Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Baby Blues!

Have a serious story for you.Not to mention Seriously fucked up.
On the 21st of January a baby was born-not that shocking...but wait!
The baby was born to an unmarried Irish girl........still not shocking. How about this baby was born in a hotel room?? Nope? Well how about this..........
An Emirates airline cabin crew member was on the Johannesburg trip,EK065.She was staying in the Indaba Hotel in Fourways.
For a few weeks prior to her trip she was complaining of stomach cramps and extreme tiredness,so naturally she went to the Emirates doctor(emirates is so large it has its own medical facility) she was told she had a stomach ulcer.She went back a few weeks later to get her test results but they had been lost so her doctor decided to up her ulcer medication.
Fast forward a few days and poor Liz finds herself in Johannesburg suffering from terrible stomach cramps. Within a few hours Liz self delivered a little baby girl and with the help of the hotel staff managed to keep her alive until the ambulance arrived.
Little baby Alexandra survived and is in hospital in Johannesburg. Poor Liz had no idea she was pregnant-it does happen-and has had no time to mentally prepare for the idea of motherhood.
Can you imagine?????
But it gets worse.........Emirates have fired Liz and left her stranded in Joburg with no medical assistance.She has also been told to vacate the hotel she has been staying in. Why you ask?
Well Emirates is a muslim airline of course. Having sex while not married is punishable by law,similar to stealing or murder. After 7 years of service to the company Liz has been neglected and stranded in a foreign city. Her medical bills have been estimated at $86 000(American) and the hospitals require 3 months payment upfront. Her family and friends have been able to raise some money but more is always needed. Not to mention that Liz will now be in SA for the next 5 months. Baby A will be in hospital for 3 months and it will be another 2 months before she is able to fly back to Ireland.
Liz has to find accomodation,transport and food for the duration of her stay.
The staff in the hotel she has been staying in(and is being kicked out of) have been fantastic to her,and have even thrown her a little baby shower in her room.
Liz now needs help.
Any of us that can do anything to help her should. If you have family in JNB maybe you can visit her or take her to dinner,if you dont you can donate money.
Nedbank
Branch Code: 13280500
Number: 1328040364
Name: Mrs Louise Mickel
Swift code: nedszajj

if you with Emirates you should do SOMETHING. This could have been you!
Maybe not giving birth but something as shocking that EK would turn its back on you for!
It is our duty to help her.
Donations can be put into her friends mail box and the money WILL get to Liz and Baby A.
Her mailbow number is 7996

This story makes me so sad and I hope that somehow we can help.
x

Monday, June 29, 2009

The Move- Part 1

14th June 10:45
LOCATION: My bedroom,White Building,Dubai.

My phone rings.Its the upbeat lady from Accom. We moving your bed tomoro she tells me.
I say,no I'll move it,otherwise you will lose it and I'll get someones elses matress,more than likely some skanky boy who shags everything.
No,she reasures me,you will get your bed.
Ok,I say,then move it!
Shit,1 day to organise my whole move.Get on the phone find moving company,organise for him to come at 11 the next morning.Next mission-get boxes. 45 degrees outside,but we cant wait till evening to start packing,so we brave the heat and walk across the road to the supermarket,on the beg for boxes.Back to White to begin packing. Becs,Sook and I goin to share truck and move all out shit together.
Where did all this stuff come from.Everytiime I tape a box closed I turn around and more stuff has appeared.Is is multiplying behind my back???? Like rabbits?
What did I think I was going to use the 20 small asian soup spoons for? but in they go,to be not used in new apartment. Toiletries I dont remember buying let alone ever using! The shampoo for brunnettes? Im blonde. The vanilla body spray.I HATE vanilla! Do I just not think?????
Well finally all boxes are packed. Told delivery guy we would have about 15 boxes all together. I have 17 on my own! Shit,oh well!
July 15, 11:00
No sign of the moving guy.
Could kick myself for actually expecting him to show up on time.
Call him,but it says number not available!!!!
We could scream!
Have packed all my bedding into box otherwise I would just go back to bed and sob.
11:30
Still no sign of him,have exams tomoro but cant learn now as house is in a state.
Try to call again,he is still busy moving other people. Will be right here!
12:15-still not here!
Want to eat something but have packed all knives and forks.
12:24
Call him again,
"sorry Madam,sorry,coming now"
13:45
Finally arrives!
Doorbell rings,its him with his helper.
A 50 year old Indian man in his robes.Oh geez,now I have to watch as this frail old man moves my boxes while I sit on my arse and look like spoilt rich girl. Fuck it,beyond caring.
17:10
Finally all boxes are loaded,time to move.
Into a cab we pile,we wait for the movers but they are no where to be seen. Finally he appears and tell us to go on ahead,he's going to the mosque to pray.Well,how can I yell at you now,if you praying.
So off we head to our new home.
18:00
No sign of movers. Nothing in new apartment.just dining suite.
Sookies bed is there,mine is no where to be seen. Oh bed where art thou???
18:35
Movers arrive and unload all boxes.
We start unpacking.
20:30
No bed!!!!
What the hell,what am I supposed to do now????
I have to get up at 05:30 to go to college,haven't started learning my equipment locations yet and have no where to sleep.
21:00
Back into cab and back to old apartment.
There is my bed,in my room,just waiting there all alone! Damn this stupid company!
Realise all bedding in in box at new apartment.
So sleep on bare matress with a single fitted sheet to cover me.This is the most depressing situation I've ever been in.
I hate bare matresses,like a phobia!
NOW WHAT?????

