RESPECT...IT’S A TWO-WAY THING!

Do you think because you are older than me should respect you?

Do you think because you have a better education than me I should respect you?

Do you think that you have a better job than me I should respect you?

Do you think you drive a better car than me I should respect you?

Is it not common courtesy that when someone is speaking, you keep quiet until that person is done, then you start talking? Is it not common courtesy to let that person talk finish even if you have an important point to make? It is not fair to allow someone to speak, after you have asked them a question?

It might be to my detriment in saying this but if you ask me a question, and I need to explain myself, for goodness sakes allow me the time of day to answer you and explain myself! Don’t just jumping in every time I start speaking....

Could that be your insecurities of wanting to prove yourself right? Or is just your way of saying you know nothing on the topic at hand...OR are you just saying, sorry I don’t understand you.

Respect is a two-way thing, and no matter who you are...YOU NEED TO SHOW IT!

Every day is a good day

In some way I tend to agree...

In other ways, I always say though, “same shit, different day”.

Every day brings new beginnings, new challenges, new people – you might be in the same situation, environment or place but each day you learn or see something new.

To me it’s all about having peripheral vision, seeing everything around you instead of just what is in front of you or behind you! We should never let the demons of the past control our future. All that we can control is the present - so why not conquer it?

In some way or the other, our lives are affected by someone or something every day.

Every day is a good day in my daughter’s development towards her schooling – everyday she learns something new. Every day she discovers another body part, another colour, another shape, every day is something new. To her, every day is a good day, especially if there are treats involved J

Our greatest strengths are our greatest weaknesses

This is absolutely true!

I love talking, I love communication with different people, and I love smiling (believe it or not). After all, this is why I studied Public Relations – I am a good communicator.

Sometimes though, I tend to talk too much, could that be a weakness...?

It always happened to me in interviews. You know when they ask the first question, then you a bit hesitant and nervous, so you give a short answer. They then ask the second question and ask you to elaborate...you then start talking and giving examples like there’s no tomorrow...and think, have I said too much? Have I shown the true me?

But is the “true you” not who you want them to know, surely you don’t Want a job where you have to front up all day because they (your employees) don’t know the true you?!?!

Be true to yourself, it can only benefit you...!

Try a cliche

A cliché is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect.

First thing that comes to mind is Bruno Mars, well, not him personally but maybe his songs and the fact that every “Dick, Tom and Harry” sings it. Without a doubt, the song losing its original meaning.

I can assure you that Bruno Mars wrote his songs, he wanted them to be played all over radio stations across the world but he would have wanted people to know why he loves music and to know why he made that t=song, to understand it and to be able to connect to it.

Not to play it so loud that you can’t hear the words...

Talking about singers being cliché – who next but the talented Justin Bieber, I mean really now, my six year old daughter knows most if not all of the lyrics to his first hit J yet again, so do I LOL!

#67 Minutes

Like everyone else, when I thought about what I was going to do with my 67 minutes – I wanted it to be different, for it to be worthwhile. While I was thinking, I came across a request from a Nurse at a Rehabilitation centre in Mitchells Plain about a boy who had been in a car accident (as a passenger) who sustained brain injuries.

This was the perfect way to spend a meaningful 67 minutes...

I then decided to incorporate three of our players in, Pieter Louw, Duane Vermeulen and Lionel Cronje and together we went to pay Ricus Smith from Table View a visit. When we walked into his home, it was as if the sun’s rays were directly in the living room. The look of excitement of his face and the glow in his eyes was a feeling I would never forget.

Ricus was the first team captain of his cricket team and rugby team – but due to his injuries sustained in the accident – will never be able to play again. His left knee shakes uncontrollably, but he talks to us as if nothing is happening. He speaks about rugby to the players as if he was going to be playing again tomorrow – his faith in God is unbelievable.

Never give up, keep the faith*

Banks at lunch-time

What a bad idea...!

I should know better, banks are most popular at lunch time, especially between 12h00 and 14h00. The funny thing though is there are so many characters in the bank. The rich, the poor, the sane, the not-so-sane and then the tellers, who’s main aim in life is to make our stay in their queues “worthwhile”.... all you hear is the advertising playing (promoting themselves of course) and the voice saying “Next customer please” at a volume of about 100, yet still some don’t hear her.

