Today I would’ve been married 25 years – A Silver Anniversary nogal…

That’s IF I had married him on the planned day:  1 July 1985.

That’s IF he hadn’t gone and left me a few months earlier… ok, so at least I’m sure of one thing: he didn’t leave me out of his own free will. Then again, being the self-confessed Christian I am, I, in a way, believe that he, being a self-confessed Christian too, probably didn’t leave grudgingly either – ‘cause I truly believe that when God calls you home – you go eagerly – we all know that that is what Christians aspire to afterall… Right? Right?!?!

Anyways, believing in the almost unbelievable – that a man would have put up with me for that long… or maybe that I would have the patience and hope and determination to keep him that long, I would have celebrated today as a very very special day. I still do in a weird and surreal way. But to share that with the average human being, would only land me on their list of the most peculiar person they know.

Talking about lists: It was my first (and the only) wedding I ever really planned. Months in advance. Excited. Blushing. Blissful.  Lists and lists (and lists of lists) – I only just realized why I so HATE lists… they mean nothing when fate happens to show up. Nothing at all. Since then I have never made lists again – I even abhor the idea of a grocery shopping list…

The most  ironic memory of my planned wedding – leaving me with yet another resolution for years to come: to make sure you know and care enough about your guests and they about you, that you actually want them to attend. See, one guest contacted me late on the afternoon of the 1^st of July, wanting to know whether they were at the right church… ‘cause it didn’t seem so…  :roll:  Ja, jong…

Why am I sharing this? Because all three subjects coincidently arose at coffee break today. One colleague happens to celebrate her silver anniversary tomorrow. And though I toasted her cheerfully, I had a lump the size of a duck egg to swallow. Another co-worker was going on and on about her to-do’s for the next few days, starting off with a trip to Checkers, jotting down 4 (I kid you not, FOUR) lists (including a guest list for her birthday party) simultaneously!!! And then my daughter, who has just dropped by, was talking about her girlfriend’s wedding plans and how many guests they were inviting and what the party would cost them per head.

And now that this day is coming to an end – I suddenly feel this once bubbly, carefree, dreamy-eyed 20-something year-old, who’s usually in need of consolation and tlc, knocking inside, unexpectedly saying: “Don’t you think it’s time??“.

She might be right… this time…  it’s time.

Ek het niks teen opinie nie. Niks teen mense wat ‘n standpunt inneem nie. Ek het self ‘n paar (klein horde) opinies. Maar DOEN tog iets met daai standpunt anders bly dit ook maar net (leë) woorde.

Kyk, niemand sê jy moet stilbly oor onregverdigheid nie. Maar terwyl jy so tekere gaan vra jouself dié een vraag: Wat doen EK – of issit nou wat DOEN ek – enigsins midde-in al die onreg?

En nee, dan praat ek nie van nog ‘n Facebook-group ‘join’ of ‘like’ nie. Dis netso min doen as om vir my virtuele sjokolade te stuur.

Ek was op SHOUT se website :  http://www.shoutsa.com/

Ja… ek weet nog steeds nie regtig WAT hulle doen nie. Hulle laaste “PRESS” update was in Junie… lees gerus die laaste nuusbrief gedateer: 2 Junie 2010 Jip, jip JA!!!!! 2 Junie!!!! 2010!!!

Vir ENIGE ‘aksie’ of beweging om suksesvol te wees moet jy bietjie meer DOEN as PRAAT, reken ek… nevermind SKREE

Ek haal aan:

“According to the Chairman of the SHOUT Foundation, Yusuf Abramjee, SHOUT is ready to make the first donations: “Since launching the campaign and receiving revenue from the SMS campaign and SHOUT song downloads, there is a 60-day period before money donated through the SMS download mechanism filters through to SHOUT.  In addition to this, important auditing processes need to be completed and all donations need to be reconciled before they can be allocated in June,” he says.”

