Christmas Times

After all the madness of the 'silly season', it's hard to believe that today's already the 28th of December and that Christmas day, a day that retailers have been promoting non-stop since mid September already, has all but come and gone too quickly.

This year, Christmas didn't turn out quite how I imagined it would. When I was younger, Christmas was something magical. It was exciting going for an outing to the mall, eating far too much food and opening way too many presents. The days of waking up at 4am and sleeping next to the Christmas tree, of our family getting up early (their 'early' was 8am) to open presents, and of swimming and watching the cricket after lunch, are some of the fondest memories I have of Christmas day.

Someone posted a status on Facebook recently that read, "What does Christmas mean to you?", and it got me thinking. My answer to that question is simple. It's family. Family is what Christmas means to me, family and not much else. Not the presents, not the huge Christmas lunch and certainly not the over-commercialized items  in the shopping malls (online shopping next year!). I realise now that I could very well have spent Christmas next to a hospital bed this year.

Though a simple procedure, it definently was a wake up call.

Because of the operation, we weren't able to spend the day with our family as we do every year, and it really made me realise how many small things I'd been taking for granted. Sure, I thank God every day for my family, but I don't say thank you for the small things like having a healthy husband who can look after me, or for having a brother who drives an hour and a half in sweltering heat and holiday traffic just to say 'hi', or for parents who have my back no matter what choices (impulsive or otherwise) I make, or for a Grandmother who I can still talk to about what happened in 7de Laan the other night!

I am truly blessed. Christmas was different this year, but I am very grateful that it was. At the risk of sounding like a cliche, I fully agree with the phrase, "treat each day as a gift". It really and truly is.

One year older, one year wiser?

28. Twenty Eight. Two years to 30. Wow, I feel slightly old today, but at the same time excited about where I am in my life right now, and what's to come.

What a year this has been! Of the three big New Years Resolutions I set out to complete this year, I managed two...not bad.

In short, the first one was deciding by mid year if my small business would take off, or if I would need to go back to full day work again. This was a very hard decision to make. By nature I am somewhat of a risk taker - some may say slightly impulsive - but a dreamer and a thinker of the heart. This time, I had to think with my head. With a heavy heart by August, I knew it was time to close the doors to the little company that I'd started in 2009, and take the next step forward. Funny enough, I ended up applying for a job at my old company, Snowball Effect. Never in a million years did I dream that would happen, but I decided to give it a try - everything for a reason, right? Almost 2 months later, and I'm happy and enjoying what I'm doing. I can't even begin to tell you that it's not the same company I left 3 years ago...everything from the building, the management style, the atmosphere, staff morale and the structure of the company has changed  - for the better, and I'm really glad that I made the decision to come back.

Because Geoff and I were now both working in Stellenbosch, it didn't make sense to drive almost 2 hours every day to get to work and home again, so we moved to Somerset West. 15min to work in little traffic....what a pleasure :) We're finally finished unpacking and it really is a cute little house with a view of the mountains in a quiet area, and walking distance to the shops (yay!).

The second big resolution I made was to lose weight. I only made this one up in April, after my sister-in-law "lovingly" (not so much, but a wake up call all the same) tagged a photo of me calling me "vettie". I realised then that I'd really put on a lot of weight, shrugged it off as 'age' and wasn't doing anything about it. Since then, I've started gyming again and eating healthier and lost almost 9kg...and feel great!

The last resolution I'm carrying over to 2011, because with the first two done I'm positive that this time next year I'll be able to check it off as well :)

10 years ago I was going to Matric and had no clue what I'd be doing. Can't say that I saw myself here working at an ISP company, or living in Somerset West, or having opened and closed my own small business...but life is never what you expect it to be, is it? This year has taught me not to take anything for granted - not my health, the car that gets me to where I need to go, the family and people in my life that really matter, or the privilege I have of living in a beautiful place. Looking back, this has been a very eventful year and I'm really looking forward to seeing what 2011 has to offer.

Ashley and the Au Pair

 

Let me just say for the record that saying goodbye to the child that you've been Au Pairing for can in no way be compared to saying goodbye to colleagues when you leave your job. Over the past 8 months, I'd formed such a close bond with Ashley that I saw her as the little sister I never had, and my heart literally broke into pieces on Friday when I had to say goodbye.

I can clearly remember my first week back in March when I'd just started working for the family. We'd come back to the house after school, and Ashley somehow convinced me (well, almost) that there were 'bergies' living in their 3rd garage. (This garage was actually being rented to the old man next door as a place to store his prized Jaguar). There was a big sign on the garage door that said "Keep Away", and in my head I knew there was no way this family would allow 'bergies' to sleep in their garage and come upstairs for showers and to use the bathroom! Ashley kept this story up for the next 45 minutes and was so convincing that I had just about believed her. Talk about gullible! I felt so silly afterwards and of course I didn't let on that I'd almost believed her and told her that I knew it was a joke the entire time :P

And so, Ashley and I had many, many hours of those sort of jokes during our time together (some that weren't so nice and included her pretending to choke, faint, fall, get locked in a public bathroom and call security, cry, have a pet snake, vomit, bleed, etc.) I won't be surprised at all if she ends up doing theatre or working in TV one day!

I learnt a lot from Ashley and from my time with the family. I held a baby and changed a nappy for the first time - I was terrified at first, but to Ashley the 10 year old, it was almost like second nature. I never realised how much patience I could have with children, and just how far they can push me (I know now), how much energy I actually have, and how easy it is to bring myself down to their level.

My favourite memories of this whole experience were probably the times we had to just relax when we weren't rushing to get to extra murals or doing homework - but when it was a quiet afternoon and we could bake cupcakes and watch a movie together, play UNO (I could never win this game!), ride bikes together, take a walk to visit the horse down the road, play arcade games at the mall or go for an ice-cream.

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to do this, and this is one of those things I will never forget and look back at fondly for the rest of my life. Ashley and I formed such a close bond during our time together and though I'm still a little heart sore to have parted ways so soon, I'm so grateful and happy for our time together. I hope that I managed to teach her a few things as she's taught me, and I have very high hopes for her.  I know that she is going to go far in life, because she truly has a heart of gold.

I now have just a little glimpse as to what lies ahead and I can honestly say that I am really looking forward to having children of my own in the near future. I truly can't wait. :)

Changes

So, here I was thinking at the beginning of the year that this would be the year that my little business would really take off. Little did I know that 10 months later I would be Au Pairing half day, close down the business and go back to full day work!

Life has a very funny way of working out....

This experience has made me realise that you really can't predict anything in life. There is fate and there is destiny, and some things are just meant to be. I'm so grateful for the experience of starting up my own business, and running it for the year and a half that I did. You learn so much about yourself when you have to put your product, service and yourself out there! I know now that the timing was just wrong, and who knows - maybe I will pursue this again in 5 years time on a part time basis, one simply never knows!

I am SO excited to be going back to full day work though! Working with people again, finishing work at a set time, taking leave and getting a salary at the end of each month...yes please! :) The strange part of this story is that I am going back to work for a company that I left 2 years ago. Things weren't great back then (which is why I left) - but having applied for so many positions over the last month or so, I heard about the open position and the agency I'm with asked if they could forward my CV through. I decided to just give it a go, you never know unless you try, right? When I went for the interview I could see that there was a vast improvement from when I left. By this I mean a brand new and bigger building, a lot more staff (they've expanded), procedures and structures in place, a recreational area with pin ball machines, etc. I couldn't believe my eyes! Was this the same company that I had so adamantly wanted to leave?!  It was then and there that I decided I really wanted to go back. I really had enjoyed my time working there, except for the reasons why I left. This past Friday I received confirmation and the letter of offer that I had got the position! Woo Hoo! A lot of people applied for this job, so I was really overwhelmed when I heard that they wanted me back.


