It seems worth the wait

I've had to learn to be very patient over the years. From having to wait weeks to go home when I was in hostel at school, or attempting to save for that special item and so the list can go on.

The latest test in patience extended itself into the realm of our wedding plans. The first major deadline that has to met is the venue and date. In that order! Both Marisa and I are steering for 24 February next year. We made a provisional booking 2 Fridays ago and tomorrow is the deadline for paying a deposit to secure the venue. Marisa's folks have taken on the task of paying for the major expenses that will be incurred. Reaction time is however a factor. But there's a silver lining...our deposit is to be paid tomorrow morning! :) Praise God!! Prayer does work.

The major items that need to be arranged for the wedding have not been looked at very seriously yet. Can't really book people and stuff if you don't have a time and place to put them all!!

The potential project that I spoke of promises to be very interesting. Won't go into too much detail lest the industrial spies grab my ideas!! We're looking into a call-center system. Hopefully we can develop the idea to the point where we totally undercut the existing sellers and also produce a very competitive and quality product. While still making a ton of money for ourselves!! No other reason why one would go into business I guess. Even charities aim to make money - if not for themselves then for the people that they are serving.

The other idea that we touched on was a pet idea of mine that the above project's initiator was also sharing. Home automation is a concept that I believe people would find very useful. The ideas in my head are swimming around as if in a whirl-pool. Need to organise my thoughts on this.

The old Masters study bug seems to have bitten me again. I've attempted to study a Masters twice now without much success in getting into the course. I believe the reason for the turn downs have something to do with the fact that I needed to write a Dean's exam for one of my subjects. This is the exam you get when you have passed everything except this ONE subject. Then you get to request this exam. My final year project wasn't too bad. And my other subjects were all passes. I really want to do the course. I know it'll bother me if I don't do it.

Time does teach one many lessons. The type of fields of research that I would consider going into now differ quite vastly from that which I would have done had I started my Masters course immediately after my undergrad years. So perhaps there are reasons for everything.

When my ship comes in...

This last week has been rather eventful. My sister arrived precisely four hours after she was supposed to. Thanks to the bus company! Won't go into that again...

Megan (my sister) is due to leave on Sunday evening. This is first time that she has spent any time exclusively with me (and Marisa and my brother's girlfriend). She's a hit among my friends and is by far the easiest guest that anybody would ever hope for.

This weekend will hopefully prove to be the start of what might be the beginning of something great. I go to the doctor tomorrow for a check-up on my rather smelly feet!! Marisa and my sister have complained enough that the decision was made to send me. It might do some good. But that's not the big and interesting news. :) There's potential for myself and a friend to work on a project together. It looks like it could turn into something big.

Last year I had the unfortunate experience of not having too much to do at work. Somewhere around November my actual work dried up and I had to find something to keep myself busy with. Not too pleasant. This carried on for about 4 months. Then I was assigned to a project that promised light at the end of my very long and dark tunnel. Its a boat design project where I'm responsible for the control system thereof.

When I tell people that is what I am doing and that we sometimes go out to dams to test the scaled-down model of the boat then you realise how cool this work actually is. Problem is this...the project sounds awesome, almost like science fiction. But on the ground level you have to deal with the issues that make up this project. I haven't had a team leader or supervisor for about 4 months. I don't need a babysitter, but a bit of structured guidance never hurt anyone.

Enough moaning! Well...just one more gripe!! I'm sort of finished with the current phase of development. Testing is busy taking place. But when we're not testing...I need to find something else to keep myself busy with. Wedding planning and catching up on correspondence comes to mind. As well as extensive "research"!! :)

Down with the bus

Bus companies have the annoying habit of never being on time (or rarely ever).

My sister is supposed to come visit us. She's going to stay with Marisa. The bus that she's travelling on is now 4hours late!!! If this were an airline there would be chaos. People would be asking for refunds and bitching at the ticket offices. With busses however, you're supposed to accept this as an inconvenient fact of life. Airlines go through stringent checks on their planes, servicing, maintenence, etc. Does this not happen with busses? They seem to frequently break down. Do they not know their routes by now? When the busses are late you have to sit and wait patiently like a good little sheep; not complaining, because then you would be causing a scene. And heaven forbid that you voice your distaste!

We're going to check out a wine farm this afternoon. We've been told that it is an excellent venue to hold a wedding ceremony as well as a reception. Will take some pics and post later. The place is called Morgenhof Wine Estate. The "Hof" ending to the name has produced a few chuckles! :)