magazine

issue two april

ed’s note

Issue number two is here. We had such a great response from the first issue and it’s been so much fun to create another one. One of my favourite quotes of all time has always been ‘The hand can only execute as high as the heart can imagine’. I live by this rule all the time. You have to believe in yourself and love what you do in order to get the results that you want. Live, breathe and be consumed by your passion! Thank you to everyone who has been involved in this issue and for those that are just there behind me, support-ing me all the way with encouragement. It means so much to me and I feel blessed to have you all in my life. I hope we can work together to spread more creativity into the lives of everyone!

Be free.

Christine Bernard

www.justimaginethatdesigns.comchristine@justimaginethatdesigns.com

magazine

what’s inside

this issue...PAGE 6

Photographer’s word by Warren Bernard

PAGE 7Photography competition

PAGE 10Literary word by Waleska Saltori

PAGE 11Short story competition

PAGE 14The Camino de Santiago by

Paulo Rodrigues

EditorChristine Bernard

christine@justimaginethatdesigns.com

PhotographerWarren Bernard

warren@warrenbphotography.com

Websitewww.justimaginethatdesigns.com

Contact079 701 4661

Copy EditorWaleska Saltori

waleska@pensa.co.za

DISCLAIMERAlthough every effort is made to ensure

accuracy, the publishers, personnel, print-ers, distributors and / or other related parties do not accept any responsibility

whatsoever for any errors or ommissions, or any effect arising there from. The

views or correspondence are not neces-sarily those of the editor or publisher. All rights reserved. Copyright exists on

all material. Reproduction by any means without permission is prohibited.

magazine

PAGE 18Blogger of the month

PAGE 20Prime Circle

PAGE 24Lowprofile

PAGE 26Random Interview

with Jenny Lee

PAGE 28Competitions

photography

The calendar on my computer tells me it’s March but for me, its Christmas. Less than 24 hours ago, I pressed the "confirm transaction" button in my browser and made an electronic purchase online. This in turn, I knew, would summon Santa Clause himself to my doorstep, to deliver the present that I had been wait-ing so long for. Had I been a good boy? This Santa did not care. As long as the cash was in his bank account, he would deliver the goods, so to speak.

Looking around the house, I realised that we did not possess a chimney. Not a problem. The modern day Santa didn’t require one. His methods were a lot more contemporary and blatant. He preferred the front door. Waiting for his arrival, I anxiously paced the length of our lounge. It was now past midday and there was no sign of him. I wondered if perhaps he had lost his way. I hoped that Santa had packed his GPS. To kill some time, I flopped down onto the sofa to watch some TV. Skipping past the infomercials, I man-aged to find the only thing worth a second glance. A 30 minute slot comprising of new release movie re-views. Although I didn't really trust these things. One man's Spielberg is ultimately another man's poison.

Then it happened. The doorbell rang. I was there in a flash. I greeted Santa whose real name was on his name-badge. Dave. Instead of a velvety red top and matching leggings, he wore the standard khaki shorts and collared shirt. The reindeer-driven sleigh in the background had been replaced by a Mercedes pow-ered truck, containing countless other goodies, un-claimed as yet by their eager recipients. As he handed the package over, I almost felt guilty for not offering him any milk and cookies. But at just over $1400 that I had forked out for my gift, I figured he could find his own damn sustenance. I signed my name on his elec-tronic hand-held device as proof of receipt although I had no idea how my digital signature (which now re-sembled more of an abstract spider’s web than it did my surname) would hold up in a court of law should my purchase ever be queried.

Back inside, I hovered over the package, wrapped in

brown paper with an invoice casually plastered onto the side. Moments later it was split wide open, mor-sels of polystyrene drifting in the air and decorating the table top. There it was in all its glory. My latest baby. A brand new Canon EOS 50D digital camera. I took a few moments to admire it. Unspoilt and un-touched as of yet by human hands. Perfect in every aspect. Gingerly, I prised my fingers around its frame and gently raised it from its crib. Nestling it in my hands, I felt its weight, rotated it and viewed it from every angle. The back, sides, bottom. Unmarked and unblemished. After the admiration started to fade ever so slightly, I realised that baby was naked and it was my fatherly duty to correct that. Firstly, I threaded the ends of the neck strap through the relevant sec-tions on the chassis, adjusting and tightening accord-ingly. I then swiftly connected a lens to the face, twist-ing it until I heard its familiar click. Next, I slid the flash unit into the hot-shoe on top and lastly, a memory card to complete the process. With all its added ac-cessories, my child was now a lot heavier. They always grow up so quickly, don't they...