Even stranger (or as fate would have it), the new building is a stones throw away from where Geoff is working - literally next door. So, we will both be working in Stellenbosch now and have decided to move to Somerset West as we will need to travel in two cars every day.  This is a HUGE change, as we've both lived in the Northern Subs since childhood. It's going to take some time to set in, and I know it's not that far from Durbanville - but not having my parents 10 minutes away is really going to take some getting used to.

The next couple of months are going to be very interesting, full of positive change, stability and excitement (with a little dash of stress I imagine!).

Recruitment Agencies: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

As some of you may know, I'm currently back in the job market again (a long story which I won't go into now - see the last few blogs if you're interested).  Anyway, that means getting the CV and cover letters up to date and customized for each job, applying for the type of jobs that I really want, and then trying to sell myself (which I hate) by going for interviews.

Depending on which way you look at it - fortunately or unfortunately, a lot of jobs out there are advertised through Recruitment Agencies. 

You'd be surprised as to how many of these agencies are out there today, it's a very competitive industry if you're thinking of starting your own little recruitment company. Sometimes there are two or more recruitment agencies competing to secure a candidate for one specific position.  I've worked at three agencies and I know a little about what goes on behind the scenes, and having recently been to a few recruitment or personnel agencies for interviews, I thought it would be interesting to compare a few of the best and worst in my opinion here!

The Good...

Kelly Recruitment
The only way to get your CV to this huge agency, is to apply for a job that they've advertised. You will get no where if you just send your CV and hope to get onto their database. You can fill in your CV on their website though. When I went there for an interview a few years ago, I was treated with respect, the receptionist was professional and friendly, and they had an organised centre set up for tests. The person who interviewed me was great, asked good questions and placed me with a big company.

Bridgena Barnard Personnel Group
What I like about this agency, is that you are personally met at the door with an application form to fill in. The agency is set up in a large double story house, so it is a pleasure waiting in the reception room (the lounge). Another nice thing about this agency is that they get back to each and every candidate who has applied for a position. Nothing better than getting an e-mail to let you know exactly where you stand, even if you were unsuccessful.

The Bad (Need improvement)...

West Coast Personnel
This company has a great website and I was very impressed with the way they presented themselves through it. However, this was not the impression I got when I went there for an interview recently. The reception I received was not very friendly at all, in fact I didn't even get a smile. The reception room lacked a lot, flowers would have been a nice touch, and then there was that big camera aimed at us waiting for interviews, and I had to wonder - were we being watched while we waited? Eerie. The person who interviewed me was extremely rude, he took three phone calls during the interview, was late and typed on his computer while I was speaking to him for 80% of the interview. By far the worst agency I've been to so far. Their personal attitude needs to match what they portray on their website.


Key Recruitment
Big plus to them for having a great Receptionist who offered me a glass of water, was very friendly and just the right amount of chatty. The reception room was nice, art work on the walls and magazines to read. I had a great person interviewing me and I got through to the client interview. Unfortunately, that's as far as it went - empty promises to get back to me after wards to see how it went, and after leaving a message she never got back to me. Not very professional, and quite disappointing to say the least.

The Ugly...

Now you also get the dodgy "recruitment agencies" out there who like to scam people by asking you to send in your full CV (usually by fax to an 086 number), get your details and never get back to you.  These are a few I've picked up on bestjobs.co.za and gumtree.co.za.

National Champs Services
DO NOT send them your CV. Unfortunately I think this is why I have been getting so many spam smses after I sent them my full CV a few years ago. I believe they are one of those agencies that sell off personal details...not good at all. This is not a company, they don't even have a website. You can't phone them as there is no contact number advertised, as well as no physical address. Ding, ding, ding!

RRR Link
Their adverts on gumtree come across so well, they almost seem too good to be true...and that's because they are! When they call you in for an interview,you are made to sit in a room with other people looking for jobs as well and listen as someone tells you how you can increase your chances of getting a job through them by referring more people! And then, you need to pay them a fee as well. What a joke! They advertise themselves as being an advertising agency in Durbanville mostly, located in Marais Street.


Finally, are these recruitment agencies for real?

I'm not sure about these two recruitment agencies. I've almost applied to quite a few of their jobs advertised on bestjobs.co.za - again, they almost seem too good to be true. But, take a look at the sum total of their contact details and both of them don't have websites. If a recruitment agency does not have a website, it sends off big warning bells to me. Take a look...

Reddot

Address:	P.O Box 2971 Claremont Western Cape
Contact:	Rudi
Email:

Company description:  Southern suburb Cape Town based human resource services.

Jobstar

Address:	PO Box 1815 Roggebaai Western Cape
Contact:	Judie
Email:

Company description: General personnel agency.

Doesn't say a lot about them, does it?

Don't get me wrong, I have the greatest amount of respect for legitimate Recruitment Agencies - as I've said, I've worked for three of them and I'm actually very keen to get back into the industry. I just don't appreciate the false promises most of them seem to make, the ones that are only out there for that big commission and don't care at all about the candidates, and those scam artists out there who get people's hopes up and then make a fat profit from selling off personal details.  My advise is to just be careful with who you deal with, check contact details and make sure it's a legit company before sending any details. Check out their website and phone them.  I don't even put my ID number on my CV - just my date of birth. I give my ID number out at the interview. 

We all have to make a living and it's a very high presurrised industry, but there's nothing difficult about fulfilling a promise or being as professional in person as you claim to be on your website.

Job Interviews: Just a little respect please

Having worked in three different recruitment agencies and been for countless interviews, I think I have a fair understanding of what general companies are looking for in candidates and what they expect. Sure, they want the right person for the job - BUT, what about us, the prospective employees? We're also looking for the right fit, a good and stable company in a pleasant working environment and not just any old job, don't we?

Yesterday, I went for an interview for a position that I really wanted (still do to some degree). I spent the better part of the previous night planning for it - questions I wanted to ask and would answer, etc. I thought I was very prepared for the interview and it seemed to be going well in the beginning. And then, suddenly I'm talking to the side of my interviewers head while he listens (I'm hoping) to what I'm saying, while he's typing away on his computer screen, barely even glancing in my direction. He also took 3 phone calls while in the interview. Now, I ask you why must I get all prepared, spend time getting professionally dressed and groomed and ensure that I arrive 10 minutes before the interview - only to be treated like that? I know that certain interviewers try to push candidates buttons by doing certain things to see how they react, but this was definitely pushing it.

I have another gripe with (some, not all) recruitment agencies. When you have a candidate that comes for an interview with you, and they are short listed to see the client and you tell them you will phone them after the interview to see how it went....please just do it. We make the concerted effort in making sure our CV is just right for the position, spend time on the cover letter and preparing for the interview, driving to where ever we need to go, take time off work if needed to go with some excuse - the very least you can do is follow through with what you say you are going to do. On the other end of the table, I worked for a recruitment agency who regretted every single person who applied for any position, and who wasn't shortlisted. That is a lot of extra admin, but makes such a huge difference! Not so hard actually. Just a little common decency and respect.

