Last Friday Party

TKO's Last Friday Part on December 17 2010 featuring: Lulo Cafe, Professor (Jezebel fame) and Oskido! Numbers was BLAZING...Oskido closed the club down after Professor's live performance. It was madness....

Lulo Cafe on the decks

With Professor

With Oskido

Happy Song - DJ Fisherman ft DJ Tira & Big Nuz

It's no secret that I love Kwaito! Since seeing DJ Tira & DJ Fisherman live a couple of months ago, I'm convinced that Tira is one of the best artists in South Africa. This track is from Fisherman's album called The Fish Tank Volume 1 and features DJ Tira & Big Nuz. It's my new pick-me-up song! I love it.

Remembering my uncle...

My Uncle Dalpat & Aunty Aurora

Today is four years since my Uncle Dalpat (Dully) passed away in the Philippines. He is forever missed and remembered.

Lady in Red

Yesterday (Wednesday, December 15 2010) I took delivery of my first car! I'll upload pics soon :)

White Gold: Off circuit in a week?

Image from Google Images

White Gold is a film focused on the history of South Africa's sugar can industry and the migrant workers who left their native land (India) to seek a new life in South Africa. I first heard about the film on TV where various shows were commemorating the arrival of the first Indians in the 1800's.

Being a South African production, I was very keen to see it and was delighted to know that it was in my hometown (EL) starting from last week Friday. Due to other obligations and my mum not being well, we postponed seeing it and made a mental note to watch it next (this) week.

Today seemed like the perfect day, but when we checked the Ster Kinekor's movie listing in the paper, we were disappointed to know that it was already off circuit.

I needed to know why, so we made a call to Ster Kinekor - who told us that if a film doesn't do well within the first weekend, it's taken off circuit. Is this fair? I'm leaning towards no...

Step 1 of Phase 1

Image from Google Images

Today I signed on the dotted line!

Sunset with showers of blessings

I got this shot on our way from Tulsi Vivah at the temple on Saturday (November 20) evening.

Tulsi Vivah

Tulsi (Holy Basil)

Today I attended Tulsi Viva at our mandir (temple). It was my first experience and was curious about its significance. Some of the info below has been taken from here and here.

Tulsi Vivah is the ceremonial marriage of the Tulsi plant to the Hindu god, Vishnu – or his avatar, Krishna. The wedding signifies the end of the monsoon as well as the beginning of the Hindu wedding season.

Mandap (Canopy) for the ceremony

Dispatch Dialogue with Jay Naidoo

Image from Daily Dispatch

Yesterday (Tuesday, November 16 2010) I went to a Dispatch Dialogue with Jay Naidoo.

Lunch at Cape Town Fish Market

With Aunty Bonz and my mum at Cape Town Fish Market

On Tuesday (November 16, 2010) my Godmother, Aunty Bonz took my mum and I out for lunch. It was my first time to Cape Town Fish Market at Hemingways Mall. They have a sushi bar, and I guess that was the only thing that I (kinda) enjoyed - it reminded me a lot of what I used to eat in South Korea! I had a grilled hake with vegetables. My mum's hake was raw in the center so it had to be sent back. Service-wise, a bit shoddy...

150 years of indentured Indians in South Africa

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the arrival of indentured Indians to South Africa.
Here is an article taken from Times Live.

Image taken from Google Images

Tuesday marks the 150th year since the first indentured Indian workers arrived by boat in Durban where curry, bindis and saris are today an integral part of the city. The anniversary will be marked with prayers at 0400 GMT at sea and speeches on the beach.

Moonshine Graduation

On Saturday, November 13 2010, my Godmother's kindergarten (Moonshine) held their graduation ceremony in East London. Aunty Bonita (Bonz) asked me to be the Graduation Mistress so I had to walk the little graduates in, cap them and give them their certificates. I went to the rehearsal on Friday morning, but nothing prepared me for what I saw on Saturday evening. The little people were dressed up in graduation gowns and caps looking so adorable!

In my cap & gown, with Aunty Bonz & some of the graduates!

After the formalities of the graduation, the kids came back into the hall (in partners) and danced. Take a look!

I know Aunty Bonz for my entire life, and I've always known her to be someone with an extra big heart. However, on Saturday evening I saw her not as a Godmother or family friend, but as a Teacher / Mother to all the little children who were graduating from her school. My mum and I both agree that Aunty Bonz touched everyone's heart when she went to each and every child to kiss them goodbye. She pulled off the event with such perfection, and I've already told her that I think she's one in a gaziliion!

Check out this little guy doing a "Michael Jackson"!

Juju by Black Coffee feat. Zakes Bantwini

After last week's Channel O Music Video Awards when Black Coffee & Zakes Bantwini performed this live, I love it even more!

Diwali 2010

To everyone celebrating Diwali:

May peace, love and light enter your homes and hearts on this auspicious day!

This year is particularly special for me, as it's the first time in 7 years that I'm at home with my family on Diwali.

