“Let your soul be your pilot, let your soul guide you and guide u well. Let your be pain be my sorrow, let your tears be my tears too, let your courage, be my motto, that the life you find will be true…” – Sting

2nd last mail for the year this is, cos me on leave from the 4th Dec. till the 6th Jan. Yaay!! Yip, I know, I wasn’t supposed to send one this week, but as cruel luck would have it, late on Friday afternoon I got a call that I shouldn’t bother boarding the plane cos the deal we were supposed to be workin on in Cape Town, was off the table, at least they were nice enuff to call me at 9am on Monday morning to inform me that there was a possibility that the deal would be off. Anyway, as the saying goes everything happens for a reason!!…WHATEVER!!!

I had an email all thought of etc. then I had a conversation with my chomi Charl, and he gave me an even better mail topic and some material to work with, which I am sure most of us can relate to. What did u get up to this weekend? I’m sure most of us spent a fair amount of time “partying it up”. I know its generalization and it may well only apply to the circles in which I roam, but they happen to be most of you guys on the list. :-)

Are our twenties an extension of our teens, if so will this tide ever turn, cos I don’t see our thirties getting any easier, there are some of us like Cobbs, Jake, Mo, (Isaac), Ang, Gretchen, Rachel etc. who have done the settling thing, but the majority of us are still just jolling, going out being boys and girls, getting broken and being silly, drugs, alcohol, sleeping around, drunken driving. Yes, we are responsible during the week…(excl. Fridays in my case) and we go to work, perform, earn your keep look all respectable, then come Friday the 18 yr old monster comes and takes over.

When my folks and I am sure most of yours, were our age, they were pretty settled, knew what they wanted out of life, career wise, found their life partner, married, had a kid or 2. Now ask any of the mates about settling down, the general answer you get is what the kcuf, are you craze…me…settled, generally followed by a sarcastic laugh! Divorce and infidelity is the order of the day

Y do we have this attitude? Some people answer I want to be financially stable…ehhhh!! Wrong answer, a union that survives through the tough times more often than not will survive the good times, generally struggling through the tough times are generally the best test of your relationship. So what is it, that makes us wanna maintain a “don’t settle down lifestyle”, the fear that we will miss out on something better that may come along…better car, better place to hangout, better mates, better potential “soul mate”? The changing times? Or is it maybe just because we can?

I say ‘because we can’, because we don’t have to pay for the stuff our folks had to at our age, school fees, diapers, mortgage bonds, life insurance (for just incase), medical costs for 2/3, a lot of us are makin a fair whack of tom, which can be used to support the snazzy cars, label clothes, recreational drugs, booze, clubbing, etc. We see the freedom to choose what we want when we want it as a right rather than a privilege, we get in a huff and a puff when things that could go either way, don’t go our way. The last thing on my folks mind when we was growing up was going to Diesel, Carducci or wherever to go buy an item of clothing, more important to them was the lighties being healthy, having food, having a decent education. But not us…oh no!! Our generation is all about me…me…me…me…, what’s in it for me, how do I benefit? My time is my time…In the generation before it was about society and family, which is all intertwined, but not now, now its all about me! Ours is a selfish generation...the proverbial “my way or the highway” syndrome.

Now this may sound like I am condemning our generation, hell no, I am a fully fledged member of the tweenager club, just some thoughts I thought I’d share with u all in the hope that we would get some comments, enlighten us all!!

I have a few responses from the Mr and Mrs right email that I will send to u all sometime.

Birthdays
26th Akua
27th Julian

“a mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it” – Rabindranath Tagore

Getting back to how it used to be…Monday mail on Monday. Anyway boys and girls, take care of u, and catch ya on the flipside, expecting at least 10 replies to this mail, don’t let me down guys. As always maximum respect! Thanks Charl

Later

Y

Gimme 3 reasons why Adam and Eve were black?
1) they worked in the garden
2) they stole the fruit
3) they lied to their boss

“In my darkest hour, in my deepest despair, will you still be here, will you be there in my trials and tribulations, through our doubts and frustrations, in my violence, in my turbulence, through my fear and my confessions, through my anguish and my pain, through my joy and my sorrow….in the promise of another tomorrow, I’ll never let you part, for you will always be in my heart” Michael Jackson.

