About Me

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What do you really want out of life? Now what's stopping you?

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Intention

Intentionality is a trait that we can all do with a little more of. You can wait for an invitation to a party or you can decide to hold one of your own. Life is not about a passive waiting for things to occur but rather an active pursuing of things you desire.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

A Little Collection

I like writing-no secret there. I get a kick out of crafting sentences that inspire. I guess I have a love affair with the English language. There is a thrill when accosted by its written or spoken forms. So I collect articles-well written ones. The collection is small right now, but will grow with time. 

My collection is not purposeless though. I use it to learn from, to get ideas on how to write better articles. 

What do you collect?

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Bigger Africa

Bigger Africa is a Global community that links people, and links dreams on the continent of Africa. Its vision empowers the three E’s: the entrepreneur, the employer and the employee. Bigger Africa aims to harness your potential, cultivate your competence and link you to the people or experiences you need in order to catapult you to a higher competing platform.

Check it out!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Momentum

Reading 'Think Big' by Donald Trump and Bill Zanker (Bill who you ask? Read and find out, but he knows a little about marketing-put the big name first!) What can I say, Trump can come across as an arrogant,no-nonsense, kick-ass, son-of-a-bitch (arrogance that is well deserved, he kicks rear anyway, I might have gone a little overboard on the last one though-his mother is probably not a bitch so apologies there Mrs Trump). I don't share Trump's value system, but this is still a great read. It is written in simple terms, gets your attention and gives some constructive insight into the mind of one of life's 'greats'. He is brutally honest and is probably not to concerned with your feelings; he's concerned with your success.

One of the issues he touches on is momentum. One of the reasons for a hiatus from this blog. Momentum is powerful in that the more you do, the more it builds. The converse is true. Stop and you will lose it all. I guess I lost a little momentum along the way and put regular posts on hold for a bit. Not the greatest confession but we move on...

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Outliers

Finally managed to finish “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell . It’s only taken me about 2 months The reason for the length of time to get though it had little to do with reading effort, but rather the copy I was reading passed mysteriously across the ocean and I had to find another (in book starved Zimbabwe this is akin to ordering steak in a vegetarian restaurant).

In a nutshell, he takes you through stories of success and outlines some of the circumstances and events that have contributed to it (ever wondered why Asians are better at math-I now know! Of course I’m not telling you read the book yourself.). Each of us is a by-product of timing, opportunity, history and cultural bias (basically S**t happens type stuff). He points out the hand fate has had in shaping our lives (e.g. if Bill Gates were a couple of years older I wouldn’t be typing this on a Windows OS). He hints that we can change some of it. But, most of the time he leaves us blissfully ignorant of what we can do to alter our future and take full advantage of the hand we’ve been dealt. It does however tell you how to raise your kids a little better so at least the next generation gets a better shot.

Is it worth reading? Yes. But don’t expect any magic wand, just some serious thought provoking on where you have come from. Building your future based on this information in the book-well that part is pretty much up to you.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

You don't need time management, you need value management.

Decide what's is important to you and focus on that.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Broadening Your Scope


Exposure enhances vision.

It is estimated that the average person in Africa is behind their international counterparts by about 10 years in terms of exposure to what the world has to offer. That’s despite the Web, although there are many in Africa that do not have access to it.

Each time I travel out of Zimbabwe I am reminded of what is lacking here, but also exposed to new and better things. This time was no different. The one thing I will say about America is that it is huge. It is a huge landmass for starters, but it has huge cities. I was amazed by the level of organisation that exists to keep a city as large as Seattle growing, functional and operational. Be it from planning roads to collecting the trash in a manner that prevents a Wall-E type disaster.

As an aside I’ve been to large cities before (J’burg, London) but have never really appreciated that side of things before. I guess greatness and magnification is what stood out for me most on this trip.

If you have the chance to travel outside of your comfort zone, to see the world seize it with both hands it’s worth it.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Race to Witch Mountain

Finally facing the end of tour. A few more days and I'll be back in sunny Zimbabwe.

