South African Lingo and Jo'burg by night

While doing a workout tonight I was watching the news on TV but with no sound and it's funny how I recognised Jo'burg within a few seconds of it being shown on TV, I guess you always know your home town.  (Not my birth town though, it was only my home town)  - Here is a picture someone sent me of Jo'burg by night, with the soccer stadium in the front.

Another friend sent me an email for the foreigners coming to the South African world cup.  

Check out the Video beneath which has different ones and is very comical!

40 South Africanisms you should know 

BABBELAS (BUBBLE-US): Hangover. Usage: "Jeez, I had too many dops last night. I've got a hectic babbelas."
BAKKIE (BUCKY): What Americans would term a "pick-up". A two-seater light vehicle with an open rear cargo area. The rear is often used to transport an impossible number of workers who stare back at you in traffic and make you feel awkward and a bit guilty.
BERGIE: Term used for a type of homeless person in Cape Town. Originates from "berg", which is the Afrikaans word for mountain, referring to the homeless people who used to live on Table Mountain but who now live mainly in the city. Pronounce the harsh "g" as if you've swallowed an insect and are trying to clear it from your throat.
BLIKSEM (BLUK-SEM): If you're in a pub and you accidentally spill a beer belonging to a man with a thick neck, he may say: "Do you want me to bliksem you?" Don't respond. Just run. Run for your life. It's the Afrikaans word for hit or strike or punch.
BOET: Means "brother" in Afrikaans. An affectionate (though not too much) term for a friend. It's like saying "dude" or "buddy".
BROEKIES (BROOKIES): Panties or underwear. Usage: "I phuza'd with this girl last night and she came back to my hotel. When I woke up this morning, she was gone but she left her broekies behind."
CAR GUARD: Found in most urban areas, a car guard's office is the parking lot. He keeps an eye on your car while you're at the match, in the mall or at the pub. You're expected to tip him when you return to your car and it hasn't been stolen or broken into. No. That's a lie. You'll be expected to tip him even if it has.
DAGGA: Again pronounced with a harsh "g". Marijuana. Illegal, but admittedly very easy to get hold if you're so inclined. Just ask your car guard.
DINGES (DING-US): An indeterminate, nondescript thing or term for an object whose name you've momentarily forgotten. Like this: "Please pass me my dinges there." "What?" "My dinges. I want to blow it." "You mean your vuvuzela?" "Yes, my vuvuzela."
DOF: Stupid.
DOP: If someone says "Do you want to go for a dop?" always say yes. It means you'll be going for a drink.
DORPIE (DOORPEE): Small town. But no matter how small, you'll always find a KFC. And a pregnant 17 year old.
DOSS: Slang for "sleep". Usage: "Is it cool if I doss at your place tonight?"
EINA (AY-NA): Expression of pain, as in "ouch". Usage: "Ooh, looks like Rooney just shattered his pelvis. Eina!"
EISH (AYSH): Common term that denotes a wide range of emotions from joy and surprise to confusion and anger. When in doubt, use it.
EITA (AY-TA): Casual African greeting, like "Hey". Actually, it's the same as "Howzit".
GATVOL: Literally means "hole fill" in Afrikaans. Means you've had enough of something that's making you angry. Usage: "Boet, I'm gatvol of this ref's bad decisions." Again with the harsh "g".
HUNDREDS: Normally repeated twice in a sentence as in "Hundreds, bru, hundreds." It expresses either total agreement with what someone has just said, or confirmation that your life is all good (eg: "How are you?" "Ah, hundreds, man, hundreds"). Can also be used as a way of simply saying yes.
IS IT?: Actually pronounced "uzz ut". It's a casual way of saying "Oh really?". Usage: "Dude, I saw Messi coming out of a ladies toilet yesterday." "Uzz ut?"
JA-WELL-NO-FINE: Nobody really knows what this means, because it doesn't really mean anything. But we like saying it.
JOL: Party. Can be used as either a noun or verb, as in "That was a lekker jol" or "I went jolling last night and ended up in Fabio Cannavaro's hotel room. It was great. We set fire to it."
JUST NOW: An indeterminate amount of time. If a waiter says "I'll be with you just now", it could mean anything from five minutes, to 10, to never.
KAK (KUK): Literally "shit". Popular uses include "What a load of kak" and "Don't talk kak".
LADUMA: Celebratory exclamation when a goal is scored. For best effect, try to hold the "u" for as long as possible on one breath, so that the "ma" comes out as a desperate choke. Laduuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.ma.
LANK: Beyond cool is lank cool. Also means a large amount of, as in "There were lank vuvuzelas at the game last night."
LEKKER (LAKKA): Great, awesome, amazing.
MAMPARA: Idiot.
MY CHINA: Or just "China". An affectionate term similar to "boet". "Howzit China" is a standard South African greeting. Except when meeting an actual Chinese person. Then you probably shouldn't say it.
MZANSI: Popular term for South Africa. Best describes our country's gritty energy and loud African spirit.
NOOIT (NOYT): Expression of disbelief or disdain. As in "Aah, nooit! There's chewing gum on my seat!" or "When I saw that advert with Ronaldo striking a homoerotic pose in a pair of tight underpants, I just thought 'Nooit, bru!'"
NOW-NOW: Not to be confused with "Just now". Now-now is a much smaller indeterminate amount of time. Hmm. Don't worry - you'll get it.
PHUZA (POO-ZA): A drinking session. "Phuza Thursday" is a noble tradition in South Africa. Try to uphold it while you're here.
ROBOT: When you're asking for directions and someone says: "Left at the third robot," it is not because our streets are overrun with menacing cyborgs made by Japanese scientists. No. A robot is simply our word for traffic light.
SHARP-SHARP!: Okay. This is a complicated one. An expression of agreement. Or a greeting. Or a way of saying goodbye. Or a way of saying "Okay, sure." Or a way of ... forget it.
SIFF: Gross, disgusting. "Check, that guy is picking his nose." "Siff, boet."
STOEP: A verandah or porch.
TEKKIE (TACKY): Common word for sneakers.
TSOTSI (TOT-SI): Not just the name of the Oscar-winning film made by local director Gavin Hood. Tsotsi is a township term for a young boy who's already committing crimes like hijacking cars and stealing. Hopefully not from you.
UMLUNGU (OOM-LOONG-GU): African word for "white man". For a laugh, if someone says "Eita, umlungu!" reply "Sharp-sharp!"
ZHOOSH: Very fancy. A word normally utilised by well-kept women with French manicures who will never, ever understand the off-side rule. Use the word if you must (it feels nice in the mouth), but aggressively avoid these women

