picnic on the Katutura side at Goreangab Dam

you should play the second track "Water" off Teen Daze's "Beach Dreams" album.

On Sunday, I woke up to the unmistakable roar of A's cherrybomb exhaust pipe that the previous owner had inexplicably installed on his car, despite it not being a sports car at all. A. was outside the house, wanting to go meet up with Namibian friends at Goreangab dam. I had literally just rolled out of bed in my old T-shirt, and was still exhausted from clubbing till 4AM the night before, but I never turn down a chance to visit water and have a picnic, so I got dressed in record time and got in the car.

the park at Goreangab is pretty different from Avis, mainly because it's located by Katutura rather than Klein Windhoek. So instead of seeing rich old German couples walking their dogs and young Afrikaners going for jogs, Goreangab has loads of folks from Katutura, friends and families, braaiing up food in the picnic steel structures casting shade over the dirt floor, blasting African house music from their cars which they've pulled up close to the picnic tables, small children constantly begging for money and bottles, and self-employed entrepreneurs in suits going from table to table selling photoggraphs and biltong (mmm biltong). It's a good place to party on a Sunday afternoon in the summer.

At the picnic was the whole crowd of kids that work at the Ministry of Health, including L, P, T, and Tutu. they handed me a Windhoek lager and some spicy stew that Tutu had made. I have no idea what was in it or what kind of meat it was but it was delicious - I adore that woman. It was certainly a big contrast from the picnic we had at Avis Dam last weekend. It may not have been a beach on which to have beach dreams, but it was a great time, the kind of fun time that a music video might show friends having. Honestly, if i could just fill up my second summer of the year with Sunday picnics with great friends, I'll be happy.

pretend this is a music video of all the fun that friends have

the picnic area


the water
















L and I trying to be twins


eating biltong


A. being A.

all my friends shook it out

"i fall down to the ground
lay out your blanket,
the sand is a blanket over us
all the running we've done, all throughout our dreams
in everything we're gonna do because it's me and you...."
-Teen Daze, "Let's Fall Asleep Together"

is it snowing at home? listen to this song and think about the sun.

i'm really into songs that are about hanging out with your friends, maybe because i've been missing all my friends back at home lately. if my band ever makes a music video, it's going to be about me and all my friends and all the fun we're having, so that other people watching the music video will wish they were with their friends having the kind of fun we're having, instead of sitting there alone watching my music video.

Sunday afternoon, I was in the mood to get together with all my friends and have some fun, probably because I had spent most of the weekend hiding in the dark of my room alone playing the guitar and recording new music. I mean, to be fair, that's generally what I prefer to be doing, and it wasn't like I was capable of doing much else - for days I had been trying to ignore the fact that I had obvious signs of either food poisoning or a stomch bug, but by the weekend I had to give up the Chuck Norris facade and had to give in, stop drinking beer, and stay home.

I digress. By Sunday afternoon, I emerged from my cave, ready to be social again. A bunch of us piled into Andrew and Julia's cars and drove over to Avis Dam for a sunny Sunday afternoon hike and picnic.



the beautiful sparkling Avis Dam


It was a lovely hike, where we met all sorts of friendly folks walking their dogs, fishing with their families, diving off high points into the water with friends. We found ourselves a pretty spot by the water and treated ourselves to a giant picnic feast and wine. of which I only ate bread, bananas, and apple juice, because i was still on a BRAT diet. i played Sufjan Stevens on my iPod, and we lounged as the sun went down, watching the other kids chase their fishing poles into the water and pull out giant fish.


okay, now play this song by the Pains of Being Pure At Heart, and scroll down and pretend that these photos are a music video of all my friends having a lot of fun


kids diving into the water




the feast i could not eat


claudia and i


dean aspiring to be andrew


gloria trying to blend in with the boys

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"all my friends shook it out..."




i love picnics. they are my favourite social activity, combining my love of the outdoors, food, company, and non-commercial establishments. my favourite dates with rob are when we pick up sandwiches at the Italian grocery store and then eat on the grassy hill at the Aboretum of the Experimental farm. If only I could bring all my friends back at home over to this new city I've found. There are so many beautiful places to watch the sun go down.




each shade of blue is kept in her eyes
keep blowing and lighting
because we own the sky
-M83

MORE MUSIC VIDEOS OF FRIENDS HANGING OUT AND HAVING FUN


Great Bloomers, "Catching Up"


My Dad vs Yours, "Happy Wanderer/Carry the Weight" (the fun begins at 2:45)


No Joy, "Hawaii" (probably not safe for work)