One final component was all that was required. Baby was now dressed, all it needed was to be fed. The single, re-chargeable battery was larger than what I was used to, and it did the job perfectly. Now with food in its belly, he was ready for action. Flicking the power switch into position, an LED on the back panel blinked, signalling his rise from slumber. Spinning around, I searched for my first unsuspecting victim. My wife was on the couch, in the middle of an impor-tant call. Perfect. Within an instant I had focused and the muffled gurgle of the shutter's motion signalled that the image had been captured. Immediately re-viewing it on the screen, I was amazed at the clarity, the contrast and saturation of colour. I was proud. My child had passed its first test with flying colours. It deserved a reward. Possibly a bigger memory card or maybe an extra few batteries to sustain his hunger. But that would have to wait until next payday. Until then, my son...

BY WARREN BERNARD

Can you feel my presents?

photography

photography competitionPhotographer, Warren Bernard, is hosting a photography competition each month.

Below, please find our winner as well as the runners-up. Thank you to everyone for their submissions. If you’d like to enter next month’s competition, please email me on chris-

tine@justimaginethatdesigns.com. Limited to three photos per person.

winner

Ryan Connell

Black and white images are great when you want to exclude the effect of colour and concentrate on things such as texture and form within the photograph. This selectively coloured pic however has done well to highlight the subject and put the necessary emphasis on the bee.

Well done Ryan. We were so impressed by Ryan’s photos that we decided to showcase all his images on the next two pages.

photography

photography

literary

Take a quick look at the following email:

From: Thokozo Mhize – HR Assistant (tmkhize@sta-tionery4u.co.za) Sent: 22 December 2010 04:00 PMTo: Contract StaffSubject: Decals!

Hi Guys :)It’s time torenew your parking decals. Or you won’t be able to get in the gate next year!!! I know it’s a schlep :( but it has to be done.

Have a great evening,Thokozoxxx

As a piece of business correspondence, what’s wrong with this email? Do you send emails like this? How ap-propriate is this style of correspondence?

Email is the most common form of written communi-cation in the business world. It is the one with which we are most comfortable but also the one that is most often abused. While you may be able to be a bit more relaxed in your use of email when it comes to internal communication, it is best to remember that an outgo-ing business email (to a client or supplier, for exam-ple), represents you and your organisation.

So, while email communication tends to be less for-mal in nature than a business letter, it still needs to adhere to certain guidelines if it is going to be effec-tive and remain professional.

Here are some basic DOs and DONTs for writing a business email:DO1. Start with an appropriate salutation such as ‘Dear Sir / Name’ rather than ‘Hey’.2. Include an accurate subject line, indicating the email’s purpose.3. Use two to four short paragraphs in a logical se-quence, stating the reason for your email as soon as possible.4. Ask for a specific action or response - remember that most people receive numerous emails in a day and, if you outline what type of response you expect, you will be more likely to receive an appropriate reply.5. Keep your message short and relevant but remem-ber to be polite and respectful. Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Short does not need to equal dismissive. If in doubt, read the email to yourself out loud and see

how it sounds. Remember that, for all the most part, email lasts forever...6. Add a signature block with the appropriate contact information to the end of your email. In most cases, this means your name, business address, and phone number, along with a legal disclaimer, if required by your organisation.7. Use correct grammar and punctuation as you would with any piece of writing. Be sure to proof-read your message carefully before sending it. Basic errors can make your email appear sloppy and unprofessional.

DON’T1.Use ‘sms’ talk or abbreviations as your work appears unprofessional. Also, while you may be ROFLOL (Roll-ing on Floor, Laughing Out Loud), the recipient of your mail may be wondering WUWT (What’s up with that?)2. Use capital letters throughout your email. This is considered rude as it comes across as SHOUTING. Use standard case letters and if you need to emphasise, do so with bold or by underlining the relevant point.3. Use multiple exclamation points!!! A single excla-mation point, used in the correct place, can be effec-tive, if it is needed at all.4. Include emoticons (smiley faces ) to indicate tone. Rather, practice writing in a manner that indicates the correct tone for the context.5. Include colourful backgrounds or pictures in your message, unless these are company-related. Some servers may block this information (preventing the email from reaching the recipient) or it may just an-noy the recipient as it makes the email harder to read.6. Open or forward ‘junk’ / chain mails. This clogs up the system, costs company time and money, and can annoy others or even send them a virus!7. Break the rules - many organisations have strict pol-icies on the use of email and the internet – familiarise yourself with these policies or risk facing disciplinary action.

Now that you’re in the know, go forth and email ... with the proper purpose and style!

Owner of PEN, Waleska Saltori is an editor and copy-writer, who specialises in corporate communication and business writing training. In her spare time, she is a confirmed bibliophile and reads everything from the front page of the newspaper to the back of the cereal box.

By Waleska Saltori

WHAT IS YOUR WORK EMAIL REALLY SAYING?14 USEFUL TIPS FOR BUSINESS EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE

literary

‘Girl, you bout chewed them nails right off. You lucky I got some good ones for you. Won’t no one tell the difference,’ Miss Shantel said, holding Del-la’s nails up to her face.

