Watch this Space

According to Wiktionary Watch this space is an (idiomatic) an indication that a development will follow. Watch this space is something that you say which means that you think there will soon be exciting changes in a situation, i.e. I have plans for my career. Watch this space.

I honestly think that the Cape Town stadium (Green Point) seriously needs a Watch this space moment. Somehow a really good strategy has to be thought out and implemented in order to save the beautiful stadium and to prevent having to depend on Cape Town citizens to pay for the stadium via tax. If only the individuals who are in charge of the stadium and all affiliations to it could just go the extra mile to come up with some good ideas all will go well. i.e. They could arrange that more local games be played at the stadium and charge the spectators a small entry fee, local rugby matches could even be played there and spectators could be charged to enter as well and fundraising events could be held at the stadium. Once the individuals who are in charge of the stadium and its well being would come up with a few efficient strategies the stadium might just be able to have its own “watch this space” moment.



My favourite Cat in the Hat book

To be honest, I have never read a single Cat in the Hat book. This might come as a surprise to most people but yes, it is the truth. I have no idea what the Cat in the Hat books are about, who the characters are and what the aim of the books are. The only thing I do know is that the books are published for kids and there was a movie/s made as well.


Even though I am all grown up now I will still see that I make an effort to read one of the well known Cat in the Hat books. Maybe then I’ll understand why it is as popular as it is.



My big fat BIG dream

Last night I had a dream, I’ve named it “my big fat BIG dream.” I dreamt that I was in this world that was so different to the one I currently live in. I was huge, both in length and width. I lived in a castle, a huge face brick castle. It was beautiful and had everything in it that I would ever need and want, from a tennis court to a beauty salon. It had all the food and luxuries in the world in it. That’s probably why I was that big. Even though I had this huge castle with so many material things in it I was still very unhappy. It was just me, myself and I in this castle of mine. There were no friends or family in sight. What a lonely life!

Thank goodness I woke up eventually realising that it was all just a big fat big dream. It made me realise that what I have right now is all I need, and that it is pointless gaining the whole world and loosing the things that are important in life such as family and friends. I’m actually grateful that I had this big fat big dream as it has helped me remind myself of who I am and kicked in some more humility. Thank God it was all just a big fat BIG dream!



Conventional is a good fallback position isn’t it?

Many individuals do not like coming out of their comfort zones. Sometimes it’s good to make a change, but individuals feel safer when going the conventional route.

We become so accustomed to doing things a certain way and end up being too afraid to try doing things differently. I believe that in life it is important to try new things and new ways of doing things. Doing the same thing over and over becomes boring even though sometimes we do not want to admit it to ourselves. But change is good! Why not explore all aspects of life and do something you’ve never done before? After all you never know if you’re still going to be on this earth tomorrow....



You cannot chase two rabbits at the same time

This statement is probably partly true. It is probably rather difficult to run after two really fast rabbits at the same time trying to catch them. I’d probably go crazy.

On the other hand if one relates this statement to goals in life I’d disagree. It is possible to chase more than one rabbit at the same time in this sense. The important thing is staying focused, and also not trying to embark in too much at once. Many a times there are individuals who are able to multi-task, i.e. an individual could be a business person who studies music at the same time.

I have learnt that as a PR person it is essential to be able to complete more than one task at the same time. If you’re unable to multi-task it will be very hard to be successful in this particular industry.

 

“Nothing is more dangerous than an idea, when you only have one idea” (Alain)

I fully agree with the above statement. An idea refers to a person’s thought or concept. In today’s world individuals come up with various ideas and there is a continuous competition taking place as far as ideas are concerned. Who is able to come up with the newest, convenient, reliable and most unique item? Who is going to invent the next best thing? Even cars, planes, microwaves and ghd’s all started with an idea. It was not the first idea that made these new items a success. It took idea number one, two and possibly three to create an item that would make its customers happy.


It is always good to have a plan A and plan B when one has an idea, no matter what it is for. The reason for this is that plan A is not always bound to work out as planned. Therefore, having something to fall back on is always good. Having a one idea is dangerous. In the end two or more is always better than one.

Have you figured out the second head fake?

I simply love the fact that an individual who was faced with such a tragic illness was still able to stand boldly in front of people and speak positive and meaningful facts in their lives.

Randy Pausch’s last lecture has impacted many individuals lives in a positive manner. There are many lessons that could be learnt from it.
It is important that we strive to live each day to the fullest, not letting any circumstance that comes our way get us down. Life will not always be smooth sailing, but it is how we choose to deal with the difficult situations that matters. I firmly believe in living each day as if it is my last.

I have chosen to do the following daily:

• Have as much fun as possible

• Dance as much as I can

• Sing as much as I can

• Strive to go out of my way to help whomever I can

• Believe in myself at all times

• Keep on smilling

• Laugh as much as possible

• Do things that make me happy and not others





How hard is it to follow instructions?

Sometimes I wonder how certain individuals get it right to ignore or find it difficult to follow certain instructions that have been given to them. I can imagine how teachers and lecturers feel about this particular topic. Giving scholars and students instructions and experiencing how they are still able to complete a certain task without doing what they were instructed to do, this could be rather frustrating.


Having to follow instructions is not always fun but they are essential because they help things to turn out better. They also help to keep us safe, and they help us to make and do some really awesome things.

Many times we do not like being told what to do. We might be in a hurry or sometimes we would prefer to do things our way. In the end it is better to follow instructions if it was given to you or if you receive it in a manual when a new item is bought.





“Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read” (Frank Zappa)

According to Frank Zappa, "Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read." So what exactly does this statement mean?

