Romance was murdered

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

News just in: Romance was murdered this morning when he was getting off the high-way. One-night-stand, laziness and Alcohol shot him through the window. He was trying to make his way to Effort and Time (his family). The people responsible have not been caught yet. It is a sad time for all the single people out there. His funeral will take place on the 14th of February.

Or could the loss of Romance be blamed on Cupid, because he is always drunk? And forgot all about his duties? Like protecting Romance, Time and Effort? He will be taken in for questioning for failing to do his duties and also for FUI (Flying Under the Influence).

Romance was totally murdered. Maybe, it's the era that we're living in or maybe it's the phase of our lives, which we're in? I have no idea, but where are the flowers, the going on dates, the getting to know one another, the excitement when the person messages you, the late-night phone calls?
Because I have not experienced it! Maybe it is an ideal that is painted by movies, but I don't want to believe it.

The other night when I was out with friends, a guy came up to me and asked for a dance. During this dance, I accidentally stepped his toe. He then demanded that I give him my number, to make up for his sore toe...

No, sonny boy! If you made the effort to talk to me, then maybe you would've gotten my number. I tried to make conversation, but all I got was shrugs... Maybe if you took the time to even ask my name, I would've wanted to talk to you. I should've stepped on your other toe, as well. Too bad I didn't.

I am not saying that guys alone should do all the effort, girls should also take time and put effort into relationships. I truly believe in equality. Guys and girls should pay for dates. Guys and girls should really put effort into relationships. But where has that effort gone??? Maybe murdered along with romance. Or maybe Cupid tripped and fell on effort and he is suffering from brain damage and Cupid refuses to do anything about it...

Whatever it may be: I will find someone who will try to bring back the romance, effort and time to get to know me. Maybe this person will put Cupid in rehab and get him sobered up, so he can continue to do his duties.

Who thought job shadowing can be this fun?

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

In one day I learnt how to write a press release, how to evaluate a company's website, as well as how to handle corporate people when you criticize their website, social media presence as well as their digital marketing.

Day 1 of shadowing

In the beginning of this semester, we were notified by a lecturer that we had to shadow a Public Relations Officer in our October holiday. I wanted to shadow at my mother's company, only to realize they don't believe in the importance of Public Relations... Like are you crazy?

Anywho, I had to find other alternatives, because working at my mother's company was out of the question. My aunt's friend told us that her daughter is in Public Relations and will organize something, that's when the opportunity of a lifetime came my way! Flow Communications accepted me to shadow at them for this week. I couldn't be more ecstatic! They are a company doing pure communication work: anything from web development, content, design, social media, public relations, media training, exhibitions, name it and they do it in communication.

On my first day, I was asked to fix a press release by making it shorter and write more concise sentences. It was hard for me to think in English again after being at the university for so long, where we speak purely Afrikaans. I'm sure in a day or so, I will get my English vocabulary up to date again.

I, also,  helped to evaluate a company's website, we then went into a meeting later this afternoon to point out what needs to be done to their website, the content on it, how it links to their social media profiles, etc. Thankfully, it was not my job to tell them what Flow thought and what the critique was, because I'm only shadowing. It felt like sitting in a tennis court and the ball going back and forth. The opinions in the company differed so much, one person agreed, one didn't, the other one asked Flow to elaborate... No one was on the same train of thought. Coming to a conclusion was not easy at all. I was just a spectator in that tennis match and I'm so grateful for that. Nonetheless, it was a great learning school on how to handle a meeting like this.

A selfie on the way to the meeting with this company

Today was really great and I have already learned so much. Flow Communications have exceeded my expectations on so many levels. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the week has in store for me! I think PR may be for me, but let's not talk too soon.

Flow Communications is responsible for the following campaigns:

• Nando's
• World Wildlife Fund
• Nelson Mandela Foundation
• South African Tourism
• SASOL
• South African Heart Association;
• and many, many more!

So yes, I'm very privileged to be shadowing here. They mean business!

Peace out 'til next time!

What to do when a date goes SOUTH

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Has your face ever been like this on a date?