Della smiled. ‘They sure did need you to deliver them, Miss Shantel.’

‘Just them jitters, that’s it… I seen buckets of girls all in the same predicament, and let me tell you, child, you don’t gotta worry bout nothin’. I just hope half them men don’t rush up to say ‘I do’, cause Della Ray, they ain’t lookin’ at these here nails.’ She laid Della’s hands on the white table, and started trying to smooth the jagged edges of her nails.

‘Well, none of them took it when they had the chance-’ Della said. And she remembered how, just a year ago, she and Jonathan had been lag-ging behind the group, his hand protectively around her waist. Becky Knightly wasn’t too far ahead, lingering behind the crowd. Della noticed how Becky smiled at Jonathan before she’d kicked sand into the sea, making sure that her legs were at the right angle for his eyes to appreciate, mak-ing sure he captured her form in the perfect even-ing light. And right then, Jonathan kissed Della real passionately. That night Della had laughed to herself about it, laughed about the desperation of Becky Knightley.

‘Besides, I’ll have Dylan O Sullivan smilin’ down at me,’ Della said, turning her finger inside the twist of one of her curls. ‘I’ve got a feeling Sarah Jones may even wear black.’

Miss Shantel snorted. ‘You took your own sweet time, but Della Ray, you sure know how to pick ‘em. I just hope you got yourself some dirt-true friends, cause with a face like that -.’ Miss Shantel smoothed the glue over each nail.

‘You don’t need to worry,’ Della said. She could never forget Tara’s face four months previously, red with rage, red with tears. Tara’d seen Jona-than’s car outside Becky Knightley’s place the same night he’d told Della his parents were vis-iting. Tara sobbed the whole sighting to Della. Della didn’t move. After a minute or two she went outside and sat on the porch swing. She sat there the whole night, swinging back and forth as the crickets sung in the peak of summer. Just before

an insipid sunrise, Della went quietly back under her pink quilt. As a child, that quilt had kept her grounded in her dreams.At nightfall she emerged tender-like in the moon-light, like a Casablanca Lily, swinging to and fro as the rest of the world slept. She remained noctur-nal for a week, and no one but her friends entered her house. It was a week after her news, to the day, that Della Ray Danbury met Dylan O Sullivan.

‘My, oh my, but the Lord works in mysterious ways, bringing that man of yours right into your path when everyone thought…. Well, you know them townspeople, they’d make a livin’ of thinkin’ if they could,’ Miss Shantel said.

‘I’d just gotten a job at the library, and guess who came by to look for Shakespeare?’ She laughed. ‘Dylan O Sullivan never read a real book in his life, let alone Shakespeare, no matter how much his momma begged… He never did end up getting’ a library card.’She still remembered seeing Dylan standing in the grey doorway, looking her over real good before he walked towards her, his eyes set. And there was no denying, his good looks always made a way for him. Blonde, brashly confident, freckled and a Southern accent all a little tainted by the North.

It had been a while since she’d been in the game, but baby, Della Ray Danbury would never look a gift horse in the mouth. She didn’t know Dylan O’ Sullivan well, but she knew him well enough to know if she didn’t play smart, he’d be back in his high-rise before she could say lickety-split. Before she knew it, he was taking her round her town, holding her waist and introducing everyone to ‘my girl’.

Della inspected her hands. The gnawed nails were disappearing one at a time; her hands now flashed long, Cadillac Pink edges.‘Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dy-lan turn a page in his whole life,’ Della frowned .‘Honey-child, he’s been mighty distracted. There hain’t been no time for no “Gone with the Wind”,’ Miss Shantel was attacking a devious cuticle.

Della chewed on the word, ‘distracted.’ In her mind, it was every Southern woman’s aim to dis-tract as many boys – all the better if they were good-looking and charming– as possible, whilst

DELLA by Zoe Beech

literaryremaining neutral. With Dylan, everything was different. Della threw out her bait unabashedly – with short skirts, big eyes and long pauses - and Dylan was ravenous.It took him only a couple of weeks to ‘confide’ in her – digging in the basket for more chicken – that she had in fact, single-handedly won his heart in the library, without even trying. They were on a red picnic blanket as the day was sim-mering, watching the river rush by. He let the words roll out without checking them, as he al-ways did, and then noticed how she smiled.

‘You are a pretty little thing,’ Dylan’s eyes flickered on her, like seeing something new and shiny, and for the rest of the day he couldn’t keep his hands away.

‘Sure,’ Della sighed, ‘we’ve both been distracted what with the wedding plans... But I’m talking school. We were in the eleventh grade together, and I swear he barely handed in one assignment. I was convinced he charmed the female teachers into passes.’Miss Shantel looked at Della Ray out of the cor-ner of her eyes. ‘Uh- huh.’