Went to see Race to Witch Mountain today. The real reason I went probably has more to do with having seen the previous Witch Mountain shows growing up rather than the incessant advertising on US TV. Impressions? Hmmm, let me see...it wasn't earth shattering, but again doesn't deserve a negative review. Some good tension in places, some good quotes ('It was the bhudda, he's not available'). Still it was a feel good flick that kids will probably enjoy. The second film I've seen young actor Alexander Ludwig in. Did a good job playing an alien kid with deliberate minimal emotional response. Probably a name to watch out for in the future.

Today is an overcast, drizzly, chilly day; perfect for movie, coffee and sleep. So far I've managed the first two; time methinks to chase up the third.

Friday, March 06, 2009

So the tour continues in a hectic fashion, I spent three days indoors without spending more than 5 minutes outdoors as we ran from venue to venue. Have to say that would not enjoy spending my life like that permanently.

I am incredibly grateful for the gym at the moment as it keeps my gut from expanding past my belt. Food is abundant, frequent and generaly fake. The level of processed gunk available is a little mindblowing-I mean literally mindblowing, that much sugar has got to rot more than just your teeth.

While on the topic of sugar here's a fun lifestyle experiment. Take a large glass and a teasppon. Now each time you add a spoon of sugar to something, place the same quantity in the glass. Now to make it more fun. Eat time you eat something with sugar, corn syrup,or sucrose on the label add an extra spoon to your glass. Watch the amount in there at the end of a day or week. Now if ou want to be really disgusting imagine eating that all in raw form! Now you can decide if you want to cut back a little.

PS you can use a similar method to try out any potential addictions. Watch TV and put a glass marble in a bowl for every 10 minutes you spend glued to the idiot box. See how much time you spend.

Friday, February 27, 2009

The Lighter Side of America

So I've been here for a week now, a rather fast and furious introduction to the 'American Dream'. It is easy to talk about the things I like about Seattle, and it is probably the same as many others; snow, the clear signs, wide roads, Starbucks. A little more interesting are the oddities that, as an outsider, fill me with mirth and amusement. Lets start with drug adverts. It is mandatory to list the side effects of drugs during a commercial. There is one for a sinus decongestant that lists effects including viral infection and nasal congestion. Then there is the rheumatoid arthritis med that promises side effects inclding disability, disfigurement and death. I can see it now; "Hey hon, I'm just popping down to the drugstore to pick up some death pills, I may not be back..."

The coffee flavour syrup that includes 'natural and artificial flavours'-seriously why bother with the eco friendly at all.

Went to a restaurant last night-rather pleasant and very busy. As with most public toilets there was the compulsory wheelchair access loo. Only one snag-I'd love to see any wheelchair user manouver their machine through all the highly tensioned sprung doors that lead to it. The fact that they all open one way means that you can get to the toilet in a wheelchair, but getting out again may be a little more fun.

Can't wait to see the parking spaces for the blind...

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

And we have touchdown!

What a month. Shortly before my last post I was invited to America as part of a choir/dance tour. My role is to primarily tutor a number of the kids on tour to make sure they finish school on time. So a hectic few weeks of visa applications, bill finalising, shopping and sheer panic culminated in 48 hours of travel to arrive in Seattle last Friday. It has been a mind blowing and eye opening experience. Much work and many observations-too many to write about in one sitting.

So let me put down one that is fresh in my mind. The Oscars. Now I havn't watched them for a few years, but loved the way the best actor/actress awards were handled-with 5 previous winners each affirming and encouraging one of the nomminees. Very powerful. As for Kate Winslet's speech, I think that was an example of visualising your childhood dreams and making them come true-the shampoo bottle she held up in the mirror as an eight year old is not a shampoo bottle any more.

Will try write more soon.

