Ya neh! Are we born with our talents do we learn them as we grow up, with influences coming from the environment we grow up in and the life feeds(not food) we receive from conception. I was wondering why on earth did I choose the career I'm in. Ok, I do remember how I chose it, but maybe I had no clue what career means. I think it's nice to have more than one "born" skill (if it is from birth or learned in childhood). Two skills in different industries, you know you can not serve two masters, one has to receive all the attention. Well since my mom invested so much in my pursuing my chosen career (One that I think is a mistake). But hey I'm still young and I am allowed to change my mind as much as I want, but to what good. See it's not good to go wondering around and pursuing everything that interests you. Sometimes the best way to do something great and be somebody, to leave a mark and develop passion is just to fit into your shoes. I bought the shoes (well my mom did, but I chose the shoes), now I have to wear them, if they don't fit then do something. Who said that if it's too small you can't tailor make it to fit, or simply just exercise your ass off and your foot would shrink to fit (hehehe, I'm joking that's near imposible if you are skinny). Anyways, if the shoe is too big, then grow into it, that's an opportunity to be a pretty good giant :-).

Anyways, that's what I'm going to do, I'm going to fit into my shoes and wear them around proudly until I look like a goodess in a Jimmy Choe (not sure about spelling).

That's me trying my first hand in writting something!

Posted by on 12 March 2010 @ 4:33 PM

My mind - greatest tool to my destiny; to- choices of what my eyes see's; what my ears hears......my journey in life....

I could have blamed being brought up by a great gran till my early teens but no!                                                                          She taught me to be confident; to be content; that nothing is unachievable......make the most of my enviroment...        

 Never felt left out when I was instructed not to envy watching T.V *ko di next door* in the early 80's; simple things like that- helped with contentment......things like " If he can be No3 why cant you"!

Could have blamed staying with my gran when she went on pension early 90's!.....Ha! what a strong woman!..What a wise woman!...the pillar of our family..........NO!......It was an honor........' remember her every day, esp at work when faced with challenges.................

But she still said STUDY!!........She still said EMPOWER yourself  with knowledge!........She still said " LAZINESS" is a sin.....! She still said " REMEMBER why you went to Jozi!........She still said " THE ENVIROMENT you are in should not change who you are!..& many more....HA!....She is my Hero that one!!!.....

I did blame myself for choices I made "esp about my studies" but I later learned that during that time I aquired a lot of valuable skills..........I   applauded myself....I worked hard....and I refuse to see barriers to my destiny.....I will get what I want...the race is now on..........I am breaking away from****.......MY MIND TELLS ME........." I WILL ACHIEVE ALL MY GOALS"

Posted by on 12 March 2010 @ 3:59 PM

In life we choose to see bad or good in every situation we come accross.

I could have blamed being brought up by my great gran till my teens                                                                                                          

Posted by on 12 March 2010 @ 3:30 PM

Posted by on 12 March 2010 @ 1:48 PM

Motivation
literature
Home Decorating
Family
Childrens Books
Short Stories
Subjects on how to
and so on

The list can go on I could write books and books. I want to tell you that also you can find free music that you can listen to or download for free and original paintings done by famous painters and writers. But you are wondering why are these free.

This is where the secret is, its called PUBLIC DOMAIN. Go into google right now and type public domain books and see the results that you will find there. Its million and millions of books. With just this information you can start your own business selling books, or develop a website on whichever topic you like and all the information you will get from public domain.]

The one site I want you to try is www.gutenberg.org  in the title search box on your left type "money" and the search results will give you a best seller of all time author Barnum PT and the book is the 'Art of money Getting'.

This book is hidden with golden gems of how to get a mindset to make you money. The copyright of this book has expired hence you find it in the public domain. You can do anything you want with this book, run seminars on how to make money, create short series, make it into an audio its entirely up to you.

You can also explore the possibilities of making money with this book here

Hope you enjoyed this catch you next time South Africans

Posted by on 12 March 2010 @ 12:46 PM

Before you approach the bank or other form of financier to fund your business, there are a few things you need to be sure that you've done your research and have confidence in your Business Plan.

