Tuesday, November 6, 2012

How to prepare for a job interview

Considering the fact that myself and my peers are finally finishing off our four years of study, and are beginning our ventures in to the big scary world out there, it is important to know exactly what to do, and exactly what is expected of you, in terms of job interviews.

I usually get very nervous for interviews and spend hours before the time preparing: trying to answer questions I think they might ask me, deciding what to wear, and thinking up numerous scenarios in my head.  I am someone who hates to be unprepared for something and believe that practice makes perfect!

So before we start our journey's in to the world of dreaded job interviews, here are a couple of tips to remember:

Research the company's profile and background:

Start by looking into their future goals and plans; conducting the interview with this in mind will make you seem like a good long-term investment. You should also be ready to talk in depth about the industry, the organisation, their clients, and the position you are applying for. Use the company's website, their annual report, and newspaper/business magazine articles to gather as much information as possible.
Think of questions to ask your interviewer:

Participating actively during the interview gives a good impression of your level of interest in the job. It's a good idea to come prepared with at least three thought-provoking questions to ask your interviewer. (Avoid asking anything that could be easily answered through a quick internet search, or you will simply come across as lazy.)  Ask questions that reflect your interest in future prospects; ask questions to bond with the interviewer and project your enthusiasm; and ask questions about what is discussed during the interview itself.

Anticipate questions from the interviewer:

It’s best to prepare for a wide variety of questions by thinking about your own career goals, long-term plans, past successes, and work strengths, but you should also brace yourself for the deceptively simple questions that most employers like to throw at their interviewees.  These include:
"What is your biggest weakness?"
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
"Why do you want this job?"
"Why did you leave your last job?"
 
Practice with a peer:

If you have a friend who is also preparing for an interview, consider preparing together. Not only will this give you a way to structure your preparation, but it will also help you get comfortable with giving answers, telling anecdotes, and using appropriate terminology. Practice giving concise, complete answers and maintaining eye contact with the interviewer(s) while you give them. Make sure you aren't speaking too slow or too fast and that your answers are stated with confidence.
 
Dress for the interview:
 
As a rule of thumb, you should dress for the interview the way you would for the job itself. (If the job is unusually casual, however, you might want to show up in business-casual clothes to be safe.) Choose subdued colors (blues, browns, grays, black) and make sure that your clothes are lint- and wrinkle-free. Avoid wearing perfume, after-shave, or scented lotion (but do wear deodorant).
 
Show up in the best possible shape:
 
Make sure you know exactly how to get there and just where to park so that you can arrive 15 to 20 minutes before the scheduled interview time. Go to bed early the day (or the days) before the interview so that you look rested and healthy on the big day. Bring an extra copy of your CV and/or references, in case your interviewer wants to go over any points with you or neglects to bring their own copy.
 
Lastly, be calm and think of it as a meeting or discussion.  Remember, if you got as far as getting the interview in the first place, they must see something in you that they really like.  The rest is up to the impression you make so always pay special attention to first impressions - they last!
 
 

How to apply makeup PROPERLY!

While searching the Internet recently, I came across an awesome article about how to apply makeup properly!

Often I see a large number of females wearing makeup that is not right for their skin tones or textures, and too often these ladies are wearing far too much makeup!  It is always good to go for a more natural look than to look to overdone or "fake."

For perfectly applied makeup every day, follow the easy 11 steps below for guaranteed beauty!

1. Start with sunscreen:

A fresh complexion is sexy and youthful. Starting with a clean face, apply sunscreen to your face and neck.  Rain or shine, you should get in the habit of applying sunscreen every day in order to protect your skin.  You can even apply moisturizer before applying your sunscreen. If you have oily skin, rinse face with warm water and pat dry before applying sunscreen.

2. Apply concealer:

Dot concealer with your ring finger to the spots that need it most (under the eye, along the nose, on the chin). Blend in by patting in, never rubbing, the concealer.

3. Apply foundation:

Apply a tinted moisturizer or foundation to your face, making sure to blend along the jawline so you don't have a tell-tale line.

4. Apply blush or bronzer:

Apply blush on the apples of your cheeks. If you want to appear sun-kissed, apply a bronzer as well. 

5. Apply eyeliner:

Now that your face is set, it's time to make up your eyes. Apply eyeliner to your eyelids. There are many different ways to apply eyeliner. You can go for the basic eye, a smokey eye, a cat eye and much more. For a basic eye, simply apply liner to the upper lashes and the lower lashes, smudging along the lower so it doesn't look drawn on.

6. Apply concealer:

If you wear eyeshadow, be sure to set the eye first with an eyeshadow primer, otherwise the shadow will melt into your eyelids.

