Tomorrow is Halloween

Dear blogreader,

Im looking forward to tomorrow because I will be attending my first Halloween party anywhere since I was born.We dont really celebrate Halloween in South Africa and I missed last year´s party in Madrid.I hope my good pal Susana will prepare us cool costumes.Unfortunately I get off work really late for shops to still be open and I have a networking marketing meeting.

Today,I posted my newest website which is to be another source of residual income on multiple websites which claim to publish for free.I will give it till this Sunday to see if I really get any hits.Well,if anybody knows another more credible way,please feel free to share with me.I will still search to refine and organise my general marketing and target filtering to get the crowd that is looking for the message Im giving.

For tonight Im happy with my little victories of getting word out there.Either way I would have gained great lessons.If the approach works then I cross out this as an effective leads generation(less troubleshooting in the dark and less time wasted) and if it DOES,the magic continues.

See you at the top.

Good night,

Sarah

Life is like a reality show

There is no oops,cut lets take that from the top.Im finding myself paying for lacking a sense of urgency or organization.Well,not all lost opportunities in life will be like the title of this blog,SecondChances therefore seizing the moment is more than just a sing-along.It has to be a mantra and a cause for behavioural change.Im going to sleep ealier today,so I can rest better and wake up fresher.More is nog ´n day=Tomorrow is still a day!And the camera keeps rolling and the only audience that matters is ourselves.

Till next,

Hugs.

SS

PS:The Christmas sales have started and there needs to be proactiveness in capitalising on the seasonal enthusiasm and cheer.

Life is like a reality show

Dear Blogreader,

Im going to to make an analogy about life and a reality television show using 3 examples.

One:There is no ¨oops lets do that again.¨
Two:There is no ¨cut,lets take that from the top.¨
Three:At some point you forget the camera crew and become yourself - Therefore discipline become what you do when no one is looking

Till soon,

¨When the student is ready,the teacher will appear¨

Mild weekend

I had a mild weekend.It was mild because of the really high,HIGHS and the LOW lows!My highs were watching a basketball match with very nice seats a few metres from the basketball court.We had a good view of the bench,and the WAGS (Wives and girlfreinds of sports stars).Even though the camera we were using was not so great,I attempted to take pictures of La Dementia(Die-hard supporters and fans of MMT Estudiantes).Our team,Estudiantes lost but I could not help noticing that there were diehard supporters who were still singing and cheering long after the last buzz!It was also fun to take part in the psychological warfare of making extreme,intense noises when the visiting team had ball possession.However,it seems that they had the nerves of steel and didnt buckle under this psychological warfare.It could be the same reason human spirit overcomes a situation especially when all odd seems to be at play.In fact,I know from personal experience that if I felt or experienced obvious opposition then a greater feeling of resistance or the inclination to prove otherwise overwhelmed me.I believe however that a person does not have to reach the bottom in order to launch themselves upwards.We absolutely have to keep going,at every moment.That is; one step back and make a purpoted affort to go 100 steps forward.My other highlights,were seeing an old friend.Though we didnt ¨tomar algo¨after this match it was still good to see him!

On saturday,I hung out at a coleague and friend´s house.I had very nice conversations with his friends and flatmates.I got to hear about Dave Chapelle and Jamie Foxx´s stand-up comedy from the unlikeliest sources.I kind of also appreciated the work I had done on myself so far to be able to strike a conversation on any topic,rounding up off-centre topics like nature and comedy.I got to hear from this conversation about amazing events in nature.Apparently there is a video on youtube which shows divers keeping off sharks from tearing their net and releasing their tuna catch inAustralian waters.I will attach this video next time.The time and experience I had at the house was also greatly enhanced by my coleague´s female roommate,who is apparently a very punctual and organised person.It was absolutely interesting to share views about the opportunities and challenges of a working woman in Spain with her.I definitely got some validations and some of my questions answered.Hopefully she will join me at the next toastmaster´s international meeting.