It is evident that not everyone enjoys rock music. Rock music is definitely in a league of its own. It could be described as an “all over the place” genre, most of the time it is unstructured. My understanding of Frank Zappa’s statement is that it does not take an excellent individual to pull off rock journalism efficiently. Being a rock journalist is totally different to being an ordinary music journalist. The ordinary music journalist would review the latest Jazz or classical album to hit stores, over coffee in front of the fire, whereas the rock journalist would rather like to find out by personal experience by attending a rock concert alongside another fifty thousand rock-heads. Therefore, rock journalism is in a league of its own. It is unstructured, random and not a brain wrecker.



My top 200 achievements

1. Entering this world on the 11 June 1987.


2. Being blessed with the wonderful parents that I have.

3. Being part of a lovely family.

4. Being given the wonderful name that I have.

5. Being dedicated.

6. Starting to crawl after months of just being on the arms of loved ones and family friends.

7. Beginning to walk in my walking ring.

8. Having the ability to walk without the support of a walking ring or any other support object.

9. My first proper word (one that actually exists).

10. Getting rid of nappies.

11. Getting rid of the bottle.

12. Getting rid of the dummy.

13. Being able to eat my food by myself.

14. Being accepted at Crèche.

15. Progressing to Pre-school.

16. Being accepted at Excelsior Primary school.

17. Going to Grade 1.

18. Passing Grade 1.

19. Passing Grade 2

20. Being part of the school choir.

21. Passing Grade 3.

22. Joining the under 12B Netball team at school.

23. Taking part in a church production as a singer.

24. Passing Grade 4.

25. Being part of the under 13A Hockey team at school.

26. Passing Grade 5.

27. Passing Grade 6

28. Having had the ability to go on a hockey tour to Caledon with the under 15A girls hockey team.

29. Passing Grade 7.

30. Being accepted at Monument Park High School.

31. Joining the under 16A Hockey Team.

32. Becoming head cheer leader in Grade 12.

33. Passing High School.

34. Being accepted at CPUT.

35. Receiving a distinction for Spanish (first year subject).

36. Receiving a certificate for Spanish (first year subject).

37. Being nominated as a candidate for Co-Op student of the year (third year).

38. Graduating in April 2010.

39. Being accepted to do my Btech - Degree.

And the list goes on and on, but I will not continue any further as I think that is enough for now. We all have achieved certain things in life that we could/should be proud of. What are your achievements and have you ever thought about how these achievements have impacted your life?



Andy Warhol said, “In the future everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes.” You can’t choose the fifteen minutes but why would you be world famous?

I would be famous for taking a stand and releasing the truth into the atmosphere. The truth that this nation needs to hear and be aware of. This truth is the truth that will set people free from bondages, this truth is so important to us as human beings. That truth that I am talking about is that we all need to live a life that is pleasing to God. We need to take a stand and be willing to give our hearts and every single ounce of our being to God.

While proclaiming this truth it is actually not me who would be made famous, because that is not the aim. My aim is to make the Almighty, the Most High God famous. Not that He needs to be made famous as He already is the most powerful. My desire is for people to open up their eyes and realise that they need to acknowledge that there is no Higher power, for them to realise that in order to live a prosperous life we all need God to be the foundation of it.



A skill set called leadership

Leadership is the process by which an individual has the ability to impact others positively in order to reach a specific goal or objective. Not everyone is born a leader but if you have the desire and you put your mind to it you are able to become an effective leader. Some individuals are better at following somebody else’s lead, whereas others are natural born leaders. Having the opportunity to be a leader (whether it is at school, varsity, work, church or for a project) is a good thing for individuals who have the ability to guide their team members. However, one has to make the most of this opportunity. It is important to lead by example, a leader that expects his/her followers to act in a certain manner or do a certain thing but does not display an example of this is a hypocrite.


A good leader has the ability to inspire their team members into a higher level of teamwork. They also continuously strive to improve their leadership skills. As a leader one should have an honest understanding of exactly who you are. You also need to be aware of what you know and what you are able to do. Followers will not perform well if they do not have confidence in their leader and in order for them to be confidence in their leader, the leader has to have confidence in them self first.

Our greatest strenghts are our greatest weaknessess.

After reading the heading for this blog I realised that this statement is true. Often we don’t even realise that our greatest strengths could be our greatest weakness. In many cases individuals use their strengths in the wrong way and this could lead to a negative impact on a situation. For example, there are numerous occasions where people who are in ‘high’ positions within an organisation or people who possess a lot of power use it in the wrong way. In this way their greatest strength which is their position or education becomes their greatest weakness.

Another example that comes to mind is if an individual is a peoples person, someone who strives to look out for the best interest of others, sometimes even putting others before themselves. This individual might care so much about the well-being of their friends, family and maybe even people that they interact with daily whether it is at school, varsity or their work colleagues, that they put these people first and really go out of their way to be good to others and at the end of the day these very same people that they strive to look out for are the ones who end up hurting this individual. In this way that strength becomes a weakness because in the end these people have the ability to walk all over this person.

Each and every one of us are different and we all have different strengths. However, it is important that we learn to use our strengths positively and not allow other people to take advantage of the strengths that God has blessed us with.

When 2010 comes to and end.

It’s really amazing how fast this year is going bye. It felt like it was just the other day that I registered to do my B-Tech at the beginning of this year. At this moment I really wish I knew where I am going to end up next year. I can’t help but wonder whether I’ll be studying further, working for a corporate organisation in South Africa, working overseas or starting my own business. All I know is that I will be a success and I’ll definitely have the answer to my question when 2010 comes to an end.