You eventually get to the front after watching the same advertisement for about 10 – 15 times, and hearing “that woman’s voice” for about 10 -15 times ...you are told “sorry mam, you need to be in another queue”...

At which stage, I nicely put up a performance and work out the bank, swearing to never come back, but sneaking in a week later in different clothes – hoping they don’t notice me LOL!

The thing that irritates me the most though is that most employees allow an hour lunch break and by the time you have completed in your business in the bank, what are you left with...”15 minutes boss”

So, I’ve invested in internet banking – the way of the future J

Rather, say nothing AT ALL

You know when you walk past someone’s desk... and you think, should I say something or shouldn’t I?

You shouldn’t...just carry on walking like you were before. I find it most irritating that when I am busy working, people would just walk past and randomly start talking, even though they can see you busy!

Now don’t get me wrong, I am a very sociable person but when I am busy – I hate disturbances.  I leave my office door open for common courtesy, because if the door is closed – someone will open it and say “Why is your door closed”? Now I mean really...

If the door is open but I it looks as if I am busy, then you know what, I probably am busy!  

Many a times, people have nothing to say, but they talk anyway, when they do talk though they end up rambling causing them to make a fool of themselves – most of the time, they don’t even realize it.

Feelings follow behaviour

Of course our behaviour is triggered by our feelings. The saying goes for every action, there is a reaction!

If we feeling sad, we act in a negative way. If we are feeling angry we denote our anger in a negative way. If we are happy, everything around us seems positive. If we are excited, or motivated, all seems hunky dory!

Positive behaviour and attitudes are so powerful, only once it occurs do we realize it’s potential. By being positive we enlighten people around us, leaving everyone feeling good, not only about their situations but all about themselves!

Not only should we be afraid of acting on emotions in our relationships but we should be very cautious of acting on feelings in our places of work. Lashing out at your Manager, could have serious consequences...

It is better to practice a little than to talk alot

“Actions speak louder than words”

“Talk is cheap”

“You can walk the walk, but can you talk the talk”

These are all saying that relate to the topic. Humans in general tend to talk too much or out of turn. People who talk too much: Politicians, Family members, Managers, Celebrities & Marriage counsellors.

Politicians talk for all the wrong reasons, making promises and hardly ever coming to the party (no pun intended).

We all have that family member that always has more than the rest, who can always organise more than all of us, or so they say.

Managers, how they can go on and on, and on about the same thing.

Marriage counsellors, I have always wondered if besides having the academic knowledge, if they have ever been through a divorce themselves?

Celebrities, now to some extent some of them actually do, do more action than words. For example: Madonna, Angelina Jolie, and Bono to name but a few.

Practice makes perfect – if we practice what we want to say or even achieve, we will need not have the need to speak about it. If we are effective in what we are trying to achieve, our actions will speak louder than our words!

Life

Does life move too fast, I tend to think so yes, too fast for my liking?

I feel it especially when I go to sleep, and when I wake it feels like I have literally closed my eyes for the whole of uhm...30 seconds!

Life sometimes moves at the pace we want it too, sometimes it doesn’t move the way we want it too, but who we are to question...All we have to do, is keep the Faith*

I quote one of the most powerful poems out there,

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints; there were two sets of footprints,

Other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed

That during the low periods of my life,

When I was suffering from

Anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints.

So i said to the Lord,

You promised me Lord,

That if I followed you,

You would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during the most trying times of my life

There have only been one set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,

“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand, is when I carried you”

-          Mary Stevenson

Time flies...

It was only but yesterday that I held Raziyah in my arms; well it was all but 6 years ago – still feels like yesterday. Born on 3 March 2005 at 16h08, the day I will never forgot.

Weird how you remember everything that happened that day, except I don’t remember the pain. Mothers are always saying how excruciating the pain is during child birth, but hardly any of them can recall the pain – the most beautiful pain.

Before you know it, you planning that over-the-top 1^st birthday, taking them to crèche’ and then “big school”...and whoops, that’s where I am at right now. I don’t even want to think about high school or university, no, thank you! It’s amazing how they develop as individuals, how they form their own identities and how precious those priceless moments with them are, and believe me there are quite a few.