Movers arrive and unload

Sunday, June 7, 2009

An ode to all ex'es

Somewhere along the way of getting over you,I forgot to get over you!
How weird, not to mention such a major oversight.I guess I was too busy thinking about the future(and sometimes the past) and it just slipped my mind.
I mean of course break-ups are difficult and they take time. I believe as we get older we should be mature and responsible about them,you know,take some time to grieve and deal with it all. Maybe have a period of reflection and accept the part we played in it. Not just turn around and dive into a new relationship with the next person we meet. Oh wait,thats what you did. Oh well,Im sure you had a plan,Im sure that its worked out for you in the long run. No? Shame.

I,however just think its better to sort through the issues on your own before you arrive at your next relationship with a huge carrier van of baggage.
Also wouldnt it be nice to start again with someone new and not repeat the same mistakes?
No? You dont think so? Well obviously not,the way you carrying on.
Oh and sometimes the mind plays such awful tricks,trying to convince me that you were the best thing to ever happen to me,maybe even trying to block out some of the awful things you did or said, the mind sure is sneaky. Sometimes it even makes me think of the future with you in it. Silly,trying to convince me that you were The One.
And all this time I've been to busy to take my mind asaide and have a little chat with her and tell her to shut-up!!!!
The bitch has had free reign over me, blending together fact and fiction and creating a relationship in my head that was so not the one we had in reality.
Lucky you though,you obviously had no issues with your conscience or mind( assuming you have either of them) you were able to just turn around and carry on.
Even when I offered the olive branch of friendship you took it in two minds. I tried to build the bridge that you actually should have been building,but no still not going to work. Its so funny the way you can just switch on and off. I mean it must come in real handy for some things. I wonder what goes on in your head, do you ever worry about yourself? Oh I am making myself laugh now,of course you dont.

How stupid of me not to have seen it in the begining anyway.I mean lets be honest you were dating me before you even broke up with your long term girlfriend. Ben Harper warned me that the end is always in the begining. If only I wasnt so blinded by love,never mind I have taken my blindfold off now. I have taken all this time to work through everything,I wonder if you ever stop to think how your actions affected me? No I guess not,that would mean you having to put someone before yourself. So, all this time I thought I was still getting over you that I missed the day that it actually happened. Hearing these stories about you,I cant believe its the same person. Well I guess you not. I think I must have created a better version of you in my head,thats the only explanation I can think of. The alternative being that I knew you were like this all along and stayed with you anyway.Its just to sad.
Not that you'll lose any sleep over it mind you. If anything you'll have your head stuck so far into the sand and playing your favourite game of avoidence that you'll carry on having a huge party for years to come never really thinking about those along the way(least of all yourself)
Well, at least I FINALLY get it! I finally understand that Im better than that! How long it took to me to realise,silly silly me! Oh I really must start to pay more attention to myself,who knows what else I'll miss!!!!!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Time.............................to do stuff!

Why does time fly by sometimes and other times drag on forver????
Im going to Thailand in 24 days! 24!!! And I cant wait,I wish it was tomorrow!
I still have to move apartments,go to India,London,Johannesburg and Hamburg aswell as do my recurrent safety exams! So much to do and all I want to do is pack my bag and head to the beach!
Not to mention the diet Im meant to be on.Trying to slim down to fit into my bikini so that Im not the fat white friend in all our photies! So far diet not going so well,Had all you could eat and drink brunch yesterday-obviously drank more than I ate and had a hangover by dinner last night!
Didnt go to gym today as I had planned,instead I decided to start packing for my move,but I have landed up watching PS. I love you instead and the boxes remain empty.
I should also start learning for my exams but have not got to that either today.
Suddenly there doesnt seem to be enough time!
Could I just go to sleep and wake up on the 1st of July in my new apartment with my exams done and my bag packed ready for Thailand!
Oh pleeeeeease!!!!!!!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Hanging!!!

