WE ARE WHAT WE DO

#SMED11

First posted on Monday 14 February 2011

We are what we do is a new kind of movement inspiring people to change the world one small action at a time. 

The quotation by Deepak Chopra, “Everything that is happening at this moment is a result of the choices you’ve made in the past,” certainly runs true today.  Global warming, pollution, unemployment, obesity, HIV/ AIDS, Tik, child trafficking, school bullies, to name but a few,  are the many challenges the youth of today is faced with.

Given the extensive challenges the youth of today is faced with, the collective efforts of educators, parents, community members and organizations in addressing these issues cannot be underestimated.

As an organization, Metrorail remains committed to contribute towards this movement.  To this end their educational programme for learners traveling by rail to places of interest is geared at providing them with the necessary knowledge and skills in order to become responsible, sensitive and productive citizens.  As  Martin Luther King Jr said, ‘The time is always right to do what is right.’ 

Some of the programmes aimed at reminding learners that they can make a difference:

-  Reduce carbon footprint  : by using public transport

-  Encourage a healthy body and mind  : by playing soccer at Cape Town Station Forecourt

-  Caring for the environment  : by saving energy and water

-  Caring for the environment  : by recycling items at home and at school

 - Reduce bullying at schools : by saying  no to violence

-  Reduce the increase of obesity: by thinking about what you eat and drink and having a healthy body and mind

In conclusion, the Michael Jackson song, ‘We are The World,’ serves as reminder that we all have a responsibility to contribute towards a better life :  

We are the world

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let’s start giving

There’s a choice we’re making

We’re saving our own lives

It’s true we’ll make a better day

Just you and me

FROM BACH TO BROADWAY

#SMED 11

The invitation indicated that we were invited to attend the Pinelands High School, Cabaret, ‘Bach to Broadway.’

Very confusing indeed with a number of thoughts racing through my head :

-          Johann Sebastian Bach died more than 250 years ago;

-          Broadway musical became immensely popular in the 1920’s;

-          High School learners, still in their teens, have not been around when any of the music of both afore-mentioned genres were made popular;

-          Which items would be presented to showcase the period 1700 – 1920’s  and beyond?

From the opening notes ‘ On Broadway, ’ followed by ‘Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desire, we were enthralled by the choreography and beautiful voices rendering item after item with absolute precision - a slick, well-rehearsed cabaret performance indeed!

Ave Maria reminded me of America’s got talent judge, Sharon Osbourne, when she told season 5 runner–up, Jackie Evancho,  that she did not understand a word she sang, but just knew that the song was sung heavenly. Sung in Latin, I too felt the same – just allowing the lilting sounds of Ave Maria to wash over me and fill my soul. I believe the quotation by Bach, describes his music best,  “Music is an agreeable harmony for the honor of God and the permissible delights of the soul.”

In addition to the above, the programme incorporated all-time favourites ranging from ‘Somewhere over the rainbow’;  ‘Fly me to the moon’; ‘Part of this world’;  (The Little Mermaid)  You’ll never walk alone (Broadway Musical, Carousel).  It also catered for the young at heart  with the rendition of a Hip-Hop medley which had the audience shouting in appreciation of the on-stage cool, hip-hop moves.   One would not have thought that hip-hop dance could fit in with the theme, but hip-hop dance is an urban city style - much like the New York city sky-line which was the backdrop to the show. 

Although confused as to the title, I fully appreciated the musical journey I had traveled on - spanning a time period of more than 250 years. 

One of the lessons learnt during this musical journey was that:

-  music, especially great classics, is timeless

-  old and new musical genres can live in perfect harmony

-  many of today’s musicians find inspiration from classics written by Bach, i.e Josh Groban’s  performance and recording of ‘Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desire,’ in 2007.

Thomas Beecham, an English conductor once said, “‘Good music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and quits the memory with difficulty”  I fully agree, as long after the show, in the car and at home, I was still humming to the unforgettable Chorus Line, ‘One singular sensation….’

In conclusion, I salute the production team and cabaret students – though more familiar with hip-hop, Rhythm and Blues (R&B) & Rap, to name but a few -  for their commitment, dedication and passion in rendering the production Bach to Broadway. 

It was an honour to spend time in your presence as you took the audience on a musical journey of time.

The  Billy Porter song ‘Time, ’ performed in the second half, spoke a thousand words:  

‘To find the joy and love
To share with all mankind
For all we know

All we have
Is time’

Photos taken at 'Bach to Broadway' Cabaret

SOUTH AFRICANS LOVE IT WHEN THEIR TEAMS ARE IN THE DRIVING SEAT

# SMED 11

The South African Tourism describes it as follows , ‘South Africa is a sports crazy nation – it’s practically a religion, the most popular spectator sports being  soccer, rugby and cricket. International matches and big local matches are well worth seeing live, not only to watch the game but also to catch the vibe - experience the zeal and absolute dedication of fans.