From the silly sounds she used to make, to her first words, and then saying...”OMG”, she’s knows Justin Bieber and wants to dress fashionably. The feeling a Mom gets when she hears those words in indescribable, my body goes into shock and I think, where the time has gone...

Wedding cake in the middle of the road

If this ever happened to me...I would crawl into my naval and die, seriously (LOL).

Being in engaged is wonderful, things seem all so flowery and blissful...until wedding plans begin, tempers flare, and we disagree on arrangements and argue over petty issues. In wedding “world” 6 months goes by very quickly, and surprisingly I agree. Our date has been set for 28 January, which technically leaves 6 months left (hides).

The wedding cake, now weirdly, I kid you not, was the first thing that we ticked off on the “to do” wedding list. It is an orange cake (orange in flavour, not in colour), draped in icing with flowers as decorations, leading in tiers with miniature cupcakes of the cake on the top...my description is an injustice to it though, I apologize.

Be that as it may, picture this cake, being put onto the car of our caterers, which was ticked off second might I add, driving to the venue and falling off the car – into the middle of the road = Bridal Disaster, I tell ya!

The only thing that every bride wants is for her day to be perfect, after all it is the fairy tale day that she has been dreaming of all her life!

It is a poor idea to lie to yourself

Of course it is a bad idea to lie to yourself, to convince yourself, to make yourself believe something that isn’t true? Why make yourself believe something that isn’t true, only to set yourself up for disappoint. There is nothing worse than setting high expectations of something only to be disappointed...

Are we victims to our own sub-conscious controlling our lives? Of course we are, we allow our minds to run free with our souls.

We do something wrong, then convince ourselves that we never committed it in the first place, or that what we committed cannot be that bad, or the excuse we find ourselves using far too often, “it will never happen again”...

I always tell myself to expect the unexpected in most situations, but lying to yourself would honestly cause more damage than the trust. As they say the truth only hurts once. If we our honest with ourselves from the get-go, we wouldn’t have to put in unfamiliar predicaments.

Don’t lie to yourself in any way, relationships, work, everyday life, if there is one person in this world you should be honest too, it’s you!

“Honesty is the best policy”

I’m wandering...

Not all who wander are lost...Not all that is gold glitters...

Is the above true? I think so yes! I’ll start with the latter...

We saw a gold glitzy ball, particularly in the club, and we think “Dam, tonight’s going to be a good night”. We see a gold pair of shoes and naturally we think “I’m going to look super hot in that”. We walk into our places of work and everything seems so shiny, but you think “Is my job really this glittery and glamorous”?

I sometimes sit and think what am I going to do . . . so I wander (or my mind wanders), does this mean am I lost? Or does it simply mean I am seeking answers?

There are many times in our lives when we just need to slow down a bit and take in our surroundings. We need not take our situations for granted, we need just to appreciate. I came across an interesting saying the other day, “The first half of our lives we spend wishing time would hurry up as life simply moves too slowly for us. The second half, however, we wish time would slow down. Time is valuable, make it count”.

The sound of one hand clapping

Surely that depends on what your hand is clapping, right? Is it clapping the ground, a container, your face?

No, the sound of one hand clapping is – SILENCE. The silence that you experience, the silence in your life.

Our hands are powerful elements in our lives. We use them to show both excitement and anger. We use our hands to show affection, when someone gets hurt we pick them up, we rub their faces, with our hands. When we are angry, we lash out using our hands. Who would have thought that our hands meant so much?

When we love we use our hands as a sign of showing it, when you hold your loved one’s hands, you connect, you connect two beings. When we are cold, we rub our hands together to create a sense of feeling, a sense of warmth.

However, when there is nobody to connect with, the hand is not heard by any, there is silence and the hand connects with nothing.

The sound of silence is deadly – there is no feeling, no emotion, there is nothing. With silence comes loneliness, darkness and sadness, nobody wants to be alone.

He Aint Heavy...His My Brother....

Like the band, The Script says: Love is – in the eyes of a mother as she takes the force of the blow, it’s in the hands of a father as he works his fingers to the bone...

The love a mother & father have for their children is indescribable.....