The relevance of that I have no idea I was just listening to the song ‘Will you be there’ and that whole song and especially that part got my attention so I thought who better to share it with than my chomi’s?!

6 weeks left in the year, and guess what I don’t think I have missed a single week this year, mind you I may well miss one next week, cos I am in Cape Town for the week, I no, I no, u will miss it, but come guys u will survive ;-). Thanks for the responses to last weeks email, glad u enjoyed it, it was one of those few and far between moments of inspiration, as I start this mail I have no idea what I will write about, but as the waffling continues, I hope a thought provoking topic will surface. Hmmm no luck yet and its 3 hrs later…want to tell u part 2 of my life, varsity and beyond, gave you part one already birth till matric. That will require some thought and some time so what I am gonna do is once again look for some feel good material to cut and paste, but fear thee not, if something profound happens to me between now and Friday I will let you know all about it!!

Find below a very valid thought…or 2 for the day…Once again compliments of Nasrin…beautiful messages.

Message 1
"We should strive to live by the virtues that we wish others had."
It is so easy to criticise, to find fault, to ridicule. We try to give ourselves a sense of importance by treating others as unimportant. We try to show our cleverness by trying to make others look stupid. We try to have fun at others expense. We have the attitude that "I am not stupid because I do not understand you. You are stupid because you do not understand me" Our mistakes are genuine errors and our intentions good, the mistakes of others we treat as acts of deliberate sabotage or stupidity.
Are you living by the virtues that you wish others had? Are you walking your talk? What sort of example are you?
Just for today take the time to stop yourself from criticising, from finding fault, from ridiculing, from being impatient. Ask your self. "Am I any different? Have I never done anything like this? Do I really think that this was done deliberately in order to annoy me? What example is my behaviour setting? How important is it, really?"
If we want to improve our relationship with the world then "We should strive to live by the virtues that we wish others had"
Message 2
"What one thing can I do today
that will make a positive difference?"
We have to constantly question our actions because we must realise this, whatever we do makes a difference so the question is not "Can I make a difference?" but rather "Am I making a positive difference?"
Always question your actions by asking "What problems am I, or could I be, the solution to?" or "What problem am I the cause of, or contributing to" And yes I know that there are many vast problems. Don't try to solve them all at once, just do what you can to help. Remember that every big success is made up of many little successes, so just get started. This story should illustrate this.
THE STARFISH THROWER
Early one morning after a storm out at sea a young man was walking on the beach when he saw an old man ahead of him. It looked like the old man was exercising for he was bending down then straightening up and making a throwing motion out to sea.
As the young man came closer he saw that the old man was picking up starfish and throwing them back into the sea. The beach was covered with hundreds of the little creatures that had washed out in the night due to the storm. What the old man was doing seemed like a pointless exercise to him. It did not seem to make any difference to the numbers on the beach however many the old man threw back.
"Seems like a waste of time to me" said the young man as he approached the old man. "Soon the sun will be up, and all these starfish will die. What difference will saving one or two make?" The old man bent down picked up another starfish and threw it out to sea "it makes a difference to that one" he said as he bent down to pick up another starfish.
The young man thought about this for a while then he too bent down and picked up a starfish.
Make this your motto and you will find that suddenly your world is a better place. "I shall pass through this world but once, any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any living thing, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect to do it, for I shall not pass this way again."
So today and every day ask yourself "What one thing can I do today that will make a positive difference?"
Birthdays…
21 Neelesh
22 Sanguita

For u two a quote…”I will love the light for it shows me the way, I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.” Happy birthday guys and plenty happy returns.

And to Dinah, have a great day on Saturday, hope your wedding day goes off well and it is the best day of your life!!

And to those writing part II of the QE exam, good luck to u on Friday!!
Quote…

Thanks to Thuli… Maybe God wanted us to meet the wrong people before
meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

Always remember the brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you,let go of your past failures and heartache, SO LET GO.