7. Apply eyeshadow:

Just as there are many ways to apply eyeliner, there are many eyeshadow looks you can experiment with. For a basic eye, simply apply a base shade on the lid of the eye. Apply a darker contouring shadow in the crease. Make sure to blend it all in well.

8. Curl those lashes:

Curl your lashes with an eyelash curler. You can blast your curler for 3 seconds with a hairdryer to make the curl hold better, just be sure to test the metal to ensure it's not too hot first.

9. Apply your mascara:

Apply mascara by wiggling the wand from the roots of your lashes on through to the ends.

10. Leave your lips for last:

Once you have your face made up you can see exactly what type of lip treatment you need. You can either fill in lips with lip liner and apply lip balm or gloss over it, or you can line lips first then apply lipstick. Some women opt for just gloss or balm.

11. Set your makeup:

Set your face with loose powder or a spritz of Evian spray.

After following these easy steps, you're good to go for a relaxed day out, a hectic working day, or a fabulous night out on the town!

When is it time to stop calculating risk and reward, and just do what you know is right?

A really good question to ask yourself, but one that I really do not have an answer to.  Well, at least not yet that is...

It is always a good thing to cover your tracks and to calculate the risks and rewards of any decision you are about to make.  Part of being a good manager or an effective leader is to make calculated risks so that you do not end up worse off than you initially started.

We are always taught that every action has an equal and opposite re-action.  Therefore, if we just 'do what we know is right' without calculating the risks and rewards of that decision, the outcome may be one that is unfavourable or damaging.

Sometimes, however, it is good to just let go a little and to just do what you know is right.  Although the decision may not be calculated, one thing we should never ignore is our gut feeling.  Whenever your gut feeling is telling you to do something, you should just go with it - it is usually right!


The reason for this is that our gut feeling is not something that we can control, but rather something that is imbedded within us and can tell us whether something is good or bad.

My advice would be to always try and make calculated decisions and weigh up the risks versus rewards.  But when your gut feeling kicks in, don't ignore it, just do what you
know deep down is right and you will be A-Okay!

How to make awesome trifle for Christmas

In keeping with my excitement for the upcoming festive season, I have decided to share a recipe on how you can make a delicious, colourful trifle for your Christmas desert.  Having trifle on Christmas (made by my gran :) ) is a tradition in our family and Christmas just won't be the same without it!

Ingredients:
  • 1 large jam Swiss Roll | trifle sponge cake (readily available at your local Pick n Pay)
  • 75ml sweet or medium sherry | rum | brandy | liquor
  • 2 sachets of different flavour jelly
  • Any type of fruit, peeled and sliced (my personal preference is canned peaches and strawberries)
  • Home-made custard (not Ultramel!)
  • Chopped nuts (preferably almonds)
  • Whipped cream
  • Fresh fruit for decoration
Method:
 
Make the jelly and allow to set. Make custard and allow to cool. Slice the Swiss Roll or sponge cake and place at the bottom of a glass bowl (round and deep is normally the best). Moisten with alcohol. Chop up the jelly and cover cake. Add fruit and then custard. Sprinkle nuts on top. Cover with whipped cream. Decorate with the flake, nuts or grated chocolate.
Refrigerate and serve cold.
 
Enjoy!

Do you celebrate the things you have?

Often we take for granted the things that we have.  Every morning, say for instance, I wake up, shower, brush teeth, have breakfast, drive to work, eat lunch, come home, have dinner, watch TV, and go to sleep in a warm, comfortable bed.  Yet throughout the day, there are things I complain about:  being stuck in traffic, being late for work, eating a boring sandwich for lunch, or having nothing to watch on TV.

But I seldom stop to realise the magnitude of the things that I actually do have.  We do not appreciate the small things in life that make such a difference.  Instead, they are often taken for granted or not celebrated.

Thinking about it closely, I at least have a warm bed to sleep in at night, have running water, am able to afford food to eat, have a car to get around, and have a TV to watch for some recreation.  There are so many people in this world that do not even have a quarter of the things listed above.  Yet we always tend to focus on the negative things in life and never stop to actually appreciate the things that we do have and the ways that we have been blessed.



Consider family, friends, and education - all the things that some less fortunate individuals can only dream of having.  So from today onwards, whenever I feel like complaining about something insignificant, I should rather stop to realise the good things I have in life and should celebrate the things I have been blessed with.

New South African banknotes

Today marks a momentous day in South African history:  The day the new South African banknotes are release featuring the face of former-President and anti-Apartheid leader, Nelson Mandela.