The look of hurt in their eyes, when they see their child hurt, hurt they couldn’t stop, hurt they couldn’t prevent, hurt that occurred when their hands were tired...that kind of hurt. Hurt knowing that there was nothing you could do to prevent your child from getting hurt; that is the hurt only a parent can feel.

 To see your child hurting, helpless, needing your care is a feeling no parent wants to come across. Sadly, it happens. Your child gets hurt, and what’s the best you can do for him, show him you love him, you care and that you are there for him!

Physical hurt, emotional hurt, hurt that only a parent can repair...hurt that the person who incurred the damage, didn’t think for a split second about. Hurt that he thought wouldn’t be this bad...that the damages to a move he made, wouldn’t be this severe. Damage now, that will take months, maybe even years to repair, because someone wasn’t thinking straight....

My motto from here on out: Always be kind, be blessed, donate love & laughter...everything we do carries a consequence...Think before you do....ANYTHING, THAT CAN HARM THE NEXT!

Not all who wander are lost

I’m not lost...I am on a quest, a quest to achieve my goals. Wandering without a purpose should be a sin, don’t you think?

This quote though reminds me of another quote - from the rocket scientist Werner Von Braun: "Research is what I am doing when I don't know what I am doing"…. So true….Research...makes me think of Research Methodology (no disrespect)…Eeekkks!!!

I know what I want, I know where I want to be, and I know that If I work hard at it..I’ll eventually get to where I want to be (that I am sure is a rap). Working hard doesn’t come easy, its hard work…wait that didn’t sound right…Its tough! One has to know exactly what you want, before setting goals for yourself. There are many times when I sit and wander if this is what I want? If this is where I am meant to be?

Most of the time, in fact all of the time, people wander for a reason…I believe that if they didn’t, they wouldn’t learn or come across many of life’s challenges. Isn’t that what shapes us as individuals, the challenges we face on our journeys?

Sometimes, it’s not how far the journey, all you got to do, is make sure you wearing the right shoes!

How do step from the top of a 100-foot pole?

How do you step to a 100-foot pole...you take a giant leap, how else do you expect to get to the top?!?!

This topic relates directly to the Public Relations industry or should I say any industry. Let’s just say this topic relates to anybody wanting to get ahead in the working world.

When I just graduated and landed my first-job/internship, I couldn’t wait to get to the top, you know? It seems so flowery and powerful, like you just can’t wait! You think to yourself, “one day when I’m boss”.....

What we don’t know then, unfortunately, is that it’s not all flowery up there, it might be powerful but it’s not flowery, it’s scary, cold, dark, and alone hahahaha...just kidding!

What we need to remember is that hard work pays off, and hard work will get you to the top, and once you get there, you need to maintain yourself and your standards in order to stay there. It’s like losing weight, your fight only really begins when you need to maintain that weight!

So, how do you step, you tread carefully, you step as though you a rose amongst the thorns, you take risks, but calculated risks, you smile but you don’t laugh, and most of all, you maintain your composure!

Kiddie’s parties & Play dates...the in-thing!

Funny thing, these days we I can’t have a single weekend without Raziyah having a play-date....I know though that she thoroughly enjoys it, and that’s all that counts.

Kiddies parties, so when we get an invitation, this is what it normally reads...”Dear Raziyah, you are invited to spend the day with....at her Hannah Montana/Fairy Princess party at.........”

Then, I ask Raziyah, ok babe, now who is this? Of which Raziyah too has to take a few seconds to think who the girl is that invited her, which I find utterly hilarious, I mean she is 6 years old, and already has so much friends that she has to think who it is that invited her...

Play dates are usually much simpler; it’s simply getting a buddy and going to the park then McDonalds J

Now kiddies parties in all its right, are usually a platform to showcase what you have...sounds scary, well, IT IS! It’s like a mini-me version of the movie “Mean Girls”

I overheard one of the girls taking telling another that she shouldn’t eat too much birthday cake as the icing will make her fat...now once again, these girls are 6 years old! Incidents like these though can’t be avoided; all we can do is prepare our girls for it.

Play dates and kiddies parties’ rock, but the day I do get to meet Hannah Montana; I am going to demand all the money I spent on her back. All my money spent on her chocolates, her lotions, her cd’s, her wall-papers...I want them back J

Procrastination...the mother of all fcuk-up’s.....

