End of an era

So I finished that whole degree thing that I've been working on for a while now, so the VC can bash me on the head with a piece of paper while I prance around in a funny looking gown next year, so looking forward to that. I hear the ceremony is painfully boring, but at least its long...

The Lindsay and I have split up so that era is over and we look to the future to see what it will bring as the time for dwelling in the past and wallowing in self pity is now over.

New year on the other and should be most interesting as a growing group seem poised to be joining me in Cape Town as Jared, Xanthe, Caitlin, Seanie and Ash B are keen for some fun involving beverages and bad decisions, which is always a good time.

Until next time take care of yourself and eachother - Jerry Springer

Long night friends

I find myself in the radio shack yet again this year. My fellow radio comrades and I have lived here throguhout the year. Good times and bad. The last week of term before undergrad is all over! Jen and I have been staring at a stupid programme for hours trying to get it open to finish our audio slide show. Alas the software lets us down. There have been many new developments in the world according to Timmy, but this will have to be discussed another day as my frustration at this work would paint a negative picture. I'm sure my blogging can be revived as I waste some time during swot week. The work is getting me down but just one month to go before a happy holiday. I'm grumpy at the moment but others have to deal with that so its not my problem that I'm grumpy. Gives me something to do as we wait yet again for the stupid programme to work. More from me again on a happier day in the future.

Couch potato

Aaah July vac. Time to do absolutly nothing at all. I have become reaquainted with my old friends couchie and the wise and all knowing Mr T.V. They treat me well and we have a firm relationship. My only notable outings have been to my beach house at Smits and one visit to Tiger Tiger. Ash and I embarked on te night out and at Tiger she demonstrated her amazing disappearing act to perfection, tus leaving me again knowing nobody in the club. Tried to make some friends but was just 'that guy' who tells a good joke and them you bugger off with your 'real' mates. Oh well Cole will be back in CT soon so I will have a drinking buddy that is rather more reliable. Then in just over a week its back to G-town for third term. Wonder how the Candi's diving and skiing adventure is going? Too bad she never blogs any more tisk tisk. As te Xanthe sign off line goes. . . see ya Xanth . . . wait I mean Timmy!

The year so far...

The year has been an interesting one, which started with a great deal of promise, and has failed to deliver in several areas. There have been some excellent memories that in particular to my first Splashy Fen, which was brilliant fun, although rather wet with a lot of rain. The hippies were entertaining, and a general atmosphere of fun made for an excellent weekend. Rory Eliot and The Reason most definatly the top band on display.

There was also the second ever Vetinary Cricket World Cup, which was once again help at my old stomping ground of Hilton College. Unfortunatly the folks couldn't make it, but I represented the Cape side where we lost two of our three games. We did however win the partying and had more fun than most of the other tems thanks in large part to our captain Bennie Van der Merwe. I had a good tournament with the bat and a chance in the top order was all I needed to keep my spirits up. Scores of 33, 13 and a 28 not out to win the last game made me a very happy camper. Those knocks included one large six that brought a smile to my face. Was was mediocre with the ball, probably just didn't adjust my line from varsity level cricket, but a great weekend and good to see the Kretzmans again.

While I'm on the cricket debriefing, let us look at my now established place in the Rhodes Rats. The laughs and stories that come out of those matches make my day every week. The best story of the year was infact off of the field when we finally got round to having our fines evening. This included us dressing up in full match kit together with original head-gear. The formal meeting ended and we all stumbled our way to the Rat in top spirits. From here my memory is rather shakey, but walked home at some ungodly hour and lost my wallet in the process, as well as locking the sim on my phone. These inbetween falling over many times on my way up to 8 Robinson street. I had the bruised hed to prove it as I appear to have used my face to break my fall on more than one occation. What a great night.

The digs life is great with a few mishaps along the way, but a vast improvement from res. I have learnt a few things that will make next year's digs even better, and plans are in the wroks, so watch this space. Linds, Sean, Mel and Ash are good digs-mates and we hav mostly had a marvelous time of it all. I am really glad that mel FINALLY made it to Rhodes and we are the best of friends once again, although it took a while to get to know eachother properly again.

Jared and Cole came to visit for Goscelin's birthday. Jared seemed to have a great time that night, that included chundering at tap Huijs, in my car, on the floor next to the toilet, in Lindsay's bed and everywhere except the bucket we gave him and in the toilet itself!! He woke up with no memory of these events, but it made for a great story.

This has been my run-down of the year's events so far in brief. It was a little shopping-list like, but I just wanted them to be noted. I will add more current affairs next time now that we are up to speed again.

