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.