Happy Wednesday to the masses, and maximum respect to u all, till next week then maties, I am out like the All Blacks in the rugby world cup
Y

“I see her face and I cant let go she’s in my dreams in my heart so let me know, have you seen her, tell me have u seen her, she’s a thought and a vision in my memory I haven’t met her but tell me where could she be, have u seen her….loooove oh love, love is a feeling and I need your love, oh oh oh, please be mine…” Mc Hammer

Yip Thursday once again, arb day tomorrow, then another week done and in the archives, a month and a half to year end, I know I say this all the time, but hope it serves as an indication of how awestruck I am with the pace at which this year has motored through. I guess as they say time flies when you having fun, and fun I have definitely had thus far, and many of you have been there to be part of that thanks guys and a huge thanks to the housemates and extended mates.

Otherwise, all is supercalafragalistic expialadotious! No real complaints, well none that if u don’t mind, well, it wont matter. New addition to the list miss Julie, welcome to our little rant and rave world, mostly me doing all the ranting and once in a while I get some responses, responses and suggestions are always welcome!!

Is there a mr. or mrs. Right? If so is there just one or are there many, or are those romantics amongst us, just that…romantics….dreamers…fools, only to be likened to those that seek the meaning of life?

I used to subscribe to the notion that there is that one out there for u, the one…the star in your sky, the sunshine in your day, the sugar in your coffee, the her in together, but as time goes by, I am realizing that this may actually not be, because many a time that I think I may have found the one, or one at least that resembled her, she was taken, not keen, this that and the next, there was always something wrong. Well then perhaps maybe she wasn’t the one… the one, Yaw are u still living in your dream world? Perhaps?? And how do u identify the one? No Yaw, you just know… they say, u get a smile on your face from ear to ear, every time u hear her voice your heart goes flutter splutter, then there are those butterflies in the tummy, and every moment away is like an eternity (jees didn’t know I had it in me …oh disaster ;-))…but most of us have felt that, once, twice…three times a lady…and it lasted for a week…a month….a year..10 years…but then, one morning, u wake up to the sound of I want half!!! What happened in this situation, was s/he still the one? Or the one before?…the wrong one?

Ooh but u gotta love the initial stages, u no making the first move…all the thoughts, should I shouldn’t I? Does she or does she not? What did she mean by that, OH good Lord she looked at me funny, I’m in…or am I. Initially that is all good and exciting but after a while it becomes insanely painful hey, but now when do u know when to make the move? Oh, wait the philosophers amongst us are going to dish out the “if its meant to be it will be”. But damnit I want it to Be! Always!! Many a las has slipped thru because of that debate (ofcourse assuming that there was game, but I guess I will never no), one I remember way too clearly, was pretty recent, fantastic las she was, spent plenty time with her and all the signs were there but Negroid didn’t act, he just sat back hoping she would make the move, no Yaw, you are punching way above your weight son, oh but Yaw she is hanging with u, laughing at everything u say, u funny kid, but not that funny, ooh wait she just gave me the look…there is definitely game there..but…needless to say she is living happily ever after with another. He who hesitates…masturbates…some like to say he who hesitates is lost, but I think the former depicts the scenario more vividly.

Anyway I think I am waffling, tend to do that sometimes… But I think the story with looking for mr/mrs right, is all about finding the one that completes u the most, or maybe if I can steal a line from the movie ‘as good as it gets’, its all about finding the one that makes u want to be a better person. If u find someone that has qualities that u admire or attract you, I think its worth effort to give it a go, after all how much damage can it do, possibly a broken heart, but hey what doesn’t kill you can only make u stronger, learn from it and who knows u might give those rusty ol bones a well needed workout…if u no what I mean.

I say love the one you with. By no means settle for some arb person, but in the same breath, give mister or madame X a chance, they may well end up being “mr or mrs right for u”.

Now its time for me to start following my own advice…interviews start at 4pm sharp!!

Birthdays…
9th Dean
10th Shanwynn
11th Rachel
15th Rowan
16th Bilal

“if you create from the heart, nearly everything works, if from the head, almost nothing” Marc Chagall.

Hope I got the author right this time Kgashane ;-)

Something that has been missing these past few weeks…Quotes….calm down Vaughan. These are included thanks to Thuli…

Maybe God wanted us to meet the wrong people before
meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

Always remember the brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you,let go of your past failures and heartache, SO LET GO.

To those writing part 2 soon and to those awaiting results, all the best, I’m in your corner!

Boys and girls, that was just some thoughts that floated thru my head as I sat here pondering what to write, hope they made for at least a semi-interesting read. Right now tis time for work...or home. You all have yourselves a fantastic and safe weekend.

