The Individual's Voice Is Important

More than a week ago I very excited when I announced that I'd taken over a Facebook Group campaigning against violence against women and children. It was a huge list, with close to 5000 members. All I had to do was update it, moderate it and make sure that spam is deleted. We had no plans to rebrand it for my client yet.

Then some members started leaving. No, I don't know who they are or why they unsubscribed. I only watched the the numbers slowly going down with horror, wondering if the original owner is going to start wondering if he made a mistake by giving me the list. Obviously I had to get over myself. People unsubscribe from groups all the time, and these members' leaving does not reflect on me or the work I'm doing.

The incident reminded me how people are drawn to the individual in the blogosphere. We read a person's blog, comment on their posts, even befriend them in time because we found something in common with them; something that resonates with us.

Outwardly, we may be different, living different lives, but somehow, we make the connection. And in reality, that's the secret of online marketing and promotion - to be real to the people you talk to, and for them to see beyond the product or service or cause to the people they connect with.

And taking over an existing group, page, blog or web site is hard because basically, you're dealing with a group of people who have already made the connection with someone else. And even though you have a common purpose/cause with them, they still have to get to know you, find out if you can continue to give them what the original founder did. And some people are just tired of changes, or they're not in the mood to get to know someone else, or they don't like your content, tone or voice or whatever. Basically, you don't resonate with them. And it's no one's fault.

So I have come to that place, where I recognise and respect this. And I'm OK with it as a natural part of a web site's evolution.

And I was rather heartened to see a number of people who read various types of my work follow me to this page and subscribe. So yes, the numbers have started to grow again. And I want to say thank you to all of you who read my work, and think my work is worth spending your valuable time on.

And to all the bloggers who visit this site, I want to say your voice, your individuality, matters. It's the reason your readers enjoy your writings.

My Experiences At The Women's Show

The weekend was nice and quiet the way I like. I attended the Women's Show at the Cocacola Dome in Northgate.

A friend of mine had a bunch of free tickets from Bonitas, the medical aid people(she's a broker).

A group of us had fun hanging out, chatting with the various vendors and trying to extricate ourselves from the more aggressive sales people.

I still managed to spend money I didn't have on things didn't even know I needed. But, it was all worthwhile, I think, so I'm not complaining.

My worst experience came from the Absa ATM machine outside the expo premises. I had to ask a middle-aged couple that also wanted to withdraw money to help me; and they also struggled because the machine was not reading the stripe on the card at all. I hope they fix it quickly, because it's really annoying and one of my friends walked away rather than bothering with the machine, which s lost revenue because some of the really small vendors in the expo did not have credit card facilities.

My best experiences came from the female security guard at the gate, who asked me which language I preferred to communicate in ( when I asked for directions) and then switching to that language. Thank you for not assuming I speak Zulu and then getting annoyed when I can't, as many security and even shop assistants do.

I also loved meeting Lindiwe Makena, an organic vegetable farmer from Phokeng ( where i come from). Lindiwe sells her produce through Wensleydale Farms, which delivers fresh, organic produce to customers' homes across the country. Nope, I didn't know of Lindiwe until we met, but now that we have, I'm definitely going to check out her operation.

I was also bowled over by Boitumelo Mabusela, of Eco Therapy Products. (see woman wearng brown in the image)

That woman has energy! And she's charming. And knowledgeable about her products and their uses and impact. So it was rather fascinating to learn that the business was not her first career option - she's actually a CA turned businesswoman. I'm buying some of her packs as Christmas gifts for my sisters, mother and some in-laws. Definitely beats store-bought options and the price was also very reasonable. BTW, they do offer online purchasing too.

I also bought some Pure Herbal Remedies while at the show. My stomach was cramping very badly since Thursday, and a lunch of samp and mince seemed to have upset it very badly. Their IBS formula provided some relief ( in addition to my usual meds), but I'm going to the doctor today for a check up. Just to see if my condition is getting worse or something.

