Monday, December 30, 2013

Blog Challenge - Day 29 to 31 of 31 days of Blogging

Blog Challenge Link.


29. Share a photo of something old that has a personal history for you, maybe something that was passed down or has special meaning. Tell us about it and why it’s special.
dont have pictures but my grandmother's old dressing table is pretty special to me. i used to love going through all the cupboards looking for old pictures and things. i miss my gran a lot. 

30. Looking back: Share highlights from 2013. (can be pictures only)
haven't we done this already? oh ok... afrikaburn, new job, new love interest (although not to be fulfilled) and finally got rid of every ex-thing. freedom for 2014. 

31. Share some of your goals or resolutions for 2014
be more me... as weird as that sometimes can be. the weird ones are more interesting anyway.
rest more... enough of parties every week.
save more... and try not to give all your money away again.
boundaries, boundaries, boundaries... learn to say no more.
and maybe some love and romance.

Happy New Year n stuff.

~anib

Friday, December 27, 2013

Blog Challenge - Day 26 to 28 of 31 days of Blogging

Blog Challenge Link.

26. Share something you are proud of.
I think I'm braver than I think I am. I left a marriage that wasnt really doing anything for me. I survived a miscarriage and came out of a deep depression. I did the eulogy at my father's funeral. I do lots of things on my own. I'm kind and generous. I dyed my hair blue. I'm much more honest about who I am and what I like. I have people that actually know the real me and I've stopped hiding who I am. I'm proud of me... for the first time in a long time. :)



27. Where are you the happiest?At trance parties. I love to dance. I love to be around happy, shiny people. I love the bright colours and general playfulness. I love meeting new people and forming new friendships. I love being out in beautiful nature. It's just a beautiful place to be. And it's made me a much happier person in so many ways. 

28. Share something you are looking forward to in 2014.
Not sure, really. I think 2013 was a challenging year but I'm glad I came out of it smiling. I'm pretty happy with life at the moment and just would like more of the same... with a bit more romantic love, of course. 

Happy Holidays.

~anib

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Blog Challenge - Day 23 to 25 of 31 days of Blogging

Blog Challenge Link.

23. Write about someone who inspires you.
Hmm... I've been asked this question before... and I've been stumped. I admire lots of different people for lots of different qualities that I dont have. I admire strong, beautiful, intelligent, opinionated, witty and successful women because I want to have a bit of all of that. I admire men that are kind and good-hearted. There isn't really one person that inspires me to be better but I am lucky enough to have a few people around me that want the best for me. That's good enough for now.


24. Pick a picture or quote that speaks to you and explain why. 
Just one??? :) On StumbleUpon, that's all I would do all day. I'm trying to use my words more than images these days because pictures can hide many things. So, if you want to know what images "speak to me", check out my pinterest.

This currently speaks to me because I now have mermaid hair. Mermaids have always meant something to me. Something about being a fish out of water.... and too emotional. 



25. Post a moment from your day 
This Christmas, it's all about my niece and goddaughter, Haley. Merry Christmas, baba.


And to all a good night.

~anib

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Blog Challenge - Day 20 to 22 of 31 days of Blogging

Blog Challenge Link.

What is your favorite time of the year and why.
i cant think of a specific time of year that i dont like. 
i like summer and winter for different reasons. 
there are good and bad memories throughout the year so.. it's all good, i guess.
appreciate the time you have. 

Share something you are struggling with right now.being without love. or, more specifically, being without an intimate partner or even a potential love interest to love and/or love me. i worry sometimes that i may forget how to love again... or that, maybe, i never ever knew how anyway.

Write about things that make you uncomfortable.
secrets from the past.
ex husbands.
miscarriage.
that's enough, thanks.

~anib

Blog Challenge - Day 17 to 19 of 31 days of Blogging

Blog Challenge Link.

Post a photo of your handwriting
really? um... will get back to this one. 

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
flying. not a fan of walking or driving.

Go to a coffee shop. Order your favorite drink/snack, and write about whatever you feel like. (A life lately post, what makes you happy, what makes you sad etc.)
how about i just stay home and do this?

well i'm writing this at 12:10am 21.12.2013. 
last year, we were celebrating the end of the world on 21.12.2012. 
today i will be attending the love and light party. 
that's how my life has turned out.
yesterday was our team staff party and it was just awesome.
tomorrow i have "trance friends" at my house and it will be awesome.
i have family here and a new niece. 
i have health and happiness.
this is all i wanted.

xx

~anib

Monday, December 16, 2013

Blog Challenge - Day 14 to 16 of 31 days of Blogging

Blog Challenge Link.

14. What is the last book you read? What was it about? Do you recommend it?
I'm not very proud of it... but I dont really read anymore. I really cant remember the last book I read. 

15. Creative writing day: write a short fictional story that starts with the sentence “It was time. She had fought against it for too long…”
She needed a change. She wanted a change... now. But she was afraid. What if what she wanted was wrong? What would people say when they saw her? Would they accept her for daring to be different? Would she be able to look at herself in the mirror and smile again? She didnt know. And she didnt care. She had been careful and safe her whole life. She wanted this. She reached out to the hair dye... and took the leap. Blue hair!

16. A “day in the life” post.
Well today is a public holiday in South Africa so not much is happening. Yesterday was madiba's funeral which was sad and emotional. Tonight, my brother is arriving from Joburg with his wife and baby and I'm pretty excited to see my niece for the first time. I put the xmas tree up last night so now it's starting to feel a little like the holidays. So I guess I should go get some holiday shopping done today. Happy reconciliation day!

~anib

Friday, December 13, 2013

Blog Challenge - Day 10 to 13 of 31 days of Blogging

Blog Challenge Link.

