After spending her student days at political rallies, campus newspapers, and in lecture halls, and after an extended overseas working holiday, Carien du Plessis started newspaper reporting in 2003, pissing off (the issue of female dogs apply here) and even pleasing some of her subjects. In 2011 she crossed the floor to work for the Daily Maverick and in November 2011 she became senior political reporter at City Press. Follow her on Twitter at @carienduplessis.