I’m sure that many of my fellow class mates are in the same space that I am right now. Wondering exactly where they’re going to end up next year. Yesterday, I started thinking about the past year and how we all have become used to seeing each other in class and I even started to think about the past three years that we’ve studied together. How we’ve grown in so many ways, the many life lessons we’ve learnt and the knowledge we’ve gained. It’s just so mind boggling how the time has just flown bye. I keep on wanting to pinch myself just so that I know that I am not dreaming and that I am awake.

At least I know that I have accomplished one of my goals in life, I would have studied for four years at the end of this year and I actually finished my course without dropping out or just giving up. So right now I’m pleased with myself because I know that when I strive to do something I do it to the best of my ability. I know that when 2010 comes to an end new opportunities, challengers and ventures will begin!

 

What motivates me?

The fact that I know that I have God in my life and just knowing that through Him I can do anything because it’s Him who gives me strength to accomplish my dreams is the main thing that keeps me motivated. Knowing what my goals are in life is also one of the many things that motivates me. By me knowing exactly where I’d like to end up one day and what I’d like to accomplish in life automatically causes me to steer towards my dreams, goals and my vision in life. If a person does not have a vision in life he/she will simply have no clue where they are going and would not be motivated.

I firmly believe that family is very important in one’s life. My family has been there for me through thick and thin. No matter what they’ll always be there for me. It’s my family that help motivate me when they say things like, “don’t worry” or “you did really well, keep up the good work”. Then of course there are those really trustworthy, reliable friends who also motivate me. Helping by steering me towards my goal and encouraging me when I feel really far from where I’d like to be, or simply when I just feel a bit negative about a situation.

Another important thing that motivates me is the fact that I know who I am and what I stand for, knowing my morals and values, not compromising these values and morals which I have. This makes me proud to be who I am and keeps me motivated because I know that I respect myself and others and therefore I will go far in life because I do not allow myself to be influenced by others and I stick to working towards my goals and dreams.

The 10 most unexpected consequences of being online

1. Going online looking for a something specific and ending up googling something completely different.

2. Telling oneself that “I am only going to be online for a few minutes” and then you end up surfing the net for hours.

3. When you’re on a site and all of a sudden you see a pop up on the screen stating that you’ve won $ 10 million and even though you keep trying to cancel it, it keeps popping up.

4. Meeting someone by chatting to them online and then finding out that they are a stalker.

5. Spending so much time on the internet thinking that your bill at the end of the month will not be that much, but then the bill comes and you figure out that you thought wrong.

6. Doing research for an important assignment on the last minute and then all of a sudden the following words appear on your screen, “Internet Explorer is unable to connect”.

7. Entering personal information into a site that claims to be legible and then finding out that you’ve been scammed.

8. Thinking that you are going to find specific information on Google fast but then you discover that it somehow is not giving you the correct information that you want.

9. Receiving emails from strange organisations and then trying to figure out how on earth they found your email address.

10. Becoming addicted to the internet.

The elephant in the room

Sometimes there are important and obvious topics which people are aware of but they do not discuss it at all due to the fact that such a discussion is considered to be uncomfortable. People just decide to ignore the important topic or issue just to avoid any awkwardness. At the end of the day it is better to confront any important topic even though it is going to create a sphere of awkwardness.

In some cases people might have issues with each other or they might be offended by something that the other person has done, but instead of opening their mouths and saying exactly how they feel they decide to sweep it under the carpet and have a negative attitude towards the other person. At the end of the day doing this just makes matters even worse than it already is. In other instances there are people who automatically decide to ignore important things that need to be discussed and beat around the bush or just do not mention it at all. People tend to avoid addressing important issues or topics.

I think the reason why some people do this is simply because of stubbornness. They feel that they are not the ones who are responsible for making the first move. I would advise any person who is aware of an important and obvious topic that they are aware of to address it even though they know that they are going to feel out of place whilst doing so. Instead of ignoring something important that has to be discussed and brushing it off, why not just let the big fat elephant in the room out?

Family

Just the other day I sat and wondered what life would be like without family. Would it be as filled with joyous occasions and laughter if we were to live without family? Would there be as many arguments and struggles? At the end of the day if you think of it, it’s our family that helps us through difficult and trying times. I don’t know what life would be like without family.


When I think of family I think of many generations. It’s like an onion, many different layers. Family is the same, there are many layers of family members. And all those layers make up one whole strong onion. And as soon as you try and chop up one of the layers or just a piece of it, your eyes will burn. That’s how families are, they stand together and support one another. And as soon as anyone tries to mess with a member of the family they will end up in tears.

Many individuals tend to take their family members for granted. They do not realise how fortunate they are to have a family and just see it as a normal, every day, “so what” thing. It’s important that we spend as much time with our families as we can and we should also make them aware of the fact that they are greatly appreciated. In the end blood is thicker than water….

The Bigger Picture

Today is just one of those days where I am sitting and pondering, so many thoughts running through my head at the moment. I’m wondering when people will eventually get the bigger picture. When will human beings realise that there is more to life than fame, money, popularity, partying, drinking, living reckless lives and thinking that the way they’ve been living is acceptable? I truly hope that every single person would stop for a moment, even if it’s just for a second. I hope that people will come to the realisation that tomorrow is not promised. We each have a purpose on this earth and we need to realise that living a life that is reckless and full of irresponsible decisions is not part of that purpose.

There’s more to life than just waking up in the morning and going to bed at night. When was the last time you showed someone an ounce of kindness? When was the last time you were more than willing to help someone in need? Whether it be a homeless person out on the streets in this unbearably cold weather or a close friend who simply needs you. In life we truly need to see the bigger picture, we need to realise that everything that we do in life should not just be to our benefit but we should strive to help others. We should show kindness to others, let those close to us know that they are loved, cared for and appreciated. After all, tomorrow is not promised so how will they know if we don’t tell them?