So, procrastination...where do I begin, maybe I should stop blogging and pick this up again tomorrow...that would explain procrastination completely!

Procrastination for me, occurs when I just can’t anymore, or when I just prioritise, surely that can’t be procrastination.

Been a PR BTech part-time student, procrastination occurs often. Many don’t realise but studying part-time can be a bitch at the best of times. I don’t complain as this will obviously benefit us all in the long run but honestly there are the days, when you just want to say...”FCUK, CAN WE SLOW IT DOEN JUST A LITTLE BIT PLEASE”...but you don’t, you suck it up and carry on. And what you can’t suck up on that day, you keep it for tomorrow.

Most of our memories are built in childhood, playing with friends, but most of my memorable memories, that of late might I add, have come from varsity. There is a huge difference between studying full-time & studying part-time (of which I’ve done both).

Full-time to me was more of a party, or more relaxed, whereas part-time, is about getting the shit done and rushing to get it done...

There is a line from a David Guetta song I have dedicated to my fellow part-time colleagues, it goes, “For all the crazy shit I did tonight, this will be the best memories for me”

So, what exactly am I saying, procrastination will never not be committed, but the least we can do is accept the fact that we can’t do it all, but if we do, we need sufficient time to do it, maybe in that way we can atleast decrease the rate of procrastination...ha-ha!

We are afraid of the wrong things.

People in general of afraid of the wrong things, material things, and things that when you die…won’t go with you! The only “thing” I am afraid of, is GOD (ALLAH).

Well, I like to think that, but I too get caught up in the cruel world of materialism at times…and I can tell you, it’s a scary scary place!

Personally, like everyone else I’m sure…I am afraid of failure, more importantly afraid of the unknown. Who can I blame, nobody I think! I am afraid of tomorrow, afraid of what might happen, but do I then live for today, live as if it were my last day? I think not….

We are afraid to take risks, afraid to face the music, afraid to do many things in life that have no guarantees…again, it takes us back to the fear of the unknown!

I am also afraid, especially in the mornings that my clothes don’t match, afraid I’m going to trip and fall, afraid I’ll say the wrong things…and believe me that happens often. Like when I say “shoe” instead of “sure” but you know what, I laugh it off, I’m never afraid to laugh, to laugh at myself!

Fish falling from the sky.

I wonder if this is the same as the saying, “its raining cats & dogs”…

Because if it is….well then, we’ll survive, it never happens! I wonder though what it would feel like if it actually did rain cats and dogs, dam heavy on the head I tell ya. Or if fish did fall from the sky, one I would reek of the stench and two the ground would be rather slippery to walk on…that would be hilarious J

I am really starting to think that it’s a saying (excuse my ignorance, its late in the day)…you know, like me saying “That’ll be the day, when fish fall from the sky”…you know when you were little and you ask your mom to buy you these really expensive shoes, and she shrugs her shoulders and says, “That’ll be the day”….that’s what I mean! Dam, did I get scared when my mom said that’s saying…cause followed shortly to that was, “Over my dead body”, and once that was said, you are now entering a losing battle!

Here’s to new beginnings…

So, I have left the wonderful-wacky world of cricket and entered into a new one, one I have been waiting for, for a very long time.

I have entered into the world of rugby! Super rugby, currie cup rugby, Vodacom cup rugby…ok I’ll stop now. This is it!

About 5 years ago, I was sitting with family at Newlands watching rugby, like we do every Saturday, when I saw this woman come out behind the players out the tunnel, I looked at my mom and said, “One day, I’m going to be here”…and my mom, being the wonderful, loving, caring woman she is, looked at me and said, “You will my child, I believe in you”

And low and behold today, I have gotten that job, yes that woman’s job. I was in awe when I got the call, thinking to myself, “Leila, you made it, you did it”…it was one of those moments when you ever so proud of yourself you know.

It doesn’t stop here though, all I’m saying is, I had a dream. I came, I saw and I conquered it. From here on, there is only way one, and that is FORWARD!

What is the colour of the wind?

The colour of the wind to me, are different colours everyday or whenever the wind blows. Sometimes I know that when I’m walking…gushing knots of wind is right behind me, and in that instance the colour is RED.

