I am a Phoenix

Just yesterday I was admiring how the screen directors of the Harry Potter movie were able to depict the phoenix. The awe I got when I understood what it looked like to have this animal explode into nothing and up from the ashes. We all have those moments. When life explodes and up from the dirt one has to dust oneself up and go.

I was trapped in one of my dark and hard places. Where I don’t want to see or interact with anyone. Luckily I have friends; my friends made it their effort that as much as depression had sucked me in, I had to keep breathing. Every time they called I was either dragging my body around waiting for the day to end or I was sleeping. I hid in the flat and I slept so much my bones started to ache. I didn’t want to open the curtains to see daylight. Because that meant people were going at their dreams and I was the only one defeated in life. I sat there with no ambition or goal to even live.

Then I realised that as the days went by I keep betraying the driven woman in me and placing the weak woman first. The weak me needed to pack her bags and leave. I know that there are plenty commitments that had me drained. But also feeling like there was no actual value I was adding to people around me in the spaces I am placed in, started to choke the very essence of me. I yearned for the heavy blanket of worthlessness to fall off and for the real me to enjoy the sunlight that is my calling in life. I wanted for so long to be one with it. A friend of mine was saying to me but you looked like you were having a blast on Social Media. I think as human beings we can fake so well on Social Media that people assume it’s the real deal. Social Media is not the real thing. It’s selling a fairytale for most people. So while I sold my story those around me, lapped it up like a thirsty dog drinking water on a hot day.

The reason for this blog post is to say, one doesn’t need to stay down for too long. I was always sure that my dark whole would have to change soon. I knew that there bills to be paid and life had to resume and the only way I could press the resume button was to change something around me, so I went out and bought new linen. There it was, my little change was my emancipation.

The Scary Grey Bearded God

People have thrown all kinds of images of God over the years. We even have cross in jewellery to symbolise a myriad of ways of how our devotion can be fashioned out. I have no problem with that. My biggest problem at the present moment is not even how we represent God and mostly on the portrayal of God being this big grey bearded man sitting on a gold arm chair ready to zap humans at any moment.

Now I have been in the church since I walked in a church with my mom, I in her belly and she accepting Jesus Christ as her lord and saviour, about eight years later I would do the same. You might say I was rather young to be doing that, committing to such at my age however he is all I had and still is this is my reality. The reason I brought my narrative through is so that you would know a bit of background. But he was never and never has been scary or draconian. He is referred to as a “jealous” God in the bible but he also says; “test me and see that I am not good” and “ask and you shall receive”. The bible (if I may use it as a referral here) also says his mercies are new every morning.

But let us take away all the things that make us assume warm and fuzzy feelings about him, or the debate that why do bad things happen to good people. If we are to look at ourselves and see that as much as our lives are hard we still have what we have and he has not zapped us or thrown balls of fire to burn us all up then surely he can’t be a nasty God? I have used scenarios and words very carefully in this post because I know who I am talking about and I have the assurance of his existence. I am saying we have gone for too long torturing ourselves with all the Sunday school stories adults created to scare us of God. His power and magnitude is something to be feared and revered but not he, his love is real and unconditional. There it is that is all of it.

Wicked Winning Woman

We never needed more women in industries in fact we never needed to be recognised by others. We needed to support each other and be happy for each other at any point in time. That saying ‘not everyone is going to be happy for you’ is commonly said in female circles and not male circles, go figure.

Having had a conversation with a friend this morning I felt compelled to write this because it is important we see where we are getting it wrong. We are getting it wrong when we are holding grudges and being jealous towards those who are doing better than us. Holding bitterness and not being strong enough to stand in the sun with a friend and say I will stand with you for your “glory” while I wait for mine. So speaking frankly in this post I would be correct in saying that we don’t do that. We don’t want to stand with another sister while she shines for how many times she shines.

I would like to say that many of the lessons we learn we learn from the female figures around us. My figure is my mother. My mother has under gone many transformations to get to her 50 something self and still she just gets on with it. But she taught me loyalty and honesty at a very young age. She stayed in a job for more than 20 years and she endured, even when others said go get better she said this is better for all the people in my life. Those people where her kids, boss, friends, church mates, family you name it. She understood that a blessing came when she knew how to bless others. So from a young age I learnt that waiting for the blessing won’t really bother me if I am supporting another. And if you get distracted enough in supporting other people you won’t have time to be jealous.

There is only one step and then we would have arrived, that is to be happy with others, before your time and after your time. Give yourself the blessing of supporting others before your turn. Not everything is about you and how you will get there. You will get there via others and you need to accept that. You can’t reach anywhere without reaching outside of yourself.

Stalker

I am so proud of South Africa lately especially when it comes to keeping up to date with new series. I am on twitter and constantly I see what folk abroad are interested in or are viewing. I was actually introduced to this series by a colleague’s friend who had come into the office. This lady and I were talking about South Africa and our different professions and interests when she said; “I suggest you watch Stalker it’s so cool it seems right up your alley”.

After watching a few jaw dropping episodes I remember immediately thinking this is happening to so many woman in South Africa. Also I remember very well saying to myself that, my little sister has to watch this, in fact I am going to force her. I am adamant that this an extremely transparent look at present day society and how much the internet and our smart and savvy phones have exposed us to even more dangerous situations.

You watch as each episode dives into the hardest scariest situation a victim could ever go through. I feel like the awareness has reached its peak internationally. We have the likes of Angelina Jolie, Emma Watson and others campaigning that more people need to support the drive of protecting our women and girls. The articles we read during awareness months turn our stomachs but illustration and visuals like the series Stalker are a constant reminder that we facing a tragic epidemic. We need to step it up and watch for tell-tell signs, which is exactly what the detectives go through in this series.