Why am I doing this to myself-face

Say what-face

You're kidding-face

This ain't gonna work-face

Kill me, you're boring-face

Yeah, so we all know that dating can be hard and that it doesn't always go the way we planned or the person was a complete ______. Fill in any word you wish.
I have had many bad dates, where I wish I had Harry Potter's invisible cloak, so I could just disappear, but unfortunately I don't.
Many times, I was forced to ditch the guy and run for it. Apparently, there are better ways of getting rid of the person. I asked a few people for their advice on what you shouldn't do on a date and I turned it around, into what you should do, when trying to get rid of your date.

What to do when the date is going SOUTH

• Honesty is the best policy: tell them you are a serial killer, it will shock them, and afterward they will run away, screaming.
• Plot your ex's death loudly in front of date (Karen du Toit)
• Urgently, jump up and scream you have to go and wash your gold fish (Leanle)
• Eat Buffalo Wings (Leanle),but I'll add: smudge it all over your face and smile with a mouthful of food.
• Spray on so much perfume, that he'll need a gas-mask.
• Have a friend on SOS-call, talking flirty to friend on phone, in front of date. (Jonanke)
• Dig for treasure in your nose. (Ruan)
• Have a few personalities, but just don't be yourself! (Francois & Ruan)
• Flirt with your waiter. (Mizan)
• 'Accidentally' get your food all over him (Mizan)
• Brag about how awesome you are. (Mauruschka)
• Forget all your manners. (Mauruschka)
• Whisper loudly all the things that your date is doing wrong and talk to him/her like nothing is wrong.
• Run into the wall and sit down like nothing happened.
• Laugh uncontrollably, when your date is quiet/saying nothing
• Tell your date that there are more squid than fish in the ocean and walk away.
• Tell them you are a hobo and just wanted free food *walk away.
• Scream at him/her that you will not change for him *run away.
• Last but definitely not least: Climb through the bathroom window and disappear

Some frogs aren't even worth kissing and you should abort mission, while you still can.

Please tell me about the bad dates you had, I would love to hear them!

This bookworm is not happy!

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

I HATE it when I am excited to start reading a book and I spend 2-3 days on this book, just to come to the end and say WTF?

The mysteries: Robert McGill
Rating: 2/10
Genre: Crime fiction

I am crazy about crime fiction. I love to solve the crime with the cops and to keep guessing until the end who the bad guy was.

It took me a few days to read this book, because it was not good writing. It was a 300-pager, meaning I can usually finish it within a day or two (If it is good writing).  I was amped to read this book, because the summary was promising and I love the title!

The summary:

Robert, a young traveller, finds himself in 

the small Ontario town of Sunshine,

in the middle of a party at the town's wildlife park. 

A stranger he picked up on the way has 

given him a dirty yellow notebook and told 

him to give it to an Alice Penderson. 

But Alice disappeared two years ago.

Six months before Robert's arrival , human 

remains have been recovered from the

local shoreline. Stoddart Fremlin has been

arrested on suspicion of murder. Daniel

Barrie, who was having an affair with Alice 

and who left for England immediately after

her disappearance, has unexpectedly 

returned. At the same time Rocket DeWitt,

one of the last people to see Alice alive,

has left town. And amid all this, there is 

a tiger on the loose.

This book didn't grab me in the beginning, which is absolutely crucial for most readers, even me! It took me two days just to get past the first few pages. I told myself to stick it out and try reading further.

There was way too many characters and way too many points of views! I couldn't keep track where the new characters fit into the story, or if they fit in at all? Most characters had NOTHING to do with Alice Penderson, who went missing. They were just filling up pages.
When I came to the end of the book, my reaction was WTF!!! Because the disappearance/murder of the Alice Penderson is still a MYSTERY.  Maybe that is why the book's name is 'The mysteries'. There is no follow-up on this book, I checked!

I am so disappointed that I spent so much time on this book. I could've just read the summary and I would know what happens in the book. Maybe this is an artsy book with deeper meaning and symbolism, but that is not why I read Crime Fiction! I want to solve the case! Not analyze a book! If I want to analyze books, I will go and study English Literature.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. This bookworm by heart is not happy!