It's your responsibility to provide as much information as possible in his business plan, to show:

·              That your business is feasible (i.e. fulfils a need, has long-term prospects, has a competitive edge, etc)

·              That you have the knowledge, skill and passion to effectively manage the business

·              That you have some security or collateral to put into the venture, as a show of your confidence and to minimise the financier's risk

You will be more impressive if you have carefully thought-out and become familiar with your business plan (discussed later). Identify your strategy and the Unique Selling Points of your business or product.

The core elements of a good business plan

Before an investor will even consider financing your business venture, it will want to see that some thought and research has gone into your start-up idea or expansion plan.

A well-motivated business plan should provide a thorough understanding of your business, your goals and your financing needs. Then, it’s all about selling yourself and making the potential backer as excited about your idea as you are.

Some basic principles:

•           Write it yourself! Don't let someone else write your business plan for you. They don't have your vision of what you want to do, and the fact that someone else has written it it will become clear during the pitch. 
• Length: A business plan should not be long, boring or complicated. For a simple business idea, it could be between three and five pages. A more complicated plan might need 20 pages.
• Stick with the facts. Don’t waffle. Keep detailed and non-essential information out of your plan and relegate it to an attachment in the appendix.
•           Packaging is important: While a business plan is not the place to test your fledgling graphic design talents, using a nice layout and effective headings will make the document look appealing and professional.
•            Review & Editing: Remember, you only have one shot at making a good impression. Ask others for feedback. Ask someone to check your grammar and see how reader friendly it is. Make certain you proofread, proofread, and proofread. Remember that the business plan that opens doors and attracts lenders is a plan that has been revised and reviewed.

Pitching your business idea to a potential funder

Your first face-to-face meeting with a potential investor can make or break your chances of receiving financing. So first and foremost, be prepared!

A well-presented pitch will show that you have taken the time to prepare and are not only taking your business seriously, but also value your potential investor. Have a good presentation of your business plan, highlighting the most important aspects.

Then:

1. Be prepared to say why you need the money. "I just need it," doesn't inspire confidence or the fact that you have thought it through.
2. Provide some detail around how you came to the amount and how you exactly will use it to start/grow your business
3. Virtually all lenders will do a personal savings and credit check. Be prepared to discuss any prior credit issues/problems

While your enthusiasm for your idea is important, back this up with facts and research.

How you conduct yourself in the presentation is almost just as important as the pitch itself. Do you look presentable? Are you passionate about your idea, yet willing to listen to advice or comments made by a potential investor? The reality is that if an investor doesn't like you, they're not going to give you money.

Taken from the South African SME Toolkit, an information and resource website for entrepreneurs.

Posted by on 12 March 2010 @ 11:32 AM

 After watching the sun rise this morning at an early Board Meeting, I was left with a lot of emotions. The one thought that stuck in my mind was that I never stopped dreaming! I thought that I share with you this poem!

Never stop Dreaming…. 

Don’t ever be reluctant to show your feelings
When you’re happy, give in to it.
When you’re not, live with it.

Don’t ever be afraid to try to make things better,
You might be surprised at the results.

Don’t ever take the weight of the world on you shoulders.
Don’t ever feel threatened by the future;
Take life one day at a time.

Don’t ever feel guilty about the past;
What’s done is done.
Learn from mistakes you might have made.

Don’t ever feel that you are alone –
There is always somebody there from you to reach out to.

Don’t ever forget that you can achieve
So many of the things you can imagine,
It’s not as hard as it seems.

Don’t ever stop loving,
Don’t ever stop believing,
Don’t ever stop dreaming your dreams

 God Bless You this Football Friday.

Masithokoze Moyo

www.masithokozefoundation.com

Posted by on 12 March 2010 @ 7:42 AM

ARTICLE 55

Safety Laws & the SMME

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC March 2010

The Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA) applies to everyone – irrespective of whether you have 1 employee or you have 100 000 employees – it applies to everyone.

Right, now that I have that out of the way, less unpack it and see exactly what that means.

