Oo, this is a goody! There's so much that can be said for I am a highly motivated person. But what really gets my buzz up? Well, let me list them - 'cos that's the other thing, I'm big on lists:
1) Seeing the joy that unfolds when people are kind to their fellow man
2) The well being and security of my family
3) The need to feed my ever-inquiring mind
4) Being inventive with my very busy schedule to secure that precious (and mostly elusive) 'me time'
5) That feeling of satisfaction after completing a particularly difficult assignment
6) Getting good grades
7) Ensuring my children understand and appreciate the value of a good education
8) Traveling and exploring new places, people and cultures (setting a goal of visiting at least one new place a year)
9) Instilling values, morals and a sense of tolerance and respect for others in my kids and seeing them apply that successfully to their everyday lives
10) Being a good example to my kids based on point 9
11) The idea that I can make a difference to not only my own existence but to the lives of those I engage with
12) Lazy Sundays with my family
13) Awareness and active involvement in my world
14) Financial security
15) Emotional growth and development of self
16) The blessing and gift of each new day (just waking up to a new day is inspiration enough - I think when you've come closing to losing it more than once, you have a whole new take on the meaning of life and how precious it is)
17) Simple acts of love
18) Love songs
19) Food (oh, I'm a sucker for good food)
20) Friends and family (nurturing the bonds that are formed with people who add meaning to my life)
21) Humour, the balm to my soul
22) Chocolate (ok, maybe that could fall under food - but I think it deserves its own point 'cos that little velvety yum-yum can motivate me to do far more than the other points combined)
Okay, I'm going to stop now before I get carried away. And believe me, there is a real possibility of that happening.
Her Awesomeness
Practicing the royal wave/smile
Friday, 22 July 2011
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Write a list: the 10 most unexpected consequences of being online.
Sjoe, this one had me going for a while. My first take on it was that the benefits or disadvantages should be pretty obvious so why even get into it. With more headscratching though I realised my initial thoughts were rather arrogant and there was more to it than I thought. What was also interesting was that my list kept on growing longer and longer and documenting just the required 10 did not even begin to give justice to the topic. So here's my ten (cents) worth:
1) Removing that hair-pulling frustration of having to stand in endless queues at banks or the lines of creditors, ranks way up there as a big plus. What a joy to deal with transactions and payments at the mere push of a button. Orgasmic, I tell you.
2) Oh, and finding those so-called 'long lost friends and family' on social media sites - you know the ones, those 'hotties' from high school or some other purposefully forgotten walk of life who were too damn beautiful, clever, or popular for their own good (least of all yours), that us lesser mortals at the time were told were destined to be the next best thing. Well, here's the thing - those 'hotties' we discover from looking at their pics and profiles are now the 'notties'. Yes, there is a God!
3) A big downer is the ever-growing number of corporates out there that ply their trade online and insist on bombarding us with their many products and services, regardless of whether we want or welcome them. There's no getting rid of these buggers. Not even the CPA can keep this consumer ill at bay.
4) My other pet hate are those annoying chain mails. If I get another email telling me how my luck will change or how I am guaranteed to win some amazing prize if I pass the offending scribe on to 10, 20 or even more unsuspecting people, I can not be held responsible for my actions!
5) Being able to contact friends and family at the mere flick of a switch far outweighs any downers though. For one with a son who is far away from home for 7 of 12 months each year, having Skype, email, or other social networks as a means of connecting with him is invaluable. Even having an online skinder with my daughter at the hairdresser is such a pleasure. How else will we get to make fun of the 'ouma Issie's' and 'nuttos' we encounter on these little excursions of ours?!
6) The cloak of anonymity when used online can be a double-edged sword though. I am constantly amazed by the very many outrageous thoughts and deeds floating around in cyberspace. Some of it hilarious. However, the sparkle loses its glare though when insidious means are propagated behind a devilish cloak. People have castigated others on line, been cowardly enough not to take ownership and the consequences in some instances have been dire, and even deadly in others.
7) Freedom of Speech - oh, I love this one. Despite, loads of threats of laws to protect both communicators and audiences, how on earth will there ever be a way to ensure that happens?! Come on, get real. Must say that I love that I can take the piss at whomever I please (politician, friend or foe) online and get away with it. Especially on social sites where it is so far reaching.
8) Addiction - "My name is Charmaine and I'm an online Scrabble addict". I can't get enough of the game. I play it all the time. My house could be burning down around me and I would need to feed that fix of meeting that 2 minute clock with the biggest word and count possible. Any online-Scrabble addiction clinics out there?