“All the processes described above are being put in place to ensure the best interests of the Foundation are protected, which is critical to the future long-term success of this initiative.  “SHOUT is not just a six-week marketing campaign, but is rather a culture with a legacy, which will become a safer way of life for all South Africans,” says Abramjee.”

Ek weet nie hoe ‘besig’ SHOUT op FB is nie – hoe ingelig hulle ‘members’ is nie, hoe gereeld hulle status opgedateer word en in hoe ‘n mate hulle nou al die donasies aangewend het nie – maar dis hartseer dat so ‘n moerawiese positiewe en ‘legacy’ inisiatief nie in 365 dae (ok, dis darem nog 8 dae voor ‘n hele jaar om is) na die uitreiking van ‘n vorige nuusbrief ENIGIETS nuuts en positief het om uit te basuin nie? Of vra ek as wetsgehoorsame SA staatsburger alweer te veel – naamlik: waarvoor hét julle my R40 nou al aangewend?

Skuus dat ek hier so relaas… maar ‘n paar jaar terug het ‘n paar kunstenaars die “Stop die Moorde” veldtog met ‘n groot hoo-haa afgeskop. Solidariteit het tot ‘n ‘van’ gesponsor vir die hoofkunstenaar Adam Tas. Ek het twee shows bygewoon. By nie een van die twee is die moeite gedoen om te adverteer nie. By die een in Brits was daar meer kunstenaars as mense in die gehoor… Die hele aksie het in die hek geduik. Dalk moontlik is ledegeld ook nog daarvoor ingespan… Wie vra? Niemand nie! Hoekom nie? Want jou kans om ‘n straight-forward eerlike antwoord te kry is uiters uiters skraal.

Hoe sê die gesegde so mooi: twee monoloë maak nie ‘n dialoog nie…

maar ja, ek is goed g@tvol vir mense wat baie praat – en nee ek praat nie nou van Steve Hofmeyr nie – of jy nou daarvan hou of saamstem of nie – hy dóén darem wragtig nog iets en lewer baie gereelde bydrae met inisiatiewe – maar weet jy wat is opvallend? Die “Ditsem” kommentaar – die “you go Steve!” – die “Vertel hulle ou maat!!” – die bl!kemmers wat ja-en-amen, maar nog nooit self soveel as een bydrae kon lewer met ‘n pva (plan van aksie) of at least ‘n nuttige FB group wat meer om die lyf het as ‘n LIKE knoppie!

Wat is dit wat ons almal so stomslaan? Nee, dis ook nie waar nie. Wat is dit wat ons almal so reg en rede gee om ons standpunte en opinies uit te basuin en ons energie dan in so ‘n mate op die redekawel en geskree te verbruik dat dit ons letterlik en figuurlik lam lê?

Van die os op die esel… ek kyk Sondag American Idols – en ek wil kits daarvan – wat is dit wat 100 000’e+ (dorps)mense in die VSA laat opruk na die “Welcome-Home” party van ‘n Idols finalis en in Suid-Afrika kry jy nie 100 mense bymekaar vir ‘n ondersteunings/belangegroep by ‘n hofsaak vir brutale redelose (volksmoord) slagoffers nie?

Mexico City, 1968 Summer Olympics

Out of the cold darkness he came. John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania entered at the far end of the stadium, pain hobbling his every step, his leg bloody and bandaged. During the race he had fallen, badly cutting his knee and dislocating the joint. Rather than quitting, he got up from the fall, bandaged his leg and continued to run. The winner of the marathon had been declared over an hour earlier. Only a few spectators remained. But the lone runner pressed on.

As he crossed the finish line, the small crowd roared out its appreciation. Afterward, a reporter asked the runner why he had not retired from the race. He seemed confused by the question. Finally, he answered:
“My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me to finish.”

