Another snippet of my novel

I once saw a man die. He looked shocked to see me. His eyes wide open and teary. But it was too late. The trigger was pulled. Life is just a series of random events that we walk into. Unwelcome guests.

His name was Mr White. He had two daughters; Janet and Kim, and a wife; Karien. He was quiet and distant.His classes were boring and stale. I never had the pleasure of being taught by Mr White, but Janine had. She was the reason I was there.

I had art with the youngest daughter, Janet. She was much like her father; quiet and distant, but her paintings were vivid, loud and full of colour.

One day Karel took their daughters and left Mr White. They flew to the United States to be with her much younger boyfriend. That same day Mr White took the .38 from his safe and put in his bag. He decided to come to class early. He stuck the gun into his mouth just as I opened the door to his classroom. I don't know if he would have really pulled the trigger or if it was me scaring him that made him pull the trigger. He looked straight at me for a split second and then in a spray of red mist he was gone.

Janine had claimed to have been off sick, but really she was just miserable with school and how fake it was. She had just read 'A Catcher in the Rye' and had begun thinking a lot of things were 'phony'. I knew if she didn't finish her year end assignment for Mr White's class she would fail the year. I couldn't take the risk of losing her. I went with the plan of convincing Mr White that Janine had swine flu and I would collect her homework for her. I should learn to knock before entering a room.

The whole class was let off of having to complete the task.

Another part of my book. its coming along slowly

Hey, So not much feedback, but I only have a couple of followers so no wonder. Here's another couple paragraphs... enjoy.

I'd known Janine since I was 10 years old. My father had gotten a job in Cape Town so we all packed our stuff and drove from Krugersdorp.When I first attended Van Der Meyes Girls Primary School I was scared to death. I had heard about the cruelty of girls. It wasn’t their blows that hurt. I could handle physical pain. It was their words that I feared the most. Their words were like scalpels that cut into all your flaws. But Janine sensed my fear and she took me under her wing. I was always the smallest and weakest of the lot; the runt of the litter and I suspect it gave her a feeling of power to protect me from harshness of pre-teen girls. I spent my childhood sheltered from bullying and the general selfish acts girls enforce on others to make up for their own insecurities. Even now I am. People were intimidated by Janine. She had a confidence about her that made no one want to mess with her and by default me. The way she walked as if she was dancing; her hips moved side to side. She talked like she didn’t care and said what was on her mind. I fell in love with her.

Now I had to fight my own demons. It hurt every day that she never came into first period class. She always came late. She would have a quick come-back to the teacher’s “Thank you for joining us, Ms Van Wyk.”like "You're welcome". Everyone would laugh and all would be forgotten, but she never came. I watch the door waiting for her and everyday i didn't see her my heart sank. It was breaking.


“Jessica!” I could hear my mother’s foot steps coming up the stairs. Somehow I had managed to lose 2 hours. It was nearing 7am.
“Jessica, How are you feeling?” She didn’t even knock anymore. My mother was dressed in a black skirt and white blouse that showed a little too much. She sat on my bed and placed her hand on my head. She smelt like lavender.
“I’m fine.” I answered. I wasn’t. Anxiety had enveloped me. I felt like there was a rock sitting on my chest, squeezing the air out my lungs.
“Good. Go shower and get dressed.” She left my room leaving only a warm spot that smelt like lavender.

let the writing begin

So I've started writing again and I've decided to post the first paragraph. So all helpful criticism is welcome. Don't be shy. Its not much but its a start.

The rain splashing on my roof woke me up. It was 5:00am. I had that dream again. I am running through a corridor, but there’s never an end. I just run and run. I don’t know why I’m running but it doesn’t stop me from running. When I think I can see the end of the corridor, an open door; i wake up and find myself lying in my bed.