Looking for a job is a job all in itself. It's not easy, and recruiters and employers are very strict on some things, things we sometimes have no control over. Yes, jobs these days are hard to come by and we would all like a nice paying job in a good and stable company. However, that does not mean that we are just going to settle for the first average job that comes along. We have standards too and are associated by the type of company we work at. At the end of the day we are also interviewing the company to see who they are, what they have to offer US, growth opportunities, etc. We may come off as desperate, and some recruiters or employers may think of us as just a number, but we are people and we deserve a little respect when it comes to going for interviews and getting back to people at the very least. It's a two way street, and sometimes that's all to easily forgotten.

Saying Goodbye..

How does one say goodbye to a company that you built up from scratch, one that you followed with your heart and soul, and pursued your dreams against all odds to create?

It has been an incredible journey, one that's taught me to challenge myself in ways I never dreamed possible.
I never thought I would have it in me to create a company and to push the boundaries every single day. I won't lie, it was definitely not a bed of roses each day and a constant uphill challenge. It's no joke when business owners tell you how tough it is in the beginning, because it is! We've been through our share of blood, sweat and tears, but there have been far many more rewards and personal achievements gained that everything else seems to fade in comparison.

This company was my dream, it became a part of my heart and soul and I will treasure it forever. The reason for closing down the company is purely for circumstances beyond my control, and I would have loved to have seen this grow into one of the best gift and design companies in South Africa. I don't regret anything, and I would gladly do it all again.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge the following people who contributed in some way towards Chisani Creations. Words don't nearly describe what some of you mean to me and what you've done, but I thought I'd try and get it said anyway :)

• My husband. My pillar of strength, never ending supporter, partner and amazing website developer. Without you, this would never have been possible. Thank you for allowing me to follow my dream and supporting me every step of the way!

• Mom, Dad, Matt and Gran. My family, who never once doubted or questioned what I was doing but supported me through thick and thin - the good days and the bad ones.

• My amazing friends - Amanda, Justin, Samantha, Catherine and Jacqui who went above and beyond with their moral support, enthusiasm and belief in what I was doing. 

• Some people I've met along the way or had the pleasure of doing business with - Kelvin Maree, Samantha at Citi Sprint, Nicola at Sparkling Bride, Diana at Styled Events, Ernestene at Jetline Tygervalley, Peter du Toit and Lisa Breedt of Social Media IQ, Drikus Le Roux, the Merry Pak team and Catharina from Catharina's Cake Boutique. You've all been so inspirational to me, and provided top class service - thank you so much!

Even though this venture was very close to my heart and hard to say goodbye to, I don't regret any of it for a second and believe I was meant to do this for a reason and that there is always a purpose for everything. I look forward to new ventures and challenges ahead, and will take what I've learnt with me.

Yours in gifts one last time,
Melanie Chisnall
of Chisani Creations

I Miss...

I heard Jack Parow's song "I Miss" on the radio the other day, and it brought back so many memories of when I was a child. Here's what I miss...

• Bionic Six, Smurfs, Darkwing Duck, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ducktails, Tiny Toons, Tin Tin
• Pocket money
• School holidays
• Slumber parties
• Tapes and videos
• Letters in the post
• Beverly Hills 90210
• Birthday parties
• Performing in dance concerts
• Seeing friends every day at school
• Watching Jurassic Park and Aladin at the cinema
• Talking on the telephone to two friends at the same time
• Ice cream cakes
• School outings
• Going away on holiday every year to visit grandparents
• Building sandcastles and having ice-cream on Fishhoek beach
• Picking up pine cones while walking with grandpa through Plumstead
• Not having to pay for my own clothes, extra murals or parties
• M-Net open time with the old Egoli and Loving
• Passing notes in class
• Having four dogs to play with every day
• Feeling safe all the time
• Mike's Kitchen
• Sunday afternoon drives
• Ace of Base
• Playing hide and seek
• Reading Nancy Drew and Sweet Valley High books
• Blush magazines
• Sunday morning cartoons
• Full House, Step by Step and Three's Company

Penny Pinching

Seems like it's hit us again - I'm not complaining, we've been blessed and we've been in a nice little comfort zone for a while now, so it was just a matter of time before we had to start pinching the pennies again :P But, we've done it before and we'll do it again! Not so bad actually, kind of humbles you....

I get so annoyed with people who claim to be flat "broke" towards month end, yet they still have R1000 - R2000 left each month. I'm sorry, but that in my books does not classify you as broke. Broke is when you have to squeeze the very last drop of shampoo out of the bottle, when supper is two minute noodles or spaghetti and some cheap sauce, when there is literally no money for toilet paper (and being too proud to ask for money you 'borrow' a little from work or the malls...hey, it happens!), and lastly - being broke is when you literally do not have ANY money to go out with friends to have a drink or coffee, or even to have a braai because who wants to have a toasted samie on the braai when everyone else is having nice steaks, chops and wors?!

We've recently started eating very healthy at home, which is great. Lots of fresh veg and fruit which I try to really stretch out, and loads of chicken and tuna. A lot of people actually think that eating healthy is more expensive than unhealthy eating (pies, heavy meals, burgers, etc.), but that's not really true. Going to the shops earlier, I realised that there are ways you can save money when buying food and eating healthy. You don't need the cherry tomatoes - rather get the whole ones, I don't eat bread anymore, rather buy a pack of Rye Vita and have that for lunch - lasts much longer and I don't throw half a loaf of bread away each week. Ready made meals are a thing of the past, I'm trying to get into the habit of cooking on the weekends and then freezing meals in separate containers to just heat up during the week. Breakfast is Kelloggs Special K which I really enjoy, Geoff likes his Pronutro. Snacks are provitas, yoghurt and fruit throughout the day. Our 'treat' for the week is a bottle of wine, and some chocolate wafer biscuits. I've learnt that you can't completely cut out all sweets because once that craving hits, and you're in a shop filled with milktarts and cakes...you're in a bit of trouble! :P

This is just a warning to all our friends if we may seem a bit scarce, the next couple of weeks or months (hopefully not that long!) we're going to have to just settle for coffee at home or something along those lines. I did work out one takeaway/meal out a month - but we'll have to see. We still have a lot more than most people, so I'm grateful....here's to a humble next couple of weeks!

The reality of starting your own business - 18 months on

Starting my own business is always something that I wanted to do, but never thought I could. I tried for eight years to work my way up into a position that would be fulfilling, but I just couldn't seem to find it. I won't go into the boring details, but let's just say there comes a point in your life where if you have to start forcing yourself to be sick in order to not go into work - that's when you realise it's time for a serious change! This is when I decided to give it a go and start my own business. I did the research, spoke to some people - got quite a lot of interest, and off I went. That was 18 months ago...

I received a lot of mixed reactions when telling people what I was planning on doing. I got the "that's great!" and "good for you!" responses, and then I got the looks. You know the looks you get from people who think you're crazy and who just can't believe what they've heard...those looks. When you start a new business, you have almost everyone telling you that they can't wait to order and that they're going to support you..but in reality, only about 10% of these people order. I had assumed that most, if not all of my friends would support me in the beginning - I'm not talking about buying really, more like helping me in the beginning by spreading the word, suggesting me to other friends or entering my competitions to get more exposure. I don't see the harm, and I would gladly do that without being asked twice for any friend of mine just getting their new business off the ground. I actually had a friend tell me that she couldn't be bothered to enter a competition of mine because it took too much time (it took 3 minutes). Another contacted me offering to take photo's of my products, and then just never came back to me - even after I tried contacting her a few times. These are friends I'd respected and valued, but it just goes to show you that when in times of need they're not such true friends after all.