Third year is the charm

I realise that I have been a very bad little blogger and stopped with the tales after returning to SA. This is something that I would like to rectify, and as it is exams and I have some time on my hands every now and then (finally in this hectic year) I vow to return to the world of the bloggers. My number one fan the Candi will be happy, as I know I will always have one reader, so yay! The stories of what has happened so far will be coming soon...

Super Bowl Weekend

My final weekend in the States, and a very memorable one it was too. on sunday I watched the Super Bowl live, and saw the Peyton Manning and the Colts crush the Bears (Eat your heart out Jared!). That was followed by heading out with Cole, Devin and Megan in style as we were given a ride in a Hummer, and went to watch The Wailers perform live! For those who don't know, The Wailers are Bob Marley's old band. The Jamaican crew appeared on the stage, with several of them finishing their 'joints'! They then proceeded to pplay the most fantastic music, along with all the old favourites such as "No Woman, No Cry", "Is This Love", "I Shot the Sheriff" and many more.... Was the best live performance I have ever heard, and the lead singer kept telling us between songs about love, freedom and the Rasta way of life. There was a relativly small crowd for such a great band, and we were only about 3 or 4 meters away from them, on a dance floor with springs in it that makes it bounce up and down when people are dancing!

There was also good skiing news a few days ago now, as it finally snowed last week. Cole and I ventured to the Back Bowls in Vail for the fresh powder, which was the best skiing so far on the trip. Earlier in the week we had another Vail outing, and found Matt Kretzman there. Our possie of about 6 headed down one of the runs, and while the rest followed the course, I followed Matt into the trees. Halfway in Matt stopped in front of me and informed me that he had no idea where he was going. That lead to an interesting route that we were forced to follow before submerging from the trees.

Australian for a day!!

Your eyes have not deceived you, it is true! I was Australian for a day, as we celebrated Australia Day with a house party at the Aussies place. This included an indoor game of drunken cricket, with few recognisable rules, an American umpire and much laughing and shouting. This left our poor friends from America and Norway far more confused about the sport than they had been before, and even more convinced that Australians, South Africans and Brits are crazy!! There was also singing, beer pouring and other party traditions. I fear Fitzy got a photo of me drapped in an Australian flag drinking a Fosters, which I fear may haunt me in the future, especially in a cricket world cup year.

Earlier in the week the company sponsored a bowling party for all the employees, which was some good fun. We had ten-pin-bowing, beer and pizza all payed for. I feel no need to be humble, and bask in glory of my victory on this occation.

On current news, today was a fantastic day for skiing. Together with Simmo and James I hiked the park a few times and did my first ever sideways slide across a box and also managed to land one of them switch. A great moment in the skiing career of the Timmy. With my new found confidence I also hit a jump faster and flew higher than I ever have before. Feeling relieved that I landed it I looked over at a smiling James, who had been entertained by my facial expression as I got some serious air.

Boys night out

The true definition of a great night was sunday evening, and afternoon for that matter. I was very tired after three days of skiing in difficult conditions, and decided that the Coyote Cafe opposite the shop would be a good warm place to relax. At 1:30pm having just finished work for the day, Jack, Dave, Steve and I retired to the bar to watch the end of the NFL game to watch the Seahawks play for a playoff place and chance at the superbowl. Sadly they lost, but then Cousin Dave (Jess' cousin) arrived and we started to play some card games with some light betting, which occompanied by some beer was excellent.

Around 6pm we left and went into Avon to Bob's Place (another bar), where we played pool and darts, sometimes for money, and other times for the next round of drinks. Our number increased to six, and we stayed at Bob's until around 1am. Jack and myself had made a formidable darts combination beating Simmo and Fitz a few times, before we were overthrown by Dave and Cousin Dave.

Our party of Dave, Jack, Simmo, Fitz, Cousin Dave and myself then headed to Denny's (24hr cheap restaurant) for a light snack. On they way there, as we had been drinking for the past 12 hours, I do recall some tackels being made into the snow, much laughing all round and general sillyness. This was just the begining and thankfully we had a very sporting waitress at Denny's. Jack and Dave had a heated debate about which of their Aussie Rules teams was the best, which involved much shouting, which alwauys helps to get ones point across. There was then some snowboarding on the tables and counters, as Fitz and Dave strapped in and did nose plants on the table before Dave dropped in twice onto the floor successfully!! After leaving and thanking the waitress the bunch of harmless drunks left and I proceeded to walk home at 2am, and may have fallen over once of twice on the way there, although I blame the icey road for my loss in balance.

There was brilliantly 1 and a half feet of fresh powder on saturday morning, which Cole and I got up early to make some fresh tracks, and as Stoney (Michael Stone) says "Shred the Naaaa!" It was magical, and a lot of hard work as we tackeled the steepest slopes in the thinck powder, that was up to my knees in places. Heavenly skiing that left us exhausted, having skiied all day on thursday and friday.

