Yes, I have been quite the slacker when it comes to updating my blog. I have no excuses this time though. Truth be told, I have just not felt like updating.

(Picture courtesy of AlaaShaker)

Granted I was abroad for over 5 glorious weeks but what people in the blogosphere do not tell you is that blogging is hard. It takes time & skill to write good posts worthy of garnering attention and building a ‘following’. I have found that it is much easier to simply update my social networks with information than to have to sit down and consciously write and edit stories about my life.

With that said, I cannot help but feel ‘guilty’ for neglecting you. Yes you, a member of the undeniable legions of readers I fool myself into believing are actually there. Thus, I will persevere. However, I will no longer fill your dreams and hopes with empty promises. I shall blog but I will do so randomly and without any form of predictability.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

Last night we went to watch David Copperfield live at the Hollywood theatre in the MGM Grand Hotel. I have seen Copperfield live before, he came to South Africa many years ago, so this was not my first time seeing the legendary magician flex his card tricks. However, because we enjoyed his performance so much the last time, we decided to do it again, and boy did I get my money’s worth.

Let me be honest. The guy can sometimes come across as a bit arrogant, often prompting the audience to clap for him while generally seeming unenthused about his performance. The introduction video of ‘how great he is’ did not help matters either. It is a shame really, since some of his acts are simply mind boggling while others are, sadly, downright dismal. I am actually a little perplexed as to why he is still performing, goodness knows he does not need the money or the recognition. After all, for an illusionist who thrives on pushing the boundaries, when last did you actually hear of David Copperfield? yeah, that is what I thought.

Anyway, the main reason for this post has to do with what happened during the show. In short, I was called up as an unwilling participant. I say unwilling because I was dreading being called up, my stomach was twisting before I got picked, and, as luck would have it, I was randomly chosen.

The act was all about how Copperfield could predict a random set of numbers and words given to him by the audience, which were recorded on a piece of paper, a tape and a set of vehicular number plates, all locked up in a silver chest suspended above the audience. To make it even more interesting, it is later revealed that the number plates belonged to his grandfather.

In order to participate I had to answer two questions, this was after informing him that I was from South Africa, after which he began laughing hysterically. I have my reasons as to why he caught the hysterics, but I will let that pass for now.

The first task asked of me was: “Name any two numbers of your choice between 1 and 50”. I chose five and nine. The second, a question: ‘”When last did I get lucky”? Wh… what?! Yeah, that is right. Mr Copperfield wanted to know when was the last time I had sex.

Milieunairs, if you do not know by now, although you should, I am still a virgin. I have previously admitted to being proud of my ‘V’ status, but it is one thing to be proud and another feeling entirely to admit my lack of a sex life to a 250 strong crowd of people, in Las Vegas of all places; a city second only to Amsterdam in terms of liberal sex. I know that may seem a tad hypocritical, being proud of something I believe in yet not standing for up for it, but I believe it was simply the circumstance of being caught off guard that warranted my initial reluctance.

So what did I do? Instead of simply saying “I am a Virgin”, I paused, for an uncomfortable amount of time, before uttering “What if I say never”? I kid you not when I say that you could have heard a pin drop in the theatre. It was deathly silent. As if I had committed some heinous crime. Copperfield laughed and proceeded to write ‘Virg’ on his white board – which we would later find out was code for Virginia. He made a further crack or two at my Virgin status, which got the audience laughing, before inviting me up on stage with the other participants. I swear, I think my face was beetroot red through most of the act.

While on stage I had to unlock this silver chest using three keys. Since he knew I was South African he asked me if I know how to speak Afrikaans. I said yes. Why I did, I am not sure because he then wanted to know what certain English words were in Afrikaans. To say that my Afrikaans is laughable, would be an understatement. I barely managed to inform him that ‘lock’ is ‘sloot’ and right is ‘regs’. He lapped it up anyway and instructed me to unlock the chest. Since I was a Virgin, he kept going on about a ‘slow screw’ and what ‘not to do’ while in the sack, to turn the lock slowly so as not to ‘rush the climax’ and so on and so forth. It was funny and I laughed with the audience, regardless of how mortified I was.

This act was by far the best one of the evening, even more so because I was able to be a part of it. How he managed to do what he did, is beyond me.

