My name means Water in Zulu and Xhosa.
Monday, February 21, 2005
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Lisa - the Golden Chameleon
I first mentioned chameleon rock... now see Lisa, our Cape Dward Chameleon turning gold on my gold shirt!
Loch Ness What?
Anyone want to know the whereabouts of the Loch Ness Swan lost in the mists of time?
Opening on the edge of the earth...
Me with my faithful protectors on the coral reefs at the opening on the edge of the earth...
Southern African River Song
The River ORANGE is murky and brown, halleluiah,
Fish and honey on the other side, halleluiah.
The River DORING is prickly and cold, halleluiah,
Bushman paintings in a cave nearby, halleluiah.
The River BREEDE is round the bend, halleluiah,
Up the Creek you’ll find your old best friend, halleluiah.
The River TUGELA is chomping and wild, halleluiah,
Eats us up from the inside out, halleluiah.
The River DUZI is deathly and dark, halleluiah,
Breeding misery in its murky depths, halleluiah.
The River ZAMBEZI is mighty and bold, halleluiah,
Dance with her till the morning’s gold, halleluiah.
The River PALMIET is tricky and steep, halleluiah
Crack your nose if you go too deep, halleluiah.
The River DWARS is calling my name, halleluiah,
Waterfalls are partly to blame, halleluiah.
The River WIT is a maniac trip, halleluiah,
Paddle here, but please don’t flip, halleluiah.
The VISGAT River will make you shiver, halleluiah,
Just a few souls will she deliver, halleluiah.
The WITELS River flows high in the mountain, halleluiah,
Get a chopper to drop you in her, halleluiah.
The great LIMPOPO flows along our border, halleluiah,
We are not allowed to cross her, halleluiah.
The River FISH has a rodeo hole, halleluiah,
Kayak here and learn to Eskimo roll, halleluiah.
The River CUNENE in northern Namibia, halleluiah,
Needs our help before they kill her, halleluiah.
The River KLEIN flows by my front door, halleluiah,
Runs right down to the Walker Bay Whales, halleluiah.
The UMKOMAAS is making peace, halleluiah,
Won’t you smile and please say cheese, halleluiah.
Fish and honey on the other side, halleluiah.
The River DORING is prickly and cold, halleluiah,
Bushman paintings in a cave nearby, halleluiah.
The River BREEDE is round the bend, halleluiah,
Up the Creek you’ll find your old best friend, halleluiah.
The River TUGELA is chomping and wild, halleluiah,
Eats us up from the inside out, halleluiah.
The River DUZI is deathly and dark, halleluiah,
Breeding misery in its murky depths, halleluiah.
The River ZAMBEZI is mighty and bold, halleluiah,
Dance with her till the morning’s gold, halleluiah.
The River PALMIET is tricky and steep, halleluiah
Crack your nose if you go too deep, halleluiah.
The River DWARS is calling my name, halleluiah,
Waterfalls are partly to blame, halleluiah.
The River WIT is a maniac trip, halleluiah,
Paddle here, but please don’t flip, halleluiah.
The VISGAT River will make you shiver, halleluiah,
Just a few souls will she deliver, halleluiah.
The WITELS River flows high in the mountain, halleluiah,
Get a chopper to drop you in her, halleluiah.
The great LIMPOPO flows along our border, halleluiah,
We are not allowed to cross her, halleluiah.
The River FISH has a rodeo hole, halleluiah,
Kayak here and learn to Eskimo roll, halleluiah.
The River CUNENE in northern Namibia, halleluiah,
Needs our help before they kill her, halleluiah.
The River KLEIN flows by my front door, halleluiah,
Runs right down to the Walker Bay Whales, halleluiah.