‘But there were only a handful of females. Those male teachers never did the boys any favours.’ Della sighed. ‘But he’s got that way….’Miss Shantel put down her tweezers and folded her arms across her generous chest. ‘Della Ray, are you telling me you don’t know how Dy-lan O’Sullivan got a B Average the whole of his schoolin’ career?’Everyone knew Miss Shantel was good for enter-tainment, but today Della was trying to keep all drama at bay. Della Ray reached for a magazine, and began flipping her finger through the pic-tures.‘No, Ma’am,’ she said to a page full of purses.Miss Shantel shook her head whilst picking up her brush. ‘Katie O Sullivan.’Della looked up. ‘That right?’‘You done met your mother-in-law?’‘Oh, many times.’ Della flicked a page, thinking about the three times she’d met her mother-in-law, and how tenderly the woman had squeezed her.‘And how was that?’‘Just fine.’‘Mmmm hmmmm.’ Miss Shantel said, inspecting a nail.

Della folded over the magazine and peered at the article. Before she met Katie O Sullivan, Dylan

was edgy and insistent, explaining exactly how to act. This both irritated and flustered her, and she had to work very hard on being the dashing Della Ray that everyone loved.Della first saw her at the top of the white flight of stairs, wearing a suit with a fuchsia brooch and matching heels, cigarette hanging out her mouth. Her palms were open, turned towards them as they climbed. Her skinny body held a strong posture, a wry smile and she looked like she’d silence the president if need be; Della liked her immediately. And of course, she was as charming as only Dylan O’ Sullivan’s mother could be. Her body seemed to sway as her son and his girlfriend greeted her, and she was ‘de-lighted – delighted’ to have the honour of Della Danbury's company.

During their first encounter, Katie told Della, over a countless amount of coughing fits and ciga-rettes, all the skeletons in the O’ Sullivan closet – ‘cause I didn’t want anyone to beat me to it’ – on Della’s return, a week later, Katie led her (martini in hand) into an expansive gold-leafed library and they argued happily over as many plots and themes that had vexed them; and at their most recent ‘meeting’ they smiled knowingly to one other across the table, laden with pink fairy cakes and champagne, in-between congratulations pressed on the happy couple’s hands.

Katie slipped out between the myriad of well wishes, and Dylan explained that something had ‘come up’. Dylan had made it clear that Katie was rushed off her feet, so Della didn’t push. He had made himself scarce whenever the girls were to-gether, and was always so silent when they left that Della wondered if he were jealous. For all his rugged bravado, he was still very much a mom-ma’s boy.‘These days she’s floating on air,’ Miss Shantel said. ‘Since she heard bout you, that is.’‘Well, that’s sweet.’‘We go way back, and I hain’t seen her this happy since Dylan passed high school. Lord knows, we all celebrated then.’ Miss Shantel took out her buffing pad, and started shimmying Della’s nails. ‘Fact, she’s been waiting for this day since he popped out.’‘Like every good Southern momma should,’ Della said, looking at a frame on the white wall hold-ing a blonde bride. Her hair was captured tightly away from her face, and she was looking de-murely at something in the distance.‘Katie ain’t every, she’s the Southern momma, and it’ll do you well to remember that… I take

literaryit she…’ Miss Shantel smacked her lips, ‘she… helped with the wedding preparations?’‘No ma’am… My momma and me had it all un-der control.’

Miss Shantel stopped shimmying. ‘My, my, my,’ she exclaimed. Then she started murmuring to herself. ‘Now I hain’t seen that coming… Katie O Sullivan sittin’ pretty for her own son’s wedding? Oh my!’‘She trusts my taste,’ Della said before she could think. Her fingers immediately brushed her lips.‘Honey, we all trust your taste, but let me tell you – Katie’s kept a book of the wedding she imag-ined, with all them colours, swans, chandeliers -you name it… all waiting for Dylan to finally say them four words to the lucky girl. She always said that the congratulations card would come taped to the book.’Katie had asked her about the wedding plans only once, and quickly added that she couldn't have thought of anyone better, and anyway, she was 'too old for all that dallying'.

Miss Shantel sat down, crossed her legs and shook her head. Suddenly all her fire and fervour had gone, and she was staring at the bottles of nail polish.‘But she’s changed since she found out… I done seen it, she ain’t the same. To a bystander, she still looks like good ole’ kickin’ Katie, but they don’t see her like we do. They don’t see her having to take those god-awful pills every day. And they don't know that this time, that wig ain't just for show.’ Miss Shantel picked up a bottle and start-ed touching up her tangerine-orange nails. ‘And they won’t know ‘til the very end, that’s what she’s told me. Never one for pity.’ Her eyes turned on Della, and she looked her up and down. ‘You two are peas in a pod, you know that?’

