To Facebook, or not to Facebook...

...that is the question. I'm a recent Facebook convert. Well, relatively recent - I signed up on the 7^th of January 2011 or there about. When standing around the barbeque fire, I was always the one professing adamantly, “Facebook? Nah, not for me!” But I must admit, since joining the Facebook bandwagon it has grown on me. I have reunited with many school friends who would otherwise have remained distant memories (and trust me, they are very happy because I know they missed me very much) or caught up more frequently with family when I probably would not have done so, were it not for Facebook. My friends count is currently standing at 143, quite modest really, when compared to some of my Facebook buddies with friend counts in excess of 500. I know, the definition of “friend” in the Facebook world is somewhat more liberal or more broadly defined when compared to my personal definition. 

Wanneer om te Facebook, en wanneer nie...

...dit is die vraag. Ek is 'n onlangse bekeerling tot die Facebook-ding. Wel, relatief onlangs - ek het iewers in Januarie 2011 opgeteken, die 7^de as ek reg onthou. Voor dit was ek altyd daardie persoon by die braaivleisvuur wat aangevoer het, "Facebook? Ag nee wat, dis nie vir my nie!” Maar ek moet erken, sedert ek by die Facebook brigade aangesluit het, het hierdie storie nogal gegroei aan my. Ek het baie van my ou skoolpelle opgespoor wat sonder Facebook waarskynlik nie sou gebeur nie (hulle is baie bly want hulle het blykbaar baie na my verlang), en ek vang nou meer gereeld op met my familie, iets wat ook sonder Facebook dalk nie so gereeld sou gebeur nie. Ek het sover 'n vriende telling van 143, redelik beskeie as jy dit vergelyk met die 500-plus vriende wat sekere van my Facebook maatjies het. Ek weet, die definisie van "friend" in Facebook is ietwat meer liberaal, of minstens meer omvattend as my persoonlike definisie daarvan. 

DON'T PANIC ...but if you do, keep running

“No brain, no pain”. That is what someone once told me. If that statement is true it must mean that I have a huge brain because believe me, not long ago I experienced pain thoroughly and completely. My regular readers (I do have regular readers, right?) will remember how I described the physical and mental torture which I had to endure. The misery and gnashing of teeth, the exhausting challenge and test of stamina and mental endurance, which is better known as the Australian Corporate Games 2011. It was difficult, but I believe it made a better person out of me. No really, I think it did. And so I sat the one day, reminiscing about that fateful day when I was suddenly brought back to reality by an email that appeared in my inbox with the subject “Tough Mudder Australia”. A subject line like that will always catch my attention, so I promptly opened the email and began to read. 

DON'T PANIC ...but if you do, keep running (Afrikaanse weergawe)

“No brain, no pain”. Dis wat iemand een maal vir my gesê het. As dit waar is, beteken dit seker ek het baie verstand want glo my, daar was ‘n tyd nie so lank terug nie wat ek pyn deeglik en totaal ervaar het. My gereelde lesers (daar is van julle wat gereeld kom lees, né?) sal onthou hoe ek die fisiese en psigiese marteling beskryf het wat ek onlangs moes deurmaak. Daardie ellende en gekners van tande, die uitputtende uitdaging en toets van stamina en uithouvermoë, wat oor die algemeen bekend staan as die Australian Corporate Games 2011. Dit was erg, maar ek glo dit het ‘n beter mens van my gemaak. Nee, regtig, ek go dit het. So sit ek die ander dag en dink weer terug aan daardie skouspel toe ek skielik tot die realiteit terugkeer na ‘n e-possie met die opskrif “Tough Mudder Australia” op my skerm opduik. Daardie opskriffie trek toe my aandag en ek moes natuurlik ondersoek instel.