Most small business owners/entrepreneurs that I know, seem to think that the Act only applies to large corporations – please understand that it doesn’t – the Act requires that an ‘employer’  must ensure that the workplace is free of ‘hazardous ergonomics and substances, micro-organisms etc, which may cause injury or disease’.

The purpose of the Act is to establish a minimum set of standards and/or requirements of occupational health and safety within the workplace and/or working environment.

Actually, if the truth be told all companies should have a health policy, which needs to be applicable to all of their employees and workplaces.  Actually it needs to be for persons other than their employees too – so it would need to be applicable to clients or service providers and others who would be ‘visiting’ their premises for whatever reason. 

Where SMME’s go wrong is that they compare their small workplace to that of a mine or a large manufacturing plant and/or factory and then they don’t see their workplace as a potentially dangerous working environment.  Truth be told, all employees have a constitutional right to work in a safe environment, so employers need to do whatever they can to prevent injury to their staff and it is also advisable for them to have someone trained to deal with emergencies.

The staff member also has an obligation not to put themselves at risk.  For example if they work say on site in a construction company, as much as the employer is required to supply the employee with protective clothing, such as a hard hat or steel capped boots and gloves, the employee is obliged to wear such clothing and/or cooperate with the employers requests on the matter.  Failure to do that would actually constitute ‘negligence’ on the part of the employee and the employee can be disciplined and/or actually dismissed on these charges.

Be warned, inspectors from the Department of Labour regularly inspect companies – large and small and they will also investigate any incident where someone is injured or any complaint that may have been made and if the SMME has not complied they will be in for penalties, just the same as any large corporation.

Remember too, that it is the responsibility of the company to report any injury that has occurred in the workplace to the Department of Labour within 7 days of the incident occurring.  This does not just apply to incidents where someone has lost a limb but also incidents arising when someone slips or trips or is exposed to chemicals or falls from a height or where someone has a sprain or strain or sustains a burn or even noise damage etc.

If you, as an SMME or entrepreneur, are not sure of what needs to be done be sure to get some help.  But get yourselves a ‘health policy’ and get yourself informed – someone’s life may well depend upon it.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Posted by on 12 March 2010 @ 7:03 AM

Human beings generally want the same things; to bring in as much money as possible, spend very little of it, work less and less and live until we're over a hundred!

Nothing wrong with that premise, its human. Do we get to do it? No, not yet anyway.

I hear you ask 'so what?'. Well, follow this link www.morubisi.com and you'll see ...

Posted by on 11 March 2010 @ 10:00 PM

I am one of the many 80s children who were brought up by grandparents whilst my single mother went to study far from home. I’m from Saulsville, one of the many townships in Pretoria. I went to school there until my mother came back and decided that it would be best if she took me to a multi racial school and that’s just basically all I have to say about my childhood. My grand mother was my pillar. 

I think I’m scared, a lot of people that I grew up with or even meet recently will tell you what a relentless and inspiring woman I am, but in all honesty I don’t think what I portray and what I am is the same person. I come across as confident, strong-willed and very courageous but behind all this is a little fragile girl who is very scared. I want to make my parents proud; I want to break away from being stereo-typed as a single mother who despite her downfalls knows where she is going because I do but don’t have a plan on how to get there. I pray every night for strength; I pray for guidance; I pray for a bright future filled with joy and all round contentment. I have a couple of children in my neighbourhood that look up to Sesi Busi, who has a job and a place of her own (which is something you don’t get to see often where I come from). 

I know I’m talented, when I was a campus radio presenter everyone used to tell me how good I am and should pursue a career in broadcasting, but today I find myself working a 9-5 which doesn’t do much for me except pay the bills but it’s not my true passion, because radio is, but I think that only the chosen few; your Azanias, Bonangs,Unathis etc are the lucky ones who managed to get into this industry whereas people like me aren’t lucky enough. I sit at home and wonder what would have become of me if I had followed my dreams and did what I was MEANT to do which was radio presenting, I have no doubt that I’m talented and don’t think I just sat there and never tried anything, I have dropped my demo tapes in almost all the radio stations in Gauteng and the phone calls I got were from indigenous language radio stations who asked if I can’t present in that particular language but unfortunately English is the only language I know fluently and everything else I don’t speak it as well as I should. 

