These past few days the dare has been hard. My weekend was utterly uneventful except for my niece’s birthday party on Saturday and the new week started with an auto repair bill of more than I can afford right now and a big, weird bruise on my knee. I guess it was to be expected to be tricky some days, but it is just damn hard not to mope on the days which are most mope-worthy.
I also think by now I have behaved so nicely for so long (or so it seems) that I really deserve a treat. Like a nice date. Not one that I have to stalk in the mall. If he were to stalk me that would be fine though, but no psychopaths please. It still scares me a bit that the last one knows where I live. So no, thank you, I need someone a bit more…normal. Though Nele says normal translates to boring and who would want that? Yes, I know it ain’t that simple and things usually don’t go this straightforward, but why actually not? Stomp my foot here and pout.
Fine, I shall stop with the moping now and just hope that one of my happily married/engaged/committed girlfriends reads this, will chat with her awesome husband/fiancé/boyfriend, and maybe come up with a plan to set me up with one of his equally awesome/non-psychopath/yet non-boring friends. Anyone?
In the meanwhile I shall practise my patience in addition to everything else and will be patiently awaiting the arrival of my non-mall date on my yoga mat. *
*Though we all know if that actually happened, I’d probably be really pissed off why there is a person I don’t know on my yoga mat.
Showing posts with label dare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dare. Show all posts
June 12, 2012
June 6, 2012
Dashing and daring.
What is this song and where did it come from? Ever since I started the dare it has been on my mind and it has been a week, so you can imagine how annoyed I am getting even more so because I am not supposed to get annoyed. Then again it also reminds me of my friend Sam, who initiated the word dashing into my vocabulary. Probably because he himself is quite dashing. Just like Mr. Darcy or Sean Connery. Luckily the combined image of Sam, Mr. Darcy (did he even have a first name??), and Sean makes the whole song in my head a bit more bearable.
Anyhow, technically the dare is over, but yesterday I decided I shall add another week, because the results have been quite astonishing. I was thinking about it last night when I was taking my make-up off. Usually I think about such random stuff in the shower, but yesterday I was just busy with a cotton pad. While I was thinking that my life is by no means perfect (yet!), but has just gotten a whole lot better already, I put nail polish remover on the cotton pad and luckily realized this before swiping my face with it. I started to giggle, which is always a bit weird when on your own, and thought it was in fact a nice metaphor for the results of the dare: No perfect life, but a better one. Now I seem to at least realize it when I am about to figuratively put nail polish remover on my face, which is a lot more than I can say of my life before.
In case you feel bad now, you could either try it too (and don’t pretend you don’t need it, I do know a few likeminded people and I tend to call them my best friends…) or I could share with you my failings from last week:
1. I swore frequently. Though not at other people, which I guess is an improvement.
2. For a week that was supposed to be pasta & wine free there was quite a bit of both and only one night the pasta was gluten free and not by my choice.
3. Though I didn’t tweet snotty replies, I still thought them out in my head. The whole 140 characters.
4. I got really upset at the video store when my booked movie didn’t come in on time. But that was after I had just seen the Frenchman so I think it only counts half as I was already aggravated by him.
5. Forget about no. 3 – I just tweeted the snotty question whether the Grand Café can really be considered fine dining these days. Though I do believe that is a valid question and the answer is no.
So there you see - my life and me are still very far from perfect, no need to be envious. And in case you miss my disastrous stories about me & men – don’t worry, I have just playing it safe and staying away from them as best as I could. Knowing me, I shall get bored soon, approach a male human being, will manage to mess it up royally, and boom! great post for you. You just be patient…
Anyhow, technically the dare is over, but yesterday I decided I shall add another week, because the results have been quite astonishing. I was thinking about it last night when I was taking my make-up off. Usually I think about such random stuff in the shower, but yesterday I was just busy with a cotton pad. While I was thinking that my life is by no means perfect (yet!), but has just gotten a whole lot better already, I put nail polish remover on the cotton pad and luckily realized this before swiping my face with it. I started to giggle, which is always a bit weird when on your own, and thought it was in fact a nice metaphor for the results of the dare: No perfect life, but a better one. Now I seem to at least realize it when I am about to figuratively put nail polish remover on my face, which is a lot more than I can say of my life before.
In case you feel bad now, you could either try it too (and don’t pretend you don’t need it, I do know a few likeminded people and I tend to call them my best friends…) or I could share with you my failings from last week:
1. I swore frequently. Though not at other people, which I guess is an improvement.
2. For a week that was supposed to be pasta & wine free there was quite a bit of both and only one night the pasta was gluten free and not by my choice.
