Becoming a Follower

I had started a blog on msn when I first got to Cape Town, it (or rather I) ran out of steam. I could never sign on or wasn't available etc... So everyone I know it seems has a blog so I have decided that a blog, albeit following a trend (which I abhor), is a perfect thing to entertain myself during my experiments.

My experiment (affectionately named Seamore) is time sensitive and therefore requires me to run up and down 3 flights of stairs (office to lab) approximately once an hour, sometimes more frequently. This has been going on for approximately a month and a half so far, you think that this would be a great thing as I would tighten up my tush but the thing is that is actually the last thing that I want. As some of you may remember I have no ass, and not to be stereotypical in anyway but living in South Africa with no ass means never finding a pair of pants to fit. I have tried on several hundred pairs of pants and no success (for anyone who has ever going shopping with me knows that 100s of pairs of pants is a phenomenal thing, well than again 3 pairs of pants on one shopping trip used to be as well). So without the black booty what's a girl to do... I've decided skirts would work, but oh wait a minute I can't where a skirt in the lab, so the result when all my Canadian pants have worn out... the saggy butt look, I think I can make it work, well here's hoping.

So Seamore takes up a lot of my time, and it breaks up my train of thought really badly, I just start working and have to go and back to Seamore (clingy li'l bastard) so for those times when I don't want to start anything or just have a few minutes between feedings I thought the perfect solution is a blog.

I was really into my blog when I first got here because everything was so new and exciting and all that crap, which wore off. I realize though that I have become so de-sensitized to Cape Town/South Africa/Africa that things here are actually not that normal, well to Canadian standards. I've just become a heartless de-sensitized bitch (well that's a little harsh). Last night as an example, I went to buy electricity, yes everyone has pay as you go electricity, and phones, and internet etc. All of which does makes sense because of the millions of poor, most of whom would never be able to get credit to get power, if in fact their home has the capability for power or water for that matter. But pay as you go electricity, quite weird, your in the middle of making dinner and the whole flat goes dark... 'oh shit you forgot to get electricity when you picked up the milk didn't you'. This actually hasn't happened yet to me but last night we got down to a few hours left. Thankfully I just happen to glance at the meter as I was running out to the store. This is all besides my point and I will apologize to everyone who reads this because I have a tendency to jump subjects very quickly and jump back again. So last night go to the store get me-self some electricity ('can I have 50 bucks of electricity', never thought I would say that) any who I walk out of the store and see armed response (a security company) beating a guy. I didn't think about it, it wasn't the police, so wasn't that concerned because armed response tend to be very good and they don' t tend to use excessive force. So I walk myself merrily home, without a second thought really. Hours later all curled up in bed I realized you just saw someone getting beat and you didn't even stop to think about it, that is where my de-sensitized bitch persona comes in. But it is different here, there's no question in my mind that the guy did something wrong because seriously armed response don't waste their time if the don't have to, but still beating someone you think I would have at least blink an eyelash for the poor guy. But at least I feel guilty as hell now, that's something right? But than again I do walk by I say 5 to 10 people sleeping on the street everyday to go catch the shuttle, and double that if I walk to school. If they've kicked their foot in the middle of the sidewalk during the night that's okay you just walk around them, seriously. I do give change to the berkies (homeless guys) but I've realized that you can not give it to anyone who you see on a regular basis because than everytime they see you they expect something. So I have a new policy only give to people you have never seen before, its worked so far. If we go out to eat I try (well if asked or I know one of the berkies) give them the doggy bag, so the ones I know may not get money from me but they do get the occasional food. See I'm at least trying to redeem myself in some small way, but what else can I do. Well this is a slightly depressing first blog but it is what it is, off to feed seamore....