Spent part of the morning finalising my winning selection for the Sangonet Web NGO Awards, which will be announced at the Fundraising in the Digital World conference starting this week. There was one organsation (which I can't name for now), which is doing something that impresses me greatly. Basically, they encourage their supporters to use fundraising tools that they have on hand to launch their own fundraising initatives. Which means, this organisation can practically has access to an unlimited number of affiliates raising money for their cause. I wish more non-profits were using this tool, epecially because it's free.

Anyhoo, have a great week.

Finally!

Cellphone now works. Did SIM swap this morning. Cell C charges contract holders R150.00 for the swap. Now I have to make/return lots of phone calls - not looking forward to it. I'd rather have a duvet day, actually:-)

Spending the rest of the day writing.... and writing.... and writing.....

Writers Speak Out & The Cellphone Saga Continues

LitNet extends an open invitation to writers, journalists, editors, publishers, translators, academics, and everyone else concerned with the written word to comment on the government’s proposed restriction of freedom of media and of speech. Please send your contribution to: media@litnet.co.za.

Read what prominent South African writers have to say on the issue here.

And thanks Tiah for highlighting this on your blog.

Why does it have to be a saga?

As for the rest, my cellphone saga continues. I charged the handset for 16 hours ( as recommended by the manufacturer), then registered the SIM card and did the RICA thing at a PEP store nearby. Except the registration does not seem to be going through, so the phone is not actually working yet. Which means, I can't do the swop to my contract number yet. And Cell C customer care emailed to say I have to do the swap at the local Cell C store, costing R84 minimum. Why don't they offer a service smilar to Vodacom, where you just call a Call Centre and they can do the swop without your having to leave home or pay money? So much for changing and the new Customer Experience Officer.

God! I miss the good old days when you could buy a SIM card at a corner shop and your phone would work in minutes!

Good luck, Fundi!

I have previously mentioned Fundi as someone who is trying to help me get my work life better organised. Anyhoo, she went into labour this morning. Obvously the fact that nurses are on strike is an issue, but she's at the clinic and we're optimistic that the birth will go well.

My Article On Why Africa Needs Strong Banking Regulations

Africa needs sound and robust banking regulatory frameworks to encourage effective electronic payment systems. This is according to Brad Gillis, BankservAfrica’s CEO of their regulated products cluster.

According to Gillis, electronic banking is still growing in Africa. However, payment systems are fragmented due to the fact that the banks in many countries have their own localised payment systems.

This has resulted in a lack of interoperability between banks’ interbank payment systems, requiring customers to communicate with each bank individually when they conduct transactions.

Read the full article on BizTech Africa.

Facebook, A Cellphone & Some Fast Growing Puppies

Today's post is a list, because I have a variety of stuff to communicate.

1. Had a friend from out of town come over to visit for a couple of days.

2. Then we went to visit my family in Phokeng. It was all good and i loved hanging out with my mother, older brother and his family and my older nephews ( older sister's kids).

3. Lost my cellphone on the way to Phokeng ( I made a stop at a McD's and at a corner cafe in Rustenburg). Or maybe, the phone is in my car under a seat. Doesn't matter how,cos I can't find it. So I spent yesterday dealing with insurance bureaucracy. Gah!

And by some twist of fate, my current contract is about to expire and I qualify for cellphone upgrade. And Cell C says I qualify for a Blackberry. But my local store has run out. Same saga, different sucker, hey Laura? Cos I think you also document having problems getting a Blackberry out of your service provider? So I bought el cheapo phone, did SIM swap, while I sort that out (image of my temporary phone on the left.Cost=R149.00). I think the only thing this sucker CAN do is send and receive calls and SMSes:-)

4. Asked for a Facebook group which has almost 5000 members from the owner and he agreed. The owner of the group wanted to give it up due to ill-health, and I was in the right place at the right time. And the group, called Imagine a world without violence against women and girls, fits well with the Shukumisa campaign.

