Hello reader,

Life and its boring troubles aside, isn’t it amazing how beautiful this earth and its people are? Lately I’m spending so much time looking up at the sky or at the scenery around me. If you follow me on Instagram you would notice that I’ve been posting a lot of photos of sunsets and the moon. I will stop, haha just kidding. I will not. (sorry!) I have some pretty awesome photos of the stars that I took with a 30 second shutterspeed and I’ve been meaning to Instagram those as well. Getting back on track…I have noticed how pretty awesome and beyond beautiful this world is. How about some nature love then?

Do you ever go outside your house, stand still and just look around you? It’s amazing how much you’ll see that will otherwise go unnoticed because you’re too busy staring at your phone replying to a tweet or retelling a hilarious incident that happened to you earlier to a friend. Every morning and evening I would just go outside and look around. I am pretty fortunate to have grown up on and be living on a farm where I get to see so many beautiful birds flying around and others singing their loud songs or mating calls (it is pretty loud if I can hear it) and a few days ago I saw a large bird (I really should buy a bird book!) soaring pretty low over my head and I was so jealous. It looked like fun up there and which person who doesn’t have a fear of heights wouldn’t like to fly? Other than the birds, I actually notice the trees and their branches and leaves moving in the breezes. You know, my father loves sitting outside and just being. I think he’s got a really awesome thing going there. You get to actually notice God’s creations, the very things that keep you alive. Imagine a world without trees, bees, birds, and beautiful sunsets and so on. It would be dreary; actually humans wouldn’t survive.

Perhaps the reason why I’m always out in nature and noticing things is because I’ll be moving back to Joburg and things like sunsets, the moon and stars are really difficult to look at because if Joburg’s countless skyscrapers. Little story time: last year when I was still living in Joburg my mother texted me and told me to quickly look at the moon and it was a struuugle. I walked craned my neck out of the window and walked around the entire house before I made it out of the gate and saw the moon. It was a little obscured by the Vodacom tower but dang it, I saw it. Far cry from just glancing out of my window and greeting the moon here at home, I am so going to miss it… and the quiet. I’m not hating on Joburg though, I took some really awesome night photographs there once and its urban contrast really forms a nice backdrop for photos.

Select photos from my phone. View my Instagram for more since Blogger pixelate my photos when I publish my posts.

Sunset on a tin-roof. I have a thing for silhouettes and the sunset as a backdrop.

While driving with my sister she said this mountain looks like boobs. So dirty minded!

I do know though, that the primary reason why I’m loving nature a lot right now is because of photography. After so long, I dusted off my camera and took photos of everything and anything I found interesting. The thing about photography neh, is that it forces you to see things. You are actively looking for something interesting to capture that your eyes peruse everything and it’s like a veil has been lifted from your eyes. Suddenly the world is filled with beauty. I owe my newfound love of artistic photography one lovely guy and awesome documentary photographer Tom Brittney. Check out his portfolio here. You can see how his photos inspired me to get back into photography, right? His black and whites are great! My favourite is this one of a canal in Amsterdam. To think I discovered his portfolio by aimlessly clicking link after link on the internet (I be surfing!) I’m actually going to purchase some of his prints and I can’t wait to have a photo of his adorning my office wall!

Seriously though, put that that phone or turn away from your computer (after reading this, of course) and just observe your surroundings. Better yet, go outside and just be in nature and take a few snaps while you’re at it. ;) Thank me later.

You know what!? I’d love to see your photos! Yes, actually let me see your photos. Post them on Instagram and tag #NatureLoveWithTheBellaM and who knows? I may just feature your photos right here on this blog!

This has been a long blog post and I’m so happy I get to come to this little space of mine to share things like this! If you want to read more blog posts of mine, head over to my website’s blog where I’ve been posting about business, branding and blogging so if you’re into that, then it’s for you. Also, I’d love to hear from you (duh). Let me know in the comments whether you like being out in nature or just observing your surroundings.