Wobbly bits ...

So as those of you who regularly read my blog will know I started at the Gym at the beginning of May, while I was unemployed I was going 3 to 4 times a week and mainly for the aqua aerobics classes and a workout.  The main reason I signed up was Health, I was a smoker for many many years and gave up 5 years ago.  After giving up I had a very bad bout of bronchitis which almost turned into pneumonia, have also had a bit of high blood pressure - so have been trying to follow Patrick Holford's healthy lifestyle and doing exercise.  When I started working on the 8th of June, I had to cut down on the gym visits but have been going regularly twice a week to aerobics and once a week for a workout - and tonight for the first time while doing my bit in the pool, I was feeling round the old body and realised that the wobbly bits were reducing and toning up.  So two months has been all well worth it, now I just have to keep myself motivated!

Today ...

Today was dragging so badly that I decided to note things that happened in my day of any significance and blog about them this evening.

08:30  Firstly my day started off by me flying into work on the M50 doing 120 in a 100 zone, when some idiot cut in front of me who was only doing 100, so I swore at him and flashed my lights brightly - I mean really what idiot does that kind of thing, so as I always do when I eventually get past that person I glare at them, except this time as I was passing I recognised the Rumpelstiltskin red beard.  Oh, oh thank goodness he did not look back, so eyes in front I continued to speed off.  I mean, how was I supposed to know it was my boss, firstly he was not driving his own car but an old banger!  I got to work and 10 minutes later he arrived, not knowing whether he had seen me or not, I thought I had better say something and make light of the situation ... so I proceeded to say, do you like cutting in front of me on the highway, he had NO idea what I was talking about so explained what happened and we both had a good laugh.    But later just before going home time, the director was sitting near my desk and they were talking about the old banger my boss was driving and what had happened to his car and he proceeds to tell the director how I was throwing zap signs at him while I was overtaking him - lol :) gross exaggeration and of course I said now I didn't all i did was flash you, well I should have just kept quiet!

10:30  Looked at my clock on my PC and could not believe I had only been working for an hour and a half, surely 4 hours should have past already.