The leak in my bedroom was at it again. I lay in bed imagining the cracks in the ceiling growing larger and bigger. They begin to look like large spiderwebs. I sometimes would wish that my roof would collapse and flood my small bedroom drowning me in a sea of rain water. I had spent a week out of school due to “flu”, but really I couldn’t handle my teacher who persisted to single me out in classes. I was out of excuses. Being invisible was more difficult then I had first perceived. I missed Janine most of all. She had yet to return to school after a falling out with the same teacher. Its been a month now. I know that without her there I have no one to protect me.

Its been too long

I haven't posted anything in ages! Now that I'm interning at a more news orientated magazine I feel the need to update you all.

I'm working at the Big Issue SA and I'm finally learning about real journalism and slowly but surely finding my niche (for those interested here's the link to the website so you can read some of my stuff http://www.bigissue.org.za/ ). I still have not worked on my novel, which is sad and I should really do something about that.

So here's my pic of the week! Its from Henri Cartier-Bresson's Magnum Photos from Queen Charlotte's ball in 1959.

I hope to do this pic of the week every Friday.

Enjoy!

Belgium to ban Burqa

Another Country has jumped on the "Let's ban Burqas and therefore end terrorism" band wagon. Belgium has put through a bill that will ban burqas or a full body veil. The first country to ban burqas was France. The reason they are able to get away with this is because the Islamic community in these countries are a mere fraction of the population. And not even all practicing Islamic women wear full veils. In Belgium there are only a few hundred women who wear a full veil that covers their face.

Their reason for the banning is to protect women's rights. Though I'm all about equality between men and women, I'm also a firm believer in people choosing what religious views they want to have. I'm not religious in the least but I respect others' beliefs. So by protecting their "rights" they take away their right to practice whatever belief they have. In France any women defying the ban will receive a €150 fine or a course in "citizenship" lessons. Are they saying by defying this law it means they are not true citizens and therefore they should attend classes in order to "re-educate" them?

Who are Belgium and France to say that people can not dress according their religious laws? Sometimes I wish I could make a law encouraging more clothing. Its winter people... you no longer need to wear shorts or mini-dresses. You can still be pretty and dress modestly. Who is next? Is no one safe?

In Memoriam

J.D Van Rooyen 12.02.1988 - 05.05.2011

Creep - Radiohead

When you were here before,
couldn’t look you in the eye.
You’re just like an angel,
your skin makes me cry.
You float like a feather,
in a beautiful world
I wish I was special,
you’re so fucking special.

But I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo.
What the hell am I doing here?
I don’t belong here.

I don’t care if it hurts,
I want to have control.
I want a perfect body,
I want a perfect soul.
I want you to notice,
when I’m not around.
You’re so fucking special,
I wish I was special.

But I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo.
What the hell am I doing here?.
I don’t belong here

She’s running out the door,
she’s running,
she run, run, run, run, run.

Whatever makes you happy,
whatever you want.
You’re so fucking special,
I wish I was special,

but I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo.
What the hell am I doing here?
I don’t belong here,
I don’t belong here.

Eve Ensler talks to Marie Claire

From the activist author of Vagina Monologues comes I am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls around the world. This book is Eve Ensler call to women around the world. “a call to girls, about girls, for girls, around the world, to be their own authentic selves”. We spoke to her about her new book, the girl revolution and how South African women fit in.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your book “I am an emotional creature: The secret Life of Girls around the World”?

Eve: It’s a basis of the theatre production, which we’re doing in South Africa soon. Also we want to create the next wave of V-girls and launch a power movement. V-girls empower themselves and one another in order to change the world they imagine. We want to create the next revolution. The girl revolution.

Q: At the moment South Africa is dealing with controversial “corrective rape” where some men rape lesbians in order to make them straight. How do you think this will effect your stage production of I am an Emotional creature?

Eve: I’ve been thinking a lot about this. I was thinking “Can I address it and write about it for my play?” I find these stories of corrective rape utterly appalling, grotesque and disgusting. What message is it sending to women that there can be such a things as corrective rape? As if its something that needs to be corrected or even can be corrected. I’m hoping that this allows women a platform to be enraged and outraged and to know that they can be powerful as a community

Q: In your book you deal a lot with violence against women, a subject very close to home here in South Africa where we have a the highest record of rape in the world. What message do you want to put out there for women in South Africa?