Herschelle Gibbs offered a Bollywood role

From Bollyspice.com

Image from Google Images

Herschelle Gibbs, former South African cricketer has revealed in his autobiography, To the Point that he has been offered a "lucrative role" in a Bollywood movie.

"A totally unexpected surprise came my way recently when I was offered a role in a Bollywood movie that will start filming at the end of May 2011. I'm not sure what the part is or what I'm supposed to do, but my agent has told me it's very good money for only a day's work," Gibbs wrote in his book.

Saying that "India is always full of surprises", Gibbs says that he is not interested in playing a negative character and would first find out more about what his role entails. He wrote, "Playing a bad-boy cricketer who gets involved in a match-fixing probably won't be the smartest career move."

Gibbs has said that he loves going back to India. The former Proteas batsman stayed away from the country for about five years in fear of being arrested by Indian police, who wanted to question him about his role in the 2000 Hansie Cronje match-fixing debacle. "I always used to love coming back to India as it is - especially after the match-fixing issue was settled and I knew I wasn't going to be arrested the minute I set foot in the country," he said.

The autobiography has caused a great deal of controversy in which the veteran batsman has made "startling revelations", the main one being of his sexual escapades while on tour with the South African cricket team in Australia. He also revealed behind the scenes of the 2001 dope-smoking scandal in the Caribbean.

The controversy has gone legal, with South Africa's cricket board asking its legal counsel to investigate the allegations that were made.

Last Friday Party

This was my first Last Friday Party, and I was excited as ever. The event was going to be Jozi DJs vs Durban DJs and the line up included: Fistaz Mixwell, Christos, DJ Tira and DJ Fisherman. Numbers was packed to capacity that they even had to close the door and refuse people in! I spent the whole night in the DJ box - which I think was a safe & wise thing to do! Fistaz didn't make it after all, but OH HOT DAMN! The other DJ's sure made up for it. My brother and I both agree that Tira isn't just a DJ - he's an entertainer and performer. Loved his set!

After the gig, I tweeted a bunch of things with the hash tag Things I Learned Last Night:

...you can get high JUST on music.
...how much I really love Kwaito music.
...that DJ Mo exists in different sizes and forms (and different names) > Intersexions
...sometimes I'm safer jamming alone in the DJ box.
...I have no tolerance for jezebel's after midnight.
...saying I'm the DJs sister will make guys take a back step - literally.
...you get DJs and then you get DEEJAYs.
...I STILL don't get what's behind wearing shades in a club.
...It's pointless trying to rationalize with a girl in a blonde weave at 04:30.

Sylvia - Our Maid

Sylvia with her baby, Ziyanda

This post is just a ramble.

For the purpose of this blog, I think I need to define a few terms (from The New Penguin Dictionary)

Domestic worker

A person employed to do household tasks.

Helper/Help

1) Aid or assistance.

2) Somebody hired to do work, esp housework.

Servant

Somebody who or something that serves others specif. somebody employed to perform personal or domestic duties for somebody else.

Maid

A female servant.

Job: 

A regular paid position or occupation.

Some people dislike the term "maid" (Is it derogatory? If so, why?) so they opt to use "domestic worker" or "helper". Without wanting to offend anyone, I sometimes find myself using "domestic worker" and "helper" when talking about Sylvia, who works for us. This morning I got to thinking "What is wrong with the term 'maid'?" 

I actually asked Sylvia what she preferred: "Domestic worker", "Helper" or "Maid"?

"Maid or Helper is OK. I don't like that word Domestic Worker. I'm hearing it on the TV, I don't like it," she told me. (She didn't say why)

So I will use the term "maid".

Sylvia used to work at a plastic factory and about 9 years ago, she found herself unemployed. At that time, our previous maid, Victoria, passed away so my mother was looking to employ someone else. By word of mouth, Sylvia came to our house for a job and with no experience of running a household, she was employed.

Sylvia loves fashion and my mum and I have given her a lot of clothes, jewelry and make-up which she wears on a daily basis. Apparently, her friends ask her, "What does your ma'am say about you dressing like this?" to which she replies, "My ma'am makes me smart!"

This morning was like any other. I was having breakfast with my mum when we buzzed Sylvia in. We complimented her on her jewelry and colour combinations that she had on today. 

Then my mum told me about someone we know who was looking for a maid, so Sylvia's sister, Cynthia who was looking for a job went to this lady's house. "Not even a day or two she worked there, and said no, she (Cynthia) is too fashionable."

"She fired her?" I asked my mum.

My mum nodded.

This woman fired her maid, because she was "too fashionable".
Tell me, have you heard anything more ridiculous?

I think you should appreciate that someone takes the time and effort to look presentable when working for you. Don't you agree?

Chatting to Sylvia this morning, I asked her why she chose to work in a house when she never did before. 

"It's a job," she said.

"Do you like it?" I asked.

