#things to do in soweto

[africa-moja-tours]

Explore Soweto: A Comprehensive Look at What to See and Do

Things To Do In Soweto

Soweto is a fascinating place to visit. It’s full of history, culture, and beauty. There are many things to do in Soweto, from taking in cultural exhibits at the Apartheid Museum to exploring Vilakazi Street or visiting Nelson Mandela House. This blog looks at some places you might enjoy visiting in Soweto.

There are many things to see and do in this wonderful place.

Soweto is a great place for tourists and locals alike. There are many things to do in Soweto, including visiting museums, walking through South Africa’s most famous suburb, and watching a football match at Soccer City Stadium. The city has lots of history behind it, and its people have been through so much pain over the past few decades but remain optimistic about the future. There is something special about the people of Soweto, which draws so many tourists to visit. The city has been through a lot over the years, with apartheid being one of its biggest challenges. However, it has become stronger than ever before, which is why people love visiting its attractions regularly.

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[minimomoe]

A New Religion

Pairing: Wolfwood x Fem Reader

Rating: 19+ MDNI

Song Inspo: Soweto by Victony, Rema

Summary: You're reunited with Wolfwood after all this time. You thought you were catching up with an old friend, but he tells you that you’re everything but that.

Word Ct: 4.1k

“Come onnn preacher man, you’re gonna let a woman like me walk all by herself?” 

“You came here by yourself, didn’t you?”

You pouted and batted your eyes. “What if something happened to me? Here in Mecca city with a man with a 300 million double dollar bounty on his head, don’t you think it’s a little unsafe for me?”

Wolfwood flicked his eyes down to you hanging off of his arm. Your hands were warm enough for him to feel it through the sleeves of his suit, and you weren't letting up your grip. He tried to look into your eyes to see if it was the beers that you had that were talking instead of your true self, but you only had one glass that you nursed the entire time he had been in the bar. His eyes followed the way you licked your lips and pulled them back to smile again. Wolfwood quickly looked away, but you didn’t want that so you cupped his face with one hand and plucked the bent cigarette out of his mouth to smoke. 

“I feel like priests shouldn’t be able to smoke,” you said after a long drag. “Ain’t it in the Bible somewhere?”

“God cares more about my heart than my lungs.”

“I’m sure your heart is struggling to keep pumping your dying lungs,” you said, and to Wolfwood’s surprise you placed your ear right on his naked chest. You pulled back to move your hair out of the way and your face was pressed up against his chest again. You took another drag of the smoke and tapped his sternum. 

“It’s beating so fast, the poor thing. Don’t worry, I’ll get rid of the pack for you. Your body’s a temple and I’m willing to keep it that way,” you winked up at him. 

“I don’t need you to finish anything for me,” he reached into his breast pocket to pull out his stash of cigarettes. He tapped out a new one, and before he could get his lighter you stopped him.

“Lucky you, I have one last match,” you opened your matchbox and showed him the stick. You stood like a flamingo, holding onto Wolfwood’s shoulder for stability and struck the match against the heel of your boot. A bright flame erupted before sizzling down to where you could bring it up to his face safely. The cigarette hung loosely from Wolfwood’s lips, and he made the mistake of looking directly in your dark eyes instead of the butt of the smoke. The fire danced in your eyes with delight, like a pyromaniac finally finding their passion. When he was able to hold a flame you blew the match out, and before he could stop what you were doing you switched out the cigarettes, putting the bent one back into his parted mouth and taking the fresh one for yourself. 

“Hey!”

“It’s the least you could do for me, Wolfy. I got a long walk back to the motel. This’ll keep me warm,” you tipped your hat to him and turned on your heel. 

“And what about me?”

“What about you, Nathan?” You yelled, but you never stopped to face him. Your hair bounced and your hips swayed as you walked down the street, and he could hear you smirking as you got his name wrong.

“That’s not my name,” he grumbled to himself, and he readjusted the Punisher hanging on his shoulder. He was about to leave the opposite direction himself, and the cigarette smoke filled his lungs enough for him to puff it out, but it tasted different. He held the smoke between his fingers and saw the light pink tinge of your lipgloss on the mouthpiece. It was barely there but suddenly cherries were the only thing he could think about. His head whipped around to find you and he could barely see the top of your cowboy hat poking through the crowd of people who were also leaving for the night. Then he saw your hat jerk violently to the side and into an alleyway. 

Wolfwood parted through the ocean of bounty hunters, his blood rushing in his ears. The seconds stretched for miles and he pushed aggressively through the crowd as he got closer to where he saw you disappear, and when he finally rounded the corner he was moments away from unlatching the Punisher. He saw a dying cigarette and your white hat flipped upside down on the floor. Equal parts fear and anger surged through him. Before he could make any hasty moves a motion caught his eyes in the corner of the alley. You stood there hunched over and trying to catch your breath, your hair flopped over and filled with debris. A large man laid flat on his back, groaning and mumbling incoherent thoughts out loud. His fingers twitched to reach his gun on the floor but Wolfwood crushed his fingers with his foot. 

“You okay?”

“Nevel!” You said, genuinely surprised to see him again so soon. “Me? Oh, I’m just peachy. Never been better,” you shook your hair out and put on a sweet smile. 

“Do you need to…” he started, but you shook your head.

“Don’t let my breathing fool you. He’s so drunk he couldn’t tell his dick from his gun. I’m just a little out of shape, but I can still protect myself.”

“Your shape is fine,” he said, dusting off your hat and handing it to her. 

“And what about my shape do you like?” You asked playfully, and snorted when he turned away to hide his flaming face. “Is it because I shared a holy cigarette with you? Is that why you can’t let go of me yet?”

“Let’s get you back to your room.”

“Now you want to walk with me,” you rolled your eyes. 

“I just want to make sure you get to bed and then I’ll leave. I’ll carry you if I have to,” he warned.

“Carry me and that death machine at the same time? I don’t even think you could do that. I’m not that tiny—“

But you were hauled over Wolfwood’s shoulder before you could finish your sentence. You caught your hat before it could fall again and he adjusted both you and the Punisher to sit comfortably to leave the alley. 

“Oh I’m going to tell the church about this, just you wait. A priest , manhandling an innocent bystander ! Is this because I haven’t paid my tithes? That doesn’t make me a sinner!”

“No, but killing people does,” Wolfwood jerked his shoulder up and you grumbled. 

“You’re no better than me.”

“I just do my job.” 

“Tell me, Father, do you ever do anything outside of your job,” you twisted and whispered in his ear. Your lips grazed the shell of his ear and a shiver went down his spine. “Caring for everybody else seems tiring. What do you like to do to unwind?”

“I’ll tell you if you can be quiet until we get to the motel.”

You pinched his butt in frustration, but surprised him once again by keeping your mouth closed. Wolfwood didn’t understand why you wanted to know, and he couldn’t tell if this was all a game to you. The only other time you talked was when he begged you for your room information so he could walk you right to it, but you were convinced he was trying to make you lose. When he reached the destination, he gently placed you back on your feet and fixed your tilted hat. 

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“I kept track of all of your transgressions,” you tapped your temple. “See you in the morning paper, you corrupted church man.” 

Wolfwood chuckled as you turned around and unlocked the door to your room. He scoped behind him to ensure that nobody was watching you get inside. Before you stepped foot inside you asked him the same question. 

“I don’t ‘unwind’. I’m given a job, I do my job, and another one is given to me. There’s no time for anything else.” 

“Sounds… boring. Lonely,” you brushed the lapels of his suit and peered up at him. Wolfwood wished you would stop looking at him like that. It moved something in his chest he couldn’t identify. “You really don’t have time for anything else? Not even for a friend?”

“We’re friends?” He asked incredulously. 

You slapped his chest and frowned. “Of course we are! Why else would you come back running to me? We always find each other no matter how long it’s been.” 

Your eyes softened and you wrapped your arms around his waist. “I guess I shouldn’t be so hard on you. Thank you, Nicholas, for helping me tonight.” You kissed his cheek and let him go. “I don’t know when I’ll see you again but it wouldn’t kill you to write a letter.”

“I can’t be friends with you,” Wolfwood said slowly, and your eyes clouded over.

“What?” 

He hooked his free hand around your waist and drew you in close. Your eyes widened and you splayed your hands on his chest to stop from crashing into it. You looked up in confusion but you could see Wolfwood trying to gather his thoughts. 

“What I’m feeling for you isn’t friendly ,” he said carefully. His grip tightened around your body like a vice and your eyebrows sprung up. You ran your fingers over his bare skin, almost able to hear his heart thumping behind his ribs. 

“And what is it— what are you feeling, Wolfwood?”

He could try to explain it to you, tell you how you’re one of the first people he thinks of whenever he brushes death, or how he prays that the time you spend apart would shorten from months to day or hours, but the words couldn’t make it out of his throat because it is impossible to accurately describe just how much space you take up in his mind. You hide in every crevice of his being, taking up residence in his heart, stealing every smoke filled breath and making it your own because in reality it was never his, and each breath he takes carries him closer to the next time he’ll meet you again.

He could try to explain that to you, but it’s much easier to close the gap between them and capture your lips with his. It’s much easier to guide you into the motel and kick the door close behind him. It is so much easier to gently lay your on the bed after shrugging off the Punisher and swallow your moans as you clawed his back to hold him closer. In a frenzied mix of tongue and lips Wolfwood tastes you fully, doing what he has dreamed of doing a thousand times before but could never bring himself to. Despite spending your whole life out on this godforsaken desert planet, every part of you is soft, and his fingers sink into the exposed skin of your stomach. Your fingers scrape his scalp and his eyes roll further back into his head, and the only times he unlatches his lips from yours is to rip off articles of his clothing and you do the same. 

Your teeth bump each other when you meld your mouths together again, and it’s like touching a live wire. 

Every nerve of his sings for you and it’s like you’re jump starting his heart. He gives you a moment to breathe, instead kissing the corner of your mouth, your jaw, the veins in your neck and the hollow in your throat. Wolfwood runs his tongue over your collarbone, licking the sweat that sat on your skin. His previous suspicions were confirmed. He could never be friends with you. Not when he’s on the verge of devouring you. His tongue skated down your body until he reached one of your breasts. Your chest rose and fell rapidly, inviting him in and he listened. He sucked and flicked your hardening bud until you were gasping his name, crooning praises at him and begging him for more. He had to lavish the other nipple with the same amount of affection, and came back up to kiss your lips once again. 

