Great article!

Ann Landers' famous "The Childless Couple" (http://www.childfree.net/potpourri_annlanders.html)

There is nothing sadder than a childless couple. It breaks my heart to see them relaxing around swimming pools in Florida, sitting all suntanned and miserable on the decks of their boats -- trotting off to Europe like lonesome fools. It's an empty life. Nothing but money to spend, more time to enjoy and a whole lot less to worry about.

The poor childless couple are so wrapped up in themselves, you have to feel sorry for them. They don't fight over the child's discipline, don't blame each other for the child's most obnoxious characteristics, and they miss all the fun of doing without for the child's sake. They just go along, doing whatever they want, buying what they want and liking each other. It's a pretty pathetic picture.

Everyone should have children. No one should be allowed to escape the wonderful experience that accompanies each stage in the development of the young -- the happy memories of sleepless nights, coughing spells, tantrums, diaper rash, debts, "dipso" baby sitters, saturated mattresses, emergencies and never-ending crises.

How dismal is the peaceful home without the constant childish problems that make a well-rounded life and an early breakdown; the tender, thoughtful discussions when the report card reveals the progeny to be one step below a moron; the end-of-the-day reunions with all the joyful happenings recited like well-placed blows to the temples.

Children are worth it. Every moment of anxiety, every sacrifice, every complete collapse pays off as a fine, sturdy adolescent is reached. The feeling of reward the first time you took the boy hunting -- he didn't mean to shoot you, the lad was excited. Remember how he cried? How sorry he was? And how much better you felt after the blood transfusion? These are the times a man with a growing son treasures -- memories that are captured forever in the heart and the limp.

Think back to the night of romantic adventure when your budding daughter eloped with the village idiot. What childless couple ever shared in the stark realism of that drama? Aren't you a better man for having lived richly, fully, acquiring that tic in your left eye? Could a woman without children touch the strength and heroism of your wife as she tried to fling herself out of the bedroom window?

The childless couple live in a vacuum. They fill their lonely days with golf, vacation trips, dinner dates, civic affairs, tranquility, leisure and entertainment. There is a terrifying emptiness without children, but the childless couple are too comfortable to know it.

You just have to look at them to see what the years have done: He looks boyish, unlined and rested; she's slim, well-groomed and youthful. It isn't natural. If they had had kids, they'd look like the rest of us -- worn out, wrinkled and exhausted.

And another one: http://www.childfree.net/potpourri_selfish.html - questions to make you THINK!!!

HAHA erhh.... hah.. ah.. ah... uhh

Such retardation, all under the guise of trustworthy, "for me" banking.

I finally closed my account with A BSA yesterday. The consultants there were not particularly interested in greeting me or speaking to me more than "card..." and "don't want your card...?"

The teller gave me the money that was left in my savings account, right down to the last cent. Literally. Despite the fact that a 1 cent coin (and for that matter a 2 cent coin) is no longer legal tender in this country. I gave the coin a rather odd look and said "what must I do with 1c?" the woman said "you must take it". WTF? They couldn't round it up to a 5c? Which would only be reasonable since they enjoy ripping you off with bank charges wherever you look. 5c back would hardly be a tip on the iceberg of what they've deducted from my account.

Stupid moronic bank. I am so glad I am free of them... or am I? I checked back onto my internet banking, and lo and behold, my SAVINGS account is closed, but my non-existent CREDIT CARD account is still there! I closed that, what... almost 2 years ago? Yet it still shows there as an "account number". What now? Go back to the bank, and ask them to close a non-existent account? Only in this bank's world does that make sense. If you read my previous blog posts (from a few months ago) you'll recall my horror at going into the branch upon their request to (compulsorily) confirm my phone number/details, to which the moron behind the customer service desk responded "ohh, right, thanks for informing us" (of the compulsory change - she had NO IDEA about this request for details.... uhh, right, whatever, assholes!)

Anyway, I am now happily with another bank, am waiting on an application for another facility on my account, but all in all, happy.

I forgot to mention something funky G and I got for Xmas... 2 matching bar-stools from his parents! They look so gorgeous in our place, matching the floor + decor perfectly.

In other news: I PASSED MY LEARNERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Booked my drivers test for 13 May, and if I pass first time, it'll be a sort of birthday present for G! :D *holds thumbs* I think I'm being taken for a lesson tomorrow... WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE erhh.... eeeek? Is a very spiffy, sporty car, y'know! Eeek! My first lesson with an instructor is on the 5th. Weehoo!

Anyhow-a-low-low! Today is hot and I'm going to go lounge somewhere - the PC is boring me right now!

Update-a-late

I haven't blogged in AGES, things have been so busy.