Della gave a sharp nod. She was suddenly an ar-ray of right angles, and each breath didn’t seem to reach her lungs.‘That’s what makes it so…’ Miss Shantel brought her fingers hastily to her eyes, ‘so darn touch-ing… She’d had her heart set on you since you was prom queen. And now Dylan’s finally realised his has mighty fine taste…. I tell you, not even Disney could have thought of a better story.’Della blinked fast.

Miss Shantel patted her knee. ‘I understand - it’s not somethin’ you’re itchin’ to talk ‘bout. You’re a brave girl, let me tell you.’

‘Thank you, ma’am,’ Della said, looking at the blonde bride up on the wall, who, come to think of it, looked not so much demure as reticent.‘But by gum, knowing Katie, she’ll be fightin’ her way to seein’ her first grandchild, 'specially as you'll be the momma, so don’t you be sittin’ on your laurels in that department,’ Miss Shantel winked at Della. ‘Not that you’ll have a problem there, mind you. Dylan ain’t never been shy with - ’‘Well, Miss Shantel,’ Della smiled as she scraped her chair back. ‘I’m so very grateful for you fittin’ me in.’ She clutched her purse under her arm.‘Oh now, don’t even think about that. And I’ll be looking for you, tomorrow. You’ll be pretty as a picture.’‘Why thank you. You are so sweet.’‘Ya’ll take care, Della.' Miss Shantel pressed her chest against Della. 'And don’t mess with them nails now. You hear?’‘No ma’am,’ Della’s heels clicked against the pave-ment. She struggled to find her keys, to her an-noyance, and finally slipped into her Bentley. Her hands gripped the steering wheel.

The last four months lay shattered at her feet. Dylan’s scouring blue eyes- yes, they had looked like they were searching her - at the library; his deep brooding after seeing his mother; Katie’s scrawny body, how she held Della; the proposal with candles and caviar, pearls and peach cham-pagne, and his eyes darting around the room, watching who was watching; their dates after the engagement – where he’d have ‘something happened,’ and he’d be absurdly late and then appear at her door with a smile and pink roses.

She looked out of her window. There was a line of trees that stretched down the avenue for miles. Just a month ago, they had been grand ladies of red and orange fervour that everyone admired. Now they were a mass of bony hands reaching for something, each reaching alone. Winter’s breath had already mingled with their own. Their plumage lay dead in the road and gardens, hav-ing lost every trace of their previous hue. She saw a man raking his torn leaves into a pile.

Della picked up her phone.‘Momma, are the caterers still coming over at 2? Perfect. I’m ‘bout to leave Miss Shantel’s - won’t you fix me your barbecue sandwich? I’ve just now got a terrible craving for one.’ A pristine hand turned the ignition, and the car trembled into life.

The Camino de Santiago, The Way of Saint James. His-torically this sacred pilgrimage was undertaken by devout Christians to pay homage at the tomb of St James which is purportedly held in the magnificent Cathedral and endpoint of the pilgrimage, in a city called Santiago de Compostella. Today, howeve,r the pilgrimage is undertaken by people of all walks of life, from the religious and those seeking penance or spir-ituality, to tourists, hikers and backpackers.

The Camino has many routes and starting points, the traditional and most popular route is the French route. The French route starts in a small mountain town in France called St Jean pied de port, the name can be translated to mean the gateway to St James. From here your first and most gruelling day will take you over the Pyrenees and across from France into Spain. The route takes you through spectacular wine coun-try, quant medieval towns, farm regions, desert re-gions, amazing cities and tranquil forests. Completing approximately 780km, you are left with very blistered and punished feet and an experience you will never forget, until you eventually arrive at the Cathedral in Santiago.

The French route is very clearly marked for the most part by variations of a shell symbol, the symbol of the pilgrim. Pilgrims also identify one another by wear-ing a shell on their backpacks, these along with the “pilgrim’s passport” or “Credentiale” can be acquired at your starting point or at any places along the way. Your pilgrim’s passport is stamped at most locations along the way, this is essential if you wish to receive your “Compostella” at the end of your journey. The Compostella is like a certificate that you have com-pleted the walk and also a blessing from the Catholic church for having made the journey to St James. Only the last 100km need to be walked to receive the Com-postella.

The way is dotted with pilgrims’ hostels, which you will come to know as albergues, and similar to the rest of

Spain, are very cheap. Due to the rise in popularity of the Camino however there are a lot of private hostels which do offer more comfort and privacy but tend to be rather expensive.