But, this time also made me realise just what a true friend is, and what it means to have someone support you through thick and thin. My husband, Geoff - never once complained that we'd be losing a second income and that we'd really be struggling to get this thing going. He developed my website for me, and has been amazing with all the changes I've asked for. Without his love and support, I honestly don't think I would have gotten this far. Thank you to Amanda and Justin, who were struggling last year but ordered Mother's Day gifts for R50 just to support me - truly amazing friends! I met Catherine (a photographer) earlier this year I am constantly amazed at her generosity and kindness. Not only did she spread the word about what I do, but she also took out some of her own busy time to come through and take photographs of various favour and invitation products. We simply did an 'exposure trade' - and her images are on my website and fanpage. My family have also been 100% behind me every step of the way. They generally care and show interest when I show them new products I've made or come up with - the look in my granny's eyes is just something that can't be described.

I'm proud of how far I've come in the last year and a half. For a shy girl from little old Namibia I think I've done pretty well. I've been forced to attempt or conquer a few of my own fears, like driving on the N1 (highway) for the first time last year to see a client, cold calling, taking part in a social media course, sourcing reliable suppliers and just giving 110% to each and every single order, even when I know some of them are just competition, or hunting for the cheapest option. I've learnt that there are people out there that are too lazy to do something themselves, who will try and steal your ideas. I've come to realise that certain people are just too selfish and self centered to see the bigger picture and want to do it all. This is a give and take industry, everyone needs to help one another at some point - thanks to Drikus for all your inspiration!

I don't know what the next 18 months are going to hold, let alone the next 5. Working for yourself, from home and doing what you love is NOT easy. It's hard, it's even harder when you're doing it on your own without a partner, without hundreds of thousands of rands in capital, or starting from scratch with no leads. I'm learning every day, and yes - this might not be a huge success, it might take years to get off the ground or it might not even last past December, but I'm positive and I'm going to give it my all. They say Rome wasn't built in a day, well I guess the saying reads along similar lines for a new business - they're just not built in a year.

On the fence

I can't remember the last time I typed a blog...I know I've been very quiet lately but I've had good reason! It's been a long two weeks, one of which I worked 12 hours straight every day - and then some when I got home, and what do I have to show for it? A lovely case of the flu  :/ I've moaned enough about being sick to everyone else, so I guess I'll give it a rest. (If I have to see anymore Med Lemon or Corenza C, I think I'm going to run away.)

So, I guess you're wondering what these 12 hour work days entailed? It started bright and early with a shift at the Liberty Health canteen from 7am - 9am (only temporary to help out while they found someone permanent. It was a good experience though and I learnt a lot about food, and got to take home quite a few treats much to Geoff's delight :). Then, straight from there I went to look after and entertain a 2 year old boy for 4-5 hours (anyone thinking of having kids, do this - your eyes will be opened, trust me! Not your average little boy as he is extremely clever and not at all satisfied with the answer "because"..*sigh*. Grew to look forward to our daily play dates, but I was very glad I could give him back!). After that I went to fetch Ashley (who is 10) from school and help her with homework and drive her to all her extra murals that include: hockey, extra maths, swimming, horse riding and guitar. Twice a week I also take her brother (15 years old) to extra maths and accounting. So, that's 2 children and 1 teenager => pretty exhausting! I honestly take my hat off to mothers everywhere....this was a huge eye opener for me of what's to come, and anyone who thinks that babysitting/being a mom/Au pairing is easy - I have news for you, it's physically draining...but I imagine extremely rewarding which balances it all out :)

I've got a lot to think about over the next couple of weeks, where I see Chisani Creations going and what I want to do. I know the world is supposed to be like an oyster, but I can't help feeling like I'm running out of time. I can't ignore the fact that in 2 years I'll be 30, and I'd hoped to be settled in a fulfilling career by then and be in a position to start a family. Lots of decisions to make, fences to jump over and chances to take. It's going to be an interesting next couple of weeks!

20 Reasons why it's GREAT to be a woman!

1. Hair colour

2. Handbags

3. Women's only gyms

4. Girl's nights out

5. Gossip

6. Wonderbra

7. Chocolate - sometimes it really is the answer to all our problems

8. Chic flicks

9. Girlfriends who get you

10. We are capable of doing more than one thing at a time

11. Bubble baths and scented candels

12. We cry while reading a good book or watching a soppy movie

13. We can admit when we've made a mistake

14. We can cook, bake and sew - when, and if we want to

15. Planning weddings

16. Lingerie

17. High heels

18. Bellydancing, Hip hop, Modern - or any other form of dancing that makes us feel great!

19. We make excellent listeners

20. We know that the best way to find out what we are made of is those times that truly challenge us.

Part of an extract from Shape Magazine - August 2010

South Africa: It's a Love-Hate Relationship!

I wasn't born in South Africa and will always be a true Namibian at heart, but over the last 14 years I've really grown to love, and hate this country.

       For the LOVE of SA:

• Our weather, we are truly blessed to not have things like tornadoes, hurricanes and snow storms! We have great summers, and our winters aren't that cold.
• How many other countries have 11 official languages in one country?!
• Nelson Mandela
• Cape Town. From Table Mountain, to the V&A Waterfront, Kirstenbosch Gardens, the Cape Winelands, Greenmarket Square, Kalk Bay, Camps Bay and Big Bay - we've got it all!
• Kruger National Park 
• Cape Point
• District 9
• Our many different cultures
• Bobotie, curry & rice, snoek, braai, vetkoek, koeksisters, biltong and Mrs. Balls chutney!

      Things I HATE about SA:

• Our technology is still quite far behind other first world countries.
• Crime. Not sure about everyone else, but as much as I'd love to take a jog around my neighbourhood by myself, I just don't feel safe doing it. So I don't, and I hate that.
• Racism. Let's face reality, as much as we all want this to be a 'rainbow nation' - it's never going to happen. It's sad that some people have to hold a grudge, and I'm talking about all races here. Sometimes I wish I was back in Namibia, maybe I was too young, but I had friends of all races and never felt the hate that I feel here.
• Golden Arrow buses, unsafe taxi's and shoddy trains. We have a long way to go with our transportation system.
• Eskom
• Government:  Parties, private jets, wives & luxuries....and then the poor, homeless, etc. Need I say more?
• Some sport team players picked purely on race and not talent. The same goes with some of the top corporate positions. Really not good.
• How the rest of the world views us. Hopefully the 2010 Soccer World Cup will change some of that.

For the most part, I think we are really lucky to live in such a beautiful country. Still, I wouldn't mind going to sleep at night and feeling 100% safe, or taking a walk somewhere and not having to have an extra pair of eyes at the back of my head.

What do you love or hate about our country? Do you think other countries have as much issues as us?

.

