Two Bits – August 8

Can you believe it’s August already? Time is not an absolute thing. It speeds up as you get older – the months are shorter and the years fly by. Why does it seem like Christmas 2013 was just last week when, as a child, it seemed to take ages to arrive?

The psychologists say the reason why it appears that way, is because our early years are full of first-time events – your first date, the birth of your first child, that first holiday overseas, etc. First occasions are novel events and we tend to make more detailed and lasting memories of those first times. When we repeat the event, year after year, it is less likely to make a unique or lasting impression.

That new romance? Seems like an eternity between those early telephone calls, but before you know it, it’s your 20th anniversary. I still clearly remember my first job, how much I learned there and still remember the names of most of my colleagues. Interestingly, it was for less than two years but felt much longer.

Psychologists suggest that the key to slowing down the pace of life is, as much as possible, to take advantage of new and unique experiences. When we go to the same places and do the same things, we don’t make distinct memories and time seems to fly by. A book I dipped into recently (The Time Paradox) suggests focusing on positive (rather than negative) past memories, trying to live more in the present and holding a positive perception of the future – envisioning a future full of hope and optimism. In other words, use time wisely.

If you want the weekend to go slowly, don’t spend time resting and watching TV. Instead fill it with new experiences and by Sunday night you will look back and the weekend will seem long. Next time you have friends around for Sunday lunch, take a moment to slow down, enjoy time with your family and friends.

* * *

I recall another newspaper quoting the builders of the new N2 Ballito interchange that it would be finished by the end of July. They just didn’t say which year, because that was three years ago!

Well, Stefanutti Stocks told us last month it would be largely finished by month end (this year), and I am so impressed that they have actually kept their word. So the bridge itself is now (almost) complete, but the three lanes narrow abruptly to one opposite the new Virgin gym, so life is still one long wait. Last Friday lunchtime it took me 30 minutes for the two kilometres, give or take, from the highway to my office. But, it must be worse for pedestrians, so I do hope they remember to put in wide pavements before all this is over.

After trumpeting that they had found a new site for the taxi rank, the municipality has gone schtumm on what’s happening on that front. The present temporary site alongside the info centre is a great improvement over where it was, but there is a real need for a temporary ablution block there while they humm and haw over what to do next.

* * *

The digital world has become an important part of our overall communications strategy and we continue to work hard to beef up our offering online, in addition to newsfeeds through Facebook, BBM and Twitter.

Last month we recorded more than 25 000 unique visitors to the North Coast Courier website. The main traffic is of course from within South Africa, but there are regular visitors from most every country in the world. Probably emigrants pining for news of the Dolphin Coast and people away on business, calling in for their fix of local.

If you haven’t looked at us lately, we’ve added up-to-the-minute currency exchange rates, national news, second-hand cars, bikes and trucks through Autodealer and price comparisons through Dealfinder.

Another big new plus under the “International” tab – all the latest stories from around the world by the AFP news agency.

We’re aiming to make the Courier website your one-stop site for local, national and international news, plus loads more. Log on to northcoastcourier.co.za today. Make us your home page and never be in the dark again!

* * *

Reader GV Naidoo contributed today’s joke:

Two gentlemen are having their beer, each one maintaining theirs is the best beer in the world. One was drinking local and the other, imported beer.

Their bragging reached boiling point and they were about to come to blows. The barman intervened, produced two small bottles and said he would send a sample of each beer to the government analyst in Pretoria for a report on which was the best beer.

Two weeks later he received a short email from the government vet: “Both horses unfit for duty.”