SHOUT – ek verwag nie dat julle ‘n misdaad moet oplos nie, maar julle het ‘n reënboog-groep mense in julle midde wat tog sekerlik met elke bevolkingsgroep van hierdie land kan identifiseer en kommunikeer? Is dit te veel gevra om meer as EEN KEER PER JAAR julle stem dik te maak oor misdaad? Veral moord, strafbare manslag en verkragting. ELKE KEER. Maak nie saak wat die kleur van die slagoffer is nie.

Gaan skree (SHOUT) by elke hofverrigting. Skree ten hemele daaroor. Nooi al wat leef en beef uit daarheen. Adverteer elke veldtog (daar behoort omtrent 5 per week te wees – en dis ‘n konserwatiewe skatting) – met die teenwoordigheid van ten minste EEN van die kunstenaars wat op die video sy stem laat hoor – en gee die volk so geleentheid om hulle misnoeë met die situasie luidkeels uit te druk. As julle volhard, behoort die volk deeglik bewus te raak van julle erns en self betrokke te raak.
Een of ander tyd sal die regering, die howe en die res van die nasie begin besef, dat ons wel kan saamstaan – maar met ‘n groep soos julle vooraan is ek bevrees is ons maar steeds net ‘n klomp skape ter slagting.

 SHOUT – Julle het die resies begin hardloop. Julle het etlike derduisende mense se finansiële ondersteuning gekry deur die verkope van ‘n CD ‘single’. Voltooi nou die resies, toe?

Of: Hou op skree – want die kranse gee lankal nie meer antwoord nie… (alhoewel iemand tog sekerlik steeds royalties/tantieme verdien op die video/liedjie wat steeds uitgesaai word

In die Nuusbrief van 2 Junie 2010 onder andere:

Over 110,000 fans have pledged their support for SHOUT on Facebook, with SA fans signing on at an average rate of 1,500 new fans per day during the first month. This is one of the fastest growing Facebook groups in South Africa. – Has there EVER been an initiative of ANY kind whatsoever in the past year on the SHOUT FB page, that calls on ’fans’ to have their voices heard at ANY event against crime? Or ANY notice that indicates their involvement, yet states their ‘fans’ poor response?

The huge demand for SHOUT branded merchandise such as T-shirts, wrist bands and bumper stickers will be met over the next few weeks.  Members of the public are encouraged to keep visiting the SHOUT website – www.shoutsa.com – to find out when and where these will be available. - I have checked in a few times in the past year… Nada merchandise

SHOUT, the civil society anti-crime movement led by prominent South African musicians, artists and celebrities will make its first cheque handover at the end of June. “SHOUT’s message has hit all the right notes with South Africans and their unprecedented response is beginning to bear fruit. We are hoping to make the first presentation, to assist in the fight against crime, shortly,” the SHOUT Foundation said in a statement. - Has it? Really? Which organization was the first lucky recipient of the cheque to assist in the fight against crime?

A tiny little bit of  male-bashing-cynicism of sorts

I wrote & composed it before I was able to teach the man a lesson in time management

The busy man is never wise and the wise man is never busy ~ Lin Yutang

Met groot waardering: Whoopsiemaaikietjie  x

Donald Trump, Richard Branson, Bill Gates & Gordon Ramsey ‘eternalized’ in a song

 ~ SOMEONE WHO’S WORTHY OF MY TEARS, BUT WHO’LL REFUSE TO MAKE ME CRY ~

♥ That, mein Herz, makes you the One, the Only, Real Man in my life ♥

Dierbare Whoopsiemaaikietjie – duisend dankies!! x

AS DIT REËN SIEN MENS DIE TRANE NIE

OË BRAND SOOS KOLE

ASEM KOUD VERYS

JOU BLOMME LÊ VERLORE

OP DIE HOPIE LIEFDESGRUIS

KON JY MY SEER VOORSPEL ~

DIE UITEINDE VERTEL?

WAT MAAK JY DAN NOG HIER

OF IS DIT MAAR NET ‘N FANTASIE?

