Sweden here I come!

The news is beginning to settle and I've begun wrapping my head around the road and head and the journey I've embarked on.

I have been selected to take part in an amazing program in Sweden. I struggle to find the perfect vocabulary to express my utter sheer excitement about this news. The Program is aimed at people who want o make a difference in the world we all live in. Keeping in mind that we have all contributed to the multiple problems that our fragile home faces and are therefore all responsible to attempt to help it and it's inhabitants.

The name of the program is The International Youth Initiative Program (YIP) I urge you to read more about what the program is all about here ===> www.yip.se as I am incapable (at this points at least) to put into words what the teachings encompass. I am going to set up a blog which is dedicated to my year with YIP. Because I do not believe that placing smatterings of my experiences here will do my approaching experience any justice. I feel it in my heart.

While I was writing this blog post I discovered this video, which combines a couple of my favourite types of art forms (music, visuals and poetry).

The song is by Miike Snow and it's called Sans Soleil (meaning "sunless") This video was made by a fan of Miike Snow. The fan has aptly taken scenes from a mind-blowing, eye-opening as well as rather moving film from the Qatsi Trilogy of films. The scenes are from the first of the trilogy. Koyaanisqatsi.

It's one of those films that I believe every, single, human being should watch. It contains no spoken language. Only music and visuals making it easily understood and felt by people across all kinds of cultural and religious bubbles.

PLEASE WATCH IT. But for now, indulge!

Sans Soleil from altereagle on Vimeo.

Happy Bubble

Source

Source

I hate to preach, but...

I've just finished a 10 and a half hour long shift at work (currently as a waitress) and I'm feeling rather inspired by myself (before you take your pin out to prick my seemingly inflated head, hear me out).

I suppose, "inspired by myself" is the incorrect way to phrase this.

Perhaps I should say, the series of events have done.

Resuming to the point, we have a daily financial target which, when reached, earns us a certain monetary incentive.

Today was a particularly frustrating day as there was a rugby match between The Stormers & The Blue Bulls (YAY, The Bulls won! "MY BLOOD IS BLUE!!") and with any sporting gathering at my place of work there comes an inseparable, annoying best friend - excessive drinking.

With these 2 pals holding hands, things become rather difficult. To say the least.

In any case, to cut my ramble short.

I reached a point when my back and feet were aching terribly and I felt that I would not reach the target.

I was highly discouraged and unmotivated.And quite honestly started convincing myself that not reaching it wouldn't be so bad, although I knew better.

But I decided to push on. Just keep going. Somewhere within myself I knew I could do it.

Yes.
I did.

It's a small (somewhat insignificant) victory, granted. But to me it reminds me of one huge monster of a lesson:

The human spirit can overcome anything, with enough will power and resilience anything is achievable!

YES!

"James Blake, Will you marry me?"

I'm seriously, honestly, sincerely, solemnly, fervently am thinking of dedicating an ENTIRE page to James Blake.

He sends shivers down my spine, makes me smile, tear up and feel warm. Sometimes i experience all of these in the same song!

He is a legend! Wow.

Thanks to Bong for introducing us!! I'm addicted now. There is no turning back.

This song has sent me over the edge...



Here is the original by Joni Mitchell - I thought it only fair...

Silent Evolution

This sculptor was introduced to me by a lovely soul by the name of Paula O' Brien.

One of the most vibrant soul's I've ever ever encountered in my life! She is my ex-boyfriend's mom , who is an artist and a free-spirit.

She came up with this website and put together the mind-blowing list of artist's on it.

In my opinion, she lives this saying:

"Work Is Love Made Visible" Kahlil Gibran

So as you can tell, she is pretty amazing.

Here is a link to one of my favourite artists' work

Tap Your Mousie Over HERE

Meet Tony Orrico

Uhm, so I discovered this brilliant man a couple weeks ago, but was feeling a bit selfish so I didn't share my discovery. But now I'm sitting here and thinking about how absolutely ridiculous I'm being!

I suppose my love for him stems mainly from the fact that I have an unreasonable love for symmetry. Anything symmetrical sends joy up my spine! Particularly buildings and art pieces. Strange but true.

I'm not going to ramble on for much longer...

Meet Tony Orrico:



This one is quite long, but the end product stunning (as all his work is) so you might want to skip to the end :)



This has to be my (very tentative) favourite!

One of THOSE days

Today I got to the internet cafe to do my usual stalking of the YIP website and to check if there has been any mail from them.

And was excited to find mail from one of the organisers! But all was not well, as the email was to notify me that they had not received my application yet.Despite my efforts of sending my mail via EMS (Emergency Mailing Service). Oh Dear!

The email was sent an entire 2 days ago! In this period of time I had a wallet taken from me, leaving me penny-less and my cellphone fell into a glass of coca-cola which was very conveniently placed beside my bed on the floor! I couldn't really admit to the YIP people that this is what really happened. I mean how believeable is it that the one day I was going to call them this happened? A cellphone, into a glass of fizzy drink? Really.

(I actually got a little embarrassed reading this) Sigh.

So while I rushed to get all the paper worked to them, (while receiving a crash course on how to use the very particular scanner at my internet cafe of choice) I realised that I did not have all the original documents as I had posted them. EEK!

But by some marvelous intervention or some sort of antics by the universe, I found each. And. Every. Single. Piece of documentation that I had sent them originally. Ha! How? I can never answer that. (Well, yes, I did rummage through 5 computers but hey, mission accomplished right?)

In any case, after I sent the application I was still on edge and needed to call the office in Sweden on my cellphone, which in itself made me nervous,

"Do I have enough airtime?"

"Am I able to make international calls?"

"Do I have the correct number?"

"Will I find someone to speak to in the office"

And, and, and!

I visit the bathroom to ease my annoying excuse for a bladder.

And offcourse, a day is not complete without some clumsy mistake made by me.

"The clumsiness of the day trophy goes to..." (Drumrolll....) "Didi!"

For dropping the entire roll of ,what seemed like, the last surviving toilet paper, into the toilet of the internet cafe! Oh my!

After sorting out my dismal attempt at a normal toilet visit, I called YIP and spoke to a real person, who was actually quite pleasant AND helpful!

Hoorah.

I went back to the internet cafe and proceeded to find these 2 amazing videos! :

My housemate showed me this last night and I thought I wouldn't ever find it  again. Skip the add and PLEASE watch till the end. There's a cool message to us all!



And this guy. Wow. Really? I want to meet him and hug him and interview him! Legend! And the song? Cheese and Rice!

Feeling rather inspired

Today is one of those days where I woke up feeling more like myself than I have in a long time.

I woke up feeling inspired, well-rested and ready to face anything.

Ready to embrace whatever my future holds for me.

Feeling light as though I had placed my entire trust and future in the hands of the universe.

It knows what I want, better yet - NEED.

Has never let me down.

So,

Universe, work your magic! (as you always have done)