"Ooooh - I like it, the people are so good, so I am happy. When I come to your room, I want to clean it and make it beautiful with all my heart." she told me. (...and she really does!)

She told me that she's grateful for the things my parents have helped her with. Her daughter who was 20-something passed away a month or so ago and my parents helped out with the funeral. She also has a teenage daughter and a one year old who my mum also helps out with by buying her things or taking them to the doctor.

I asked Sylvia why she dresses up in the morning only to come to work and change into an apron...and then at 15:30 dress up again to head straight home.

"For the people in the street. I want them to see me. I have a job," she said.

I do consider Sylvia part of our family and the way she dresses to and from work is actually no business of ours, but I'm proud to say that she works for our family.

To be brutally honest, I feel ashamed to say that i know someone who fired her maid for being "too fashionable".

As Twitter friend, Kagiso said this morning: "Being a maid is just a job like any other". 

Unpacking & Realizing: Less is More

When I decided not to renew my contract with my employer in South Korea, I knew that I had a mammoth task ahead of me. I had to pack up three years of my life which was crammed into a studio apartment. I started the process in June and sent quite a few boxes to South Africa so that it would reach here by the time I got here myself (August/September).

Well, some of the boxes have arrived. To be quite honest with you, I can probably list 10 items that I know are in there (and that I'm kind of missing). Otherwise, the other things...I can't remember what I've packed!

I know that there are a lot of my clothes (winter clothes are bulky), books, teaching materials and music CDs. But that's about it. For all I care, the other "knick knacks" could be tossed away and I wouldn't even miss it!

I planned to tackle the boxes this morning (Monday, October 18 2010) It's a beautiful sunny day in EL and I'm in the mood to LET GO of many things. So I opened the smallest box first and found manuals for my camera, a fancy umbrella and some teaching guides. I had no idea where to begin and what to unpack first. So what did I do? I came back inside to write this blog!

I've always maintained that before moving onto a new adventure, you need closure of your last one. By clearing out my boxes and kind of 'wrapping up' my life in Korea, only then can I look forward.

This also got me thinking - I have more than what I actually need. I won't say that it's all clutter, because at the time (in Korea) of course, I needed things like teaching guides, maps and such. I tried to have minimal things in my apartment, but when you're like me - who collects books and gadgets, they're bound to accumulate. I have manuals, cables and chargers for things I don't know I own. When I go shopping for ONE make-up item, I end up with a bag full of free goodies which I have no idea how to use. It's all unnecessary. I also got a lot of gifts from colleagues and my student's parents - some of which lie dormant and up as dead weight in my life.

So let me get back to it. I intend on giving a lot of things away. I don't need two or three of something when just one will suffice.  After all, less is more.

InterSEXions - Do you know your lover's lovers?

                                Google Images

Last night, Tuesday October 13 2010 was the premiere of a new educational drama series on SABC 1. Titled Intersexions, viewers will understand how our lives are all somehow connected and that our paths cross in one way or another. This becomes even more complicated when when we become sexually active and our "network" extends to people we don't even know of.

The punchline of the series is "Do you know your lover's lovers?"

The opening scene of the first episode introduces us to a career-driven woman who, in her wedding dress, is on her phone closing a business deal. Moments before she is about to walk down the aisle, she receives a message on her answering machine. It's her ex-boyfriend who tells her that he is HIV positive. 

What should she do? Call the wedding off? Walk down the aisle anyway?

She does the latter. On their wedding night, she's cold and tells her husband that she's just tired. A few days later, he confronts her about not being intimate since their wedding night. She lies and tells him that she's pregnant.

As the saying goes, the truth will always come back to haunt you...and it does. Her husband soon finds that she and a well-known DJ (whose HIV status is known nation-wide) were lovers and he storms out the house in a rage. 

She tells the doctor that she isn't the kind of girl to sleep around and that she can count her sexual partners on one hand. She's told, "It's not about how many sexual partners you've had. Do you know who your lover's lovers were?"

Each episode will present different characters and situations, but the core theme will remain the same which is making viewers aware of the risks involved with contracting HIV.

Says Producer, Karima Effendi of Curious Pictures, "The onus is on each individual to take responsibility for their sexual choices. Intersexions does not judge; it simply tells stories that show how the risk of being infected with HIV is always waiting for an opportunity to take root. we can minimize infection by becoming more conscious of our sexual choices and our everyday decisions."

A central theme of the series is honesty...to ourselves, our family, friends and most importantly, to our lovers. Our lives are intersected at various times in our life, and if we don't take the necessary precautions we may very well be faced with a life and death situation sooner than we ever hoped for.

'The Arch' celebrates his 79th birthday & his retirement

Today, Thursday, October 6 2010 marks two milestones. Archbishop Desmond Tutu celebrates his 79th birthday and it is the day that he bows out of public life.

Happy Birthday and God Bless!

'The Arch' turns 79 today                                            From Google Images