50 Things About Me

I've seen this on quite a few blogs and have always found them interesting to read. Not that everyone wants to know every little detail about you, but I figure they're fun to read and fun to write, so what's the harm anyway? As long as it's short and sweet I suppose, so here goes:

1. I was born in Namibia
2. I'm Sagittarius, which means I get bored easily, love to travel, take risks and often put my foot in my mouth.
3. I get impatient very quickly.
4. Poor service, food or attitude = no tip, simple as that
5. Ace of Base was my favourite band in my early teens.
6. I hated high school
7. I enjoyed primary school
8. Was a school prefect in Std. 5
8. I've been dancing since I was six
9. Not a big sports fan
10. I can't ice-skate
11. I can only go to sleep when the door is just a crack open.
12. "Dating the Enemy" is my favourite Romantic Comedy movie
13. I'm addicted to "Criminal Minds", "Dexter" and "Desperate Housewives"
14. I am a cat and dog lover equally
15. I often dream about our family's pets that have passed which is very special to me.
16. I'm not a big fish lover (the pet, not the food)
17. I can't grow plants
18. I hate elevators
19. I'm collecting the "In Death" book series by JD Robb (aka Nora Roberts)
20. I love reading
21. Last year was the first time I'd driven the N1 by myself.
22. I don't eat funny things like snails, calamari, mussels, oysters, etc.
23. I will always have a John Lee special when we go to Spur
24. "Dumb and Dumber" is my favourite Comedy movie
25. I have a yearning to visit New York City and Italy, have had since I can remember.
26. I wanted to be a Fashion Designer at one stage
27. I was very shy and introverted at school.
28. I'm an early morning person
29. I hate waking up late on the weekend
30. Selfish, arrogant and vain people irritate me and I avoid them like the plague.
31. I've worked at 3 Recruitment agencies
32. I studied Interior Decorating and love doing it as a hobby
33. I got engaged on my 20th birthday
34. My first job was making frozen yoghurt
35. My last job was being a PA
36. I now work 2 part time jobs while trying to get my gift and invitation business off the ground.
37. I prefer winter to summer
38. Christmas is right in the middle of my husbands birthday and my birthday.
39. I hate queues and would rather come back the next day than stand in one.
40. I like playing The Sims
41. I really do believe in karma
42. My favourite colour is burgundy
43. People usually think I'm about 17 when they meet me for the first time
44. I was a pro at pretending to be sick when I didn't feel like staying at school
45. I wish I was a little bit taller
46. My car's name is Icy
47. I love watching natural disaster movies
48. I want to learn to speak Italian
49. I believe in ghosts and am 99% sure I saw one or two when I was younger
50. Ferrero Rochers are my all time favourite chocolates

Night of comedy, wine & pizza

After another typical Monday this week, I was looking forward to settling in at home and watching a DVD under some warm blankets with the hubby, eating some good comfort food and sipping hot chocolate while it rained and poured outside. Typical Monday evening? Usually yes, but not this time. Geoff surprised me late Monday afternoon by telling me about a comedy show playing at the Barnyard Theatre at Willowbridge that night, and asked if I wanted to go. The best part about it was that it was free - but still, getting dressed up to go out in the freezing cold vs staying indoors all warm and cosy....tough choice (or so I thought). Then I remembered that it's been a while since we last did something like this during the week, and 99.9% of the time you end up having the best time. So I got home, dressed and off we went to brace the cold.

We didn't have time to eat before we left, so it was a good time to finally try the pizza at Col'Cacchio - which I've heard is pretty amazing. The service was friendly but not overbearing, the atmosphere was divine; warm and cozy, and the food was good (not as good as Massimo's pizza, but close!)

After we'd finished eating, we walked upstairs to the Barnyard Theatre. I've never been there, and was really impressed with the layout of the place, and how warm it was inside! We found some seats towards the middle of the room, and settled in to watch some comedy from the likes of Richard Hardiman, Mark Palmer, Rob Van Vuuren and Paul Snodgrass to name just a few. I can honestly say that I can't remember the last time I laughed so much that I had tears in my eyes and my mouth actually hurt! The comedy these guys came up with was insane. We actually did get to have hot chocolate that night, and later in the evening ordered a bottle of wine. It was even better than sitting in front of the TV at home under blankets!

What a perfect evening! Geoff even won himself a signed soccer ball by one of the Cameroon players. Pretty cool! This is definently a night I'll remember for a long time to come, and even though every night can't be as spontaneous as this (or we'd be in a lot of debt!), once in a while to remind us that there is so much to celebrate in everyday life, is worth getting a little cold for. :)

What a feeling!

Finally, after 2 months I found the courage to stand on the scale this morning - not an easy task! I've been on a new gym & eating plan since 1 April, and have been trying hard to stick to it. It's not one specific diet or workout program, I've talked to trainers and done online research and stuck to what I'm comfortable with.

Basically, for the diet part: I've cut out sugar, white breads, a lot of pasta and stuck to low fat dairy, lots of fruit and veg, chicken, salads and soups. I do sneak in the odd brownie or glass of wine here and there, but stay far away from things that I used to really munch on, like popcorn at the movies, any kind of slap chips and cool-drinks (including flavoured water). Yesterday, I decided to try and cut out the low GI bread I normally have for lunch and snacked on a few almonds, yoghurt, provitas and a banana throughout the day. Thought I'd be starving, but I actually felt great!

For the excersise part, there I was going to gym on average four times a week for about an hour, thinking the kilos were just going to fly off. Haha, not so. I spoke to 3 trainers at the gym asking them what I can do to lose weight, but what they told me didn't help. One day, earlier this month I was on the treadmill and this woman who I see at the gym every day started chatting to me. She told me to try to increase my gradient by 1 or 2 every day and increase my speed. Wow, what a difference! I can't believe how much more I'm doing now just by those few words of encouragement, and not by a "trainer" talking absolute nonsense. I can feel I'm a bit fitter and can now keep up with the 10 year old tomboy I look after (who insist on us playing hockey, tennis and soccer in free time), and am confident enough to start hip hop classes again - I cannot wait! :)

The moment of dread arrived this morning, and as I expecting to have gained weight, I didn't get my hopes up at all. That's why I was so shocked to see that I'd lost just over 2kgs in the last month and a bit! YAY! Awesome start to the day and the weekend! Now I don't feel so guilty about sampling some of the brownies and chocolate truffles for the new gift favour range tomorrow ;)

Just keeping it all in perspective...

Massimo's Pizza

The highlight of this week was knowing that after 6 days of working furiously, we'd be able to sit back and relax with the best pizza in town. No, I'm not talking about Scooters, Debonairs, St. Elmo's or Butlers Pizza - I'm talking about REAL Italian pizza. The kind of pizza that makes you want to carry on eating even when your stomach's telling you it's had enough and is about to explode. The kind of pizza that makes you drive all the way from Durbanville to Hout Bay, just for the pizza.

If you haven't already heard of Massimo's Pizza Club, I suggest you make a plan and get there this month. They're situated on the outskirts of Hout Bay, in a cozy little corner restaurant that offers a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, a fireplace and the best pizza money can buy.

We arrived around 7.30pm last night, welcomed in from the cold by Tracy, and led to a small table right opposite the fireplace. From our table we could see the pizza oven and smell the delicious aroma's of garlic, pesto and roasted peppers that filled the air. Soft Italian music filtered across the restaurant, but the most distinct sound was that of pure laughter and happy chatter amongst the families and couples who were enjoying their food and each other's company.