All in all I had an amazing time and I feel immensely privileged to have been a part of a legendary David Copperfield performance, despite his apparent fall into mediocrity.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

For quite some time I have considered mobile blogging. Unfortunately, the WordPress mobile website is far from satisfactory. At least, that was the case with my previous Nokia and Windows Mobile devices.

I haven’t mentioned it to you all yet but I have made the move back to the iPhone. Yes I know, I was really negative about my original iPhone 3G back in 2008 (which I still haven’t been paid in full for after I sold it) but that was all pre-iPhone OS 3.0. Now, with my iPhone 3GS and the latest iPhone OS, I feel like I can see colours again!

The post you are reading now has been compiled on the WordPress iPhone application. It is pretty good. Not perfect, but acceptable enough for me to actually want to use.

Anyway, this was just a short and sweet post about the fact that I am back into the mobile blogging scene. Hopefully this new application will allow for a more organic blogging experience.

Until the next time Milieunairs!

(Update: I bought a new app called BlogPress and have edited this post with it. It cost $3 but it appears to be worth it)

So it is of no surprise that when my fellow Twitter friends, @RubyLetters and @JessicaMcD, tweeted about their blog posts entitled ‘102 Random Facts About Me’; that I would instantly feel compelled to join in on this fun and revealing new Internet meme.

In celebration of what will no doubt be quite a momentous task (just think about how hard it is to think of 5 interesting things about yourself, never mind 102), I have created the ‘102 Random Facts About Me’ blogger badge. This badge will be awarded to anyone who can successfully write 102 things about themself. If you can complete the task, chances are quite good that you will receive a badge.

Without further ado, I present to you, ‘102 Random Facts About Me’.

When I set about writing this blog post, I vastly underestimated how difficult it would actually be. I thought, “okay, 102 things about me… this should be easy enough”. It is all fine and dandy thinking of 102 things about yourself, but trying to find 102 interesting things about yourself, that is another story all together. Needless to say, this is by far one of the most challenging posts I have had to write, but I did it. I hope you enjoy what I have written and I look forward to your feedback!