Madiba is a truly inspirational South African icon who is admired all over the world.  Therefore, it is only fitting that our new banknotes are a testimonial to him and all that he has done for our country.

I have not seen a new banknote yet (student problems!) but cannot wait to be holding one in my hands.  I am very excited and proud to know that on the 22nd anniversary of Mandela's release from prison on Robben Island, after serving 27 years for his opposition to the Apartheid era, that he is being honoured for his brave deeds and that his legacy will live on in South Africa.

Christmas 2012!

As I sit writing this blog post, I cannot believe that we are already in November of 2012!  It feels like just the other day that I turned 21 and started out as a BTech student at CPUT.


Now, my 22nd birthday is slowly but surely making its way around, and I have less than one week left before I finish studying for good.  However, it must be said, the most exciting thing about all of this is that Christmas is 49 Days away!

I am one of those people who absolutely loves Christmas and everything about that festive time of year.  The Christmas tree, decorations, family reunions, presents, Christmas dinner and lunch, Christmas crackers, you name it!

It is such a happy, wonderful time of the year where we forget all of our troubles and focus on the important things in life.  It is a chance for us to reflect on the year that has just past and look forward to the year ahead.

49 days and counting... :)

Who knows, maybe one year it will snow on Christmas in South Africa?  That would be the cherry on the cake!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Come Dine With Me: Desert

For the final course of the evening, usually the most awaited of them all, I will be serving a baked cheesecake.

This recipe is fairly simple and is a guarunteed winner:

Ingredients for base:
  • 200 g digestive biscuits
  • 50 g (60 ml) sugar
  • 100 g butter, melted
Method for base:
  1. Place biscuits and sugar in food processor, and process to crumbs.
  2. Add melted butter and mix well. Pour into base of greased spring form cake tin, and press down firmly to coat base and sides (go as far up the sides as you can). Place in fridge for about 1 hour.
Ingredients for filling:
  • 1 kg creamed cottage cheese
  • 210 g (250 ml) caster sugar
  • 45 ml flour
  • 5 eggs (at room temperature)
  • 125 ml cream
  • 15 ml grated lemon zest
  • 5 ml vanilla essence
Method for filling:
  1. Pre-heat oven to 180 C.
  2. Place cottage cheese, caster sugar and flour in a large bowl and beat well with an electric mixer for about 2 min. Scrape sides.
  3. Add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Add cream and beat for 5 minutes. Add lemon zest and vanilla and mix well.
  4. Place chilled base on a baking tra. Pour cheesecake mixture onto base, then bake for 15 minutes.
  5. Turn temperature down to 120 C, then bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool. To prevent the top from cracking, carefully run a small sharp knife around the sides to prevent the cake from sticking to the sides of the tin. When cool, place in the fridge to cool overnight, for best results.
Tip: Remember to slice the cake with a knife that is dipped in hot water, otherwise it might crumble.

Come Dine With Me: Main Course

For the main course of my Come Dine With Me evening, I will be serving the following receipe to my guests:

Ingredients:

1 leg of lamb (about 2 kg)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a large bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• 125ml olive oil
• 250ml chicken stock
• 400g new potatoes, sliced thickly
• 100g baby fennel, trimmed and cut in half lengthways
• 225g baby carrots, tops trimmed
• 100g baby leeks, trimmed
• 200g courgettes, sliced lengthways
• 250g fine or yellow beans, trimmed
• 150g asparagus, trimmed to 6cm lengths

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Score the lamb all over and season. Using a pestle and mortar, or in a food processor, pound or blend the mint leaves with the garlic and seasoning until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil to your mixture then brush all over the lamb. Roast in the oven for 1½ hours, , brushing with the seasoned oil regularly until the lamb is cooked.

While the meat is resting, remove the fat from the roasting tin. Add the stock to the tin and make a light, tasty broth by boiling and dissolving all the goodness at the bottom.

Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling, salted water for 5 minutes. Add the fennel and carrots and cook for a further 5 minutes. Then add the rest of the vegetables and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Carve your lamb then serve the vegetables in a shallow bowl with the lamb on top and a little broth and mint oil drizzled over.



Come Dine With Me: Starter

In one of my previous posts, I introduced the Come Dine With Me competition that my friends and I have decided to implement - over very own version of the hit TV series currently on our screens.  I am not sure when it will be my turn to host them, but I need to start thinking of a few ideas of what to make in order to WOW them!