10:35 Email Dianne and tell her the day is dragging ... I know she sits next to me but there is a partition between us, and there are somethings you just don't want other people to hear.

11:15  Time for a 2nd cappuccino just to waste some time.

12:00  Got irritated again, why do people who sit one desk away from each other phone each other?  I mean I can hear both sides of the conversation, surely they could just get up and walk over to that persons desk??? Can't believe it!  If you don't want people to know you are talking to each other then email each other!

12:56  Only 4 minutes to go before going to lunch with Dianne

13:00  Quickest time I have ever got out of the office at lunch time, jump in Dianne's car and off we go.

13:05  Dianne decides to take the scenic route thereby losing valuable time, but hey what do I know - not my turf.

13:15  Park the car and walk over to the Martello Bar opposite the beach front in Bray - how stunning, sitting outside and it is hot, very very hot.  Order a quick panini and diet coke.

13:30  Food Arrives, have a natter and enjoy food ... gossip about work

13:55  Got to rush back to work, leave the stunning scenery and return to the salt mine.

14:05  Walk back into work, oh dear 5 minutes late and everyone is dead quiet working away, hope no one noticed but just get down to work.

14:15  It's damn hot in the office but noone seems to notice

14:30  Boss comes over to explain something on the system to me.

14:45  Boss says it's hot and proceeds to go and put the air conditioner on higher - thank you Boss, here I am thinking I am having menopause!

15:00  Boss says he has to go and get his car and will see me later.

15:15  Oskar phones, now Oskar is the spanish dude who is a taller version of Manuel from Fawlty towers, werid how he works for the company yet lives in Spain, near Balboa and yet his on the same switchboard,  the technology of today is just marvelous.  So O phones re a bug I registered on fogbugz and wants me to run a script on the sql database, but O speaks with a "Manuel" accent so I have to listen very carefully.  Thank goodness I am always trying to mock accents (not really) so I soon realise that ggg say it like in Afrikaans ggghhh that hard German way, but with a softer tone Ghappy is an "h" or you ggghappy (happy).   Praaaawns are programs, check the praaaawns to see if they are working.  Boooootin is the button so if you click on the boootin the praaawn for the recruitment system on vucansees (vacancies) it should work and you will be ghappy, because ghopefully that will work!!!  Yes it does okay Oskar even though you can't pronounce half the stuff I understood you!

15:30  Another cappuccino - laugh to myself about O and tell someone about my conversation.

16:00  Tested stuff the boss asked me to test and while check my hotmail, boss has come back and sneaked up on me to find out how it is going .... F *&ck need to get a desk at the back!  So fumble over everything, but I actually found a bug that nobody else had, show this to the boss and he is quite impressed, u see you didn't hire me for my looks only!

16:30 How much longer can this day actually go on .... drag drag drag drag

17:30 YAY going home, in the car and off we go - lot more traffic tonight than normal - Highlight of the day, lunch on Bray beach.

17:55  Take the off ramp - loads of traffic, those stupid traffic people have changed the sequence of the robots (traffic lights) and now we are inching forward.

18:10  Eventually pull into the driveway at home, greeted at the door by daughter and hubby to hear all the days antics - D had the day off because Emily finished school for the next 9 weeks!!!

18:15 - 22:00  Skyped in-laws, had dinner, put Em to bed, read her a story from "I Carley" ...

22:26  Finishing this post and going to bed ... G'night!

Bray Beach Front

Martello Bar

Stunning Photo

I saw this photo on : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1290289/Greece-lightning-Ancient-Parthenon-lit-storm-breaks-Athens.html how stunning is that:

Controversial Vuvuzela's

Was it growing up in South Africa, that I actually don't even notice the noise from the Vuvuzela's, or the fact that I don't really care to much for Soccer anyway!  I seem to remember we never really watched much South African soccer, but the Vuvuzela has always been there. 

 When in conversation about the world cup, and the fact that I am from SA, the topic seems to change immediately to the  Vuvu and how annoying it is etc. etc.  Someone sent me these comic strips today which I thought were quite funny!

Sunny Days

Em and I caught the LUAS in to Dublin to meet Bob & Damo, so we had a nice casual time, stopping off at the Green to feed the ducks, then off to Eddie Rockets for her Milk Shake and then a late lunch with the boys.  We left them at about 7:00 pm and strolled back up to the green, when we got there, there was a young boy who could not have been more than 15 at the most playing the most wonderful piano concerto's.  I recorded them on my mobile phone so must see if I can download.