For now we're not rebranding the group as a Shukumisa group, but we are responsible for publishing content on it and moderating it. So yay for me, cos this gives my client a running start on its online campaign. And please feel free to join if this is the kind of cause you want to support.

5. The puppies are now old enough to eat independently, so I'm ready to give them away. Finally! They're cute, but I just want to only have my dogs here. And now that Hayley has experienced being a mother, the factory is now closed and I'm going to take her to the vet to be fixed. I didn't want to do it without ever giving her a chance to have babies.

Rant about teacher strike

There are times when I’m grateful that Baby attends private school, even if the fees are sometimes a killer. Today is one of those days.

As you know, teachers have gone on strike indefinitely, until government commits to giving them a salary increase they are demanding. I am angry on behalf of young South Africans, especially those who are in matric and need to be getting ready to prepare for the final exams. The exams are stressful enough on their own, without their having the additional burden of not feeling prepared.

Yes, I know it’s the teachers’ constitutional right to go on strike if their employer is not willing to pay them a fair wage. But my sympathy ends when people who have consciously made adecision to make a career out of caring for and educating our children do things that they know are not in the best interests of these children, just so they can win an argument with their employer.

They may be right; government may be acting like Scrooge. But that’s beside the point in my view, because the people who pay the highest price in this argument are the kids, who are counting on getting a scholarship and need to get high marks to meet the requirements, but may not be able to do so because they did not get the full benefit of the academic year. Or maybe they will miss getting an exemption by just a few percentage points that they might have gotten, had they actually been granted the full academic year. Which means that they will never be admitted to a university, which limits their career options, earning potential and the future of the next generation.

Or , maybe I’m just jealous, because throughout my career, I’ve worked in environments where, if you didn’t like the conditions, you were free to leave. Don’t think you're paid what you're worth, or the bills are starting to exceed your earnings? Work hard to get a promotion, or if that doesn’t work, go find another position at another company. Your career doesn’t pay enough? Never fear. You’re free to change careers, get a second, part-time job selling Tupperware or doing multi-level marketing or whatever else you can do to make more money.

You can even launch a blog, start telling us all about your lousy job, build a big readership and earn loads of mooola through advertising revenue. (OK, the last part is mostly urban legend, though there are enough people pulling it off to motivate everyone else to keep trying.)

And once again, I’m not saying the teachers are not entitled to a fair salary increase. But if government says it can’t afford to offer as much as they want, from a personal level, I’d say it’s time for these individuals to create new opportunities for themselves.

I suppose another thing that irritates me is that we're talking about educated people here. Teachers. Role models who are supposed to show our children that the world is full opportunities and all they have to do is get the skills, work hard and be persistent. And all they can do for themselves is whine? Where's that creativity in thought that they're supposed to be teaching our children?

P.S. For the teacher who supports the strike and wandered to my site ( by accident???), my mother is a retired school principal. And for as long as I can remember, she sold atchaar, vegetables, tupperware and everything else she could get her hands on to supplement her income.

And from the time I was in high school, I volunteered as a literacy tutor and later, volunteered at the Saturday school for the Programme for Technological Careers (PROTEC), a national NGO that offered science and maths high school students additional tutoring so they can pass matric and get into good university programmes. So yes, I do understand the teacher's lot. I also understand how much many of the kids from villages and townships needed extra tuition just to get by, and their being short-changed on the basic teaching they should get is just not right.

BTW, I'm currently reading a brochure which explains what child sexual abuse is, giving definitions and a glossary of terms. It's giving me the willies. But if you're interested, get it here.

Polishing Some Hidden Gems

Spent part of the morning rewriting and editing a children's book I wrote some time back but lost confidence and perspective over.

Now that I was looking at it with fresh eyes, the first draft actually looked good enough. Needed some work, and heaven knows I don't know if the book is something a publisher would want, but today, it doesn't feel like it sucks.