3. Though I didn’t tweet snotty replies, I still thought them out in my head. The whole 140 characters.
4. I got really upset at the video store when my booked movie didn’t come in on time. But that was after I had just seen the Frenchman so I think it only counts half as I was already aggravated by him.
5. Forget about no. 3 – I just tweeted the snotty question whether the Grand Café can really be considered fine dining these days. Though I do believe that is a valid question and the answer is no.
So there you see - my life and me are still very far from perfect, no need to be envious. And in case you miss my disastrous stories about me & men – don’t worry, I have just playing it safe and staying away from them as best as I could. Knowing me, I shall get bored soon, approach a male human being, will manage to mess it up royally, and boom! great post for you. You just be patient…
June 5, 2012
A winter's summer feeling.
Thanks to me not shouting at my little computer when it refused to work on Friday, I seem to have accumulated lots of good karma so it came out of the shop early. Thus I have actually no excuse not to work. Except that there is a beautiful, wintery drizzle happening outside, which makes me a) sleepy and b) reminds me of what it’s not – yesterday. Yesterday was one of those perfect winter’s summer days that was in a way a lot more special than a summer’s summer day. Or is that just me? I usually can’t really enjoy them as they should be enjoyed, mainly because the German in me still gets very confused by a summer day in winter. My body clock switches season and it doesn’t like to be disturbed it seems.
Yesterday was different though. My body was more than happy to lounge on the sunny balcony with a book after work and I drove home from yoga with the window rolled down. The breeze on my face and the view on the moon gave me a beautiful tingling down my spine, promising good things to come. Or as Marie would say: the sex is waiting in front of the door. Though this feeling was a bit more than just that. Also if sex were to materialize and take a concrete shape and wait in front of my door…oh mei. I don’t think I could appreciate it fully and grab it by the balls as deserved, I might just get scared and slam the door back into its face. That is assuming it has a face. Okay, never mind all that. All I wanted actually to say is that yesterday was a great day and today is a great day so the weather situation is neither here nor there. I just think my dare is working. Life is getting better and I am slowly but surely turning into an annoying little happy person. Deal with it.
Yesterday was different though. My body was more than happy to lounge on the sunny balcony with a book after work and I drove home from yoga with the window rolled down. The breeze on my face and the view on the moon gave me a beautiful tingling down my spine, promising good things to come. Or as Marie would say: the sex is waiting in front of the door. Though this feeling was a bit more than just that. Also if sex were to materialize and take a concrete shape and wait in front of my door…oh mei. I don’t think I could appreciate it fully and grab it by the balls as deserved, I might just get scared and slam the door back into its face. That is assuming it has a face. Okay, never mind all that. All I wanted actually to say is that yesterday was a great day and today is a great day so the weather situation is neither here nor there. I just think my dare is working. Life is getting better and I am slowly but surely turning into an annoying little happy person. Deal with it.
 |
| Yup, sorry to report, but an inspirational quote has found its way into my lounge. |
May 30, 2012
I dare me!
Yesterday I decided I would take after Flourish in Progress and dare myself a bit. Dare myself to be a nice person for a week. Be one of those persons who usually annoy me. Why? Well, I thought in order to make my life better, I might have to make myself a better person first. I am not convinced it will work, but for some reason it popped into my head yesterday that I should at least try. Just for one week. I shall give a progress report.
Today did not start well. I was woken up by blaring sounds, which cannot be called music, from the downstairs parking lot, actually set up straight and yelled out loud: What the f*** do you think you are doing? Obviously I yelled the entire f-word.
Then I remembered my dare, but it was too late. Luckily a part of it is to also being nicer to myself, so I didn’t beat myself up over it.
The rest of the morning went by just fine. I don’t think my super was ever greeted this friendly in his life.
Facebook and Twitter are becoming a challenge though. A lot ofstupid interesting people are saying a lot stupid interesting things and my urge to reciprocate is almost too great to bear it. Like this tweet:
Gotta love the #USVisa application: 'Do you seek to engage in espionage, sabotage or any other illegal activity while in the US?' Duh!
I know a lot of people think the Americans stupid. I happen to be not one of them. I don't have any problems with them, at least not any more than I have with citizens of the UK, Germany or the rest of the world. Someone may not agree with my sentiment and that is fine, but then please don’t travel there. So that is my first problem with this tweet. Secondly I believe that actually most countries these days, which require you to get a visa, ask these questions, silly or not.
This is what I wanted to say to this person, but in accordance with the dare I decided not to and just bitch about it here. Please don’t judge - for me that is a big step in the nicer direction.