Wait till I eventually get my new camera, I will be able to record anything!

It's Hot ...

So what am I doing here blogging, well I was just thinking how lucky I am ... husband busy in the Garden, daughter watching TV and I am off to meet the "Boys" at the pub in Dublin town.  I have to be very grateful that I am not married to a jealous husband!   Although I would rather be taking Em to the park or beach, but I haven't seen the boys for so long - I had better go and see what the Mad Feckers have been up to!  I will report back.  Enjoy your day.

Okay, so back from my afternoon with the boys, decided to take Emily with as it was such a beautiful hot day, and I don't get to spend that much time with her anymore.  I don't think the boys minded too much, we ended up at the Gourmet Burger Kitchen, behind powers court and managed to get a table outside.  Em was very bored but the boys managed to occupy her by getting her to draw pictures.  She was actually very good, sitting for almost 3 hours with adult conversation.

Kindness

The Circle of Life

Week 3 of new Job, wow I can't believe I have been working for 3 weeks already it just doesn't seem possible. We are trying to get ourselves into a type of routine, but don't know how long it will last - the nights just seem to be so short.  As it is, it is now 22:36 and I know I should go to bed because else tomorrow I am going to be tired, oh well it's Friday and maybe it will be quiet, but maybe not.

Up at 6:15, shower, dress and in the kitchen by 7:00 in between fighting with Em to get up and get dressed, go down stairs, make coffee for D, get breakfast plates out, cereal for 2, porridge for me, call to Em to hurry up, fight with her to finish getting dressed, 7:30 nag her to get to the car, so endless nagging from 6:30 ish till 7:30 ish.  Once D & Em have left get my lunch ready for work, do odds and ends, check the mail on the computer, out the door by 8:15.

Arrive at work 28km's later at 8:40 work, work, work, work, work, work, work, lunch, work, work, coffee, work, work, work, work - leave @ 5:30 - so Monday & Wednesday off to the Gym and other days straight home to get dinner on the go.  Arrive home @ 5:55 dump bag and belongings, straight to kitchen to sort out dinner.  6:30 D and Em arrive home, homework, bath, dinner, bed - 9:00 pm ME TIME - Blog, read blogs, read mail, facebook, blog, surf, bed @ 11:00 or 12:00 - beep, beep beep, beep beep beep that damn alarm goes off for the next morning - and so the circle of life begins once more :)

No more Yummy Briyani

On Fathers day we had our friends J&C over with J's Mom and Niece, they were really the only South African friends we made when we moved over to Ireland because they are such a genuine nice couple.  No hang ups ! And of course there is baby 'x' who is the most beautiful baby boy I have ever seen in my life, except of course for my godchild Daniel.  

Anyway J made the most divine Chicken Briyani and brought it over, and it must have been one of the hottest days we have had so far this summer.  So we lazed around in the back garden and after, Lunch, desert and tea we went up to the top of the mountain so that Mrs M and T (J's Niece and mom) could see the view over Dublin and Howth, I can't believe it's only 10 minutes up the road from us.  Here are some photos.

We had left over Chicken Briyani for 2 nights, but sadly it is now all finished, have to watch J make it next time so I can make it too!

A year Later

I finally got all our photographs from our Around the world trip into one Photo Book which should be arriving any day, if you want to see the book, here it is:

Happy Fathers Day

DAD YOU ROCK!!!

"M" and I were not very organised this year for Fathers day, so we baked a cake instead, M instructed me how to decorate it and I think between us we did a pretty good Job!

YouTube - Trevor Noah - JuJu

YouTube - Trevor Noah - JuJu

YouTube - Trevor Noah - Julius Melema and Racism

YouTube - Trevor Noah - Julius Melema and Racism

When the sun shines

Living in Ireland you really do appreciate the sun more than most people I reckon, today was another one of those gorgeous days where it was hot and sunny.   I took a drive down to Greystones beach at lunch time, but only had half an hour, so tomorrow I am going to go at one and take my lunch down with me.   There were kids in the water on the beach, people walking enjoying the wonderful sunshine, and the best thing of all, last night it was still light at 11:00 PM, but really only for one more week and then the days start getting shorter again.