So I polished it and sent it to a first reader, asking her to edit, cut unnecessary words, simplify where and if used big words. Once she's done, I'm sending it out into the world, to try to find a home for it.

Meanwhile, Laura-Kim at HarassedMom is expressing her horror about child trafficking and urging us all to take action. For more information on what we can do help and protect abused children here in South Africa, visit the web sites of Shukumisa partners Childline and RAPCAN.

Long Shots

Penguin Books in the UK is accepting unsolicited book manuscripts from the 1st August until the end of October.

This is huge, because usually the publisher does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, and it's a wonderful shortcut to get to them without having to worry about getting an agent first.

And they didn't specify any genre this special consideration applies, which means you can send whatever you think could fit with one of their imprints.

This morning I submitted something I've been working on and off for the past couple of months.

Obviously it's a long shot, considering that my submission will be in the slush pile ( and therefore it could be a while before anyone even looks at it) and who knows that the story will resonate with them? But I'm determined to send out most of my babies out there into the world. They've been hiding in the dusty confines of my laptop long enough:-)

BTW, on OneLove we're talking about sex after childbirth (and how this can affect a relationship, and lead to a husband to cheat), on READ SA, we're talking heavily packed bookshelves and what you'd do if someone offered you more books. And on the Shukumisa campaign, Lisa Vetten of the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre writes abused women still suffer alone.

Enjoy the rest of the week.

An Unexpected Opportunity

Gideon's brothers and sisters are getting fat and cute, and I'm going to start looking for families for them in a couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, a guy I met on Facebook asked me to contribute to a publication he's just started. It's a print pub out in Botswana and the stuff I send ( articles and pics) go into the regional section. And while he doesn't pay, my web site clients will appreciate having their content being republished and reaching more people, who will hopefully then visit the sites.

Ending The Routine

I tend to consider myself as a seriously bad poet, as most of my writings are usually a way offload during an emotional moment, rather than true art or craft. And I hardly ever respect any rules for the form.But every so often I find that I have something to say and a poem is the only way to say it. Today is one of those days.
.......................................................
Ending the routine
By Damaria Senne

Some days I think he will kill her
As I listen to him he hit her.
The sound of her screams shattering the night
Drowning out the talking heads on TV.

They shout, scream
Things crash on the wall
And sometimes she runs outside
Throw his clothes in the street
I hate you! she says

Don’t worry about it
It’s all part of their routine
Another neighbour says
As he joins me in the passage of our joint flats

Some days I want to slap her silly
Yes, the irony of that haunts me
But there are times when
He tries to walk away from an argument
And she follows him
Screeching after him: you're useless! you're not a real man
And he drags her back to their flat
Hits her until I do call the police.

It's all part of their routine, the officer says
They've responded to many calls about their fight
And nothing comes of it, he says.


What kind of routine is it
That inflicts pain on people?
I want it to stop
Yet, I’m afraid that one day
They will deviate from their routine
He'll hit her harder than usual
She'll hit her head on a table on her way down
And snap, her neck breaks
Or, she'll decide to fight back
Take a knife and stab him
Killing him.

I just had my writing analysed here, and apparently

I write like
Douglas Adams

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

and

I write like
Cory Doctorow

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

and

I write like
H. P. Lovecraft

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Confused as to how I could write like these very difference authors? Well, so am I! But it was fun thinking that I could write like HP Lovecraft, even for a moment.

The 2010 South African NGO Web Awards

Been asked to be on the panel of judges for the 2010 South African NGO Web Awards. Now in its fifth year, the competition raises awareness about the benefits of having a web presence among South African NGOs.

Entries are for two categories:

Best Use of Website for Online Fundraising

Best Use of Mobile Technology for Fundraising

The winners will be announced at the SANGONeT Conference on 1 September 2010 in Johannesburg.

You can learn more about the awards, and SANGONeT, the NGO which organises the event. by clicking on the links.