I also got to see my friend Xiao and her newest child and daughter of 2 months.Its always sweet to spend time with her and her family.Her in-laws really cater to me.Being in their company arouses feelings of homesickness.Anyway,all in all I had a good weekend and ticked off as having done some of the TO-Do´s on my list like mailing my post and putting up some posters about the MLM opportunity I have at university city in Madrid.While I was there,I reminisced about my own university experience.It is my present studying of myself,my needs and my wants which sheds light on why I cherish my formal learning years of my life.These would be Saint Mark´s,Wits University and even my primary school experiences.There is a certain beauty and life about being in an environment of learning.Presently since now I want to learn and receive education for different reasons,I still draw from those great feelings of the mystery and excitement of learning.This continues to bring forth great transformation of character in me.It is Jim Rohn who said,formal education will get you a job but personal development will get you a wealth.I believe this truth sincerely.

As for my lows,well they are not worth the breath of life I will give them,by mentioning them.

So now im signing off for today.Im off now to put up my laundry and iron my pants for tomorrow.

God bless and Invictus.

I was blind and now I can peep

Its funny that approximately in the last six months I really rose up and critically looked at my goals (and mostly myself) with real desire to grow as a person,a woman,a sister,a daughter and a friend.I was starting to struggle with my network marketing monthly objectives.I still do,and display the signs that all start-up marketers have.The products have started to fill the house which means Im not selling so well.However,now my mental frequency for ultra success is no longer only tuned to network marketing in the physical world.Its now gone over to the virtual world.Its been a while since Mncendisi first hinted I look up Wasmund Elliot.I have risen up to the challenge of being a consistent blogger,then fallen and even rendered myself useless with excuses.The characteristics of a mental slave are excuses.A mental slave does not take responsibility.She is not accountable.However,I have since gotten up,and I know its possible and the best time is now to commence.Its funny to me that I really woke up to the Web 2.0 phenomenom as a medium and bridge to my dreams and a way of expressing myself in May 2007.I knew about the social phenomenon,yes,but I did not realise just how big they were.I was overwhelmed and was a subscriber everywhere and had my profile anywhere.There was really no direction or motive for me to be in half of those places and I grew weary and sceptical of my online acquaintances and service.Im glad I never stopped thinking that a life of scarcity and limits on personal growth and personal expression had to be an accessible choice.Love him or hate him,I think Donald Trump was on the money when he said the harder you look,the luckier you get.

Now I conduct self-introspection in real-time at every chance I get to eliminate toxicity in my thoughts.Its so refreshing.Im vigilant of my thoughts.I am starting to live the quote which says ¨If you can use productively 10 minutes of your life,then you will quickly grow your value and worth¨.As I said in yesterday´s entry the dots connect sooner or later.I re-listened to Mr. Steve Jobs´s speech to Stanford Graduates and when he said that the idea is to keep going becasue the dots will start connecting.In another perspective I cannot afford to wait and watch the dots connecting before I take action.When we keep forging ahead we get to learn enough along the way to start to filter,organise and guard all the essentials we will need in achieving our process to keep achieving.Now the last statement implies keeping learning.This has become so imminent for me,form when I put the most oscillatory parts of my present mental state together.This is when I realised youtube is not just a gaffer to be shared between peers,but a powerful medium with endless possibibilties.Then it just became an avalanche from there.Ladies and gentlemen I was looking and I was hungry like Les Brown says.I still am,but Im excited to say,the universe has started to conspire to make it all happen as in the Alchemist.All the social networking tools,the buzzing technologies like Web 2.0 which allow users to contribute and display like own content as well as play a part in some of the design and applications is phenomenal.I recall a couple of people who said,I dont like social networks who are now poking me all day:)I think its a cse of if you cant beat them (trying telling that to more than 100 million active myspace users and 42 million active facebook users that its all in their minds!!) I think this wont stop,what do you think?Above all I like this interconnectedness.The world is indeed getting flat! (See the book from which the sense of the statement is derived here)!