10. Post your favorite movies that you never get sick of watching
The Wizard of Oz - life lessons every single time I watch this. "You had it all along, Dorothy."
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - super romantic to think that someone would never forget you. 
Bridesmaids - stupid funny. 

11. Write something someone told you about yourself that you will never forget (good or bad)
"You are awe-ful." as in awe-inspiring. heh. 
"You have nice child bearing hips." and yet he never wanted kids with me. 
"You're very brave."

12. What are your top 3 pet peeves?
stupidity.
arrogance.
rudeness.

13. What is the best (or your favorite) moment(s) in 2013
oooo... Afrikaburn and the magic around getting my ticket, getting there, being there, butterflies (!) and my life afterwards. Got retrenched (which was a huge blessing in disguise) on the day I got back and got two great jobs after that. Makes me a bit nervous about Afrikaburn 2014, to be honest, because it wont have the same magic. So I'm still undecided about going again. We shall see. 

~anib

Blog Challenge - Day 7 to 9 of 31 days of Blogging

Blog Challenge Link.

 7. If you could live in any time period, when would it be and why?
I think the hippy 60's. Most of that stuff is fashionable again and I think I'm a hippy at heart anyway. Would be cool to be part of an era that had a real effect on the world. Everything now feels derivative and plastic. 


8. Favorite photo you’ve taken (or top 3)
I love pics of nature and my friends and family. But here are a few other favourites.
Afrikaburn heart
Blouberg Table Mountain
Helsinki sunflower
DSCF4498

DSCF3580
DSCF2087

9. Tell a story from your childhood.
Other than the Dolly and the Rockers trauma, I will say that as children we had a pretty active imagination and used our grandmother's garden as our fantasy world. We would often play farm farm, turning the garden into a working farm and going through all the seasons. We did everything from snuggling together when it snowed in winter to harvesting our crops in summer.We would also do our own broadcast of "Good Morning, South Africa", where we did our own interviews, news, weather and even aerobics.. with the dogs being our props. Quite an adventurous bunch we were (my cousins and my brother and I) but I remember every detail of the imaginary world we created. 

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Blog Challenge - Day 4 to 6 of 31 days of Blogging

No time for fancy things... I'm already far behind so let's get through this.

4. What is your favorite comfort food? Post the recipe!

oh honey... i dont cook... very well.
i prefer eating out at restaurants. comfort food would generally consist of junk food like kfc. 
otherwise if i am home and need a quick meal, i love toasted cheese sandwiches or  popcorn or "yellow stuff" (creamed corn) .

5. Post 10 songs you are loving right now

also a difficult one. currently my fave music is trance but dont really have a particularly favourite track. my music tastes range from fado to pop music. i love music. i'm just not sure that i have too many currently popular favourtes but these are running around my brain at the moment:


  1. Karen Zoid,  Want as ek droom - Song that I discovered via my friend D. Makes me feel brave.
  2. Pink, Just give me a reason - Because reasons.
  3. Katy Perry, Roar - of course.
  4. Jolene  - I really want to like Miley but I just cant anymore. Dolly is still the queen of this song but hat tip to Miley for this version. 
  5. Hannah Hart, Cheese Pleasin Me - Because HANNAH HART 4 EVA
  6. Avici, Wake me Up
  7. The Dresden Dolls, Coin Operated Boy
  8. Gaga, Applause
  9. Wolfsheim - Ken Zuruck
  10. BoyceAvenue - Use Somebody


More here.

6. Post a picture of your favorite outfit. Bonus points for details

um..... well i prefer wearing dresses in summer and most of them are bright and colourful. but this rainbow jersey is a bit of a fave and always cheers me up. so much so that i now wear it sparingly so as not to lose its magical powers. 

~ anib

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Blog Challenge - Day 1 to 3 of 31 days of Blogging

I could write something personal and touching but I have a therapist for that. And I just dont want to talk about what I'm thinking or feeling these days. So... let's try this: A blog challenge for 31 days... that will not be updated daily. But we'll see how it goes.


Born in Woodstock. Grew up in Maitland. Schooled in Goodwood. Lived in Bellville, Parow, Plumstead, West Beach and now back to the 'wood.

Was top of the class in primary school and high school. Prefect and head girl type. Went to UCT. BCom(Acc). Failed final honours year but got first time pass in Board 1 and 2 and qualified as a CA(SA).

Had one boyfriend in high school (18) that I married when I was 23. He was 13 years older. Got divorced when I was 29 after a year of trial separation. Partly due to an online love interest (me and then him) but also had a miscarriage and related depression. I am still repaying his debt (our home loan). He has disappeared.

Quit my job at the time and was unemployed for almost 2 years. Took a massage class. And did pilates. Met a boy that was serious. And then met a few other boys that weren't.  Met a man that made me pay for everything including his bail money. Took him to Mozambique too. Paid for everything.

Met a trance acquaintance at ex-boy's wedding. Went to trance parties more often. Met lots of interesting people. Have a new family that loves me for me. Went to Afrikaburn!

Father died in May 2012. Went to Portugal that year to visit family and to Helsinki (to meet a man).

Have a new job now that interests and excites me.

I smile a lot more easily these days.

~249 words

1. dancing
2. making someone smile
3. toasted cheese sandwich
4. kissing
5. the colour pink
6. youtube
7. the wizard of oz
8. earbuds
9. laughing
10. lindt dark chocolate balls.


Hard one. Not a lot of pics that I like of me but trance parties have made me look good with bright happy pics of me all over the place. The truth is, I dont always feel super happy. But this pic from Origin 2013... I was pretty happy and relaxed. I made lots of new friends and had fun.Also... the happy hat made its début at this party.



Next update in a few days time. Have Vortex this weekend. :)

~anib