Ramblings from the Garden Route

Is it just me or are you also feeling gatvol of all these celebrities who may be a huge success in their field of endeavour, but are terrible role models?! I actually feel really mad at Lance Armstrong - I mean I bought his books and loved them and like the rest of the world, was awed and amazed by his seven Tour de France titles. Now he, like so many others, is being dragged through the mud, in his case NOT kicking and squealing, but keeping totally mum and refusing to admit any culpabililty for dope taking and running a doping programme... What annoys me the most is that in the workshops I do with kids, I've used him an example of what you can accomplish when you put your mind and body to it... Grrrrrrr. Just think about it. We've had Mel Gibson, with all his obnoxious drunken behaviour; Bill Clinton and the Monica scandal, Lindsay Lohan and her drugs and alcohol problems, Britney Spears going off the rails, Amy Winehouse with her heavy drug addiction, Winona Ryder and he

Can anyone remember that iconic song from "The King and I" - "Getting to know you"? It goes: Getting to know you, getting to know all about you, getting to know you, getting to like what I see...... I think sometimes in this world of technology we live in, we forego courting and somehow, WHAM get straight into the nitty gritties of each other. It's so easy to do when you're 'hiding' behind a laptop, computer or cell phone screen. There's a feeling of distance between you and the person and a disconnection that gives you the license to say whatever comes into your head. You can strike up an intimacy far too soon. I don't think that intimacy is the real deal. I suspect it is artificial - a bit of a smoke screen, if you will. I really believe it takes time to get to know someone and fall in love (in the true sense of the word) - a lot of time. That's why relationships often break down when you stop spending time with each other. Don&

Aaaaah the 'joys' of internet dating! What I've realised is that dating sites are a microcosm of our society. They simply reflect what's out there in the big wide world - the good, the bad and the ugly!!! It's a fascinating experience if you are intrigued with human nature, as I am. Aside from my previous post about people not taking the time and putting effort into their dating profile, what totally amazes me are people who misrepresent themselves - well that's putting it nicely - people who blatantly lie about who they are! In my first foray into the murky world of internet dating shortly after my divorce, I discovered that fairly quickly. I enjoy writing (as you can probably tell) and quite enjoy getting to know someone a bit through messages before exchanging phone numbers and possibly meeting. We live and learn through our experiences, and boy did I have a few - both entertaining and scary! When I was newly divorced and in need of affirmation, I had a n

It's been a while since I've been on a dating site and I'm constantly surprised by the photos people post as their profile pics and either the poor English, terrible grammar or no info at all on their dating profile. Of course I understand that English is not everyone's first language, but then you should rather use your first language or for crying in a bucket, get help! First impressions count! They aren't everything, but we're all here trying to make an impression. Posting a photo where your face can hardly be seen or where you look like you ought to be on an America's Most Wanted list, is not helping in your marketing endeavour. Sending a bland message with very little to say as your first contact doesn't help either... To me if someone cannot make an effort to impress me with their first message, it doesn't bode well for how much effort they'd put into the relationship. Let's be realistic here. As uncomfortable as this may be (and I