Atyllah does the 4 x 4 x Far Meme

Sigh. No one gets it do they? I mean, tag Atyllah the Hen for a meme and you must just expect trouble. So trouble, let me tell you is brewing. Last time it was Bonnie's fault, this time it's Laquet's fault. She's tagged Atyllah for a 4 x 4 x Far meme - and I've duly passed said meme on to Ms Chicken with Attitude. Read on at your peril. Me, I've got better things to do like working on a new manuscript. It's over to the alien Chicken.


Hmph, I don't know who she thinks she's calling Alien....
Greetings Earthlings. Ba-kaaaaak! What a corny line, only humans could have come up with it... So, Laquet, you've tagged me have you, dear girl. Such a sweetie. I do love a good meme. Right, let's see what you've sent my way...


Four jobs I've held:
Meet and Greet Officer at the Intergalactic Gateway Portal
Operative for Novapulse Intelligence
Secret Agent to the High Command Division of the Allied Federation of Intergalactic Associations reporting to Uber Agent the Grand High Cluck
Principal Co-Ordinator of Deep Dialogue of the Allied Federation of Intergalactic Associations

Four movies I've watched over and over again:
Crouching Turkey, Hidden Chicken
Chicken Run
Chicken Little
Cow and Chicken

Four places I've been:
Earth
Andromeda
Alpha Draconis
Arcturis

Four places I've lived:
Novapulse
England
South Africa
Andromeda

Four TV shows I watch:
Chicken Trek
ChickenChef
Universal Trekker
As Chickens Go By

Four radio shows I listen to:
I don't listen to radio shows. Radios are so primitive that in Novapulse the only place you'll find them is in The Museum of Ancient Artefacts. If we want entertainment of that nature, we tap into each other's thoughts.

Four things I look forward to:
Granny Were's Mopani Worm and Garlic Casserole
Memes from you lot
Channelings from dear Aunt Aggie
Debates with Agent Double Cluck

Four favourite foods:
Granny Were's Mopani Worm and Garlic Casserole
Corn Fritters
Corncake
Olive oil and garlic

Four places I'd rather be:
At a spa on Andromeda
Strolling on the beach of Arcturis' third moon
In front of the galactic vision screen so I can chuckle again and again at the antics of humanity, especially that really funny human called George
On a deep space mission

Four people I e-mail regularly:
Novapulsian chickens do not need email. We're telepathic.


Right, now, I see I'm suppose to tag four of you. But I tag ALL OF YOU! Yes, that's right, your eyes haven't gone squiffy, you're all tagged because if I take the title of this meme, 4 x 4 x Far - that puts every one of you on the tag list. So, what are you waiting for, get meming!

I'd say try not to do anything silly until we next meet, but I know you can't help yourselves. So over and out until next time.

Meet Bufo Pantherinis

So there I was, clambering out of the pool yesterday when I noticed something very small splashing unhappily. Being one to rescue moles, bugs, spiders and bees from the water, I hastened to the rescue of this small creature... And am pleased to introduce you to a toadlet, one Bufo Pantherinis, the highly endangered Western Leopard Toad.



Although Bufo P is small and innocent-looking at present, he or she will eventually grow to about 140mm - pretty much the size of my hand. At that size, let me assure you, Bufo P is hardly attractive, especially when it needs fishing out of the pool.



For now though he is decidedly cute. If he is a male, he will, come August and with maturity, start to "snore" in order to attract as many females to his side as possible. They, in turn, will swamp the roads as they hop to their heart's desire and signs will go up around the neighbourhood saying "Please drive carefully, Leopard Toads crossing".



Bufo P is, I should add, also rather poisonous on top of his head and smaller pets have been known to succumb after too close an encounter with him.



But for now, sitting on the edge of the pond, under the watchful gaze of Sau, one of the ancient Chinese sages (Fuk, Luk and Sau - the Three Star Gods), he seems fairly laid back - and not at all stressed out at having been handled. Actually, truth be told, Bufo was most reluctant to leave the confines of my hand. Given the peach held in the hands of Sau, perhaps Bufo P will be blessed with immortality...