The various sporting success stories during this past weekend, TV, print media and the thousands of tweets posted, validates  the above statement. During this past week we celebrated :

Soccer

·         Ajax Cape Town reaching top position in the Premier Cup League

Cricket

·         Cape Cobras winning the Pro20 Championship against the Warriors

·         Proteas winning against Bangladesh at the International Cricket Council (ICC)

Rugby

·         Stormers beating the Bulls, to reach top position of the Super 15 Rugby League

Sports has always had the unique ability to unite all South Africans, young and old, irrespective of colour, race or creed.  Who would ever forget :

·         The  moment in 1995 when President Nelson Mandela stepped onto the pitch wearing the number six rugby jersey of Springbok captain Francois Pienaar to present the team with the Rugby World Cup Championship  trophy.  This momentous occasion – a milestone for the history of South African rugby - has even been captured in a movie produced by Hollywood bigshot,  Clint Eastwood.

·         Herscell Gibbs playing a magnificent innings in the 5th ODI against Australia on 12 March 2006, scoring 175 off just 111 balls leading South Africa to victory.

These are just a few examples of sporting excellence where South Africans have united behind their sporting stars.  Other examples include swimming sensations Natalie du Toit, Penny Heyns, Roland Schoeman and Ryk Neethling.

The 2009 Confederation Cup, the ‘dress rehearsal for the 2010 Soccer World Cup,  gave South Africans much to be proud of as South Africa obtained 4^th position in this competition.  (Needless to say, from here onwards, it went downhill all the way – with Bafana Bafana unable to proceed beyond the group rounds in the 2010 Soccer World Cup).

Back to this week’s successive sporting events : With perfect weather conditions, stadiums were filled to capacity, braai fires were the order of the day and the refreshments/ liquor trade enjoyed a bumper weekend.  One can only imagine how many unofficial ‘3^rd umpires’  and ‘3^rd Match Officials’ gave running commentary from the comfort of their homes!  

On a personal note, one of my most vivid memories of South Africans uniting behind their winning teams, relates to SA winning the 2007  Rugby World Cup.  Following the final whistle, Adderley,  Strand and Long Street were rocking with the sounds of cars’ horns and screams of jubilation as thousands of Capetonians spontaneously rocked up in Cape Town City Centre to celebrate yet another momentous occasion for South African Rugby. 

Being in the transport industry, I am fortunate in having the opportunity to attend a number of sporting events, and/or assisting sporting fans with wayfinding at train stations – thereby also being part of the energy and vibe of major events.

With South Africa performing exceptionally well in the current Cricket World Cup, we are looking forward to the quarter-finals later this week.  As a nation were are firmly behind 'our boys' and wish them every success as they pursue their dream of becoming the 2011 ICC Champions!   

Photos depicting South African Sports fans

WE ARE AFRAID OF THE WRONG THINGS

#SMED 11

The Webster Comprehensive Dictionary describes fear as ‘ An emotion excited by threatening evil or impending pain, accompanied by a desire to avoid or escape it.’

It further describes afraid as ‘Filled with apprehension; apprehensive; fearful.

In addressing the issue of ‘we are the afraid of the wrong things, I looked at it from different angles, i.e phobias and general fears

Phobias

The internet defines phobias as ‘an aberrant and intense fear of an object or situation that poses little or no actual danger.’ A number of phobias are listed, ranging from a fear of :

-          open and high places;  closed or confined spaces;  heights;  snakes; darkness;  flying; drinking alcohol;  undressing in front of someone; houses or being stuck in a house, etc.

For those people suffering from some of the afore-mentioned phobias, the fear is real and they go to extreme lengths to avoid being caught up in such situations where they come face to face with their fears.  In this regard I am specifically reminded of an incident in season 5 of ‘America’s got Talent’ where Sharon Osbourne found it absolutely  hilarious when fellow judge, Howie Mandell (well-known for his phobia of germs),  made a dash from the judges table when he perceived that a contestant threw used dental floss at him.

In responding to the statement, ‘We are afraid of the wrong things’ I believe that to the millions suffering from phobias, their fears are real and correct according to their frame of reference. Without a passion for or a degree in psychology, I believe that whilst some people have empathy, others find it difficult to understand the extent of such phobias hence it is easy to conclude that they are afraid of the wrong things, i.e .

-          “Nothing is going to happen – why are you afraid of flying?”

-          “Nothing is going to happen – I fail to understand your fear of heights!”

