creative adventures

Fall Into Dreams

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:49:52 +0100

Sometimes I get so obsessed

I completely forget how to breathe

I just want to cry out in distress

But they say no.

I just want to fall into dreams,

But the stoppers clutch at my seams

Tearing me down to the ground

To show me what’s real.

But what if I don’t like the sight:

The sight of broken leaves

It’s not what I choose to believe

I’m given no choice.

I see magic in sounds,

But they see numbers and nouns

When I rave on about silver crowns

All I get are frowns.

Why can’t I just fall into dreams?

Because this world is not what it seems

It wakes you from your peace

To give you a made-up truth.

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Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:37:30 +0100

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Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:05:06 +0100

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Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:43:25 +0100

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Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:25:29 +0100

"The only way you can write the truth is to assume that what you set down will never be read. Not by..."

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 06:38:19 +0100

“The only way you can write the truth is to assume that what you set down will never be read. Not by any other person, and not even by yourself at some later date. Otherwise you begin excusing yourself. You must see the writing as emerging like a long scroll of ink from the index finger of your right hand; you must see your left hand erasing it.”

- Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin (via bookmania)

"One strange thing about me I could never figure out was how I could stare at the most mundane,..."

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:29:45 +0100

“One strange thing about me I could never figure out was how I could stare at the most mundane, unimportant objects and think about everything that was going on around me and in my life. When I would finally open my eyes without ever having closed them, I would realize I was sharing all my secrets with a book, a pillow or even my favorite summer dress hanging over a chair. These objects pulled my thoughts from my mind and my mind gave in.”

New Song: I've Never

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:51:00 +0100

Song writing is one of those things that I do when inspiration randomly hits and I usually have these “lyric epiphanies” in the middle of night when insomnia kicks in. I play the piano and acoustic guitar and have composed countless little tunes and songs, but I can never seem to put the two together. That is why I write stories (mostly about strange characters and surprising occurrences) and then try to colour it in with simple tunes and ideas of what other instruments would do (I really admire the “orchestra” band idea - I want those drums, that guitar, the piano, but I also want the violins, the double bass and sometimes even a saxophone! Why not?) I have been in a few bands and I am still trying to start one, but more on that later. This is an excerpt from one of my latest little poem stories:

I’ve never kept a diary because they tell too much truth

So when I met you I had no story to tell and no history

I picked up a pen for the first time the day you greeted me

And wrote down everything I felt and saw and thought

I’ve never collected photos because my memories suffice

So when I met you I had no pictures to tell my dreamy tale

I held a camera for the first time the day I had a glimpse of you

And took photos of every tree, bird, and remarkable man

A monument in Braamfontein Cemetery, Johannesburg. One of the...

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:44:43 +0100

A monument in Braamfontein Cemetery, Johannesburg. One of the oldest cemeteries in South Africa, it houses the graves of many Anglo Boer War victims.

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Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:32:23 +0100

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Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:23:07 +0100

Starting the Journey

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:20:33 +0100

Hello all the crazily creative people out there who are interested in everything from fashion and writing to photography and music to theatre and the proverbial art of acting!

My name is Danielle (pronounced Danyel – yes, some people have called me Daniel) and I am a 20 year old actress, screenwriter, songwriter, dancer, fashion and photography enthusiast, lover of all things arty and original, avid traveller and the girl you think is extremely serious until she opens her mouth (it’s the face, I know).

Follow my journey as I make my way from the deep, dark corners of Southern Africa (okay, it’s not that bad, it just sounds more mysterious) to England and the USA to learn as much as I can and develop my acting career. I can recite Shakespeare, but I can also replace the spark plugs in a car. I do triple pirouettes and read Elle magazine cover to cover, but I know how to shoot moving targets.

However, this blog is not about me, but about the role performance and art play in my life. The purpose of “creative adventures” is as the title states: to have adventures through creativity. If you share my love for the arts, I want to get to know you and even work with you.

To contribute or collaborate, feel free to e-mail me at danielleretief@yahoo.com

It is going to be quite an adventure!