Caution !

A lot seems to have changed in a very short amount of time... whether I've wanted it to.. or NOT!
I have moved back to Cape Town and in a drastic turn of events, I have found myself working at an old age home for those with dementia or any other kind of psych diagnosis really' varying from mild depression and anxiety to catatonic schizophrenia! (I didn't even know that actually existed)

In the short 7 weeks that I've been working here, some residents have arrived and then left again and some have told me they are ready to die (and they're still kicking) and a resident actually did pass away.

I have had countless conversations about absolute nonsense (due to the dementia), I have heard how many proud grandparents boast about their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren's success! I have played bingo with a 96 year old and I have been called Desire.. more than once ;)

I have witnessed frail old women defend their territory by poking anyone who comes into their bubble with their walking stick, I have witnessed a woman try to steal a massive potted plant (just picture it in your head) and I got to read a book compiled by one of my residents.

I have met doctors, teachers, stay at home mothers, accountants, a lady who makes jewelry, a woman who won prizes for her crafts and a man who flew fighter planes in WWII and managed to bomb the area where his daughter's future father-in-law was stationed as a soldier.

I have wiped away tears, held hands, I have told many jokes and been the but of a couple. I have given away more hugs than I care to admit and probably talk too much.

I have improved my knitting and beat a woman at scrabble who I think is the most intelligent woman I have ever met!

I get to play with our therapy pets, go on outings and a residents parrot now lets me stroke his head without trying to take my finger off.

I have learnt many lessons, but the one I'd like to share today is the one they tell me the most: Don't get old!

My job is also challenging, and some days I don't feel that I'm cut out for all the emotional trauma. But just writing this post has convinced me that I have already gained so much and stand to gain so much more if only I am always willing to give a bit of myself and am willing to persevere.

Being old is not determined by your age but rather what fuels your mind and heart.

photo credit: www.turbulenceahead.com

Highlights of 2012

Its SO important to take stock of our highlights!

1.       Because most of us complain a heck of a lot!

2.       Because lets be real.. who remembers the bad times???

3.       Because I believe that we don’t deserve any special treatment over anyone else so when cool stuff comes our way we should give thanks where thanks is due!

- 1^st January: I started the year off with a bang at the Ruins in St Francis bay with my best friend, some amazingly cool friends and every 16 year old male from the Eastern Cape (and possibly a few brave stragglers from Durbs)

- Dirk Ellis Junior: He drinks caramel vodka, has a house over-looking the ocean in Cape St. Francis and the most intelligent, adorable dog! On hot days he brought us suckers and sweets, at braais he brings freshly caught sashimi for starters and basically reminds you of bear grylls. Our friend Dirkie has really been a stalwart figure of this year that we really couldn’t have done without!

- Meeting the com serves. We’ve seen one another through various ups and downs but I really can’t say I would have picked a different group of girls. From birthdays to camping to random nights out at Dodgy’s.. I’ll have a hard time forgetting you all (:

- Trips to East London. OH MY HAT. What great fun! The discovery of Numbers Nightclub and their numerous LUMO parties also The Boys Next Door (Dave, Ali, John and Xavi) and the girls on the other side! Everytime I went up was such a special time and so worth the drive!

- Roadtrip to The Burra. Eish! WHYYY would that be a highlight??? The music of course ;) Newton Faulkner, Noah and the Whale, Miike Snow and Gotye’s “Somebody that I used to know” countless times on repeat. Ok but really, we drove through the Majestic Kei (which I’d never done before). The company was so good I couldn’t sleep at all and they let me play in the park at Wimpy. The roadtrip also meant some quality time with 2 of my best friends on Earth! How special?! (: That weekend we also managed to fit 10 people on a golf cart. BOOM!

- Another sure highlight was firstly winning tickets to see Two Door Cinema Club and then getting to go with my bestest, Ross and Bron. What a completely EPIC adventure and one of my favourite bands EVER!

- I completed the 2 Oceans in the pouring rain and spent a great few days in CT with friends and family.

- I got put under conscious sedation.. it was hilarious!

- Knysna!!! With the boys next door and Caits and Lys, Knysna with Jess Voss and her family, Knysna on route to CT with Jess Engelke and later with Elani. Knysna is just so NICE!

- A fat catch up and heart to heart with my favourite boy from Westville <3

- Tragus piercing and watching The Lucky One with Terri and Jess VB

- My Tattoos!

- St Francis with the Brombachers.. I fill in the dates on my calendar as soon as I get them. My other family and I just feel so  privileged to have met them!

- Every single familiar face I’ve seen out on com serve!

- Billabong Pro! :D

- Bonding with Neesh, Presh and Gen

- Going to see Switchfoot with so many of my amazing friends!

- Meeting Jon Foreman and his merry men at a braai in Jbay with more amazing friends

- Meeting Sean Starnes because he turned my com serve year around for the better!!

- Mozam with my amazing friends. My word! :D

- Thailand with amazing girls. Honest, couldn’t have asked for a better time!

- Wave/ surfer watching at Magnas

- Getting Rhino the hamster.. honestly that boy is such a clown but he makes my home even happier

- Seeing all my awesome friend’s faces stuck up in my lounge has made this flat my home!

- Falling asleep to the waves breaking on the shore

- Meeting Andrew Parkes. Honest, the boy is a legend and my LIFE is better off for having met him.

- Bonding with my momma

- Lemon & Fig coffee shop in PE! Thanks Jess Crankshaw

- Road trip to ADDO elephant park with the Aleph interns

- Serving at the Billabong junior pro

- Dancing like complete and utter randoms at our various spots

- Meeting The Party ;) and then being part of the discovery of their 2 newest members

- Kyle Maher's NPS number plate

- Sarah Murless, Sarah Van Rensburg, Jaclyn Neethling.
- Amy Maltby, her mom, rusks and her books!