General fears

There are numerous examples where people carry deep-seated fears with them throughout their lives.  Some of the examples:

-          Afraid of rejection – prohibits people of expressing affection, love  

-          Afraid of failure – prohibits people/students of trying

-          Afraid of people not believing them  -  prohibits victims of telling about sexual molestation

-          Afraid of growing old -  prohibits people of letting go of their youth

-          Afraid of dying  -  prohibits people of letting go of life

-          Afraid of the dreaded telephone call in the middle of the night when teenagers are out partying   - prohibits parents of having a good night’s sleep

-          Afraid of commitment  -  prohibits people of building sound relationships  

-     Afraid of losing parental status   -  prohibits mothers especially, of letting go of their sons 

With the necessary support, behavioural and attitude changes, I believe that we fear the wrong things and that fears within this category can be adequately addressed.  One recent fear relating to South Africa, springs to mind.  The world feared that South Africa could not deliver on the enormous responsibilities of successfully hosting the 2010 Soccer World Cup.  This collective fear, spearheaded by the media, painted SA as a crime-ridden place to visit; a country that could not complete their stadiums in time; a place not fit to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Post 2010 Soccer World Cup, Sepp Blatter, Danny Jordaan and the millions of proudly South Africans proved conclusively to the world, and in particular to Australia and England, that they were afraid of the wrong things.  Soccer fans arrived in their thousands and we hosted one of the most successful soccer tournaments.  Even our vuvuzelas made it onto the world stage.

In conclusion, the quotation by Marrianne Williamson speaks a thousand words :

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. "

 South Africa showed the world that they were afraid of the wrong things

FISH FALLING FROM THE SKY

SMED 11

Since Friday the world has been glued to television sets, social media networking, printed media and other communication channels in an effort to acquire first-hand information on one of the worst earthquakes that has hit Japan.  The 8.9-magnitude earthquake, followed by the tsunami which struck off the coast of north-eastern Japan, near the city of Sendai,  played out to millions of global viewers.   One could not help but ask the question : Has our weather gone completely out of control? First Christchurch, New Zealand, and now the awful devastation in Sendai, Japan

Watching the tragedy unfold whereby 10 metre waves swallowed everything in its path - vehicles, boats, houses, trees -  I wondered about the marine life.  Some of the images, i.e  a massive ship being lifted by the tsunami and deposited in a town in Miyagi prefecture;   Zapiro’s pen sketch in the Sunday Times of 13 March 2011 labeled  ‘After Hokusai’s  “The Great Wave,” had me wondering about the displacement of the marine life and it certainly reminded me of the expression, ‘ fish falling from the sky.’

 There are many documented cases of the ‘raining’ fish, frogs or toads phenomena.  In most cases the ‘raining’ of afore-mentioned is attributed to severe storms, tornadoes, water spouts and related phenomena. It is believed that strong winds pick up the fish from a shallow body of water and carries them - sometimes for many kilometres - before dropping them.  A similar scenario played out in Japan on Friday.  

Are there any lessons to be learnt from the fish falling from the sky/displacement phenomena? History has many recorded instances of people and communities being displaced, whether by natural disasters, forced removals, changes in financial situations, immigrations, war, etc.  Nature provides us with the perfect example of the role wind plays in pollination or  contributing towards a new  habitat for plants, flowers and trees.

Despite the awful devastation which was beyond everyone’s expectation, media reports allude to the fact that if it was the earthquake alone, Japan would have been ok.  Their strict building regulations allow for buildings to sway with earthquake tremors.

 The Japanese community of Sendai, in the same way as ‘ fish falling from the sky’, have been severely displaced.  Rescue operations will soon turn to recovery.  As Carl Gustav Jung said, ‘I do not believe … I know’  that with the collective financial aid and support of countries across the world, Japan will be back on its feet within two to three years.  I too do not believe … I know  that out of this natural disaster, new technological opportunities related to improved extreme weather pattern warnings, will arise.   

CREATING A WINDOW TO THE WORLD

One of the most valuable gifts of seeing the upside during down times is perspective. 
Things are not always as bad as they seem – Oprah Magazine Gratitude Journal.

My personal blog this week pays tribute to a group of Metrorail Marketing staff members, who, with no budget at their disposal, have created a glimpse into the corporate world for the thousands of commuter and public entering and exiting Cape Town Station on a daily basis. 

Leading up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup the refurbishment of Cape Town Station acquired a significant number of new display cases. Whilst the process of securing advertising contracts for these display cases are still underway, the afore-mentioned staff seized the opportunity to utilize these beautiful spaces to visually engage with commuters on a wide range of products and services.   What makes their work so significant is the fact that all efforts were designed and implemented with zero budget.  For the past 18 months Metrorail has had severe financial constraints, and in difficult financial times, it is common knowledge that one of the first budgets to be slashed is that of Marketing/Public Relations.