The essentials. A good pair of hiking boots with good ankle support can be your biggest asset on the Cami-no, this may not safeguard you from the inevitable blisters or aching feet, but will definitely ease your journey and avoid you any injuries that may end your Camino abruptly. Two changes of clothes, one for walking, one for evenings. There are washing facilities at all the hostels. A small medi-kit, be sure to include plasters and needle and thread. A good backpack will save you a great deal of pain, the best would be one that can balance its weight across your shoulders and hips evenly. It is recommended that your backpack should be approximately 10% of your body weight, but after the first day or two you may start throwing things away to lighten your burden. A good motto for the Camino, “if you can’t carry it, you don’t need it”. A lightweight camping towel, a lightweight sleeping bag and something warm for the evenings. A good sturdy walking stick always helps too.

The Spanish are friendly, welcoming and hospitable and also one of the most relaxed, laid-back people you could encounter. From siesta to fiesta, they know how to relax, they know how to have a crazy party and you are sure to fall in love with the country and the culture.

No matter your reasons for embarking on this amazing journey, whether it be spiritual, or tourist, whether you are looking for answers or trying to forget the ques-tions, you will most certainly find a spirituality within yourself, an inner peace you may never have known could exist. That and you will meet people from all walks of life, find friends who will remain friends for-ever, cheap good food, even cheaper wine and an in-valuable, unforgettable experience.

BY PAULO RODRIGUES

THE WAY

THE FINER POINTS OF THE TRIP:

From South Africa, the cheap-est return flight you will get is to London. From there you can eas-ily find airlines which can take you anywhere in Europe for as cheap as R200, which will save you a lot of money. If you want to start in St Jean Pied de Port, the closest airport is Biarritz in France. From the airport you can catch a bus to a small town called Bayonne, and from there you can get a train di-rectly to St Jean Pied de Port. For pilgrims who would like to skip the first and definitely the most difficult day, then Pamplona air-port is your best option. Here you can find a bus service that runs to Roncesvalles which is the endpoint of the first day from St. Jean Pied de Port. The Camino will again take you through Pamplona within the next few days so pil-grims may wish to start there too. Returning, there are direct flights from Santiago back to London. The pilgrimage itself is very cheap and I would not recommend a guided tour as it takes away the true nature and feel of the walk. The normal hostels cost between 3 and 10 Euros and there are also many that run on donation. All along the Camino there are pil-grim’s menus available at most restaurants which usually average at about 10 Euros for a 3 course meal and a bottle of wine. If you’re on a shoestring, you could prob-ably budget for about 20 euros a day and scrape by happily.

BLOGGER OF THE MONTH

blog

Each month we’ll be featuring our favourite blogger! This issue I’d like to introduce ‘the thrift collection’, a blog by the lovely Pippa Lynch. Now here’s a girl with an eye for fashion and a gift for the ecclectic. This is a girl you want to go shopping with. Have a look at her awesome blog for some great thrift ideas and go shopping crazy with her fashion section, man sec-tion, home section and the one I love the most, the sales section. Visit her on http://thethriftcollection.blogspot.com/

{hello}

my name is pippa. by day, i'm a jewellery buyer - by night i'm a forager. i'm all about thrifted goodies, vintage treasures, good food, dreamy photography, great music & all the delights that durban has to offer. take a look around & stay a little while. if you're in the mood to shop, head on over to my online store where you will find loads of 2nd hand gems without the vintage price tag: good for your wallet & the environment too.

pippa@pippalynch.co.za

blog

FROM THE HOME COLLECTION

PIPPA

Prime Circle

music

“Most peo-ple are

surprised to hear

that I have had some

great times in the bluff and have

always loved

hanging out there”

Ross from Prime Circle answers some of our probing questions:

Tell us about the name Prime Circle?It is what we wanted to be, a prime circle of friends and musicians.

What one word epitomises your band?resilient

Take me through the band members and tell me one thing about each of you that nobody knows.Marco Gomes, bass player: he founded the bandDirk Bischoff, guitarist, likes to just chill at home when he is not playing, rarely goes outNeil Breytenbach, keyboards, lives in pietermaritz-burg and flies up for all the showsDale Schnettler, drummer, newest member, is ob-sessed and, I mean obsessed, with studio work at his house

What has been your best performance to date?we all have different ones but mine has been the 46664 shows, due to the fact that it is such a huge honor to play and for such an amazing cause

What has been your worst on stage ex-perience?In the early days when our equipment was really rubbish and unreliable and would always break onstage and we would look like idiots, but also some good memories came out of those days so it wasn't all bad

Your favourite place in Durban?Most people are surprised to hear that I have had some great times in the Bluff and have always loved hanging out there, had some good friends out there. I have also had some good times at burn.

If Prime Circle was not around, what would you all be doing now?We are all pretty different so can't really say what the guys would be doing but i would probably be painting, or something that i could do on my own, never been good having a boss.

How did all the band members meet?We met at different times in life, Marco, Dirk and I met in witbank, we then met Neil on tour with his band at the time driverlane, then Dale who we had known over the years and always enjoyed his playing.