Many people are too concerned about things that aren’t important such as partying and living a life that is filled with ‘temporary feel good moments’ which in the end could lead you to make decisions that are irresponsible. So my question for you is when will you see the Bigger picture?

 

Winter warmers

This winter has probably been one of Cape Town’s coldest thus far. And keeping warm in these weather conditions is essential. I truly believe that winter is a wonderful season, even though it is the coldest season of the year. Even though winter has its disadvantages there are also many advantages. During this season there are many things that could be done. Most individuals prefer staying indoors during this season because of the cold whilst others are fine with going out as usual. There are many fun, exciting and relaxing activities to keep oneself occupied with when staying indoors. These activities include partaking in various exciting board games, watching movies, reading books, trying out new winter recipes and relaxing in front of the fire place with a lovely warm cup of hot chocolate.


Each of us have our different preferences when it comes to keeping warm and busy during the winter season. My personal favourite winter warmers are relaxing in front of the fire place; watching movies underneath warm blankets; cooking delicious warm dishes, layering myself with clothing; turning on my electric blanket when I get into bed, playing board games with friends and family; drinking lots of hot chocolate with marshmallows in it and exercising.

Winter is the perfect opportunity to spend loads of time with family and friends. But keeping warm is certainly the most important during this season. In cold weather, layered clothing is essential. I personally believe that one should wear at least three layers of clothing. Eating warming foods is also good during winter. This covers a large spectrum of foods. As you’ve read and already know there are many winter warmer tips which we could use. So don’t forget to keep warm!

Don't forget to dream.....

It is very important that one has a dream. When you have a dream you have a destiny. And possessing ambition and striving to reach that dream is important. Life throws many curve balls our way. Many people are disappointed on a regular basis. But the big question that remains is, “How will you handle the pressures of life?” Will we just give up our dreams and hearts desires because of certain difficulties which we face, or will we get up and persevere?

At the end of the day what you put in whilst striving to reach your dream is what you’ll get out.In order to go far in life and to reach your dreams you need to have a positive attitude. You need to see yourself in a positive light. The way you walk, talk, act and carry yourself is a reflection of who you think you are. It is also important to look after yourself, how can anyone else treat you right if you don’t treat yourself right. If you think of it, the manner in which you treat a vessel or object is based on your perception of it. I.e. if a ring is valuable to you, you would cherish and look after it to the best of your ability. The same goes for oneself, you treat yourself based on your perception of yourself. Therefore, in many circumstances perception is more powerful than reality.


Identify what you think of yourself and how you perceive yourself. Always do something to move closer to your dream and destiny. Even though life may be full of trials and it may take as much as it likes from you but it can’t take your dream. So don’t miss your moment but live it!

Try a Cliché

There are quite a few sites that encourage individuals to make use of or to simply try out a cliche. To be completely honest I am not one of those individuals who make use of cliches on a regular basis. In fact I can’t even remember when last I used one. But then again sometimes it becomes such a norm to certain individuals that you do not even realise that you’re making use of cliches as many times as certain people do.

It was rather interesting to discover how many cites encourage us to make use of all the many sayings it possesses. One of the sites which I visited is called ClichéSite.com, the site contains a whole bunch of different cliches, Euphemisms and figures of speech. The site has various different categories that you can choose from such as, Aging; Beauty, Children, Business, Jealousy, Hope and Death etc. So once you enter this site it is As Easy as Pie to find whatever you are looking for. You can either just search for the cliche or saying that you are looking for or you can choose from the list which is provided.

One of the definitions of cliches which I came across is a definition by Richard Nordquist’s. His definition is as follows; ‘A trite expression, often a figure of speech whose effectiveness has been worn out through overuse and excessive familiarity. Cliches have become such a norm or shall I rather say that it has become such an everyday thing. I think it adds some spice to a conversation, it makes it much more interesting. So why not try a cliche each and every day?

Feelings follow behaviour

I disagree with this statement; I think it works the other way around. The way we feel causes us to act in a particular way. Feelings directly cause behaviour. Actions can be explained by citing the emotional state that gave rise to them. i.e. Someone did something “because she was excited” or “because he was furious” or “because he was sad” or “because he was afraid”. The function and purpose of these feelings was to cause people to act in a certain way. Feelings does not follow behaviour, it influences it.



 If you have negative feelings towards an individual or towards something you will act and respond to that person or thing in a negative manner. You won’t be as friendly and talkative to the person as you’d normally be with one of your best buddies. The same scenario applies when you are happily in love with a person. You will then treat this person with respect, care for them and love them with all your heart. In this case your positive feelings toward the person will lead to positive behaviour.

Wedding Cake in the middle of the road

Finally! The big day has arrived. It’s one of those days that most women dream of since they were a little girl. The thought of being rescued and swept off their feet by their prince. Like many other women, Lucy had been single for most of her life. Until one fine when she met her prince charming named Luke Smith. The couple had been courting for five years. “It’s about time we tied the knot”, Lucy said to her best friend and maid of honour, Kim Jacobs.



Everything seemed to be running smoothly. Lucy woke up at 6:00am and had everything planned out perfectly. After all she is a perfectionist. Lucy jumped into the shower while Kim made sure that everything else was in place. She checked that her wedding gown, hair material, cosmetics and shoes etc. were all in place and ready. Nothing could go wrong today, everything will be spot on! Or so it seemed. Lucy got dressed and had her hair and make-up done. She was on time (which was rather unusual as most brides are normally at least 30 minutes late). The church had been decorated and setup, the reception area was ready.