And yeah,I'm chuffed that they asked me again this year. Makes me feel like I know what I'm doing with this web development/online media thing if someone actually asks me to judge other people's work:-)

A Surreal, Creative Moment

Having a much better day. I'm coming to realise that I am not responsible for what my friend did ( ja, I know you told me!) and I should not beat myself up because I did not see it coming. And I should also stop questioning my judgement regarding friends, and wondering if others will see my being friends with him as a lack of good judgement.

I did have a surreal creative moment while taking a bath this morning: There is a lot that is said by / about victims and their families ( and rightly so!), but very little is said about the experiences of the families of the perpetrators.

• How do you come to terms with the fact that your husband/father/son killed someone /raped someone?
• How do you reconcile the love you feel/felt for them with their actions?
• How do you go out each day and face your neighbours, friends, employers and employees, when it has emerged that your son is a killer?

Laura at Harassedmom touched on the issue recently, talking about the Brett Kebble murder trial. In her post, she questions why the wife/girlfriend of Michael Schutlz, the man who was paid to kill Kebble, is standing by him.

"It bothers me that this women condones this behaviour by standing by him. I know I am judging her but honestly I can not possible think of how she justifies this in her mind."

My feelings were messy at the time, because I would not make the choice the wife was making, but I also felt that I could not judge the wife for her choices. But now, I understand Schultz's wife a bit. I still don't agree with her choices, but I have a better understanding of the multiple identities of people who do terrible things like murder.

Anyhoo, I'm hoping that another writer could explore the idea further, see if it can fly. I still have a lot of work to get through, and as I mentioned before, sometimes I feel like I've opened an ideas factory.

The Day After The Nightmare Began

Many thanks to those of you have left comments, words of encouragement, or even phoned to offer your support. Knowing that I have people who care is a gift that I appreciate greatly at moments like this.Your advice on how to cope, to process this event is also appreciated.

Yesterday was really messed up. I went to my friend's house after hearing of the murder, but didn't stay long as his wife had to go to jail to take him toiletries and warm clothing. Ridiculous, I know, but I'd never considered that the state doesn't always provide all the amenities to prisoners while they wait to be charged for their crimes. I went back late afternoon, and we spent the evening together.

It seemed to bring the wife comfort to talk to someone who cared for her husband too; who was as puzzled as she was. Because in a situation like this, no one wants to hear that the killer was a good person to some people ( and I can understand that too) and conversation is all about condemning the crime.

My friend's wife and the widow of the dead friend also met and talked. The widow is a home-maker, and used care for the couple'skids sometimes. She seemed to find comfort in holding my friend's baby while they chatted, cried and reminisced about their husbands' antics during the good days. And yes, it's a messed up world we live in!

Spent the morning with the wife today, chatting about her plans, cooking and freezing way too much food ( to set up her up for the busy days ahead) and baking. I think she wanted me to say it was OK for her to consider moving back to her hometown. She owns a house there ( inherited, no bond), and if she could find a job there, she'll cope better with taking care of her children on her own. Her older sister is in favour of the move, and promises to help her get settled and help out with the kids.
"You're his friend, and I don't want you to think that I'm abandoning him while he's jail," she said.

I don't. The children and their security have to be priority, and they are renters here in Joburg, and her salary won't cover rent and living expenses and childcare. We may not like it, but the state will make sure that he has a roof over his head and he's fed. As for the rest, she'll have to write him letters and maybe come visit once in a while.

So now the waiting begins. Or maybe, I should say, the abandonment of my friend begins. Because deep down, I think none of us can /will do anything to end his incarceration. The wife says she can't pay bail (first hearing is tomorrow), and the one friend who's well off enough for the bail not to impact him does not have the will.

Like us, he feels that this was a terrible thing and we all have to wait for the law to take its course. And I'm having a hard time seeing myself going to Sun City ( ahem, Johannesburg Medium A Correctional Centre) to visit him, because I am so angry with him I would probably scream at him and slap him and the police would have to arrest me too. Because, WTF WAS HE THINKING?????
Maybe in time a visit will become a consideration.