Choosing your pizza is no easy task, the list of choices are endless and each pizza on the menu sounds even more mouth watering than the one before. They also have daily specials that are put up on a board that leave you even more confused! Luckily, if you're as indecisive as me and want two or three different pizza toppings but only want one pizza, they offer this option as well. I ended up having a duo pizza with half pesto and baby tomatoes on one side, and on the other half,  sweet roasted peppers with feta, garlic and basalmic vinegar. It was so good that we ordered another pizza to take home which we promptly finished for breakfast the next morning. :)

We ended off our meal with two Italian liqueurs: Limoncello, an Italian after dinner drink, made by Massimo with local organic lemons, and the Bicerin - a traditional Torinese chocolate liqueur. If that wasn't enough, our waiter brought us a large jar filled with sugar cubes drenched in the same alcohol. He took out each cube, placed them on a spoon and lit them with a lighter. After the flame had caramelized the sugar cube, we blew it out and ate it just like that. Wow, what an experience! Great way to end off the evening.

I highly recommend taking a late afternoon drive to Hout Bay, and after a sunset walk along the harbour visiting this fantastic restaurant. They are open Wednesday to Sunday from 6pm, but will be closed from the end of May to early September as they will be opening at new premises in Hout Bay.

Massimo's Pizza Club @ Scarecrows, Oakhurst Farm Park

Main Road, Hout Bay, Cape Town

Contact Massimo and Tracy

Call 073 3901373 or 021 7907906, or sms PIZZA to 073 3901373 and we will call you back

email: info@pizzaclub.co.za

The things we take for granted

Friday is finally here! What a week! To say Geoff and I had car troubles this week is a mild understatement. For some reason, both our Golfs decided to play up this week, each had their turn one day after the other to decide to (a) not start at all, (b) stall in the middle of a busy intersection, (c) pretend to work the night before and then not start again the next morning. Lovely. Especially when you have to pick up kids and take them to school, have a corporate company depending on you to deliver their food, have your own company's work to do, and a whole afternoon of carting kids around for extra murals. Not ideal at all. Long story short, my car is back today from a full service *big sigh of relief*, and it's made me realise a couple of things that I sometimes take for granted, but that I am SO grateful for!

1. My family. I can depend on them for anything. They are my support system and will they love me no matter what. Just knowing that in the middle of a really crappy day (like today), I can just drop in unannounced, have a cup of tea and a chat with my Mom, and feel a whole lot better by the time I leave makes everything seem ok.

2. My husband. This week really made me realise how amazing this man is. He literally dropped everything to come and help me with  my car when I was in an absolute panic. He's calm and patient; two qualities I sometimes lack in certain situations where this is really called for. There's just not enough space to type about how grateful I am to have him in my life :)

3. My health. How often are we really grateful that we have all our limbs, that we can see and hear and smell? That we can eat normally, run, sing, laugh and dance? I may not look like Cindy Crawford, I may be short, I may not be as tanned as I'd like - but I think I got a pretty good deal. I have my health, and I'm grateful for it!

4. My home. What's better than coming home at the end of a really long day to a place that's comfortable, safe and loving? Our house is small, we don't have a pool or a guest bedroom or a proper dining table yet - but it's our place to come home to, and that's what counts.

5. My pets. I can't imagine living without having a cat or a dog in the house. Growing up, we always had both. We now have two cats who love the freedom they have in the small garden. I really hope they're lapping it up, before we move to a place a bit bigger someday and can get a dog or two to join the family ;)

6. My car. This week has really made me appreciate having wheels. I forgot what it feels like to have to rely on someone for a lift, or not be able to get out and about to do the simple, everyday things that need to get done.

7. My friends. This past year has really allowed me to find out who my true friends are. I may say this a lot, but certain situations really do show people's true colours. I've found friendships in people who I thought would just be casual acquaintances, and I've lost friendships of people who I thought were my friends, but who lost interest or let me down when I really needed them. Real friends are those who stick by you through the good AND the bad times.

8. Who I am. I may be a bit reserved at times, and not quite the social butterfly at the party, but at least I know who I am and what I want. I made the decision to start my own business a while ago and went for it last year. It's tough and it's not as easy as I thought it would be. Some days I really just want to throw in the towel and call it quits, but then I remember - this is my dream, it's what I want to do and I WILL make it happen. I'm so grateful that I'm not one of those people who goes mindlessly to a job that they hate, complain and come home miserable. I'm glad I have the dreams and the will to follow them through.

I'm also grateful for coffee, the internet, the comfortable chair I'm sitting on, the sun shining through the window right now, a fridge with food in it, a TV, a proper bed, clean water, electricity and all the other normal things we (I) usually take for granted everyday.

Dear Cape Town drivers

Dear Cape Town drivers,

Wouldn't it be nice if we could all just drive properly, and get along?

• Flickers or indicators are not accessories to use when you choose to, and believe it or not you don't look cool switching lanes in your fancy car and not using them, you just look like you don't know how to drive.

• Parents! Please put seat belts on your children sitting in the front seat. What's wrong with you? Do you want them to go flying through the windshield?!

• Driving right up my tail is going to make me go even slower, not a even a little bit faster. ;)

• There is a thing known as "Sunday drivers", but is it necessary to drive under 60kph?!

• When I put my hand out the window and make little circular motions, I'm not doing a funny hand dance or waving - I'm indicating that I'm turning left as my flicker is broken.

• Woman are bad drivers? Haha! I've seen more men this week talking on their cell phones and trying to drive safely at the same time. Get a hands free!

• This is one for some the cyclists. Please stick to your side of the lane (not the middle), or cycle on the pavements where you can. I'm tired of driving halfway into oncoming traffic to pass you safely.

Thanks for reading my rant.

Time to get out there and enjoy the rest of the weekend. Safe travels if you're driving anywhere this long weekend!

Regards,
MC

My latest TV show addiction

I'm not afraid to admit it, I love my TV shows. Fortunately I have three jobs that keep me very busy, so I don't have much time during the week to blob and watch them. But, one of my favourite things to do is to block off a couple of hours when I have the time and the week's just been too much, and watch a series marathon of whatever I'm really into at that moment.

Right now, that series is Criminal Minds.  Each 40 minute episode is so gripping and well written, it's hard not to stay glued to the TV. The series is about a group of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia. The group travel around the country in attempt to crack each case, and "go inside" the mind of the killer, rapist or kidnapper. What makes this show so different to all other criminal system procedural dramas (such as CSI, etc), is that it focuses on the criminal instead of the actual crime itself.

Breakdown of the show:

In this crime series, a crack team of FBI profiles fly from Quantico to the focal point of the criminal activity of various serial killers. There they investigate the evidence from the crime scenes, compose a profile and try to prevent the next fatal strike. Top brain is academic Jason Gideon, with his more by-the-book operational right hand man Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner. The still juvenile Dr. Spencer Reid is an erudite on everything except real life, Penelope Garcia a brilliant computer whiz who gets access to any database etc. As they are mobile, cooperation with local police and FBI agents is important but often poses jurisdictional and other problems, as do some witnesses and suspects. Written by KGF Vissers

 

Based in Quantico, Virginia, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is a subsection of the FBI. Called in by local police departments to assist in solving crimes of a serial and/or extremely violent nature where the perpetrator is unknown (referred to by the Unit as the unknown subject or unsub for short), the BAU use the controversial scientific art of profiling to track and apprehend the unsub. Profiling entails coming up with basic characteristics of the unsub and the victims (referred to as the victimology), using evidence from the case and matching that information to historic precedents and psychological analyses as a means to solve the case. Because of the nature of the work conducted by the BAU - the work being time consuming and psychologically demanding - its members are fiercely loyal to the Unit and to its other members. Also because of the work's overall demanding nature, not many members of the BAU have been able to maintain a happy or stable family life

My reasons to feel good!