I doubt he'll stay near the pond, but will hop off into the shrubs to earn his living. One just has to hope that the fine fellow below, a sparrowhawk, doesn't snap him up as a very small snack - though to be honest, Mr Sparrowhawk - yes, he is a male - is far more partial to doves and baby guinea fowl - on which note, I regret to inform you, that not a single guinea fowl chick that passed through this garden this summer made it to adulthood. I can only hope that the four who overnighted with us and were taken off to the World of Birds fared considerably better. It's a tough world out there, in case you didn't know.

So you wanna write, do you?

Two links for you to look at, if you're feeling inclined to write a story or two.

First, Jason of Clarity of the Night is hosting another of his 250 word competitions, this one entitled "Whispers, short fiction contest". As always, Jason's competition is based on a picture, in this case, the one below.


Jason's flash fiction competitions are becoming something of a legend in blogosphere and aside form exercising a bit of creative muscle, you also get to connect with lots of other bloggers. It's fun, give it a whirl. Rules can be found here. Deadline is 27th February 2008.

What me? Yes, of course I've written something - you can find it HERE. It's called The Oneness of the Infinitree.

And then I found this via Minx and Kat Campbell on Peach's site


Entitled "You're Not the Only One" it is about connecting bloggers and raising money for charity.

Peach says this on her blog:

We would like you to submit (to us at bloggersforcharity@yahoo.co.uk) a written piece about something you've been through from any aspect of your life that you want to share. It can literally be about anything: your relationships, your past, a road not taken, being a parent, an illness or your regrets etc. We've called it "You're Not The Only One" to reflect the camaraderie of blogging.

Proceeds will go to WARCHILD, a UK based charity that helps children all over the world. The book will be published through lulu.com. This is a no upfront fee internet publishing site who will take £4.70 per book sold if we make it no longer than 200 pages. We're pricing the book at £9 so £4.30 will go to straight to the charity. Because the cost lulu.com takes goes up according to how many pages we want published, we do have to stick to the 200 page limit so we can't guarantee you'll get your submission in for sure and the absolute maximum length for submission is 1500 words (but we’d rather not have too many at that length. In fact you may stand more chance if your piece is on the less wordy side).

Deadline is 29th February 2008. Rules can be found here.

So, what are you waiting for, get writing.

And no, I'm not sure yet what I'm going to submit to Peach - I might submit this, or I might write a new variation on the same theme.

A Novel Update - it's only really the beginning

Wha-a!?... Aaaargh... Dazed, dopey and delirious. Believe it or believe it not, the edits (yes, there is more than one editing process) are finally finished. If I don't sound over the moon it's possibly because that's just the second leg of the journey done.

See, it goes like this. Write first draft of manuscript. Let it brew - go and read someone else's books. Come back and rework it. Get some constructive critique partners to take a look at Draft Two it for you. Read their comments and suggestions and work with them making relevant changes as you see fit. Read the manuscript. Read the manuscript out loud - you cannot believe how important this is and the difference it makes. Capture all changes. Read the manuscript again, try to chase away any gremlins that snuck in while you were drinking your tea. Take a day off and start to panic.

Now begins the next leg of the slog - and it's scary.

Write the synopsis. Not ten pages for your 90 000 word novel but about 500 to 700 words - no more than two pages - max - for your 300 page manuscript. Spend almost as much time writing your synopsis as you spent writing your novel. Work yourself into a lather, tell yourself not to panic. Go out to lunch, get out to lunch tattooed on your forehead. Yes, you may well start to go mad. Your synopsis, after all, has to capture your plot, reveal your characters and location, it must show motivation, conflict, turning point and resolution. And yes, in just a page or two.

Write a query letter. This is a nightmare come true. In just three paragraphs you have to persuade someone to request your full or partial manuscript. You get one shot. You have to hook them - your life, your writing career depends upon it. You have to tantalise them with your story and tell them a tiny bit about yourself - if it's relevant. Oh yes, and thank them for reading your letter. The query letter will go to those agents and publishers who are too busy to receive standard submissions.

Write a covering letter. This is as bad as the synopsis and the query letter. The covering letter will go to those agents and publishers who will accept a synopsis and three sample chapters - i.e. what is generally referred to as a standard submission. It is what it says it is, a covering letter giving a brief outline of your story, how long it is, what genre it is.