Eve: I’ve realised that South African women are powerful, giving, and envisionary and they are living in a patriarchal violent world. I want to empower girls, women and men and make them realise that women need to be protected and that there can be no future for humanity without this. We all need to collectively do something significant to pass laws and bills so that rapists and violators are held responsible.

Q: Where did the inspiration for the stories in your book come from? Are they bases on specific people you’ve met in your life?

Eve: It’s from all different experiences around the world. I travel a lot and I meet people with different stories to tell and I also try to imagine girls in different situations and how they would feel or act. For example I have never been to China but in my book I write about a Chinese girl who works in a factory making dolls. It’s a combination of fantasy; over hearing others and drawing on my own experiences. I think that’s what fiction writing is, really.

Q: You talk about the “girl self”. What do you mean by this?

Eve: When I speak about “girl power” myself its that part that is relentless, devoted, open, intimate, emotional, wild, fierce, intense, passionate, compassionate, connected to the heart, intuitive

Q: I love that you say the power of girls are the “greatest natural resource”. Can you talk more about this and how girls can empower themselves?

Eve: If you look at teenage girls they have an electric energy about themselves, you can imagine Southern girls at a slumber part- they’re wild (she laughs). Everyone is taught not to be a girl: boys are taught not to be girls, men are taught not to be girls, girls are taught not to be girls. It must be pretty powerful to be a girl if no one wants us to be like girls. I want this book to show girls to have an authentic voice to speak up and empower themselves.

Great and Mighty Eve

For once I am doing an article for Marie Claire that I'm very interested in... I will be interviewing Eve Ensler on Monday, 9 May! *does a little jig*

The activist and author of Vagina Monologues is in South Africa to promote for new book I am an emotional creature as well as start work on the play based on it. Eve Ensler is all about girl power and how women need to unleash their 'girl self' which has been restrained in our macho world.

I feel like a high school girl who is about to meet their favourite pop singer. Its also made me realise that the fashion world is not for me... so as of next month I will no longer be working for Marie Claire. Sad but true.

Look out for my interview of Eve Ensler on Monday!!!!

I missed Star Wars Day!!!!!

I'm so shut out from the real world that I missed Star Wars Day!!!! So a belated "May the force be with you" to you.

The horror of it all. If you remember (or even read it) I spent my New Years watching all the Star Wars, well not all but the ones without Hayden Chrisensen (yuck). That's what you get for working at a Fashion magazine, the things you hold most dear to your life get neglected. Well here is my homage to Star Wars... My favourite still from the films!
Enjoy

Lindsay Lohan's sexy siren shoot for Blank

Lindsay Lohan definitely showed she still has it going on and is still a commodity in LaLa Land in her photo shoot for Blank Magazine.


I realise her life might be spiraling out of control and yes she's a bit of a train wreck with a good ol' fashioned dysfunctional family, but there's something about Lindsay. I was really disappointed when they dropped her from the Linda Lovelace biopic, Inferno. She would have been perfect and the press shots she did proved it. Now that Marlin Akerman has signed up for the project, I'm just not sure if she has the same sex appeal to pull it off.


And now that she's been dropped from the John Gotti Mafia flick as well as from the Superman reboot, I don't think we'll be seeing her on our big screens for some time to come, especially with her court date looming around the corner.

I think my fascination with her is on the same lines as ones fascination with a car crash, you don't want to look but you just can't take your eyes off that crazy mess.

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My new girl crush Heather Morris, shakes what her mother gave her

Best known for her role on Glee has the ditzy blonde cheerleader, I can't but help fall in love with her dead-pan one liners. Especially her dream sequence where she does a mash up of Britany Spear's "I'm a slave for you".... yum.