What is the best place to eat in Durban?We have chowed at moyo and liked it

Where do you like to go and just hang out?I like scottish pubs and braai's at friends houses, love to see my friends and family

Who writes the lyrics?I do, but every now and then one of the guys comes across a great idea, like a bolt of lightning and we run with it.

What is your idea of creativity?Constantly challenging yourself in your craft and surprising yourself, getting so excited about new ideas that it becomes difficult to hold it in.

If Prime Circle was an animal what would it be and why?Elephant, cause we never forget and we are in it for the long haul and we have huge tusks

If you could perform live on stage with any famous musician, who would it be?Foo fighters, we all love them more than we can tell you.

If a movie was made about Prime Circle, which actors would play each of you?Keiffer Sutherland (a young one) as Ross EarmonthJason Stratham as NeilEdward Norton as DirkAlec Baldwin as MarcoChristian Slater as Dale

And lastly, what one line of song would you most like to share with us?If you lost your eye in this life, would it be waiting up in heaven with your wife (crash test dummies)

music

Tell us about the name Lowprofile? We all went to watch a Sibling Rivalry gig at Cotton-fields in Durban North after one of our first practic-es. The younger brother of a friend of ours was right at the back by himself in a dark corner, just really hanging back from the crowd and our old drummer Yusuf just said, "Check Jon's brother ... he's keeping quite a low profile hey".

What one word epitomises your band? Fully ...

Take me through the band members and tell me one thing about each of you that nobody knows.Skeg (Bass/Vocals): I'm an economist so I am offi-cially allowed to write songs about the government

Woogy (Guitars): My real name isn’t Woogy but I’ve been called it for so long that even my parents have forgotten my real name

Ozzie (Vocals/Guitar): If you sat on Santa's lap at Wa-terworld or Suncoast Casino in December of 2002 ...

that was me in a fat suit and makeup.

Juan (New drummer guy): I have an addiction to buying rare CDs on eBay and nobody can help me.

What has been your best performance to date? Splashy Fen 2010. We got what we thought was quite a crummy time slot at first, but a lot of people pulled in to watch us and we just gave it all we had and it went down great!

What has been your worst on stage experience? Woogy: Playing at a motor-cross track in Cape Town, too drunk to make sense of my guitar or play any-thing right, and my pants were around my ankles most of the time because Marcus from Halfprice pantsed me, but I only realised a few songs later. On top of that, the sound guy made the mistake of giv-ing me a mic so I was randomly screaming anything into it hoping it would distract people from the fact that that I was a useless, naked wreck at the time, but it only drew more attention.

Skeg: To add to the trouble, I tried to do a gnarly jump off one of the amps, which had wheels, and slipped and broke my cable off inside my bass.

Ozzie: That would be my amp. I remember being so bummed out with both you guys - to the point of hulk rage - that I just took this epic walk into that gi-ant forest that was all around the track to cool off!

Your favourite place in Durban? I think every Durbanite will agree there is no better place than the beachfront!

If Lowprofile was not around, what would you all be doing now? Ozzie: There's no way we'd even be the same people if we weren't amped to be in a band. I guess I'd be ripped, have an orange spray-on tan, wear button up shirts, white pants and those leather shoes with the long toe part, call my chick "babe" and let the local Clapham charge me R20 a beer!

Skeg: Probably hitting a shooter and dancing with Ozzie at Clapham

Woogy: Probably break dancing to "its bigger than hip hop ..." on a piece of cardboard in the car park be-hind the Montclair spar with people who have names like Bubsy and Biggie 2 teeth.

How did all the band members meet? In a garage deep in the suburbs of Westville - what got us all to the garage was the internet.

What is the best place to eat in Durban? For bands and sweaty menbeasts, House of Curries on Florida Road is gem. But with a lady ... Green Man-go or perhaps Market.

Skeg: I don't have a huge appetite for places, but if I

did, I'd eat the Moses Mabida Station.

Where do you like to go and just hang out? A Cabana Pub or the Winston Pub for a beer, the Rev-olution Pavilion Skatepark for a carve, and the studio for fuzzy-tinkle times ...

Who writes the lyrics? Whoever is inspired at the time. That's why the topics and style vary from song to song.

What is your idea of creativity? Skeg: Sitting around with friends, having beers, and just talking the most random amount of shit possible. That’s how some of our best ideas have come about.

Ozzie: Hanging a light up at my place using an old Santa Cruz riser in lieu of no cup hook.

If Lowprofile was an animal, what would it be?A snail because we progress at about the same pace.

If you could perform live on stage with any fa-mous musician, who would it be? Frenzal Rhomb or The Flatliners!

If a movie was made about Lowprofile, what ac-tors would play each of you? Daniel Stern as Ozzie, Shaun Michaels as Woogy, Adrien Brody as Skeg and a cameo from Johnny Depp as Juan.

