Cape Town Carnival 2012 - 'Cape To Cairo'

On Saturday, March 24, 2012 I attended the annual Cape Town Carnival in Somerset Road, Greenpoint. The theme for this year's event was "Cape to Cairo," highlighting all that is beautiful on our continent. Officially inaugurated in 2010, the 2012 Cape Town Carnival marked the third consecutive year of this widely publicised event. As this was the first one I was attending, I was overly excited to see Cape Town be transformed into a magnificent fortress of colour and life.

The floats and costumes were absolutely out-of-this-world! The various groups were all unique and the hard work that they put into designing and building their floats was very clear. The colours used along with the lighting and other special effects, combined with the breathtaking outfits worn by the performers, made the aesthetics of the event spectacular.

On the other hand, the same cannot be said for the organising of such a major event on Cape Town's calendar. The public was informed that the event would start at 17:00 where attendees could do the "fanwalk" on Someset Road and buy goodies from the stalls along the way. When we arrived at about 17:30 there was no entertainment provided, no signs instructing us where to go and only one or two stalls right at the end of the "fanwalk" near Greenpoint Stadium. The shuttles provided for the event were also only free of charge after 18:00. We therefore could not see the point of arriving 3 hours prior to the event. Their website states that there was a concert in the Stadium forecourt "with various entertainers entertaining the crowds" but none of this was communicated or displayed to the public.

The actual parade was set to start at 20:00. At about 20:15 we got to see the first act, and then had to wait until about 20:45 before the following acts eventually came past. Between each act was about a five to seven minute gap which completely killed the vibe as we had to just sit around waiting for the next act to come past.

After reading an article on the Cape Town Carnival's website (www.capetowncarnival.com) titled "Cape Town Carnival organizers are celebrating" I could not fathom how they thought it was a success. Although attended by 120000 people, the Cape Town Carnival failed to live up to expectations due to the poor organising detracting from the beauty and excitement of the parades.

Their website states that they forsee this event soon being "the 'biggest' event on the social calendar," but in order for this to happen, they will need to do some major revamps for next year's event.

How do you step from the top of a 100-foot pole?

The figurative meaning behind this question can be explained by the poem below as part of the Zen literature:

"You who sit on the top of a 100 foot pole; Although you have entered the Way, it is not yet genuine; Take a step from the top of the pole; And the entire world becomes your body."

What this poem is saying to us is that although we have begun our journey or taken the first steps (i.e. sitting on top of the 100-foot pole), we have not yet accomplished anything. The only way to make that happen is if we take a risk and step out of our comfort zones. Only by doing that, will an array of opportunities and possibilities open up for us. The best way for this to be done is by taking just one step at a time and tacking things as they come.

If I were (literally) stranded at the top of a 100-foot pole - although I have no idea how I would have landed there in the first place - I would think practically about a solution and use the resources that I have available to me (as any self-proclaimed resourceful person would do!).

I would take out my ever-handy and life-saving Blackberry and contact one of my friends who just happens to be a fireman. I would ask him very nicely if he could bring the fire engine, along with a handful of his rather attractive colleagues, who would be more than willing to help me down on the long ladder attached to the fire engine. Problem solved! :)

My very own Bucket List

We all have hopes and dreams we want to accomplish; we all have secret desires and fantasies that we want fulfilled, but where does one start? Below is a list of the top 10 things I would like to experience before my time is up :)