9) Stalkers and whackos - online is paradise for these mentally and emotionally challenged beings. I've been subjected to the onslaught of some really crazy people and it took me an inordinate amount of time and effort to rid myself of these pests. Ewwww, I still get the creeps just thinking about it.
10) And the big, biggy of all time! I've been an online millionaire in every currency imaginable. I've won the UK lottery, the Canadian lottery, taken the spoils from countless Nigerian pyramid schemes. The latest one being the R95K I won from Nokia in the UK nogal. Man, I've been lucky.
1) Removing that hair-pulling frustration of having to stand in endless queues at banks or the lines of creditors, ranks way up there as a big plus. What a joy to deal with transactions and payments at the mere push of a button. Orgasmic, I tell you.
2) Oh, and finding those so-called 'long lost friends and family' on social media sites - you know the ones, those 'hotties' from high school or some other purposefully forgotten walk of life who were too damn beautiful, clever, or popular for their own good (least of all yours), that us lesser mortals at the time were told were destined to be the next best thing. Well, here's the thing - those 'hotties' we discover from looking at their pics and profiles are now the 'notties'. Yes, there is a God!
3) A big downer is the ever-growing number of corporates out there that ply their trade online and insist on bombarding us with their many products and services, regardless of whether we want or welcome them. There's no getting rid of these buggers. Not even the CPA can keep this consumer ill at bay.
4) My other pet hate are those annoying chain mails. If I get another email telling me how my luck will change or how I am guaranteed to win some amazing prize if I pass the offending scribe on to 10, 20 or even more unsuspecting people, I can not be held responsible for my actions!
5) Being able to contact friends and family at the mere flick of a switch far outweighs any downers though. For one with a son who is far away from home for 7 of 12 months each year, having Skype, email, or other social networks as a means of connecting with him is invaluable. Even having an online skinder with my daughter at the hairdresser is such a pleasure. How else will we get to make fun of the 'ouma Issie's' and 'nuttos' we encounter on these little excursions of ours?!
6) The cloak of anonymity when used online can be a double-edged sword though. I am constantly amazed by the very many outrageous thoughts and deeds floating around in cyberspace. Some of it hilarious. However, the sparkle loses its glare though when insidious means are propagated behind a devilish cloak. People have castigated others on line, been cowardly enough not to take ownership and the consequences in some instances have been dire, and even deadly in others.
7) Freedom of Speech - oh, I love this one. Despite, loads of threats of laws to protect both communicators and audiences, how on earth will there ever be a way to ensure that happens?! Come on, get real. Must say that I love that I can take the piss at whomever I please (politician, friend or foe) online and get away with it. Especially on social sites where it is so far reaching.
8) Addiction - "My name is Charmaine and I'm an online Scrabble addict". I can't get enough of the game. I play it all the time. My house could be burning down around me and I would need to feed that fix of meeting that 2 minute clock with the biggest word and count possible. Any online-Scrabble addiction clinics out there?
9) Stalkers and whackos - online is paradise for these mentally and emotionally challenged beings. I've been subjected to the onslaught of some really crazy people and it took me an inordinate amount of time and effort to rid myself of these pests. Ewwww, I still get the creeps just thinking about it.
10) And the big, biggy of all time! I've been an online millionaire in every currency imaginable. I've won the UK lottery, the Canadian lottery, taken the spoils from countless Nigerian pyramid schemes. The latest one being the R95K I won from Nokia in the UK nogal. Man, I've been lucky.
The elephant in the room.
Sometimes the truth will stare one boldly in the face, and yet there are times where one blindly sidesteps it as though it did not exist. Why do we human's do that? Could it be that the truth may be so potent that it has the ability to hurt and leave us smarting? Or is it that some of us prefer to remain oblivious to it, thinking that whatever it may be that we are avoiding may eventually go away?
I've had moments where colossal truths have hit me square between the eyes, yet I have continued regardless - neither giving it credence or recognition. For it was as described before, sometimes so big and so hurtful that to give it the time of day would have meant giving in to the pain that would be sure to follow. Something I was prone to avoid with all my might. But bit by bit, the truth has a way at chipping away at the most hardened of armour. For the truth will out. With a force all encompassing, it has no choice other than to rocket towards its intended destiny. For a truth that big, there is no avoidance. You have to embrace it, give it the attention it deserves and deal with the consequences left in the aftermath of the reveal.