• It's the beginning of my favourite time of year again - Autumn. Crisp mornings, red and orange leaves, sunny days...gorgeous!

• We had the family over yesterday for Easter lunch. Great food, good convo and laughter - there's nothing better.

• I'm finally doing what I love and enjoy, and not just something to pay the month-end bills.

• Two much anticipated movies are opening soon: "Clash of the Titans" and "Sex & the City 2"

• Geoff started his new job this month. It's great to see him happy and excited about work again.

• It's our 3 year wedding anniversary later this month. 

• I'm starting to look forward to the Soccer World Cup.

• I saw my 17 year old cat cuddle up to Geoff this weekend and my heart melted.

• I am blessed to have such great friends - those who have bothered, cared and stuck by me through the last few months when I really needed them.

• I really have the most amazing husband in the world. :)

• I've decided that I am going to lose 6-7kgs by 1 September!

• I'm happy with how far I've come over the past year and what I've accomplished.

 

The time is now!

I think when you start to feel that your clothes are a little tighter than usual, you no longer need to wear your cool belt and your sister-in-law starts referring to you as "vettie" - it's REALLY time to look in the mirror! I've never had an issue with my weight - till now. I was 49kgs in Matric, and very happy as I had a good excuse to not donate blood (you had to be 50kgs or over, and I was terrified of something pumping through my arm!). Almost 10 years later, and 10kgs later...a big NO NO!  It's not that I stuffed my face with cakes and what not, but working in an office job that I hated, and having little time for anything else really did a number on me. So here I am, with this goal. From today, 1 April 2010 I have 5 months to lose 7kg's....just in time for Spring. My inspiration...Shape Magazine SA.

www.shapemag.co.za

I got sick of reading magazine's like Cosmopolitan, that made you feel not so great, and like you couldn't afford to buy half the things they put in there. No, Shape is all about promoting  a HEALTHIER and HAPPIER you! They have so many positive and inspirational stories of real life women, excersises that you can do at home, low fat recipes, and so much more! I recommend giving this magazine a try for a month, in fact - I'm trying their gym treadmill and bike programme today..looks a bit more intense than what I normally do, but sometimes you just need that extra push! Here we go...no turning back now that I've put this in writing for all to see! ;P


"There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness." - Lady Marguerite Blessington

For those that cannot speak...

Those of you who know me, know that I LOVE animals. I've grown up with cats and dogs all my life, and join tons of animal groups and organizations on Facebook in support of them. I've come to the sad realization that one can't simply say, "shame" and join a page and think that they are helping or contributing. Watching clips of animal torture, hearing it on the radio or reading about it doesn't help matters either. The reality is that there will always be animal abuse (yes, and not forgetting human abuse - but that's a whole other topic), but what can we do to prevent some of it, eliminate part of it and just do our bit for these creatures that don't ask for much, who love us often without question, and who can't speak for themselves?

I'm not adding any abuse images to this blog, though a picture speaks a thousand words, there are more than enough on the internet and that's not the purpose of this post. When I read or hear about what goes on in the world; I feel sick, furious and sad. I'm tired of just sitting back with these feelings and hoping it will all just go away, or worse trying to ignore it. Ask yourself, are you really ok with someone being fined a couple of hundred bucks for killing a puppy deliberately? Or the kids treating that kitten like a cricket ball? Yes, I don't want to read this kind of thing either and I'm upset just typing this, but what are we going to do? Unfortunately we can't legally take someone and smash them around with a bat (that's how strongly I feel about this), but why aren't there stricter punishments in place? How about jail time...not a few days, I'm talking about years and plenty - without bail.

I'm going to do a lot more research about this, and anyone who can offer some advice on where to go from here (the right channels or who to contact) or who want to join me,  I welcome your input, assistance or help. We're all put on this earth for a reason, and I believe there is a reason that I feel so strongly about this sort of thing, and I for one don't want to sit back anymore and pretend it doesn't exist.

On that note, I've researched a few great organizations doing their bit for animals. I know we can't support each and every single one of them, some months we can't even support one, but if you can - take a few minutes to see what these fantastic organizations are doing to make a difference. You'd be surprised at how far even R20 will go. I'll update in my next post about this which ones I've chosen, even if it's R20 a month - it's still a lot better than nothing.

TEARS - www.tears.org.za
TEARS is a pro-life organisation based in Sunnydale (near Kommetjie). Our core aim is to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home abandoned, abused and neglected dogs and cats. We care for over 250 rescued animals at any given time. To date, we have found homes for almost 10 000 dogs and cats.

Wetnose Animal Rescue Centre -  http://www.wetnose.org.za
Wet Nose Animal Rescue Centre was opened in April 1999 by Tracy Forte who had a belief that all animals deserve a second chance in life and that healthy animals should not be killed just because they are unwanted. A safe haven had to be opened for these precious babies where they stand a chance of getting a new loving home. Wet Nose is a registered non-profit organisation devoted to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of lost, abandoned and neglected animals. They are a right to life organisation and do not believe in euthanasia, except in the most extreme cases – they try and re-home all the animals into loving homes after they have been rehabilitated and sterilised. To date they have successfully re-homed over 20 500 dogs, 1 700 cats, donkeys, a goat, horses, guinea pigs, pigs and rabbits.

P.E.T.S - Pets Empowerment in Townships - http://www.pets.org.za
PETS is a non-profit, pro-active, pro-life animal rescue organisation, run by a group of members that still have to work full time and is indebted to all our wonderful foster mom's, and families. Without your support structure, only a small amount of what we do today would be possible. We do not sit around and wait for animals in need to come to us, instead we spend every free minute we have (much to the distress of our husband's) in the townships LOOKING for the animals that need help.

Animal Anti-Cruelty League - http://www.aacl.co.za
The Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL), has been protecting and caring for animals since 1956.  It is South Africa's second largest independent Animal Welfare Organization, relying entirely on the generosity and goodwill of the animal-loving public for financial support. We are an organization that gets involved  with all aspects of animal welfare - provide shelter for abandoned animals, promote an efficient adoption programme, prosecute animal cruelty cases, run welfare hospitals for lower income groups, visit underprivileged areas with fully equipped mobile clinics and regularly address schools and clubs on the challenges of animal welfare.

Taking a chance

We've had a bit of a roller-coaster ride during the last few weeks, but instead of getting down in the dumps and all depressed about the situation, we've kept our heads up and remained positive. They say things happen for a reason, and I believe that this was a sign from up above for us to think outside the box, and really put ourselves out there. I realised that although I've got a home based business that's doing well, there is still so much more that I want to do and explore. Forget about office work - that's the reason I started my own creative company in the first place. On a whim one Friday evening, I applied for a half day Au Pair position. It must have been fate, because on the Sunday morning I was told I'd gotten the position! I can honestly say that besides my own business, I don't think I've enjoyed a job so much in my entire life. Yes, it's alot of responsibility, caring for and looking after someone else's child. Maybe I'm just blessed with a really well behaved child, well besides the fact that in my first week she's given me pure coffee disguised as a chocolate cookie to eat; made me believe that there were bergies living in their garage - a real actress this one; and embarresed me by chucking a half eaten fruit bar out the car window while driving in heavy traffic! (All preparation for what's to come in a few years down the line I would imagine!) ;)

As luck may have it, I've also taken on a couple of hours a morning to assist a catering company. Today was my first day, and I absolutely loved it! Will blog more about this once I'm into the swing of things...need a couple of days to get used to having 3 jobs a day. I know this will probably mean working at night when needed, but all I can say is....bring it on!! For the first time in my life, I feel like this - everything I am doing now is what I was meant to be doing all along.