1. Spend New Year's Eve in an exotic location with friends: This I hope to achieve in 2014 when my friends and I have planned to spend our December and January holidays of 2014/2015 in Thailand, sipping cocktails and soaking up the exotic foreign sun!
2. Fly on an aeroplane: Believe it or not, at 21 years of age I have still not had the opportunity to experience flying!
3. Fall deeply in love - hopelessly and unconditionally: Need I say more? Everyone wants to experience that form of love that is irrevocable and breathtakingly beautiful.
4. Skydive: I love all forms of extreme and thrilling things like skydiving, bungee jumping or shark cage-diving and would love to experience one of these!
5. Stay out all night dancing and go to work the next day WITHOUT having gone home: Wow, sounds pretty tiring and tough, but definitely something that should be done before getting too old!
6. Own one ridiculously expensive, but absolutely amazing dress and pair of shoes: I absolutely love clothes, shoes, jewellry and shopping in general. I think every girl should have that one dress that looks good on no matter what and that makes you feel like a million bucks. Let's not forget that one pair of amazingly sexy shoes that will make you stand out in any crowd.
7. Go on a cross-country road trip with friends: Pack your stuff and head out on a road trip with awesome friends that will ensure that you have the best time of your life. This is great for experiencing new places, roughing it for a bit and building great memories that will last you forever.
8. Build a snowman over Christmas time: I would love to experience a "White Christmas" with the snow falling outside and acting like a kid while playing in it, building snowmen and having snowball fights.
9. Write a message in a bottle: Write down your deepest thoughts - things only you know - and place them in a bottle and throw it into the sea. It would be great knowing that there is a piece of me somewhere out there and never knowing if one day someone might find it.
10. Join a flash mob: Whenever I think of a flash mob, scenes from one episode of one of my favourite series, Modern Family, flashes through my head where "Mitchell" bursts out in dance to "Free Your Mind" during a flash mob scene in the middle of a shopping centre. I would absolutely love to take part in a flash mob as it looks ridiculously fun and exciting!

We are what we do...

The title of this post says it all... We are what we do! What this means is what we do depicts who and what we are; people percieve us (and quite often judge us) based on our actions and the way we carry ourselves.

It is said that an impression is formed of someone within the first three minutes of meeting each other. First impressions count as this is the foundation that your relationship will be based on. A person's manerisms and appearance play a big role in the impression that someone forms of you. You very seldom forget the first time you meet someone, especially if something (good or bad) stands out about that person. Don't forget, you do not get a second chance at your first impression!

Take me for example. I like to think of myself as a people's-person and outgoing. If there is a conversation, I will gladly take part in it and get involved. I will listen to other people's opinions as well as voice my own. I like to think that people will view me as an outgoing, friendly and fun person to be around; but on the other hand...

People could percieve me as being a bit arrogant or aggressive if I try too hard to get my opinion across or completely take over the conversation and interrup others while they are talking.

If for instance, a group of people are having a conversation, but you barely say two words, people will perceive you as shy and boring. If, as a girl, you go out in public and hang on every single guy you see, people will percieve you as common or slutty. If you are seen shoving your face with McDonald's every five minutes, people will percieve you as unhealthy. For these reasons, it is very difficult to maintain a perfect balance and to get people to view you as you want them to.

Others will always judge you on what it is that you are doing and will always form their own perceptions of you no matter how hard you try to change them. So be aware of your actions next time you are around others as although you may not know it, they are constantly judging you on your actions.

Friendship

Frienship is a form of an interpersonal relationship, generally considered to be closer than association. For me, this does not define what friendship really is.

Personally, friendship is about forming an unbreakable bond with someone. A friend is someone who you feel comfortable sharing every single detail of your life with and who is there for you through all your good times and the bad times. It is someone who gives you support, understanding and sympathy when you need it. It is someone you can trust and rely on and who will always have your back. A friend keeps you company when you are lonely and cheers you up when you are down. Friends go out together and have the best times of their lives.

A friend is there to lend a shoulder when you need to vent about something, and is there to say "to hell with it, lets go out and party and forget about it!" The bond between friends should be one that can withstand any situation - good or bad - and still be as strong as ever at the end.

Friendships are what gets you through your life. From your childhood years to your tweens and teens, even in your grown-up years and when you hit the half-century mark, your friends will always be there by your side. They are the ones counting down the days until you all hit 21 so that you're legal and able to do as you want. They are also the ones wishing your lives back once you're all old and grey and sitting in rocking chairs side by side.

Even though blood is thicker than water, I don't know where or what I would be today without my friends :) They have shared some of the most important times of my life with me and have made each moment memorable.