1. My parents tried for nine years to have a child. They were thinking of adopting, before a small miracle happened… me (that’s how my mom likes to describe it).
2. I’m a preemie. I was born one month premature, thus I spent one month in an incubator. Even though I was premature I managed to weigh in at 3.4 kg at birth.
3. I firmly believe in self preservation. Unfortunately, I managed to break my first bone last year, which I am still undergoing physiotherapy for.
4. I have only ever known one of my grandparents. My fathers mom, whom I only ever affectionately knew as ‘Ouma’. Sadly, all my other grandparents died before my birth.
5. I primarily write in cursive, much to the detriment of everyone else. A teacher once described my hand writing as “beautifully neat from a far, but illegible up close”.
6. There are only a few select people who I will fart in front of. Aren’t they lucky?
7. I am from German and French descent – I can speak and understand French semi-fluently.
8. I still enjoy building and playing with Lego sets. Much to the chagrin of my younger cousins.
9. I’m great with kids. I’m like a kid magnet. Kids love me for some reason. Seriously!
10. Whenever possible, family always come first. Family take priority.
11. I adore symmetry.
12. I am a bit of a self confessed sadist. I will laugh at someone else’s misfortune, within reason of course, before attempting to help them. For example: I would laugh at someone falling on the floor if the chair they were sitting on had to break. With that said, I would never ridicule nor laugh at any kind of person who has a legitimate disability of any kind – this I feel strongly about.
13. I get presents every six months because I’m born in June. Awesome, right? As I have mentioned before I like symmetry, so it works well.
14. I dislike being dirty and I wash my hands more often than I care to take note of. I can also be a bit of a germ freak.
15. I prefer to hug than to shake hands with people (you never know what they’ve been touching).
16. I come from a very warm and close knit European styled family. So I am very ‘hands on’.
17. I have been told that I am an oblivious flirt. Apparently I do it without realising it. Must be my dormant French heritage
18. I always unpack a trolley by grouping items together and I become irritated if the teller scans the items that I have grouped, in a different order.
19. I think I may have a slight case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
20. I have never moved and have only ever called one place ‘home’.
21. I have an ‘innie’ (bellybutton).
22. I am extremely good at keeping secrets.
23. There are personal aspects of my life that I have never discussed with anyone.
24. I am very close to my parents.
25. Although I have been shouted at by my folks, I have never been ‘smacked’ by either of them.
26. My parents have never restricted me from doing anything. They seldom say no. I am an only child after all.
27. I have never been drunk.
28. I have never smoked a cigarette.
29. I have never taken any form of a recreational or abusive substance (drug free).
30. I am still a Virgin *surprise*.
31. Jurassic Park is one of my favourite movies of all time.
32. I still have a vested interest in all things Dinosaur related.
33. I read… a lot.
34. I adore the feeling of getting into a crisp, clean and cool-to-the-touch bed. With that said, I cannot stand it when my bed is creased or has been lain in or upon.
35. The first thing I do when I wake up is reach for my mobile phone.
36. I have had shoulder length hair since 2005. Before that I had a number 2 or 3 ‘buzz’ cut, styled with gel.
37. I love taking photographs – a passion I would like to hone.
38. I am committed to learning how to play the piano. One of my new years resolutions for 2010.
39. I photo-bomb, but only in jest and with those I know and care for well.
40. I graduated with a ‘High Distinction’ (cum laude) for my undergraduate degree and an ‘Honours First Class’ for my honours degree (summa cum laude).
41. I am currently pursuing my Masters in Communications with an emphasis on new media technologies, Ludology and convergence cultures.
42. I am a professional procrastinator.
43. I become irritable with people who cannot spell or who use grammar incorrectly.
44. I cannot bend my left thumb without causing my left index, middle and ring fingers to involuntarily bend in unison.
45. I have a knack for always choosing and liking the most expensive item in a store regardless of the brand. Much to the detriment of my bank balance.
46. Whenever I see a character holding his/her breathe in a movie or on television, I always attempt to hold my breathe in for as long as he/she can.
47. I watch a ridiculous amount of television series.
48. I have an extremely broad taste in music; ranging from the pop synth of Britney Spears, to the rock of Muse, to the velvet voice of Michael Buble, and the symphonic works of Beethoven, all within my vast music collection. What I choose to listen to, all depends on how I feel at that time.
49. My God son is exactly 14 years, 364 days and 12 hours younger than me.
50. This year I will turn 25 – a quarter of a century and half way to 50. 
51. I was born on a Wednesday. Contrary to the popular poem ‘Wednesdays Child’, I am anything but filled with ‘woe’. If anything, I am a glass is always half-full kind of person because I know that I have already sipped down the other half