There are loads of resources on the internet - and there are examples - and you'll find that what one agent/publisher likes by way of an approach, another doesn't. For goodness sake, do your homework.

And this means...

Research and shortlist agents. Do they represent the sort of stuff you've written? Are they taking on new writers? Do you feel you can work with them? Thank the goddess for the internet or this would be a nigh well impossible task. Do they want a query letter or a standard submission? What are their submission guidelines? Read and re-read their websites.

Research and shortlist publishers. Do they publish the kind of stuff you've written? Do they want more of the same or have you just written something they're sick to death of seeing? If so, go out and shoot yourself now. Or put away your manuscript and start again. Do they only accept queries or will they accept a standard submission?

Re-read submission guidelines of your shortlisted agents and publishers - and follow the guidelines - that's why they're there. Adapt your synopsis, covering letter, query letter accordingly. Target your shortlisted agents and publishers and for goodness sake be good enough to let them know you're targeting more than one company. It's the polite thing to do - and if a particular agency or publisher says they prefer exclusive queries or submissions, pay heed.

Get posting, then sit back, have a stiff drink and start growing a thick skin.

And this, my dear blog friends is just the beginning.

Now, did I hear you say you wanted to be a writer? Why on earth would you want to do that?!? Especially when you read what writers earn...

Trekking Down Memory Lane

Image courtesy of the school website

I hated high school. My parents, thinking they were doing the best thing for me, sent me to one of the finest schools in the country. I did so not fit in. I’d come from a small, nurturing school where I was a sporty A Grade student and found myself in a school that was, to my 12 year old perception, huge, cold and frightening. The happy, bright child morphed into a timid, resentful and underperforming teen. Grades plummeted, I refused to participate in sports - and I found myself friendless. My best friend was at another school, having the time of her life and my world felt like it had come crashing down around my ears. I went through high school almost completely alone. Lunch-breaks were spent mostly in the library or sitting outside with a small group of girls – and then ducking off to the library. I never bonded with anyone, was never part of my class. I was there and yet not there, leading some strange half-life.

This weekend I went to my 30th school reunion - and enjoyed myself. Multiple things struck me. First of all, I was acutely aware of how removed I’d been. There were these women sharing memories and events of which I wasn’t even remotely aware. School year books were brought out and laughed over. I didn’t even know that we’d had school year books! It was a surreal experience which left me wondering where I’d been. Then someone asked me who I’d been friends with at school and I had to reply “No one – my friends were at another school.” I was struck then by something I found almost surprising – and that was what wonderful people all these women are. Maybe it has much to do with me finally growing into myself and maybe it has to do with all of us being comfortable in our own skins. 30 years on we’ve all experienced that much more of life - the pain, the trauma, the highs and the lows. I still can’t say that I totally feel like I “belong” (I am missing years of connectivity), but I really enjoyed the time I spent with them. And curiously, I found they accepted me as being part of them. That was heartwarming - and a whimsy little voice inside wondered what school life might have been like.

I think one of the most interesting things was there was little talk of “back then” (it had no doubt happened at earlier reunions) and conversations focused on the here and now, journeys undertaken and experiences shared. The “girls” were not, I discovered, vicious bitches or űber-cool ladies of leisure – they were just regular folk. Sure, some of them I was more drawn to than others, as one inevitably is. Some I had more in common with. Some I didn’t even get to speak to and really wish I had. Overall, I was struck by what nice women they all are.

I’m not given to regrets but I have to confess to just wishing, for a brief moment, that perhaps it could all have been different. High school would not have been such a thoroughly intimidating and lonely place. Then again, perhaps I would not have so much material for teen fiction had it all been that much easier! Silver linings are everywhere.

To give you the other view – beyond natural beauty

click to enlarge image

This is a lengthy post but I hope to give all those who responded to the attack on my mom a cohesive view of some of the things currently happening in South Africa since many of you have indicated that you didn’t realise things were so bad. Consider it an attempt to redress the balance given the images of beauty I usually post. And let me also take the opportunity to thank you all for your kindness, concern and support since the blog post about my mother’s attack. I appreciate it hugely. It’s a strange and wonderful thing this blogging community of which we’re all part. It is truly a community we have going here - and that’s rather special.