I’m a good Communicator/PR person, which is what I do, but I think I would be a better radio presenter although I would still want a career in Communications, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with being an “AND GIRL” as Sarah Shongwe puts it. 

I have decided to get out of my comfort zone and pursue my dreams and stop being so scared and in a few years time I will be a Radio Presenter, Sports Show presenter, Media Specialist and…, I will wear all these hats with pride and hold my head up high because I know I’m destined for bigger things instead of being afraid because fear is a product of the devil who doesn’t want to see God’s children prosper and showcase their God given talents. 

I honestly still don’t know how I’m going to go about this but someday, somehow, something has got to give and I’M POSITIVE about that. From now onwards I promise not to be scared, to take chances and strive for what is rightfully mine and to press on to the greater achievements of the future.

Posted by on 11 March 2010 @ 4:40 PM

First things first, my goal is not to debate the pros and cons of having His Excellency Jacob Zuma as president. People will always find fault with people, real or imagined, especially when they are in positions that require them to meet certain standards and expectations. I really wish him the best and I send him all the positive energy in the world, as he needs it in order to further steer this young democracy in the right direction. What I am interested in debating may be viewed as comparing apples to pap but I am going to do it anyway.

I do not believe that presidents or any one in a position of leadership should not be criticized and in fact I believe that they should be held to a greater standard as their power lies beyond policy and diplomacy. Some people may look for direction from the president, literally. So we may end up seeing a lot of, “Simon says…” and in this case he is not asking that you touch your nose. However, I was somewhat concerned when the British press referred to Jacob Zuma as a buffoon on the grounds that he has chosen to engage in polygamy and the recent extra-marital affairs that have come to light.

By nature a polygamist would not be expected to be textbook faithful as he has several wives and in order to acquire more wives he would have to be sowing his wild oats. Therefore, it would come as no surprise that a man that engages in polygamy would be engaging with women other than his wives depending of his “wife-limit”. It just so happens that one of these men is the president and he happens to be ruling a nation that has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world. Leading by example is critical. But as I stated I do not want to debate the merits and demerits of his conduct. I wish to focus on culture.

Polygamy may very well be an outdated practice but it is still happening. Some say they prefer the dog to defecate in their yard and others may ask if the dog needs to defecate at all. Royalty is an equally outdated practice but it is happening. One may ask, what truly is the purpose of the Queen in 2010? 1625 has long gone by and there exists a prime minister to take care of all the real work. Perhaps Queen Elizabeth the II could not be dethroned simply because the monarchy lost its groove. But now there is all this talk of succession and really it just seems oh so very pointless. Do not imagine for a second that blood was not shed under these royals. Back in the day they used religion as a whip of submission and the ruling royal would usually decree their preferred denomination and the rest would become frowned upon. People died for their religions, as is still the case around the world.

The royals lived like well…. kings whilst many of their people lived as paupers. Although the hands of time have done their job and the differences are not so blaring- the royals continue to enjoy living a grand life whilst in comparison the ordinary folk do not. Those who advocate women’s rights are of the opinion that polygamy diminishes women by taking away their dignity and their voices. All this is stated as though the women were married at gunpoint. Many of these women know very well what they are getting themselves into especially if they are the second or third wives. Perhaps some are blind-sighted but some women have no qualms with developing relationships with married men.

Now I am supposed to sit around and feel for women in polygamous unions when some of them do it solely for financial stability. Polygamy may breed unhappiness but I am certain it never created wars or painful social divides that have reverberated for centuries. I feel for the first wife who may one day find herself watching her husband walking down the driveway with another woman wondering who she is only to be informed that it is her sister “in love”. That is unfair, but even she has a choice to walk away. The decision to stay means that she accepts his decision and all that comes with it. There is always the power to choose. Let us not behave as though women are so weak that they cannot even use their brains and exercise choice. That would be degrading. You may argue about holding women to ‘financial ransom’ and I still advocate the power to choose.