52. I am a self-inflicted insomniac – I can fall asleep… but there is always just so much to do and never enough time to do it all in!
53. I enjoy writing poetry; I just never make the time to do it.
54. Before bed I will always, without fail, brush my teeth, wash my face and moisturise.
55. I always kiss my parents goodnight.
56. I do not abuse the phrase ‘I love you’ (in other words, I do not say it for the sake of saying it). I will say ‘I love you’ but only if I honestly and truly mean it.
57. I am most definitely a dog person and I am purportedly allergic to cats.
58. I am a boob man.
59. I talk too much and, if I’m really passionate about something, too fast.
60. I’m not a nerd, but I am probably a bit of a geek.
61. I have been told that I have a very good sense of style and fashion.
62. From the age of two, I have been choosing which clothes to wear.
63. I always dress well, even if it is just to go to a convenience store.
64. You will never see me barefoot unless I’m at the beach or in a swimming pool.
65. I have been told that my hands and feet are exceptionally soft.
66. I eat everything… except pork; courtesy of ‘Dr. Gregory House’.
67. Mosquito’s, to my itchy misfortune, absolutely adore my scent. With me around, everyone else is safe.
68. I love new technology and gadgets and I am often always fortunate and privileged enough to get my grubby paws on the latest and greatest tech.
69. I’m addicted to Twitter and the Internet. I had to include it. Being able to access, use and distribute information, from any location and about practically any topic is simply incredible.
70. I have yet to become someone’s ‘Knight in Shining Armour’. When it happens though, I will be sure to tell you all about her
71. I have an affinity for numbers. They intrigue me.
72. I do not have a tattoo but, on more than one occasion, I have thought about getting one.
73. I have only ever said/used the acronym for ‘Fornicating Under Consent of the King’ twice (I distinctly remember each unfortunate utterance). I prefer not to ‘cuss’ as I believe it degrades a persons character and class. However, this is not to say that I steer away from all expletives. I still use some of the more common ‘swears’, although only fairly rarely.
74. I enjoy curling up with a good book, particularly when it rains and it is overcast and cloudy.
75. I love watching liquids move, any and all. I enjoy examining different kinds of liquids, how they move and react to different stimuli as well as experimenting with a liquids viscosity.
76. I thoroughly enjoy anything with chocolate but I am not a fan of ‘sweets’, per se – you know, things like Jelly Tots, Winegums or hard candies. I also prefer eating tarts to cakes.
77. Sometimes I really enjoy simple foods. For example, the smell and taste of buttered toast is enough for me… *begins salivating*.
78. I love milk and can often be seen with a large glass of full cream dairy goodness.
79. I only drive German born ladies – I’m talking about cars here people! At first I was with ‘Goldie’ but now I am with ‘Vivushka’.
80. I only recently learnt that I should floss before brushing my teeth. Yeah I know… *face palm*
81. I have been told that I have a high pain threshold.
82. I have never dyed my hair. I am ‘au natural’.
83. I have only put highlights in my hair twice. I prefer naturally occurring highlights to the artificial kind.
84. I despise people who lie and I know how it feel be betrayed by those closest to you.
85. I know how to forgive and move on but do not expect me to forget how you made me, or those closest to me, feel.
86. If I have something to say, chances are good I will say them to your face instead of behind your back. I am fairly direct but I am not tactless.
87. I cry, unashamedly, in sad movies.
88. I was always the tallest kid in school (nursery/primary/high). I reached my dad’s height at the age of 13. I have grown quite a bit since that time and I appear to have leveled off at a ‘comfortable’ height of 195cm.
89. I have heard all of the “how is the weather up there” jokes.
90. I started shaving at the age of 13 and I am convinced that I have a beard of steel. Razor’s just do not last.
91. I have only ever been asked once, up until this point in my life, for any form of identification when entering an age restricted area.
92. When asked to guess my age, most people think I am in my late twenties.
93. I have been told that when I was two years old, a few people used to think I was at least 5 or 6.
94. I have become completely ambidextrous; after breaking my right dominant arm. Needless to say, it comes in handy (no pun intended ).
95. I do not drink carbonated drinks because they give me more gas than I care to have to deal with.
96. Most of my cousins, aunts and uncles used to (some still do) call me ‘Hansie’.
97. I have been given the nickname of ‘Hunni Bunni’ by most of my younger cousins. My God son calls me ‘Huntsy Buntsy’.
98. I do not physically bruise easily but I do scar quite badly.
99. I am secure enough with my sexuality to not care about what anyone thinks. Thus I am not afraid of wearing colour and I actually really like soft pastel coloured clothing.
100. I love laughing so hard that it spurns on tears, causing my hidden abs to spasm which results in a shortness of breathe. Laughing truly is the best medicine.
101. I am known for being happy, for always having a smile on my face and for laughing, for no apparent reason.
102. I am psyched to think that I did it. I managed to write 102 random facts about myself.