I Feel Like I Just Watched A Man Get Down On All Fours & Bite A Dog

A good friend of mine did a terrible thing on Saturday night( I found out today). And it's so big I just can't process it. I want to run from it. I want to say it's not true. I want to hit the rewind button, go back to Friday and do Saturday over. And I'm not even a minor character in this real-life drama, so if I'm not coping, you can imagine how the people involved in the situation are doing.

Short story: My friend killed a friend of his. And now his friend is sleeping in the mortuary, the dead man's family is devastated and want revenge/justice, my friend is in jail waiting to go through the justice system and his wife is left with two children under the age of 5 and a third of their family income.

Longer version: I wasn't present during the incident, so it's all hearsay. But my friend and his friend had been having some tension. I thought it was a normal part of their relationship (They'd known each other for years; fought like cat and dog but were protective of each other from third parties).

The situation exploded on Saturday, with the result that they had a huge argument. My friend was so angry he went into his house, got a big butcher knife, walked outside again and stabbed his friend. Apparently he aimed for the shoulder, but his friend moved ( trying to avoid the knife) and he stabbed him on the neck, severing a big vein or something. By the time the ambulance came, the friend had bled out and died.

After his friend died, my friend walked back into his house, chatted with his wife ( who didn't know what had happened outside and had been taking a bath) as if nothing major had happened until the police came.

A part of me is horrified that my friend could do this while in a rage. Another part of me still doesn't fully grasp that this actually happened. We're talking about the same person who organised a small funeral for my puppy Gideon on Saturday morning.

How many 40something married men do you know who will go over to a female friend's house, wrap up her dead puppy, dig a hole in her garden and bury it, without expecting anything in return or making nasty comments about being "too girly?"

This is the guy who periodically pops in to make sure that little jobs I can't do get done in my home. Things like replacing light bulbs on a regular basis, putting in motion sensors, giving me my two chow dogs Edward and Hayley for protection, chasing Edward and Hayley all over the neighbourhood when they managed to slip through the gate.

Yet, he was capable of being so angry, he completely disconnected from the protective, considerate man I know and killed someone. And not just a stranger - but a very good friend of his.

A part of me is also afraid that I was wilfully blind. I'd seen him get very angry with other people before. There was a memorable incident where he sought to fight someone on my behalf, and I ended up begging a stranger to walk away from the confrontation because my friend was not listening to me tell him to let the issue go. Never mind that he was right and it was sweet of him to try to protect me. The situation was getting ugly and I was afraid for the stranger.

I remember telling him. "If the cops came right now, they would see you as the threat, not this person. And I would have to agree with them. And that scares me, because when this discussion started, you were in the right."

But he never did anything about managing his anger. And his family, friends, we never pushed him to do so.

Today I spoke to his wife numerous times. And it was frightening how very little I ( or she) could do. Bail is out of question ( assuming the state even makes it an option.) It's money the wife needs right now to take care of her children. Andthe dead man's family are more inclined to leave the wife and children alone, as long as "he rots in jail." ( their words).

Anyhoo, I'm in a very weird space right now.....

"Unhinged: Surviving Joburg" Is Scary & Funny & Informative

You have got to see "Unhinged:Surviving Joburg," a documentary about Johanneburg by Adrian Loveland. It's interesting, quirky, fast-paced, honest.

"The film doesn't shy away from the scary aspects of Johannesburg,yet it leaves the viewer feeling extremely positive and excited about the energy and potential of a city that has lots of work up ahead," the producers say.

And I agree with them. This is a film that shows you "MY"Joburg.

Many thanks to freelance writer and my neighbour Lee Cahill for the heads-up about the video, and Marianatha Herholdt for lending me the video.

Check out the short promo video of "Unhinged:Surviving Joburg," on YouTube.