 ~♦~

ONS LIEFDESGRAF GEGRAWE

“EK MIS JOU” OP DIE STEEN

JOU LAASTE MINNEGAWE ~

IS DIT TRANE IS DIT REËN?

KON JY ONS LEED VOORSPEL ~

DIE UITEINDE VERTEL?

WAT MAAK JY DAN NOG HIER

OF IS DIT MAAR NET ’N FANTASIE?

 ~♦~

REFREIN:

EK WIL NOG VIR JOU FLUISTER DAT JY NA MY MOET LUISTER

‘K WIL JOU NIE VERLOOR ~ KAN JY MY OOIT NOG HOOR?

DIE DRUPPELS IN MY OË

WEERKAATS ‘N HART VERLORE

EN NOGTANS HET EK JOU SEER LIEF

MAAR AS DIT REËN SIEN MENS DIE TRANE NIE

~♦~

DAARBUITE HUIL DIE HEMEL

DIE SON VERBLEEK ONTUIS

VERDWALEND IN DIE NEWEL

VERGEEFS SY STRALE-REIS

KON JY DIE WEER VOORSPEL ~

DIE UITEINDE VERTEL?

WAT MAAK JY DAN NOG HIER

OF IS DIT MAAR NET ’N FANTASIE?

~♦~ 

REFREIN:

EK WIL NOG VIR JOU FLUISTER DAT JY NA MY MOET LUISTER

‘K WIL JOU NIE VERLOOR ~ KAN JY MY OOIT NOG HOOR?

DIE DRUPPELS IN MY OË

WEERKAATS ‘N HART VERLORE

EN NOGTANS HET EK JOU SÓ LIEF

MAAR AS DIT REËN SIEN MENS DIE TRANE NIE

© BB 2011

Opgedra aan jou…

When to all the flowers
the Father gave a name,
Back came a little sky-blue one
(All timidly it came)
Standing at its Father’s feet
and gazing in His face,
It said in low and trembling tone
and with a modest grace
“Dear God, the name Thou gavest me,
Alas I have forgot!”
Kindly the Father looked her down
and fondly said: “Forget-Me-Not“.

Those we have truly loved are never really gone.

They live in treasured memories in our hearts for always.

May your memories make you more thankful with each passing year, mein Herz,

for the one thing I have learnt in life, is that the only true healer is not time,

but thankfulness.

Niemand is so alleen as dié wat omring is met bekende asems, stemme, arms en ten spyte daarvan alleen voel nie

Niemand is so alleen soos dié wat bemin en begeer, meer as wat hulle ooit bemin en begeer word

Niemand is so alleen soos dié wat vuiste omhoog regstaan vir ‘n geveg waarin die teenstaanders hulle rug op hulle draai

Niemand is so alleen as dié wat bereid was om álles te gee vir ‘n ander een – en dan besef dat hulle niks oorhet van hulleself nie

Niemand is so alleen as dié wat sit en wag vir hulle grootste vrese om bewaarheid te word

Niemand is so alleen as die wat hulle selfvertroue en eiewaarde verloor het wanneer hulle wakker skrik uit ‘n droom op ewige geluk

Niemand is so alleen as die wat volhard om te glo in dié wie nie geloofwaardig is nie

Niemand is so alleen as die wie se liefde nie genoeg was nie. Nie genoeg om te beantwoord nie. Nie genoeg om te eerbiedig nie

Niemand is so alleen soos die wat verbete vasklou aan ‘n gebroke Eenheid omdat hulle nie kans sien om die lewe alleen te lewe nie

Niemand is so alleen as een wat deel van twee was… wat saam Een was… wat besef dat hulle weer één moet word

Maar uiteindelik is niemand só alleen as dié wie dit uitgedeel het en uiteindelik eendag self alleen is

If Easter says anything to us today, it says this:

You can put Truth in a Grave,

but it won’t stay there!