Funny thing about this ‘102 Random Facts About Me’ meme is that I actually thought of more random facts about myself towards the end. I will, however, save those for another day.

I’m tagging Freddy & Louisa for this meme

I hope you all enjoyed learning a little bit more about me.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

The ‘99 Things’ idea is to look at this list of 99 things you could have done, and bold the ones that you actually have done!

Here we go…

1.) Started your own blog
2.) Slept under the stars
3.) Played in a band
4.) Visited Hawaii
5.) Watched a meteor shower
6.) Given more than you can afford to charity
7.) Been to Disney World
8.) Climbed a mountain
9.) Held a praying mantis
10.) Sang a solo
11.) Bungee jumped
12.) Visited Paris
13.) Watched a lightning storm
14.) Taught yourself an art from scratch
15.) Adopted a child
16.) Had food poisoning
17.) Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18.) Grown your own veggies
19.) Seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre
20.) Slept on an overnight train
21.) Had a pillow fight
22.) Hitch hiked
23.) Taken a sick day when you’re not sick
24.) Made a snow fort
25.) Held a lamb
26.) Ran a marathon
27.) Went skinny dipping
28.) Rode in a gondola in Venice
29.) Witnessed a total eclipse
30.) Seen a sunrise or sunset
31.) Hit a home run
32.) Been on a cruise
33.) Seen Niagara Falls in person
34.) Visited the birthplace/home of your ancestors
35.) Seen an Amish country
36.) Taught yourself a new language
37.) Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38.) Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39.) Gone rock climbing
40.) Seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41.) Sung karaoke
42.) Seen Old Faithful erupt
43.) Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44.) Visited Africa
45.) Walked on a beach by moonlight
46.) Taken a ride in an ambulance
47.) Had your portrait painted
48.) Gone deep sea fishing
49.) Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower
50.) Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
51.) Kissed in the rain
52.) Played in the mud
53.) Gone to a drive-in theater
54.) Been in a movie
55.) Visited the Great Wall of China
56.) Started a business
57.) Taken a martial arts class
58.) Visited Russia
59.) Worked at a soup kitchen
60.) Sold Girl Scout cookies/Sold Sports Raffle tickets (this one was biased to the girls, so I added the ‘raffle ticket’ option for guys)
61.) Gone whale watching
62.) Gotten flowers for no reason
63.) Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
64.) Gone sky diving
65.) Visited Nazi concentration camp
66.) Bounced a check
67.) Flown in a helicopter
68.) Saved a childhood toy
69.) Visited the Lincoln Memorial
70.) Eaten caviar
71.) Pieced a quilt
72.) Stood in Times Square
73.) Toured the Everglades
74.) Been fired from a job
75.) Seen the changing of the guards in London
76.) Broken a bone
77.) Been a passenger on a motorcycle
78.) Seen the Grand Canyon in person
79.) Published a book
80.) Visited the Vatican
81.) Bought a brand new car
82.) Visited Jerusalem
83.) Had your picture in the paper
84.) Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
85.) Visited the White House
86.) Killed and prepared an animal for eating
87.) Had chickenpox
88.) Saved someone’s life
89.) Sat on a jury
90.) Met someone famous
91.) Joined a book club
92.) Got a tattoo
93.) Had a baby
94.) Seen the Alamo in person
95.) Swam in the Great Salt Lake
96.) Been involved in a law suit
97.) Owned a cell phone
98.) Been stung by a bee
99.) Swam in the Black Sea

48 out of 99. Yeah… still have quite a few things to do. Hopefully I will get a chance to do some of them this year

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

I was, and still am, gob smacked.

I am no novice when it comes to shopping online. I have been doing it for years. I am quite a tech savvy person and I have a vested interest in computers, social media and the Internet. So I know all about the dangers of shopping online. Consequently, I always take the necessary precautions to prevent data theft. Nevertheless, this did not stop some random American douche bag, from stealing my credit card information and attempting to buy… wait for it… R3 000 worth of groceries from Wal-Mart. Huh?!

Why on Earth someone would go through all of the effort to steal someone’s credit card information online, just to buy groceries with, I cannot understand. Either the recession in the states is really still quite bad or Americans, as the stereotype goes, are legitimately stupid. Nevertheless, I hope this person gets persecuted to the full extent of the law and is ripped a new one while in prison.

So how did this all happen? How the heck did this mystery person obtain my information? Well, it was obviously via the internet but not because of some insecure site.

Here is a quick rundown of events:

• Friday 19th February 2010, a cousin of mine places his USB memory stick into my PC. He ensures me that his computer does not have viruses. I believe him, until Microsoft Security Essentials picks up a Trojan: Vwealer.KZ.
• Microsoft Security Essentials detects the Trojan and neutralises it, the way a good antivirus is supposed to. I think nothing more of it since the problem appeared to have been solved.
• I buy tickets online at the NuMetro website for Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (review coming soon). I have to input my credit card details to complete the purchase.
• Days go buy, nothing unusual happens and I continue to use my card as I normally would. I make two further purchases during the week. One online, one offline.
• Thursday 25th February 2010, I receive a call from Nedbank Credit Card Fraud division and speak to a lady known as Mbuli. She nonchalantly asks me if I am purchasing my months groceries at Wal-Mart in Miami. Yes, this is the “What the eff moment”. I politely decree that it is physically impossible for me to be doing that considering how I am in South Africa. We immediately move to blocking my card and reversing any unlawful transactions. I exclaim my thanks before putting the phone down.
• After the call, I wrack my brain to determine how this could have happened. One thing pops to mind, the Trojan from my cousins USB memory stick. I Google the Trojan. My heart sinks as I deduce that it is a financial data thief with a penchant for credit card information. I still wonder ‘how’ though.
• I have been using Google Chrome for a few months and figured that it may have aided in my information being stolen. I read various reports of Chrome safety, but all pre 4.0. Then I found something interesting. A user equated Chrome to being a glorified ‘data miner’. Storing everything you put into the browser. I immediately uninstalled Chrome and switched to Firefox.
• My next thought was ‘What the heck did Microsoft Security Essentials’ do? It detected the Trojan and deleted it… yet my information was still stolen. Without concrete evidence, I have assumed that Microsoft Security Essentials is good, but not great and ultimately flawed. So I re-installed Norton 360 4.0 Premiere. Scanned my system, clean result.
• Friday 26 February 2010, I receive an e-mail from Jaya, the person responsible for handling my ‘case’ via Nedbank. I do what I need to do and send back the required documentation. Bare in mind that our Telkom lines had been stolen and not repaired for over a week, so all of the communication was taking place via my mobile phone (thank heavens for mobile broadband, no matter how unreliable or costly). Now I await for my new card.