Perhaps there are many happy women in polygamous marriages and perhaps there aren’t. What I do know for sure is there are many unhappily married women in monogamous marriages just as there are many happy ones. There are single, attached, married and homosexual people being infected with HIV every day and this requires solid unwavering leadership. Jacob Zuma is 67 and that means he is old school. Naturally some of us would hope that he would digest the gravity of the HIV pandemic and put his sexual desires aside. In the absence of that I would hope that we would all be mature adults and learn to take charge of our sexual health without looking to “a messiah” to provide us with blatantly obvious clues on how we should be conducting ourselves.

I comprehend that leaders are meant to set standards in many spheres, I do. But polygamy is a social practice in which adult parties choose to engage willingly whilst royalty has long been a political imposition that may have put the needs of millions of people aside. It does not make sense to point fingers and name call when we all have outdated social-political practices. If Jacob Zuma is a buffoon because he practices polygamy and makes questionable personal/public choices then we are all buffoons. We engage in many “strange” practices in Africa and I do not feel comfortable having people from those particular grey shores calling our president a buffoon. You may say that the shoe fits and he must wear it but I would not be so quick to laugh along with them if I were you. Essentially they are saying we are all buffoons, recently Barack Obama was portrayed as a baboon and I say “off with their heads” because this wouldn’t be the first time.

Posted by on 11 March 2010 @ 11:34 AM

Which do you prefer? Most of you will probably say neither but according to Police Commissioner Bheki Cele criminals increasing their use of okapis is a good sign as it indicates that there is less gun use. How this was ascertained during this brief gun amnesty period I am not certain. In addition, the vast majority of the guns turned in were licensed and owned by civilians. The unlicensed guns used in most crimes are still in the possession of dedicated criminals. This haste to portray pictures of progression is part of the problem with the police force in South Africa. We certainly pray for their progression but given the negative weekly stories we are inundated with we may be praying in vain.

Whatever happened to the time when the presence of police officers gave people an immediate sense of security? And what of the time when one could pick up the phone with the surety that the police would actually show up? In fact, were there ever such times? With 80% of murders going unsolved in South Africa it is safe to assume that even those of less than average intelligence can get away with murder. The South African police do not seem to find much fault in this, as according to their world statistical comparisons a 20% solve rate is the norm. Comforting. I guess going the extra will not be necessary now…An investigating officer even offered the excuse that he was unable to proceed with his murder investigations due to the fact that he had no airtime. I suppose using the phone at the station was out of the question but the mere fact that he felt that his “excuse” was acceptable is highly concerning.  10 150 firearms were lost by the police in 2009. Is this negligence, plain stupidity or plain dodgy? For all we know they are selling these weapons to criminals then turning around and pushing amnesty.

I do not believe that the majority of the men and women who join the police force in this country do it out of a sense of pride, duty and a drive to serve. Many of them probably see it as a means to financial ends after a few failed attempts to make a success of their lives in other areas. The vast majority of them probably do not grow up admiring a father or an aunt in the police force. It is an option they never consider until perhaps they hear that the SAPS are looking for trainees and the prerequisites are low. Do these police officers undergo any form of psychological assessments before they are admitted on the force? If they were then I doubt that we would hear countless stories of how they rape women in jail cells or torture suspects like the Gestapo. I question if they have to meet certain standards of social awareness because if they did then they would not laugh and taunt lesbian victims of rape or force foreigners to endure further trauma when they attempt to report crimes.

If many of these officers can barely speak English including some superintendents then why should we believe that they have Matric? South Africa is full of different cultures and languages so if they cannot even engage in a universal language then how can they provide a progressive service. Members of the SAPS are not required to undergo the firearm training which civilians attempting to acquire gun licenses are required to attain. These are the same officers that have been encouraged to “shoot to kill”. So when I see police cars I run. Most of the time I am with my beautiful son and you never know what officer may mistake his toy microphone for a weapon and decide to use deadly force. Once you open a can of worms it is difficult to put them back. They wriggle all over the place, hide in dark crevices and seek the perfect conditions for their survival. It is a tad late to clarify what shoot to kill allegedly means and that in fact ‘section 49’ defines the specific circumstances under which a police officer would be required to apply deadly force. Are these officers even required to take courses in criminal law? Are they familiar with section this that or the other?