I've had moments where colossal truths have hit me square between the eyes, yet I have continued regardless - neither giving it credence or recognition. For it was as described before, sometimes so big and so hurtful that to give it the time of day would have meant giving in to the pain that would be sure to follow. Something I was prone to avoid with all my might. But bit by bit, the truth has a way at chipping away at the most hardened of armour. For the truth will out. With a force all encompassing, it has no choice other than to rocket towards its intended destiny. For a truth that big, there is no avoidance. You have to embrace it, give it the attention it deserves and deal with the consequences left in the aftermath of the reveal.
Matric ball - magic or madness?
The excitement, the pressure, the stress, the hype, the expense, the planning, the sleepless nights, the expectations, the anxiety - oh my, does any of this sound familiar? To parents of kids participating in a matric ball, this is an all too familiar scene. And, yes, it is all of the above and then some.
For one who, for reasons better not mentioned, did not attend her own matric ball there is the sense of living vicariously through my daughter as the anticipation builds for her right of passage. Both her dad and I are tremendously proud that she has reached this momentous point, and understandably we are excited with her and for her. For any child this is a huge event, it marks the end of a high school journey (and where, as in our case, it has not always been smooth sailing, the significance is that much greater) and also titillates the promise of things to come in the wonderful, yet daunting adult world they are about to enter.
But the madness. Oh boy, madness lurks supreme in some of the crazy schemes I have seen unfolding as parents (and children caught in the frenzy ) run amok trying to outdo each other in providing grander, more lavish or outlandish (and needless to say astronomically expensive) gowns and regalia for their young chicks. What is it about matric balls that seems to ignite that overly competitive fuse in some to the point of an explosion that would put a Guy Fawkes fireworks display to shame. From the mode of transport being a coffin on wheels (I kid you not) with a daughter dressed in Godzilla garb and the partner in something even more macabre, to...ok, I can't actually think of anything that could outdo that one. Or maybe I can - one of my daughter's classmates has had liposuction and a brow lift (the kid is 16 for goodness sake, what parent thinks that's ok) to fit into her matric gown and look the part of what she has been pressurised in to believing she should. Where is all this madness going to?!
And then there's my Jami. No fancy shmancy for this one. In fact, we bought the material at a knock down price little more than two weeks ago and its being made up to a really simple design by the family dressmaker. Yep, no designer garb here. The shoes, that was bought at a winter sale at a store and price that will have fashionistas weeping in their Pradas. So I did splurge a bit on the jewelry, a princely sum of R265 I'll have you know. Oh, and the 'after party' dress was another R200. And the best bit, oh you're going to love this, a clutch for R25 at good old Chinatown! I think her partner's mom actually ended up paying a lot more for his outfit than we have for Jami's. But her premise is based on him doing his matric at a technical college and therefore not having the traditional matric ball on his calendar, therefore compelling her to provide him with what she feels he may miss out on. To each its own, I guess.
Yet, despite all the crazy angst, I'd be the first to admit that I can't wait for Saturday. Yep, I said it! Nothing takes away from the wonder, joy and sheer magic of your child's matric ball. Something I recommend to all aspiring parents. If ever there's a good reason to have a child, the magic of a matric ball ranks way high!!!
For one who, for reasons better not mentioned, did not attend her own matric ball there is the sense of living vicariously through my daughter as the anticipation builds for her right of passage. Both her dad and I are tremendously proud that she has reached this momentous point, and understandably we are excited with her and for her. For any child this is a huge event, it marks the end of a high school journey (and where, as in our case, it has not always been smooth sailing, the significance is that much greater) and also titillates the promise of things to come in the wonderful, yet daunting adult world they are about to enter.
But the madness. Oh boy, madness lurks supreme in some of the crazy schemes I have seen unfolding as parents (and children caught in the frenzy ) run amok trying to outdo each other in providing grander, more lavish or outlandish (and needless to say astronomically expensive) gowns and regalia for their young chicks. What is it about matric balls that seems to ignite that overly competitive fuse in some to the point of an explosion that would put a Guy Fawkes fireworks display to shame. From the mode of transport being a coffin on wheels (I kid you not) with a daughter dressed in Godzilla garb and the partner in something even more macabre, to...ok, I can't actually think of anything that could outdo that one. Or maybe I can - one of my daughter's classmates has had liposuction and a brow lift (the kid is 16 for goodness sake, what parent thinks that's ok) to fit into her matric gown and look the part of what she has been pressurised in to believing she should. Where is all this madness going to?!