Right now, I am still using Chrome (I switched back), simply because of its speed, ease of use and because I could not find any articles directly pin pointing Chrome 4.0 as having any major security flaws (actually appears to be quite secure). I do not know what was the ultimate cause of my data being stolen, but I have taken various steps to prevent it from happening again. One of those steps has been to change the settings in Chrome to ensure that the browser will never store anything again, including forms and passwords. Additionally, I have signed up with LastPass, a password service which runs concurrently with your browser, so that I never have to physically type in passwords again. This apparently helps to combat ‘key logging’ spyware and makes it so that you do not need to use your browser to save passwords etc.

I would like to commend Nedbank on their stellar performance. The representatives I dealt with were courteous and extremely helpful, but the fact that they managed to stop a fraudulent activity and protect my funds is what I appreciate the most. Thank you!

I never thought something like this would ever happen to me, until it did. The entire ordeal has been one I will never forget. Make no mistake, the Internet is a dangerous place; even for seasoned users.

Final thought: be careful out there. Ensure that your browser is set properly and that you have a proper security suite on your personal computer. Prevention, as they say, is better than cure.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

Conventional wisdom, courtesy of intense commercialistation, would have you believe that this day is purely for celebrating with your significant other. You know, the person whose morning breathe, to you, smells like peaches and cream;  the individual who will literally bend over backwards to please you; ‘your own personal brand of heroine’… etcetera!

There is no doubt that Valentines is great; if you have a significant other to share it with. Although Valentines is about love and may be celebrated with a sibling or parent, we all know that the end results are just not as rewarding.

What Valentines day succeeds in doing, however, is making everyone who is not in an active relationship, aware of how ‘single’ they are.

Truth be told, it is actually the perfect day for single people to get together and mingle, without much consequence, as most of the ‘relationship’ folk would be ‘occupied’. Consequently, there is no need to spend the day alone. Instead, you can go out and meet new people, all while having fun! Hence, ‘Singles Awareness Day’ (SAD) was born":

On Singles Awareness Day, single people gather to celebrate or to commiserate in their single status. Some want to remind romantic couples that they don’t need to be in a relationship to celebrate life. On this day many people wear green, as it is considered to be the ‘opposite’ of red.                 (Wikipedia, 2009)

So the next time Valentines Day comes around and you happen to be single, embrace it. Be happy with who you are and make the most of it; and do not forget to get together with a group of single people and party the night away!

I hope you all have an amazing day, filled with love and new experiences.

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

Over the last several months, Sterkinekor Entertainment in association with MiMoney, have been teasing Twihard’s (fans of the Twilight saga movies and books) with the possibility of attending “the most exclusive party in 100 years”. Entering was easy. Simply watch New Moon and text your ticket number to a specified number. Each entry increased your chances of obtaining an invitation to the event.

Furthermore, upon entering the competition, fans would receive a text message notification with a specific code. This code could then be redeemed at the viral marketing inspired ‘Bite My Apple’ website; in order to unlock exclusive content from the movie in the form of wallpapers and screensavers.

After being psyched about the event for months, I was obviously excited to be able to attend. The anticipation factor was intoxicatingly high!

The party was held at the Taboo night club in Sandton. Impressively, the entire venue had been hired out for this “Twilight Saga: New Moon Exclusive VIP party”. The venue was an excellent choice. Having never been to Taboo before, I was immediately taken aback by the highly stylised decor, which I would describe as having a ‘gothic-chic’ feel to it. Unique and edgy, just the way I like it!