"A true friend is someone that thinks that you are a good egg, even though he knows that you are slightly cracked" - Bernard Meltzer

We are afraid of the wrong things

In life, different things scare different people. Whether it be a fear of heights, a fear of dying, or even a fear of the dark, what frightens one person may not frighten another. In my case, birds and any insect that crawls or flies scares me to death. We each react differently to situations and have our own fears, so who is to say which of those are the wrong ones? The answer is that there is no 'right' or 'wrong' fear to have.

There is always at least one thing that scares a person, even if they do not want to admit it. I believe that all fears can be faced, albeit nobody is fearless. Personally, I would never want to face the fear that I have of bugs and insects (however girly and silly that may sound) as it freaks me totally out and I cannot think of anything worse that one of those things crawling on me.

Along with my many trivial fears, I also fear the 'more important' things in life such as failure, my family's well-being, my safety, and even life in general. Who knows what is in store for us? The fear of not knowing is one that plays on my mind constantly. Today is the perfect example. I got to my friend, Leigh-Ann's house this morning for our lift club to class. We went to class, handed in an in-class activity and proceeded home. We stopped along the way to take photos for our Communication Science research assignment and were in a minor car accident. How were we to know that that would happen today as our morning started just the same as every other morning does?

It is never good to worry about things that you have no control over, but one cannot help the way we feel. I like to think that we can apply Eminem's lyrics below to any situation we are afraid of. Fears are more easily faced with the support of someone else, and together we can accomplish more than we can by ourselves.

"I'm not afraid. To take a stand. Everybody, come take my hand. We'll walk this world together, through the storm, whatever weather, cold or warm, just lettin' you know that you're not alone, holla' if you feel like you've been down the same road." - Eminem

Sometimes good things fall apart, so better things can fall together...

The title of this post is something that I firmly believe in. My life has not been a bed of roses, nor has it been an uphill battle. I like to think of it as being somewhere in between the two.

At one stage or another in someone's life, every single person faces challenges, obstacles, dreams being shattered and events that are sad, disappointing, hurtful and even unbearable. I belive that all things that happen to you in life, happen for a reason. Negative incidences and circumstances occur so that there is space for better things to come from it. As Marilyn Monroe once said: "I believe everything happens for a reason. People change so you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."

The saying, "this too shall pass" also plays a big part in this phenomenon that I so strongly belive in. At the time of something terrible happening, it always seems like it will be the end of the world (speaking figuratively of course), but nothing that happens to you defines who you are. You are an individual who has different beliefs, opinions and views on a wide range of things than what the person standing next to you has. When something happens that seems so devastating that you feel you cannot go on, just remember these sayings in order to get you through it and out on the other side.

Fish falling from the sky

Fish falling from the sky - sounds a bit peculiar, even non-viable to me. Believe it or not, cases of fish falling from the sky have been reported in Australia, Ethiopia and the Philippines.

The reason why this seems so unthinkable is because at a very young age, we are all taught the water cycle where water evaporates out of the ocean by means of the sun and is turned into water vapour in the clouds. The water or "rain" comes down by means of precipitation and falls back into lakes, oceans, rivers and dams, where the whole process is started over again.

Could it be that while the water is evaporated up, fish were "stuck" somewhere inbetween the water droplets and managed to stay whole in form while the water turned into water vapour? Who knows. Weirder and more wonderful things have happened in this world. Maybe they were supernatural fish with special powers, or fish that were stuck up there in the clouds just waiting for their chance to come down to earth to their natural habitats. Or perhaps it is even a "sign" from up above. Whichever it may be, at least it wasn't birds falling from the sky.

If birds were to fall from the sky in Cape Town, it might just be the end of me. I am sure I suffer from ornithophobia (the fear of birds). I would never want to harm a bird and don't mind them from afar, but as soon as they come close to me I get terrified. Their eyes and claws freak me totally out, and the vision of them flapping their wings on some part of my body sends me into a total frenzy. Weird I know as they are pretty harmless, nevertheless, rather fish falling from the sky than birds!