- MUSIC. So Many New and GREAT bands!

- Dress up parties, photo shoots, good times, bonding with the interns <3

- SKYPE!!!!!!

- Completing my com serve (:

- New and Old friendships

- Countless lessons learnt

- So many blessings!

bring on 2013 (=

Oh to see the dawn on the darkest day

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w3w89L7mp0

The song is 100% worth a listen!

Inspiration strikes me at the weirdest times for sure! For no more reason than maybe the song I am just currently listening to (Thanks Ramsay Collins once again for a real masterpiece)

So, for those of you who don’t know, I work in health and for the government and some days I honestly wonder why.

A good day consists of a cute baby, a language we can both understand and if it’s a really good day, my patient is compliant too!

A not so good day consists of billions of patients wanting a disability grant for their pain.

bleargh.

I think that the abovementioned song hit me so hard today because all too often I find myself losing my cool -until I need someone else’s help and they start huffing and puffing at my ignorance!

So, I think that if you listen to the lyrics of that song and if you are on my wave level, the point that I am trying to make is that we are all poor – we are all powerless.. we all mess up and make mistakes.. we don’t always have a clue what to do next, where to go next and sometimes even when we know, we are afraid and need someone to believe in us so we have the courage to take that next step! What a privilege to be able to help a fellow human in that way?! It goes so much more beyond doing a good deed for the day ;) It requires giving a bit of your heart to the person whom you are inspiring..

SO, challenge to myself and to you if you’re willing to do this with me..

GO THE EXTRA MILE for someone who needs it! Help that person help themselves! Give someone a fishing rod and teach them how to fish. Ok, I’ll stop with the corny metaphors.

But for realises, how much better would our city, country, world be if we just bothered to help one another out once in a while.

Pictures found on Pinterest: The Poor and Powerless

Pablo's big break!

So, imagine this.. You've just had an EPIC holiday in mozam with a bunch of really KIFF mates, you're already feeling bleak about having to return to 'normal' life in Humansdorp (where IS that?!) when suddenly, you remember your car keys are in a cute little drawer back in Durbs.. EISH!
Luckily, with 10 whole minutes before my plane landed, I managed to pull a plan together. Here is how the rest of the day and subsequent week turned out
Tues:
PROBLEM: need to get to work in Jbay
SOLUTION: Hire car!
PROBLEM: spare car key in flat, flat key in car
SOLUTION: Get locksmith to break into flat and retrieve spare key
PROBLEM: Car is in PE
SOLUTION: Make an event out of the PE trip by having dinner with a lovely friend and a fun sleepover!

Thurs:
PROBLEM: original car key has not yet arrived
SOLUTION: wait

Fri:
PROBLEM: still no car key!
SOLUTION: wait
PROBLEM: Elani needs to go to the airport in PE
SOLUTION: Make it a fun mini road trip with dress shopping at YDE and yummo sushi at Fushin
PROBLEM: Discovery that spare car key is now missing too
SOLUTION: ... ... ... wait for original car key to arrive

Mon:
PROBLEM: truckers are striking and therefore still no key!
SOLUTION: Wait

Tues:
PROBLEM: my flat key got stuck in the door when the delivery guy came
SOLUTION: left flat door wide open while signing delivery papers downstairs
(I've edited out more than 50% of the struggles I faced in getting my car keys back!)
FINALLY after many unsuccessful phone calls and MUCH confusion, Pablo's extended stay outside of Elani's flat ended and he was more than happy to head on back home.

WHAT could I have possibly learnt other than an immense amount of patience you ask? KINDNESS
As you may well imagine, this week long torment has lead me to encounter many individuals. Some of whom were inexplicably kind and others who just were not.
The overwhelming comfort and relief I experienced when coming into contact with those few genuine, friendly people who were willing to go out of their way to help me probably will never know that this week they helped to save my sanity!
So, the next time an individual comes up to you, with that crazy kind of look in their eyes, take a minute to remember that sometime, you're gonna need the help of a stranger too! Lets be patient and kind towards those we know and even those we don't,  because we never really know what others are going through and the impact we are able to make in their lives just with a little smile (=

[Thanks to MUMFORD AND SONS for an incredible album in Babel and thanks to the AWESOME guy at Budget Car Hire, Troy Marais (you champion), Noma at UTi, my rad delivery guy and those who lifted me around! Your kindness is MUCH appreciated!]

me? excessive? NEVER!

Photo: Tricia Mckellar
Listening to: Frankie Rose - Pair of Wings

if you put the hauntingly awesome sound of this woman's voice aside, the lyrics themselves are nothing short of inspiring. My favourite lines are "On clouds I'll sing and dance, I just might fall but I'll take that chance"

most of the time, a song convicts me on something i KNOW i should do but dont.. How often do we stand on the ground, only to stare up at the clouds, instead of allowing ourselves to live on them! We live vicariously through movies, or books, or those who have been brave enough to take the chances that we should have.

im not saying quit your job, sell your things and couch surf around the world for the rest of your life. but i am saying we are creatures of habit.. So find yours, break them and find the little things in life that make you feel like you're living in the clouds.

if its in chocolate - eat your chocolate. if its in nature - find that quiet, beautiful place and retreat. if its in music - play your song on full volume and let it transport you. whatever it is - find it, do it, and do it often.

Credit must be given to Nick Meinert, without whom i would probably never have found Frankie Rose.