Freebies included posters from the movie, a free candy apple and, if you were a VIP guest (like yours truly), you would have been treated to your very own ‘exclusive’ area, detailed to look like the Volturi castle; including copious amounts of delicious snacks and a free bar tab until 10pm. In my opinion, VIP guests were very well looked after.

In addition to the VIP area, Taboo’s entrance hall was turned into a mock studio. Here all guests were given the option of obtaining a Team Edward or Team Jacob tattoo as well as the possibility of having professional photographs taken with a host of characters from the Twilight universe, courtesy of… wait for it… several ‘look-a-likes’. Yes… ‘look-a-likes’.

As much as I enjoyed the party and the many novel and nifty parlour tricks, I could not help but feel short changed by the experience. Look, I do not mean to appear ungrateful, because I truly do feel privileged to have been there; but as a fan, I was partially disappointed.

Truth be told, I bought into the hype. I was so excited to have cracked an invitation. The promise  of attending “the most exclusive party in 100 years”, a “once-in-a-lifetime” event so fanglorious that even the Volturi themselves would be in attendance. I simply could not wait! So why the mild disappointment? Honestly, I naively expected the cast of the movie to be there. As it so happens, I was not the only one who was under the exact same delusion.

Believe it or not, people flew in from all over the country to attend the event, all under the assumption that they would be able to meet the infamous Twilight Saga trio: the socially inept Robert Pattinson, the gorgeous Kristen Stewart and the beef caked Taylor Lautner. Even though I knew better than to expect the stars from the film to actually be at the party, I could not shake the possibility, no matter how minute, that they would actually be there to make an appearance. For this, I scornfully applaud the Sterkinekor marketing and hype machine, for they are truly talented, no matter how much propaganda was spewed in the process. However, the solemn fact remains: not once were we promised the possibility of the actual stars attending the party. This was pure conjecture created by a too eager and largely deluded fan base. After all, “when you ‘assume’, you’ll make an ass out of you and me”! In short, Sterkinekor did the best they could, given the logistical and costly nightmare of bringing A-list celebrities to our backwater country. Thus, Sterkinekor settled for second best, through the use of gifted ‘look-a-likes’.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the party was being able to mingle and take photographs with the various ‘look-a-likes’ from the Twilight Saga. On show were Edward, Bella, Jacob, Alice, Victoria and Laurent. Each ‘look-a-like’ appeared to embrace the character they were chosen to portray with absolute aplomb. ‘Bella’ frequently bounced back and forth between the lovelorn vampire and the heated shape shifter, whilst their enemies made light meals of discerning guests. In addition to the various photo opportunities, a director and film crew were on hand, shooting pivotal scenes from the movies, all the while guests partied the night away as mock ‘extras’. Too awesome!

In addition to the filmed sequences, we were notified that guests, with enough votes, could win a limited edition poster of his/her self and a twilight ‘look-a-like’, made in the vain of the New Moon film posters. How cool is that?! Apparently any professional photograph taken with the ‘Twilight Crew’, was eligible.

As it so happens two photographs, starring myself, made it into the running, out of hundreds of photographs that were taken. The photos are now available on the ‘Bite My Apple’ Facebook fan page and voting is now open. Needless to say, being the Twilight fan that I am, I would love one of my photos to be made into a poster. Consequently, I am turning to my readers for some added support.

The voting process is simple and works like this: 1 vote = 1 like. So all you have to do is ‘like’ the two photographs on Facebook in which I appear. You may vote for any other photo that is available too; some of them are actually pretty funky. If you would like to vote and help me obtain an exclusive poster, please do the following:

1. Become a fan of ‘Bite My Apple’ here: [http://bit.ly/BMAza] (Unfortunately you need to be a fan in order to ‘like’ any of their photographs)
2. Once you are a ‘fan’, please click on these links [http://bit.ly/bR55NB] and [http://bit.ly/9xyZBK]; and simply ‘like’ each photograph.
3. That’s it! You are all done! Thank you!

Although diehard fans may have expected a bit more, there is no denying that the party itself was an extravagant affair and a night many of us will never forget. Thank you to Sterkinekor and MiMoney for an experience like no other. An experience I am whole heartedly looking forward to repeating for Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, should further Twilight Saga inspired events be pursued.

Please do have a look at some of the photographs that I took while at the event:

View Full Album

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!

It is Music Monday and thus time for another Vivaciously Varietal Vibe!