There was also the Honda Sessions in Vail, and I went on friday to watch the snowboarders perform their crazy tricks. Very imnpressive, although Im glad I was only out in the cold watching for the last 15 min, as Nik and I arrived late. The two of us and Jack very less excited as we are all skiers and cant appreciate the snowboarding tricks quite as much. Jack had been there from the start, and having been standing in the freezing cold watching for twop hours mumbeled, "I thought we would be here for like ten minutes and then go to the pub!" At the prize giving some free stuff was thrown into the crowd. I rose up like Victor Matfield and claimed a free pair of goggels. We also managed to dodge the champaign that the winners sprayed out, as it was bitterly cold.

Tody it is freezing cold, and I have been a pansy and opted not to go skiing. I will however go and get some chinease buffet with Jack shortly. It is also Cole's 21st today. We will party in the next few days sometime, as he has finally become a man, although he is still opposed to drinking beer, and sticks to his girly ciders and wine coolers.

Rocking into 2007 in style...

What a busy year 2007 has been so far. Many memorable accomplishments under my belt already. It started about a week ago when about 30 of us snowshoed up the mountain late at night, as it was a full moon. I have a new found respect for the chair-lifts, as it took us 3 hours to reach the top of the first lift, although we were carrying our own equipment i.e. boots, skies, snowboard etc. Snowshoeing is a lot of fun, but also a great deal of hard work. Eighteen of us made it to the top and celebrated with a cold beer or two. It was about midnight, and we skied/boarded down in the moonlight, making fresh tracks, as the snowcats had just bashed the piest about 5 minutes before hand. Most enjoyable going down under the moon in a big group, all of good ability, which made me realise how much I enjoy skiing with people who are really good.

In the following days, there was one day of fresh snow (finally), and Cole and I took advantage of it and made fresh tracks in the powder first thing in the morning. I need more practice in deep powder, but later went up the mountain with Nik, who I learnt alot from, as he is an excellent skier. There were also a couple of trips to Paddy's Bar, where there are drinks specials on fridays, aswell as karaoke night. Cole and I did a terrible job of singing weird Al's Amish Paradice, but we still received a standing ovation from our table of friends.

There was also a toga party at Reece and Ricks house recently, which also happens to be where Cole and I have just moved in. It was there that I learnt my new favourite American thing, the keg stand. Basically this involves grabbing onto the handels of a keg of beer, while two other people lift your legs, so that you are upside-down. A fourth person puts the hose in your mouth, and you see hoe long you can continue to down the beer, whilst standing on your head. Definatly a life changing experience that should not be repeated often on one evening, so I humbly retired home with Jack and Carly, who offered me their couch, as the three of us had to be up early for work the following morning.

Nobody panic!! 2007 arrived on time...

The new yaer, and it feels so much like the last one ?! But whilst everyone back in SA was waking up and saying "I'm never drinking again!" I was partying as the new year arrived in the USA. We had a big house party at the Aussies place and I learned how to play my new favourite drinking game 'beer-pong'. It invloved beer, 2 ping-pong balls, a table or surface of some kind, 2 teams of 2 and a great deal of laughter. I have only played once, but am undefeated as SA stood tall with Cole and myself defeating Dave and Roddy.

As per usual on a new year's party I have a few hours of memories unaccounted for, but those were probably spent crawling and/or being confused and unable to use my legs properly. We saw in the new year and cheered, drank champaign and generally were in a great mood. Somebody paid the Aussie Tim (Roddy) to walk up and kiss me, which he did to my horror, but he gave my 5 of the 7 dollars he one and everyone laughed a lot at the look on my face!! Cole tried to go home with the Norwegian Niklas, but they ran to try and catch a bus at about 3 o'clock, and missed it because Cole was too drunk to run and once again fell over into a snow drift. Luckily Reece found him lost and confused at a bus stop somewhere, and took him home. I passed out somewhere and have not as yet found some of belongings (wallet, jersey and dignity). After finishing a bottle of champaigne, many beers and then a few shots of Jegermister I fell over in a room somewhere and refused to move until morning, when I discovered that I started a trend at around 4 o'clock and there were several bodies around me of fellow victims who had suffered similar fates. Symmo had passed out in a walk-in cupboard, having mistaken it for his room, and was found in there holding what remained of a bottle of tequila!!

I also recall a game where a group of Australians and I had to pour some of our beer onto the carpet before drinking it for some reason. I don't know what the reason was, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I was also told by Jack that I am now officially a Collingwood fan, so that I have an Aussie rules team to support. All in all it was a great deal of fun, but work the next day was no fun at all.