Watch this space. . .

I am currently busy with my B.Tech in Public Relations Management. This year is very difficult for me! We have a lot of projects and assignments for each subject and it seems to me that I don't have enough hours in my day. I definitely need more hours to get everything done. So far I did meet all the deadlines, but it took me hours during the nights getting every assignment done. All our projects are long term projects, it take a lot of energy and stress.

With all the various projects it feels to me that it is not possible to give my very best. With the many assignments to do, I don't have as much time as I need to spend on an assignment. My only thought is, faster I work on an assignment, sooner I can start with the next one. Not to worry, with all our projects and assignments I still enjoy my course very much.

Watch this space. . . next year, I will be back at Cput's Multi Purpose hall with my brand new professional outfit ready to collect my degree. When I collect my degree next year, I will surely know that we all deserve our degree. We are working very hard this year, there's no time for playing games. Watch this space. . .

Andy Warhol said, “In the future everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes”

It took me a little while to think about why I would be world famous for 15 minutes. In the beginning I thought that there were nothing about me that would make me world famous for 15 minutes, but after a while I noticed that I am unique, and I have a list of a few reasons why.

Firstly it would be probably my type of career I have chosen, public relations. It would be the most obvious reason why I would get my 15 minutes of world fame. In this type of career publicity is important.

The second reason that I can think of would probably a coin sequence for me. I’ll probably attend an event, and without noticed it, I will be in the way of the media taking footage for publicity.

The third reason would be the moment when I win the lotto. I am sure I will not bother about the fifteen minutes of fame.

I prefers not to be in the spotlight, but sometimes you can’t always get what you want.

“Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read”

Rock journalism is journalists that write about metal music. Not the normal classic, jazz music.

“Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read” I totally disagree with this statement. It is important for the “rock journalists” to know their music.

My opinion is that I think it is harder to be a rock journalist. Firstly the journalist must be fond of rock music. Rock stars is a culture on its own, people must love rock music to understand the culture of rock stars. Rock journalists must be part of this unique culture. They must report to the public about the music and through the articles they explain actually the culture to the public. Most youngsters understand the culture of rock stars. I believe they enjoy articles of rock journalists. The media must cater for the young people as well; why not write about the things they are interested?

Rock journalists, must know the different rock star groups, they must know the different types of instruments they use. In every song, there is a message. Rock stars do have a message in their music, and in my opinion I don’t think a plain journalist would be able to see the message, understand the message and to write about the message in the song.

Rock journalists rock the hell out of the other journalists!

Bad circumstances in Ukraine

This week a saw a movie about the communities in Ukraine. It was so sad to see their circumstances. I know that the people who lives in Ukraine does not have the best circumstances, but I did not know that it was that bad.

Those people are so poor. They have nothing. The movie was made by a Christian church, and they went out to these families to help them where they can. They gathered some second clothes, shoes, blankets, food, etc, that they gave away to the families in Ukraine. There is one family with a very sad story. The parents have 11 children, three of them was born normally, but they got a virus that made them so sick that those kids don't grow anymore, they can't walk, they can't talk and they can't use their brains anymore. They don't have medical services there. No doctors, no dentists and no hospitals. Their hands are cut off. No one can help them with their health, and to make it more worse is that the temperatures are most of the time during the winder under -20°C. These families don't have warm houses or clothes to protect them from the cold weather.

Most of the families don't have bathrooms at all. They cook water on the fire and bath outside or in the kitchen. They don't have toilets like us, they must go outside in the nature.

They are so positive, despite of their circumstances. They are friendly people, and they let you feel so welcome in their little 'houses'. On the movie you can see that they are so thankful for all the helping hands, it makes me sad to think that we have so much, but there don't go a day by without complaints from people like us that live in good circumstances.  

What motivates me...

I have one word that motivates me and it is results. To see what I have achieved is a very good motivation for me. But I don't have one specific motivation, I have more than one way to motivate me.

1. Motivational words to me is means a lot to me.

2. My religion helps me to achieve what I want to achieve and my faith in my religion motivates me.

3. Any achievements is a motivation for me, it does not matter how small or big the achievement is, it will always motivates me to go further and do my best.