Maximum respect to the masses, ladies remember 4 o’clock ;-)

Lata

Y

Howzit chinas

Another week to the close, and i like Friday’s like this, after a big nite, still feeling the buzz of the nite before, people thinkin u crazee cos u in such high spirits, not knowing that u might well still be well vrot from the nite before’s occurances, but hey its all good, another day another dollar and TGIF!!

As has recently become the norm, i am at a loss for topics, well i was until Sash helped a brother out....

She's hot, she is 6 feet tall, she is doing this that and the other, she can play the piano blah blah blah, then they interview her and she is as thick as a plank.

Beauty contests, really now, what a waste of time and energy, i think, throw some top dollar at people because they are pretty or handsome or well built. What do they actually add to our lives? I am seeing ads about miss SA, I am reading colour fotos on plenty pages abount miss sa or miss teen SA, the winner gets plenty cash, this that and the next, whats the fuss about? That money, could be used to feed some village somewhere for a whole year. Isn’t all that stuff really degrading, prancing around, like livestock...or maybe not, sometimes it is rather lovely to watch, actually most times, swimsuit…oh my hat…digress…but u now what I mean

I dont have the answers, but what are your views on beauty contests et al? THAT MEANS I WANT U TO PLEASE RESPOND!!

That’s my short mail for the week...
Below is some thought provoking stuff thanks to Nas.

"Your mind is like a fertile garden.
Whatever you plant will grow,
so only plant what you want to harvest."
Be very careful with what you allow to be planted in your mind. Because what ever you plant, or allow to be planted, will grow. Your mind does not know the difference between right and wrong, what is good for you or what is bad for you. It has only one function and that is to do what ever you tell it to do, to create the situation that you imagine. It is like a robot that you can program to obey your every wish.
Your actions are always the results of your thoughts. The quality of your life is determined by your thoughts and your future is affected by the actions that you take now, so constantly think and act with your preferred future in mind.
Listen to yourself, do you really want to harvest the crop that you are planting. Is this really the way that you want to feel. Are the seeds that you plant going to unleash your potential or limit your potential. How will you feel if what you said was true, or came true.
Be realistic I can hear you say. No-one can be positive all the time. But, that's just the problem, you are positive all the time, unfortunately too often you are positively negative. You are quite sure that things will go wrong. Just listen to the way people speak.
I have never heard anyone say "Boy! I hope that I have a bad day today" but I have heard them say "Today is going to be terrible" I have heard them say "I hope that today is going to be OK" but I seldom hear them say "Boy! Am I going to have a great day today."
I can't get a job, not at my age, not with my qualifications. How does that make you feel. Are you enthusiastic about your chances and alert for every opportunity or have you convinced yourself that it is not even worth trying.
I am not as young as I once was you know. At my age what do you expect? Are you already thinking about the retirement home, putting your feet up and your life in storage. All you have to live on are memories of what was and fears of what will be. Is that what you want?
Ask some people "How long have you been married" "Oh far too long." is often the answer. Wow, how empowering is that. What do you normally do if you have been doing something for too long? Why, you stop doing it of course. Is that what you want?
How often have you said to yourself, "Boy I'll be tired tomorrow." How did you feel when you woke up, refreshed, energised, eager to face the day, or when the alarm went off did you turn over and go back to sleep? And when you eventually did get up you had to drag yourself kicking and screaming into the day?
From today learn to question whatever you give your mind to work with. Ask yourself, "Do I really want this to be true?" because "Your mind is like a fertile garden. Whatever you plant will grow, so only plant what you want to harvest."
Birthdays
6th Dear Sis
9th Dean

Happy happy to u all a quote for u…”Real heroes are men who fall and fail and are flawed, but win out in the end because they have stayed true to their ideals, beliefs and commitments.” – Kevin Costner

A quote or thought for the week thanks to Harps…makes for an interesting topic of discussion sometime.

The simple truth behind each and everybody
A person asked Confucius,
"What surprises you most about mankind?"

Confucius answered,
"They lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.
By thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future and they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had never lived..... "
You all take care now u see, have a splendid weekend be as bad as all hell, but just take care of yourselves. Maximum respect to the masses

Later

Y