It’s been a funny few days, with me worrying about my mom and her, after a couple of days of shock, tootling along as if nothing ever happened – it seems the trauma counselor encouraged her to just get on with it and forget about it all. Frankly, I find this a bit alarming – especially when I really need my mom to consider moving into a security complex of some sort. But this is what staggers me about living in South Africa – we’ve become so accustomed to crime that we just take it in our stride. Things that the rest of you find so appalling, we just cope with. I keep wondering if we’re living with our heads in the sand or if we’ve just been dehumanized by the brutality around us. I suspect it may be a bit of both.

Despite the spectacular natural beauty and the optimism of the majority of people, South Africa is a society that is soaked in brutality which started hundreds of years ago - even before the first settlers arrived here. But then I wonder, isn’t this just in the nature of humanity – all the battling for territory, position and power? Look at Europe, the East, the Americas. Our human history is riddled by it. In South Africa brutality took on new dimensions during the Anglo Boer war when the English held Boers (or Afrikaners – descendents of the original Dutch settlers) in concentration camps, and it reached vile levels during the apartheid era and now has gone on to something I don’t think anyone ever expected. There are approximately 17 000 murders every year, armed robberies are on the increase, we have the highest incidences of rape in the world and people are killed for no reason - whether they live in posh suburbs or ghettos. 50% of South African children suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and only 23% of children feel safe in school.

Of course, the years of brutality, and the impact of apartheid which ripped family systems and societies apart is much to blame. The endemic poverty that has resulted - and which has not been redressed doesn’t help. Drug abuse, gang culture, disempowerment, poverty, unemployment (despite a rapidly growing economy) have all played their part. The gradual erosion of other systems of government is not helping either. Education and Health are in crisis - did you know we import doctors from Cuba because of poor decisions taken by the Ministry of Health? Water Affairs have major problems on their hands with a water contamination disaster, much like the current power disaster, threatened. Land Affairs remains a huge issue with white farmers unwilling to sell or accept government prices so that land can be repatriated to the people it once belonged to. Everyone is affected in one way or another.

I, for example, having been retrenched from my position of marketing director of an actuarial consultancy in 1999 have found it impossible to find fulltime work – because I am the wrong colour. Likewise, I cannot get my novels published here because I don’t write South African based stories and I work in the fantasy genre. In the same breath, there are millions of unemployed black people who cannot find work because they lack the skills and the education system is shot to ribbons because of a “genius” move, between 1994 and 1998, to thin the teaching profession – something the present government is trying to reverse, without much success.

And aside from all that we have the incredibly disparate distribution of wealth - the staggeringly rich sitting alongside the bitterly poor. And yes, while there is a rapidly rising black middle class and a very wealthy black upper class, the masses, “the people”, still live in abject poverty, many in tin shanties with no sanitation, in ghettoes so overwhelmed with crime and gangsterism that it’s hard to know how anyone survives.

One of the ironies of the “new” South Africa is that Affirmative Action* policies and Black Economic Empowerment schemes were created in order to uplift “the people”. The trouble is only a handful has benefited and those who have, have no intention of sharing their wealth with those who do not have – there is far too much status and materialism at stake. I have, sadly, even heard people say that their lives were better off under the old regime – and that I find truly alarming.

To add to this picture, skilled labour – generally white – from whom others might learn, is fleeing the country for greener pastures, better opportunities and safer places to raise children.** One emigration expert has said his international moving business has increased by 50% in the last six months. Of course, those who leave or who want to leave are labeled as “whinging whites” and are actually encouraged to go. And ironically, South African companies are having to import skilled labour in order to fill positions.