4. To see all the poor people and their problems motivates me to be thankful for what I have and to work harder.

5. I have a set of goals that I want to achieve and just to think about those goals, is a motivation for me.

6. To work in a group hard together motivates me to give my best.

So many things can motivate me. I think to be alive is a motivation enough to work hard everyday and give your best and achieve your goals. I you don't have anything that can motivates you... than you are not thankful for what you have. Some people have much more worst circumstances than what we have and if you look at the people that are so thankful for the few they have and they are motivated to do their best, why can't we be motivated everyday to be thankful and do our best.

Shopping at the end of the month

I hate to do shopping at the end of the month. The malls are so busy that it is no pleasure to shop. I love to just walk around, go in different stores and shop with my eyes, but the secret is to do it in the week and not at the end of the month.

Most families will go out to the mall with all their children To keep the group together they will walk slowly between the shops and the people that is in a hurry is so frustrated with all the people that walk slowly that they can't pass because there are to many people in the shops . But it is not the only frustration.

Most of the times the shops have a sale at the end of month. So most people would go and fight for the right items what they want. All the customer together at one little space to get what they want. Another frustration when I shop at the end of the month is that most shops have many pay stations to buy your items, but they don't make use of all the pay stations at the end of the month. They know that the shop will be busy, but no, they feel good about the fact the customers must stand in a queue, so long that you need a binocular to see the pay station.

I don't know how the over people feel about it but it does not sounds for me like fun.

Personal Autonomy - How far does it extend?

According to Wikipedia, autonomy has several usages in philosophical contexts. In ethics, autonomy refers to a person's capacity for self-determination in the context of moral choices. 

Self- determination is the process by which a person controls their own life. 

Life is all about decisions and choices. The big question is, how far does it extend? Well I don't have the answer to this question. I don't think their is one correct answer. I feel that when you make a choice you must take responsibility for your decisions. We are all humans. We all have morals, and I think our morals will put a limitation on our  self-determination. Some people push their luck when it comes to their personal autonomy. But I think we are aloud to stand up for our beliefs, we must just do it in a good manner. We live in a democracy country, that is a privilege, we must not push to much when it comes personal autonomy. 

"A primary function of art and thought is to liberate the individual from the tyranny of his culture in the environmental sense and the permit to sand beyond it in an autonomy of perception and judgement 

- Beverly Sills 

Technology grows faster than swam

We live in a modern world. A world where technology grows faster than swam. It is good, and it seems that the world benefit from this fast growing technology. But there is one problem that I have observed and I don't have any answers. 

The major defect of most technology equipment is that you always get some software or hardware defect. It is for me weird to think that we move so fast in the technology world, but we can not fix the defects of our technology equipment. 

Every day we see improvements. Every time it is just getting better and faster. Can't we rather first concentrate on getting solutions to fix the defects on our technology? It can't be that hard to design our technological equipment in the beginning without any defects... it can't be harder than sending people out into the space? But I would not know so the only thing that I can do is to send complaints in to them or just write about it on my blog. 

My day would go much smoother without these technology defects. But like I said, we benefit from the growing technology and we can just hope than some day they will come up with something new without any defects.  

"Bunch of animals" is one comment on CPUT strikes in August. What is yours?

Every year it is the same issue. Every year they brake down every thing that we all paid for. Every year they act like people that does not have any education at all. Every year they destroy the reputation of CPUT.  

I walk around with pepper spray at our campus. I'm not even sure I want to be part of this campus. It is so unsafe with the striking students. It is shocking to think that these students will be the future business people.

I really think that CPUT must act on this issue. Not by giving the striking students what they want but to take action against them. It is not the first time that some students strikes about a certain issue. This years strike was the worst of all. The moment I heard about the strikes, I went on CPUT's website to read their comments on the strikes. But their was nothing. I really think that CPUT must communicate. They don't communicate at all.  

To call the striking students a "bunch of animals" may be a strong comment for some people. But explain it to me. The striking students turned the campus into an unsafe environment. They take away a whole week of my education. They gamble with my future. A future that I paid for. So what can we say about the striking "students" that does not have any respect for my life, my choices and my future? I don't have a word to describe their behaviour,  but I just know that my house pets behave themselves better than the striking students.