The time had arrived, it was time to leave the hotel room and head off to the church. Lucy’s Limo had arrived to pick her up. She got into the luxury vehicle with her dad and maid of honour and off they went. But to her surprise as they approached the church she noticed that something was wrong. There were a whole lot of people outside the church. It seems as if they were arguing. “What on earth could be going on here?”, Lucy said in terror. As she got out of the vehicle she slowly but surely discovered that the reason for the argument was because the church had been double booked! So there were two weddings planned for the same time. What a disaster! More and more people started to join in on the argument some of Luke and Lucy’s family and guests, and some of the individuals from the other couples wedding. Not knowing what to do Lucy walked away from the action and realised that here perfect day had been ruined by an individual who had made stupid mistake by double booking her wedding venue. Whilst walking away and approaching the busy road she realised that this day has turned out like a perfectly made wedding cake. A wedding cake that has been put in the middle of a busy road, been driven over and crumbled into pieces.

It's a bad idea to lie to yourself

Many people continually lie to themselves. It’s probably our way as human beings of making things seem to be the way that we want or hope for it to be. However, we should all realise that lying to oneself is a poor idea. It will not bring about any good. Lying to yourself just brings about havoc and could catch you completely off guard. The one day you might tell a friend, family member or even an acquaintance one thing and the next day you could end up telling them another without even realising it. By doing this you will obviously shoot yourself in the foot. So in that case, why not just tell the truth from the beginning?



It is normal for people to want the best for themselves in terms of education, security, wealth and health. This could probably be one of the main reasons why people lie to themselves. i.e. Some one really wishes they were well educated, lived in a really fancy home and had everything they need or could ever hoped for. But on the contrary their life and lifestyle is the complete opposite. They aren’t well educated and do not live the fancy life. So instead of facing reality they’d live a ‘make-believe’ life by telling people that they are some hot shot who lives in a mansion and has the dream job which any person would kill to have. At the end of the day these lies continue and become more and more. Eventually the lies will catch up with the individual and the person will end up having no friends at all.


If you continue to lie to others and yourself people will end up not believing you at all, even when you are telling the truth. Like the famous story we all know, the one about the boy who cried wolf. I’m sure no one wants to be like him!

The sound of one hand clapping

 

An inspired music artist derived a really great idea. For years he had been trying to come up with a unique way to make some extra cash besides the CD’s he had been selling for the past few years. Eventually it hit him, he finally had it, the bright idea he had be searching for, for a long while. He thought to himself, “Why not do a collaboration show in theatre with one of the top theatre producers in Cape Town?” He knew that if he’d combine his live singing with acting it would be a hit.

He worked it all out, decided to draw up a strategy and negotiate with one of Cape Towns top producers. He managed to propose his bright idea to a very talented young man who is a fresh producer. The two of them rubbed shoulders and put their heads together. They had it all worked out, it was planned and thought of fluently. The band who would be playing on the big evening was sorted out and so were the actors.

The team rehearsed for three months non-stop. Everything was perfect! And the big event had been advertised all over. After a month all tickets were sold out.Finally, the big night arrived. Everything was in place, or so it seemed. The show began with a bang, the band and actors were sizzling. But as the show reached the half way mark…. Bam! Everything went dark and the room was filled with distinct silence. Everyone began to feel uneasy because they could not see a thing. The theatres maintenance guy came running out from the back shouting, “It’s a power failure! The electricity tripped! No one knew what to do or where to go since they could not see a thing. And the power just simply would not go back on again. It was a complete disaster.

Eventually, after the MC managed to get the crowd settled he announced that unfortunately the big show was forced to come to an end. “Thank you for coming, sorry for the inconvenience”. Enjoy the rest of the evening….. Not knowing what else to say or how else to apologise the MC left the stage. The evening never quite ended the way it was supposed to. Instead of hearing a massive round of applause for the ‘oh so wonderful show’, all that was heard is the sound of one hand clapping….

Not all who wonder are lost

Many a times people seem to drift away from where they actually are. As individuals we tend to allow our imagination and thoughts to wonder on a daily basis. This is not always a bad thing. When our minds wonder and think of all kinds of things in life we are stretching our imaginations and allowing creativity to take place.

There are many occasions when an individual becomes side tracked by drifting away from where they are, and in stead of paying attention to what they are supposed to be paying attention to they allow their minds to wonder. A good example is a student in a long, tedious lecture. It’s only normal for a student’s mind to drift away from a lecture and wonder off to what they could have been doing, or what they will be doing later that day. Many students often wonder about how awesome it will be when they finally enter the industry they’ve been studying to be in. This will inspire them to complete what they’ve started and do their tasks to the best of their ability.  And then there is obviously the creative side to drifting away. Often individuals are inspired by their thoughts and fantasies. We could dream about something and see a beautiful picture in the thought or dream we had. This picture would not be forgotten easily, and could possibly be used in future (in a project, poster, brochure etc.).

Being lost in ones thoughts is not always a bad thing. Wondering does not mean that you are lost, it could simply mean that you are exercising your imagination. And in the long run this could have a positive effect on you.

How do you step from the top of a 100-foot pole?

How do you step from the top of a 100-foot pole? When I think about this question, the first thing that comes to mind is lowering one's self and not seeing yourself as higher or more important than others. Many successful people have the tendency to see themselves as "higher" than those who are less fortunate than they are. In many occasions when an individual becomes successful, he/she immediately becomes filled with pride.

In life it is important that we always remember our roots. We need to remember where we've come from and how we started out. There are too many individuals who think that the world revolves around them because of their success. At the end of the day success and status doesn't even really count in life. What really matters is the type of person that you are, how you treat others and what difference you're making in order to make a less fortunate person's life easier.