With amazing lead actors like Dylan McDermott, Maggie Q, Mariana Klaveno, Elisabeth Rohm, Victor Rasuk who play characters who work for a very busy detectives unit that investigate crimes surrounding stalking. You see the details and also the magnitude but also the effects that stalking has on people. The story line does come full circle when it points us to a serious case within the unit but I won’t spoil it for you all. All I can say is, watched it and if it’s of any interest finish the first season.

Neopitso Ft Ab Crazy – We On

It’s the first time in a long time that I have been able to listen to a rapper and actually hear them, let alone have it make sense. Neo Pitso and Ab Crazy brought their A-game. “We On” is their new release. Neo Pitso has been dubbed Australia’s best kept secret and now he is making that international move by going global with his music. 

Neo Pitso who resides in Australia has, recently announced the release of his new single “We On”. In his single he expresses his unique rhyme flow and boisterous lyrics. His lyrics speak of patiently waiting; hinting that this man has been hungry to get to the top but his rise has been one hell of an incline. With a catchphrase “obsessed with success” he is going for gold, “I keep telling them I am coming for all this”.

Neo Pitso had performed with the biggest international names in Hip Hop such as Nas, The Game, Rick Ross and Bone Thugs & Harmony when they toured Australia. Neo Pitso embodies everything a great artist should posses; it's only a matter of time before his name is on everyone's lips. 

For more information be sure to visit http://www.neopitso.com. 

Visit soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/neopitso/we-on-ft-ab-crazy

Social Media:

Facebook: Neo Pitso

Twitter: @TheOnlyNeo

Instagram: @TheOnlyNeo

Soundcloud: Neo Pitso 

Empire

I really hope this series goes all the way to the top and clenches a few awards as they have just been awarded a second season. There are not a lot of shows that can combine African American music history with in a script and still cast musicians that are actors, or at least from my opinion. Empire is about a family business and who will get to take over the family business when the father is no longer there.

The cast is a perfect fit. When Taraji P Henson (Cookie) was approached for the role in this series, she unintentionally stated that the script needed Terence Howard (Lucious Lyon). As it were they are working together and are a force to be reckoned with.  This family of five is facing a power shift as Lucios is dying but before he dies he wants one of his sons to take over the family business, Empire. So all three sons are being tested in varies ways. However it can’t be said that they all started on the same starting line.

The three sons have their own lives and own dynamics to deal with. The eldest Trai Byers (Andre Lyon) is not musical he opted to study and has been handling the books within the business since his university years. He is also married to a blonde white woman, Kaitlin Doubleday (Rhonda Lyon) which makes his ex con mother’s blood boil. The second son Jussie Smollett (Jamal Lyon) is gay and has been shunned by his father all his life. He has decided to lie low in amongst the family drama, until his mother returned and changed all that. The youngest son played by Bryshere Gray (Hakeem Lyon) is the spoilt brat. On his first encounter with Cookie, after she is released from prison, gets a beating of his life. This relationship is going to need some working on but blood is thicker than water so let’s wait and see.

With Lucious having a young new partner the gloves are occasionally on between Miss Cookie and this new leading lady in his life. However Cookie has a great grip on Lucious because of the fact that the company was started on the money she made from drugs. She makes sure he never forgets it.

Several familiar faces feature as cameo roles such as Malik Yoba, Tasha Smith and Naomi Campbell just to mention a few. Without giving too much away the cast has an interesting mixture of talented actors and musicians. I will be watching this series closely to see how well they do in the unpredictable market they find themselves in.

DHL taking Rugby to new heights.

Meet the rugby ball that’s travelled the African continent one country at a time. Ndumiso and Songi are show casing the ball all over the African continent. Africans all over may have seen three Land Rovers wiz right past them as they made it into villages and cities documenting this explosive land called Africa.

Tanzania, Gabone, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya and many others have gotten the opportunity of touching the yellow and red “DHL delivers Africa as one” ball. 1 ball, 1 continent, 45 countries, 50 000kms. From dusty streets to controlled highways, from the hills and valleys of the luscious continent of Africa, this ball will explore the richest continent on the planet, through culture language food and atmosphere the team will have plenty to write home about. A once in a life time experience, watch the team as they ride through Africa on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vET5h38Aikw

https://www.youtube.com/user/DHLAfrica

Connect with them on:

Twitter.com/dhlafrica

Facebook.com/dhlafrica

www.africaasone.com

First time failure.

I was thinking as I applied concealer under my eye bags that I have finally mastered the art of applying concealer. When did I get here, I asked myself? Judging by how well the concealer looked I thought it took me a while but I am good at it now.

The reason behind the concealer is largely because I need it to hide the eye bags that have been developing for the last two years. Let’s be honest wearing glasses all the time makes you look like an intelligent geek but does nothing for ones esteem. I really am comfortable in my own skin but being behind these intense lenses makes me cringe. I then have the glasses sit in such a way that presses hard on my face so that I have indentations and marks on where the spectacles sit.

So concealer it was. I took the step the bold step a while ago but found myself not being able to apply it properly. Until I noticed that I am now doing a splendid job at it. Then I realised that when doing it the first time I was not such a pro. In fact it took me some time. Just like anything. I remember the first time I rode a bike and how it took me three days to learn.

We fail before we win. It’s just the fact of the matter. I was listening to Oprah give a talk on Philanthropy via Youtube. She spoke of how many times she had to do it before she thought she had it right and even then she didn’t really have it right but she had learnt step by step how to correct her previous mistakes. We just get better in time. We expand ourselves with every new dream and goal set. Achievement is not about the other person. An achievement is about you and did you exceed your own expectation.