10 most unexpected consequences of being online

1. Fall in love.

2. Win the lotto that pops up.

3. Find your family tree, that could turn out to be the 'Adams Family'. 

4. Find the 'greatest' job.  

5. Lose weight easy tips for 'free'. 

6. Get rich 'quick'.

7. Download songs for free, that is actually illegal.

8. Building a social life on Facebook can destroy your real friendships close to you.  

9.  Being on social networks during working hours can get you fired.

10. Being online,  you have the whole world in your home.

Every day is a good day

Every day can be a good day for you. It all depends on you as individual. You can wake up every morning and decide for yourself that today will be a good or bad day. You can make every day a good day.

I have two tips that will help you to bright up your day a little more

- Start your day with your favourite song. 

- Get up early and go for a run, not in the gym but outdoor so that you can inhale the fresh air.

It is difficult to believe that every day can be a good day. But it can be. Think about it. To go out to work and to come back the evening alive is a good reason to think that today was a good day. If you have a work and you get paid for it, than every work day is a good day because you get paid for it. Every day that you don't work and just enjoy the day, is also a good day because it is a day off that you can enjoy with friends or your family.

I believe that every day can be a good day.

Our greatest strengths are our greatest weaknesses

We all have our strengths and weaknesses in life. 

The fact that our greatest strengths are our greatest weaknesses is a little bit scary for me. This statement makes us as very vulnerable in life. On earth where we are, people are mean. People like to know what weaknesses other people have and use for their benefit.

I think we all have one weakness that we all share, and that is money. Money can be good. Money gives us power and with lots of money we feel strong. We have strength. But it is a great weakness. People will do anything for money. Money owns us. Some people does not want to know it, but they are just in denial. 

Loyalty is also a strength that can be turned into a weakness. We will do anything for our loved ones. We will even threw our values away to be loyal and support our love ones, and it is good but it is a weakness.

Each and every person have their own great strengths that are their greatest weaknesses. But money and loyalty we all have.  

Feelings follow behaviour

The Oxford dictionary define feelings as a power to feel: mental or physical awareness. Behaviour is the way you behave.

The words 'feelings' and 'behaviour' follow one another. It is just a matter of which one will follow the other one first. Both these two words plays a major role in life. Feelings and behaviour can tell us more about people than words. Actions talk, and through actions we see feelings and the way we act, is the way we behave. 

Behaviour can not operate alone. Behaviour is linked to our feelings. Every act we do, we do with a reason and with our feelings. It is so easy to let feelings follow behaviour. Behaviour we can see, hear, feel and the moment we observed behaviour... feelings follow.

We can not always control our feelings, but I believe we can control our behaviour. It is not bad to let your feelings follow behaviour, but we must make sure we are always in control of our actions. 

It is better to practice a little than talk a lot

Words come and go, but actions can't never be erased. People prefer to remember actions, even if its so little that you need a magnifier to see it. Words have also an influence on people, but actions talk louder and harder. 

I don't say, we must stop talking from now on and make use of hand signs. We must plan and start focusing on practice more and less talk. Turn words into actions. Practice what you say. 

A good example of just talking and not practice that much is what I'm doing right now. I must write something about this matter and it must be more than 200 words. I practice a little at least. But can you benefit from what I'm saying? 

To talk a lot you can't gain experience, only when you're learning a new language. But to practice a little means much more than just talk a lot. Actions are more powerful than words. People act on actions. We can learn from words, but a few words can also means a lot. To many words can be to many information. We must start focusing on the little practice and with a little practice on the little practice, we will maybe talk less and do more. 

It is a poor idea to lie to yourself

Do we lie to ourselves? 

Are we going to be honest with ourselves or are we going to lie again to ourselves about the answer or this question?

Let us admit, we do lie to ourselves and I think for a change we must be honest. It is a poor idea to lie to ourselves. It is in our nature to lie, especially to ourselves, but think about it. We know the truth, but we still lie to ourselves. The worst part is that we believe the lie. 

We, the human beings think that we are so clever, but to lie to ourselves we show the exact opposite. Actually it is more, we try to lie to ourselves. It is the poorest idea. Are we that bright as we think? I don't think so. 

We try to get away from the truth but we can't. We must face the truth and deal with it. Most of the lies that we lie to ourselves is our fault. Just the word lie makes me sad, and if we 'believe' all the lies we sell to ourselves, where will we end up? 

I think we must stand up against ourselves and fight the poor idea to lie to ourselves. We must make sure, when we pick up the mirror, we don't see a liar. What we see in the mirror, is how other people experience us.

