Six Strings and a Sketchpad

And just when u thought we were settling down.

Please have a look at the site we have moved to.

Authors, please create an account there. We have been having no luck getting a response re. the inability to add Authors, and now the messed up template, and the inability to update it.

So we have found a far more functional host.

This is a staged move, this blog will remain up, till everyones links etc have been updated, and all the authors have been added to the new blog.

SS

I love Cape town. It is the most awesome, metropolitan, laid back place I have experienced. The people are (generally) great. The city is beautiful. The natural surroundings breath taking.

But something happens to cape town when the skies open. The generally well meaning people are transformed. The water seemingly permeating their pleasant personalities and, sloshing around their cranial cavities, causes vastly slowed response times, excessive muscle response in their right feet, and a phobia for anything vaguely puddle shaped.

My loathing of cape town drivers-in-the-wet started when I first got to this city. Driving to work from the Sea Point apartment was always a joy. It's a beautiful drive and in 10 minutes you're at your desk. But alas it was raining.

The Land Rover Defender in the lane next to me Suddenly realized that it was bearing down (very quickly) on a ..

Puddle!!!
Oh No!!

In order to prevent the inevitable melting that would undoubtedly happen to the 18 inch Off-road tyres should they happen to be subjected to contact with said puddle...the Defender swerved.
And braked.
Into half of my lane.

I uttered a few loving but short words under my breath while attempting to stop my car, and at the same time stop my car from aquaplaning.

This morning, on the way to work, I was happily cruising down the fast lane, with a completely clear road ahead of me. Luckily for me the considerate Jetta driver in the middle lane realized that it was dangerous for me to be driving that way...what if there was a puddle!? So he/she/it pulled sharply in front of me and proceeded to drive at 80.

Again I uttered a few loving but short words.
Again while attempting to slow my car down.
Again while attempting not to aquaplane.

Thank you Jetta driver. I don't know what I would have done if there was a puddle. You're my savior!

That's just two of Very many.

Capetownians! What is wrong with you people! Are you made of a porous substance? Are your nerve endings water soluble?? Are you genetically predisposed to being susceptible to hypnosis by soothing water noises?

Please! We need to know!

We Can Help You!!

In terms of Money:



What did this fund:





--edit--
I was going to leave this post just with the above counters....but I just can't not say something about this.

My GOD.

How many people could you feed with that?
What would the effect be if that was invested in Americas Slums..or poor areas anywhere in the world for that matter.
What would the effect be if it was invested in HIV research, or Oncology.
What would the effect be if it was pumped into bursaries for talented young people without the means to further their education.

Imagine what the world could have gained if it was used to build rather than destroy.

I have been on leave for four days now...

And although I don’t see anyone else in my flat... I have a feeling I am not alone.

There is someone in my flat... Someone silent... Someone invisible... Following my every move.

I swear I am not crazy!

Let me explain.... Since my Lesotho plans fell through, I’ve been moping at home. I’ve even created a little nest, of sorts, consisting of a nice warm bed with my blankies and laptop and cellphones and Fritos and Flings and Sparkles and phenergan all within reach...

Here’s the thing, though... Every time I make myself a cup of coffee, I come back to my nest. I am cuddled up against the wall. Alert. Watching. Waiting. Waiting for him – or is it her? Or... is it them?!?! – to strike...

Then, just as my laptop has something cute to distract me, I reach over for my pink coffee cup... Only to find it disturbingly light! I nearly break my neck to check... But yes! Damn it, yes! They’ve struck again! My coffee cup is empty!

I can almost hear their diabolical laughter at the silly scene I present as, in slow motion, I check the coffee cup, look around, check the coffee cup again and curse...

I know I only just filled that cup up a little while ago.

Whoever is doing this... Please stop. It really isn’t funny anymore.

And could you please return that last packet of Flings? I know I wasn’t done with it!

What do you guys think?

Its very much in the developmental stages, so please drop me suggestions.

SS

So SS and I are having a discussion over a very messed up guitar session and he mentions in a very by-the-way tone that his beloved would like a TV and he disagrees because he doesnt watch television. The contorted looks of shock, horror and awe that decorated my face would have gotten me into Cirque du Soliei a la Freak. And freak out I did!!!!

I was like 'dude do you have death wish or something??? if a woman wants a TV get the woman a TV', women love their TV, whether it's for soapies, gawking at some male celebrities or just getting their fashion fix by watching the fashion channel or E Entertainment channel. It's the next best things to shoes, women love three things, shoes, compliments and TV, mess with the order guys and you have problems.

Guys the TV is your catalyst to 'man time', that peace you find when you sitting on the toilet, it is the 21st Century knitting needle and the TV shows are the yarn. We know women love it, we don't know how to do it, we don't have to understand but best of all we don't have to do it with them...the TV guide is YOUR friend you can plan your whole man life around TV, hmmmm 'The Life and Times of Jennifer Lopez' is on E tonight 7 to 9, thats enough time for a game of pool, a drink at the pub or just hanging out with the guys!!

I really don't care what Brooke Logan is doing on Bold and Beautiful, I don't care about Brad Pitt or Orlando Bloom or Johnny Depp, she can drool over them all the hell she wants she aint going to get them now is she....

Ladies I support your television habits, embrace your inner smallville, ftv, dexter, CSI, Bold and Beautiful whatever it is you watch and ogle your hunky male celebrities that keeps your mind occupied for that hour or however long you want just dont forget to look after your hubby/boyfriend/partner who is paying the cable TV bill. Men need food, compliments and a clean set of underwear (errrm and sex) that's it. See!!! the two of you have something in common....compliments (errrm and sex which is complimentary!!)and they say relationships are complex!!.

SS I could go on with this but for the love of the sanity that you require when you are living with your fiance, BUY HER THE TV, or she will talk your head to death, and at sometime you both would have heard all the stories before and you going to start arguing and be irritated with each other, because you would have talked each other to death...all because you didn't buy her a TV.........Women and TV is not at all like oil and water, more like passionfruit and lemonade or jack and lime, it might get you all queasy or sloshed but man its so worth it...

NOTICE: This post is not meant to be derogatory to women in anyway and represents the observations of a very single non alcoholic sipping druidpromo, because I would never never never NEVER use TV as a distraction...or would I?

Yesterday my computer got Hit by a malicious spyware / adware attack.

It was actually quite clever..it posted a wallpaper that said 'You have a virus, install an antivirus to clean your pc'...then it mimicked Windows defender and popped up a 'Windows has detected a virus on your pc, please click here to download and install anti-virus'..it then downloaded a sham anti-virus that was itself infected with spyware, that downloaded and ran more spyware. It was a lot of fun.

Anyway I formatted and reinstalled and all is well now.

But I am royally pissed with McAfee. My company has a policy of using McAfee as our anti-virus of choice. I have no say in the running of this piece of software. It sits as a shield on my taskbar, and the only option I have when clicking on it is 'Update now'. Which I have done every week since we got it.

But it didn't even blink when my pc was nailed yesterday. Further to that there is no console I can use to clean my system! No 'Scan now' option...nothing.

Basically it slows my pc down. Allows it to get infected. And then does not allow me to scan. WTF.

So I have installed Computer Associates Security Centre..It has a GUI and has just completed scanning my HD. I am clean. And it is sitting there and scanning my mail and Interweb connection so I know I'm secure. Screw company policy.

And furthermore Screw McAfee..