Of course, none of the present situation is helped by the imminent election of Jacob Zuma to President of South Africa. He is, after all, a man dogged by scandal. In August 2008, he goes on trial on charges of fraud, racketeering, corruption and money-laundering. His principal financial adviser is already in jail for fraud and corruption. His current financial adviser, brother to the principal financial adviser, has as his body guard one of the most infamous gang bosses in South Africa. The masses view Zuma’s leadership with hope – will this man, considered a “man of the people”, with his strong ties to the trade unions and the South African Communist Party, finally be the man who fulfills their dreams of a better life? It seems unlikely, as Zuma is already showing himself to be a man who will say anything he needs to win over anyone who may be against him, even if it means contradicting himself. And it is worrying to think that whoever offers him the best deal, will be the one to set the path Zuma follows. Disturbingly, he has already called for a clampdown on the media.

Meanwhile division within the ruling party, the ANC is increasing and could result in the paralysis of the country’s development and reform process. Frankly, the fact that the ANC remains as a single party is remarkable, given the broad spectrum of opinions and political views that exist within it.

The problems that South Africa faces astound me. For the past14 years we have tried to build the Rainbow Nation, tried to believe that we could make this work. But now doubt is setting in with a vengeance. There has been a 20% drop in the peoples’ approval of government in the last two years. International investors and watchdogs are jittery, viewing South Africa, almost, but not quite in the same light as Iraq and Pakistan. It seems to me like we are on our way to hell in a handbasket.


* Jobs go first to black women, then black men, then so-called “coloured” (ie mixed race) women, then men, Indian/Asian women, then men and finally white women and then white men. You can bet that after that being white and male doesn’t leave you with many options which is why so many white, coloured and Indian youngsters are leaving the country to seek employment elsewhere.

** One of the difficulties facing many wanting to leave is that South Africa exercises a foreign exchange allowance. Thus one may only take a certain amount of money out of the country – anything else, including pensions, has to be left behind. For a single person this amounts to approximately $285 700.00, at current exchange rates, and for a family of two or more, it amounts to $571 500.00 - and these amounts shift and change depending on government decisions and daily exchange rates. There are also restrictions on the value of goods, such a jewelry, furniture etc that may be taken out. Thus many people leave the majority of their wealth behind and have to start completely from scratch – and for some the prospect of leaving that wealth behind is what forces them to stay – until things get too bad.

POSTSCRIPT: Having re-read this post several times it concerns me that I have not provided a sufficiently balanced view point and so, to this post I would like to add something I've just written to a friend who was bemoaning the "state of the nation".

"It's perfectly true that there is an awful lot of bad stuff going on but... There are those who would argue that for all the things that are broken and breaking, there are other things that are working. There are also those who would argue that the ANC have had a hard time learning to govern and are still learning. There are those who would tell you that millions now have rights where before they had none. They have houses, electricity and water where they didn't. They have freedom to move where they want. The economy has grown in leaps and bounds. People have careers where they were previously unable to do so. There is a burgeoning black middle class where before there could never have been - and their spending ability is huge.
I think the one thing we all forget is exactly what the ANC inherited from the old apartheid regime - fear of transparency, determination to exercise central control, huge amounts of debt, a massively distorted division of land and, public transport, health, education systems that didn't work. The aspects of those systems that appeared to work were all geared toward the white minority - they did not work for the majority. I'm not making excuses for the ANC but I think that in order to get a balanced point of view, which most of us whities forget, it is only fair to look at both sides of the coin and to accept that what the ANC took on was a huge process of reformation, a system in a mess and having to do it with little or no experience in governing.

click to enlarge image

Note: images contained in montages come from multiple sources and special thanks go to Andrew Hagen for the use of some of his beautiful shots.

Happy Valentine's Day and a meme

Love is the enchanted dawn of every heart.
- Lamartine

Wishing all my blog buddies, blog kin and blog readers a very happy Valentines's Day.

Spread the love and have a wonderful and joyous day.

Oh yes, and spoil the loved ones in your life!


With love, hope, happiness and peace,
Vanilla
xxx

PS Atyllah says to tell you Valentine's Day is really just an excuse to eat too much chocolate.

PPS Granny Were says if you don't give her candy hearts and chocolate, she'll come and get you.

