R U OK?

I should have known something bad was bound to happen. Earlier this week I got an email from the HR lady at work informing us of the R U OK? campaign and encouraging us to join in on the 13th of September - “When last did you ask your colleague or friend, R U OK?”. Soon after, my colleague asked me if I was ok, and I duly informed him that he can only ask me that question on the 13th.

Anyway, the 13th arrived and I had a rather unusual start to my day - I left on time for the bus stop. I somehow missed that subtle warning. I then got to the train station and the train was on time. Again the hint was lost on me. Would you believe it, but when I got on the train I actually got a seat. By this time I should have known to rather go home and lie down because no day of mine starts that perfectly, especially not a day that falls on the 13th.

Spiders, dust and splinters

It’s been a while since I’ve last written something on this blog. There are a few reasons for this; As you may have noticed, I finally converted my photography interest into a hobby a few months ago and that blog steals most of my time on the train back home from work. Of course the other reason is that we have now been “down under” for almost five years and life has a way of changing anything that is new and exciting into mundane routine. When I do have a story to tell, it then relies on the presense of that elusive inspiration. I told my sister the other day, inspiration is a lot like going to the loo. Some days you push and push and nothing happens, and other times it comes like the volcanic whoopies and you have to drop everything and start writing before it is too late and all is lost. But before I expand too much on that disturbing thought, here is the next story from the life of the “Möllers Down Under”…

Spinnekoppe, stof en splinters...

Dis nou al ‘n hele paar maande sedert ek laas hier kom skryf het. Daar is ‘n paar redes hiervoor; Soos julle seker al agter gekom het, het ek ‘n paar maande gelede uiteindelik my ander belangstelling in ‘n stokperdjie omskep, naamlik fotografie, en daardie blog steel maar die meeste van my tyd op die trein terug huis toe vanaf die werk. Die ander ding natuurlik is dat ons nou al amper vyf jaar “down under” is en die lewe het maar ‘n manier om enigiets wat nuut en opwindend is te verander in die alledaagse en vervelige roetine. Wanneer daar dan wel ‘n storie is om te vertel is dit afhanklik van die teenwoordigheid van daai liewe inspirasie. Ek het so rukkie terug vir my sussie vertel dat inspirasie baie is soos om toilet toe te gaan - soms druk jy en druk jy en niks gebeur nie, ander kere is dit soos gietergriep en moet jy net hardloop en begin skryf of dis te laat en alles is verlore. Nou ja, voor ek te veel uitbrei op daardie ontstellende gedagte, hier is die volgende storie in die Möllers se lewens “Down Under”… 

Meet Koda

I recently had another Facebook “conversation” with my sister, who lives on a farm in Mpumalanga, South Africa. According to Google Maps we are exactly 11535.39 km (or 7167.75 miles) apart, as the (pretty damn impressive) crow flies. It’s therefore not possible for us to hop over for a quick visit, which is where Facebook comes in handy. On this particular occasion she asked me how we were doing, or more specifically, me, as well as the Minister of Finances and Home Affairs and our offspring. I provided her with a detailed narrative as requested but then realised that she never enquired about the welfare of Koda, the four-footed member of the family. As you can imagine, this was a cause for serious concern. I knew I had to address the problem right there and then before it became a tendency, so I acted swiftly and decisively, yet with love. 

Ontmoet vir Koda

Ek het onlangs nog ‘n Facebook “gesprek” met my sussie gehad, sy bly iewers op ‘n plaas in Mpumalanga. Volgens Google Maps is ons presies 11535.39 km ver uit mekaar, soos die kraai sou vlieg (sou 'n pretty damn impressive kraai moet wees!). Dus is dit nie moontlik vir ons om sommer gou oor en weer te kuier nie so probeer ons maar om via Facebook op te vang met die nuus. Hierdie laaste keer vra sy my toe hoe dit gaan met ons, of meer spesifiek met my, met die Minister van Finansies en Huishoudelike Sake en ook ons spruite. Ek het die nodige verslag aan haar verskaf, maar besef toe dat sy nooit oor Koda, die vier-voetige lid van die gesin, se welsyn uitgevra het nie. Dit was vir my ‘n saak van kommer. Ek het dadelik besef dat ek die sakie daar en dan sou moes aanspreek alvorens dit ‘n tendens begin raak, en het toe met streng beslistheid opgetree, dog met liefde. 

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. 

Things that upset me this Christmas

It’s almost Christmas and the Möller household is stirring. The kitchen is mopped, rusks and milk tarts are being baked, the house is spring cleaned and the car washed, the garage is swept clean and lawns are mowed because it is almost Christmas and the place must be ready and time is running out. With this in mind I decided to mow the back yard late this afternoon before the sun sets. While I was busy I thought of a few things I don’t like very much.