No all who wander are lost

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word "wander" means, go from place to place with no settled route or purpose.

The world is pretty big and there are many different cultures, animals and also different people, with different personalities in our world. People have different goals, achievements and some people are lost. . . or must I rather say wandering?

People over the world mostly think that all who wander are lost. I feel that there aren't really a right or wrong answer. The answer would differ for each and every person. We all are different. We al want to be excepted for who we are and I'm sure the wanderers in our world would also like it to be excepted for who they are. We will maybe not understand their decisions, but we can respect it.

Some people may not go from place to place with no purpose, but they can wandering. They can wandering at their job, at their home. People with a goal and mission can also feel lost and alone, without going from place to place. Every person's story is sealed in a book. We will never know each and every person and their story. We must except the people around us. It does not matter if they wandering or not.  

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

The answer to this question is actually very simple. You just start to work you way down. Take the first step. Than the next, and the next... I know that every one thinks it is crazy to just do it and anyway not so easy as it seems. But I tell you, it is.  

It is exactly the same with our life. Life is a journey. We must live it. Life is an adventure, we must explore it. Life is for free, why not enjoy every moment? 

Life is not always pleasant and fun. Especially when we get challenges that we not use to. We must be positive about these challenges and step down of the 100-foot challenge. To stand on a 100-foot pole, we get a view from the top. And to stand on the 100-foot pole, we view a broader picture that is actually in our advance. We must just make the first step. 

We all have goals, and to achieve your goals you must jump some hurdles. Without challenges we will be just a number in the big world. I am sure we all have a mission and to fulfill that mission we must get on the 100-foot pole and have a view from the top and face our challenges in life. 

Gail Sheehy said, "to be tested is good, the challenged life may be the best therapist". 

We are what we do

Integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do - Don Galar 

The definition of integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.

I believe that every step you take, is a chapter in your life. Every person is an author. We all write our own autobiography's. It may be not on paper, but people can see through actions, what you wrote.

We can make mistakes in life, and put it behind you, but the mistake will always be part your history. Every decision we make, is a chapter written in your autobiography which cannot be erased. Your actions is a mirror of the person you are. You can examine a human being through its actions, reactions,  performance, etc. I believe in the saying; don't judge a book by its cover. That is why you must first examine the person's actions before you judge. A cover can mislead you, but a persons actions, can't lie.  

We are what we do. . . it sounds so simple, but it is more complicated than we think. We examine people without knowing it. It is natural, that's why it is important when we make decisions and act to it. When you're looking back, you must be proud of what you did and what you want to achieve.

Think before act. . .

We are afraid of the wrong things

You block your dreams when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith - Mary Manin Morrissey

There are one very well-known word that describes "afraid" and it is the word fear.

We all know what fear is. We all hate fear, but we talk about fear. Sing songs about fear. Write about fear. Why, if we hate fear so much? Maybe we feel that if we constantly mention fear it would go away, the fact that are afraid of fear.

The many songs we listen at, is about fear, especially songs about fear of love, fear of losing important things in life. Like now I'm writing about fear, other people write poems about fear.

Is it wrong to fear all these things that people sing about, write about and talk about? Are we trying to get rid of fear by singing, writing and talking about it?

There are so many questions about fear, and just a few answers. But does it matter? No not really, just only if fear runs your life, and you don't have faith anymore.

I end with a great poem of fear and hope by Sri Chinmoy

Hope 

Know no fear

Hope dares to blossom

Even inside the abysmal abyss

Hope secretly feeds

And strengthens

Promise

-Sri Chinmoy

Colour of the wind...

The colour of the wind... mmm what is the colour?

The moment the words were blown through my mind by the wind, I thought of the 4 seasons in nature. 

In autumn, the wind blows with orange and brown colours. The trees in the nature are one with wind and therefore all the leafs of the trees are also orange and brown just like the colour of the wind.

During the winter, the wind is all white and grey with  misty colours swinging around with the wind. The rain and clouds are adapting the colour of the wind and feels the emotion of the wind, just like the people. When you listen you can hear the talking of the wind.

The colour of the wind during spring puts a smile on my face, because the wind is the colours of the rainbow, red, purple, yellow, green... That's what spring is all about,  laughter, having fun on a sunny day,  and the bright colours the wind's blowing during spring. The whole nature smiles after the long winter with the grey colours of the wind and when you look at the flowers, you can see the colours of the wind in spring.