In many cases the police are misusing their positions to allow criminals to progress and walk free. At a price dockets can go missing mysteriously, witnesses may disappear or die or simply be ignored. Exemption for crimes committed comes at a price and South Africans as well as those who choose to settle here are paying with their lives for this greed. Many police officers appear to have no compassion or care for the people who pin their hopes for justice on them. Solving cases seems more like a burden and expecting any feedback or communication from them is for the naïve or those ignorant of how they operate. Never mind cold cases, there are recent unsolved cases that will never be revisited. They gain weight, they bribe and they abuse.

I know that there are caring police officers out there but from my personal experience and stories shared by friends these must be needles in the haystack. I would like to suggest that police officers specializing in sexual crimes be present at every station in order to eradicate the disgusting re-victimization of victims by callous uneducated undeserving police officers. The study of forensic science needs to be encouraged as a six year back log in forensic testing is a major part of the problem as criminals roam free. However, the first problem is many documented cases where police have not bothered to dust for fingerprints let alone collected minute hairs or fibers. Credit should be given where it is due and I would love to hear of endless tales of heroism on the part of the police but unfortunately all I ever hear are negative stories. It is no wonder communities form deadly policing forums as the police do not seem to care and others choose to partner with criminals.

If I encounter criminals then I will run and as stated earlier, when I encounter the police I run. So must I chain, padlock and trellidor my family in our home as it appears we are not safe here either. Please can someone do his or her job? Fekile, your trips to Washington to view war rooms better not be in vain. Bheki, you say some alarming things and Nathi, cele ubanathi.

Posted by on 11 March 2010 @ 11:31 AM

These days some people are bent on making excuses for everything and taking responsibility for nothing. As long as they can come up with a plausible excuse then all is well. And depending on who the subject of the excuse is, the excuses can get plain ridiculous. Implausible is an understatement. These excuse mongers are not alone- there are desperate excuse recipients hungry for a reason to believe that what they know to be true is in fact fantasy. So instead of seeking the truth some of us want to live in permanent states of fantasy “unknowingly”.

 Forget feeling remorse for erring, some people feel nothing. Roller-skating over other people’s feeling may be a bumpy ride but who really cares as long as one reaches their destination. A plastic state of existence used to be frowned upon yet now it is sought after and the new painkiller is pretense. If what you do not know will not hurt you then imagine what will happen to you if you pretend not to know what you in fact know? Has anyone ever told you the most laughable reason for an occurrence? You know that type of explanation that defies all logic and brains? Some of us want to hang on to people that we really should let go of and in order to do this we have to turn a blind eye to their fowl smelling intents.

 However, the pretense extends beyond human interactions and may live solely within us. There are so many people living in financial doldrums but they go out of their way to paint pictures of financial health for society to their own detriments. There are people out there driving sexy 4X4s with only a mattress to sleep on back home. You may imagine that this is an exaggeration in terms but I speak from experience. A friend of mine had a friend who drove a 4X4 and lived in an apartment with no furniture to speak of except a mattress- if that in fact counts as furniture. One may argue that he was probably in the process of acquiring furniture but whatever happened to charity beginning at home? This man probably wanted to lure unsuspecting ladies to his vacuous love nest. What a turn off!! I would rather meet a pedestrian and go to a well furnished home. At the end of the day sleeping in one’s car is uncomfortable.

 Hair weaves were created to assist those in need of well, assistance. Not every one was blessed with thick flowing locks and hence the need for the billion dollar hair industry. Although I have been known to wear some 100% hair braids in my day I have to question certain ladies who will never be caught dead without a weave. Enough respect to looking good and taking care of yourself but one has to wonder if you feel at all attractive without the purchased tresses. It is true that black hair is particularly difficult to maintain but sometimes I wonder whom you really are when all I ever do is see you skip from hairpiece to hairpiece. Believe me, I know what a mission it is to try and decide what to do to your hair next. If you can walk the streets with confidence in yourself WITHOUT a hairpiece then you have a healthy self-esteem. Unfortunately, if you cannot even answer your front door when you are in your natural state then you are in self-esteem trouble.