I'm going to catch up by talking about things as I remember them...

This morning, after sleeping latish, we headed off to the traffic dept. I was going for my learners. It was very simple, 28 questions on signs, 28 questions on rules of the road and 8 on controls of the vehicle. I got 27/28 for signs, 26/28 for rules and 8/8 for controls = I PASSED! I got my learners!!!!

Went to the car after getting my license, and then G and I went in to queue while I applied for a drivers' test appointment. It took over an hour! But I made an appointment, my drivers' test is at 8:15 on 13 May! Eek eek! My first driving lesson is on the 5th, I hope I can learn soon enough to pass my test first time!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What else is news... I don't remember whether I blogged about M's bachelorette's party... ok I did.

I haven't blogged about their wedding though, which was on the morning of the 8th. G was the driver for the bride, and sis's G was the driver to the bridesmaids (sis and M's sis). I caught a lift with mom. Was a small intimate wedding, not a long ceremony at all (but it was in Afrikaans so I found it a little hard to follow at times). A lovely reception in the hall next to the church. The photos were taken in the garden (Garden of Remembrance) a short walk down the road. She's the first of my close friends (ppl I've known for around 10 years) to get married, so it was rather special!

Just on a side note, I've been looking at car galleries while I think of things to blog, and the Chevy Aveo (sedan), the Citroen C3, the Merc C63 AMG, the Proton Satria Neo, and others, are rather cool. I don't like the Satria Neo though for one reason: the handbrake has a "finger guard" which looks like it'd be VERY ANNOYING. Other than that it's quite a nice car. The Aveo sedan is quite nice too, but it's a sedan and would be a bit big for me, being a new "driver" (ok not yet but would be). The Merc C63 is rather sexy and super-powerful... 'nuff said. So all in all, the C3 seems the nicest option for me. Pity about the price of cars... I'd be paying it off over 60 months, putting down nearly 90% of the car price as a deposit, and STILL paying it off with maybe R5 to spare each month. Uhhh....

Our office lunch was uneventful. The restaurant was practically down the road from our place, it just felt rather bleh to have to come back to work for a week afterwards. I survived being the receptionist for the (4-day) week, well, rather I survived a gastro-enteritis and was the receptionist for 3 days. The Tuesday hbbm was still there and it was insanely busy. The Wednesday I was off sick, the Thursday and the Friday I dragged myself to work out of sympathy for the typist who is next in line to stand in as receptionist (she does everyone else's work, not just typing).

We had a yearly review session too, I got called in on the Friday and told about my annual pay increase (yay!!), a small bonus (YAY!! I've already put most of that into my savings account... good me!), also feedback about the year. They said basically I'm not only hbbm's PA (har-di-har... I'm not a PA at all!), I must also do work for other people, ppl have been noticing a rather negative attitude about doing work for them - erm, no kidding? How am I supposed to do other people's work/help in their offices when I CAN'T EVEN GO TO THE LOO IN PEACE?!?!? Nevermind working in SOMEONE ELSE'S office... jees. I told them that. I doubt it registered though. Whatever. A change would do me good!

The office closed on Friday... we got to go home at 13:00! G fetched me and dropped me off at home. It was LOVELY weather, very enjoyable to just blob at home. We had Synd at M&J's place, we just chatted and had waffles.

This weekend was quite busy, doing last min things and cleaning up at home. We met up with G's folks and his gran for brunch... at that stage the mall wasn't insanely busy but I'm sure it got insane!

I vaguely remember studying this weekend, I'm not sure what else we did. Chores, mostly. Monday evening mom, sis and sis's G came over to celebrate Xmas eve. Had KFC for supper, and then had some snacks while we waited for midnight to open presents!!!

Tuesday we went for Xmas lunch at G's folks, and exchanged gifts too. Was such a lovely lunch! Very yum food.

Wednesday we went to mom's for 2nd Xmas lunch. It seems to work out best going to the one on the 25th and the other on the 26th, that way there's no rush and "we've got to go else we'll be late". That way, Xmas lunch happens twice and no1 feels like they've been forgotten/discarded. Or at least I hope it's like that!

Lunch at mom's was nice too, yum food too, Aunt+Uncle and cousin, M & J, sis and sis's G, mom and G and I were there.

I can't believe I passed my learners. Ok I'm not surprised, I just didn't know what to expect as in how hard the questions would be. YAY!!!!!! I don't have to bother with that book again - at least not the same way, I might use it to refresh my memory in preparation for the driving test in case the examiner asks me any trick questions!!

I got a plasma sphere for Xmas! It's so funky. A Kelly Clarkson CD too, and a little horse, from G. Lots of other lovely special things from everyone else!