Which reminds me, Bonnie tagged me for a meme... which I was supposed to do before Valentine's Day, but I guess Valentine's Day itself is appropriate enough.

smiling faces, sunsets and sunrises, the sun kissing the sea, rays of light filtering between the trees.

brutality, pain, suffering and children crying.

the wind in the trees, the surf on the beach, the first robin's call.

arguments, people screaming abuse at one another and babies crying uncontrollably.

down to the seaside to listen to the surf kissing the shoreline. I love to go into the forest to listen to the wind murmuring through the trees.

to the doctor, the dentist and anyone who thinks they know my body and health better than I do.

crisps/chips, asparagus, salads, salmon sashimi, salmon roses, banana/pineapple/raspberry smoothies with vanilla, hot chocolate with vanilla…

puddings, bread, milk.

I get happy and special surprises – like unexpected gifts, bouquets of flowers.

people are negative, cruel and unthinking – especially when they harm one another and animals.

I'm not tagging anyone to do this meme, but feel free to do it if you want to.


Ouch, Atyllah, no, stop it! You can't do the meme! You did Bonnie's last meme! Ouch! Oh, yes, all right, maybe some other time then. Sigh...

See what you've started, Bonnie...? ;-)

Just Playing... or dreaming

"The mind loves the unknown. It loves images whose meaning is unknown, since the meaning of the mind itself is unknown."
Rene Magritte

"If the dream is a translation of waking life, waking life is also a translation of the dream."
Rene Magritte

Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see.
Rene Magritte

Roll Out the Red Carpet - A Night at the Vanilla Awards

Okay, so I know there are a few who read this blog who have views about awards and posting those that I receive on the blog. Well, today I say to you, too bad - get over it, life is too short to worry about poor food and wine, and blog awards. It's all done in a sense of camaraderie, support and good fun.

After the trauma of the past few days, I am only too delighted to have, and am hugely appreciative of, the love and support of fellow bloggers - and I need to spread the goodwill because frankly the last few days have been beyond shitty. To say that I have been stressed out of my skull since the attack on my mother, would be the understatement of the year. So, now it's time for some levity.

The awards have been flowing and frankly, I'm not even sure how I'm going to pass them on. The lists are long. Please ensure you're wearing your party clothes and sipping champagne!

From Bonnie at Bonnie's Books comes the You Make My Day Award.


And I duly pass this award on to some of you who constantly make my day.

Reya
Kimy
Minx
Sameera
Rambler
Baino
Verilion
Kyklops


From Verilion, I've received another Roar for Powerful Words. This means I will undoubtedly be roaring at double crescendo in future! Be warned!


I've already dished out some Roars for Powerful Words, but I'll dish out some more - and again! The words written by the bloggers below are all very different, some produce more seasoned words than others, but every one of them has something valid and powerful to say in their own way be it through stories, thoughts, poetry, wisdom, insight, compassion, wit or, a combination of all.

Pisces Iscariot
DBA Lehane
Rambler
Jefferson
Steph
Minx
Vapours
John, the Carver
Witnessing I am



From Kimy, Minx and Sameera, I've received the The E for Excellent Blog Award.


The description of the award is:

"I love being a part of the blogging community and part of all the friendships that I've formed so I wanted to give a blog award for all of you out there that have Excellent Blogs. By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, you have to award it to 10 more people whose blogs you find Excellent Award worthy. You can give it to as many people as you want but please award at least 10. (And yes, okay, so some of you already have the award... )"

Shameless
Verilion
Jefferson
Taffiny
Marie
Debi
Reya
Baino
Laquet
Gaye
David
Steve
Vesper
Bonnie



And then from Sameera, I also received:

The You Are Totally Awesome Award


The Best Blogging Buddies Award for Global Communities


The Friendly Site Award


and

The Biggest Heart Award

Frankly, I'm not sure how to pass these on since you are all totally awesome, you are all my blogging buddies and you all have friendly sites! And so, I pass on to you - yes, that's you - really, I do mean you, yes, yes, YOU! the Totally Awesome Award, the Best Blogging Buddies Award for Global Communities and the Friendly Site Award.

I am, however, out of this bunch I am going to pick out the Biggest Heart Award to award to some people who are very special me - and who I know to have huge hearts.


