Why I have conversation …

In my opinion a conversation is the exchange of information between two or more people. 

I believe we need conversations in order to survive.  Without conversations we will be left to our own accord.  We won’t get to know new people, ask for basic needs and live a fulfilling life.  To have all of this you need conversations.

I have conversations to:

-       Gain fresh ideas.  New people are interesting and have their own ways in which they view the world.

-       Better understand people and the world. 
-       Enrich my mind. 
-       Get to know new people.
-       Build relationships.
-       Voicing my opinion.

This is just a few reasons why I make the effort to have conversations.  In the end, it is to my own advantage.

Airports

I was waiting for my friend and colleague at the Cape Town International Airport this morning.  She was arriving from a visit to Johannesburg.

It is quite interesting to watch all of the people.  I find myself wondering what their story is, why they are at the airport and who they are waiting for.  Some are picking up delegates for a function, others are waiting for loved ones and so the list goes on.  So many different people in one place.

A shopping mall is busy, but quietens down.  At an airport it is quite a different story.  I always experience a certain buzz of excitement. 

Sitting there watching all these different people with their different stories, I am honoured to be part of the diversity.  If all the people looked the same, acted the same and was there for the sae reason, how boring live would be.  Diversity is key to our existence and I am glad to be part of it.

Know that I think of it, I wonder how many people wondered about my story?

My Bucket List

A bucket list is a list of the things you want to do before you die.

WOW, how long will my list be?  I think mine might be a tad too long!  There are quite a few things I would like to do before the day I die.  How to get there?  Well lots of patients, lots of moola and lots of guts!  We need to embrace the things we truly want to do, whether it is to prove yourself or to showcase what you have to give!

My bucket list will start as follows:

-       Getting married

-       Travel
-       Start my own company
-       Aspiring Photographer
-       Skydive
-       Visiting a Game Lodge
-       Doing the Orange River rapids
-       Hiking the Fish River Canyon
-       Having kids (if I can choose, two)

And so my list can go on and on.

I am sure that if I put my mind to it, I will be able to tick off ALL the items on my Bucket-List!

I wanna be a Millionaire

Bruno Mars has this song, “I wanna be a millionaire, SO freaken bad … “.  That pretty much sums it up for me.

I mean, how much fun would that be?  You can do anything, be anything and have fun ALL the time!!  No responsibilities, as you are looked after – or rather minimal responsibilities.  You have many people at the tips of your fingers, you can take risks and opportunities with a much easier heart.  You can experience great things, as you have the capital to do so.

But is it really the greatest life, being a millionaire?  How will you know if people really like you for you and not your money?  Being a millionaire, you might get the urge to have more.  Losing money in bad business decisions might ruin you financially.  You might become a target of fraudsters.  There are so many downsides as well.

I guess the best thing of being a millionaire is the road you took to get there.  All the lessons learned.  It can become quite an enlightening experience.

But if only I could be a millionaire …

My big fat BIG dream

Everyone has a dream.  A dream can be described as a series of images, ideas, emotions and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind.

I thought about my own big fat BIG dream.  I came to the conclusion that I had quite a few and it changed quite radically over the years.  I was the type of high school girl who dreamed about true love and I was lucky enough to find that quite early in my life.  Soon I started dreaming about finishing matric and have a beautiful, fantastic and great white wedding.  After the wedding a house in a suburb surrounded by a little white fence, with kids soon to follow, three to be precise.  It was a happy and fulfilling life in my dream.

So, I finished matric and entered this “world” outside my little bubble.  An amazing world with many possibilities.  I could be ANYTHING!!  Okay, not anything, but almost anything.  I decided on studying Public Relations and I am still quite happy with my decision.  Soon I began to realize that I was still so very young and although my dreams from school are still at the back of my head there is SO much I still wanted to do.  I dream of having a professional career, traveling the world, living comfortably, seeing new things, experience new things, live life to the fullest, give my everything and never look back. 

I still dream of my beautiful, fantastic and great white wedding, with a house in a suburb surrounded by a little white fence and kids soon to follow.  I decided to postpone that a little for my other big fat BIG dreams, maybe another two years.  Luckily I still have the love of my life who will make all that possible.

Letter to my Dad

Dad’s are amazing human beings (just like Mom’s!).  Here follows some great examples why they are SO great …

Dad’s are the “go-to guys” when Mom usually says no.  They are the one to help you with the manly stuff, i.e. the best option when buying a car, new tires, checking your car’s water, oil and tire pressure, hanging up accessories in the house, changing light bulbs, helping you carry heavy boxes, washing the dished (yes, my Dad actually does this!), making the BEST braai EVER and so we can go on for hours. 

But the reason I am writing this post today, is that it is the birthday of my Dad – the most wonderful, awesome and intelligent man I EVER knew.  My Dad is a quiet man (I am very much like him in this way) he is a strong man, a great leader, a sports fanatic (rugby very much, closely followed by cricket and Formula 1), he doesn’t show his emotions, but you get this certain look or smile and you know “I’ve done him proud”.  My Dad is loyal and a very good judge of character.  He is a good listener (not while he is watching TV though!) and hates to be centre of attention.  He LOVES to work on our families nerves – especially if he gets reaction out of it.  He washes his cars every week himself and he takes extremely good care of it – guess that’s where I learned it!  He’s that type of Dad who phones around to get you the best tire for your car, at the best price and he will leave 5 minutes earlier from his work to meet you at the place, so you don’t have to let new tires be put on your car alone.  My Dad is a perfectionist and he absolutely hates a dirty house!  He is a man of few words, but you definitely know if and when you are in trouble.  My Dad goes silent when he is upset.  My Dad NEVER lifts a hand towards me or my sister and he adores my Mom.  His quote whenever they go out for an evening or away for the weekend and I stay behind – “Ek soek nie enige nonsens nie”, which translated in English, is “I don’t want any nonsense”.  Funny enough, I can still remember the first movie my Dad and I went to watch – Lion King 1.  It feels like it was just yesterday.

I definitely have the best Dad in the world and I love him to bits!  He is the greatest man I will ever know and I treasure every moment we share. 

Happy Birthday Dad.  May your day and the years ahead be blessed with love and joy.  May we only make you proud.  You are the best Dad any child could ever ask for and we thank God everyday for a man like you in our lives.

Conventional is a good fallback position isn’t it

Conventional.  What does this mean?  I know conventional as being related to words such as conservative, conformist, straight, predictable.  A proper definition of conventional from Wikipedia are as follows:  “A convention is a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted standards, norms, social norms or criteria, often taking the form of a custom”.

Having the background and the heritage of both French Huguenots and “Boere” and being an Afrikaans South African, I grew up with certain rules, guidelines or a proper way of doing … well, stuff.  This is a very stiff culture – you either do something this way or you are frowned upon by the older generation.  I guess this is starting to change with the new Afrikaans generation making its mark.  Personally I think it is quite sad, as there are great morals and values which are now being completely lost.  But, enough about that, it’s a whole other topic.

I think someone not acting in a conventional manner can be described as a rebel.  A rebel is daring, unique, an individual trying to make a mark in society – this is how I see a rebel.  Why shake hands the conventional manner when greeting a stranger when you can just, well, hug him or her?  Why drive on the right side of the road, why not the left?  Why work when you are done studying instead of becoming a beach bum? 

It is just SO easy for us to fall back into our conventional manner when we are uncomfortable.  We lose our uniqueness.  Don’t take the easy escape road of quickly changing to conventional.

Come ON, BE a Rebel!!