“Do you understand why we can’t be friends,” he mumbled into your mouth. You nodded fiercely, snaking your arm around his neck to deepen this kiss. Wolfwood’s hand trailed in between your legs, gathering your wetness and stroking your clit. You mewled again, spreading your legs wider, grinding into his palm. You tugged his bottom lip between your teeth and urged him. 

“I need more, Nicholas.”

“Can I—“

“Yes, yes, go ahead,” you rushed out, holding onto the last bit of restraint you had before you were dragged down to the depths of depravity with him. Wolfwood leaned away from you, which was the last thing you wanted him to do, but when he did you were finally able to take in his body the same way he was doing to yours. Red welts were already forming around his neck and creeping over his shoulders, marks that you made on him. He pushed strands of his hair up and out of his forehead and gazed down at you in your entirety. You were almost too bright to look at, like he had to avert his yes lest he hurt himself. He wanted to kiss every inch of your skin, murmur praises into your ear, send you to heaven above over and over again. So much desire coursed through his veins he was unsure as to where he wanted to start. 

You saw his eyes filled with awe and it was like a spotlight on your body. You were still on your back while he rested on his knees between your legs, his pants still on but unzipped and unbuttoned. Although he wasn’t as close to you as you would like, his hands never left your body, and he caressed your calves as he canvassed your body. You could see his erection straining through his slacks and you bit your lip. 

“It’s not fair that I’m the only one naked here, Wolfwood.” 

You weren't even sure how he managed to undress you completely when you were sure that you had on more layers than him. His stares only heightened your sensitivity, but before you could say anything else he grabbed your ankles and dragged you to the edge of the bed, sinking to his knees on the floor in front of you. You propped yourself up on your elbows and looked down at him. He knelt down, kissing the inside of your thighs before hooking his hands underneath them and resting them on his shoulder. 

“Forgive me,” he said, alternating which thigh he kissed, creeping closer to your heated sex that fluttered with anticipation. “I want to do this first.”

The sight of Wolfwood’s tongue flattening and licking a stripe from the seam of your sex to your clit was almost too erotic for you to watch. Your breathing trembled as Wolfwood wasted no time to open you up with his mouth and drive you to the edge. He lapped at your folds, moaning into your sex and his nose rubbed on your clit in a way that forced you to lay back down and silently cry into the sheets around you. You reached down and gathered his hair in your hands, pushing him deeper into your heat and he surged forward. He loved the way your nails scratched his head, and with that he showed his silent approval.

Pleasure filled every corner of your body. You arched your back, your hips lifting off the edge of the bed but Wolfwood was quick to follow and tightened his hold on your thighs. You jerked when his lips pulled back and he bared his teeth around your sensitive bud, and you snapped your head down to look at him again. His eyes were closed, but it did nothing to hide the sex drunkenness he was experiencing. 

Wolfwood did the same thing again, mixing pain in with pleasure, and you rolled your hips into it, taking anything he gave you. Choked sobs tumbled out of your mouth, and they fell on deaf ears as Wolfwood was lost in his own pleasure. The mixture of your come and his saliva made it even easier for his face to glide against you, and he was getting addicted to the feeling. The sacrament he had consumed could never satisfy him the way you did. Your thighs started to shake around his head and he finally opened his eyes to look at you. Tears stained your face and with parted lips you whispered his name. You had this disbelieving look on your face, unsure of how he had gone this long without gasping for air. The sheets were clenched in between your fingers and your orgasm was dangerously close from breaking you. Wolfwood stretched his hand over to pinch your nipple, his fingers mimicking the movements of his tongue and you rode his tongue to oblivion.

With his tongue pressed on your clit, Wolfwood allows you to fuck his face, only slowing your down so he can ease his fingers into your dripping entrance to find your spot inside of you. With that you were both panting, and you felt the coil in your stomach tighten unbearably. 

“Nicho las ,” you moan, your breath catching at the end as you finally crests over and you’re falling helplessly back down to earth. Wolfwood doesn’t stop moving his fingers inside of you, making you curl up and you try to push him away. You’re blubbering, and the tremors in your legs are crushing Wolfwood’s head between your thighs but he had no intention to stop. He thought maybe if he kept going it would dawn on you how he would completely devote himself to you. 

“Nicholas, baby, please,” you groaned. “Please that’s enough.” He lifts his head up, a string of your arousal still hanging from his lips, and the bottom half of his face was shiny with your come. He licks his mouth clean and pressed one last kiss to your clit, and you release a weary groan from the sensation. He then kisses up your navel, your ribs, your sternum, your lips meeting each other when he crawls on top of you and you move back as well until you feel your head hit a pillow.

With all the strength you can muster up, you wrap your legs around his waist and flip him on his back. With him below you now, you grind into his erection and his hands are firm around your waist. You attack his neck, sucking and biting all the skin you can see, and Wolfwood melts into the bed. His fingers find your sex again, stretching his fingers to prepare you. You whined into his neck and licked at his skin. 

“You make me feel so good,” you said, rolling your hips on him. “Nicholas, I need you right now. ”

Your words only made his cock ache and strain in his pants. He couldn’t believe that you were begging for him, needing him almost as much as he needed you. He wondered if he ever kept you up with thoughts of “what ifs” like he did you, but he didn’t have time to dwell on that when your hands feverishly shook while pushing down his pants. They would be ruined if you didn’t pull them down off of him completely, but neither of you couldn’t find it in themselves to care. 

You pulled him out of his pants and stroked him gently. He was the perfect size for you, and you wanted to use your mouth on him, but the pained look on Wolfwood’s face showed that it would have to wait at a later time. It didn’t stop you from teasing him.

“Can you have sex? You know, as a man of God?”

Wolfwood’s jaw tightened. He watched your hand wrap around him and pump him leisurely, and it was almost enough to make him come. “I thought it goes against the religion.” You were pushing his limits, you knew it, but the way he swallowed and his eyes fluttered close only spurred you on. You thumb his slit, collecting the pre-come that beaded at tip and he drew a harsh gasp. 

“I’ll throw it all away for you,” he promised. “I’d do whatever you want.”

“That’s a really big promise, Nicholas,” you whispered. You lined him up to your entrance, rubbing the tip of his cock up and down your sex and he was begging for release. “What if I abused that?”

Wolfwood couldn’t take it anymore and thrusted his hips up to seat himself inside of you. You silently cried out, your hand flying to his throat to steady himself but he welcomed it. The way you squeezed around his cock left him with no cognizant thought other than to get you to come again. His hips pistoned up, hitting the spot deep inside you until your moans turned to hymns. It made your toes curl and your hand tighten around his throat. He then realized in that moment, looking up at you with your name dancing on his tongue, that you are his religion. He only lived for you and it took him so long to finally accept it. 

“Use me,” he panted. “Any way you want. I want to be yours,” he grounded your hips down on his and you traveled your hand up his throat to put two fingers in his mouth. You pinched his tongue with your thumb and finger before spitting in his mouth, which you sealed off with a kiss. Your hand went back to his throat and squeezed the sides just enough for him to whine into your mouth and switch positions. 

With your back laid flat on the bed he pounded into you, and the bed threatened to give out. The sound of the coupling was enough to wake up other guests in the motel with the creaking of the bed and your wailing. Wolfwood was too enraptured in every emotion that flitted across your face, every change in pitch in your moans, the pressure of your hands on his body to be considerate of anyone else. The only thing that mattered was you . 

“Tell me how you feel,” he prodded, kissing away your tears that he couldn’t truly feel sorry for. “Tell me you want me.”

“God, Wolfwood, I’m about to—“

“Say Nicholas. Say my name, please,” he reached down between you and found your clit. He circled his thumb around it at a much slower pace than what he was fucking your with, and he reveled in the way your eyes rolled back into your head.

“ Nicholasohmygod !” You tried to keep your orgasm at bay but Wolfwood was on a mission to break your consciousness. You tried to clear your mind for one last time, your hand resting on the back of his neck and feebly pulling his hair. 

“Can you come for me, baby? Please, I want us to come together, Nicholas.” 

Your wish was his undoing, and with a few harsh thrusts Wolfwood came right when you reached the peak the second time. You spiraled down together, and Wolfwood rolled his hips into yours until he had nothing left to give. You locked him in with your legs, breathing heavily as you finally stilled but you still couldn’t let go. He pulled out of you carefully but you still sighed from his absence. He quickly got up to go find a washcloth in the bathroom and came back with it damp to wipe your down. You would still have to take a shower, but you convinced him to hold you in his chest while your legs regained function.

“And if I asked you to run away with me?” 

The question took Wolfwood off guard. He wasn't sure he heard you correctly, but the way you looked up at him with wide eyes proved that you meant what you said. 

“Where would we go?”

“Anywhere. We could visit everywhere. You can’t leave me, not again.” 

Wolfwood kissed the crown of your head. You were right, he couldn’t leave. He wouldn’t be able to live the way he had before now that you took this step. It would be too much for the both of you. 

“Let’s leave before the sun rises.”

You squealed, jumping up on the bed and covering his face in butterfly kisses. 

“I’m not tired enough to sleep, and sunrise is only a couple hours away…” you wiggled your eyebrows, and Wolfwood kissed you for the first time to mark forever.

[warningsine]

A French woman has broken the world rope climbing record after reaching the second floor of the Eiffel Tower on Wednesday.

Anouk Garnier, 34, climbed 110 metres in 18 minutes to set a new high and raise money for cancer prevention and support.

“My dream has come true. It’s magical,” Garnier said, after scaling the free-hanging rope to reach the record two minutes more quickly than expected. “If there was one thing I never doubted, it was that I was going to do it.”

She added: “There were many ups and downs on the way to this record. The weather wasn’t always my ally and we had to coordinate the agendas of all those involved in this monumental project. But I never stopped believing in it. The satisfaction and joy I derive from it today are all the greater. It’s a crazy dream come true.”

The previous world record was held by the South African athlete Thomas Van Tonder, who climbed 90 metres up a rope between the Soweto Towers in Johannesburg in 2020. The Danish athlete Ida Mathilde Steensgaard held the female record after climbing 26 metres up a rope at the Copenhagen Opera House in 2022.

Garnier now holds the record for the highest climb and the highest climb for a female. She began rope climbing in 2022 after winning the world obstacle course championship for her age category and was looking for a new challenge. She said she was inspired by Steensgaard’s success.

“I said to myself: 26 metres isn’t that far, what monument could I climb?” she told AFP.

Garnier said she had prepared for a year for Wednesday’s challenge and was happy to see her family as she descended.

“It was so beautiful to seem them so proud. They’re the ones who instilled in me this discipline of sport, of always giving your best, of always striving for excellence. It’s thanks to them I’m able to do extraordinary things today.”

