Daily Photo

Since im going back home (Cape Town) for a visit i thought id post alil something something.

Strand Beach Soccer during the Soccer World cup
Photographed by Chantal Pretorius (Me), taken 10 July 2010

Letter to my teenage self

Dear 14 year old me

Yes you with the hot pink lace up takkies, stop rolling your eyes and listen up! 

Firstly id like to pat u on the back, im proud of you. Thank you for cleaning the house everyday and taking care of those two lil rascals (which btw isnt so lil anymore). I no its a daunting task to be giving up your own childhood to do things thats alil far beyond your years. I applaud you.

So check it out, Honestly I wouldn't trade places with you. I wouldn't evens trade places with the Future Me that you once upon a time envisioned. 

Here's abit of a heads up to save you from unnecessary dilemmas you Will be facing.

• When you fall inlove for the first, second, third and fourth times. Dont try to mold yourself into the person you think he wants you to be. 
• Don't worry to much about your weight, seriously. Be thin, embrace your bones..by 20 you gonna miss fitting into a size 6 jeans.
• Nobody lives a fairy tale life, those kids with the flashy gadgets and the expensive outfits, they may carry more burdens than you think.
• Popularity is overrated! If you work on being a friend rather than how many friends you have, you'll be blessed with friendships beyond measure.
• Get involved with your school work, do those projects. It pays off in the end!
• Warning... get a lock on that diary! 
• Loose the Rebellious attitude, start with speaking your mind instead of bottling things up inside.
• Trust me, you Dont no everything!
• Be free, be a kid

Thats about it teenage self,  the combined wisdom of learning and living. i wish i could of intervened sooner but you just had to learn it for yourself.

If its any consolation you've turned out fine. You're a photographer, a mother and a wife. You got family that loves you a handful of friends that you cherish. You are finally free. 

PS, those Hot pink lace up takkies slash boots, i threw them away about a year ago!!!!!!!!

Love

25 year old you

Introducing Zen aka Zeni aka Smurf Butt aka Bolletjie holletjie aka Baby boy!

His only 18 months thats a year 6 months btw. The kid is quite strange, i no i no, it must be weird for a mother to be saying that about her own child. I said the same thing when he was born... but back then i wasnt referring to his personality. But seriously guys.. he calls me "Miena" which he made up by himself. He was never a headbutting hand banging jumpy baby. Dont get me wrong he was a happy baby, his just more of an old soul, i like to believe.


Soon he'll be talking but he seems to be stuck at the "B" word phase, and no his not saying Bitch... he just favours the word "BAH" ... like Mark is Bah, Siobhan is Bon, his bottle varies between Bah and Bobbie, bath time is Bah..but its funny how i can tell the difference between the bahs. 


What really separates Zen from kids his age is, his hygienic levels. Have you ever seen a kid that wants to be clean all the time? He'll play in sand, 2 minutes later he'll come running for me to clean his hands. Same thing applies wen he steps into something gooey his facial expression just tells u "get it off"! 

So this is Zen, the guy that Rocks my world, literally, everyday! I really dont mind him calling me Miena, even though i wanna crawl under a rock when he does it public. I cant say that i dont mind that he turned me into a humming bird thats on crack cleaning up after him. But his My boy and who cannot love a cute lil man like himself. Im proud to be his Miena. 

Daily photo

A photo a day keeps the ........... away!

Photos is definitely one of my favorite things in the world, be it classically old or modern abstract, i love it all! There are so much talented photographers out there. So im making it my mission to go hunting for those images that make you go "ooooooo", "Aaaahhh" or "har har har". And of course showcasing some of my own. Stay tuned... 

    Table Mountain Cafe. Photographed by Chantal Pretorius (Me) taken 28 November 2009 

       

Nam BAM!

When i moved here last year June, I was quite the cynical old fart! Taken out of my comfort zone and placed in this dry shrubby small town. Can you imagine what this did to me?  Big City girl now living in the middle of nowhere. I had no friends besides my husband, which wasnt my hubby at the time. Insects be running or flying around on steroids. Wheres the Malls at? Do you call this a club pshhh! Ahh traffic, how cute. These where common question id say out loud or quietly to myself. You name it, i hated it!

After a few months of settling in, i wanted to open myself up to new things. i was so sick of missing home or dreaming of what i could of been doing.. kinda like a mental door i had to open. This of cause to attract everything this town has to offer. As the universe started answering all my desires, i met alotta interesting people, some i connected with more than others. Saw alotta places after i joined a promotions team. We went on road trips, we did events and festivals ooo and made a few dollars of my own.

Where the wheel turned for me, im not entirely sure but im glad it did. Reflecting back on the past 10/11 months

- The "Vegas wedding" 

- Zens 1st Birthday

- I suspect it could be something in the beer?

- The cultures and tribes

- I finally started studying

- The chilled vibes

- Nam skies: sunrise, sunset, big pooofy white clouds

- Incredible views

- My lil family

- Cool friends

- The Halloween party of Note

- Aunty Louis

- If anything it must be the wild life

- My first wedding shoot

- Being part of the crew for Tjiraa (short film) as a Set Photographer

- Quiz night

- Starting a garden

- My photo frame party

- My lens

This new chapter of my life, i find most challenging and rewarding. Challenging in the sense of being  without my family and friends from SA. But rewarding in every sense of the word. Learning everyday, its opened me up to a world of new things, travelling to mention one! Walking/hiking being still and completely Zen in that moment. Appreciating life, importance of family and friends. This list of events did not change the way i saw Namibia, I changed My thoughts and feelings towards it. 

If i Ruled the World...

- Mondays would be "Creative Day", paint a picture, take a photo, make a sculpture, open your soul to the  finer things in life.

- There'll be no such thing as "Global warming"!

- Remove Borders from countries

- Make the teachings of Abraham part of the curriculum in schools

- Plant more Trees
- Invent a new sex position

- Forbid raisins in chocolate, rice, icecream etc

- Create more jobs

- Fire all Politicians

- Discover a free and natural energy source

- Bedazzle street lights with glitter

- Encourage kids to playing outside until it gets dark.

- No guys gas will not be free, but we going back to the days where 20bucks could fill your tank.
- Promote Curvy women
- Reinvent Facebook and get all the credit for it
- Everyone in the world will own a passport and with gas being cheap, people could travel!


We all have good intentions which we can turn into do-able actions. Each of us can Rule this world (our host) together as one. Even if its not the whole world, but your world. Starting with ourselves. So what if you ruled the world?