Failing Forward: I recently made a study of how failing can become part of your success(Will Smith is an expert on failing ‘I work the hardest’). Then I realized failing is what raises you up to the higher level you need to become successful. If you haven’t failed enough, you haven’t earned your way to […]

Eine Kleine Nachtmuzik… ring a bell? then you know what I am talking about. His music will forever live on. Even though his grave is unmarked and he died rich in music, poor in money… I recently attended a House Concert “Mozart Piano Trios”: what a treat! Cupcakes and High Tea sandwiches done right. No […]

Last Thursday was special. It started on Wednesday when I had to kill a phone call in the last 5 minutes of my last psychology class: it was Danie Keet from the Eikestadnuus Newspaper“Marthie what are you doing tomorrow? Because we are having an Inspiration women’s day event and from the nominations your name came […]

needs Jazz like that…Join us for an hour of #JazzFridays in November featuring Marthie Nel Hauptfleisch & Winston Siljeur band. 5-6pm, 1,8,15,22 Nov., 52 Ryneveld str(Ou Bloemhof), Stellenbosch. Bring your own wine, picnic boxes can be preordered. Early Bird/Groups/Student/Seniors Tickets.marthienel.com/bookings/ I recently put to music a couple of Tao Te Ching Verses. Verse 17 reminds […]

Of South Africans emerging from the ashes of negativity and airplane-tickets bought to promised lands. It is people who are not ‘left behind’ but who ‘choose to stay’.This takes elbow grease and a loose tongue: telling stories and learning each other’s culture and language. Pam was the young women with the friendly smile at Engen. […]

There is a moment in-between wearing your new clothes, and leaving your old clothes on the floor, where you are naked. It is a good thing because you don’t want to ruin the celebration that’s coming! Recently I’ve had the 99 block of ‘Snakes and Ladders’ in my head: you know the one with the […]

But how big is the village?5…10…150…?I recently stumbled across the Dunbar Rule of 150. I was trying to visualize how big a crowd of 150 would look like(the number of people I want to attend the Jazz Fridays: first four Fridays in November 5-6pm is showtime- now you know)So I googled it: what does 150 […]

Music etches your life like streetlamps next to the road. It lights up your past in moments and guides you along just far enough for now. You cannot listen to music in future tense. It is only now. I have recently been asked by a friend -how long have you been doing music, I was […]

Let me introduce you to my friend Lidia I see once a year for coffee(In the picture with me). We live and work in basically the same town. When we do see each other we talk about the ‘unspeakables’… this includes diabetes, woundcare, colostomies and homecare. The best move is to keep your phone off […]

“If I knew to honor your mother and father would really get me to 100, I would have reconsidered… my sister, who also became 100, agreed…”It is not difficult to discover the secret behind her century: she is positive, open minded, inquisitive and deeply connected in her relationships with her family and care-givers. Life to […]