Monday, February 09, 2009

A little tragedy

I read Tolkein’s ‘Children of Hurin’ yesterday. Now I love Lord of the Rings and can appreciate the style of prose which some find a little weird and long winded. I cannot really stomach a tragedy though. I can appreciate the effort and style in writing one, Romeo and Juliet is amazing, but the morbid ending leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I don’t watch movies to appreciate reality; I watch them to avoid it. There is enough crap happening in the world already, there is no need to add to it fictionally. The guy should get the girl and ‘happily ever after’ should still happen. Movies like ‘Message in a Bottle’ are just depressing. Sure you can have a little pathos in the whole thing, kill off a mentor, have the occasional minor death to help tension and focus-just don’t kill off the hero! So if you are looking for something to help lift your mood then read the book for literary brilliance, not for the tale.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

A Summary of Thought

All things considered there hasn’t really been anything major keeping me from writing. No earthquakes, no close calls with death, no infectious diseases; not much really. I have been busy though. I guess the menial in life got a little better of me, and when combined with a couple of curveballs that required a little more of my attention resulted in an absence from your screens. So I’m over it, I’m sure you already are.

Let’s see what has caught my attention recently. The efficiency of the American visa system (they may not always approve your visa but they are efficient-mine came through though), the monotony of complaints in Zimbabwe (the lack of government, the monopoly money, the dollarisation rumours-same junk different day), the fact that stretch classes work, what three weeks without coffee can do to your mood (clearer mind, not necessarily less grumpy) and raisins (they were cheap what can I say).

So, what does it all mean? Complaints about things you can’t change are a waste of time, extra flexibility is always cool and useful, give up something once in a while-it will make you a better person (I didn’t say quit forever), raisins are a great healthy alternative to sugar on your cereal, and you can’t beat certain systems. Have a brilliant day.

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Dancing Tall

I’m standing a little taller and straighter this week. No, I have not had surgery to have steel rods implanted in my spine, rather I have gone back to dance class. The class I go to usually involves 30 minutes of stretching, followed 30 minutes of conditioning (either barre work or core strengthening) before we even think of looking at a routine. Proper barre does wonders for a person’s posture.

Why am I even bothering to tell you all this? I stopped dancing about this time last year simply because there were not enough hours in the day to get it done. My life has been reshuffled a little and I now have a couple of those hours back. Dance also ties in with a couple of my other current goals-to be more fit and flexible and to meet new people and have more of a social outlet. It’s a pretty cool package deal on goals then. Also I really enjoy it. Now, I am not sure if I will get around to doing a show at all as that is a huge time commitment. For now I am content to have fun; I’ll face the pain of overstretched muscles another day.

PS for anyone looking for a social dance class in Zimbabwe you can contact Debbie on 492314

Friday, January 02, 2009

A New Year's Sleep

It’s the second day of 2009 (my autodate in word has just informed me that I can ‘press enter’ to fill in the whole date to save me a whopping 0.1miliseconds of my life) and already the year has been a busy one; a bit of plumbing, a bit of gaming, a fair chunk of work and a little writing.

The idea of the New Year has always fascinated me. I mean, is the second before the stroke of midnight really any different from the one after? Time is, after all, a continuum and it is only humans who divide it into nice little parcels for the sake of management. The measurement of time with its divisions of 12 and 60 is so pre-metric and makes for such dreadful calculations that you would think that someone would have decimalised the clock by now. That would throw a generation of Swiss watch makers into disarray now wouldn’t it.

New Year, and the festive season in general, does at least provide a well needed rest. Most humans (in this case personified by yours truly) need regular breaks. I don’t care what the science tells you, my science says that without routine doses of eight hours of sleep and two weeks off every six months or so I become a run-down, irritable, grouchy jerk who cannot function at full capacity. Now I know many people who survive on less, but that’s just it, they survive but do they really flourish? Most articles I’ve read, probably written by researchers who love their duvet, recommend 8 hours of sleep a night. That sort of article is wonderful for sleep addicts like me. Regardless of your personal preference for dozing habits here’s to a prosperous and fun-filled 2009.