And then there's my Jami. No fancy shmancy for this one. In fact, we bought the material at a knock down price little more than two weeks ago and its being made up to a really simple design by the family dressmaker. Yep, no designer garb here. The shoes, that was bought at a winter sale at a store and price that will have fashionistas weeping in their Pradas. So I did splurge a bit on the jewelry, a princely sum of R265 I'll have you know. Oh, and the 'after party' dress was another R200. And the best bit, oh you're going to love this, a clutch for R25 at good old Chinatown! I think her partner's mom actually ended up paying a lot more for his outfit than we have for Jami's. But her premise is based on him doing his matric at a technical college and therefore not having the traditional matric ball on his calendar, therefore compelling her to provide him with what she feels he may miss out on. To each its own, I guess.
Yet, despite all the crazy angst, I'd be the first to admit that I can't wait for Saturday. Yep, I said it! Nothing takes away from the wonder, joy and sheer magic of your child's matric ball. Something I recommend to all aspiring parents. If ever there's a good reason to have a child, the magic of a matric ball ranks way high!!!
Monday, 20 June 2011
Every day is a good day.
Who comes up with this crap? In la-la-land maybe. In the real world there are shitty days, so-so days, lazy days, brutal days, lemon days, veggie days; and, okay I'll give you that - good days. But can everyday be a good day, or are there more good days than bad? I guess it depends who you're speaking to and how it applies. Over the past while I've had more of the latter and lamented at the unfairness of it all. But where the bad has become good is when I have chosen to turn it on its face and given it the finger. Therein lies the answer; well, for me anyway. It boils down to choice. And yes, we do have choices. I choose to make margaritas out of lemon days.
Our greatest strengths are our greatest weaknesses.
My strengths: kindness, embracing life, lots of energy, interest in people, being fair, to love with abundance of spirit, to articulate my feelings, endurance, loyalty.
My weaknesses: too giving of my time, intensity, expectations that are out of whack with reality, involvement in other's lives, unselfishness, to love with abundance, quick to temper, easily frustrated, letting go.
Even to the untrained eye, a pattern seems to emerge. And yes, just by outlining the above, it is clear to me that our strengths can be our greatest weaknesses; especially where an imbalance takes hold, where the one is out of kilter with the other. For instance, it is good to love with abundance. But it is not good where a dual road is not established with those you are eschewing that abundance to. Then it becomes necessary to receive love with equal abundance. Funny how I can be kind to others, but find it so difficult to exercise that same kindness on myself. Rather the opposite applies - I am exceptionally hard on myself, much harder than I would ever be with anyone else. And I justify this harshness by convincing myself that I am capable of more, that I should rise to greater challenges.
Mmmmm: strengths, weaknesses - an intertwined, complex web that lends definition to how we conduct ourselves. My quest, to let the strengths outweigh the weaknesses - oops, there I go again. See what I mean?!
My weaknesses: too giving of my time, intensity, expectations that are out of whack with reality, involvement in other's lives, unselfishness, to love with abundance, quick to temper, easily frustrated, letting go.
Even to the untrained eye, a pattern seems to emerge. And yes, just by outlining the above, it is clear to me that our strengths can be our greatest weaknesses; especially where an imbalance takes hold, where the one is out of kilter with the other. For instance, it is good to love with abundance. But it is not good where a dual road is not established with those you are eschewing that abundance to. Then it becomes necessary to receive love with equal abundance. Funny how I can be kind to others, but find it so difficult to exercise that same kindness on myself. Rather the opposite applies - I am exceptionally hard on myself, much harder than I would ever be with anyone else. And I justify this harshness by convincing myself that I am capable of more, that I should rise to greater challenges.
Mmmmm: strengths, weaknesses - an intertwined, complex web that lends definition to how we conduct ourselves. My quest, to let the strengths outweigh the weaknesses - oops, there I go again. See what I mean?!
Try a cliche
For some time I thought that when people resort to cliches it's because they have run out of ideas or original thought and the cliche becomes the convenient cop-out. However, the more I think about it the more I realise that there is more to cliches than first meets the eye. Even though it may have been repeated countless times to the point that it so far removed from the original thought, it can offer some comfort, meaning and even context to a situation. For instance, when things appear bleak and desolate the cliche, 'every cloud has a silver lining' is often proffered. I've had that one thrown my way a few times, and admittedly it may be trite but at the time I felt somewhat comforted and a degree of hope took hold. And the other firm favourite, 'time heals all wounds'. Cliche? Maybe. Experience, however, has shown that it has some measure of truth to it. There are some cheesy cliches doing the rounds though. My "eeeww" is 'two peas in a pod'. Why? Well, I hate peas and just the idea of two of those horrible little green things sitting together in a pod...sorry, no - the mental picture has me freaked. Do I use cliches? Of course, I do! I'm a mother for goodness sake. Show me one mother who doesn't, and I'd say that's as 'rare as hens' teeth'.
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