The washmachine finished about half an hour ago, but I'm enjoying these Kelly Clarkson songs so much I don't wanna go fetch the basket upstairs to unpack it. *Sigh*

I'm gonna leave it at that hehe, I think I've blogged up a storm for today!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE (if I don't get to wish you all closer to the time).

Quoted for truth

"Love is the irresistible desire to be desired irresistibly" Louis Ginsburg

Update

I am receptionist next week. YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY >.<

Thank HEAVENS it is a 4 day week because the Monday is a public holiday.

I am SO FED UP. Out of those 4 days I will only get ONE lunchbreak. The rest of the days the people who would be standing in while I go for lunch are ON LEAVE so I will just have to STARVE.

I hate

Today I feel very hateful.

It has been bloody busy all day. I was at work earlier than usual and I still didn't get to finish my oats. They went cold (as did my coffee but I gulped that down regardless) so I had to dump them in the bin.

It's basically just gone downhill from there.

I haven't had a break until now, 13:10 (no teabreak, hardly even a chance to breathe!)... the tealady buggered off somewhere so the receptionist had to stand in for her so I had to stand in for the receptionist! As if I wasn't busy enough. Hbbm kept dumping more and more things on me, rearranging their priority so I had to stop in the middle of things and do whatever he said I have to do right then.

I hate "receiving" corporate gifts. What it really is is that ppl deliver stuff at reception and she just dumps it on MY desk, regardless of the fact that is SAYS my boss's name. But I still have to get the joy of picking it up and moving it 1ft across onto his side of my desk, behind my computer monitor. It is NOT for me, don't put it on my keyboard/chair/desk!

I hate the way he is so disinterested in them. He gets a shitload of stuff every single year, and each time he gets anything, he's like "oh what must I do with THIS now...." "oh god, not another one" and stuff. He just takes it and puts it in his office. The one time, the receptionist had put a little paper bag of sweets and things on my desk, and I was (disbelieving) a little surprised thinking that maybe someone had got me something. Nope, it had his name on it, so I moved it to his part of the desk. He comes past a while later, and asks whether it's mine, so I say no. He says "god, what is it... (looks in the bag). Do you get gifts from anyone?" "no..." I walk away to take my mug to the kitchen. WHY did he ask that? What for??? To rub it in? Thanks, boss, thanks very much.

I hate the way the accountant dumps HER work on me. Invoicing. It's NOT MY job to do accounts. That's what ACCOUNTants do. But no, I get to do hbbm's accounts. And now, another "task" has been palmed off onto me. Rather smugly, to add to it.

I hate the way hbbm asks me whether I've done something he's given me to do when CLEARLY I haven't had a chance to because he's just interrupted me and made me drop it and do something else. What does he think, I'm siamese and can do two things at once??

I hate this company. I hate it more each day because of the scaly little things they do. I was grubbing around in the shared folders on the network (not private stuff at all) and found a pro-forma employment contract. I never got one. All I did was sign a letter and keep a signed copy for myself. Charming.

I hate the way they use unlicensed software. Surely if they're a decent, profiting company they can AFFORD it? Why install something on my computer and tell me not to register it and then warn me I only have 50 chances to use it else it'll break and they won't be able to reload it on my machine. WTF? Just BUY the goddamn licenses already people!

I hate the way they scummily

**** Ok that was how far I got yesterday (Wednesday) - it just got busier and busier and busier. Today has been damn busy too. Now that I am waiting for hbbm to come back for me to carry on with the work, I am falling asleep. I am exhausted.

I still hate this place. I confirmed last night by looking in my paperwork at home that I never got a letter saying I had been promoted. I just got a "salary package revision" letter. Fuckers. So I was never promoted, ever. The only place it MENTIONS my NOT being receptionist is my payslip.

I am so sick of everything now. Apparently hbbm is only going to be in on Tuesday (not the whole week as I thought) but it's hardly consolation. I am so so sick and tired. I really am so tired. So tired, frustrated I could cry. Except I'm too tired to cry.

Yet again I'm reminded how much I fucking hate being "human". Why the hell am I working? Why am I getting a "salary", which is taxed, then buying stuff with what is LEFT, to pay 14% of everything's price OVER AND ABOVE that as tax, and then whatever the HELL I have left over in my bank account is essentially TAXED just for having anything LEFT! Bank charges!!!! Is it EVER REALLY MY GODDAMN MONEY????????

Why do you have to PAY MONEY to fucking DIE! You die, and woops, now you're owing X amount of money because of it.

What IS THE POINT?!

What honestly is the point.