Today I urge you to think about stepping down from that 100-foot pole and placing yourself in the shoes of others who are not as fortunate as you are. Remember that the important thing is life is not what you possess, but who you are...

What is the colour of the wind?

The wind is a flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth the wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In meteorology winds are referred to according to their strength, and the particular direction which the wind is blowing from. In human civilization wind has inspired mythology, impacted the events of history, expanded the range of transport mechanisms and it has provided a power source.


There are various types of general wind classifications such as calm, light air, light breeze, strong gale, whole gale and hurricane etc. But the colour of the wind has not been determined. I think that the colour of the wind is different shades of blue. Depending on the general wind classification, the colour will then change.

When the wind is blowing calmly, and there’s a light air, light breeze and it is gentle, the colour of the wind is then a very light, almost transparent blue. When there is a moderate and fresh breeze the colour would then be a very soft, baby blue colour. At times when things start becoming a bit more rough, in a strong breeze, moderate and fresh gale situation the colour would then be royal blue. The colour would change to navy blue when there is a whole gale and a storm. And then the most dramatic colour for the most dramatic wind classification, once a Hurricane hits, the colour of the wind would then be a very deep, dark blue that is almost black in colour. So depending on the mood of the wind and it’s classification, one could determine the colour of the wind based on those two aspects.

We are what we do

Let’s just think about this statement for a minute. We need to realise that what we do on a daily basis is actually important. If you are an individual who is optimistic, productive and ambitious you will indeed end up becoming successful. If we are going to be unproductive, lazy , inadequate and sloppy we will be classified and seen as a careless person, and what is the point of being alive if you do not make the most of the opportunities which you have in life.


What we do on a daily basis as individuals determines who we are. It also contributes to our reputation and the perception which those around us have of us. If we are going to act like nut cases, who simply just do not give or waste our valuable time, we are actually wanting others to see us in a negative light. It is important to spend our time doing things that will impact our lives positively. Things that will help us grow as individuals and contribute positively to our future. I.e. If you have the opportunity to study and actually make something out of your life, do not go and waste time and money by not giving your absolute best. This is a silly mistake which many students make. They get the opportunity to work hard and get themselves into a particular career, but they waste their parents (or their own) money and time.
Whenever we receive an opportunity to do something great in life or to become some one who could live a legacy we should do our best to make use of the opportunity to the fullest.

We are afraid of the wrong things

Many people are afraid of certain things because of fear and because of their mindset. There are so many opportunities that life throws at us and if we are going to be to afraid of failing or trying something new how will we ever know if it could work?


There are certain individuals who have become filled with fear because they are bombarded by a barrage of media messages. We read tragic newspaper headlines at the pay points of supermarkets on a daily basis. Talk shows seem to feature witnesses and victims of yet another deadly disease. Then there is also the radio and television programmes and news broadcasts that discuss the latest crimes that have been committed and disasters which occur all around the world.

Our fears are grossly exaggerated many a times. We need to realise that we only live once and if we are going to be crippled by fear we are definitely going to miss out on all the wonderful opportunities that life gives us. We need to strive to live a life that is fearless and enjoy life to the fullest. Without being afraid of the wrong things.

Fish falling from the sky

One day a fisherman from Cape Town named, Collin Peterson had a really bright idea. While sitting in his boat he realised that the amount of snoek that he and his crew catch on a daily basis is really big. He then also realised that he has the great opportunity of making this fishing business grow by far. Collin decides to start importing snoek to America. He knew that this would definitely work because this unique fish is not found in the States.


He presented his idea to three other fisherman and the four of them decided to form a partnership. The importing idea had kicked off and they managed to get five cold storage aeroplanes to fly over to the States twice a week to deliver the stock. Business had officially started and was going really well. The fisherman were happy and have officially become successful business men.

Thursday, 11 March, 2010 had arrived and the snoek business has been running smoothly for a year. It was 3am and the fisherman managed to get all five aeroplanes loaded. This time there was snoek galore and they had to really stuff the aeroplanes with the fish. The first three aeroplanes had left two hours after each other. The second last plane left four hours after the third one. Then finally the last one (which was the biggest, most stuffed one that contained two thousand fish) got ready to take off. All the checks were done in a hurry because the plane had to leave before the next flight was scheduled to leave. The aeroplane started taking off from the Cape Town International Airport and everything seemed fine. But just as the plane left the airport and started flying over one of the Cape Town communities, the pilot realised that something wasn’t right! The main latch was not closed properly and came loose. All of a sudden the snoek started escaping, and started falling all over. The people in the community did not know what was hitting them. Priscilla Peters who had been living in this community for more than 20 years has never experienced such a crazy thing. She shouted, “Oh my word! It’s raining fish”. People started coming out of their houses and catching the fish. They were so pleased by this happening. “Free fish everyone”, one of the commuters shouted.

The four fisherman had learned about the happening not too long after it took place. And they had definitely learnt their lesson, DO NOT OVERLOAD THE PLANES! Well at least we know what those fish catching commuters had for supper that evening…

Designer PR?

Design is the planning that creates the basis for the making of every object or system. It can be used both as a noun and as a verb and, in a broader way, it means applied arts and engineering. Design refers to the process of originating and developing a plan for a product, structure, system, or component with intention[1]. As a noun “a design” is used for either the final plan like a model or drawing, or it could mean the implementing of a plan in the form of the final product.