To my delight I can tell that it is already working a bit too. I just got confirmed that I can teach a yoga class right by the Vic Falls, which seems like the über-location to do yoga and I am silly excited. In case you don’t know yet, yes, I am going to Zambia to plant trees with Greenpop in addition to Morocco vacation in August. Just putting this on (digital) paper makes me realize it is really working well already…
Today did not start well. I was woken up by blaring sounds, which cannot be called music, from the downstairs parking lot, actually set up straight and yelled out loud: What the f*** do you think you are doing? Obviously I yelled the entire f-word.
Then I remembered my dare, but it was too late. Luckily a part of it is to also being nicer to myself, so I didn’t beat myself up over it.
The rest of the morning went by just fine. I don’t think my super was ever greeted this friendly in his life.
Facebook and Twitter are becoming a challenge though. A lot of
Gotta love the #USVisa application: 'Do you seek to engage in espionage, sabotage or any other illegal activity while in the US?' Duh!
I know a lot of people think the Americans stupid. I happen to be not one of them. I don't have any problems with them, at least not any more than I have with citizens of the UK, Germany or the rest of the world. Someone may not agree with my sentiment and that is fine, but then please don’t travel there. So that is my first problem with this tweet. Secondly I believe that actually most countries these days, which require you to get a visa, ask these questions, silly or not.
This is what I wanted to say to this person, but in accordance with the dare I decided not to and just bitch about it here. Please don’t judge - for me that is a big step in the nicer direction.
To my delight I can tell that it is already working a bit too. I just got confirmed that I can teach a yoga class right by the Vic Falls, which seems like the über-location to do yoga and I am silly excited. In case you don’t know yet, yes, I am going to Zambia to plant trees with Greenpop in addition to Morocco vacation in August. Just putting this on (digital) paper makes me realize it is really working well already…
July 6, 2011
Post in progress.
I love the blog Flourish in Progress. Not the concept so much of her one year of no shopping, I think that is just insane, but her Monday dares.
I realized once more yesterday that yoga or not I’m still the most impatient and potentially snappy person I know. And even with all the good mantras in the world that I tell myself each day, it’s just not getting any better.
So last night I decided to give myself a bit of a dare. One Wednesday, no snapping, no bitching, no rolling eyes, no hooting (yes, I do that A LOT). I will update as I go along and hand in my final report tomorrow as tonight is Prego-post-yoga night.
The morning didn’t start so bad...
09h15 Don’t you hate it when people ask you for something - in my case to write something for a friend of mine - and a) tell you it’s urgent, when it’s not and b) don’t read what you wrote. This morning I got an email from her basically indicating that a) and b) were the case and I got a bit annoyed. I was about to re-write everything in bold with an appropriate comment attached when I remembered my dare. I’m proud to say I rephrased my response nicely and still got my point across.
B+
Stay tuned. The phone is about to ring....
I should elaborate about the phone thing. It drives me absolutely, completely insane when people call at my office and do not say their names. It’s probably the German in me, but it has led to serious arguments, which culminated in someone hanging up as I didn’t want to tell her my name before she told me hers. Mind you, I had already picked up the phone saying company name and my name. Just thinking about it gets my pulse up.
So needless to say South African phone etiquette and I don’t really get on with each other. I knew going into this dare taking phone calls would be my biggest challenge. I was right. Here is what happened at 09h45:
Caller: Hi, can I speak to Sweetness?
Me: There is no such person working here.
Caller: But I have on my records that she works for you.
Me: I think we had a Sweetness about 5 years ago, but not anymore.
Caller: Can I speak to someone in HR whether you have a Sweetness?
Me: We don’t have HR and I’m telling you she doesn’t work here.
Caller: So do you have a Sweetness working for you?
Me: Lady, THERE IS NO SWEETNESS WORKING HERE ANYMORE.
Caller: Why don’t you say so?
Yes, everything printed in capitals is me yelling. That’s a big fat F. Hanging up would have been more polite on my part.
10h15
Another email from that friend of mine. Okay, she did apologize for rushing me, but I still don’t think she has read the text. My answer deserves a B - now.
13h25
I deserve an A now. No snapping, no nothing. If I’m honest though that might be due to the fact that I have not spoken to anyone for the last hour and a half. Expect for a chat with Thekla about how control freak women are very much like vampires and how bad it would be (for the men) to actually be a control freak vampire. We decided that would make us vampire queens of the Western Cape and might be quite scary indeed.
15h00
I'm practically a saint here. To be even more saintlike = honest I think today doesn't count. It's not daring to be nice if there are no phone calls and no human interaction. Yoga doesn't count because I'm actually never snappy at the studio or in class (SIT DOWN LOWER NOW, PEOPLE! does not count, that's motivation.) The drive to the studio could be interesting. We will see. I shall report tonight.
