Road Rage

I recently had the "pleasure" of experiencing my first incident of road rage. Now I know that this is a regular occurrence on our "wonderful" South African roads. But being a fairly new driver I NEVER in a million years thought I would experience it at the level I did.

Now I am quick to admit that I was in the wrong. Due to traffic, my vision was obscured to the traffic coming in the opposite direction. So I stopped and waited, but I couldn't make out any cars coming up the road so I proceeded to turn. I must have driven on for 5 seconds when a guy started hooting profusely at me. So I looked in my rear view mirror and saw guy who looked pissed and his hands were making alot of angry looking gestures. So I put my hands up as a sign of appology. But oh no, Mr was not impressed. He pulled up next to me and had a fat lot to say which I just ignored. Then he pulled up in front me and slowed down, but all the while still having a hissy fit (the hands were still making angry gestures.) When we got to the junction in the road where I turned left, he was still carrying on. I could no longer take it so I gave him the finger and proceeded to turn.

Did he not decide to follow me?! He obviously thought that he could come and intimidate me because I was a woman and I was alone. But by the time he got to me I was already out of my car and ready to go to blows. (I am not coloured for nothing!! ;) )

Now I know looking back I should not have allowed the guy to get to me. I mean living in the society we do where people have been killed (yes killed!!!) because of road rage, I should've had more sense to just ignore and continue on. But I had had a day from hell, there was load shedding and half the robots weren't working, so you can understand my level of frustration. He had just met me on the wrong day at the wrong time. Yes I made a mistake ( I should've been dead certain that there were no cars coming when I turned) but I had appologised.( although when I do think about the distance between where I turned and where he came out of, it was far enough for me to have turned safely, so he must've been speeding) and still he was not satisfied?! He just wanted to be a macho man because he was driving a new shiny, fast car.

The moral of my story is this: we as drivers need to practice patience, kindness and especially be more courteous to our fellow drivers. All this racing around trying to get from A to B whilst insulting and swearing each other is REALLY uncalled for. Let's respect our learner drivers ( I had even put an "L" sign on my car so that people would be aware that I am a new driver). But strangely enough this sign seems to piss people off and thinks it gives them a right to hoot at you and over take you.  (I am NEVER doing that again!!) If you see a car taking a bit long to pull off when the robot turns green, be patient, don't hoot, it could be a new driver experiencing problems with balancing their clutch (your hooting just makes them more nervous and prolongs the situation.) Remember, you too were once a new driver. Let's practice our road rules. If you get to a traffic circle, first one there has the right of way as do those who are already within the circle. (Just because I'm in the circle does not mean you can zoom through quickly while I am still trying to turn!!) Let's give right of way when we can (trust me it's a real nice gesture) and you'll get a nice lift of the hand in thanks or a "hazards flash" (well most of the time anyway.)

If all of us did this our roads would be a nice, happy place. (After-all we do spend a large amount of our time on the road.) Be safe. Xoxo T.

For the love of music.

So I know I said that my next post would be about friendship. But as this is a very sensitive issue, close to my heart, I wanted to make sure that my post would be perfect. So while I am perfecting that one I decided to talk about another of my loves....music.

With the Grammy's having just come and gone I thought that this would be a great topic everyone could relate to. After all music is the beat to all our lives. Whether I'm listening to it, singing it, writing lyrics or even if I feel sad, happy, angry...I just have to put on THAT song that puts everything into perspective.

Now we all have our favourite genres. Myself, I'm a sucker for some good old RnB (especially 90's RnB.) Now as I'm getting older (why do I keep on saying that?!) I just love a song that has a good message behind it. I can read the lyrics to a song (without ever hearing it) and love it just because of the lyrics. So lately there have been some real old school jams that I have fallen in love with. I especially love an old school track that has been re-done by a new age artist. Take for example the movie Cadillac Records. I had never heard of Etta James before then. But I fell in love with her music because of that movie and even more so because it was performed by one of my favourite artists, Beyonce. (1 of those songs was even 1 of my wedding songs.)

Now don't even get me started on Queen B. Mrs Carter IS my Idol. She is the personification of what a new age artist is all about. She can sing, she can dance and she can act. She is classy, she has pizzazz, she's sexy and all the while doing it, still a lady. She is a business woman, a mother and wife. She oozes confidence. Hell I want to be just like her when I grow up!! :)
I'm currently loving the remix of "Flawless." That's my get up and feel good song.

I also love me some Rap/Hip Hop. Now I get that Rap can be vulgar. But for me that's what gives it that extra oomph. (I know, I know, not everyone's cup of tea but it definitely speaks volumes to me.) The new age Hip Hop is phenomenal . I listen to how the lyrically flow. ( a good beat don't hurt either) and how the song generally makes me feel. But put on some old school Hip Hop and I'm down too. My husband has definitely influenced my growth into Hip Hop and Rap (don't tell him I said that or else he will be over playing the Pac!!! :)) Now when I think of my favourite Rap artist one name springs to mind immediately...Eminem. He is the ULTIMATE LYRICIST and he definitely proved that with "Rap God." But the way he can speak so openly and honestly about his life is what has most drawn me to his music.
For the moment my 2 favourite Hip Hop songs are Rich Gang "Lifestyle" and our very own Aka "All eyes on me."

My all time favourite artist has to got to be the legendary Whitney Houston (may her soul rest in peace.) I remember the first time I ever sang a song in front of a crowd and it was Whitney's "The Greatest Love of All." My whole family loves a good bout of karaoke. Put a tune on and were are all ready to give it a go.(even though some of us aren't so musically inclined we do it for the love of music.)  When I'm cooking Sunday lunch you can hear her songs playing in my kitchen. (and if you can't hear her you will certainly hear me singing at the top of my lungs.) My all time favourite Whitney Houston song: "I believe in You and Me." (Another one my wedding songs.)

I could go on and on about all the songs and artists that I love (because they sure are alot) but we'd be here forever. So instead tell what is your current favourite song or all time favourite song or artist and what has music done for you. The song to my life at the moment is Ed Sheraan "Thinking out Loud." Here are the lyrics for all of you who are loving it too. Xoxo T. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/edsheeran/thinkingoutloud.html


                                              "Thinking Out Loud"

When your legs don't work like they used to before
And I can't sweep you off of your feet
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?

And, darling, I will be loving you 'til we're 70
And, baby, my heart could still fall as hard at 23
And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe just the touch of a hand
Well, me—I fall in love with you every single day
And I just wanna tell you I am

So honey now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
I'm thinking out loud
That maybe we found love right where we are

When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades
And the crowds don't remember my name
When my hands don't play the strings the same way
I know you will still love me the same

'Cause honey your soul could never grow old, it's evergreen
And, baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory
I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe it's all part of a plan
Well, I'll just keep on making the same mistakes
Hoping that you'll understand

But, baby, now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
Thinking out loud
That maybe we found love right where we are

So, baby, now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Oh, darling, place your head on my beating heart
I'm thinking out loud
That maybe we found love right where we are
Oh, baby, we found love right where we are
And we found love right where we are