I came across this video of her for Esquire magazine doing what she does best; dancing. Its for 50 songs they feel every man should be listening to. The question being: But can you dance to it? I foresee only good things for Heather Morris! check it out

Kate Moss and the Rabbit

I spend most my day on the Internet for a appropriate things to Blog about and I came across this advert for Basement. Kate Moss (who is the face of the Chilean fashion brand) seduces a giant rabbit, to the music of Brenda Lee's 'Sweet nothings'. I can't help but love this rather odd concept, especially when she produces a bouquet of carrots. The ending is a little weird, but definitely worth a look.

Tom Ford gets naked and Playful for Neroli Portofino

I'm a little bewildered by Tom Ford's new ad campaign for Neroli Portofino Eau de Parfum. I don't know if I love it or hate it. I know that I should be mildly offended that he thought putting two naked, attractive model, splashing perfume on each other in his ad campaign would make me want to buy it. But I do. I actually really like how playful the ad is.

Tom Ford is not one to shy away from controversy. His YSL ad campaign which featured a naked Sophia Dahl, spread on a cushion, in a suggestive manner became the most complained about advert. Not too mention his other adverts which borderline on promoting gang rape and often exploits women to sell men's perfume.

The jury's out on this one....

What I’m loving right now….

'Bread Milk and Honey' on Spin street, Cape Town

Now that I’m working at Marie Claire I get to go to Bread, Milk and Honey on my lunch. It’s awesome. Their double Lattes are to die for and I’ve been joansing for a caffeine fix the whole day. This instant coffee at the office won’t do. And the food isn’t too bad either….

They do a buffet style lunch with things like Sheppard’s pie and Thai curry and awesome hot veg’s. Not to mention their sandwiches, like the chicken, pesto sandwich I’m on my way to fetch as soon as I’m done typing. Never been this excited to have lunch.

wanted: Best friend with lots of fashion incite to spare

So I’m officially engrossed with the world of working at a fashion magazine and can’t help but feel apprehensive. I’m not a fashionista and I feel shameful of this. I’ve been known to be too lazy to do my hair and make up and simply gone to the shops with a cap on and tracksuit pants. You’ll be lucky if I’m even wearing shoes. So now I’m changing my ways and studying up on the fashion world that is Cape Town. I’ve been relentlessly following all the fashion blogs I could find in hopes that their ways will rub off on me and that I’ll suddenly metamorph into a schmodel.

It’s more difficult then it looks. It involves lots of time on my hair and face, which is difficult because I usually try to avoid mirrors. Now I have to look in them all the time. And heels. God. The humanity of it all! At the moment I’ve not been wearing heels (naughty), but its because I waiter during the week and can’t see myself spending the entire evening on my feet when I’ve spent the entire day in heels. 

Mary kate and Ashley make it look so easy. I wish I had them on speed dial so they could give me endless advice on what to wear.

I heart Cape Town

Everyday I'm more and more amazed at what a beautiful place I live in. Having lived in Cape Town, Joburg and Durban I feel I can say, without a doubt, that Cape Town is by far the best. I'm sure true Durbanites and Johannesburgers will argue, but I don't really care. We not only have a picturesque mountain that adorns our landscape everyday, but also white - sandy beaches and a blue sea. Not to mention the fact that I'm bombarded with gorgeous-supermodel people that make me want to hide in my house and never go out again. Honestly, where the hell do they come from? Is their a secret government warehouse that breeds them like cattle?

Whenever I leave Cape Town to visit my mom in PE, I count the days until I can return and once I drive into Cape Town I can never remember why I left. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but Cape Town is my home and I would never want to live anywhere else. The people in Cape Town are also the most colourful of South Africa. Its filled with anyone from emos to indie kids, from jocks to hippies and everything in between...

The highlight of my day is walking through the city center, between the stalls by the train station, and through the company gardens. It almost seems like their in completely different worlds and not just different streets. The different people, the different classes, the different atmospheres all rolled into one.