Spring Is Early

The week took a lot out of me, so I'm going to spend a lot of time relaxing this weekend, though I might attend a work-related event on Monday.

My dog Gideon didn't make it. So I'm feeling a bit off. I didn't know him long enough, but it was hard fighting for his life and losing. Poor Hayley, Gideon's mother, is aware and was very whiny last nighht.

Spent some time working off some of the negative energy in the garden. Spring seems to have arrived much earlier than scheduled, so I'm using the time to make things grow, enjoy some time outdoors.

The time for bartering from one's garden has also started early. Got a basketful of carrots, avodacos and lemons from a couple of friends, in exchange for harvests of parsley and basil. I think I got the better end of the deal:-) Now I have to peel a lot of carrots, cook and freeze them.
Not fun!

Thank God It's Friday!

Thank God It's Friday! Looking forward to a long weekend, and sleeping however long I want to, though I am planning to try to get caught up with some writing.

For those who are interested, Gideon is doing better. He still needs constant care but he's moving more energetically.


Last night I attended opening night of an art exhibition hosted by the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre. I couldn't sleep afterwards - what the people and the art said kept circling my mind over and over...

It was all very thought-provoking, but depressing, as it highlighted the journey that rape victims have to go through to get justice.

Basically, if you reported a rape in Gauteng ( and I live in the province, so the stats apply to me), only one in six of your group will actually make it into court. Others will have had cases withdrawn due to statements not having been taken, analysis of the DNA evidence not having been completed, insufficient evidence having being obtained,your docket lost and witnesses not being available. You might also have given up at this point and withdrawn the matter.

Only one in 25 will have their case result in a coviction for rape ( although 2% will see attacker convicted of a lesser crime, such as statutory rape or assault).

Hectic Family Morning

I'm exhausted and the day is not even halfway through yet.

Had family come visit overnight, so breakfast was a big "to do" and then we visited and we spent a wonderful time together. But it was still 4 more people to deal with while I also needed to get a lot of work done.

And then we found out that Gideon [see left image], the runt of the litter from my dog Hayley,was not doing very well. He doesn't seem to be getting enough milk from his mother and this morning we thought he was going to die. So I put him in a small basket and put it next to my desk. I'm feeding him baby milk using a syringe for now.

BTW, I was not planning to keep any of the puppies and didn't name them, but seeing that Gideon and I are developing a closer relationship, it seemed appropriate that I name him.

I chose Gideon because in the Bible, he's a strong warrior, and I figured the puppy needed a strong name to live up to.

Fellowship To Honour Eugene Saldanha's Work

The Mail &Gurdian says it has partnered with Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Southern Africa to create anual fellowship in social-justice reporting to honour the work of the late Eugene Saldanha, activist, civil society leader and policy adviser, and my former boss and mentor, whose life's work was fighting for social justice.

According to the M&G, "The Eugene Saldanha Memorial Fund Fellowship will enable a young journalist to spend a year working at the paper on poverty, inequality and the realisation of human and socioeconomic rights. The fund, which will finance the fellowship, is administered by CAF Southern Africa, which Saldanha founded. It is supported by individual donations and the generosity of international private foundations with which he was associated."

I cannot tell you how excited I am that Eugene's work is going to be recognised in that manner. I worked with Eugene from 2001 to the end of 2004, and I learnt a lot from him.

I doubt my career would have taken the turn it did if it weren't for his guidance and mentorship. Yes, even the tech part can be attributed indirectly to him, because through the advocacy work we did through the Non Profit Partnership and Charities Aid Foundation Southern Africa, I learnt to appreciate what each piece of legislation can mean to various stakeholders, which led to my keen interest in the Electronic Communication Act and what it means for various stakeholders.

That work also set the platform for my interest in the Shukumisa campaign, because once again, it's all about what the law says, whether it's implemented as was intended and what else we can do to change the system for the better. Through Eugene's influence, the law and its impact on all of us has come alive for me, and it's a wonderful gift that he gave me.