Dinge wat my pla hierdie Kersfees

Dis amper Kersfees en dit gons in die Möller-huis. Die kombuis word geskrop en beskuit en melktert word gebak, huis word skoongemaak en kar word gewas, garage word gevee en gras word gesny want die plek moet reg en die tyd raak min. So besluit ek toe laatmiddag dat ek gou die agterplaas se gras moet sny voor die son sak. Dit bring my toe by 'n paar goed wat vir my nogal erg is.

The card and the train

“Are you alright?” asked a very anxious lady next to whom I collapsed on the train. I must have looked like I was going to die any minute because rule number one on the train is you don’t talk to strangers, but apparently she didn’t fancy the idea of me expiring next to her, so she rather asked. I sat there like a wet rat, hunched over and gasping for air. Tonight would be the last parent/teacher interview for the year, this time for Nadia who completed her Prep year and was about to start year 1. I therefore just had to make it in time, no excuses would be accepted. Normally I manage to keep to these appointments without too much trouble and this time would have been no different, were it not for our anniversary that was soon to be celebrated. Let me explain… 

Die kaartjie en die trein

"Is jy OK?" vra die bekommerde antie langs wie ek neer geval het op die trein. Ek moes seker erg gelyk het want reël nommer een op die trein is jy praat nie met vreemdes nie. Klaarblyklik het sy nie kans gesien dat ek op die bankie langs haar inmekaar sak nie, so sy vra liewer. Ek het soos ‘n nat rot daar gaan sit, vooroor gebukkend en gehyg na asem. Vanaand sou die laaste Parent/Teacher Interview wees vir die jaar, hierdie keer vir Nadia wat klaar maak met haar Prep jaar en graad een toe skuif. Ek móés dus betyds wees, geen verskonings word aanvaar nie. Normaalweg vind ek dit relatief maklik om by sulke afsprakies te hou en hierdie keer sou geensins anders wees nie, was dit nie vir my huweliksherdenking wat binnekort gevier sou word nie. Laat ek verduidelik… 

Australian Corporate Games 2011 (English)

(Daar is ook 'n Afrikaanse weergawe van hierdie bladsy)


I don't know about you, but in my mind I'm not getting any older. I still feel 19, just finished with school and in my first year of studies, something that happened 19 years ago if my calculations are correct. On the one hand it's a good thing because they say you are as old as you think. But it can also cost you dearly, like when you agree to take part in the Australian Corporate Games.

Two years ago I took on the 10km challenge and of the 205 runners I finished third. From the back. When the race officials start to collect those orange route-marker cones and flags immediately after you passed, it might be considered a subtle hint that you may not be as competitive as you thought you were. I would just like to express my gratitude to Lesley, a lady from ANZ who ran a little slower than me, and also two of my former colleagues from JDS, Neale and Vilam. If they had not decided to walk the whole 10km for an equal last place I would probably have had that honour. (here are the official results of that historic day)

How quickly one forgets! Two years later I again found myself signing up for the 2011 Australian Corporate Games, but this time I was a little wiser and decided to go for the 5km run rather than the 10.

Australian Corporate Games 2011 (Afr)

(there is also an English version of this page)


Ek weet nie van julle nie, maar ek voel nie al dag of ek oud word nie. In my kop voel ek nog 19, pas klaar met skool en in my eerste studiejaar, iets wat, as ek my somme reg gemaak het, al 16 jaar terug plaasgevind het. Aan die een kant is dit goed want hulle sê mos jy is so oud soos jy dink jy is. Maar dit kan 'n man ook duur te staan kom, soos wanneer jy instem om aan die Australian Corporate Games deel te neem.

Ek het twee jaar terug die 10km wedloop aangedurf en uit die 205 deelnemers het ek derde gekom. Van agter. Wanneer die beamptes daai oranje cones en vlaggies wat die roete aandui begin kollekteer pas na jy verby gekom het is dit seker 'n subtiele wenk dat jy dalk nie so kompeterend is soos jy mag dink nie. Ek moet egter net my dank uitspreek teenoor 'n ene Lesley, 'n tannie van ANZ wat stadiger as ek gehol het, en twee van my oud-kollegas by JDS, Neale en Vilam. As hulle nie besluit het om die 10km te stap vir 'n gesamentlike laaste plek nie was ek heel laaste. (hier is die offisiële resultate van daardie geskiedkundige dag)

Hoe vinnig vergeet mens nie! Twee jaar later kry ek myself weer dat ek opteken vir die 2011 Australian Corporate Games, maar hierdie keer het ek bietjie meer verstand en besluit ek om die 5km te hol eerder as die 10.