They are:

Kimy
Verilion
Sameera
Reya
Bonnie
Debi
Jefferson
Kat
Vesper
Baino
Rambler

Now can we please have a loud and prolonged round of applause for everyone reading this blog! Yes, go on, clap for yourself too! ;-)

Crime comes home

I seem to have made a slight error of judgement. I have been concentrating so much on the beauty, in trying to find some balance to the insanity that surrounds me, that I have forgotten the other side of reality.

Today my 82 year old mother and her housekeeper were held up at gunpoint in their driveway by two thugs. My mother’s jewelry was ripped off her, the housekeeper was thrown to the ground and stood on, on two separate occasions. They stole my mother’s car keys and the gadget that opens her automated gate. They stole two mobile phones. They threatened to kill my mother and her housekeeper. Thank god that my mother and her housekeeper weren’t seriously harmed, but they are traumatized beyond measure and most likely will have to deal with what so many South Africans live with on a daily basis - Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. We pretty much all live with it, all the time, but for those who've been attacked, it is that much worse, because one's worst fears become reality - and under brutal circumstances.

We have always joked that my mother’s home is like Fort Knox, it is so well secured – but even all the security couldn’t have prevented this crime. For this is the nature of crime in South Africa – if the thugs want something, they will get it. In this instance they will sell my mother’s jewelry for a fraction of it’s true value and buy Crystal Meth - methamphetamine, or, as it is called here, Tik. They will get high and hyped and then they will attack someone else, and again, the proceeds of the robbery will be used to buy yet more Tik. Drug abuse is one of the most common causes of crime in this city and in South Africa per se - and there seems to be no end in sight - particularly when government seems intent upon not acting.

Last week my mother’s neighbours were held up at gunpoint in their driveway. There were 36 incidents of crime in my neighbourhood in January - including 17 house break-ins.

The headlines in today’s newspaper read, “Survivor describes horror attack after mountain run” and refers to an incident that took place last week when a young mother of two was brutally attacked and nearly raped whilst training for a marathon. There was also an article which warned home-owners to be especially vigilant in their driveways since these have become the most common places for attacks to take place - exactly as happened to my mom.

What makes all of this so worse is that criminals are almost "protected". Homeowners may not shoot an intruder unless the intruder first shoots them. To shoot an intruder means going to jail - as though you, the victim, are the criminal.

I spent the entire afternoon sorting out new security arrangements for my mom, getting her car key immobilized, organizing an armed guard to be on duty for the entire weekend, day and night, sorting out insurers, arranging for electric fencing to be put right around her perimeter, dealing with the police – who, I must say, were absolutely amazing. And then I came home to find someone had ripped off and stolen the trellises that support the creeper on my external perimeter wall – making it now much easier to jump over said wall – which is what they did at my mom’s place – despite the fact that the wall is six foot high and has spikes on top.

I may like to show you the beauty of the place where I live - for it is truly beautiful - but that beauty walks hand in hand with the most atrocious violence and ugliness - and that taints everything around us, indeed, makes a mockery of all that is wonderful. It is hard, in situations such as these, to keep a balanced perspective. One tries, but then one wonders if one is just kidding oneself. Bear in mind, it's not just crime and violence that are issues here - but there are a range of other things, as I allued to in my post of 2 February.

Although I went for a walk today and took some stunning shots of the beauty around me - I am not going to post them here - not today. If you want to see them, please follow the link to my flickr account in the sidebar.

I wish you peace and safety. For those of you who live without the horror that we live with every day - please don't take what you have for granted.

Pause to ponder, sharing the beauty

Scenes from my Monday morning walk.

"Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning..."

T S Eliot - Little Gidding V

"All religions, all this singing,
One song.
The differences are illusion and vanity.
The sun's light looks a little different on this wall
than it does on that wall,
and a lot different on this other one,
but it's still one light."

Rumi

Scenes from the 'hood

We may be suffering from massive power outages that are affecting the world gold price, our Minister of Mineral and Energy affairs may suggest that in order to save electricity we go to bed early so that we can grow and get cleverer... Our Minister of Health may be of view the African potato can cure AIDs and HIV, our next president may be up on charges of fraud and corruption - and practice unsafe sex with an HIV sufferer, racial tensions may be as bad or worse than ever before, our enonomy may be about to nosedive, crime and violence may be out of control - but hell, so what, it's a beautiful place...