The climber said she also wanted to raise money for the League Against Cancer after her mother was diagnosed with the disease.

“I saw her struggling so much. I wanted to do my bit,” Garnier said.

She now plans to return to obstacle racing and will be carrying the Olympic torch in Marseille in May but admitted she was already thinking of future challenges.

“I’m in great shape and I intend to keep it up for the next 10 years,” she said.

[marengogo]

Rambling in INFJese - Part 8: Me, Myself & Jikook

Soweto - by Victony, Tempoe  [Outlaw]

[Music is a very big part of my life and I’m MOSTLY INCAPABLE of writing without music, so I just thought I'd share what I am listening to while writing this]

🐺 — 🐺 — 🐺—

Ladies, Gentlemen and Distinguished Enbies; I’m finally back well sort of, as I’m writing to you on my train back home.

Although I’m indeed back physically from all the little trips I took during the festive period, between Europe and Africa, I am very thrilled to say that I am also ready to begin a healthy coming back mentally and emotionally, and now those have been pretty absent since November 2019.

Needless to say, the journey toward me being ready to regain my Mind & Emotions has been a fucking struggle. I had to start with admitting that I was not okay first and foremost, which finally happened towards the end of 2020, I must specify that non of my mental or emotional woes had anything to do with COVID the virus only heavily affected my business, which in turn affected my finance etc etc, but we made a miracle recovery in 2022, so thank the spirits for that!. 

In addition, I also had to realise that I was burnt-out through and through, hence, I didn’t have the energy to actually do anything, be it physical or not, and that that was okay. Basically I needed a way to begin my physical, mental and emotional rebirth so the festive trips were mostly planned with that mind state, because even though most of the trips turned out to be incredibly relaxing, mindless and super fun fun; one, the last and main one, wasn’t. 

The last trip I took the one where some of my friends had problems at the airport, that one was specifically related to my family and it was the one I dreaded the most, because it meant I had to face “music” I wasn’t ready to dance to, let alone listen to. This particular trip was meant to happen in 2020, but COVID etc-etc. Then, something happened in 2022 that made it impossible for me to postpone it any further and by November 2022, even though I was still scared shitless, I got to a point in which I wanted and I was ready to finally do this. 

Luckily for me other family members and friends decided to join me on this trip; we love travelling people in my circle, so ANY excuse really! We started with fun stuff first, and travelled like there was no tomorrow and then left the serious part for last (could have, I would have preferred to do the tough part first and the fun last, but that part was during a family gathering and its date was fixed).

So, attend the gathering I did, and low-and-behold, it turned out to be not as bad as I had envisioned it to be. Needless to say, all my fears and insecurities lied within me and were all also amplified by me. Mind you, they were not baseless, because there are some major issues within my family, but what I realised this time around is that for some things there is really nothing I can do about it and that at times, understanding and admitting this is a start. Furthermore, finding a way that would allow me to coexist without compromising myself in an unhealthy way, is the only/best thing I can do. 

Facing things head-on is the best way I know how to do things and for the past 2 years and some I had been scared shitless to do so. The last time I did, November 2019, left me traumatised and the chain reaction of tragic and unfortunate event that followed that didn’t help either.  But 2021 rolled around and though I was still burnt-out and not okay at least a part of me knew I wanted to be okay. Thus, I began with therapy; the best decision I made in my situation, which btw, I had been advised to go to since that fateful November 2019, but I wasn’t ready. Another thing that was important for me to own up to was that; You know yourself best, and if you are not ready, you are not ready. 

People around you that care for you will keep trying to push/guide you into getting to a better place, because in their eyes they see you suffering and are trying to help. If you do have said people in your life, make sure to listen to them, just listening won’t hurt, it is already a blessing in itself to actually have people who care about you. HOWEVER, don’t force yourself to do anything you are not ready for. Always do things on your own time and at your own pace. For example, there is another situation I wanted to resolve in 2022 and ended up not really would have been too much on my plate in addition with my family gathering thingy, but I am now ready so I’ll do it now in 2023. My Own Time, My Own Pace.

And there it is! 2023 is going to be me beginning my journey of proper self-healing 🧡💙. I can feel it in my bones that I’m ready to face all that comes at me and take charge of my life again. Oh and I know you all know I am big on Mythology, but Astrology is also another of my passions, so just in case you were curious about the colour palette and keywords for your sign this year, please find them following I’m Gemini BTW:

Now, Let’s talk Jikook shall we? 

In reality I’d like to talk BTS, but then again, I mean, when don't I want to talk BTS 😜. For example, I’d like to point out that Jin’s first month away is officially today and now there are 17 more months to go. I know it sounds like no time has passed, but if you think about it, 30/31 days have come and gone and even though I miss him like hell I check that bloody count-down everyday, I am so freaking happy just being able to say; 1 month down, 17 to go (We started at 548 days y’all!).

The passing of time is indeed made less noticeable when other things are happening doesn’t it? The rest of the members are still very active J-Hope has sort of become the BTS Awards Spokesperson as well as going around the world to perform. Joon is still working on music, Taekook are being Taekook and should be allowed to (in the sense that Tae as always keeps in contact with ARMY as often as he does and on the other hand JK doesn’t 😎; all very regular), Yoongi is Yoonging to the highest degree possible (I have a separate post planned for Min-Fabulous-Gi) and Park Jimin, well Park Jimin; TOMORROW CAN’T COME ANY SOONER:

Time is passing, Time is constant and Time is something that some Jikookers are not understanding, or taking properly into consideration. Time will bring about an unprecedented number of Montagues and will decimate a substantial number of Jikookers. Sure, we are going to get content that was filmed in 2022, documentaries, RUN episodes, we might also see them when all the other members leave for the military but supposing that BTS gets back together December 2025, let’s say 13 December 2025 for counting-sake, which would mean that if we start counting from today, Jikookers are looking at not having any Jikook interaction, possibly, for the next 1067days.

1067 DAYS.

We will all be 2 years older by then, we could have 1 year old children by then, we could be owners of great business by then, life could have changed drastically by then. A lot WILL HAVE happened by then so ...

Please let that sink in and understand what this means.

So what could/does this mean exactly? Publicly, nothing much really, because everything has been the same since July 2019. I’ve already tip-toed on the subject a couple of times but, to be more precise, everything had been the same, publicly, for Jikook, since July 14, 2019, when this selca was published. 

This last non-work related Jikook selca was posted a couple of months after Rose Bowl and way before HickeyGate, one being an out of the blue, hella spontaneous moment, the other being a moment we didn’t witness, but was “explained/reported” to us by Yours-Truly-Jikook. 

After July 14, 2019, any SM/public interaction from Jikook has either come under the form of HBD wishes, brand sponsorship, paid content, RUN BTS or during concert. Thanks so some of which we know that, for example, Jikook still actually do take selcas and JK still does takes videos of JM; we just are most likely never gonna get to see them as of present.

Furthermore, after July 14, 2019, when/if they do hangout together privately, it is either relayed to use through other members or through people who breach privacy for a living, which fuck them indeed. All this just to say that if we properly stopped and think we REALLY HAVEN’T BEEN GIVEN ANYTHING FROM JIKOOK THEMSELVES, ABOUT SOMETHING PRIVATE RELATING TO THEM, FOR AT LEAST 3 YEARS NOW. 

Wanna think even further? After July 2019, Jikook are the only two members who seem to always gravitate towards each other whenever we’ve seen them at Awards shows, they are always in perfect harmony on RUN BTS, they are always happy with each other on Banftan Bombs, and still do shenanigans during their yearly Memories. 

JM, alongside Hobi, brought his pretty self to visit JK on his birthday and on the other hand JK’s mother decided that you know what “we will have a seaweed soup today because it is JM’s birthday, even though he is not my son”. Jikook are seemingly very close and comfortable with each other, like they’ve always been, if not even more than before. Yet they are the only ones who have never commented/liked each other’s posts or INTERACTED on IG. Capulets and Montagues will tell you that because of this lack of interaction, all the aforementioned is clearly fanservice, but you and I, let’s be for real for a second.

We all know the great non-importance of the members interaction with each other on SM, which Yours-Truly-Jin has reminded us of before leaving to serve his country, but also we know very well that, although each couple in the world is different, many famous ones, do stay clear from interacting on SM, particularly if they are not official yet. Take my dearest Zendaya and Tom for example, before they announced their relationship, Zendaya only liked Tom’s IG if it was something directly related to spiderman or if she was directly tagged, which Tom aside for spiderman promotion, Tom has ever only did for her birthday. 

Zendaya had explained that she had always been paranoid for media to find out and she wanted this part of her life to be private, so she was VERY CAREFUL and weary of public interactions as much as she could, but they are both young, human and famous, so people who breach privacy for a job, caught them in a very private moment, which they impulsively had public …

Now that they are out and about together, Zenday is virtually liking all of Tom’s pics, same for Tom with Zendaya’s. Since being official, they’ve posted incredibly sweet birthday posts for each other and Tom is doing the most to promote her projects LOL; but this has been after they became official. 

Now, not only JK and JM live in a rather complicatedly-homophobic country, but they are about to enlist, which ones again, let’s be real, does this seem like the right time to be “parading gay pride and flags”? If I were you, I’d take time to concentrate on members' projects, rewatch all BTS shows from the beginning, take up a hobby if you don’t have one, save money for the biggest concert that will have ever taken place on planet Earth for when they get back in 2025/2026. 1067 days are 1067.

I’m personally rather booked for this year and coming, it seems, mostly private life, but don’t worry, I intend to still write quite a lot, about all members, and things regarding Jikook of course, there is so much that has happened and that is worth discussing, at least it is of interest to me. And if within this 1067 days, Jikook do something, which they intentionally wanted for us to partake in something current and private related to their life, something not pre-recorded, branded etc etc, then please don’t forget that because they DO NOT OWE us any private interactions, THAT would be considered one of the HIGHEST privileges bestowed upon us, by Yours-Kindly-And-Truly-Jikook.  

Very happy to be back and, as always, very respectfully yours,

Happy New Year 2023 🫰🏾💜,

Marengo.