Eugene also used to have such a lot of confidence in me. He'd tell people re all things communications, "Damaria can do it and if she can't, I'm sure she can find someone for you who can." So usually,people were predisposed to think I was wonderful long before they even met me or had seen the work I could actually do.

Lastly, Eugene grew to be a good friend.Underneath all the energy and passion to social justice and our jobs, he was a good friend who somehow understood the challenges of being a single parent and created an environment where childcare was not a desperate issue.

For e.g.on school holidays he encouraged us to bring our kids along work, so they can play in the work premises and occassionally spend time with us while we work.And if you had to travel with work, which I did quite a bit, there were times I or other employees could bring our very young kids, and other employees simply adapted, because the big boss made it look natural. Poor Baby, she sat through quite a few seminars on the Income Tax Act before she was even 5!

So, I'm happy that Eugene is being honoured in this manner, because it means that his work will not be forgotten. And there will be more young journos and writers and activists that he has a positive impact on, even if it is post-humously.

Fastest Rejection In The History Of My Writing Career

So yesterday afternoon I submitted a short article to well-known magazine I've been wanting to write for, asking them if they wanted to consider it for publication. About 45 minutes later, I was reading a rejection email from the managing editor.

Don't call me strange, but I was very happy to hear from her, even if she was only emailing me to say "thanks but no thanks."

So why was I thrilled by the fastest rejection in the history of my writing career?

1. The managing editor took the time to respond promptly to some random person saying, "here's a story I want you to consider." Considering the number of emails she probably receives daily, that's quite a feat!
2. She told me why she couldn't buy my story ( already commissioned the exact same story with someone else)
3. She offered me advice on how to interact with her in future ( next time, suggest a topic first, she said).

You can bet the mug of tea I really need to drink right now that I'm going to get in touch with her with another story idea. Very soon.

And I want to say THANKS to this editor for showing me that the query process can work. I'd lost hope on it actually ( which is why I knew about her point 3 but didn't do it). I usually just send the finished product, so the editor can read and decide whether she wants it or not.

For me, the waiting is worse, and usually, I consider work for unknown editors creative purging. It's usually stories that bug me, but they're not appropriate for my usual market and I'll have to try to sell to someone I've never worked with before. SoI write it down so it's out of my head, get on with the rest of work, and later, try to find an appropriate market for it.

A lot of editors I queried when I first started out as a writer didn't usually bother to respond and those that did, did so weeks or months later ( and I'm not blaming them. Having worked in a newsroom, I know about correspondence you keep meaning to get to, but never actually manage to do). But it got me thinking that publishing in mainstream media was a crapshoot unless you have established contacts, and I couldn't afford to spend too much time querying. Instead I'd focus on building relationships that could result in work down the line.

Question: Have you ever been happy, even excited, to receive a rejection? What was your reason?

Writers Write

For the past couple of weeks I've occassionally whined about needing to do admin work, and my time being pulled away from actually writing. And then Fundi came and she helped organise me and she dealt with a lot of the admin work I didn't have the time to do and even if I had the time, I didn't want to do.

So, this morning I had a very frightening moment, when I went through my schedule and realised that the only thing I need to do this morning was write a couple of pieces that were commissionedand/are due.

It was frightening because now I had no feasible excuse not to write. And yes, once I get started the words will start to flow. But in that moment, I thought "Damn! I have to actually be creative and earn my keep around here!"

Anyhoo, have a great week, and check out some of the discussions I have going on online:

Read SA - How was the Cape Town Book Fair? You can also check out Tiah's blog and the Book Club Blog, where they talk about their experiences.
OneLove - Give "Heartbroken" your view on her affair with a married man. She says she's becoming increasingly angry and bitter because he is top priority to him, and she's just another option.
Shukumisa - We talk about your right and responsibility to report a rape, and how, as a family member or friend,you can help a rape victim feel better.

Have a good week!