Wednesday, 31 August 2016

Chronicles of a formerly slim girl ( So...I lost 6 kilograms)



My bathroom scale is a complete and utter traitor!!! I'm quite certain that there were other ways to tell me to shed  a few kilos but no...it had to come to this.  It  shattered into a  thousand little pieces...now if that's not a sign I don't know what is.

(Ok, I actually crashed my scale by kicking it against the wall but perhaps that's a tale for a different battle)


I had to do something drastic so I went and did this crazy 13  day diet.  Those of you who frequent the  internet  diet fraternity  know exactly what I'm talking about.  Yes...the coffee and steak one; sometimes called the metabolism diet.   This diet is draconian...I'm surprised you are even allowed  to breathe while on it.

So, they give you this set menu right and you must follow it like marching ants follow  each other and you, may, not, cheat! If you cheat you might as well just quit...like you cant even have a stick of gum.  Some days are better than others like the days you have steak and salad or fish and tomato.  I liked these and saw them as post diet meal options. And then there are days like carrot and cheese day.  This is pretty much like eating chalk with a side dish of rubber...

Nonetheless I did. Thirteen days of a caffeine laden, calorie deficit battle in the hope of seeing some kind of change. And I did.  Having taken one for the 'chubby cheeks team' I cared to document all my meals for 13 days.   Please see  how it all went down on:


ididthe13daydiet.blogspot.com


Now the trick is to keep doing the right things.,

Ten books every woman should read...


Talking books
I was invited to address a women's day event yesterday.  The brief said  'Shadi.,please come to talk to women about the ten books they must read before they die'.  Yikes... ten books!  It's like having to pick your favorite child to give a speech on...its damn near impossible. One thing  I know for sure is that the list changes  every day  because books talk to how we feel and well, that changes everyday.  So this is how I felt yesterday...  In  random order.

1. The Alchemist ( Paulo Coehlo)
2. The Prophet ( Kahlil Gibran)
3. Roots  (Alex Haley)
4. So long a letter ( Mariama Ba)
5. Nervous Conditions ( Tsitsi Dangarembga)
6. The Bluest Eye ( Toni Morrison)
7. Love  Interrupted ( Reneilwe Malatji)
8. What looks like crazy on an ordinary day ( Pearl Cleage)
9.  Eat Pray Love (Elizabeth  Gilbert)
10. Sleeplessinpolokwane.blogspot.com  ( well you know....)

 And the books I sneaked into the list are :

A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseni)
Memoirs of a  Geisha  ( Arthur Golden)
Animal   Farm ( George Orwell)
Eleven Minutes (Paulo Coehlo)
The Blacker  the Berry ( Wallace Thurman)
All books written by Maya Angelou
Call me Woman ( Ellen Khuzwayo)
491 Days ( Winnie Madikizela Mandela)
All books by Dr Seuss
All books by Daleen Mathee

And  that's my list...well at least for yesterday



P.S My friend Mulayo was so gracious she dressed me for the event. She makes the most amazing jewellery.
 Find her for the best custom made, handmade jewellery:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/seremanicreations
Instagram: Mulayo_smc
Email: mulayos@gmail.com




Wednesday, 10 August 2016

My meeting with life

Mmaphuti Mathato is  my breath of fresh air in the very  dreary world of our common office work.  I know that when we meet the conversation will move from the grey hues of government work to a kaleidoscope  of   life's  more heart warming topics.  Interestingly...I too met her at a meeting ... our agenda however was not nearly as riveting   this.

 Engross yourself   in her meeting with life:

I have periodic meetings with life, usually I am the convener depending on how I feel at the time  and my feelings are informed by either pain or pleasure. I summon life to talk about whatever is going on during that particular time
To my surprise this time the invite came from life complete with an agenda on some :

1.       Opening and welcome
2.       Ratification of agenda
3.       Business of the day
a.       Karma
b.      Love
4.       Q and A
5.       Way forward
6.       Closure

I ratified the agenda with no changes and the meeting started
Life welcomed me and thanked me for the manner I sailed through the waves the past few months and told me it summoned me because it’s commendable.
We then got to business of the day,  KARMA … with tears in my eyes I asked KARMA how long is its minimum turnaround for its services because I’ve been waiting with baited breath to see it locate a few of those who dealt me some wicked hand . People you won’t believe the nerve of that KARMA how he said “we are still teaching  you patience, until you are ready we will strike no one” I responded with a “whatever “ and suggested that we go on to the next  item.

Now love. I was pleased to report to love that it has presented itself to me in an extremely beautiful way, it made me blush, feel, it made my heart full, made my nights magical. It also introduced  new packaging. I’ve always thought the love I deserve would come packaged in a masculine tall , dark and handsome brother and like all else in life , life requested me to ascertain if the love of my life is actually  not a woman.

I thanked love for presenting itself all so beautifully, for making me believe again for making me feel sane that I always believed that the fairy-tale exists  . While I was blushing thanking love I realised that even though I felt the intensity of pure love it had  to be complicated , the lover had to be  divided and like life being disrespectful it left when I was still busking in it. Oh well I broke my heart again.

Now I said to love , I know what I know now you enticed me to the possibility of me living the love I know I deserve so I’m giving you three months , go and locate one with my name on it send it directly to my door , please ensure that I don’t get restless in anyway ensure that its easy and real. Only then will I be able to sit down and talk to you. You know life your work is now much easier since you have the specs
The lover should look at me as if to make me float, as if I’m magic, the kisses should be something I live for, the nights …oh the night must have a story and above all let it be exclusive , intense and overwhelming .
We are in this together mos life?

Q and A
Then life said but you say love left when it was so perfect what have you learned
I answered I learned that all happens in due time even if it’s just to confirm something
Then life said “what is meant to be will be, just be still”
We then shook hands and closed the meeting.


Hey Life...Im ready