P.S Don’t forget, don’t forget. Be out in nature. Listen to the birds. Feel the breeze upon your face and see the trees dance in the wind. Go for a run with your dogs at sunset. Heck, lie down on your tummy and watch the marching ants.

P.S.S That reminds me! You know what else I’m happy about? It’s winter here so there aren’t any venomous snakes for me to accidentally come across and make me qualify for the Olympics high jumps now! They are hibernating! It is so wonderful! Hahahahahahahahaha *evil laugh*

'Til next time,
-Bella

Book Review Tuesdays: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger

Hello reader,

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I read The Catcher in the Rye a couple of years back to figure out why a lot of people were going on about it. It's considered a classic, written in 1951. Last week I was looking for a new book to read and I decided to re-read it. Best. Idea. Ever.

The first time I read it, I couldn't get into it but this time I was telling myself that I missed out on so much! Granted, it won't be everyone's cup of tea but I love this book so much I just had to hop on here and write a book review about it, in hopes that you may read it too if you haven't already.

The Catcher in the Rye follows 17 year old Holden Caulfield, a rebellious teenager who practically hates everything. The book is written in Holden's point of view as if he's addressing you as the reader while he retells the events that happened to him over a three day period.

J.D Salinger writes in such a way that makes Holden seem like a great storyteller as the story seems like one long flashback but with present events being included.

The story is marvelously intriguing. At first, you'd like to hate Holden; he is not written as a likeable character but he is 'real'; Holden is a brutally honest, vulgar character with a penchant for sarcasm and exaggeration which makes for humourous reading.

As the reader, you get to get in Holden's head and consequently, his life. Though he seems to love telling stories, he isn't really telling the whole story and it's up to you, the reader, to read between the lines and figure it out for yourself and once you do, it'll hit you like a ton of bricks.

I found the book intriguing, funny and heartbreaking. Boy, it killed me. No kidding. (Ha!). There were some parts that reminded me of an equally excellent book, Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallfower.

The Catcher in the Rye is not a long read and the ending (for me) was a bit disappointing in that it ended so abruptly but hey once I forgot the meagre ending I thought about the book and how it made me feel. I got over the disappointing ending really quickly.

Though The Catcher in the Rye is listed as a coming of age book, it is not meant for younger readers because of the vulgarity but it's aimed at teenagers because they are most likely to relate to it and it also offers a message of hope directed at them. I also believe young adults can still read it and relate to it. It actually causes you to examine the world in which we live in and how we're always forced to conform to fit in it.

Check this one of many quotes from the book that made laugh out loud:

"And I have one of those very loud, stupid laughs. I mean if I ever sat behind myself in a movie or something, I'd probably lean over and tell myself to please shut up."

One more that everyone would relate to:

"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it."

Oh, how I definitely wish.

Have you read the book before? I'd love to know your thoughts about it. Actually, I want to invite debate because there's something really interesting I learned about the book that was instrumental in making me want to retry reading it again. I'm hesitant to write about it here because it may be regarded as a spoiler but I'll answer questions!

'Til next time,

-Bella

I Felt Alive Today

Hello reader,

Today I woke up on a chilly morning and got ready to venture out of my home and into town to run errands. Venturing out of my home is a big deal where I am concerned because I’m perfectly content with being a hermit and I’d go weeks without actually going out in public. My reasoning is that I have everything I need at home; I work from home on a desktop which means I have no important reason to go out other than running errands, of course. Today however, I was *so* excited.

It started with me being up early. It’s wintertime here in South Africa so it’s a struggle to get out of warm, cosy blankets in the mornings so I give myself a pat on the back for getting out of bed at 5am. *pats self* Anyway I went outside and greeted my dog; the usual morning routine but this morning was different. I felt consciously alive. I took a moment to breathe in the cold air, to look at the trees and flowers moving in the breeze, the birds flapping their wings as they went about their day and I paid attention to my beating heart. I felt glad then, that I was alive. I wasn’t the only one alive; the dogs with their fervent licking and excited jumping, the birds, the trees and even the grass…were alive. I felt comforted that I was not alone.

