100th Post - My new Swedish Blog!

Wow.

I have had 100 blog posts on this Virtual Scrapbook. Never did I ever imagine that I would be here; pushed only by a new year's resolution born in 2009.

I sit here, content with my ability to stick at this one project.

A new one has been planted, with my move to Sweden coming up.

It is called SWEDISH GARDEN and you can come and play or sit in my new vitual garden.

Happiness.
x

I love my friends

I have had the great fortune of having friends that see the importance of documenting special moments.

This is one of them. 

My last night in Cape Town.

Location: Roxy's at Dunkley Square

Endless thoughts

There are endless bouncing , walking & sitting thoughts in my mind that want to snipped  free.

This Blew me away...

Fever Ray 'When I Grow Up'

Of OStrichEs and EgGs

As you probably already know I went on an out-of-this-world Road trip through South Africa with some amazing French friends 

This trip touched every part of my soul.

In this video you will witness the fearful and playful part of my soul.

I

Rode

an

Ostrich

in

Oudtshoorn

I'm surrounded by inspiring people - I want to be one too!

My friend that I was skyping with below, asked me who this incredible person I had been speaking about was.I couldn't explain it well without exposing some of his work.

Because he is a Jack of many trades and has taught me so much.

While I searched I came across this video of a talk he gave to a group of people in Melbourne (The city he lives in and also the best place in the world according to him!)

What you see here is the tip of the Ice Berg of what he is about and what he is like.

Stand. Your. Ground. - Speak. Your. Mind.

I am currently having a skype chat with a friend of mine (Kerrie Channer The Phenomenal) with whom I have not spoken to in ages.

Way too long to be honest.

We had a spontaneous music swap using YOUtube. Wow. I love the internet.

There - I said it.

And she introduced me to Josh Kumra.

Please, meet him. He is singing my mind.

I Love my country

I have recently had the fortune of being asked to accompany some French friends on a road trip through South Africa.

This request, couldn't possibly come at a better time.

I am leaving South Africa to go and study in Sweden and had a bit of sadness around leaving not having explored enough of my own home ground.

As usual, the universe felt my distress and made it all right.

There was much I discovered about myself and others on the trip.

What fuels my fire and the like.

My fellow travelers, unbeknownst to them, taught me loads...

All this shall be shared in a number of posts.

But for now, I bring you, my 2 amazing fellow travelers.

Who, patiently and humorously taught me French and tried their best to pick up and learn English :) And with whom I shared one of my most adventurous time of my life!

Meet Pierre and Louison (aka Lulu or Lou Lou)

It has been about a day since we parted ways and I miss them dearly already! I hope to visit them once I'm settled in Sweden!


Tu me manques déjà, l'espoir de vous voirbientôt!

Dancing like a maniac!

Everybody (I'd like to think and sincerly hope) has a song that sends them wild and forces them to stop and dance NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE.

This is that song for me. The video is also a friggin masterpiece.

Enjoy!

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) 

Indulging

Very Very VERY Beautiful

There is so much I want to scream and jump and sing and share about this website.


No Really.


SooOoO I invite you to please, please have a look at this website. Grab a snack, a drink. 


Or neither.


And simply revel in the (excuse the repetition) BEAUTIFUL site. 


filled with...


(excuse me once more) BEAUTIFUL things.

Click here to visit this MARVELOUS WONDERLAND

I do breathe...Indeed, I live

Wow.

There is a level of embarrassment were even an apology doesn't fix or come close to trying to fix.


That is me.

The cobwebs on this page have become fossils. 

SIeS!

I have been up to loads and loads. I will update you soon.


x

I made a lullaby for my children

So I'm having a rather technically challenged time today and I have to hurry off and bid one of my favourite people farewell. Oh Sarah Peep, why are you deserting me? What shall I do around here without you?

It shall be dull.


It shall be sad.

It shan't be as bright as it used to be.

Back to my main point. I can't upload the song I made for my future daughters and sons.
I put the laptop mic on and it flowed straight from the heart. They will love it.

Okay. Enough Now.

Crossing my fingers - Walking The Daisies!

So I try my utmost to be as green as possible - by green I don't mean envious or jealous - I mean the 
envitonmentally friendly kind of groen.

And this year, apart from keeping moutains of wine bottles consumed by the entire house for recycling & re-use (My ex-housemates are definite guzzlers I might add). In addition I have put my Ruby's (the lovely little Opel Monza which is the cause of the biggest mishaps turned adventures in my life, such as this one) engine to rest and used my legs and the train to get around!

I'm pretty proud of myself you know. I could have been zooooooOoooming around the city as I used to. contributing to the ever rising levels of Carbon Mono and Di oxide in the atmosphere.

And now, potentially the biggest & funnest attempt at contributing to greening myself further is this:

WALKING THE DAISIES!

I have applied and am waiting; like a schoolboy waiting to be called into the principals office; for the results!

I've bitten every nail that has grown over my finger tips off. I've even begun gnawing at the strips of skin surrounding the nail.

In my application I've even offered to give the other walkers one of my killer Foot massages. Yup! I know.

Anyway - Crossing fingers!

Didi xx

Dragonfly feat. Zaki Ibrahim by Richard the Third (Biscope)

I need to express my utter adoration for this song! It's a masterpiece.


As if I didn't already have major respect for Richard & Zaki. yOu make me want to sing! aND Make sick BEATS AlL DAY!


ENJOY  It- Hopefully as much as I do. Have a listen below

Dragonfly feat. Zaki Ibrahim by Richard the Third (Biscope)

When you know you’re not spending enough time with yourself

This is a tiny snippet, it’s more one of those thoughts that come skipping into the mind and then sit in my mental park’s bench. Waiting for me to poke and prod at it until some sort of light bulb goes on.

I’ve just come home from having dinner with Julia (only one of my utmost favourite people in the world). Julia’s my former housemate, but honestly after surviving living with each other we are practically sisters. She is family. My moving out has not stopped us from spending time together. It’s a special bond that will take unbelievably persistent and harsh prying to unstick.

Anyhow I got home to my new housemate having a ciggie outside the house. I quickly dumped my pizza lunch box and bag down in my already messy room and headed straight back out to go talk to her.

We proceeded to have a long talk about love, the lack thereof, the male brain, Libran males, the emotional retardation men seem to be born with, astrological signs, my birth chart, repairing broken glass, *FRANKenstein, the moon, the breathtaking view of Cape Town from her room window and must see movies.

By the time I headed to my room it was 1am.

All I wanted to do then was jump into bed and visit Lala in her enchanting Land.

But I hadn’t even spent time with me.

For a second I stood still and asked myself. If I was my own friend. Would I be happy with the amount of time I was spending with myself?

The answer was a loud and angry no.

Whenever you aren’t sure. Turn yourself into a friend with a name (preferably one that doesn’t exist in your current pool of friends) and ask yourself if you would be happy with the treatment you have been giving your newly named friend.

You can apply the exact same method to other questions. Heck go wild on the method! Is your friend getting enough rest? What advice would you give her if you were you and she was her?