• Flavour: Pop

• Artist: Adam Lambert

• Album: For Your Entertainment

• Song: Broken Open

Rationale: I have, on many an occasion, written about songs which I have labelled as ‘hauntingly beautiful’. As it so happens, ‘Broken Open’ by Adam Lambert, is another song which fits into this category.

At first listen, one could be forgiven for thinking that ‘Broken Open’ is simply a mock rendition of ‘Mad World’ by Gary Jules; another of my favourite songs. Both songs share an eerily similar melodic pattern, one which is a pleasure to listen to. On a purely basic auditory level, Lambert’s ‘Broken Open’ is quite different to ‘Mad World’, offering more of an upbeat pop synth loop with spacey techno buzzes and pings added for good measure. Even so, the song has a beautiful sound made even better with Lambert’s sultry voice. Surprisingly, Adam co-wrote ‘Broken Open’ as well.

I must say, Adam Lambert has created a stellar debut album. He has managed to cater for almost every genre, proving his versatility as an artist. Even more impressive, is the amount of talent that was wired behind the scenes into helping him create his first album, from the likes of MUSE, Pink, Lady Gaga, Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic) and Sam Sparro, among others; all adding their own personal touches to each of Lambert’s songs. ‘For Your Entertainment’ is a brilliant pop album and is definitely worth listening to.

As always, whenever I post about Vivaciously Varietal Vibes on Music Monday’s, simply click on the name of the song to be taken to a web page that displays the songs lyrics.

Truth be told, this post was initially inspired by the song “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon, with a particular emphasis on the line ‘I Bet You Think This Song Is About You’. Why, you ask? Well, I have been told that someone, out of a group of people who are no longer a part of my life, continues to harbour some sort of unfounded resentment toward me and my family. To the extent that this person has resorted to ‘cyber stalking’ me and then, apparently, posting libelous thoughts about me on social networks, all because this person thinks that my ‘updates’ refer to them. Although this may, in certain circumstances, have been probable before; it is most definitely no longer the case. Hence the change of song for this post.

Look, I have moved on. The last time I paid any attention to any of these people was toward the end of last year (excluding this post, of course). It was painful enough having to let go, to be ‘Broken Open’. Consequently, before leaving for Australia last year, I decided that I was not going to torture myself by looking into their lives when they clearly indicated that they could not be interested in having us in their lives anymore. The only reason I bring it up now is because I am being told about what is being ‘said/written’ by others. I have actually told these ‘sources’ that I’m not interested and to keep the information to themselves; I do not want negativity in my life.

It is 2010. A new year and the beginning of my new life, in many ways. To be honest, I actually wish them all well. I truly and honestly mean that. They were an important part of my life and I have many memories and life moments that I will always treasure and think back upon; with loving nostalgia. Although I have personally forgiven them for what they have done, I will never forget how they made me feel nor what they have proven to be capable of. They are now a merely a part of my past, nothing more.

To the future, “Milieunairs”!

To mark this special year, which also happens to be divisible by 5 and you all know how much I love numbers, I have committed myself to 10 resolutions for this new year.

I actually had a grand plan of revealing each resolution on each new day of the first 10 days of the new year via Twitter. Unfortunately, this did not work out as planned. Nevertheless, this is the long awaited and eventual blog post to sum everything up. Without further ado, I present to you, my new years resolutions for 2010:

#1: Obtain the infamous "6 pack" by my 25th birthday.

#2: Sleep more. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep a night.

#3: Blog more. I would like to try and output a minimum of three quality posts a week.

#4: Procrastinate less. Whenever possible, do today what could be left for tomorrow.

#5: Maintain a good posture. Breaking my arm threw everything out of whack. Time to get it all back!

#6: Learn to play the piano. A new means of emotional expression.

#7: Go on a long road trip. Life is about creating memorable moments and experiences.

#8: Adhere to the speed limit and attempt to avoid reckless road rage driven drivers.

#9: Letting go. Stay close to those who add value to your life, discard those who only cause pain.

#10: Make the move. It is no longer if, but when.

All I have to do now, is actually stick to this list of resolutions *eek*. Far easier said than done, but it is not impossible.

I certainly am looking forward to this new year. I do believe that it has a lot to offer and I plan to make the most of it!

God speed to you all and may you all succeed within whatever it is you put your minds to!

Until the next time “Milieunairs”!