What are you doing now?

With the 1st of January just around the corner I thought I would copy Lisa's blog here because it has made me think - and think about those resolutions (yes, I do make them). Sometimes just the smallest changes, or even just doing new things makes a huge difference .... read this and let me know how you feel!

FROM: LISA'S BLOG http://adventurelisa.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-are-you-doing-now.html 19 November 2010

What are you doing now?

Last night I was watching a YouTube clip with a friend about a guy who suffered major injury and then decided to undertake a physical challenge for a cause. He could barely walk and he completed the distance in a time exponentially greater than you or I would do it in.

While I think it is great that he has these goals and he's on a mission, I'm not completely moved. There are many other examples just like this one.

Why? Well, the questions I asked my friend was, "Why does it take tragedy or a near-death experience for people to live?" and "What did he do before the accident?".

About a year ago at my local blood donor clinic the sister told me that 89% of regular blood donors only start donating after they have received blood (operation, accident, illness). I don't see much difference between this and people waking up (figuratively) after a car accident and deciding to run a marathon, when they would have impatiently waited for a parking space closest to the mall entrance pre-accident.

Friends, wake up now. Don't wait for some life-changing incident to remind you how precious it is to be here and now. Love with abandon, strive to have job you enjoy, live where you're happiest (and with whom you're happiest), participate in any event or activity that catches your fancy and stop saving those words for another day.

Some, like the injured guy in the clip, get a second chance to do what they should have done during their 'first life'. Others don't.

Back on Line

Yikes…I got such a fright when the orange light came on my modem when I switched it on just now.….nearly fell off my seat. I have been without an internet connection and home phone for nearly 4 weeks now…….my phone is also working but it seems that I have someone else’s number and I keep getting calls for someone else…despite telling the people that there is a crossed line and we haven’t been connected up properly, they keep trying and trying and trying…

But first things first…this just a quick blog to say hello…..and I will be back to blogging very soon; well, assuming the phone lines hold up (they were stolen by the way).

And a bit of sad new….do you remember the beaded sheep I wrote about. Well, they have been stolen as well.

Gaiters: yes them again. I have been sewing gaiters like crazy – this time they are desert gaiters especially for the long race in Abu Dhabi that Lisa is off to early next month. There will be 3 teams from South Africa (they all have my gaiters) and a team from the UK will also be wearing them. I will be watching Lisa and her team via Google Earth and the satellite tracking goodies they carry with them. It is quite exciting.

Bassline is throbbing at the moment……so much going on including a whopping great Rasta/Ragga festival tomorrow night and 2 overseas bands – one on Friday and one on Sunday (Feeder for those who are interested). It is such fun… and a really special event is Tu Nokwe’s show on the 10^th Dec.

I decided as well, that my happiness blog theme for December will be on relationships…. Hope you enjoy them.

Love and Happiness

Liz

OCTOBER SNIPPETS

The Beaded Sheep:

Every morning I drive past a small coffee shop on my way to work in Newtown – it is just round the corner from Bassline. Right in front of the shop is a large tree and they have some tables and chairs out on the pavement under this tree. They also have 3 life-sized beaded wire sheep; and every morning someone in the coffee shop arranges the sheep in different poses…one can be standing on a table, one with its front legs on the tree trunk (looks like it wants to climb the tree). One day, one was lying on its side with the other 2 looking on with great concern….. it is very funny and something to look forward to.

Good Books:

The first one I can recommend – in fact I encourage you to read it, is called Why Africa is Poor by Greg Mills. He writes really well and puts his point across succinctly and follows it up with data and graphs. There are parts in the book where I felt I should just go outside and slit my throat; but it is a thought provoking book. Greg draws comparisons with Asian, Central American and South American countries and African countries, all of which have been colonised and most of which have had devastating wars. And he comes to interesting conclusions about the countries that have successfully transitioned from colonial and military oppression. In one chapter he talks about the cost of doing business in Africa and uses Durban port as an example: In Singapore it takes 8 minutes to clear a container through customs: in SA it takes 32 days (BTW, we are the best on the continent). One thing this book doesn’t do is just lay all the problems down on paper – he spends quite a bit of time talking about solutions.

The second one is by Lionel Shriver, called So Much for That. (She also wrote We Need to Talk About Kevin). She is a stunning writer and her stories are gripping. She is dark and her characters are very real…you know these people! She is brave and says the stuff that many writers don’t dare….she take our clichés and trashes them.

TED Talks:

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. I listen to and watch TED Talks on www.ted.com, usually late on a Sunday night; then kick myself when I stagger into bed in the early hours of the morning. It’s a bit addictive – heaps of categories and heaps of speakers including some very funny comedy slots….I love it! So when Lisa told me TED Talks was coming to Johannesburg I got really excited and rushed to get my ticket from their website. And then found out that you have to apply to be an “audience”….I was a bit thrown but completed the application process which also calls for references…..you have to describe yourself in less the 100 words and answer some other questions, also less than 100 words; your answers are then sent to your referees and they verify it….*grin* No room for exaggeration here! So, thank you to my referees – I have been approved and will be attending TED next Sunday – it is a marathon day from 9.30 to 18.30….I will be all TED Talked out! Go to http://www.tedxjohannesburg.co.za/ to check it out.

What's in a name:

Thank you for all the feedback about the name - I had some very good laughs......