One. Everyone seems to start with this one. I was born in the Mary Font Hospital, Pretoria, on the 1st April 1981 by caesarian section. Yes, and I do get the April Fool thing every year, folks!
Two. Dexter-sinister factoids: I'm left-handed, but use scissors made for right-handed people. I wear one contact lens, in my left eye, to correct short-sightedness. The right eye has perfect vision.
Three. Seeing Depeche Mode in concert
at Wembley Arena was the highlight of my year.Four. In 1989 I fell down part of the waterfall at Klein Kariba. That was the day I broke my left leg (see point two).
Five. Kate Atkinson is my favourite author. I'm dying to read her new novel, One Good Turn
, but need to finish my thesis first. It will be my reward once it's all over.Six. I like going to movies on my own, but definitely feel uncomfortable sitting in restaurants alone. Maybe it's because I don't smoke? What do you do with your hands?
Seven. Christmas makes me melancholy. Easter is a much more guilt-free religious holiday (it's kind of the point of Easter, isn't it?).
Eight. In 1997 I was presented with a HAT by Prof. Elize Botha for being the overall winner of the Afrikaans Expo. The following year, one of my poems was read aloud at the award ceremony by Jannie du Toit. These were proud moments for me.
Nine. I dislike passionless people and zealous extremists in equal measure. But I think I hate bureaucrats most of all.
Ten. I lived in Pietermaritzburg from 1989 to 1993 and have fond memories of biking around the Ferncliffe Nature Reserve and the Sappi plantations.
Eleven. I received a Fulbright scholarship to pursue a PhD in the USA in 2007.
Twelve. I cannot stand gem squash.
Thirteen. I'm a closet fan of romantic comedies.
Fourteen. The longest I managed to stop biting my nails is 4 weeks.
Fifteen. People are always surprised by my athleticism. Sports make me tense because I'm competitive and I hate feeling hot and sweaty; that's why I'm not that active. Not because I can't do it, it's that I don't like to feel tense and bothered.
Sixteen. I'm pro-choice, but think each case has its own merit and needs to go through a commitee review process first.
Seventeen. I tend to switch off when boring people talk to me, then snap back and realize that I have absolutely no idea of what they're on about. Bad habit or sanity preservation strategy? Methinks the latter.
Eighteen. My favourite record is Songs of Faith and Devotion
by Depeche Mode, and I've had it for over ten years now. It has this gigantic wall of sound that never ceases to amaze, entertain, intrigue and move me. Each time I listen to it, I discover something new. It's that complex and layered. Like an ogre.Nineteen. Ten thousand six hundred and forty-five is the amount of words so far completed for a humorous novel I started writing in 2000, but now know I'll probably never finish.
Twenty. I'm an obsessive-compulsive hypochondriac. But a sensible one.
13 comments:
So you got the Fulbright then? Cool. Thats awesome.
To your no.18, I'm sure you have a the live version as well - I think I prefer it to the recorded one.
To your no.14, going 4 weeks without biting your nails is an act of utmost self-discipline. I don't think non-nail-biters get that. Also 14 may answer your 6!
ek is SO bly jy't die fulbright gekry! dis fantasties! dis vreemd hoe 'n mens so bly kan wees vir iemand anders se part, al het jy hul nog nooit ontmoet nie.
WoW vir die Fulbright! Bly vir jou.
Rakende jou nommer Sewentien, ek praat stadig, afgemete en deurdag, en vat dus lank om stories te vertel. Mense chip altyd in, of maak die storie vir my klaar (veral my wederhalf). Mag ons dan maar liewer nie ontmoet nie... I'll bore you to death!
Cool lys.
Re six - the South African culture does not allow for people to dine alone. We're immersed in a society that embraces herd-living, and thus anyone who even momentarily excludes themselves from the herd is regarded with bewilderment. Movies are OK, because there you sit in the dark and nobody notices you're alone. I like to go to animated movies alone, and not worry that the sprog sitting next to me and deliriously telling his mother that 'dere's anudder lion!' may be annoying my companions. They don't really annoy me.
And sixteen - my god man, imagine if every case had to go through a review committee in this country! Most of the unwanteds would be born before the committee had even sat.
I am with you on that nail-biting thing, I am seriously considering reading Alan Carr's book and applying the principles to my fingertips.
I am frustrated by the novel dilemma as well, I have a good 7000 words that are going nowhere.
Great list!
You want a committee review process for every case and yet you dislike bureaucracy? :P
I didn't figure you for the religious type... well. Maybe you're not. Maybe you just think about the reason we're celebrating Christmas. I don't. I drink Apple Sourz with my aunts and cousins. I like Christmas. :)
triggermap:
I actually bought the live version before the studio album. I love that as well, especially the thunder and anticipation on Higher Love.
arcadia:
Maar ons het mos ontmoet! (Wel, hier in die kuberruimte, in elk geval).
adam:
As jy deurdag praat, is dit mos nie sommer net nonsens nie. Dan sal ek seker met aandag luister. Dis wanneer die stories met draaie kom, dat ek so afskakel.
karen little:
Yeah, you're right. But on my island, everything will work out perfectly. I just meant to say that each case has its own merit and we shouldn't have just the one procedure and apply it blindly to everybody.
twanji:
My father used to smoke 90 cigarettes a day, and one day he just quit cold turkey. I think you'll only stop when the incentive to bit your nails is gone. Mine is still there.
mike:
I added the bureaucracy thing at the last minute, due to something disastrous that happened to me this week. Think I might do a post on it. And Chrimbo depresses me, because you've been brain-washed by big business about what to think and feel and do, and I usually don't have those feelings and am not interested in doing those things. I refuse to go into religious aspects of anything on this blog.
just wanted to let you know i'm a new reader...and i've linked you!
Hmm.
Okay, I wasnt accusing you of being a Christian or anything!
I like a big family Christmas though. And I don't think it's because I've been brainwashed into doing so by greeting card companies. I just like my family.
And we do our own thing. To hell with turkey and ham, we went and bought pizza last Christmas. :)
congrats on the fullbright......going to a resturant on your own is intemidating, yet going to a coffee shop on your own is liberating.....go figure
Where in the US will you be?
Well, I've been accepted into Colorado State University, but it's really up to the IIE to place me.
Aangename kennis. :-)
Post a Comment