Then there are the days when my wind is pink, pink for love. When I have had a great evening with my beloved and still feeling ever so, well, pink!

Then there’s my daughter, her colour of the wind is yellow….yellow because she’s always happy, and playful and smiling and I believe that her wind is what she carries with her.

Right, then there is “normal” wind, that Cape Town south eastern wind, the wind that when you decide to wear a skirt to work, rushes up past you, and before you know it, your undies are exposed to the world.  That wind my friends, is brown. Brown with dirt and pure irritation!

Seriously, have you experienced that “brown” wind hitting you on the highway, not to mention if you driving like a Chevy Spark or even a tazz for that matter…your life depends on the direction of the wind. Hahaha, sometimes I crack myself up*

If I were the boss?

Many a times we find ourselves thinking constantly about this…of ways and means we would change certain things if we were the boss! But when posed this question, we actually have to either think about this strategically or let’s say, practically. Every part of my body, mind and soul wants to think of it practically and say, let’s make half day Fridays, casual day Mondays and so I could continue until everyday had a theme. But, back to reality, if I were the boss I would change things strategically.

I would start from the top, installing a better corporate culture. Making employees speak to one another be it on a personal level or a strictly business level. I believe that organisations lack communication within and because of this it threatens our corporate culture.

If I were the boss, I’d make myself more accessible and easy to approach. Because God knows that the one thing that most of us are scared of, is walking into your Bosses office and just talking… he/she frightens the shit out of us. I suppose though that, that is just the way it is. I mean, when I was in school, I was shit scared of my teacher, little did I know that I would still have to be exposed to a Boss!!!

This is me...Leila Steyn

I represent a brand; a brand recognised by the world...not just a brand but a world-renown phenomenon!

I don’t like sport...I love it!

I wish to be viewed by others in the way that I see myself...as a young independent black South African female. Not only am I this, but I’m also a mother, a daughter, a grand-daughter (a privilege), a girlfriend (hopefully soon to be wife LOL), a sister, an employee and a friend....

I base my life on values and ethics but in this day and age they constantly changing so I go by the following, “these are my mottos if you don’t like them, I have others”!

I am open to everything, well many things so to speak, most importantly I’m open to change and diversity. I believe that if you don’t want something to change, you simply have to change the way you think about it and see it in a different light.

My three favourite words are love, light & laughter...with those three elements in your life, nothing can go wrong. We can’t change what happens to us throughout life, but we can learn to survive it!

 So this is me, and this is what I stand for!

Two people come out a building and into a story.

Two people come out a building and into a story, sound’s so romantic hey?!? Well, depends on how you interpret it surely.

What about...two people walk out a building everyday to and from work and at the end of everyday, they walk into their own love story and their live their life as a story.

Or...two people come out a building and into a story, literally, a real "news" story! Entering into a scene, far fetch it seems? But I'm sure it happens. Two people being involved in the story, one being the content, the other being the writer of this story. How hard must it be to write about the person next to you, the person you see everyday?

Two people come out a building and into a story could possibly mean nothing, nothing to anyone around them. They could be walking out of a building into their own stories, their own lives. Having absolutely nothing to do with each other, two different individuals, living their own lives, telling their own stories!

I am sure everyone wants to be the lead character in their own life stories, why would you possibly want to play a supporting role?

I heart Cape Town!

Cape Town, the Mother City! The city where the streets come alive...the lights inspire you!

The most beautiful women, crafted mountains, breathtaking beaches and wait for it...toothless car-guards.

Cape Town, the place where everyone comes for a holiday. When in December, places are packed with all types of tourists (okay not only in December,but you get my point). When you see the "Jozi crew" in their crocodile skin shoes and designer brands, "Durbanites" driving their dad's new BMW 3series, with the locals just enjoying the festive season (while the December bonus lasts). Oh, I almost forgot about "The Baai" (Port Elizabeth)...just looking lost! Side-tracking...PE is still one of my favourite places to visit in South Africa.

I love Cape Town for its colour, its diversity. Its filled with trend-setters, fashion and go-getters. Its filled with ambitious, ethusiastic individuals.

Cape Town though, compared to our other provinces is the mother of procrastination. We as Capetonians work, play and live at our pace, WE SLOW!