[neighbourhood-rambler]

i just tripped out during this study session and i don't know where this chat ends.

disclaimer/s: first, most of these are one-liners/mostly incomplete thoughts because, again, this is in between trying to actually get information in and trying to not copy the whole textbook on these sheets of paper, and actually trying rest during a study break. secondly, this whole thought sits closely to the importance of language to any self-identifying adult, the concept of community itself, and to africans entirely.

i asked myself: 'what is the broader south african coloured community's stance on the events of 16 june 1976?'

quick context: 16 june 1976, also known as 'june 16'/'soweto uprising'/'youth day' is a day on which the youth of south africa took to the apartheid-thick streets to protest against being taught in the afrikaans language - which, although indigenous to south africa and spoken by most if not all of the coloured community as a first language, was (and continues to be by most people) considered as 'the oppressor's tongue'. reports say 'about 200' people died in soweto that day after the apartheid police opened fire on literal children.

a couple of things went through my head after that:

there were coloureds in support of that movement. (in whatever capacity) so they must've been able to detach themselves, right?

this whole 'oppressor's tongue' name is weird too, right? because the coloured community has developed an entire culture with whatever history has thrown at them. for sure having that as a basis of a movement must have sat funny with some coloured folk.

not all coloured people identify as 'coloured'. some identify as 'ethnically coloured & politically black'. in fact not all coloured people are 'coloured'. some are bi-racial and none of their parents are afrikaans-speaking. so what is these individuals' significance in this conversation?

should they feel a type of way about it? while it would be weird to say being coloured was 'forced on them', (insert the full history of coloured people with the dark and bright parts) it would also be remiss to not include the white man's involvement in the creation of the community. should they champion and protect their own oppression?

does it continue to become their 'oppression' once they have owned it and made it theirs? or does it just become a part of history?

while all of that is happening, a thought that i have shared with my friends in the past resurfaced. it basically says: 'the day south africa has a true and honest conversation regarding the coloured community is the day the relationship between the minorities in the country will start getting better or horribly worse.'

as i type this post i am asking myself 'does south africa even need to have that conversation in the first place? does the coloured community need to be re-legitimised beyond what we known them?'

yes? becuase in doing so, we get to clear some politcal grey areas?

no? because it is not our (non-coloured folk) place to decide what is worth talking about regarding their community and identity? especially just because it doesn't make full sense to us.

[aquariumdrunkard]

The Aquarium Drunkard Show: SIRIUS/XMU (7pm PDT, Channel 35)

Via satellite, transmitting from northeast Los Angeles — the Aquarium Drunkard Show on SIRIUS/XMU, channel 35. 7pm California time, Wednesdays.

Intro ++ Keith Jarrett & Jack DeJohnette – All We Got ++ Mor Thiam – Ayo Ayo Nene ++ Ebo Taylor – Love And Death ++ Alabaster DePlume – A Gente Acaba (Vento Em Rosa) ++ Arthur Verocai – Dedicada A Ela ++ Louis Banks – Song For My Lady ++ RK Nagati – De L’Orient A’ L’Orion ++ Fela Kuti – My Lady Frustration ++ General Echo – Arleen ++ Benny Yurco – Flor Amarilla ++ Scientist – Bad Days Dub ++ Tom Zé – Mã ++ Almon Memela – The Things We Do In Soweto ++ J.B. De Carvalho E Seu Terreiro – Fui Na Umbanda ++ Haruomi Hosono – Bara To Yaju ++ Erasmo Calos – Sorriso Dela ++ Dr. Alimantado – Ride On ++ Earth Girl Helen Brown – Feed Me ++ Whitefield Brothers – Weiya (Serengeti Beat) ++ Juan Wauters – Candombe ++ Peter Gabriel – Exposure ++ Count Ossie – Ruth One Mile ++ Piero Umiliani – Rite ++ Adrian Young – Starlights ++ Tone Scientists – Tiny Pyramids ++ Brahja – Keepers ++ Ill Considered – Djinn ++ Morphine – I Know You (Part I) ++ Robert Wyatt – Heaps Of Sheeps | art formless forming

[beardedmrbean]

South African political leader Julius Malema led racially violent chants at a massive rally on Saturday.

Malema, who is the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, sang the genocidal anti-apartheid struggle song "Kill the Boer, the farmer," referring to the White descendants of Dutch settlers or "Boers" in South Africa.

The Economic Freedom Fighters has emerged as one of the preeminent powers in South African politics after the end of the Apartheid regime. Malema was originally a youth leader in the African National Congress (ANC) which was famous for being led by South Africa’s first Black leader, Nelson Mandela. 

Malema faced backlash for his call for violence against White South Africans. John Steenhuisen, the leader of South Africa's biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA) condemned Malema on Monday, warning, "This is a man who is determined to ignite... civil war." He later noted that Malema is a "bloodthirsty tyrant" calling for "mass murder." He also claimed that the DA will file a complaint against Malema with the UN Human Rights Council.

While the EFF is a relatively new party, it appears to be rising in popularity.

"The liberal DA, which has traditionally appealed to a largely White electorate, is polling to win about 16 percent of the vote," the Agence France Presse reported. "The militant EFF, which advocates for reforms to increase land ownership among Black South Africans, is polling at around 13 percent."

According to the BBC noted that Malema has been brought to court for multiple similar offenses.

"He has been repeatedly accused of hate speech. He's been dragged to court by civil rights group AfriForum after the organisation filed a complaint to have the two songs Dubul'ibhunu (Shoot the Boer) and Biza a ma'fire brigade (Call the Fire Brigade) declared hate speech and unfair discrimination," the BBC reported in an article about the EFF’s 10-year anniversary.

At a similar rally in 2019, Malema declared he would be willing to destroy the political system in order to ensure equality.

"White people, all we want is to join you at the dinner table and eat with you," he said to thousands of followers at Soweto's Orlando Stadium. "If you do not want us to sit with you at the table, then we have no choice but to destroy the table."

In response to previous backlash he has faced for singing "Kill the Boer," ("Kill the White farmer") Malema said the EFF is not "anti-White" so much as seeking "equality for South Africa's Black majority." 

Malema also argued that the EFF seeks to address the "ill-gotten privileges that White people enjoy, and which are being protected by the ANC."

In 2019, Malema said, "The first thing we will deal with is the issue of land. We want to expropriate the land without compensation so that Black people also benefit from its wealth."

[animusiem]

Billboard USA Exclusion Zone Episode 13 (05/27/2023)

You know, I thought that I will be overwhelmed by this week. I mean we got Eurovision this week and just how massive the first two Eurovision was in this decade. So color me surprised that we didn't get an onslaught of Eurovision songs. Though some of them might have to do with them have debuted before so I have talked about it (check it out in my bio). But this means that it made this week manageable at least.

-----------------------------------------------------

11. "Acrostico" by Shakira

Actually we won't be starting with an Eurovision song, instead we have a heartfelt ballad from Shakira and her kids. I'm so glad that this song exist. Not only because she's making music again on her own, but also as a healing process from her divorce.

13. "Cha Cha Cha" by Kaarija

From heartfelt to the downright batshit insane. This is basically the Zitti e Buono of 2023 but it didn't win the whole thing which is a robbery. It would've been great if Finnish language actually existed.

29. "Queen of Kings" by Alessandra

This is basically just what happened when you mixed Billie Eilish with pirate theme music soundtracking your local League of Legends tournament.

37. "The Planet" by BTS

Seems like BTS saw the success of Arcane and Imagine Dragon and thought "yes this soundtracking animated movie will turned out well". And it's as expected as what "BTS soundtracking animated film" would sound like.

46. "All My Life" by Lil Durk ft. J Cole

I'm of two minds about this song. On one hand, the subject matter here is just perfect where both Durk and Cole talking about a lot of systemic issues during the come up with interesting details. Durk referencing how stimulus check works in his environment and how he's trying to better himself which is a plus in my opinion. While Cole in the middle of talking about his legacy, talk about how the media talked and hyperfocusing on rapper's death and how people weren't paying attention to them before it's too late. On the other hand, this beat is kinda suck. One thing that I've learned over the years is that Dr. Luke shouldn't producing trap rap song. Like seriously just some keys, trap drums, and sub bass? Also we don't need to bring back child choir again. I guess we'll see if this song will grew on me, but right not it's just on the upper side of decent.

81. "Queencard" by (G)I-DLE

Ahhh yes this is the Kpop shit I love. Garrish, a lot of personalities with no substance, and ridiculous. It's the same reason why I love HIP by MAMAMOO and while this song is slightly worse, I can't deny the groove here.

142. "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence + The Machine

Finally my critical card has been upgraded since I'm reviewing a Florence + The Machine stuff! Well anyways this song is definitely a perfect send off (or in this case dance off) to a movie franchise.

153. "Unicorn" by Noa Kirel

First off Free Palestine. Secondly, I think if you want to justify your inclusion in the Eurovision Israel, you should just remake Toy for the rest of your country's life because this ain't it.

168. "Cartao Black" by MC Caverinha e KayBlack

Seems like dreary trap banger will be universal even in different language. Also seems like I need to learn more Portuguese and Spanish more because I can at least marginally pronounced the words.

175. "Soweto" by Victony, Rema & Tempoe ft. Don Toliver

It's kinda mad that this is the first time I talked about afrobeat song in my review series even though I really love it. I think everything about Afrobeat I love so I might be biased here but man the guitar and that drum is just heavenly. Also Don Toliver is actually perfect in afrobeat it's insane.

192. "Danza Kuduro" by Don Omar & Lucenzo

How the hell does this song didn't debut during the world cup? This song is basically a jock jam for me.

193. "Abcdario" by Eden Munoz X Junior H

...it's fine

199. "Life Goes On" by Ed Sheeran ft. Luke Combs

I have a lot of contender of best songs of 2023, but we have another contender here. As someone who also lost a friend and during the pandemic even, I can feel the emotion here unlike say Eyes Closed. This version is just soul crushing and if this is gonna be his last hit before he went indie or even retired, then what a way to go dude. Take care Ed.

I highly recommend everyone to listen to these songs.

[sassman-tiff]

Hector Pieterson

Can’t remember how old I was, but I went to the Hector Pieterson Memorial when I was still a kid. Didn’t really soak it all in, that kind of just happened over time through the memories of that day. The one thing that really stuck was the photographer who worked the tourist angle of the memorial, he’d go to people and snap a pic of them, then try to sell it to you - a str8 HUSTLER.

He tried that with me, and I must’ve just told him like “I got 50 bucks, but it’s for an ice cream” or something. He then proceeded to drop the sales schtick, guess he realised he was just talking to a kid. Then he hit me with the “hey kid, you wanna see something cool ?” - FUCK YEAH I wanna see something cool, I’m like 7 years old at the HP memorial, I’d kill to see something cool.

He pulled out his picture collection. And as he scrolled through it he was like “you know who that is ? What about him ? Her ?”….i didn’t recognise a single person. Until he flipped the page one more time and lo and behold, who do I see ? C-MOTHERFUGGIN-BREEZY HIMSELF.

