A wanderer’s prayer

I have a vast playlist that I put onto random, so I never know what type of music will come up next while I’m working. There’s nothing like a random upbeat song to perk you up when you’d normally click on a sad song or the penny-drop moment when an inspirational song plays and gives you food for thought you weren’t aiming for. Just as I was coming in to have some lunch, this song came up. It’s in Afrikaans, so I’ve written out the lyrics (hopefully correctly!) and translated them to the best of my ability, keeping in mind that poetry doesn’t always lend itself to translation.

I want to dedicate this to my dearest friend and fellow ‘swerwer’, Felicity. It would have been your birthday today. Amanda Strydom reminds me so much of you. You were there alongside me for much of that path I was on and knew my dragons. I miss you.

Pelgrimsgebed by Amanda Strydom

vader god, u ken my naam my binnegoed en my buite staan my grootpraat en my klein verdriet my vashou aan alles wat verskiet u ken my vrese en my hoop die pad wat ek so kaalvoet loop die pad het u lankal berei u maak die pad gelyk vir my alle pelgrims keer weer huis toe elke swerwer kom weer tuis ek verdwaal steeds op die groot pad soekend na u bordinghuis moeder god u ken my waan my ego en my regopstaan die drake waarteen ek bly en veg u wys my altyd weer die weg u het my met u lug geseen die lug stroei ek oor ieder een net u weet hoe my toekoms lyk ek het niks, u maak my ryk alle pelgrims keer weer huis toe elke swerwer kom weer tuis ek verdwaal steeds op die groot pad soekend na u bordinghuis alle pelgrims keer weer huis toe elke swerwer kom weer tuis ek verdwaal steeds op die groot pad soekend na u bordinghuis

father god, you know my name my inner self and my outward stance my big talk and my little grief my clinging to all that fades you know my fears and my hopes the path i walk barefoot this path you prepared long ago you smooth this path for me all pilgrims head home again each wanderer returns home i’m still lost on the great path looking for your boarding house  mother god you know my delusions my ego and my standing tall the dragons that i stay and fight you always show me the way again you blessed me with your light this light i spread to everyone you know what my future holds i have nothing, you make me rich all pilgrims head home again each wanderer returns home i’m still lost on the great path looking for your boarding house all pilgrims head home again each wanderer returns home i’m still lost on the great path looking for your boarding house

Technorati Tags: pelgrimsgebed,pilgrim,prayer,wanderer,amanda strydom,music

Totally wasted Saturday!

It's not bad enough that I slept for two hours after giving two classes this morning. I hate sleeping so long. It turns me into a zombie for a few hours after. I then chugged down some coffee and a few biscuits (necessary sustenance... believe me!).



Checking my mail showed me that I had some random guy following me on Twitter. Nosiness drove me over there. I'm always kind of shocked when someone adds me as a contact or follows me on a site like Twitter. It isn't as though I use the site. I mean... I go there once every blue moon when someone follows me. I did, however, spend an entertaining half hour browsing through motivational quotes and a hashtag: #beforetwitter (people put this hashtag into their tweets, much like we use tags here on Multiply). So.... for your education and edification...

#BeforeTwitter I read the drivel of friends on Facebook, now I get to read it from strangers.

   -  or in twit (aka idiot) talk:
#beforetwitter i wud neva tell any1 my thotz..now i tel a bunch of strangerz

#BeforeTwitter some spoke their minds; now they just tweet anothers'

#beforetwitter I knew what homework was.......

#Beforetwitter there were these crazy things called books. People read them for pleasure & to be educated so they didn't "tlk lik this."

#beforetwitter these random thoughts of nothingness had no outlet. Now everyone knows exactly how insane the world really is

#beforetwitter I didn't realize how much random nothingness I had to share w/ the world

#beforetwitter I actually had to spend time with you to Learn who u are as a person. These days. Not so much

#beforetwitter following a stranger would put you in jail

#beforetwitter following a stranger was called stalking

#BeforeTwitter I wrote sentences.

The sheer brilliance of the collective mind out there is staggering! *koff*


Supper was a boring affair of pasta with calabresa (Italian sausage), designed to send me up heartburn alley for the night. We watched an episode of Stargate (yes, we watch really old TV shows). After supper, I got sidetracked with music on Youtube. One thing led to another, as it's inclined to do, and I ended up on a witch-hunt for a song that just does not exist on the internet! I ended up writing to a guy who claims to have the 7" single - on vinyl. Yes, it's an old song.

I'm sitting here laughing so hard. Jurgis was helping me find the song I mentioned, when he got sidetracked too. No less than with David Kramer himself. There isn't a South African who doesn't know that name. David Kramer of the veldskoene, blikkitaar, bicycle and long, empty Karoo roads scattered with tiny Karoo towns. David Kramer has well and truly sung his way through South African culture. "Hier sit die manne in die Royal Hotel..."

A bit of random information from Wiki that started this off: The Kramer family name (originally Karabelnik) was adopted by his grandfather who arrived in South Africa from Lithuania in 1899, and made a living as a salesman (walking from farm to farm selling goods). The family's from Lithuania?? I see he also grew up with his grandfather then.

....

....

David Kramer's brother paints the most amazing oils of yesteryear, also of those tiny one-horse towns. PEP stores is iconic too...


Do visit his site for a glimpse into sleepy South African small towns.
His paintings are amazing!