 I am not questioning the use of hairpieces; they may or may not be necessary depending on you. What I am questioning is whether you feel good enough without them. If you feel ugly or inadequate without a hairpiece then you need to find some self-love. I have heard the excuse that ‘the hair is yours because you bought it” and1 agree that it is your property but it is not actually your hair, is it now? My point is that if you cannot exist without a hairpiece then you are leading a fake existence and an imagined beauty. So get real.

 Another common excuse is that drinking like a fish and conducting one self with no concern for a sound public image is acceptable because life is short. This theory would be that life is short so let us try to make it shorter. Drinking occasionally at social functions and family gatherings is acceptable. Going out several times a week in search of alcohol sounds close to alcoholism. Going out for drinks with the boys has become a right, one that I shelve as absolute nonsense by the way. I am not pushing moral standards here- I am pushing for honesty. People just seem to accept rubbish as normal and all the better if they can dress it up in flimsy excuses. Allegedly drinking with the boys is necessary for a man’s social function but I think alcohol is just a waste of money. Sure every one is entitled to their freedom and people are better people when they are allowed to exercise their freedom. Drinks with the boys/ girls night out is just a urine inducing often emotional reality numbing extended attempt to avoid realities.

 The realities are many but the bottom line is that you just do not want to deal with them. Excessive social nights out away from your loved ones are simply an excuse to excuse you from your reality, a reality that is no longer a friend of yours. Reality bites. Not for everyone all the time but sometimes reality hurts and this makes us, as human beings want to escape. Sometimes we even want to escape when times are good just to experience different scenery.

 Lately it appears as though some of us are making attempts at permanent escapes that could ultimately lead us into even deeper trouble. The allure of these escapes is undeniable but they are dependent on the unpredictable and are semi-permanent. People are making these escapes their homes, literally. Gone are the days when savings accounts were opened and monthly savings were made with the intention of purchasing property. I suppose gone are the days when such property was affordable and hence, the idea of saving might mean many decades before acquiring one’s dream home. We have no guarantees of many decades so best we get it now.

 The need to purchase a home may be an exception to the rule as few people have hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions lying about for use. However, there are many so-called necessities that are not necessary at all and many of us have no qualms about getting them on credit. Granted there are many people who manage their credit lines well but that does not alter the fact that some purchases on credit are frivolous. In my personal opinion items such as clothes, furniture and home appliances are items we can save for. For instance whilst saving for a washing machine your helper will just have to hand wash. Need a top of the range vacuum cleaner? Use a broom until you can buy it cash. Microwave? Take out your meat, put it in a plastic container and let it defrost in the sun. To avoid all the radiation, heat your food in a pot or the oven. Sofas? Watch television in your room on the bed until you can afford otherwise. To have credit is not to afford, it is to borrow with interest. I am not suggesting that people should not use their credit cards at all but simply rather that they should be largely used for necessities.

 The ugly part of a credit card to the holder is that it implies ownership due to the fact that one has it in their possession. It is a psychological sell that the money is yours yet a bitter reality that it is a loan. You sleep on that bed, relax on the couch and spend countless hours watching that flat screen television. The day you default is the day you will truly realize who owns what. So, far is it from you to buy a couch you can barely afford on credit in order to sell the idea that you are living well to friends and relatives. Do these friends shy away from your home when you are couch-less or perhaps they chuckle at you behind your back? Then you do not need them and you certainly do not need to buy a couch on credit so they can be comfortable for a few minutes or hours. Rather go to their house if they are privileged enough to have all the necessary home comforts. But you would rather pretend and live for other people’s thoughts, which rarely involve you.

 There is the “lady” who is dating the “unhappily” married man. That’s OK too because the excuse is that if she does not do it some other woman will or perhaps his wife should have been taking care of home. There is the man who beats his woman because she “asked for it” and that is OK as well because she needs to learn to respect him. There are many people who have lost complete care for other people but that is OK too because it is a dog eat dog world. You cannot change what you do not acknowledge so instead of living a fly-by-night life why don’t you accept the reality of your circumstances so you can begin to make progressive changes. Excuses, excuses, excuses. You can put lipstick on a pig it’s still a pig.