You can nail Truth to a Cross,

wrap it in winding sheets

and shut it up in a tomb…

but it WILL RISE!

LET MY COINCIDENCE BE JESUS ^© 

IF I WERE BORN ANOTHER

AND SOMEONE ELSE WERE ME

COULD BE A SISTER OR BROTHER

OR FROM A DIFFERENT FAMILY

WOULD SHE BEAR MY NAME

COULD I BE THE SAME

IF SOMEONE IN MY PLACE HAD TURNED OUT TO BE ME

 TODAY YOU’RE JUST A STRANGER

TOMORROW AN OLD FRIEND

YOUR LIFE COULD BE IN DANGER

TO END BY ACCIDENT

COULD FATE LAY ITS CLAIM

AND WHO WOULD BE TO BLAME

IF I WERE SOMEONE ELSE AND IF SHE HAD BEEN ME

HE CAME TO BE THE CENTRE

OF EVERY HEART’S DESIRE

HE DIED THAT WE MIGHT ENTER

THROUGH HOLY GATES RETIRE

COULD THE SACRED NAME

RESCUE ME FROM SHAME

IF SOMEONE IN MY PLACE LIVED MY LIFE AS ME

CHORUS:

LET MY COINCIDENCE BE JESUS

MY FATE BE THAT WHICH HE COMMANDS

LET EVERY MOVE I MAKE

AND EVERY STEP I TAKE

BE GUIDED BY PRE-DESTINED CHANCE

LET MY COINCIDENCE BE JESUS

LET ME LIVE IN HIS CIRCUMSTANCE

LET EVERY WORD I SPEAK

AND EVERY TURN OF MY CHEEK

BE SANCTIFIED BY HIS HOLY HANDS

May the glory of our living Lord renew your hope, your faith, your joy.

~♥~ Have a Blessed Easter Season, Allermooistes! ~♥~

All Songs Notifed @ SAMRO

Sometimes, I feel the darkness

Can’t see two steps ahead

I can’t move but by the whisper

Of my Lord, by whom I’m led.

For dear life’s sake clinging to His grace

Wishing I were dead and gone

But I won’t let go, ’cause I need Him so,

So I’ll be holding on ’til I see the dawn.

For the day will dawn tomorrow still

And though its light seems distant glum

I won’t give up and I won’t give in

for the dawn will come. The Dawn Will Come!

My Reason For This Sad Lament

Is Yet Another Incident

Of Cruel And Murderous Intent

While Blood Of Victims Innocent

Drowns Rainbow Hopes In Crimson Taint

And Leaves Our Nation Impotent

To Be The Best This Continent

Proudly Chose To Represent:

as “Ma’ Africa’s Supreme Descent”.

~ ~ ~

But Still Mr President

Though I Aim To Remain Confident

Regrettably I’m Hesitant

When It’s Pitifully Evident

That Too Often An Inhabitant

Learns To Be Disobedient

Blames Someone Else Incompetent

Or Deems It Quite Convenient

To Prove That Being Deficient

Is Rationale Sufficient -

To Steal Or Rape Or To Torment

Without A Morsel Of Repent

When Striking For A Dividend

When Healing Hands Turn Militant

When Teaching’s Main Ingredient

Is : ‘How To Shame Your Government’

When Dread Transmits A Deathening Scent

And Neither Beast Nor Man Can Vent

Their Fear That Life In This Fine Land

Is Worth Less Than A Hard-Earned Rand

Now SOMEONE Has To Comprehend

That ‘Freedom’ Is A Free Event

That Life For Each Is Heaven-Sent

And Death Is Merely Life’s Contempt

That Seemingly Staying Tolerant

Does Not Wash Blood Off Your Own Hand

~ ~ ~

Will You Be The First, Mr President?

To Make An End To This Sad Impend

For Death Kept Unvoiced, Silent

Is Death Endured Twice Violent

© – Aug 2010 – BB