I was shook, what was Chris Brown doing at the Hector Pieterson Memorial ? In Soweto ? He’s an American celebrity ? Surely he doesn’t care about the Bantu Education riots ? Why was he on that one episode of Generations ? Why is Chris Brown doing these weird ass side quests ? In South Africa ?

I left the memorial that day, and the last thing on my mind: The events that transpired on June 16, 1976.

Mxm Chris Brown…

[lyonfamilyinafrica]

Final blog entry for trip

Well that’s the end of our African safari adventure.

Some stats and Q&A to wrap things up.

We drove a bit over 3,400 kilometres whilst in our 4WD hire car driving across two countries - Namibia and Botswana.

We visited 5 African countries (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa) and saw the banks of another (Angola). We also visited Singapore for 3 nights on our way home.

We experienced temperatures ranging from -5.0 to 28 degrees in Africa.

We visited many reserves and the following National Parks:

Namib-Naukluft National Park

Etosha NP

Moremi NP

Chobe NP

Victoria Falls NP

We saw hundreds of different wildlife including the Big 5 - Lion, Leopard, African Buffalo, Rhinoceros (Black & White), Elephant.

A big thank you to our friends Greg & Jasmine for inspiring us to do this trip and providing an itinerary to follow and many chats and tips to make this trip possible. I think we would have been hesitant to book everything for the trip on our own without your guidance.

Thank you to my Mum Rhonda for looking after our little Lyon of the canine variety, Zoe, for the past month.

Q&A time.

Favourite location in Africa we visited & why:

Shanaugh- Third Bridge (Moremi NP), for the animals and fancy tented accommodation

Jarod - Moremi NP most wildlife

Max - Etosha (Okaukuejo) for animals at waterhole at night

Finlay - Etosha at the water hole because it was one of our first times seeing a lot of the animals and there was so many to watch

Favourite shower:

S - Mobola Island guesthouse

J - Kasane guesthouse

M - Mobola Island

F - Mobola island lodge

Funniest moment:

S - Pedalling on the 6 person cyclo to go across border from Zimbabwe to Zambia.

J - my Tame Impala joke every time I saw an Impala

M - When the Baboon was holding its willy. I thought it was a hot dog

F - pedalling on 6 person bike

When were you the most scared:

S - First night at Third Bridge as was first night in unfenced campsite

J - lion in camp

M - When Jarod farted in the car

F - when the lion walked past our camp and we all had to jump in the car

Best bargain:

S - Two loads of washing done and expertly folded for $10 - so worth it

J - a large painting, two wooden monkeys and a bracelet for $20

M - big hippo for free and apple for $1

F - ‘Free’ trip to Africa

Biggest rip off:

S - 50 Billion Zimbabwe dollar note for $2.50

J - Singapore sling for $39

M - nothing because Mum & Dad paid

F - nothing because Mum & Dad paid

Best tour guide:

S - Kay - Soweto tour

J - Greg

M - Mobola Island river tour and Khwai game drive tour guides

F - the guy at Mobola Island river tour

Favourite African animal:

S - Giraffe

J - Giraffe

M - Warthog

F - Elephants and all the baby animals especially the monkeys

Favourite meal:

S - South African shared meal or Otijiwa Lodge

J - Oryx (Gemsbok) from the restaurant at Otijiwa Lodge

M - Gemsbok steak at Joes Beerhouse Windhoek

F - either the fancy dinner at Otijiwa Lodge or the home cooked one at Victoria Falls

Favourite Spotify song from Africa playlist:

S - Africa by Toto of course

J - Africa by Toto

M - Pata Pata (about dance in Johannesburg)

F - Africa by Toto

Least Favourite part of trip:

S - Jarod’s farts in the car

J - South Africans

M - Dads farts

F - Dads Tame Impala jokes

3 things most looking forward to when home (apart from seeing Zoe):

S

My own space

Good bed mattress

Driving on smooth roads

J

Getting back to building outdoor room

Deer shooting in July

Yoghurt & protein powder for breaky

M

Riding bike with friends

Playing Forza on XBox

Listening to radio next to bed

F

Seeing friends

Knowing when can play soccer

My own bed

[probestentours11]

11 Top Things to Do in Our South Africa Tour Packages

South Africa is a land of diverse landscapes, vibrant cultures, and thrilling adventures, making it a dream destination for travelers from around the world. From exhilarating wildlife safaris to scenic coastal drives and cultural experiences, South Africa offers an array of activities to suit every traveler's interests. In this article, we'll explore the top 11 things to do in our South Africa tour packages, showcasing the best that this captivating country has to offer

Safari Adventures in Kruger National Park: Embark on a safari adventure in Kruger National Park, one of Africa's largest game reserves, and witness the Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros) in their natural habitat in our South Africa tour packages.

Explore the Cape Winelands: Indulge in wine tasting tours and scenic vineyard walks in the Cape Winelands, home to some of the world's finest wine estates and breathtaking landscapes with our South Africa tour packages.

Discover the Beauty of Cape Town: Explore the iconic landmarks of Cape Town, including Table Mountain, Robben Island, and the vibrant V&A Waterfront, and soak up the city's rich history and culture.

Journey Along the Garden Route: Drive along the picturesque Garden Route, stopping at charming coastal towns, pristine beaches, and stunning viewpoints along the way in our South Africa tour packages.

Experience Cultural Diversity in Johannesburg: Discover the vibrant culture and history of Johannesburg, with visits to Soweto, the Apartheid Museum, and the bustling neighborhoods of Maboneng and Newtown.

Visit the Cradle of Humankind: Explore the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and discover ancient fossils and archaeological sites that provide insights into human evolution.

Relax on the Beaches of Durban: Unwind on the golden sandy beaches of Durban's Golden Mile, enjoy water sports activities, or explore the city's vibrant beachfront promenade.

Admire the Panoramic Views of Blyde River Canyon: Marvel at the breathtaking vistas of Blyde River Canyon, one of the largest canyons in the world, and explore scenic viewpoints such as God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes.

Explore the Cultural Heartland of Swaziland: Experience the rich culture and traditions of Swaziland, with visits to traditional villages, craft markets, and royal ceremonies.

Discover the Wild Coast: Venture off the beaten path to the Wild Coast, a rugged and unspoiled stretch of coastline known for its pristine beaches, rolling hills, and traditional Xhosa villages.

Hike in the Drakensberg Mountains: Embark on scenic hikes in the Drakensberg Mountains, home to dramatic landscapes, ancient rock art sites, and abundant birdlife with our South Africa tour packages.

Conclusion: With its diverse array of attractions and experiences, South Africa offers endless opportunities for adventure, relaxation, and cultural exploration. Whether you're embarking on a wildlife safari in Kruger National Park, tasting world-class wines in the Cape Winelands, or exploring the vibrant cityscapes of Cape Town and Johannesburg, our South Africa tour packages are designed to showcase the best that this captivating country has to offer. Embark on a journey of discovery with us and create memories that will last a lifetime.

"

[commonplaceinacommonplace]

wednesday, april 24th, 2024 // #37

"I

When my dreams showed signs

of becoming

politically correct

no unruly images

escaping beyond borders

when walking in the street I found my

themes cut out for me

knew what I would not report

for fear of enemies’ usage

then I began to wonder

II

Everything we write

will be used against us

or against those we love.

These are the terms,

take them or leave them.

Poetry never stood a chance

of standing outside history.

One line typed twenty years ago

can be blazed on a wall in spraypaint

to glorify art as detachment

or torture of those we

did not love but also

did not want to kill.

We move but our words stand

become responsibly

for more than we intended

and this is verbal privilege

III

Try sitting at a typewriter

one calm summer evening

at a table by a window

in the country, try pretending

your time does not exist

that you are simply you

that the imagination simply strays

like a great moth, unintentional

try telling yourself

you are not accountable

to the life of your tribe

the breath of your planet

IV

It doesn’t matter what you think.

Words are found responsible

all you can do is choose them

or choose

to remain silent. Or, you never had a choice,

which is why the words that do stand

are responsible

and this is verbal privilege

V

Suppose you want to write

of a woman braiding

another woman’s hair—

straight down, or with beads and shells

in three-strand plaits or corn-rows—

you had better know the thickness

the length the pattern

why she decides to braid her hair

how it is done to her

what country it happens in

what else happens in that country

You have to know these things

VI

Poet, sister: words—

whether we like it or not—

stand in a time of their own.

no use protesting I wrote that

before Kollontai was exiled

Rosa Luxembourg, Malcolm,

Anna Mae Aquash, murdered,

before Treblinka, Birkenau,

Hiroshima, before Sharpeville,

Biafra, Bangladesh, Boston,

Atlanta, Soweto, Beirut, Assam

—those faces, names of places

sheared from the almanac

of North American time

VII

I am thinking this in a country

where words are stolen out of mouths

as bread is stolen out of mouths

where poets don’t go to jail

for being poets, but for being

dark-skinned, female, poor.

I am writing this in a time

when anything we write

can be used against those we love

where the context is never given

though we try to explain, over and over

For the sake of poetry at least

I need to know these things"

Rich, Adrienne. "North American Time". Adrienne Rich’s Poetry and Prose: A Norton Critical Edition. Edited by Albert Gelpi and Barbara Charlesworth Gelpi, New York, Norton, 1993, p. 114-117.

[rainsmediaradio]

Mr Eazi & Soweto Gospel Choir - Exit Lyrics

Mr Eazi & Soweto Gospel Choir - Exit Lyrics Yeah yeah I never had to count my blessings but these days I do Originally I no dey find trouble but these days I do (yea) 'Cause it's a lonely road a lonely road Never suffer lonely I no dey find trouble but these days I do Oh dema pre me voodoo But I thank Jehovah for the journey Oh Joy comes in the morning I let bad mind close and they were storing I got so many secrets that I pray don't come out Paranoid cause I've seen things go bad When my family turns to demons around me (yea yea) I thank you Lord for everything Everything you've done for me And I give you praise oh Majesty And I say thank you I thank you Lord, for everything Everything you've done for me And I give you praise oh Majesty And I say thank you Thank you God for keeping things smoothly (hem ye ahee) And the blessings wey you shoot daily (hem ye ahee) I no go lie I am feeling differently (hem ye ahee) Na why I still dey move undercover Thank you God for keeping things smoothly (hem ye ahee) And the blessings wey you shoot daily (hem ye ahee) I no go lie I am feeling differently (hem ye ahee) Na why I still dey move (o) Oh dema pre me voodoo (hem ye ahee) But I thank Jehovah for the journey (hem ye ahee) Oh Joy comes in the morning (hem ye ahee) I let bad mind close and they were storing (hem ye ahee) I got so many secrets that I pray don't come out (hem ye ahee) Paranoid cause I've seen things go bad (hem ye ahee) When my family turns to demons around me (yea yea) Ngiyabonga ngoba ungewele ukuphila (Amen Ngiyabonga Uyinzwele zwele (Amen) Ngiyabonga ngoba ungewele ukuphila (Amen) Ngiyabonga Uyinzwele I raise my hands unto you Lord (Helele helele ahelele) Oh joy comes in the morning (Helele helele ahelele) You alone Lord makes me smile I raise my hands unto you Lord (Helele helele ahelele) Oh joy comes in the morning (Helele helele ahelele) You alone Lord makes me smile Helele helele ahelele (Hem yee ahee) Helele helele ahee Helele helele ahelele (Hem yee ahee) Helele helele ahee Read the full article

[mytangents]

Soweto is sweeto!