My ideal man and relationship

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

As per request...

Since I was a little girl, I have been dreaming about my Prince Charming (like every other girl). Every tale had a Knight in shining armor, but a knight in shining armor never had his metal/mettle tested. 

My ideal man:

• Must have a sense of humor the same as mine, so we can laugh together.
• Trust, trust, TRUST!!!! 
• Must be confident and trusting of me. If I am in the relationship, I will not cheat.
• Must have an EQ (Emotional Intelligence).
• Must treat his family and pets in a nice way, it says a lot about the person how they treat pets and family.
• Must spoil me in non-expensive ways. ( Show up at my residence with coffee, write love letters, cut my bread/pancakes in heart-shapes, make me dinner, sing to me, even if he is false)

1. Expensive gifts has no effect on me and will not win me over.
2. My love language is Affection- win me over with affection.

• Time. He and I must always make time for each other. It will be called US-TIME!
• Looks do not matter! Looks won't make me happy or keep me warm at night.
• He must be chivalrous. And no, chivalry is not dead! Opening doors and those little details, do indeed count.
• He must adore me.
• He must be my best friend, as well as my man.

My ideal relationship:

1. Do fun stuff together.
2. Never have a hassle to make time for one another.
3. Have inside jokes and lots of them.
4. Spoil each other without expecting something back.
5. Be able to talk openly with each other about everything.
6. Must enjoy life.
7. Have a easy-going attitude about life and love and be CHILLED!
8. We must be able to talk for hours about everything and nothing.
9. We must love each other in spite of our faults and differences.
10. And they lived happily ever after...

THE END.

Also, read my post-Experiences on dating

Please feel free to leave a comment :)

My expectations and experiences of dating

By Arnia Kiara Oosthuizen

Source unknown

This song of Natasha Beddingfield- Frogs and princes, perfectly described my experiences and expectations in the dating world.
Here are the lyrics:

"Frogs & Princes"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8Fs6XEr-o

The in and out of dating got me all confused
I built up expectations and I'm feeling used
Seems that everybody's into fast food,
Everybody's into quick
I want some one to take the time fine dining not rushing

Now it's nearly 7:30, I'm slipping on a dress
I keep my fingers crossed, you're not like all the rest,
So when you come to pick me up come right to my door
Don't stay in your car and beep beep the horn

Baby I'm a hopeless romantic
You pick the sounds for the background to our drive into town
Baby don't be one of the traffic
Had too many nights with the wrong guys
Caught me at red lights

Tell me how many frogs do I have to kiss
Before I find my prince, before I find my prince
All you girls that are going through this
Tell 'em how it is, tell 'em how it is

Pull up to a premire, red carpet good
You take my coat, get my chair, like I hoped you would
You're funny and your flirting is really working for me
But where it goes from here
Better wait and see

Baby I'm a hopeless romantic
You pick the view to kiss to
Make me go ooo ooo
And baby it'll all turn out tragic
And you'll push for more
Back at my front door
More than I'm ready for

Tell me how many frogs do I have to kiss
Before I find my prince, before I find my prince
All you girls that are going through this
Tell 'em how it is, tell 'em how it is

Tell me how many frogs do I have to kiss
Before I find my prince, before I find my prince
All you girls that are going through this
Tell 'em how it is, tell 'em how it is

You gotta tip the waiter, that's how it works
You cant skip the starter and go straight to desert
You've gotta pop the cork before you taste the wine

is woah,
We get hooked up but the shame is
Too much connection followed by rejections
Gonna hurt a girl 'til she learns her lesson

Tell me how many frogs do I have to kiss
Before I find my prince, before I find my prince
All you girls that are going through this
Tell 'em how it is, tell 'em how it is

Tell me how many frogs do I have to kiss
Before I find my prince, before I find my prince
All you girls that are going through this
Tell 'em how it is, tell 'em how it is

Oh, yeah yeah

Please feel free to leave a comment :)