Posted by on 11 March 2010 @ 11:29 AM

I have been to hell and back. I have prayed and I have lived. I have tried and have failed. I have loved and I have definitely lost. I have given and yet never gained as expected. So when nothing seems possible it’s because it sounds impossible, it feels impossible. Ever thought of changing your surroundings to view it from a different corner? It may not even be close to impossible. This is life and its teachings. This is God and his miracles.

What are you doing to fit in to this world that seems impossible and yet everyone around you is working their bones off to fight against life’s obstacles? What are you doing to reinvent your looks, educate your mind and rejuvenate your spirit, your faith and you love for life? It all looks impossible but the reality is it’s far from it. Go home; take off your top and your skirt. Love that person you see. Embrace that person you see. Smile at your own reflection in the mirror. Once that is accomplished you can start improving on things that you already love about yourself and stop worrying about what to change about your body.

We live to learn and grow. I live to evolve and mature intelligently. I found my path in 2010. I have created that path for myself by letting go of toxic friends, lazy minds and helpless critics. I have learned to humble myself, to reach out when I am lost and confused. I have learned to ask for help from my elders. I have learned to live by my own rules with God being my guide. The world will never change until I take the female lead in this play. Nothing is impossible. Drive your goals.

Posted by on 11 March 2010 @ 10:42 AM

Posted by on 11 March 2010 @ 10:03 AM

In a brief conversation, a man asked a woman he was pursuing the question:

'What kind of man are you looking for?'

She sat quietly for a moment before looking him in the eye & asking,
'Do you really want to know?'

Reluctantly, he said, 'Yes.

She began to expound, '
As a woman in this day & age,
I am in a position to ask a man what can you do for me that I can't do for myself?

I pay my own bills.
I take care of my household without the help of any man...
or woman for that matter.

I am in the position to ask, 'What can you bring to the table?'

The man looked at her. Clearly he thought that she was referring to money.

She quickly corrected his thought & stated, '
I am not referring to money.
I need something more.
I need a man who is striving for excellence in every aspect of life.

He sat back in his chair, folded his arms, & asked her to explain.

She said, 'I need someone who is striving for excellence mentally because I need conversation & mental stimulation. I don't need a simple-minded man.

I need someone who is striving for excellence spiritually because I don't need to be unequally yoked...believers mixed with unbelievers is a recipe for disaster.

I need a man who is striving for excellence financially because I don't need a financial burden.

I need someone who is sensitive enough to understand what I go through as a woman, but strong enough to keep me grounded.

I need someone who has integrity in dealing with relationships. Lies and game-playing are not my idea of a strong man.

I need a man who is family-oriented. One who can be the leader, priest and provider to the lives entrusted to him by God.

I need someone  whom I can respect... In order to be submissive, I must respect him.

I cannot be submissive to a man who isn't taking care of his business.

I have no problem being submissive...he just has to be worthy.

And by the way, I am not looking for him...He will find me.
He will recognize himself in me.
He may not be able to explain the connection, but he will always be drawn to me.
God made woman to be a help-mate for man. I can't help a man if he can't help him self.

When she finished her spill, she looked at him.

He sat there with a puzzled look on his face. He said, 'You are asking a lot.

She replied, "I'm worth a lot".

I wish I could take credit for having written this myself. Its an email I got from a friend and I thought it was definetely worth sharing. It gave me a lot to think about, I hope you find it interesting as well.

Sal

Posted by on 11 March 2010 @ 9:04 AM

Posted by on 10 March 2010 @ 3:09 PM

I was shocked to find myself being offered everything I had come for at seda ,,at a price as the gentleman helping me made it clear he was doing this as "his private bussiness" . These services range from bussiness regisrtation to bussiness plans while he gladly explains while You should not use the tedious and slow SEDA channels. IF people are taking such advantage of entreprenmures, how are we supposed to access gorvement help and SUCCEED as people simple do not want to do their jobs.

Posted by on 10 March 2010 @ 11:36 AM