What's better than bungie jumping?....bungie jumping off of the Orlando Towers in Soweto. The irony of this activity is that from afar you'd think these two towers are nuclear towers. As you get closer you notice the artwork and graffiti on these towers that tell a story of this town. A town that's overcame many struggles to develop into the bustling hub of culture, politics, and business that it is presently.

The towers seem to stand as sentinels as it's citizens and visitors frequent the Rosa Parks Library in their search for history, particularly Black history and civil rights. The Soweto Theatre is where you'd go to catch an upscale theatrical or musical production, mostly about the political history of Soweto. The theater's architecture includes sails....I'd like to think it represents the sails of The Flyer by the Wright brothers as they flew into history, a striking parallel to Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela; both revered in this community.

Finally, the local cuisine is where you'd want to end up, or start. And don't forget the beer!

We could imagine again that symbolically as the visitors bungie from those two imposing towers that they're conquering their fears just as the past anti-Apartheid pioneers did in the 1990's.

Works Cited:

Claassens, Carina. "10 Top Things to See and Do in Soweto" Culture Trip 19 May 2020

https://theculturetrip.com/africa/south-africa/articles/10-top-things-to-see-and-do-in-soweto/

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 13/05/2023 (”Scrap the Monarchy”, Ed Sheeran, Bring Me the Horizon)

Content warning: Self-harm/depression, noncery, UK politics

For a fifth week, “Miracle” by Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding reigns on top of the UK Singles Chart, and it’s yet another standard episode so welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

Rundown

As always, we start with the notable dropouts, which are songs exiting the UK Top 75 – the region I cover – after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40. We actually have some pretty dramatic exits with long-term hits. Sure, “Bad Habits” and “Shivers” are only out due to the three-song rule – more on Ed later – but we also say farewell to “Twust” by HStikkytokky and General G (good riddance), Luke Combs’ cover of “Fast Car”, “All of the Girls You Loved Before” by Taylor Swift, “Pretty Boys” by Caity Baser, “Red Flags” by Mimi Webb, “Until I Found You” by Stephen Sanchez, “10:35” by Tiesto and Tate McRae and finally, “B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)” by Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal, most of which all had fairly good runs, though we can’t say with certainty they’re permanently gone.

As for what’s filling in the gaps, we have a larger-than-usual batch of returns, those being “Rhyme Dust” by MK and Dom Dolla at #75, “Afraid to Feel” by LF SYSTEM at #73, “I Wrote a Song” by Mae Muller taking Eurovision hype to #45 (it peaked at #30 earlier this year) and finally, “Dog Days are Over” by Florence + the Machine taking advantage of a TikTok resurgence assisted by consistent streaming and its inclusion in the most recent Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack. Florence’s best-known track, the song was originally released in 2008, eventually peaking at #23 in 2010. 13 years later, it could potentially reach an even higher peak – I’m not a big fan of the song, really, or Florence + the Machine in general, but this seems to be the most recent respected catalogue hit to have its perceivably deserved chart run come years after release. In addition, we have the release of Ed’s new album allowing for “Boat” to re-enter at a new peak of #15, even if it may just be for this week.

In terms of gains, they’re a bit less interesting but we do see boosts for even more old songs like “Maria Maria” by Santana featuring The Product G&B at #43 and “See You Again” by Tyler, the Creator featuring Kali Uchis at #21. As for the rest, there’s only two worth noting: “Giving Me” by Jazzy at #38 and “Dancing is Healing” by Rudimental, Vibe Chemistry and Charlotte Plank at #33, both EDM songs I’m not particularly happy to see gain traction.

The top five should be no surprise: “Calm Down” by Rema is at #5, “People” by Libianca is at #4, “Eyes Closed” by Ed Sheeran gets the album boost to #3, “Daylight” by David Kushner is at #2 and of course we have “Miracle” at #1, which means we now have to look into our mixed bag of new entries.

NEW ARRIVALS

#67 – “Soweto” – Victony, Don Toliver, Rema and Tempoe

Produced by Tempoe

For once, the Official Charts Company is crediting the remix version of a track, though this Don Toliver remix is actually one of many versions of “Soweto” released by Nigerian singer Victony and his producer Tempoe. Lyrically, it seems to mostly be about picking up a girl and dancing with her, and Tempoe definitely keeps with a lot of what you’d hear in Afrobeats: the tropical guitars and the bustling rhythms are here, though with a bit of a confusion to what the groove wants to be. The percussion here is doing like five things at once, and the whistling that is a bit too close to the front of the mix and sometimes just interrupts the song’s momentum doesn’t exactly help things. Victony’s vocals are completely fine, with some unique and infectious cadences, and the harmonies are sometimes a pretty sweet vibe, but the slightly muddy mix and liberal use of reverb and echo makes this just feel a bit formless, especially with the extended instrumental outro. Hearing Victony did remind me of Don Toliver, though, so it makes complete sense that he found himself on this remix... so it’s a shame that he doesn’t do much of interest. In fact, he fits in so perfectly that I almost didn’t notice that he stripped the song’s content of any subtlety or wholesomeness, not that it matters since the only singer who doesn’t blend into the instrumental here is Rema, who despite sounding slightly off-beat actually delivers a pretty impassioned verse furthered by the addition of some solid strings. Rema is probably my favourite part of the track, but not exactly enough to make me a fan, though I can definitely see the appeal. Oh, and the Omah Lay remix just adds an annoying, nasal verse from Lay that is practically embarrassing considering how much Auto-Tune he’s drizzled in, so in terms of version, I’ll definitely pick the other two over that one.

#63 – “MATHEMATICAL DISRESPECT” – Lil Mabu

Produced by Hemz

That is a... weirdly verbose title for a rap song, and this guy is somehow both the NF and Lil Dicky of New York drill. The beat isn’t bad, even if there’s very little build-up to the overly loud 808 slides that sound straight out of a NY drill how-to guide, so it’s not dead on arrival until this douchebag starts rapping. I wouldn’t insult him straight out of the gate if he didn’t come off so unlikeable, seemingly on purpose, with his irritating inflections and aggressive white-boy yelling sounding like a complete mockery of the genre, including an interlude where he explains his bars, dog barking ad-libs, an outro where he sounds like how XXXTENTACION used to sing, and Wordle references to date this even further. There’s zero charm to this, since it acts as what is essentially a guy with no respect for much in music but himself reminding the audience why they shouldn’t listen to him. Even if I assumed sincerity, he’d just be some tryhard edgy rapper hopping on the drill train, with the first verse saying the blowjob has him dead so she calls her Virgil, punctuated with him laughing at his own joke. Regardless of your opinions on Abloh, it’s just cheap and gross, and deserves no respect in hip hop or on the charts. Screw you, let’s move on.

#51 – “Back 2 Back” – Tunde featuring Potter Payper

Produced by Chucks, Emz Beats and ProdbyElite

Tunde is a rapper from Manchester whose album First Lap debuted at #4 on this week’s albums chart, so naturally, the feature-led track with a music video ends up in a decent position on the chart. I’m not familiar with Tunde at all so I was wondering how he’d fit with the pretty dull Potter Payper and I... was not expecting this at all. It’s got reversed eerie melodies creeping in and out with a groovy Detroit trap bassline and the scrunkling drums that come with that genre – it’s a great, exciting beat, dodgy bass mastering included honestly. So how do our rappers fare? Honestly, pretty damn well. Potter and Tunde are trading verses here, mostly posturing about gang violence with enough words being censored so that you can tell there’s some truth to the bars, not that I wouldn’t believe them. Tunde has a lot of energy, and Potter Payper comes with a rasp that adds a lot of grit, and the song’s signature flow goes really hard over this heavily percussive instrumental. Sure, it’s embarrassing to admit you’re investing in crypto, but the dynamic the two have is pretty great: Tunde is building tension up with its slightly more relaxed tone of voice, but the strings come in fully for most of Potter Payper’s verses, which intensifies his already incredibly passionate delivery that much more. Tunde coming into Potter’s verses through ad-libs that foreshadow his verses whilst also acting as a bridge into the different styles of delivery is a slick way of adding more chemistry, which they already have by flipping each other’s rhyme schemes. Honestly, for any UK rapper – or rapper from anywhere for that matter – trying to do a song where a duo trades bars, this is a great example of how to create a dynamic that excites the listener. I’m surprised by how much I like this, but everyone pretty much kills it here, especially Potter Payper, so I can definitely endorse this heavy, intense banger. Speaking of UK hip hop...

#35 – “Healing” – Tion Wayne

Produced by Crumz and GA

We have the return of Tion Wayne, a rapper who I’ve always really liked, considering his deep, richer tones, great beat selection and tendency to play with beats in a really jerky way that makes them really enriching to keep up with. Now don’t get me wrong – a lot of that appeal is here, and the dominating bass squeals coating the choir sample in fear is a great loop idea... yet, it’s not working for me too well. The chorus isn’t as immediately recognisable as I want it to be, and whilst it may work as a comeback that goes decently hard, the shaking percussion  never feels like it’s tough and metallic enough for how domineering the rest of the beat is. This is also some of Tion’s most aggressive and staccato delivery, which would work if he weren’t compensating for a lack of actually interesting or funny lines this time around, which is a shame because Tion can be really memorable when he wants to be. There are some good references, and the flows allow him to shift rhyme schemes and cadences constantly, but he doesn’t really stick around on any one idea to master it. This is far from bad, but it does feel like a lesser version of “Wow” which is a song I still come back to for many of the same reasons I’d come back to “Healing”, whilst being a lot catchier, funnier and honestly just harder. There’s still a lot more effort and energy put into this than some of the drill that charts, though, so I’m still looking forward to whatever Tion has cooking after this.