We have made provisional plans/decisions that we want to take a month off for honeymoon. But if I'm going to be CHANGING jobs, I won't have leave enough by then to TAKE an entire month off. I am SO STUCK.

I don't know what to do. I don't want anything. I don't want tomorrow (fuck them and their "office lunch", bastards), I don't want the weekend because it means the next week of torture is already close. I don't want a holiday because it is too short for me to regain my spirit. I don't know how I will have the strength to come back to this shit hole. I will just have to autopilot myself around.

I don't want anything. I want time out, real time out. I want time out so that I can bloody-well do OTHER things than work and feel depressed because the next day is work again, and closer when I go to sleep. I want to be able to BREATHE the outside air, GO AWAY from cockroaches and shit like that. I don't want to wash dishes, I don't want to wash clothes, I don't want to put things in to take to work for lunch, I don't want to wake up with the alarm because I have to go to hell for the day. I don't want to be in traffic, watching people drive like MORONS. I don't want to be in queues, I don't want to be anything. I want nothing. Nothingness?

Busy time!!

This past week has been hectic. It's already Thursday! Tomorrow is Friday, Saturday is M&J's wedding. Next Friday is our office lunch, and to be quite honest, I'm not excited about it. S's co is giving each of them a day off to do shopping etc, and is just having a few eats at the office. That sort of thing would be much more appreciated than what is essentially forced attendance at a lunch. One can't exactly NOT go. This year the restaurant is basically a few blocks away from our home! So no reason NOT to go. But yeah, a little more thought about it would be cool - what would the staff really appreciate more?

Tonight G and I are going to do some more Xmas shopping. I hope the shops aren't too insane this evening. If we don't manage to get everything done this evening, we're going to have to buy suits of armour to go sometime during the next week.

There are roughly 2 weeks left til I write my learners. EEEKK!!!

Xmas is coming soon. Going to get an advent calendar tonight too, just means that G and I will get to scoff 3 days' choccies each! I think it'd be a cool thing to make a tradition of. We never had advent calendars at home, apart from one we made in primary school. Yay, a Squishy tradition has begun!

We've got a little tree which came with some decorations (including a star!!), some other decorations, some lights... I can't wait to decorate the place! If I remember right, our tradition was to get and decorate a tree on the 16th... maybe we'll decorate ours on Sunday... the reason we waited that long to decorate it was because it was a real tree and if we got it too soon it'd go brown before Xmas arrived! Now we don't have to worry about that - my worry is that it'll get all disturbed a lot whenever we vacuum and stuff. We'll see. It's all so exciting!

What else is news... well at the moment I'm enjoying some LOLCATS

For the record I still don't think much of our co *grimace* won't go into detail here but just yet another indication of staff issues/morale/etc being "superhigh priority"!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our microwave died. I'm sad because it's only just been now recently that we have felt that we have everything we *need*. We'd just got our lawn goodies, got the oven hooked up, and then the microwave died. I'd found out a coupla days before (to my UTTER HORROR) that cockroaches had infested it. They were living in the panel behind the buttons. So when I opened it after making myself a huge bowl of popcorn, there were COCKROACHES all over the door latch mechanism and latch-hole! Needless to say I did NOT eat the popcorn. G had opened the microwave to clean it and apparently the cockroach crap stank very badly. So a good thing that it had died because G got to have some fun nuking it with pesticide. But bad cos we have to buy another one. I want to put it on a tray of water so that nothing can get into it...

I am not happy though because the washmachine is ALSO infested. I found an (empty!!) egg case in the detergent drawer, and almost every day I kill various size cockroaches on/in/around the washmachine. I really am seriously thinking of phoning a fumigator/pest control to help, because cockroaches can really destroy appliances and other things - not to mention my NERVES! I hate cockroaches!!!!!!

Went home recently to pick up the last of my stuff... the house is so morbid without Budbud. Sis was working so it was just me (G'd gone off to J's bachelors).

Saturday was M's bachelorettes and J's bachelors! We were up early for G to go to the breakfast. G dropped me at home to pack some boxes which he took with him home (our home). I stayed at home waiting for sis to finish work and to go with her to the bachelorettes. She'd gone out to plot the route first and got lost!!

It was lots of fun. Sis and I were late cos we stopped at K's place to pick up her gift cos she wasn't going to go... she was still sick with bronchitis!

I won't go into detail here either, lemme just leave it at "M got NICE and wobbly by the end of the day!!" She sms'd the next morning and said that she had quite a headache!

Saturday is their wedding. Feels unreal hehe! G is the driver for M and her dad. Sis's G is the driver for her, M's mom and M's sis.

Wheeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lemme sign off now... otherwise this blog post will be erm.... 100 feet long!