In addition to the opening quotation, the current financial constraints at Metrorail reminds me of one of the most memorable scenes from the award winning movie, ‘The Sound of Music’ when Mother Superior informs Postulant Maria to return to the von Trapp family.  “You can’t hide behind the walls of the Abbey. When the Lord closes a door, He opens another.”   

Against the background of severe budget cuts, the Marketing staff members referred to earlier, refused to ‘hide  behind the corporate walls’ of zero budget.  When the ‘budget door’  closed, another bigger display case door opened – providing staff members with a brand new opportunity to realise their  inner creativity.  Through their creative efforts they have kick-started a station legacy programme,  providing thousands of commuters and the public an opportunity to pause, reflect, engage with and ask questions on a wide range of  visuals ranging from the 2010 Soccer World Cup footage, Station Forecourt events, rail safety messages, to name but a few.

Domestic and International tourists alike have all provided positive comments.  Their display cases have led to numerous enquires about specific products and services and requests for a number of guided tours of Cape Town Station.

As an expression of my admiration and appreciation for the exemplary manner in which staff member have collectively pooled their creative resources together in the interest of the public,  I’d like to end off with a concluding quotation taken and modified from the Oprah Magazine Gratitude Journal.
I am thankful  :

·         For the opportunity to be surrounded by inspiring staff members;

·         For the opportunity to work with staff members who have active and creative imaginations;

·        For the unsolicited help of staff members

WHAT IS THE COLOUR OF THE WIND?

Being a resident of Cape Town, which is well-known for its strong South Easter wind, weather and wind play an important role in the lives of the millions of citizens of Cape Town. 
Reams and reams of publicity is written on the impact of the South Easter wind - , also referred to as the Cape Doctor -  the destruction it causes and not forgetting that it often provides for some of the most humorous front page articles, particularly clothing images taken in and around the Foreshore.

With the wind playing such a significant role in our daily lives, below a glimpse of colours I have selected to best describe my colour experiences.

Colour Dark Grey to Black
I visualise the strong South Easter wind fluctuating between grey, dark grey and black.  Its dark, black mood reminds me of the children’s story, ‘The three little pigs,’ in which the main character threatens with an authoritive voice, “I will huff, I will puff, and I will blow your house over!”
In its most darkest, powerful moments, the wind leaves a trail of destruction, trees are uprooted, houses destroyed, traffic signal lights smashed, to name but a few. The poem

‘Ode to the West Wind’ by Percy B. Shelley also comes to mind:

O Wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn’s being,

Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead

Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,

Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red,

Pestilence-stricken multitudes

The colours described in the poem remind me of the Cape Doctor as its sweeps through Cape Town.  Plastic bag, papers, tins – reflected by a multitude of colours  - bears testimory of man’s environmental attitude and  lack of commitment in contributing towards reducing the carbon footprint.    

Colour Green
The wind that causes the leaves  to fall from trees, seeds to be carried to a new resting place where it will germinate, bloom and grow, evokes in me two colours, both with own their specific images :
In the first instance it reminds me of the colour green which is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility.

Colour Red
In contrast to nature’s green, is the colour red  represents human emotions. The wind certainly has the ability for some household members to see red, ie “Why must I clean the garden again – I did it yesterday, last week and the week before.  I hate this wind – it’s just work, work, work !”

Colour Yellow
On those lazy, hazy, summer days when the light breeze gently massages nature,  bringing slight movements to trees, plants and flowers, it reminds me of Peter Tchaikowsky’s Nutcracker Suite.  As one sits in the garden and quietly observes and listen to the melodious garden notes ‘Waltz of the flowers,’  the wind conjures up images of the colour yellow  -  sunshine, joy, happiness, cheerfulness, a warning effect indeed.

Colour Blue
On those hot summer summer days when we head for the nearest tree to seek shade and shelter from the harsh rays o the sun, the wind blowing gently through the leaves evokes images of the colour blue. Providing a welcoming relief, blue is seen as trustworthy, dependable and committed.

In conclusion, Greg Parrish, an American Golden Age Illustrator, 1870-1966S mentioned that, “The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color. Our entire being is nourished by it.”

The wind, seemingly colourless, has the distinct ability to evoke numerous colour images as it crosses our paths on a daily basis.  I believe there is no right or wrong answer in responding to the question ‘What is the colour of the wind?’   We have the freedom to let our imagination run wild and in the process we can ‘paint with all the colours of the wind’ based on our experience, feelings and emotions.