When one is in the PR profession you need to be able to use design to the best of your ability. PR people need to be creative, you need to be able to come up with exciting new ideas. Many a times in order for your creative new idea to fall into place you need to be able to formulate your idea/s from a design aspect.
Therefore, it is important to be well educated on various design programmes.

I truly believe that as PR students we need to be educated more on various design programmes so that when we go into industry we are ready to use our creative juices to the max. The more we know about design and design programmes, the more creative we could become. Being able to incorporate design into PR will definitely be to a PR person’s advantage.

Two people came out of a building and into a story

One day Jane Smith decided to pop in at the mall to get some groceries, toiletries and even do some clothing and shoe shopping (which all females simply love doing). Her day had been long, tedious and stressful so what better way to unwind than shop. After knocking off from work she went straight home to change into some comfortable clothing and got rid of her heels. She then got back into her vehicle and headed for Cambry mall.


Sam Carter on the other hand had a wonderful day at the office. He had sealed the big Vodacom deal and was currently the apple of his boss’ eye. Pulling off this major marketing opportunity was all he’d been dreaming about for the past few months, now that it has been accomplished he can rest in satisfaction. After all the day’s running around and madness, Sam felt rather famished so he decided to hit Cambry mall straight after work to get something to indulge in.

Jane’s mission had been accomplished. She managed to buy all the goodies she needed, and to crown it all, she got a really sexy pair of heels and a dazzling new outfit. Sam ordered a chicken wrap with wedges at La Lula , but unfortunately his expectations were not met. At least he was able to fill up his tank with some fuel, it had been on empty for quite a while. Jane was ready to leave the mall and head home to cook supper for herself. As she approaches the automatic sliding door at the exit her cell phone rings. While pushing the trolley with all the goodies in it which she had bought out of the building, she decides to look for her cell without stopping. While exiting the mall she grabs a hold of her phone and knocks smack, bam into Sam. He then hit the floor, Jane never knew what hit her. She went over to check if he was okay, but as their eye’s met they were drawn to each other immediately. “I am so sorry, please tell me you’re okay”, Jane said to Sam. Sam told her that he was perfectly fine now that she was there. These two people then entered a beautiful love story after they had left the building….

Incorporating me-time into a busy life

It is important to remind yourself how essential it is to spend time alone. Experts say that me-time is not just an indulgence, it is vital for your wellbeing. If we do not take personal time, all the days stresses will just pile up. Spending time alone is vital to recuperate, unwind and deal with what has happened during the day/week. Taking time out also enables us to exercise our creativity and imaginations. This is important because we need our creativity and imaginations to solve all kinds of problems.


Just think about it for a minute, when you are alone, you are actually in good company. You have your undivided attention. And you also have the freedom to think or not, to wonder or day-dream. So why wouldn’t you want to set time aside for yourself? When you leave yourself off your priority list, you are actually cheating those who you love from the “entire” you.

Use the alone-time you already have more productively. Avoid turning on your television set when you get home, plugging in your headphones at the gym or reaching for your cell phone when walking down the street. Remember, me-time is a must so do not become so consumed by life’s business that you neglect yourself.

Confidence

Confidence - a trusting, or reliance… an assurance of mind or firm belief in the integrity, stability or (truthfulness) of another, or in the truth and reality of a fact. ¹


Confidence is a wonderful thing. It allows us to face everyday life with courage, openness, boldness and honesty. Individuals who are confident believe that they are loved, valuable and safe in the purpose that is set out for their lives. Confidence simply gives us that extra boost that is needed. When we feel safe, secure and loved it is easy to step out and try to do new things, even though we may make mistakes along the way. We automatically become daring enough to do things we are not used to doing.

Confidence allows us to expect success, it helps us move forward in life by rejecting the fear of failure. It is important that we all possess confidence in order to fulfill our dreams and so that we may have a bright future. Self-doubt is one of the main things that hinders us from walking in confidence daily. The inability to believe in oneself will make it impossible for you to succeed.

When a person is confident it shows, people around the individual would be able to notice it immediately. There is just a certain aura about a confident person. People will be attracted to you because of your confidence, and because you are confident they will see you in a positive light. Therefore, we need to get rid of any ounce of self-doubt and understand how to develop confidence.

Three words that describe me

AMBITOUS

LOVING

ADVENTUROUS

It is better to practice a little than talk a lot.

Have you ever said one thing and then did another? It is important for you to realise that your actions can impact louder than your words. Many times you do not even have to say anything to impact someone. What people actually do is more important than what they say - people can promise things but then fail to deliver. People tend to speak a lot but fail to do what was said would be done. And I'm sure that we all hate it when people break their promises. Today people seem to be big talkers but do not deliver. Many underprivileged individuals are promised many things in our country, but do not see results. This is really a sad thing. I strongly feel that people should not be promised things if it will not come to pass.


When a person does something, everybody who is around him/her will judge the results of the specific action and will then connect the action to the person who did it. i.e. If a politician is involved in a political scandal. It does not matter if the politician can prove his/her innocence, most people will always connect the politicians image to the scandal. Their perception of the politician would then change because of the scandal and they might not even support the specific politician in the next election process. This proves that words will not defend the individual. People are becoming immune to believing in actions rather than words. Actions are reliable whereas, words are not. Results will always follow an action and these results are the best example/s of the reliability of the acts.

If you just talk without following through, people will see you as a boastful person, someone who does not stick to their word. People could also look down on you. I strongly believe that it is better to practice a little than talk a lot. Actions are the way to make people admire you. Just act, and do not talk too much, because your actions will speak louder than your words.

The beauty and importance of relaxation

Life becomes very busy and it seems as if each year just gets busier. Work, School, family and other commitments just takes up so much time in a day and leaves you with no practically no time to sit back and relax. However, rest and relaxation is essential. In fact, getting enough rest is imperative to having a healthy lifestyle. When you do not get enough sleep you are putting yourself at risk for illness as well as other side effects.