I would like to end these thoughts with the following quote from Po Bronson, Novelist and Writer of What Should I Do With My Life?
"It takes courage to change your life. Sometimes, doing so, you feel all alone in the world. You can get used to this scary feeling by traveling alone, being by yourself for long periods of time, having to talk to strangers, having to get yourself from one city to another. You become accustomed to it. The fear of being alone will no longer stop you."

I will look at the topics of paying oneself first and determining one´s net worth.Keep peeping in!

Its all coming back

I am excited because the dots are connecting at an exciting rate.Im accomplishing tasks everyday even though Im still procrastinating on some things.The positive thing is I am more hopeful,more grateful,more humble therefore Im in constant learning mode.Things are looking more like a puzzle and they fit together.I have many aha moments.I realise I need to do much more me-work and me-processing.Im encountering more opportunities at an exponential rate.However knowing I struggle to focus and complete one thing at a time,I need to plan the work and work the plan.The vehicle for this will be discipline.I know I need to complete many books I have in my possession so far.This resolution to read and increase my knoledge through the experience of others who have lived lives touched by Grace,will connect the dots in my life.This is in terms of making sense of concepts of concepts and also implementation of key tasks which will become frequent activities and then habits and then behaviour.Encountering people who feel this way,or in other words people who feel my pulse gives me a great feeling of validation.Its the meeting of great minds and kindred spirits.I loves it.Its so simple.Indeed,who I am will be a self-feeding energy because I will be earning as a result of doing what I love doing and vice versa.I have experienced failure so many times, and now know its part of it all so I no longer fear it.Failure does not condemn me,I have the choice to that without anyone´s help.

I will also become excited about that aspect because I know ¨The darkest hour is just before dawn¨.God has been since forever and is still today so good to me,over and over again.All the points in my life are starting to take form,to form a shape and I thank Him for being patient with me.I no longer say my usual survivalist clichès,Im living them.When I say ¨The thing to fear is fear is fear itself¨ I really mean it.Its a conviction.Therefore as with Lauryn Hill who says its worth it when the reason for the struggle we have to go through is revealed.The enlightenment is revealed if we keep looking for it.The key is to look.The key is to ask ourselves hard questions.I have learnt in the last week that I have to keep looking for ways to fulfill my dreams.This involves knowing myself,what I want and how much I want what I want.This is specific messaging to the brain,its not a loosely construed idea of happiness.Then a critical next step is writing down the objectives of one´s life.We have to realise that when we decide to take charge,someone or something will want to steal our commitment to change,our dream for the future.The spirit of backwardness that has been ruling our lives will want to hold us back,so if you are in a state of self-learning and vigilance you will quickly identify these self-sabotage tactics and avoid them.I was reading The Prayer of Jabez and the author summarises it so well whe he says,if you are not in the ring of a fight for which you are currently ill prepared,then you are by default not part of that fight.Therefore by eliminating ourselves from circumstances that could deter us prom progress.Tomorrow is a continuation of today,and Im looking forward to it.
Invictus

Looking outside in

I have been thinking,today,that I have always been an observer in my most memorable seasons of my life.The only time I could say I was an active part of my life was when I was under 5 years old,lived in a fantastical place in tropical Elim,Limpopo Province.I spoke Shangaan,I used to make my childhood friends my little students...I was quite spirited or lively and confident.

Then life of caution and guard became my reality.That was me in my village home,my parents kept me from the streets,we played in our yard,and it was good,we didnt swear,get naughty,grow up too quick,then Saint Mark´s college came...we lived in a boarding school sorrounded by a village with a strangish Sepedi accent.I met Linah Mkhabela and her beautiful kids at our morning sunday services in the chapel below the library at our school.Jane Furse is a lifetime ago,a special time in my life,Im almost lost reminiscing about that period between 1994 to 1998.Our high school and boarding school was a community on its own.It was too small,so everyone was in everyone else´s business but also big enough so that there was a place in the sun for everyone.There were many students (called pupils then,and now learners) from different ethnic backgrounds,with various talents,economical means and aspirations.Our community was also enriched with the volunteer teachers who were young people from the UK and USA who dedicated a gap year just before they went to university or college,to volunteering their time and knoledge in being substitute teachers.These young teachers were on average the age of our matric students so they were more approachable and quite popular against a stark contrast of rural South Africa and its remoreness from the Western world.I started to learn about friendship and romance and practical psychology there.