In my feeling of aliveness, I jogged the short driveway distance to unlock the gate with the dog, Krogan, who is always up for accompanying me whenever I venture outside. I jumped, leaped and skipped. I felt like a kid. To an on-looker, I bet I just looked happy. I was that and more; I was celebrating being alive.

I went to town and I met up with a friend of mine from school then I met up with another friend. I spent hours talking to them and that’s one thing the internet doesn’t give you; real human interaction and let me tell you, I was glad to meet up with friends for once instead of always visiting my cousins. It felt great to catch up and it reminded me how a lot has changed since high school. We’re all older, hopefully a little wiser and we’re all just starting out in our careers.

I’m pleased too, that I’ve simplified my life, most specifically the business side of my life. If you follow me on Twitter you’ll see that I have been busy with Allebasi and it underwent a whole new makeover and you can check out the website here. It took me ages, a whole lot of stress and worry but now that it’s done, I am able to breathe again. Kudos to a simple life!

What I really loved about today was that for the first time in so long, I felt content. I didn’t feel as if something is missing or wrong in my life and I didn’t worry about fixing that problem. I was in the moment and guess what, I lived. Really lived.

I want you to tell me the last time you’ve felt alive. What went through your head then? Could you describe the feeling?

‘Til next time

-Bella

Book Review Tuesdays: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Hello reader,

Before reading The Book Thief, I’ve read talk about it and I decided to check out some reviews. The first one was written by a young woman who was so mad about the book. She wrote that the book made no sense and that it’s narrated by death for no reason whatsoever. This made me want to read the book even more. What literary crime did the book commit to inspire this person’s ire? And you know what? I’m so glad I read the book.

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The book follows a young Liesel Meminger, whose mother takes them into foster care because she couldn't care for them. Unfortunately, her brother dies on the way. The story is set in Germany during World War II. The very first book Liesel steals is called The Grave Digger’s Handbook, which she stole at the cemetery where her little brother was buried. The book became her only link to the past because she finds herself thrust into the care of Hans and Rosa Hubermann and her mother disappears, never to be heard from again. Liesel’s new life at the Hubermann’s becomes one of childhood innocent where Liesel befriends a boy on her street and one of veiled excitement and danger; bought on by further book stealing and the tension of the war.

One day a Jewish man from Hans Hubermann comes knocking at their door, asking to be hidden and thus began a secret friendship between Liesel and the young man by the name of Max Vandenbrug who is to have a lifelong impact on Liesel’s life.

Perhaps at this point you’re thinking that it might be similar to The Diary of Anne Frank but you’d be wrong. This book is much, much different that it immediately sucked me into its pages and I was mentally devouring it at every chance I got. What makes it brilliant is that it’s full of metaphorical connections like Liesel’s book stealing, which formed a catalyst that drives the entire story. In fact, it’s like 3 separate stories in one; Liesel’s and the world outside, Liesel’s and the world inside and Death’s. Each one is interconnected into one intense story. It's quite interesting because usually we don't hear or read about the effects the war had on innocent German children.

It’s understandable why the book is narrated by Death. It is actually clear from the very first chapter (I mean, its set during the Second World War! There’s bound to be a lot of deaths) and I was left wondering whether the person who reviewed it has even read the whole book.

As for the characters, there’s plenty to make you fall in love with (and make you wish you hadn’t). Liesel is quite a character that young girls and even young women could aspire to be like. She’s strong, highly intelligent, fearless and resilient. Props for strong female characters, yay!

Markus Zusack has truly penned a classic that I believe would be read for generations to come. His winding of metaphors and multiple storyline is done so well that it comes together like a colorful crocheted blanket and I wish I could be as profound with metaphors or similes as he is. This book can be read by adults and young adults alike because in all, it forms a perfect metaphor for life. It thick (delightful for book worms) and I wished it didn’t have to end but when it did it hit me like a sack of potatoes. I wanted more; I wanted to have some kind of closure. You know why? Because there are times when the book would take your soul and wrench it in half and times when you laugh through the tears. As much as it’s full of sorrow, the book is full of humour and above all that; it will change your life, whether you want it to or not.

