160217


I really hope that UCT follows through with the criminal charges. They need to show the rest of the students that you can't go around destroying things because you don't like the way things currently are. I remember when I was still studying, like forever ago that if there wasn't space in res for someone they would rent an apartment, do flat share or move into a digs. I don't understand why students should demand res accommodation from the university, let alone be destructive about it. I also know for a fact if we did something like that we would have been expelled, which is also what I really hope UCT follows through with their threats - these students need to learn that they still have to respect things that don't belong to them even when they are protesting about something they don't like.


xKx



16 February 2016

Valentines Day


When it comes to Valentines Day I often just roll my eyes and say it's a ridiculous day. Deep down I am a romantic at heart and I really do like doing romantic things and being swept off my feet by romance BUT when it comes to this day of the year I can't help but roll my eyes. The main reason I get irritated by this day is because it puts so much pressure on guys to perform on this day, to pull out all the stops to make their special girl feel extra special and loved. The shops are full of super expensive flowers, (why must they triple in price???), cards and chocolates. The radio and TV is full of adverts about taking your girlfriend or wife out to a restaurant for supper or going to the beach to watch the sunset ect. etc. What I think should be done on Valentines day is that if you want to celebrate it and do something to make your significant other feel loved and special is to do something that fills their love tank. Do something that they will like, listen to what they don't like about the day and then do something they would like and that makes them feel loved and fills their love tank.


This year David totally blew me away with what he had planned for Valentines day. He planned a picnic in our Garden and my favourite movie. He projected it onto a sheet hanging in the garden. The most special thing about this was that I felt like really heard me when I said I don't want to do what everyone else does for Valentines day. He also did something he wanted to do with me in our garden for a while. He also spoke right to my heart and filled my love tank by spending quality time with me.



 
 


I didn't plan something as wonderful as David planned. I booked a table at Rhodes Memorial because it was the place that it all began again for us four years ago. It's the place David chose when we went on our "first" date on 24 September 2012.


 
To sum up my Valentines day this year, I think it was the best ever!

xKx

 



15 February 2016

27 for Freedom Race

On Saturday, Terri and I did the 5km option of the 27 for Freedom Race, out in Paarl.






The race was a bit random in the sense that it was supposed to be 5km but it was actually 6.2km and it had two water points. I used Strava to record the time and speed of our running and when it said "5km" and we were no where near the end Terri and I were sooooo confused. This also messed with my head a bit because I was mentally prepared for a 5km so the last kilometre was super hard for me and I stopped like a 100 times. I promise I am fitter than that... I also blame the heat for that last kilometre. I took serious strain.


This 5km was the fastest I have ever run - I think that's because Terri kind of set the pace, except for the last kilometre. She's a lot faster than me and fitter. I now know what it feels like to run at the speed I want to eventually reach.







The best part of this race was running with my bestie, as well as the drive there and back. It gave us LOTS of time to chitter chat about life and everything in between.


xKx

12 February 2016

Bye - Bye Facebook


For a while now I've been thinking about and discussing how I want to deactivate my Facebook account. The main reason for wanting to deactivate it was because it stole so much time from my life. I would spend tons of time scrolling through pictures, watching videos and reading random stuff that didn't add any value to my life at all - I would say that it did, but the reality is that it didn't really. I would often discuss with David how I don't want it because I waste so much time on it but then I would be scared of missing out, also know as FOMO and then not do it. For the past few weeks I had deleted it off my phone which meant I would read a real book on the bus and not waste the time of Facebook, but it never really solved the problem of wasting time in general.

This morning while I was on the bus I was thinking about the whole Facebook thing and how it really impacts my life. Besides the standard - it helps me stay connected with family and friends overseas argument, it doesn't really benefit my life in all. I also don't think it impacts it positively either. If I really want to connect with family and friends overseas I can email them or Skype them - I have other mediums of technology available to me, which makes my argument null and void.

I find that Facebook steals real life connecting time from me with my husband. I would spend time on Facebook when I could be talking to him. I think I often look at Facebook before I even say good morning to him... this is not good for connection in marriage. I decided that this needed to change and the only way to do that is to deactivate my account.

Another reason I decided to activate my account is I would get SUPER annoyed with what I would see. At the moment there's a lot of racist , white privilege, and let's slate our president and ruling party posts. This makes me really angry when I see this. As a Christian I am called to honour the people who are in charge - no matter what they do. When I see other Christian people jumping on this band wagon of posts I get really angry. I also don't want to see stuff like that.

I also get annoyed with all the random stuff Facebook makes me look at like adverts. If I want to look at adverts for things I'll go and look. I really don't need anymore temptations to buy shoes etc. from Zando.

The third and last reason why I've deactivated my account it how it sparks gossip. I saw a post by a friend yesterday that got me  questioning something. I then discussed it with David and after thinking about what we spoke about and what I said I was left questioning if it was gossip. I've also started conversations of "I saw on Facebook.... " or been in conversations with people where it starts like that, which could be classified as gossip. I don't like gossip and I certainly want to remove a source of gossip from my life, which is why I decided to deactivate it.

I may let FOMO get the better of me and reactivate my account later today, next week or next month... but for right now I don't want it anymore.

xKx