In summer, the colour of the wind connects with the blue sky, white clouds and the green of the nature. The blue colour of the wind picks up the blue of the ocean, and bring us the cool breez of the summer.

The wind talks to us through its colour, you must analyse the colour of the wind. Do you?

Watch this space...

I am currently busy with my B.Tech in Public Relations Management.  This year is very difficult for me!  We have a lot of projects and assignments for each subject and it seems to me that I don't have enough hours in my day.  I definitely need more hours to get everything done.  So far I did meet all the deadlines, but it took me hours during the nights getting every assignment done.  All our projects are long term projects, it take a lot of energy and stress.

With all the various projects it feels to me that it is not possible to give my very best.  With the many assignments to do, I don't have as much time as I need to spend on an assignment.  My only thought is, faster I work on an assignment,  sooner I can start with the next one.  Not to worry, with all our projects and assignments I still enjoy my course very much. 

Watch this space. . . next year, I will be back at Cput's Multi Purpose hall with my brand new professional outfit ready to collect my degree.  When I collect my degree next year, I will surely know that we all deserve our degree.  We are working very hard this year, there's no time for playing games. Watch this space. . . 

Topics to blog about

1.  My opinion about blogging

2.  Traffic in the morning. . . 

3.  My dream holiday would be. . .

4.  Are we growing as a second Zimbabwe?

5.  The internet, is it a reliable source?

If I were the boss...

If I were the boss, I would pay my employees enough.  There is a saying, pay peanuts and get monkeys.  Well I don't want my employees to act like monkeys.  It is not a zoo.

I would allow all my employees to work flexi time.  I will organise laptops with wireless internet so that you don't need to be at the office every minute.

I would install Skype on every computer/laptop to communicate and send files via Skype.

I would treat all the employees equally and with respect.

I would be strict and firm but also generous.  I would always listen to their suggestions, creative ideas and we we will have a discussion and then make a decision.

I would expect from my employees to do their best and meet deadlines on time but also to enjoy their work and the working environment.

I would take the employees once a month for lunch on the company's expense.

I would have brainstorming sessions on our projects.  It would be fun but productive.

I would give young students an opportunity to gain experience from our company.

Not so important, but there will not be cheap instant coffee at the office, only pure percolated coffee.

I would like to be the best boss, my employees must rather see me as their co-worker.

Most important, I would take a fat salary home every month.

Respond Designer PR

The concept 'Designer PR' is very new and exciting!  Technology is now guiding us and we should not be afraid to make use of these new opportunities to be found in information exchange and interaction.  It its now possible to build personal, local and global relationships in way that previous generations never thought possible.

This is also the challenge facing PR today.  After all, it is possible to create a lot of different recipes from the same basic PR 'ingredients'.  Curiosity, creativity, access to information and even fun are all part of the Designer PR experience.  By moving PR in to the realm of the of the open-minded we can have an even bigger impact on our environment.  Designer PR describes what is happening to the field very accurately.  By using the 'PR toolkit' more effectively and creatively, there is no limit to what PR can became, and what PR can mean to the world! 

SA Bands Suck?

I am a South African and a proud supporter of South African music.  Judging by the massive success that South African musicians are having both locally and internationally, it is clear that SA bands don't 'suck' - they rock!

The Parlotones are receiving airplay on radio stations in Europe, Japan and Asia and will be touring the United Kingdom as a support act for British group Starsailor this year.

Local alternative group Seether have had songs like "Fake It" and "Rise Above This" appear on the United States Rock charts.

Eden have established themselves as one of South Africa's most successful 'boy bands'.  Their voices are fantastic, they write their own songs and their music reflects local culture.  They also received three South African Music Award nominations for their debut album, Point Of No Return. that reached Platinum status.

Tree63 won the 2001 GMA 'Rock Album of the Year' with their first album release in the USA.

The list of popular and successful South African bands is as long as it diverse.  Names like Danny K, Loyiso, Just Jinjer, Mean Mister Mustard and Watershed make you feel proud.  Even international artist such as Manfred Mann, Trevor Rabin and Dave Matthews were all born here.

While everyone has a different taste in music and I might not personally listen to all the local artists around, it is important to support South African bands.  These artists are part of our culture, our history and our nation!