Nothing can beat it

Civil Twilight's debut Self Titled Album

Last year June I was given Civil Twilight’s self-titled album by a good friend who assured me they would be right up my alley. I didn’t really give them another thought and hadn’t even bothered to listen to the album. For the past couple of months I’ve been hearing Civil Twilight everywhere; their song ‘Letters from the sky’ has been blowing up the charts on 5fm as well as the billboard charts, I hear their songs on international series such as One Tree Hill and they recently played at the Kirstenbosch Gardens, Cape Town. It was time to play their CD and hear what all the praise was about. Now that I’ve heard it it’s weird to think that I had never heard of them before. 

Originally from Cape Town this band has taken the world by storm. One can’t help but feel a little proud at how well our boys have done so far. Civil Twilight is made up of Brothers, Steven (vocals, bass guitar and keyboard) and Andrew McKellar, (guitar and vocals) and lifelong friend, Richard Wouters (drums and percussion). In 2005 the band decided to move to Los Angeles and there after was signed to an indie Label. And the rest, as they say, is rock history. 

Let’s get back to their album. The powerful vocals and strong emotionally charged beats can’t but stir feelings. One can hear the strong influence of early U2, Oasis, the Verve, and even Coldplay. Some of their songs are more chilled while others want to make you get up and jump. It’s awesome to listen to a band that knows and can play their instruments well. Too often we have people picking up a guitar and playing mediocre. I was hoping that their cover of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’ would be included in this album, but you should definitely try download it or look it up on Youtube. It’s a beautiful cover that does the original proud but also adding their own spin to the mix. 

Over all this is a band to watch. Their beautiful notes and powerful vocals will brighten up your day or even help you get over a heart break. Look out for them when they are next in South Africa.

Getting my nerd on

So we've come to the end of another year. How fast its gone by. It feels like just yesterday I was celebrating the end of 2009, disappointing as usual. This year I've decided to avoid the disappointment and just skip New Years Eve all together. No party. No champagne. No New Year messages. That way I save money and don't have a hangover from hell  in the morning. Perfect.

Its not that I'm getting too old to party. I can party it hard with the best of them while still remaining classy and lady like. Its just there is so much hype around New Years Eve parties, you are bound to be let down and left feeling unsatisfied and wanting.

In the spirit of avoidance I'm having a movie marathon. I'm a nerd deep down inside (don't tell anyone) so I'll be spending my evening watching all of the Star Wars movies. If I had more time I would have made a Princess Leia outfit, but I didn't. This way I don't have to watch those stupid New Years programmes and the countdown. I most likely won't even realise its the new year until the sun starts coming up. I don't have deal with drunk people invading my personal bubble or guys trying to kiss me at midnight. I won't be upset or let down because I have absolutely no expectation about tonight. Awesome. Best idea I've had so far.

Celebrating Idiocy

The world we live in today seems to only award the stupid while the sensible and rational people are left high and dry. People such as Paris Hilton and Britney Spears are renowned not because of their talents (I'm not even sure Paris has a talent) but because of their stupidity. Paris Hilton was a little known hotel heiress until the fateful day when her sex tape was leaked. Suddenly she became an international sensation. But for what? Worse of all they are role models. 

Sleeping around, doing drugs and being borderline retarded are not things to admire. Why TV shows, such as Jersey shore, are huge hits, is beyond me? I would be offended that some fat cat executive actually thought we would buy in to this, but the sad truth is we did. 

The entire cast of Jersey shore go to premiers and award ceremonies; they even appeared in Enrique Iglesias’s music video ‘I like it’, but what do they actually do? Other than getting paid to drink, fornicate (that's sex for those of you who enjoy this program) and make idiots of themselves on TV. I'm seriously contemplating becoming a hermit just so that I never have to hear what Snookie or Paris Hilton have to say about anything. For once I would like to see brains triumph over superficiality. 

It’s sexy to be smart, no matter what anyone else will try to tell you. I'd rather be a nerd then give up my intelligence to be considered sexy. Most people's view of sexy is so warped by the media.

The truth is people are intimidated when they encounter smart, beautiful women. I do not think anyone who degrades themselves for the amusement of others is sexy. I think people like Natalie Portman are beautiful. She cares about others and she is smart. That is sexy. That is something that should be admired.