#29 – “LosT” – Bring Me the Horizon

Produced by Zakk Cervini and Evil Twin

I’m predisposed to like Bring Me the Horizon, so I was interested in this new single, which seemingly acts as the lead for whatever’s next for the band. Frontman Oli Sykes says that it’s a very personal song the band spent years on making, so there was some hope and... wow, this really sounds like underscores could have made it. The indecipherable vocal manipulating and synthssprinkling some hyperpop hijinx on this otherwise pop punk instrumental instantly reminded me of “Spoiled little brat”, and the similarities furthered with Sykes’ uncharacteristically deadpan delivery of the honest, detailed lyrics wherein he struggles with understanding himself or how to fix any of his problems. For a song with such explicit and sad detail in the verses, it doesn’t come to many interesting conclusions and spends a lot of its time whining... which is completely fine and actually helps the song wallow in its own emptiness a lot. His yelling has always been situational for me, so for him to bring the rasp in the pre-chorus seems really awkward, when I would have preferred more vocal layers to really code this into the hyperpop formula. There are some other grievances I have, like how the breakbeat interlude does not translate to the organic drums at all, and “serotonin’s proper on its arse” is a terrible lyric, but ultimately it’s a serviceable, pop-friendly version of a sound I quite like, with an on-the-nose breakdown completing the song. It wouldn’t feel like Bring Me the Horizon without one, I suppose... but there are better fusions of electropop and hyperpop with alternative rock below the mainstream that feel a lot more primal and cathartic than this, so I think I’ll stick with funeral to fill this similar niche in a much more atmospheric and thoughtful way. Good effort though, guys.

#16 – “Curtains” – Ed Sheeran

Produced by Aaron Dessner

The three-song rule really does water down the impact of an album sometimes. Of course, Ed’s newest – (Substract) debuted at #1 on the albums chart, but only having three songs spread across the top 20, this being the lowest, seems like it’s an under-performance... but the man would have 16 songs in the top 75 this week – without the rule, it would definitely at least visually appear more impressive. Regardless, Ed’s latest has its release-day single being pushed, and I haven’t been particularly impressed with these new singles even if I’ve wanted to like them, so I had some of my hopes set on this one... and yeah, this one resonates. Much of the song is from the perspective of someone who was very introverted and insecure finally feeling well enough to take on the world again, even if it’s one step at a time, with the chorus and title referring to a friend or significant other convincing them to pull away the curtains so they can just see the sun again... and man, I don’t want to explain why that hits hard particularly with me. Hell, I think the narrator would say the same: the pre-chorus has these fleeting recollections of trauma that are pushed to the side for the sake of looking to the future, with a reference to self-harm dressed in a seemingly innocuous tendency to wear long sleeves. I can definitely see how this could be patronising – it’s not self-empowerment but rather a surface-level motivational song coming from Ed himself talking to the person in hard times, but from someone who’s been in a very specific version of this place before – sometimes it’s good to hear someone else confirming that it isn’t all over. I also think that Ed can’t ever write an insincere song, with the Aaron Dessner production taking this into indie rock territory, a natural fit for Sheeran’s honest delivery. The rhythmic delivery of the verses against the drums reflects a self-deflection and facade I don’t think I’ve ever heard Ed Sheeran pull off like this before, and whilst I don’t particularly like all the reverb on his voice, once the sunshine creeps in for the chorus, full of falsetto harmonies and soaring strings and guitar lines, it’s a lot easier to ignore. It’s in this mode of constant subtle build-up led by the increasingly rackety drums that I think give a needed sense of adventure to finally getting yourself out of a rut. It’s not my favourite song from Ed, but I think it might be a necessary one. Great stuff.

#9 – “Scrap the Monarchy” – The Krown Jewels

Produced by ???

Finally, a song and artist name by this group that I can say on this vaguely family-friendly show. Wayne Clements is known for his Boris Johnson protest tracks but he’s gotten more detailed with his verses over time, making it feel more genuine and less of a populist novelty... okay, well, it’s not gotten less populist. Clements goes for a mix of electronics and his typical brand of 70s glam rock for a comically sweet-sounding song about how we should abolish the monarchy because... well, I mean, why not? The song gives many cases for it, from King Charles having fat fingers to the genuine distaste I think we all should have that our taxes are being used to chauffer this elitist around for his coronation when people are starving elsewhere in the country. Oh, and it’s a damn good song too! Clements clearly has a higher budget as the drums and guitar riffs are clearer and harder-hitting than they’ve ever been,  and each refrain is insanely infectious. The second verse and chorus take aim at the BBC as well as the pedophile connections the Royal Family has, with the biting line that covering up for nonces is their lasting legacy. The third verse leads you in with a couple guys questioning if Prince William has really done anything all that wrong... but of course, “there’s proof: when he does his good deeds, there’s always cameras there”. If I wasn’t already an anti-royalist, I think I’d be radicalised by the last line where he sarcastically says we should send them to Rwanda – if you know the current UK political climate, you know. There aren’t as many alternate versions this time... is what I thought until I saw there were SIXTY-TWO REMIXES. I usually go through them all but... this is utter madness, oh my God. I appreciate the dedication, and the remix quantity definitely helped it debut this high, but at this point, the songs kind of stand on their own, and I’m not sure if he needs to really use the same old anti-LadBaby tactics. This is a damn great protest song in its own right and whilst it maybe wouldn’t have charted as high without them, I think it represents what a lot of people are thinking right now.

Conclusion

That was a really mixed selection but I think Best of the Week is clear: it’s going to Ed Sheeran for “Curtains”. That’s the clearest it gets, though, because there’s honestly a lot of quality, so I’m tying the Honourable Mention: “Back 2 Back” by Tunde featuring Potter Payper as well as of course, “Scrap the Monarchy” by the Krown Jewelz, both get the title. The Worst of the Week is the most obvious I think it’s ever been – Lil Mabu takes it for “MATHEMATICAL DISRESPECT” – I understand the viral moment, but it doesn’t deserve attention beyond that. As for what’s coming on the horizon... there’s a little local contest going on in Liverpool that may debut some songs. It’s not confirmed because it’s still a bit of a small competition with just a few participants but it could still happen. For now, thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next week!

[ketso]

Episode 19

I like our new apartment. It's a two-bedroom spacious apartment, but it's fancier than the rooms we used to live in when we were living in Soweto. I can just see that Keith is struggling! He's used to big spaces. He is used to the mansion he stayed in with his wife. He barely enjoyed the three-bedroom simplex we've just moved from. He only drives SUV vehicles. I'd like to console him that our situation is not all that bad. But I honestly cannot relate to his discomfort.

Our bedroom is HUGE. He sleeps on the sleeper couch we have in the room. I sleep with Risuna on the main bed. The other room is Risuna's bedroom and it is full of his toys and things. Keith bought him so many things that we didn’t have space to put a bed in there for him to sleep in.

The TV room is his study, just with the TV.

I've heard him frustrated that he's losing business. Apparently, he used to get most of his clients from his wife's father because he is in government. I guess this is the many ways that his wife will make him pay for their divorce.

"Hey", I greet him as I make my way to the kitchen via the TV room.

"Ey", him.

He looks stressed.

"Ushup?" I ask him.

My son is taking a nap.

"I've lost another client. At this rate, I'm going to have to shut down operations and either start something else or simply get a job", he says.

I go sit next to him.

He's staring at his laptop and he looks like he's about to cry.

"Keith", me.

He looks at me.

"We need to be realistic about our situation. I need to find a job and help you. And I'm prepared to do that. Wandi and her mom say they have work for me at the church and I could earn enough to pay our rent here and get some groceries. You will have to think about getting a job as well. Your business was tied to your marriage and unfortunately, if you are letting go of your marriage, you will need to let go your business. I know you love your business and it's your baby. But there are strings attached... strings you want to cut."

Now he cries.

I pull him into a hug.

"I worked so hard on this company. I haven't been an employee for years. What position am I even going to apply for?" He says through his sobs.

"I don't know, Keith. But you will have to think of something. And maybe, we could get a smaller car - if we even need one at all", I say.

Now he comes out of my arms and stares at me like I'm crazy.

"Can we afford that car?" I ask.

"It's paid up", he says.

"And its maintenance?" Me.

He falls back into my arms and cries again.

"Keith", me.

"I have some savings, Bassie. But I need to move them to your name. That's what my lawyer says. Or else, I'll have to give some to her. We are splitting everything that we've accumulated together in the marriage. So, I'll get quite a good settlement from that. It will be enough to send Risuna to creche for two years minimum. I'll trade the car in for something more economic." He says.

"And I'm going to take the job at the church", me.

He nods his head.

"Keith, we are going to be okay", I say.

"Are we?" Him. He sounds so hopeless.

"Remember when you were in third year in varsity? I was in grade ten at the time. You phoned me and told me your parents hadn't paid for your res and you were on the verge of being kicked out?" Me.

He laughs then says, "Yeah. And you'd come by after school to give me a lunchbox of food because the dining hall didn't let me eat from there anymore."

"Then the day came when you came back from lectures and your room was locked. It wouldn't be unlocked until you paid your fees. You thought the whole world was over", I say.

"Only for me to phone you later. You convinced me to break into a house that was on the market and was being sold", he says.

We both laugh.

"But I brought food and blankets."

Now we look each other in the eye.

"And we made love", he says.

"I lost my virginity that day. And I had no regrets because I was losing it to someone I trusted more than anyone in life and I knew you'd always be in my life." I say.

He looks at me with dreamy eyes.

"Then your mom phoned and said it was sorted. Just like that, the situation came to pass. Just like this one... it's come and it's here now. But it will pass. O tlo bona", I say to distract him from the sex part.

But he unbuttons my shirt.

I look at him.

I climb on top of him.

I rip his shirt open.

We kiss.

He carries me to the floor, thank God for our fluffy carpet.

We stare at each other.

I pull him closer to me.

We finally do the dance!

We are lying on the floor drunk on this moment and the sex that we've just had. We keep stealing looks at each other then laughing. I feel more and more in love with him. I cannot imagine Risuna having a better father. Truly.

"You know, I still have the ten million rands that you and Noria gave me to exit our agreement regarding our baby", I say as we lie on the floor.

"I'm really ashamed of how we treated you. I'm really sorry, Basetsana", he says.

I'm really not interested in this at the moment.

"If you need a financial boost to start something for yourself, we have the capital", I say.

He looks at me, faces his whole body towards me and says, "thank you. Truly, thank you so much, Bassie."

I smile at him, facing my whole body towards him too.