I took some photos on my trip today but left them in the car, I will make sure I take them out tomorrow and post them up.  Roll on many more days of sunshine!

Classical Indian Dance - Arts in Action 2010

Classical Indian Dance Performance at Art In Action 2010 from jssvideos on Vimeo.

You Are ...

Slide show pictures from the Soccer World Cup 2010

Waka Waka - South Africa2010

View more presentations from Nubia _.

Soccer World Cup Fever

Even though I detest soccer, I am kind of envious of everyone in South Africa.  There is such a hype and every email I get lately is to do with the soccer world cup.  Every status update in Facebook is about the soccer world cup, even the  adverts for the world cup give me cold shivers and you feel proud that you are South African.  But I guess there would also be load of reasons why I should be grateful that I am here and not there, but I am not going to spoil the atmosphere by listing them :) so here are a few pictures I have been sent from my friends in South Africa!

Read the small print.A Giant vuvuzela

I owe, I owe it's off to work I go ...

So from working half day for the past 2 years, I have suddenly been given a rude awakening into a full day job - with less money than I was earning 9 years ago - but hey I guess sometimes you just have to start at the bottom again!  So yes I am feeling a bit sorry for myself at the moment, but that's life and sometimes life sucks big time!  Now if only I could win the lotto!!!

We woke up to really thick fog this morning, made me think of the John Carpenters movie "The Fog", driving down the M50 onto the N11 at times it was so thick you could barely see 100 meters in front of you.  It was pretty eerie seeing this thick fog amongst the beautiful greenery and not seeing the beautiful view of the beach that I would normally see on my journey.   By lunch time it had slightly lifted, and even driving home this evening at 6:00 PM it was still hanging around, maybe it will be gone tomorrow.

So to get back to work, I pulled out all the stops and wore my best interview dress for first day on the job, and I should have known - I looked a bit out of place.  My boss was wearing Combat pants, a T-shirt and docs, but now you have to picture this (I wanted to take a picture of him with my mobile but thought I better not).  I have known "G" for a while now, when I first met him I was working alongside him on a project, he is a red head the viking red and had a bit of a bok baard.  As the months rolled on the bok got longer and longer - "G" is probably about 6ft5" so here I am all dressed up to the nines for my first day at work reporting to a Giant viking Rumpelstiltskin - his head is shaved, but his red / grey beard is now about a foot long and I am not lying it could be longer than a foot - So put the picture in your head, Tall, Skinny, shaved head, foot long red / grey beard, combat pants, T-shirt and docs and this is my boss!  My contract says and I quote : "We pride ourselves on being a professional company and therefore require you to carry this through to a neat dress code at all times, thereby mirroring our professionalism in all areas"  

There ain't nothing neat about the way he was dressed!  So I reckon I can get away with wearing Jeans to work every day of my life without a problem, because the minute they say something about my dress I may just have to say something about theirs!

I spent the morning in a training session with Rumple Rambo (wait I think he is actually doing a "ZZ Top" impersonation - because his beard looks exactly like this) and then the afternoon going through the system on my own and by 4 o'clock I was bored, not sure if that is a good thing.  I was waiting for 05:30 to leave and it seemed to stay 4:29 for a very very long time.

I rushed off to the Gym to do aqua aerobics only to find I had the wrong day, enjoyed the swim and sauna anyway.

Joke of the day

What Is a Man?

A real man is a woman's best friend. He will never stand her up and never let her down.  He will reassure her when she feels insecure and comfort her after a bad day.


He will inspire her to do things she never thought she could do; to live without fear and forget regret.  He will enable her to express her deepest emotions and give in to her most intimate desires.


He will make sure she always feels as though she's the most beautiful woman in the room and will enable her to be the most confident, sexy, seductive, invincible ...

              .... No wait...         




I'm thinking of alcohol!!!!

Maritime Festival - Dublin

Since Friday they have had the annual Maritime Festival on down by the Liffy, Saturday would have included the Liffy swim as well.  Luckily we got a chance to go down today for a while and the rain held off for a few hours but that was all.

Townley Hall, Arts in Action

While Emily was busy with rehearsals, D and I walked around and checked out the place.  When we woke on Sunday morning there was beautiful sunshine, but within an hour it had started raining, and as it does in Ireland, it rained and rained and rained.  If I had known I would have taken my wellies and been better prepared, however it was great to be out and about.