Anyway,then came I went to Wits.I was grateful there was some separation from the old high school cocoon.I knew there would be different lessons there.I received them and Im a better person to have been excluded from university once.I can now know I know the agony of failure.The humiliation of trying my hardest and still not making the mark in broad spectable of onlookers.This actually reminds me of the footsteps poem.At that time,yes I did shed tears when I went to collect good behaviour collateral from mt lecturers,yes I did feel shame that I was repeating and yes I did feel anxiety about the future but God really carried me.Our fears are really unrealised.Out of that struggle was triumph.It was baptism with fire and my time at Wits,I know looking back His eye was on me,and His Hand blessed my ways.

Everyone is special and they just need to remember how special they are.

I will share the story of my first employment with fond memories.Another special time I passed through with much resistance but it was all for the good.When I look at it all,I know its possible for things to change 360 degrees from one day to another.I know that its not over until God says so.I live it.So next time I will share that story.

My time in Edinburgh

I went to Edinburgh on the 11th of October and returned on the 13th of October.I primarily went to catch up with an old high school friend but also to visit the city.I did my due-diligence.I learnt some useful and trivial info about the city which has a coffee shop in which J.K Rowling wrote The now famous Harry Potter fantacy series.

It was nice to catch up with my friend.I also met his family etc.While going around the city it was interesting to meet a wide array of people I had something in common with.Firstly a tour guide who had been to South Africa in the apartheid years of the sixties as a ship stewart.He related a story of some racist Afrikaaner(not I said some because not all of them are) who sneered at him for serving a black patron.Apparently he ignored them,and liked the black patrons more becasue they offered better tips:)Secondly I met a chinese girl working in a souvenir shop in one of those hidden away streets like Mary King´s close who had been to Madrid and related that she went to the bullfight and liked the fried pig´s ears(Orujo) as it reminded her of Chinese cuisine.Then I met an Italian who had a Spanish girlfriend and he asked me to read and translate a message from her.He then introduced me to a South African who lives in the Northern Surbabs of Johannesburg.Actaully,this guy predicted the Bok victory and wished he would be in South Africa with a braai a big yard,Castle Lagers and good friends enjoying the rugby final and victory.

All in all,Edinburgh is a beautiful city,with rich history.Its clean,however with my euro currency I cringed each time I went to change the money.My highlights were(in no particular order)

1.Eating Haggis(Pronounced Huggies,like the nappies)
2.Going to Ceilidh and sancing many Anglo-Saxon barn dances.It was lots of turning and twisting,and I had the usual chest pain and dizziness.I went to the urgencias in Madrid for the chest pain,and it turned out not to be something serious,thank God.My time spent there was fun,I was nervous I would mutilate my friend´s toes but,I got the swring of things,and had fun.It can be exercise too.I just hope the Polish guy sends the pictures soon.
3.The bus tours.My initial day after losing my camera in luggage and having to get disposable cameras,I was without joy(my friend says this,I think its sweeter than saying upset,or other directly negative words:))Anyhoo,this is the place I met the tour guide.It was because I was on his bus three times,and even said over the announcer/loud speaker I was stalking him:)
4.The stories about Edinburgh...the first Scottish serial killers,
5.The story behind the bars The Last Drop and End of the world.The link added is a practical directory and profile of bars and restaurants in Edinburgh.
6.The impenetrable Edinburgh castle
7.The Royal mile
8.The story behind Georgy Porgy song
9.The eandearing story of a loyal dog in Greyfriars Bobby.The link´s is interestingly called dogsinthenews,so its useful for people who adore our furry friends like me.
10.Apart from J.K Rowling,who is a modern day writer the city has a rich history of gifted people and pinoneers.For example Alexander Graham Bell was born there.Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,author and creator of Shelock Holmes was born there. Other great Scootsmen include Andrew Carnegie(Personal Development hero of mine),Sir Sean Connery and James Young Simpson the father of chloroform in surgey and not forgeting the romantic poet Robert Burns.

