Sunday, 18 August 2013

Just one of those things

Generally I'm the strong person. The one that everyone turns to. And I love it. I truly believe that it is my calling to be an ear when people need someone and to be the strength for those that cannot hold themselves up. Someone even asked me just a couple of days ago if I ever get sad or mad. I guess I'm answering that question right now.

Even I have my moments when I just want to crumble.

I tend to take on a lot of what those around me are feeling. When my friends suffer, I suffer for them, when they need to scream I will lose my voice. Perhaps this isn't the most rational way are dealing with things and it may not necessarily healthy, but it's who I am.

Today, I reached that point of absolute saturation. I have a statistics test, I have other work, duties, responsibilities and time is screaming past me in a blur. I give time to all my friends and I don't judge or turn my back on people who perhaps need a wake up call.

And then I just stopped.

I got to church and just went straight into conversation with God. I was angry, worried and exhausted and by the end of the service my emotions were obviously clearly visible because I was embraced by love and hugs from everyone.

So here's a little insight into me that only a few know. It takes a lot to get me really down like a lot and it takes even more for me to share it with other people. Writing this blog post is even a challenge for me, but what's life without a challenge.

 I hate feeling like a burden and I know that other people suffer from a great deal more than I do. Yet there are those people that my guard falls down around and they are people I cherish most in my life. And the common denominator in all of us is our love of God. It is one of the most comforting things to see God in your relationships with people, to share in Gods strength. It is like a warm blanket that holds us together in ways that we may not even understand.

Lesley, Mona and Namso you are some very special human beans* and you were complaining that I haven't mentioned you in a blog post yet so here is a super special one to be mentioned in. The fact that you don't even wait for me to open up and just bombard me with hugs and questions is something that I am incredibly grateful for. You allow me to have my moments and just let go. I admire you all in unique ways and you are all beautiful women of God. You're cool, you can stay :)

I guess what I continue to learn in life is that we really cannot do it all alone. It sounds ridiculously cliched, but there it is. Even the strongest people have their cracks and bruises.

Don't get me wrong I most certainly plan to bounce back (momentum is already building) and perhaps it is these low moments that make us appreciate the joy and love that we experience every other day.  

Have a good week everyone.






Thursday, 15 August 2013

***Snapshots***

So I'm pretty keen on photography and here are just a few cool shots I've taken in the last year. These are shots I have taken in cool places I visit in nature. I am by no means a professional. I just learn as I go.
My sister Tamryn, in a field at sunset. Newcastle Kwa-Zulu Natal

Sunset in Newcastle. Small town life

Apparently I have a thing for sunsets

Rawdons Hotel on the Midlands Meander

Row boat at Rawdons Hotel on the Midlands Meander



Pathway at Hogsback Eastern Cape

An old fallen tree, Hogsback Eastern Cape



Sunlight through the trees, Hogsback Eastern Cape
Mountains through the flowers, Hogsback Eastern Cape
Random dude surfing, Blythedale Kwa-Zulu Natal

Displacement Activity

This week I have had a ridiculous amount of work and yet there are just so many ways I waste time. Here's a little of what I got up to.  

Number one most distracting thing: FACEBOOK


Buy myself a giant ball and name it Channing
Try and balance on the giant ball
Place every item of stupid clothing on at the same time
Stare at my self in the mirror (excuse the hair)

Consider cleaning my shelf
Consider cleaning my draw
Go back to my computer and look at Buzzfeed



Watch good looking British kids on YouTube
Tweet about wasting time

Stare out my window
Stare at my pinboard



Consider the chemical makeup of tea

Draw pretty flower on my to-do list



Draw lines on my calender
Add, taking a nap
Drinking coffee with friends
Dancing around to some music
Stalking photography pages

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S THURSDAY.

Now stop wasting time on this blog and go work.

Monday, 12 August 2013

Riveting Conversation

So this morning I had breakfast with Paul Daniels II/ P.D./ P. Diddy/ Paul. He made me get up super early on a cold morning, but hey there ain't no rest for the wicked. Anyway one of the things he said to me was that he hated small talk and likes to try and have meaningful conversation with everyone.

Well, that was fine with me. I suck at small talk.

But it got me thinking.

In the fast pace life we live a lot of our conversations are superficial and while we may see someone everyday we may not even really know them. What is their opinion about current affairs, religion, politics, the food that they are eating? Instead we get, "hi", "fine", "cool", "chilled", "I dunno", "whatever", "hmmm", "umm" "sigh", which all means what exactly?

I have said this to my friends before, that the days I have the deepest conversations are the days I go to bed feeling like I have achieved something.

Now this whole 'deep' conversation is not easy, believe me. One: you have to know what topic will get the best conversation flowing and then you have to have a few grains of knowledge to rub together or at least be able to fake it or things could get very awkward very quickly (cue the cricket squeaking).

Being able to talk to people opens up our world to experiences and knowledge that we would otherwise be oblivious to. Stories from the past, interesting facts, ideas, experiments, philosophical theories and ways of thinking that are completely different from ours.

I'll try set your mind at ease, a conversation takes two or more people (unless...nevermind) so you are never alone, and people around you are great sounding boards for ideas that you may think are completely crazy. We just have to be brave enough to bring up the topic.

This is one of those times that I have to take my own advice. As someone who can't even phone in a pizza order, due to an unnatural fear of talking to strangers on the phone, I sometimes find it difficult to maintain conversation with strangers in person. But (and this is me attempting to be deep)  maybe our first conversations are the start of the deep ones. They all have to start somewhere.

Ok I'm done rambling about talking and now I'm going to get me some human contact. Carry on.


Friday, 9 August 2013

What do you think?



So my friend showed me this first video, and at first I thought it was funny and then I got a little offended and then just embarrassed. I'm not sure I appreciate this portrayal of the Christian faith and what a 'awesome' Christian is. I found a couple of similar videos. What do you think?





                  This last video is kinda funny simply because the voice-over and the video is terrible

Wednesday, 7 August 2013

Animal Madness

If you know me you will know that I love animals, so I thought I would share some of the cute/funny stuff I have seen lately.

Sometimes humans are just boring.

http://travel.howzit.msn.com/the-happiest-faces-in-the-animal-kingdom#scpshrjwfbs

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/ayasakai-japanese-boy-bulldog

From 9gag






Zandile Update

It has been almost two months since I saw Zandile last. With exams and then holidays we have been unable to make it out to visit her, until now.

I went to spend some time with her on Monday and she was the most responsive I have ever seen her. In fact she smiled at me for the first time ever. This may seem insignificant, but just to know that she recognises you and that she can express her emotions is a HUGE step in the right direction. My day was made.

However, on a sad note, her special wheelchair is broken and she is being held onto it by being tied to it with a jersey. This is not ideal at all and not the way anyone should have to live. The caregiver says they are only expecting to get another chair in 2015. That's 2 YEARS. Hopefully we can try and make a plan. On top of this, because of her spasms her right hand flies towards her face and she is now cutting the side of face, even with short nails. She has scars all over the right side of her face that weren't there before. This is concerning and I suggested that they should put a soft glove on her hand while she sleeps so that she cannot cut herself.

So this is just an update. I am hoping that the next semester bring more progress and development with her and with our relationship with her.