And lastly, what would be your preferred way of dying? Crushed to death at the bottom of a pile-on con-sisting of Natalie Portman, Megan Fox, Katy Perry, Zooey Deschanel, Heather Graham, Elisha Cuthbert, Evangeline Lily, Sherilyn Fenn, Kiera Knightley, Cobie Smulders and Kate Beckinsale.

interview

MEET jenny

Name and age:Jenny Lee, 28 Current Occupation: Administrator Dream Occupation: Travel Journalist Favourite movie: The Crow Which movie would you never even want your worse enemy to see: Twilight, Eclipse If your life had a soundtrack, what would the main song be: "She's a Star" by James If you could be a man for a day, what would you do: I would explore my body and try understand what makes me tick - so I can understand men better when I am a woman... Where would you most want to be right now: With my boyfriend at the pool drinking vodka

martinis with olives If you were a car what would you be and why: A Black M3 BMW convertible, because it's a car I have always loved, and it just looks like class. Your favourite thing to doodle: Possible tattoo designs Best farm yard animal: Donkey Which actress would you play you in the movie of your life: Drew Barrymore What three things can you not live without: My contact lenses, DKNY perfume, and my car What's the last thing you made: An awesome sandwich What's your secret superpower: Compassion and empathy Where do you go to find creativity: For a drive along the coast

interview

THE RANDOM INTERVIEWbecause we’re just as important

as celebrities

she’s a star

competition

TWO READERS TO WIN FREE COFFEE AT THE CORNER CAFE

Email your details to christine@justimaginethatdesigns.com

GOOD LUCK

Corner Cafe - saving the planet, one cappuccino at a timewww.thecornercafe.co.za

TWO LUCKY READERS TO WIN ONE WEEK FREE AT SHAPES FOR WOMEN IN GLENWOOD

Send your details to christine@justimaginethatdesigns.com

GOOD LUCK

Shapes - fun fast workouts for womenwww.shapesforwomen.co.za

WIN

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the mis-fits, the rebels, the troublemakers,

the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You

can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them

because they change things… they push the human race forward, and

while some may see them as the cra-zy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are

the ones who do.”

DO YOUR STAFF SEND OUT BUSINESS LETTERS CONTAINING SPELLING ERRORS? KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY IN AN EMAIL BUT NOT SURE HOW TO SAY IT?

ATTEND OUR

BUSINESS WRITING COURSE AND LEARN HOW TO WRITE LIKE A PROFESSIONAL!

In our rapidly-expanding business world, it is important to be able to clearly express your ideas to others. Our

Business Writing course is designed to achieve clear, effective communication through the proper use of the

written word. The course focuses on the different stages of the writing process, from planning correspondence

to achieving the desired reader effect.

COURSE OVERVIEW• Barriers to communication at work

• What is 'good' business writing?

• Audience - who are you writing for?

• Purpose, Format, Style - Know what they are and how to use them

• Common writing errors - Find and eliminate them

• Types of business correspondence - Email, Letters, Reports, Meeting documentation

UPCOMING COURSE

Date: Tues 8 March 2011

Time: 9.00 - 12.30

Venue: NKR boardroom, Suite 401, Cowey Park Building, Cowey (Problem Mhize) Rd

Fee: R500 per delegate

For IN-HOUSE COURSES, tailored to your organisation's needs, please contact us.

THE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT IS HERE!ATTEND OUR

PLAIN LANGUAGE WORKSHOPTO FIND OUT HOW TO WRITE FOR YOUR CONSUMER

The CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT (CPA) means that all consumer-related documents must be written in Plain Language – language that is easy for the consumer to understand. This means no complicated ‘legalese’ and no small print that can be seen as ‘tricking’ the consumer. To ensure that your documentation is compliant with the CPA, you need to understand the purpose of Plain Lan-guage writing and apply it to your consumer documents, emails, and advertisements. Our workshop will teach you Plain Language practices designed to ensure your relationship with the consumer is balanced and equal, as required by the CPA. Using Plain Language will also help you to communicate clearly with your target market, saving you time and money. WORKSHOP OVERVIEW:• The purpose of Plain Language• The Principles of Plain Language• Plain Language Templates• Writing for Your Consumer• Before and After Editing Tips UPCOMING WORKSHOP:Date: Tues 26 April 2011Time: 08.30 - 12.30Venue: NKR boardroom, Suite 401, 4th Floor, Cowey Park Building, Cowey (Problem Mhize) RdFee: R495 per delegate FACILITATOR:Waleska Saltori is a freelance editor and copywriter who specialises in corporate copy and business writing train-ing. With a Masters degree in English Studies and over ten years’ experience in adult education, she is passionate about skills training for the corporate environment. For in-house courses, tailored to your organisation's needs, please contact us.