All in all,I liked my time in Edinburgh.The hostel was modern and I met two nice Japanese girls there.I still had not seen all there was on my itiney like the galleries(Andy Warhol´s work was on display,what a loss!),museums,the secret underground routes like Mary King´s close,shopping in Jenners(Apparently its not Harrods of the North,but Harrods is Jenner´s of the South because Jenner´s was there first..this analogy is compliments to the really gloriously entertaining guide on my tour on the second day.)

The weather wasnt that bad.It was chilly,and a sweather is advisable.It drizzled on the second day,and I went to the parliment whic I learnt was a hotly debated project.It was apparently opened by the Queen in October 2006.The controversy is due to its final pricetag.Apparently the parlimentary building was designed by a Catalan architect,Enric Miralles who has since passed away.It was initially budgeted at between £10million to £40million but it was completed 4 years late at a whopping £414million.Well,perhaps the bamboo sticks were that expensive.I would like to return to Edinburgh,even if its to get a kilt!

The heart of the matter

Dear Blogreader,

I have had a chance to re-communicate with someone I cared about,and whose heart I thought I knew.However,this re-acquaintance made me realise,that they really were not meant to be part of my long-term life.The reasons I cannot really pin down,but its mainly because,I became disposable,replaceable,forgettable,erasable.Anyway,I am happy now,knowing more about me,and how to best protect my needs.Thats important becasue it will reflect in whom I befriend in one way or another.

I have a romantic side,you know.Apart from my Invictus talk,I believe in love.I believe its a meeting of minds and I look forward to reading ¨El viaje al amor¨by Eduardo Punset.When I have these contemplative heart moments I also want to listen to India Arie´s songs.

Gourmet in the sky!

On my recent trip over the long weekend due to the La Fiesta de Pilar holiday to Edinburgh (which I will comment about in another blog entry:)).I thoroughly enjoyed eating on both my forward and return flights to my stopover in Frankfurt from Madrid.The dish was all vegeterian and it was really good.I am not a vegeterian but I enjoyed the food.The first one was Tortellini with brocoli* sauce,smoked cheese, and olives.Even though it was warmed it was delicious and satisfying.The the second one was called Zeitweizen pesto.I just tried to google this dish and could not find a reasonable recipe in English or Spanish.The two versions were in German and in Euskara.I assume this is because Zeitweizen pesto borrows some gastronomic culture from both regions.I will be happy to hear more if anyone knows more about these two dishes.Even though I am not a vegeterian,I have found out in the unlikeliest place the pleasures of green gourmet.I have since superficially researched all aspects of sky servings and came up with different points of view from weight watchers who also happen to be frequest flyers,to holiday flight food,to servings advise for long haul flights.


*I had to look for the spelling:)

The world is really getting flat

I borrowed this title from a compelling book by Thomas Friedman of a similar title.In this case its the battle of the fingers.The real measure is where multitudes place their cursor and make their click.

Here is an interesting article about the emerging markets.Emerging markets of course come from developing economies in the East.These are also the world´s most populous places.I recall reading some time ago that a toothpaste company predicted attractive returns from the Indian market such that they invested dental hygiene and awareness as a priority.I believe markets which have not reached maturity are the most attractive for growth.Its a no-brainer.(I can see Jon Stewart expression at such a duh statement)Its a numbers name.If GlisterTM can sell toothpaste to every Indian family then the returns can quite easily be projected as an incremental growth.

It would be interesting to analyse many consumer markets like this.Consumer markets will continue to surge if their borders are open.