"Maybe I should get a job though. The business was always Noria's baby. I just sat in the CEO chair. But it's not my thing. She just never wanted to date an employee so she "made me." Besides, to open a business would be risky for me. Her family pretty much owns Johannesburg. They will block me and plot my failure before I even start".

He sees how disturbed I am by this.

"But keep it safe and hidden somewhere. We will need it after my divorce is final. She wants everything. I even had to put this apartment in your name so she wouldn't touch it." He says.

I brush his face.

His eyes are so beautiful.

"You have Risuna. And you have me. You are not losing everything", I say.

"You promise that I won't lose you guys?" He sounds so...

I kiss him. He starts touching me all over the place.

"I promise", I say between our kisses.

"So... you and me..." Him.

"So... you and me..." me.

"I want us to be forever. I want us to be together. Like this. Forever." He says.

"I've wanted that since we were teenagers", I say.

"Why didn't you tell me? You could've saved us both a lot of heart break and drama."

"I didn’t know that you wanted it too."

"I did. But I always thought you were too good for me... that you'd find someone better than me and someone who is more deserving of you than me."

"Like who?" Me.

"I don't know", him.

He genuinely sounds sad.

"There's never been anyone, Keith. It's always been you. Always. I'd pray for you. I'd pray about you. I'd always blush when people called me your girlfriend. I'd get butterflies in my stomach every time someone would say that you and I would get married. Then you left... and you chose her... and you cut me off... you really hurt me."

"I'm sorry. I wish I knew."

"Knew what?"

"That you loved me so much."

"You did know. I never hid it from you. How else do you explain me giving you a baby? I'd never do that for anyone else."

He kisses me, climbing on top of me again. I smile at him.

"I love you. I always have and I always will", he tells me.

I smile.

We have another steamy session of love making.

...

I'm having lunch with my lawyer. We've just come back from court and my divorce is finalized. Bassie is at work. I texted her and told her how it went. She phoned me and we chatted for a bit. Noria took everything. EVERYTHING. Bassie told me not to fight it. She told me that Noria would want to make things difficult, so I must just agree to everything. We will be okay. So, I let her take everything. I couldn't even afford to pay my lawyer or for this lunch. Fortunately, I have Bassie's card with the ten million rands that Noria sent to her to stay out of our lives. Bassie gave it to me this morning and told me to use it how I see fit. I paid my lawyer fees and I'm paying for this lunch.

I haven't spoken to my brothers in a minute. I know I'm going to need to do so soon because I need a job. They are connected and hopefully they can make a plan for me. Noria and her family black-balled me across South Africa. And I don't feel great living off Bassie. She makes good money at the church and she says she doesn't mind. But I'm not for this at all. That Senzi guy offered me a job at that church. I need to understand what kind of church this is. They are offering me a very healthy salary. How do they make that kind of money off tithing?

Bassie says that I should take the job. It's a finance role. Bassie is the receptionist at this place and our son attends creche there. Even the creche is fancy.

After the lunch with my lawyer, I head into my car. I take one last long drive in my Jeep. At around 3pm, I drive to Audi. I do the one thing that I've been dreading this whole time. I have to let my car go and get something affordable. After negotiations and chatting, I'm able to buy Bassie an Audi A1 four-door vehicle. Then I get myself the A4. It's one hell of a downgrade, but you know what, this is not permanent. This is a promise that I'm making to my son, to my girlfriend and to myself. This WILL pass. This is not the end for me. It's not. I'll start off by taking the job that Senzi is offering me. Then I'll work my way to doing my own thing again. But we need to get a bigger place. That two bedroom that Bassie, my son and I are stuck in is driving me crazy.

6pm.

Bassie and Risuna just got home.

"Hey", she says.

I kiss her, take her bags and Risuna from her then I greet her back.

"You alright?" She asks me.

"Yeah, I'm good. How are you? How was your day?" I ask her.

"It was okay. I'm just tired and my feet hurt." I say.

"Well, I've cooked dinner. So, I can give you a foot massage before we eat", I say.

She smiles at me.

"But I want to show you something first", I say.

"Okay", she says, giggling as if she doesn't trust me.

I hold her hand and pull her to outside where I've parked her car.

She screams and runs around the car. My son is screaming too, but I doubt he knows what he's screaming for. I'm just laughing at her reaction. It's the highlight of my day actually.

Now she jumps up and down then hugs me.

I show her my A4 as well. She says it's nice but is not as excited as seeing her car. Trading in the Jeep definitely feels worth it.

I'm rubbing her feet now. She says she doesn't feel hungry. Risuna is on her boob minding his own business.

"Are you okay? You know... after today?" She asks me.

"I'm relieved. It was just ugly. She left me with nothing." I say.

"You have us. We will build again. Together. We don't want her things to be our foundation", she says.

"I feel like I'm failing you guys. I feel like I'm not providing for you and Risuna", I tell her.

“Look Keith, I don’t know what kind of relationship you had with Noria. But I believe that providing for this family is my responsibility as much as it is your responsibility. And this is life. Everything is seasonal and nothing is forever. Sometimes, it will fall on me to look after us. Sometimes, it will fall on you. The important thing is that we have a common goal. That goal is success for our family. So, I’m not in your life to change you, put pressure on you, drive you to suicide or be your first born responsibility. I’m your partner. You come to me as much as I come to you. We put our heads together and we figure it out. That’s it.”

I actually get emotional.

She smiles at me.

“We are going to be fine. We don’t need mansions and cars with names I cannot pronounce to be okay. We could live in a shack and it would still be home for me. As long as I have you and our son”, she says.

“You mean that?”

“I do”.

Wow!

I lean in and kiss her.

The little man slaps me.

Oh, I’m interfering with his boob time.

“Sorry”, I say to him.

Bassie laughs at us.

“I spoke to Senzi. I’ll be taking the job.” I tell her.

“Congratulations!” She says.

I smile at her.

“See? We are going to be great”, she says.

“Yeah. But we need to get out of here. This place is too small.” I say.

“Oh Keith… you and big assets. Big house. Big car. Big career with a big title”. She says and laughs.

I giggle.

“Have you seen a place you like?” She asks me.

“There are four-bedroom duplexes that are not too far from here. And they are affordable. If we buy it cash, it will be about R2.5million.” I say.

She gives me a blank stare.

“What?” I ask her.

“You just spent R1.8 million paying your lawyer. Now you want to spend that kind of money on a place to stay. Keith, we need a rainy-day fund and some money to put away for Risuna’s education. We can’t just blow through that money and have no other plan outside of our jobs”. She says.

“I know. We will put R5 million away. We will even take it to a bank and put in a trust for Risuna. But we can use some of it to just start ourselves out. Then we can invest a bit of it as well, so we have something else tied to our assets.”

She shakes her head at me.

“Bassie -

“You are not married to Noria anymore. Money doesn’t just flow in here like milk and honey. You need to be less reckless on your spending or we will find ourselves broke or without savings.” She aggressively says. She even removes her feet off my lap. She’s pissed.

Ja… I need this job. We can’t fight about money like this. And I’m not prepared to live in a two-bedroom flat for too long.

It’s my first day at work today. Bassie is kind of still not talking to me. I’m getting ready for work. I can hear her fight with Risuna as well. I think she’s trying to feed him and he’s just trying to sleep.

She comes into the bedroom, looks at me, then finishes up getting ready.

“I’m sorry, Basetsana. I agree with you. We should spend more responsibly”, I say.

She takes a deep breath then says, “I’m also sorry. I didn’t have to speak to you that way or bring Noria up in an argument.”

“It’s okay. It’s a reality that I needed to hear.”

She nods her head then says, “You look nice. And you smell nice. Those church girls will be all over you.”

I laugh and say, “Well, I’m taken.”

“Do you think they care? That’s just motivation for them to just come on stronger. And rumour has it - by all the men they’ve been with at the church - that they are freaks”. She says.

I’m honestly in stitches. I can’t believe she’s jealous. But she’s cute.

“Are they bigger freaks than you?” Me.

Now she blushes.

I laugh at her. She giggles.

“Just promise me that I won’t lose you to them.” She says.

“You won’t lose me to anyone. I promise”, I tell her. Then I kiss her.

“We can get that place you were talking about”, she says.

“Really?” I’m actually shocked.

“Yeah. Risuna is growing up and he needs to get out of our bed soon. I doubt either three of us want to end up sleeping in the TV room. We do need the space”, she says.

I smile at her.

“But no luxury spending for the next few years. Please”, she says.

I kiss her. She’s the best!

We drive in one car to work. We are all headed to one place anyway. We first drop the little man off at school, then we head to the office.

Bassie settles at her desk at reception. Senzi meets me downstairs then he shows me to my office. Yep, I have an office. A very nice office. This place looks nothing like a church, a church business or a church building. It’s very far from being humble.

I meet a group of guys who I’m now learning are Sbu, NTK, Jake and Miles. They are actually funny.

“So around here, we either chill in Senzi’s office or Miles’ office. Now that we got you in an office too, we chill in yours too. The rest of us sit in an open plan”, one of the guys say.

“You just had to be the coffee that these women like, didn’t you? Strong, dark and handsome… and fucken tall. As our chances decrease!” Another says and we all laugh.

This is actually nice. When I was a CEO, no one interacted with me like this. I’d be jealous of these kinds of conversations when I’d walk past them. And when I walked passed them, people would just be quiet.

“We hear you are in there with Bassie? How did you do it? That girl gives no one a chance and she isn’t even nice about it”, this one is probably going to annoy me the most.

“Bassie is the mother of his child. So shut up”, Senzi.

“Is she a crazy baby-mama?” The annoying one.

“She’s my woman. And maybe we can start talking about her with some respect around here”, I’m not even laughing as I say this. They all see that I’m not joking about this.

They all actually leave my office.

Good!

“Mr N”, I hear a female voice say to me.

Who’s this?

“Yes?”

“I’m Charity. I’m the assistant choir lead”, she says.

That’s actually a job around here? I wonder what her payslip looks like.

“Okay”, me.

“I thought I’d come say hi. Maybe show you around if you have some time?” She says.

This is probably one of those church girls that Bassie warned me about.

“No thanks. My girlfriend, Bassie, will show me around when she and I get a minute.” I say.

She seems disappointed.

“Bassie? As in the receptionist?” She says with disgust.

“Yes”, I say.

She just stares at me. What kind of working place is this?!

She storms out of my office and slams the door. It’s glass by the way. Ja neh, I need a reminder that I’m here for my family. So, the first thing I put on my desk is a digital frame that slide shows my girlfriend, my son, my mother, my brothers, my nieces and my nephews.