The body needs enough rest each evening in order to function properly. Each individual needs a different amount of sleep each night, however the average adult needs approximately 7-8 hours of sleep each evening in order to restore their body with the energy it needs to handle lifes daily demands. Most individuals cut back on their sleep in order to fit more activities into their day, but doing this runs the body down. When you don’t get enough rest you'll find it difficult to concentrate, think clearly, and even remember things. You might not notice this at first or blame it on your busy schedule, but the more sleep you and rest you miss out on the more pronounced these symptoms will become.

Relaxation calms our thoughts and improves our focus, lifts our moods, stimulates our creativity, repairs our bodies and restores our levels of energy. Though it may seem counterproductive to set aside time each day to relax in the midst of a busy schedule, doing so can actually be a benefit to us. It could help us increase productivity, accomplish more in less time, and it can make us feel happier overall. That definately sounds good to me. So, the next time you think it is a good idea to stay up late in order to compleate a task or hang out with friends, think again. I'm sure one night won't hurt you, but night after night of not resting enough definately will.

The Advantages of Modern Technology

Modern Technology plays a very important role in many countries and it has also solved problems. Modern technology has been bringing people many advantages such as the improvement of travelling, ways for faster communication and good health care treatment. Advanced technology is more efficient, it saves time, helps you to be more organised and it is also more visual stimulating.

Modern technology allows us to access fast ways of communication. We can receive news from any part of the world very quickly by using the Internet and E-mail. Moreover, telephone - local or/and oversea is playing an important role for people to communicate with each other. Another advantage which modern technology brings us is the convenience of travelling from one place to another much faster than before. We currently have airoplanes, trains, boats/ships, motor vehicles and helicopters that make our journey shorter. Therefore, modern technology definately brings people easiness of travelling. Medical treatment has also been going very well for a long period of time due to modern technology. Most hospitals are using modern technology as the assistance for operation, i.e. some doctors use new medicines to produce medicine which effectively cures people and also prolongs life expectancy around the world. The addition of x-ray also allows doctors to treat various diseases. These are just a few of the many examples of the advantages that modern technology has on our daily lives.

To conclude, even though modern technology brings us many good benefits, it also gives  a lot of bad results. Certain individuals make use of modern technology for negative tasks and also produce bad items with the help of modern technology. We should use modern technology in the good ways only and find effective solutions to the bad result in order to make our world propsperous.

Music makes the world go round

Have you ever sat down and wondered what the world would be like without music? I believe that music is definately one of the world's favourite pastimes. As humans we are naturally born as musical beings. Whilst we are in our mothers womb we become accustomed to the heart beat. We all have musical and rythmical intelligence, even those who say they cannot hold a tune. We are currently living in a world where beat and rythm is a part of our lives. Life without music would be totally boring. Music keeps you going and prevents boredom as it passes time.

Listening to good music will help you attain self improvement and it will also help you have a better quality of life. It is calming and makes you feel comfortable. Music can also be used for motivation. When you are doing assignments, working in the office or even spring cleaning your home, after turning on some good music you won't feel the strain. The music will actually keep you going. Music makes you feel happy and relaxed. When listening to stimulating music one would tend to become very relaxed. It can also be used to stimulate creativity. Many individuals are aware that music tunes the brain to higher planes of thinking.

Therefore, life without music would definately be null and void. Music definately makes the world go round.

Everyday is a good day

Each and every single day that we live to see is a good day. It is all up to us to make the most of each day. When we wake up in the morning we should motivate ourselves to make sure that we enjoy the current day which we are about to face. We need to open our eyes and take note of and appreciate the beauty and pleasures that are out there, which which we are so used to seeing on a daily basis. Each day we come across beauty in various forms and shapes. Many people have become so accustomed to this beauty that it largely goes unappreciated, this is a huge shame. Take time out and appreaciate the beautiful things that surrounds you daily and realise what makes them so unique.

We shouldn't be too busy to laugh, or even be to serious or aggitated to smile. Instead, we should surround ourselves with exciting people and we should not get caught up in our own sense of importance. If we slow down for just a few minutes and take some time out to appreciate ordinary events, every day will instantly become a good, enjoyable day.
Another important aspect to take note of is the fact that it is our relationships with people that give us the most happiness in life. Therefore, one of the best ways to enjoy each day is to build rewarding relationships with people.

Striving to learn something new each day is also very important. There is a strong link between learning and happiness. It is also very important to celebrate our successess. Each day we are sure to have some minor or even not so minor successes. So why not take a moment to celebrate your success? Reward yourself and share the experience with someone else. By remaining positive and doing these few small things your mindset will change. And everyday will indeed be a good day!




 

The attitude of our hearts

The way in which we react to what happens to us determines our lives. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts and outcomes. What life throws at us is not important, the attitude which we bring to life and face life with is what is important. This is what initiates and creates remarkable results. Therefore, the attitude of our hearts is an important aspect. Having a positive attitude is essential.

Each one of us has been given a wonderful gift, and that very special gift is life itself. We need to make the most of life. We need to make the most of every situation, strive to overcome any challenge and possess a positive attitude. Exercising kindness in our hearts towards others is important. As individuals we should treat others with respect. Many people seem to have difficulty in doing so.


Not too long ago I read an article which stated that researchers found that people who have a positive attitude during stressful events are 22% less likely to have a fatal or nonfatal heart attack. This proves that positivity prevents heart failure. As individuals we should truly strive to have a heart that is overflowing with positivity.