The UMKOMAAS is making peace, halleluiah,
Won’t you smile and please say cheese, halleluiah.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Monday, February 14, 2005
Rivers of Love, dedicated to my own River God - Glimmerman
RIVERS OF LOVE. Life is like running a river – you know what you’ve just come through and some of it was bloody hectic, but you’ve come through unscathed. You may be drifting along slowly with the current for the moment, but you don’t know what’s around the next corner, but whatever it is, you know you can handle it. You can dance with the river, but you’ve got to know the steps. So now I feel I’ve learned the basic steps of life and now I must just dance with life. I know from my experience that the worst thing that can happen to you in this life is that you die & since I am no longer afraid of death itself, what on earth is there to be afraid of in life? Sometimes when on a river it is superb fun catching a wave and surfing in one spot for a while, or similarly with a hole. I learned early on that I preferred to not intentionally go into what I describe as munching holes, but if I inadvertently landed in one, I could keep my head above water, keep down the rising feelings of panic and eventually figure a way out of that particular predicament. The parallel in life, of course, is that we sometimes stay in one spot, be it a job, relationship, etc. for a time, but as with the river, no matter how much fun or fear that we’re experiencing at that time, the flow will eventually catch hold of us again and we continue on the journey of life.
If we grade the moments or periods in our lives in the same way as we grade rivers, i.e. 1 – 6, with grade 1 being straight forward and simple, grade 3 , pleasant and exciting or conversely moderately challenging with a dollop of fear, grade 5, a wild, hectic and infinitely challenging experience, but with blissful rewards and remarkable feelings of joy and completeness. Grade 6 – for the “gung-ho!” types, balls to the wall scenario. A serious, drastic action which has a 50% chance – or more, of leaving you hurt somehow. Perhaps a waterfall – like a big change in one’s life – like marriage, divorce, babies, death, serious illness, complete career change. Something where you really cannot be sure what is going to happen. If you have faith and believe in yourself and your abilities, then even these grade 6’s cannot shake your conviction that these big changes will only add to your reservoir of knowledge and experience. Grade 7 – Go to Heaven! Of course, if you’re willing to throw yourself off a 110m bridge – without a bungee rope attached to your ankles, or hurl yourself into grade 7 rapds, then that’s just plain suicide. If life looks like it’s hurling you some pretty nasty rapids, then abide by the mottos “when in doubt, get out” (and scout ahead) Now you can’t exactly get out of life, but try & distance yourself from the situation or problem & gain as much perspective on it as possible, there’s usually an easier path to follow through, a “chicken route” or otherwise there’s always the option to porterage around. I say always, because that’s been my experience, but if you’re forced to run the rapid because of circumstances, then take a deep breath and pray. A little blind faith can go a long way.
If we grade the moments or periods in our lives in the same way as we grade rivers, i.e. 1 – 6, with grade 1 being straight forward and simple, grade 3 , pleasant and exciting or conversely moderately challenging with a dollop of fear, grade 5, a wild, hectic and infinitely challenging experience, but with blissful rewards and remarkable feelings of joy and completeness. Grade 6 – for the “gung-ho!” types, balls to the wall scenario. A serious, drastic action which has a 50% chance – or more, of leaving you hurt somehow. Perhaps a waterfall – like a big change in one’s life – like marriage, divorce, babies, death, serious illness, complete career change. Something where you really cannot be sure what is going to happen. If you have faith and believe in yourself and your abilities, then even these grade 6’s cannot shake your conviction that these big changes will only add to your reservoir of knowledge and experience. Grade 7 – Go to Heaven! Of course, if you’re willing to throw yourself off a 110m bridge – without a bungee rope attached to your ankles, or hurl yourself into grade 7 rapds, then that’s just plain suicide. If life looks like it’s hurling you some pretty nasty rapids, then abide by the mottos “when in doubt, get out” (and scout ahead) Now you can’t exactly get out of life, but try & distance yourself from the situation or problem & gain as much perspective on it as possible, there’s usually an easier path to follow through, a “chicken route” or otherwise there’s always the option to porterage around. I say always, because that’s been my experience, but if you’re forced to run the rapid because of circumstances, then take a deep breath and pray. A little blind faith can go a long way.
Quotation about living well today
“Yesterday is but a dream, tomorrow but a vision.
Yet today lived well makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day.”
Anon
Yet today lived well makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day.”
Anon
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