Seeing Avatar

We finally got round to seeing Avatar yesterday. At first, I wasn't too keen to see it because it looked like a bit of a kiddies movie (to me). After we heard all the hype about the movie from friends and saw the ratings; and the fact that it was in 3D, we thought it might be worth seeing. Fully booked for weeks (unless you wanted to sit right in front), we finally got round to watching this much talked about movie yesterday.

The movie opens with a scene of people waking up inside a huge space shuttle. They've been asleep for five months while en-route to another planet. At first, I thought this was a preview to a GI-Joe meets AI type of movie, and made a mental note to catch the name of it at the end of the preview. Because I was expecting Avatar to open with lots of blue people living in a fantasy land, I was really surprised at the opening of this movie, and was hooked from the moment the movie started.

The lead actor, Sam Worthington plays Jake Sully, an ex-marine who is called in to take the place of his deceased twin brother. He becomes an Avatar (a human mind in an alien body), and his mission is to convince a group of indigenous people, living on Pandora - an alien planet, to move away from their sacred village and beloved forrest.

 

Without giving too much of the storyline away,  Jake finds himself drawn to Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldana - who you might remember from Centre Stage in 2000), the daughter of the leader of the group.  Slowly a bond forms between the two, as she is given the task of training him to become one of their own.  For months, Jake learns everything about the forrest, and it's inhabitants while he discovers more about his character and what is really important to him.

While on this journey of discovery, he has to continuously report on his progress to his military team leader, who ultimately turns out to be his enemy. He finds himself torn between doing what he was recruited for by the military, and following his heart with this group of indigenous people who have come to trust him, and with whom he truly feels at home with.

There is a reason (actually there are many) why this movie topped the box office, knocking Titanic off as one of the biggest grossed movies of all time. For one, the special effects of Avatar are outstanding, and because it's a movie made in 3D it makes the experience even more incredible.  The movie is just over 2 and a half hours, but it's not one of those movies where you look at your watch wondering when it's going to end. I literally wanted this movie to carry on for another 2 hours, it was that good. The storyline and plot of the movie kept me glued from the time it started, right until the closing credits.

Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi and Michelle Rodriquez were brilliant and believable in their supporting acting roles in the movie.

The sound tracks and music were perfectly matched to each scene, and I found myself laughing, crying and getting angry throughout the movie. I walked out of the cinema with a strange feeling of peace, and have not been able to get this movie out of my mind. One of, if not THE best movie I have ever seen.

If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favour - splurge a little extra for the 3D glasses, and enjoy one of the best movies ever made! This is definently not one of those movies that you wait to see on DVD.

So, how well do you actually know someone on Twitter?

Someone once described Twitter to me as the new Mxit - only it's on your computer, and not your cellphone. I've never used Mxit before, and started using Twitter last year to try and promote my new business. After a while, someone suggested that I stop only marketing and promoting my business, as this actually puts some people's backs up - and start chatting to people and finding out what they are interested in, etc - just as you would in real life. (You don't just walk up to someone new and start talking about your product when you first meet them!) So this is what I did, and it's definently helped. You can't believe the amount of information going around daily, hourly and by the minute on Twitter; from the best places to eat, to which companies to avoid doing business with, to movie ratings, jokes and anything and everything you can think of. Twitter was also first to report the shark attack that happened earlier this year at Fishhoek, in Cape Town - even before News24.com.

www.twitter.com 

When you're on Twitter, you usually chat to more or less the same group of people on a daily basis. To do this, your first need to decide who is interesting enough that you want to "follow", and then other people will decide if they want to "follow" you.  Naturally, like any interaction between people who share common interests or goals, you look forward to catching up for a few minutes a day with these people. Yes, you get the spammers, as you do everywhere on the internet - but generally everyone is genuine in who they are and what they do. Well, almost everyone...

Last week was a bit of a shocker for me. Two people in particular, of whom I will not mention names, (there are still some people who want to stay out of this, or who don't believe what's happening - and each to his own, I'm not judging anyone - this is my point of view and thoughts only) came into my life on Twitter. These two people, in their early twenties and seemingly passionate about what they do for a living, came off as very entertaining - you couldn't help but like them immediately, and I will admit I usually looked forward to what they'd be tweeting about. The shocker? It appears (again, my opinion) that what these two people have been feeding us all these months, may just be a big fat lie. A few people suspect the same, but most have just shrugged it off. Me - I was going to do business with one of them, I generally liked them and I don't like being fooled. So, that's what this blog post is about - not about outing these two, pointing fingers or being vindictive, I want other people to be aware that not everyone is who they appear to be - no matter how nice, funny or smart they come off as.

So, why do I think these two people are faking who one of them is, or even who they both are? This is what I've picked up over the last few days, and it's my opinion and point of view only:

• Their status on Facebook is "Engaged" but there isn't a single photo of the two of them together. Not one. This is what initially made me question their relationship, but then other people started questioning more things that just didn't make sense.
• One of them has over 700 pictures of herself, she loves having her photo taken (her words), but again - not a single photo of the two of them together. Odd.
• Of the 700 photos, alot of them are model shots - you'd think this lady was a professional model, yet she only want's to work in the beauty / stylist industry. Why? She's 25, not 35...
• There isn't one single photo of her with a landmark or anything familiar that is from Cape Town or South Africa...not one. Strange.
• In my opinion, after looking at her photos again - I noticed that the type of clothes, the food, etc didn't look like it was from SA at all, we're still quite conservative - if I had to guess, I'd say it looked quite American really. Again - MY opinion. No proof, no facts - just what I think.
• She went to visit her family for a month over December - 2 hours away from her fiance, yet they never got together - not even once, while he was working. Surely if you're in love, you'd want to see each other? (He lives in Gauteng).
• He plans to move to Cape Town to be with his fiance, but seems very relaxed where he is right now and not really bothered when he sees her. He just got a new job (part time). Is it just me, or if you're in love, won't you try anything to move to be with your love? I don't get it.
• No one has ever met her. A few people (myself included) have made appointments with her to do business together, but she either doesn't get back to you, cancels at the last minute or simply doesn't pitch up. Strange...
• Anyone who asked a simple question last week, those of us who didn't understand these things (like why there are no pictures of the two of them together), were blocked from their Twitter accounts and taken off as friends from FaceBook immediately. Does this look like they have nothing to hide? To me - this is a very clear indication that everything, or most of what I suspected is true.

 So there you have it. I don't have proof and I don't really care anymore. I just had to put it all out there, because there are alot of these people out there, some of them have alterior motives and you just can't be too careful. Just because someone has put hours into their Facebook page with photo albums and information and who tweet everyday, does not mean that person is real or who they say they are. The days of IRC chatting are gone, but Twitter and FaceBook are here to stay. If you're ever in doubt, ask questions - you have a right to know who you are talking to and sharing information with. With that said, not everyone is out to play a game or scam you - you just need to see the bigger picture, and not be afraid to question things that seem a bit out of place.