Archive for April, 2011
Friday, April 15th, 2011
What on earth??? This Cell-C vs Vodacom nonsense must the most ridiculous thing I’ve seen all week.
In case you’re wondering…
Vodacom launched their change to red campaign on 1 April with loads of fanfare. Advertisement, SMSes and MMSes to us lucky customers.
They just about threw everything but the kitchen sink into their attempts to inform us that their branding had changed from their usual blue, to Vodafone red.
Along came Cell-C and with their own advertisement, ridiculing Vodacom’s marketing efforts.
‘CEO’ Trevor Noah mentioned something about the colour change not meaning its the biggest cell phone network. Or something to that effect.
It didn’t sound all that convincing to me, regardless of what he said.
Especially since I thought Vodacom had a bigger customer base than Cell-c.
Vodacom took offence anyway and laid a complaint at ASA.
And for good measure served lawyers letters on all and sundry.
All and sundry includes someone who worked on Vodacom’s marketing campaign and was subsequently employed at Cell-C’s advertising company.
In my opinion Vodacom is adding fuel to an almost dead fire, especially since Cell-C’s campaign looked like amatuer hour on Youtubem
Posted in marketing, vodacom | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 13th, 2011
I was thinking about whether to write about politics again – with the elections coming up on 18 May.
The first time I blogged about it in 2009 was so much fun, it provided me with the direction I wanted take this blog.
Oh, the nostalgia!
The late night debates with people who were as likely to change their votes as I was. But to be fair there were one or two who were conflicted about who to vote for and why.
I was called an idiot a few times. A lot of times by one person, in particular.
That upset people close to me, but I didn’t mind one bit.
I banned him eventually, when all did was to spam me with the same message many times per day. The first and only time I had to ban someone on this blog.
I gave as good as I got most of the time, though.
But since then the fun has pretty much gone out of political discussions. The vitriol is not something I want in my life anymore.
Come 18 May, I will be voting ANC, as I usually do. There is no doubt in my mind this time.
The alternatives are not an option for me. Maybe if the Independent Democrats were truly independent they might have been an option.
The Democratic Alliance has no chance at all of getting my vote.
So with decision made, there is nothing left to discuss. We (and I include myself here) are no longer open to others opinions.
Which is a pity, because it seems like we’re as polarised as the USA and other countries. There is no middle ground anymore.
The Congress of the People might have provided that option, but since their spectacular rise and fall, we’re left with only two real choices.
My decision about whether to blog about politics or not, was up in the air until yesterday when Gareth Cliff’s Facebook feed appeared on my screen.
All he did was to wish President Zuma a happy birthday, but the responses he received were mind-blowingly rude! And that’s an understatement.
Who are these people who are so mean-spirited they can’t wish someone a happy birthday? Are they in the shopping malls I frequent, do I pass them on the streets? Are they family, friends, colleagues or neighbours?
So that was that.
I would prefer to live my life on my little fluffy cloud and believe the lie we told the world during FIFA’s soccer world cup in 2010, when we provided them images of us as a nation of smiling faces.
Posted in election 2009, politics | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, April 13th, 2011
I was thinking about whether to write about politics again – with the elections coming up on 18 May.
The first time I blogged about it in 2009 was so much fun, it provided me with the direction I wanted take this blog.
Oh, the nostalgia!
The late night debates with people who were as likely to change their votes as I was. But to be fair there were one or two who were conflicted about who to vote for and why.
I was called an idiot a few times. A lot of times by one person, in particular.
That upset people close to me, but I didn’t mind one bit.
I banned him eventually. The first and only time I had to ban someone on this blog.
I gave as good as I got most of the time, though.
But since then the fun has pretty much gone out of political discussions. The vitriol is not something I want in my life anymore.
Come 18 May, I will be voting ANC, as I usually do. There is no doubt in my mind this time.
The alternatives are not an option for me. Maybe if the Independent Democrats were truly independent they might have been an option.
The Democratic Alliance has no chance at all of getting my vote.
So with decision made, there is nothing left to discuss. We (and I include myself here) are no longer open to others opinions.
Which is a pity, because it seems like we’re as polarised as the USA and other countries. There is no middle ground anymore.
The Congress of the People might have provided that option, but since their spectacular rise and fall, we’re left with only two real choices.
My decision about whether to blog about politics or not, was up in the air until yesterday when Gareth Cliff’s Facebook feed appeared on my screen.
All he did was to wish President Zuma a happy birthday, but the responses he received were mind-blowingly rude!