The Book Thief gets 4 and a half stars, most definitely! 

Have you read the book before? What did you think of it? Let's compare notes!

'Til next review,

-Bella

My break from the internet

PHOTO SOURCE: Jeremy Ricketts 

Hello, reader!!

*shrieks with excitement* It’s been so long and I’m happy to be back blogging. As for my whereabouts during my ‘disappearance’, fret not, I’ll be updating you on what I was up to.

I have changed my blog name which was a long time coming but I decided to just change it so it could correspond to all my social media and as it’s an extension of myself, I wanted it to be just that in name as well.

~

Over a week ago I decided to take a week off from the internet. It was a pretty sudden decision but it was necessary. There were times when I’d get sad, frustrated and would just feel so low but instead of confronting my feelings head on, I’d tell myself that ‘it’d be fine’ then immediately go on Tumblr or Reddit and other various sites in order to feel better. One time I was refreshing all sites simultaneously because I was spending so much time on them, while my feelings were ignored. The decision to take a break happened when I noticed that instead of being happy using the internet, I’d get even more depressed because I had slowly started comparing myself to the people on the net and like that saying goes, “comparison is the thief of all joy”, and thus began my break.

It was easy at first, which was surprising because I thought it’d be hard as I was dependent on the internet, and on top of that, I used the internet to conduct business. I wasn’t going to answer or send any emails whatsoever and I worried I’d be losing potential business that way but I stopped worrying. With good reason too!

I watched a lot of TV, I had time left over and I didn’t worry about anything, I did what I felt like doing and if I wanted to nap, I napped. While watching TV, there were times when a commercial break would come on TV and the first thing I’d do was to reach for my phone (!) before remembering that I was taking a break. I even mistakenly went on Twitter so I signed out of my account to prevent any further mishaps!

I also read a lot which was great because with the frenzy of always being busy on the internet, I didn’t have time to sit and enjoy a book but this time I did. Over the week, I read and finished two books and started a third.

It’s amazing how much time is freed by taking a break from the internet. I was able to play with my nephews when they got back from school or to just snuggle with them on the sofa while watching cartoons. I gave them attention that wasn’t taken away by whatever new or great thing is happening on the internet and it was greaaat.

After supper every evening I would spend time with the whole family watching TV instead of my usual rushing directly to my bedroom to work. Since I had free time, I used it to think of what I wanted to do and how I would do it, business wise and my mind was so clear; free from the clutter of information on the net. (Running a business is EXTREMELY stressful!) I also went for daily runs with my nephews and dogs and I saw the sunset every evening. Yay for fitness!

What else? I got to write and completed a script I was writing which was so much fun that I’m going to extend it and write as much as I can on it AND I also wrote a few pages of my book (which is really hard but I look forward to writing the last page!).

When I was bored I would wonder what news I was missing out on or if anything interesting was happening; I couldn't ‘watch’ the Billboard Music Awards or Eurovision on Twitter! I also missed talking to my friend Kayleigh because I went from talking to her everyday to have to refrain from Whatsapping her the whole week! On Friday I saw from my notification window that one of my friends needed urgent help with her assignment and I couldn’t help her as she texted me through Whatsapp. The only way I could communicate with the outside world was through SMS but few people these days use that anymore what with –you guessed it- the internet.

Overall, it was a really good and much needed break for me mentally and emotionally. I got a chance to deal with my feelings, to think clearly and to be actually spend time with my loved ones and be present. The last time I went on an internet break in 2013 when things were starting to get bad for me though I only took 3 days off then. I would recommend a break for anyone who feels overwhelmed and becomes too dependent on the internet. After all, your health has to be more important than a trending meme on Tumblr, right?

Have you ever taken a break from the internet or just social media before? If so, what were your reasons and how did you fare? Leave a comment below and if you have a blog, a link for your blog so I can check that out too!

Look out for my update posts coming everyday this week!

'Til next time,

-Bella