Ticket to Ride

Heard this on the radio the other day. I prefer the Carpenters cover (bite me) but whichever; a groovy song, baby. Yeah. This and Eleanor Rigby...where were you when this..., etc? Or more likely, were you when this...?

I think I'm gonna be sad,
I think it's today, yeah.
The girl that's driving me mad
Is going away.
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
She's got a ticket to ride,
But she don't care.

Larson....say no more.

Posted by Hello

Magaliesberg Scenery: Winter

This is one of my favourite places in South Africa. Only about an hour from Jo'burg itself, this is on the Trans-Kalahari Highway, the main route from Gauteng Province to the Atlantic at Swakopmund in Namibia; a 18 hour drive.
This choked with memories for me...some wonderful, some bittersweet, all good.

Posted by Hello

Magaliesberg Express

SA still has a few steamers. You can spend the day on this old girl, a round trip from Pretoria (now Tshwane) to Rustenberg, stopping for a chichi lunch at Magaliesberg village.

Posted by Hello

BlueGirl Scores....Twice!(!)

BlueGirl got first semester results today; a distinction for Constitutional Law--that's >80%--and a 70% for Roman Law. Contextualising, drop-out rate is probably 70%.
This is one smart young lady. I do hope that when I become a man of leisure, she'll be able to keep me in a style to which I would like to become accustomed.

BlueBoy Scores!

.....and the crowd goes wild!
Yup, BlueBoy fancies himself as a bit of a soccer player. At 6'4", he's got the stuff--just a bit skinny, looks like someone stuck a coathanger between his shoulder blades. He's nicked my fave sweatshirt, an grey thing that was a prezzie, and it hangs from him ne'er touching flesh beneath the nipples.
Be that as it may.The man plays soccer for a club as well as school--Old Parktonians--right midfield and he's the youngest on the team. Unless you're called 'Beckham' or something, right-midfielders don't score that often. BlueBoy has established himself in the starting line-up after a few months, but there was always something missing, something not quite there, y'know?
No longer.
It wasn't a 40 yard net-burster, didn't curve away from the 'keeper, leaving him clutching at fresh air, cussing the universe--no--more of a side-foot flick-in, but isn't most of life about being at the right place/right time? They all count.
He's validated. He knows it. It's a wonderful sight.

Watch this space...coming soon; BlueGirl becomes LegalBeagle

Two utterly unconnected thoughts on Beauty and Sneezing

Helen of Troy was something of a Babe, not so?
I'm led to believe that it was she-or more correctly her face--that was so beautiful as to be sufficient to launch a thousand ships.
SO, what if one is a) female and b) a bit lacking in the visage department; such that one is only able to launch a single vessel down the slipway?
Assuming that beauty is a metric unit, would said lady then have a beauty quotient of one milli-Helen?

'Sneezing is an enormously powerful bodily convulsion second only to the orgasm in its intensity. Both are difficult to fake with any degree of accuracy, and it's best not to attempt either in an elevator unless you are by yourself or with someone who loves you a very great deal.'

Guy Browning

No, it's not animated....

Posted by Hello

'nother Meme

My uncle once: took me round my home town in a zooty sports car 'pour cherchez les femmes'.
Never in my life: did I expect to see Belgium.
When I was five: I was scared of a foot-high brass knight that our neighbours had. After midnight it came alive and went hunting, you see.
High school was: great. Apart from the snow. And Jane Ferguson never did slip my clutch. (All is forgiven, dear)
I will never forget: walking through Chicago
I once met: King Sobuza of Swaziland
Once at a bar: I was propositioned by a hooker. Called Kevin.
By noon I'm usually: knackered
Last night: I was preparing a presentation ‘til midnight.
If only I had: a finished book manuscript.
Next time I go to church: they will remember me as my wife’s husband, called, er, um Dennis….? Dan? Dick?
When I turn my head left: my neck creaks
When I turn my head right: it doesn’t
You know when I'm lying when: I'm too glib
By this time next year: I’ll look even more like Kenny Rogers
I have a hard time understanding: life, love and the meaning of happiness
If I ever go back to school I'll: study Philosophy
You know I like you when: I touch your arm.
My ideal breakfast is: industrial-strength coffee and a McFlurry
A song I love, but do not have is: Brown-Eyed Girl.
If you visit my hometown, I suggest: that you meet me in Sandton Square, we’ll get lunch and then catch the shuttle to Cape Town
Why won't anyone: buy me a return ticket?
If you spend the night at my house: turn on the coffee machine when you wake up, OK?
I'd stop my wedding for: living in sin
The world could do without: The Faroe Islands
I'd rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: stick pins in my eyes
Paper clips are more useful than: George W Bush
If I do anything well: there must be a way to make money out of it.
And by the way: the universe IS watching.
The last time I was drunk: my Aussie buddy and I flattened half a bottle of whiskey watching the sun go down over the Nile.

News de Jour

..and on the South African political front, the Pres Thabo Mbeki FIRED, yes, fired the Deputy Pres Zuma, for having shady dealings with a Durban businessman, Shabir Sheik, who just got 15 years for corruption. Good on 'yer Thabo.
A damned good day for democracy in Africa.
Thabo is a bit of alright. A better man to follow Mandela you couldn't wish to find.

Blue gets ASDL.*gug*

Blue gets 'Seventeen Days'. 3 Doors Down. Buy this music.
Blue's spawn have minor freak-out. The old fart listening to, like, rock? Like, shew! They are threatened. I encroach on their territory. And for those who thought that Blew only lissened to Groban--neener, neener. Head-banging, neew--I'd pass out, but close enuff, right. All praise to The Wheeze for the inspiration. (LOVE your work.)

Blew does 3 day international conference. They laughed, they cried etc. etc.

"Thenk you, thenk you ver' much."

I'll be here all week.

Just a little bit too much

It's just becoming far too easy to find fault but this
juxtaposition is too much for even my iron constitution. Granted, there is perhaps an arguement about providing aid using different means. Even so, one would have thought that somebody might have put a rather better PR spin on this.
On the other hand, perhaps GW just couldn't give a rat's arse. Yet again, if Georgy Porgy can't take care of social support in the US, it's a little bit too much to expect him to pay any attention to these kids a million miles away.

Up the 'Pool!

Posted by Hello

*ker-ching*

Posted by Hello

Michael Owen

*sniff*
please tell me,
*wipes runny nose*
that somebody, anybody
saw Mike Owen put three goals past Colombia in soccer
*wrings out hankie*
in the US, earlier this week.
I am distraught.

*breaks into stirring rendition of "Land of Hope and Glory"*

My Word!

My Pres. Thabo Mbeki, meets Gorge (sorry) George W Bush? For a whole 45 minutes! How the mighty are fallen. I was tempted to say 'Mohammed comes to the Mountain', but felt that would be grossly inapproporiate, given the circumstances.

Katie...

has given me an idea. Methinks 'Universe Weekly' so I can practice being a pseud, and 'Universe Daily' for more general nonsense.
Hmmmm...