Who are these people who are so mean-spirited they can’t wish someone a happy birthday? Are they in the shopping malls I frequent, do I pass them on the streets? Are they family, friends, colleagues or neighbours?
So that was that.
I would prefer to live on my little cloud and believe the lie we told the world during FIFA’s soccer world cup in 2010, when we provided them images of us as a nation of smiling faces.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, April 11th, 2011
This morning I got ready to go to work after a week’s leave. Not feeling quite ecstatic, nor was I down in the dumps.
A nice middle medium on the Monday morning mood scale, I would say.
I’ve been better. And I’ve been worse.
So I walked into the office only for the receptionist to greet without looking at me. Not quite a rare occurance, much less on a Monday morning. But I thought since I was on leave and all…
As cheerily as I could muster under the circumstances, I went to greet my office buddy and then made some coffee.
And from there it all went downhill!
What follows might be considered entirely ridiculous to some…actually to most sane people. Even to me. And I recognise my part in the absurdities to follow.
I went to my desk with coffee in hand, feeling rather pleased that I remembered to bring some to work this time.
(I put reminders on my phone because at my age you have to!)
My computer took forever to boot up, but I checked e-mail on my Blackberry to pass the time.
The phone rang – that annoying inside the building ring tone that I hate. Not to be confused with the annoying outside the building ring tone that I hate.
Receptionist: “How many batteries should I buy for the digital cameras?”
Me thinking to self: “Huh?” “Does she know I was on leave for a week?”
Me to Receptionist: “How must I know?”
Me to self: “Lord make me an instrument of Thy peace…”
Me to Receptionist: “…rechargeable batteries, I would say…”
Receptionist, interrupting: “I was told to buy regular batteries.”
Me to self: “Why is she asking me this crap!” “Why not ask the person who told her to buy batteries in the first place????”
To Receptionist: “Buy 8, no make that 16,” shaking my head and starting to feel very annoyed.
Me to self: “…may I not as much seek to be understood as to understand;”
Receptionist: “We ran out of batteries last week and you know how things are when you’re not here.”
Yep! Probably similar to what it’s like when I am there.
But she probably meant someone else had to buy batteries, set up laptops and data projectors, video-tape children playing, give digital cameras to whoever needs them, download said photos to network, troubleshoot IT issues and photocopier machines and website edits, in case you wondering.
None of which is my main task, mind you!
Me to self: “Why the F*@# did they not just buy batteries when they ran out???” As that is what I, in my infinite wisdom, would have done.
Now I was pissed off!
Me to Receptionist: “Well, that’s what I have do every day.”
Me to self: “Why the F*@# can’t these people think for themselves?” “Must I never take leave, ever?” Like hell!
Funny enough the receptionist was not the person I was most angry with…she just started the ball rolling.
Posted in Life, office | No Comments »
Friday, April 8th, 2011
I’m sitting on my couch with cup of coffee nearby, contemplating life’s mysteries.
A thought just crossed my mind. In a minute or two it might not seem that interesting, but it was at the time, I remind you.
Oh no, another thought just occurred to me.
I wonder what human beings did before blogging was invented?
How did we exist not sharing our every thought?
But I digress (again).
Do you also wonder what men and women did in the morning before someone discovered the effects of coffee beans.
Can you even imagine?
Were our fore-fathers and mothers cranky and lethargic when they woke each morning, until their first sip of…water?
I shudder at the thought.
I ask this because recently I forgot my little tupperware container of Nescafe coffee at home.
(My brother a real coffee drinker, considers me an amateur!)
Now let me just mention that I never leave home without drinking at least one cup of coffee. So my body wasn’t entirely deprived of caffeine when the incident below occurred.
The very thought!
I arrived at the office, greeted those I saw. Settled behind my desk, switched on my computer as usual and…
Nothing!
I usually make more coffee while my pc starts up.
Now let me just explain something else…we have coffee at work. Ricoffy! Just shoot me now!
…I jumped up from my desk and asked the receptionist to cover for me, as I had to get coffee at the cafe.
“But they only have Ricoffy,” she reminded me.
“I know someone who also brings coffee from home.” She promised to let me know as soon as colleague two arrived.
I nevertheless looked out the window until I saw her enter the parking lot.
And 10 minutes later I had a cup of warm Jacobs coffee in hand.
She showed me where she hides her stash in case of future emergencies.
Not that I will forget my coffee for a while.
Posted in Life, work | 6 Comments »