On another note - I was just accused of drinking in regards to me mentioning vampires. I really did not. I wish. And the vampires were all Thekla's fault anyhow.
Rest of the day
I am proud to tell that it just got better from here. No hooting, no yelling, no snapping. I did make a somewhat inappropriate comment in class by mistake, but that just made everyone laugh.
This morning I continued on a similar good streak and only showed one guy the finger, but he deserved it the way he was driving. The sales lady who was telling me in detail that I was looking at soap, then body lotion, then body scrub - yes, lady, I am looking at it and can tell it's soap - only got a little frown and still made a damn good sale from me.
So all in all I'm quite proud of myself and will just remind me once in a while of the two wise sayings that 1. Rome wasn't built in a day and 2. People don't do the things that bug you to bug you. They just do what they do. - That came from my yoga teacher. Quite profound, but good to remember once in a while when you think the guy in front of you is driving 20kmh in order to ruin your day.
I realized once more yesterday that yoga or not I’m still the most impatient and potentially snappy person I know. And even with all the good mantras in the world that I tell myself each day, it’s just not getting any better.
So last night I decided to give myself a bit of a dare. One Wednesday, no snapping, no bitching, no rolling eyes, no hooting (yes, I do that A LOT). I will update as I go along and hand in my final report tomorrow as tonight is Prego-post-yoga night.
The morning didn’t start so bad...
09h15 Don’t you hate it when people ask you for something - in my case to write something for a friend of mine - and a) tell you it’s urgent, when it’s not and b) don’t read what you wrote. This morning I got an email from her basically indicating that a) and b) were the case and I got a bit annoyed. I was about to re-write everything in bold with an appropriate comment attached when I remembered my dare. I’m proud to say I rephrased my response nicely and still got my point across.
B+
Stay tuned. The phone is about to ring....
I should elaborate about the phone thing. It drives me absolutely, completely insane when people call at my office and do not say their names. It’s probably the German in me, but it has led to serious arguments, which culminated in someone hanging up as I didn’t want to tell her my name before she told me hers. Mind you, I had already picked up the phone saying company name and my name. Just thinking about it gets my pulse up.
So needless to say South African phone etiquette and I don’t really get on with each other. I knew going into this dare taking phone calls would be my biggest challenge. I was right. Here is what happened at 09h45:
Caller: Hi, can I speak to Sweetness?
Me: There is no such person working here.
Caller: But I have on my records that she works for you.
Me: I think we had a Sweetness about 5 years ago, but not anymore.
Caller: Can I speak to someone in HR whether you have a Sweetness?
Me: We don’t have HR and I’m telling you she doesn’t work here.
Caller: So do you have a Sweetness working for you?
Me: Lady, THERE IS NO SWEETNESS WORKING HERE ANYMORE.
Caller: Why don’t you say so?
Yes, everything printed in capitals is me yelling. That’s a big fat F. Hanging up would have been more polite on my part.
10h15
Another email from that friend of mine. Okay, she did apologize for rushing me, but I still don’t think she has read the text. My answer deserves a B - now.
13h25
I deserve an A now. No snapping, no nothing. If I’m honest though that might be due to the fact that I have not spoken to anyone for the last hour and a half. Expect for a chat with Thekla about how control freak women are very much like vampires and how bad it would be (for the men) to actually be a control freak vampire. We decided that would make us vampire queens of the Western Cape and might be quite scary indeed.
15h00
I'm practically a saint here. To be even more saintlike = honest I think today doesn't count. It's not daring to be nice if there are no phone calls and no human interaction. Yoga doesn't count because I'm actually never snappy at the studio or in class (SIT DOWN LOWER NOW, PEOPLE! does not count, that's motivation.) The drive to the studio could be interesting. We will see. I shall report tonight.
On another note - I was just accused of drinking in regards to me mentioning vampires. I really did not. I wish. And the vampires were all Thekla's fault anyhow.
Rest of the day
I am proud to tell that it just got better from here. No hooting, no yelling, no snapping. I did make a somewhat inappropriate comment in class by mistake, but that just made everyone laugh.
This morning I continued on a similar good streak and only showed one guy the finger, but he deserved it the way he was driving. The sales lady who was telling me in detail that I was looking at soap, then body lotion, then body scrub - yes, lady, I am looking at it and can tell it's soap - only got a little frown and still made a damn good sale from me.
So all in all I'm quite proud of myself and will just remind me once in a while of the two wise sayings that 1. Rome wasn't built in a day and 2. People don't do the things that bug you to bug you. They just do what they do. - That came from my yoga teacher. Quite profound, but good to remember once in a while when you think the guy in front of you is driving 20kmh in order to ruin your day.
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