Only bad things happen quickly

Unless you’re in a movie called Final Destination, because then bad things come for you really slowly. You then panic and end up dying a very weird death.

For this blog post I’d like to focus on an American traditional holiday called Halloween. It’s today by the way – 31 October. There are many reasons why people believe the tradition of Halloween started. Apparently, in old folklore tradition the Festival of the Dead is linked to the Festival of Samhain. Samhain, which means summer’s end, falls on the most important of the four quarter days in the medieval Irish calendar as people used this time to stock up for the cold winter months ahead. There was a sense that in this time, the supernatural and physical worlds was the closest and magical things could happen at this time. To ward off these spirits, the Irish built huge, symbolically regenerative bonfires and invoked the help of the gods through animal and perhaps even human sacrifice.

Halloween is also thought to have been heavily influenced by the Christian holy days of All Saints' Day (also known as Hallowmas, All Hallows, Hallowtide) and All Souls' Day. Falling on November 1^st (My Birthday by the way) and 2nd respectively, collectively they were a time for honoring the Saints and praying for the recently departed who had yet to reach heaven.

South African have recently embraced this holiday, most probably because it’s been made so popular by American’s. I think South Africans have even more scary things to worry about than fake skeletons though. Maybe give some food instead of sweets away tonight.

It will be that much sweeter.

Some – er (summer) advice

1.       If you’re a girl and you’re worried about your figure for summer - exercise. But do NOT over-think this. Looking at yourself in the mirror all the time instead of enjoying yourself makes you look conceited and therefore unattractive.

2.       Stretch marks and other imperfections – Use some Bio-oil if you really are worried and self-conscious but RELAX, they make you look human. You would be photo shopped if you didn’t have them.

3.       Worried about the fact that you’re pale and need a tan? – DO NOT lay in the sun without protection all day, you will end up looking like the old lady who stole the puppies in 101 Dalmatians. Rather enjoy it when you can, with lots of sun block. You’ll thank me later when everyone else looks like they’ve eaten too many tomatoes and you’ve got a peachy tan.

4.       DO NOT work too much or spend your days thinking about work. This is advice for myself too. Your whole summer would’ve gone by and all you’ll have to show for it is a very chuffed boss, grey skin and a tired face. You also will not have any cool pictures to post on Facebook.

5.       Lastly, the most important thing to do this summer is enjoy yourself – At a braai, in your room, at the beach, a pool party, new years eve, etc….

Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid

This quotation by author, Basil King is about courage and going through with something even when you’re afraid. It also states that everything will work out in the end if you do this.

Whether it’s a new entrepreneurial venture, taking the leap forward to change your job, studying for your B-Tech or running for president! If you’re bold in all these cases, the quote says that everything will work out for you in the end. Is this statement true or is it just a glimmer of hope to people who don’t have any?

I think sometimes life throws rocks at you even when you’ve been bold, but you just have to try again and again and hope that life will eventually send mighty forces to have mercy on you and give you what you want. This obviously won’t happen with every situation and that’s why I think I have better advice.

When you’ve been bold and mighty forces still haven’t come to your aid, have a red bull and try again. Mighty forces are all good and well but if you don’t help yourself, nobody will.

That’s the cold hard facts once again, coming from little old me. J

GOOD OR BAD WORLD

As we know, the world can be a dark place. We’ve had wars, apartheid and wrongs in the past that would make a grown man cry.

We’re so much better now, aren’t we? Now we live in a place where people walk past a two year old girl lying in the road, badly hurt as she was run over by not one but two bakkies. A place where people torture, rape and eventually after 40 days, kill a 16 year old innocent girl. Where people kidnap and kill small children and bury animals alive. We’re so much better now?

The disgust and shame I feel as a person when I read some of the horrendous stories in the news is nothing compared to what the victims of these crimes feel. The purpose of this blog post is to remind us that there is good and bad in the world and that we should remain cautious.

Please help and try to do good where you can but always remember that the bad is sometimes waiting, lurking in the background waiting to be found by good people.

Remember that it’s a good and bad world we live in.

The last lecture

The past four years of my life have been spent studying at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and now it will finally draw to a close when I graduate. Mixed feelings come to the surface when I speak about this as I feel that I’ve enjoyed the past four years immensely yet there have been so many battles, academically and non-academically.

From last minute assignments being handed in, numerous nerve-racking presentations (even singing like I was Juanita du Plessis), to tests and thumb-sucked essays. This is the life of a student. Oh man I’ll miss it, I really will… but now it’s time to take on the “real world” by both pinky toes and hope that I can thumb-suck the success out of it! J

The past year has also been one heck of a train ride! PS. Working full time, studying and still trying to have a social life is so not for the faint-hearted. I’m physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted! But it was all worth it. I’ll have my B-Tech degree come next year March!!

So it’s been fun, so much fun but now I think I’m ready for full blown adulthood and a successful career in Public Relations Management. If not, I’ll just move to an island and sip on martini’s till I’m 80!

What makes you smile?

To ten reasons why you should be smiling:

1. Smiling Makes Us Attractive

2. Smiling Changes Our Mood

3. Smiling Is Contagious

4. Smiling Relieves Stress

5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System

6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure

7. Smiling Releases Endorphins, Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin

8. Smiling Lifts the Face and Makes You Look Younger

9. Smiling Makes You Seem Successful

10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive

What makes you smile? Is it driving into town and looking at the beautiful scenery of a rainbow over Table Mountain? Is it the little jokes your friends and family makes? Is it waking up every morning, knowing that you were granted another day? Is it a kiss or a hug or just a Hi from a passer-by?

We know that smiling makes for a happier person but what makes you smile? Who makes you smile? Whatever it is, make sure you do it more often and whoever it is that makes you smile, make sure you appreciate the person or people.

More important than what makes you smile is for you to make others smile. It could be a small gesture like remembering a birthday or telling a joke – It creates a smile that lights up a room.

So do yourself and others a favour today and SMILE!

Watch this space

This phrase usually means that there will very soon be an exciting change in a person’s current situation.  Hopefully for me this means that I’ll throw caution to the wind and get out of a certain situation that I no longer wish to be in.

I’ve never been much of a risk-taker and always think things through before I do or speak. I don’t want this to be the reason that I end up unhappy one day because I played it too safe. Watch this space – I’ll take the risk and won’t look back. Right now I’m in a comfort zone that will basically get me nowhere very slowly and I do so want and need to get somewhere and be someone.

What is your goals? What would you like your situation to be? Ask yourself this and then make it happen. This advice goes to myself as well as anyone that reads this blog.

Make your goals happen – Watch this space J