Decided at midnight last night,that I fancied a drinkie!
So Iopened the bottle of wine that Garthy from next door bought me from Spain.
I finished that rather quickly and moved onto Vodka.
Needless to say I have a rather persistant hangover this morning!
Why do I do this to myself!
Natasha will be so angry since we meant to be on diet for our lovely holiday in Thailand.
Well she is,and she's lost 2kgs already,while I on the other hand drink all night and eat prawn crisps!
Now all I can think about is a fish burger from Nahoon Fisheries!!!
They make the best burgers.OOOOOOOOO I would fly home right now for one of those!
Will h ave to indulge myself today with some fast food!
Forgive me stomach for making you fatter!!!!!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Werewolf in Paris

Paris is BEAUTIFUL!
There must be a million better words to describe Paris,but it actually leaves you speachless.
Walking through the streets of Paris I got this buzzing feeling inside.This has been the set of so many historical stories. The great artists worked and lived here,the Moulin Rouge was alive here, Carrie Bradshaw finally got Big here! All the important things!
You cant help but feel like you are part of something greater while walking in Paris.
Yes of course,it is crawling with tourists,more than I imagined,and its rather holiday maker touristy,but its PARIS! Everything is an artwork,the awning of a building,the glass window panes.each cobble laid in the streets.
Seeing the Iffel Tower is a strange experiance. You walk and walk and walk and then suddenly there it is,and its like,oh ok,now what. Its just there. So u look up at it in the glaring light.......and then............................And then what? Nothing,you buy and ice-cream or chocolate crepes,take a few photies and move on. An all together very anti-climatic experiance!
Stunning tho.
I now know why the french are so arrogant, its because they have the goods to back it up!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Electric Toothbrush!

I went grocery shopping on Saturday and landed taking a turn to the household appliances section. Browsing up and down the aisles looking at all the things it takes to furnish a home, flat screen TV and silver fridges to the not so essential coffee grinders,yoghurt makers, heated towel rails and electric flour scales.
This all got me thinking about what an about turn I've made in my life.
2 years ago I was all for buying things for my "home",need we forget the joy I felt at finding my favourite knives and forks at Mr P home one fine Saturday morning. Those knives and forks single handedly created a vision in my head of a Lunch at my "house" in the summer with all my friends and their families(in my vision they all have kids!) running around,theres a large table set up in the garden with what look like grannies bed sheets as a table cloth,Im sure they not actually sheets,bet its some fab vintage tablecloth Im still going to find, and there are mismatched vases of flowers picked from my garden. On this table are the knives and forks and they are just perfect!
There were also blue drinking glasses.Dark ocean blue. I searched for these glasses for years,I still have not found them,but I will.
I get sidetracked.
So while walking around the household appliance department I realised that Im very far from the table in the garden. Im more of solitary knife with no fork to tie my future together with.
But this does not get me down,instead I find myself purchasing an electric toothbrush.
This is my first electric toothbrush ever.
Why has it taken me so long to buy one you may wonder,well toothbrushes(much like the rest of my life) are disposable so the thought of having to look after one for months if not years is a bit daunting. No longer leaving them in hotel rooms for poor cleaners to dispose of( horrid thought-what if they dont dispose of them-yuk!!!! Someone could be using my old toothbrush right now!!!!) or buying new ones when I do grocery shopping-just because I like the colour!
No,buying an electric toothbrush is a commitment.Its taking a stand and saying,I will be responsible and look after this toothbrush through good times and bad,in plaque and tooth decay forever and ever as long as we both shall brush!
I actually felt really grown up paying for my brush,I felt as if the counter lady looked at me as more of a serious customer than she would at say me last month buying a pink and silver disposable brush with glitter bristles(that was a classic that found itself all alone in a hotel room in Sydey-hope a good person found him and took him sight seeing-maybe they giving him a better life than I ever could!)
So it was with my shoulders back I walked home to charge my brush.The symbolism of my purchase obvious only to me. I even bought new toothpaste for the occasion.No good having old paste for a new brush,its like wearing a new fitout over old grey knickers with broken elastic-just not right!!!!
It took me ages to open the box,the plastic so thick I had to use the kitchen scissors to pry my purchase from its clinging clutches,not like the cheap brushes that are in a cardboard casing.
Finally its free and Im desperate to use it straight away but I plug it in to charge.
I brush my teeth for the last time with my old brush before going to bed,knowing that in the morning I get to use my new super sonic one.
I go to sleep with it charging next to my bed-very ominous!
Finally the day breaks and I hop up to clean to my teeth.
iIput the new toothpaste on and take a long look at myself in the mirror.This is it,Im all grown up. On I push it.................and nothing! NOTHING!!!! there is no glimmer of life,just a dead piece of plastic in my hand with a round head of bristles.
The tears in my eyes are real!
Maybe this is the universes way of telling me Im not grown up enough yet for this symbol of womenhood.
No Im destined to be a disposable brush girl.
The electric toothbrush now sits on my desk staring at me and gathering dust a constant reminder of my not readiness to be a grown-up!!!!!