Get the article about the contest for the fastest finger-click that also keep coming backhere

I agree with Gabby

See why here

Today is the day my sister was born

Twenty three years ago,Tebogo was born.She is the only sibling in my family whose first name is a literal noun.It means Thanks.My parents were thanking God.My parents thanked God because my sister was born prematurely.She was born about two months in advance.I have learnt about myself from our relationship.It has influenced my relationship with my mother,my perspective on career,my outlook on sibling complexities and my role as the eldest.It has not always been sweet.One of my good friends observed that our relationship mushroomed when we lived apart.Well,when I was growing up,due to our childish antigues,my mother would say that she will send one of us to a boarding school in the East and the other to a boarding school in the West:)It seems she had a vision noting Im in Spain now and Tebogo is a constatnt consultant and I hope I am too in her life.Anyway,from my sister I learnt:

One:The pressure and in-bred inclination of children to seek approval from parents is not a figment of our imagination.Some sons and daughter may seem like they dont really care about it,but to a majority,this tendency is very strong and almost inherent of every parent-child relationships.
Two:In relatiosnhips,sometimes you dont get ¨Im sorry...¨You get a bold hug,or messages ending with ¨I love you...¨Or more open conversations...¨
Three:Its important to remind loved ones,that by being in your life is a gift.The rest of what they bring o these relationships tare bonuses.
Four:To reconcile the outlook of the world on me,(who I am and what I can do)as well as the real me is important so stay in touch and grounded.As the eldest,its important to reach out and say I could have done the same mistake,or that I have done it already and that they are free to be their own person.
Five:To listen and validate them.To acknoledge lessons learnt from them.To say Thank you.Also to be humble and dependant enough to also allow them to lead,guide and receive from them.
Six:Patience with her and myself.Sometimes I had to leave her to make her own mistakes,to come around on her own.To support her,in her attempt to make her own unique choices,irrespective of result.And finally inconsequential of result still say,you are still my wonderful sister

Motherhood and Career

Is this me now?Please read here

Happiness

Read the full article here

I did something that scares me last night!

Dear blogreader:

I went door-to-door trying to market my network marketing products to people in my apartment-building.It did not go so well.Many doors did not answer the knocks,some answers from inside made it difficult to say anything more attractive and made for an easy no.Lastly there were some face-to-face rejections.The bad part about the latter is I would never be able to approach these group of people because they would be more dismissive at first hello,thinking I want to sell them.I didnt go to all the apartments in the building because the rejections got to me.I know that at that point,its possible I could have been a few doors from the door with a potential associate.

I believe from my past failures in other areas of my life,that its always better to work smart.Therefore this is not an admission of failure but a recognition that things will get better,they have to.The lessons will manifest into jewels of experience.

Till soon...

Take care,and lets stay true to our dreams.

The economy and common vocabulary

Its been a while since I blogged.I must say work is getting hectic.The financial department is proving a busy and consistent workspace.Well,thats great for me!Its an opportunity to adopt organizational skills and purpose.

Anywahoo,I want to comment on two accounting terms I find to have quick and resounding analogies to life.First,the term credit.When,I was at university,my Business Management lecturer made an impact on me by associating the word CREDIT and the GIVER.This was just to make a point and have lasting impact and retention for the students.The lecturer was a religious man,and he quoted the Bible as his first reference where the concept of crediting the giver was first noted.Basically,in accounting,in the general ledger(or the T-Account)the account of the source of money or any outward flow is CREDITED and the one who RECEIVES or account in the inflowing direction gets DEBITED.This I believe is a powerful concept,and it simply honours charity and generousity.

The second word I want to comment on is the word appreciate.Today in my mail,I got an inspirational quote around the theme of gratefulness.It said that the same as in the value of assets,appreciation increments value.Therefore,the same can be implied for appreciation or gratefulness in our lives.If we appreciate and indulge in acts of thankfulness,we appreciate the value of the important assets in our lives.Think of this in terms of good health,good relationships,good finance and start appreciating what you have.Tomorrow it will grow in value and returns.

I certainly enjoyed writing this piece.I hope you dear Moeta Blog Reader can give feedback or comments so I can improve and be more relevant.

Hasta Pronto.