Posted inGeneralLifestyle

Diagnosing Santa Clause

“What if Santa came to hospital?” read my online update. “What diagnosis would you give him?” A team of friends gathered around to deliberate. The options were plenty; but the prognosis looked poor. Friend One went deep. “Terribly low self-esteem, of course,” she quipped, “he does feel the need to buy his friends”. Could the […]

Posted inNews/Politics

Give the maid a break!

Aaaahh!!! The festive season is here. Everyone is on holiday except my sister and aunt who are helpers and domestics in privileged homes. I can imagine everyone in a good mood. They are exchanging bear hugs and expensive gifts. They enjoy long lunches that stretch into summer nights. Let them enjoy the luxury, splendour and […]

Posted inLifestyleMedia

On loving our possessions

This is possibly the single thing I love most in the world. I cannot quite explain why, but when I look at it I am filled with love. I don’t get to look at it often, because it’s safely folded away in a cupboard, waiting for the day I have a room of my own […]

Posted inGeneral

Christmas? They’re trying to kill off Jeremy Clarkson

Mrs Traps is outraged at the fact that this Christmas, her favourite time of year, she has seen very few television programmes celebrating the holiday. Despite being Jewish she loves the carols and all the other festivities that Christians traditionally employ to remember their saviour. On Christmas Day she normally serves up her famous ‘Turkey […]

Posted inGeneral

Local is lekker: Building communities rather than corporate profits

The internet is the new kaffeeklatsch, a digital clearinghouse of fact, hearsay, humour, folksy wisdom and calculated maliciousness, all in prodigious quantity. The viral email, in turn, is the whisper behind cupped hand of old – rippling with lightning speed through the global village. And, just occasionally, an inspired idea does the rounds. One such […]