The first one in the group to host the dinner did an amazing job and really set the mark high for all of us to reach.  No half-hearted or mediocre attempt is going to cut it.  For the starter, I was thinking of making the following dish:

Spinach, ricotta and wild mushroom phyllo parcels with a traditional Greek salad:

Ingredients:

  • 8 sheets filo pastry
  • 50g butter
  • 500g frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • 4 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 250g fresh ricotta
  • 200g feta, crumbled
  • 1 egg, lightly whisked
  • 2 tbs finely chopped dill
  • 1/2 tsp finely ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
  • 1 punnett wild mushrooms
  • Mixed salad and lemon wedges, to serve

  • Method:

    Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut filo sheets in half crossways. Cut each filo square into quarters, making 64 small squares. Brush eight pie tins (or large muffin pans) with a little of the butter. Place a small filo square on a clean work surface and brush with a little butter. Top with another small filo square at an angle. Continue layering with 6 more small filo squares and butter. Repeat with remaining filo squares and butter to make 8 individual star-shaped stacks. Line the base and sides of the prepared pie tins with the filo stacks.
     
    Use your hands to squeeze the spinach to remove as much liquid as possible. Place in a medium bowl with the green onion, garlic, ricotta, feta, egg, dill, nutmeg and lemon rind and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon spinach filling among pie cases. Gently fold edges of filo pastry over the spinach filling. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is cooked through.
     
    Turn the pies out onto serving plates. Serve immediately with mixed salad leaves and lemon wedges, if desired.


     

    Music as a form of expression

    This year was quite a tough year for me.  I went through a few things that I would have preferred not to have happened, or would have like to change, if I had the opportunity.  Music is a great part of life and often the lyrics of a particular song relates to the situation that you find yourself in.

    This year, the song "Shake it Out" by Florence and the Machine really hit home for me, as the lyrics are so powerful and meaningful.  My interpretation is that if something is bad or negative or bringing you down in life, then shake it out and let it go, because it is not worth your time.  You should only surround yourself with positive things, things that you love, and things that make you happy.  Cut out the negativity and if you need to listen to a certain song over and over to realise that, then so be it...

     
    Regrets collect like old friendsHere to relive your darkest moments
    I can see no way, I can see no way
    And all of the ghouls come out to play
    And every demon wants his pound of flesh
    But I like to keep some things to myself
    I like to keep my issues drawn
    It's always darkest before the dawn


    And I've been a fool and I've been blind
    I can never leave the past behind
    I can see no way, I can see no way
    I'm always dragging that horse around
    And our love is pastured such a mournful sound
    Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
    So I like to keep my issues drawn
    But it's always darkest before the dawn

    Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
    Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaaah
    And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
    So shake him off, oh woah

    I am done with my graceless heart
    So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
    Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
    It's always darkest before the dawn


    Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
    Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
    And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
    So shake him off, oh woah

    And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back so shake him off
    And given half the chance would I take any of it back
    It's a fine romance but its left me so undone
    It's always darkest before the dawn
    Oh woah, oh woah...


    And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't
    So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road
    And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope
    It's a shot in the dark and right at my throat
    Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me
    Looking for heaven, found the devil in me
    Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me

    Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
    Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
    And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
    So shake him off, oh woah


    Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
    Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh woaaah
    And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
    So shake him off, oh woah

    Will this day matter in five years?

    The answer to this very simple question: No.

    In my view, especially when things are bad or not going in your favour, it always seems like an obstacle you will never overcome.  Something that seems so significant to you at a particular moment in time, will not matter in five years time.

    When something embarrassing happens, or I'm having an extremely bad day, or I even feel despondent, unmotivated or at my lowest, I think about it over and over and it plays on my mind constantly.  It seems like the biggest deal in the whole world and I sit there wondering how I will ever get over it.

    But this relates to one of my favourite sayings that I constantly need to remind myself about: "this too shall pass."


     
    Something that seems like the end of the world today will not matter in five years time.  Thinking of today in particular, I went about my normal tasks.  I did have to wake up extra early to hand an assignment in, and then go to work where I was very busy and thought I would not get all my work done.  Then I realised I would have to come home and do university work.  It all seemed too much for me at one stage and I found myself asking, what if I can't do it all?



    Thinking about it now, this day will not matter in five years time.  There may be certain aspects of the day that may have some significance on my future, but overall, it was just another day.  So don't sweat the small stuff.  Something may seem impossible or overwhelming sometimes, but it will not matter in five years time.  It, just as with everything else in life, shall pass.

    If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?

    If I could do it all over again, there are definitely many things I would want to change.  I always think about what could have happened if I had just done something a little differently.  What would my life be like now?  Where would I be?  Would I be working where I am working now?  Would I be living where I am living now?  Would I still have the same group of friends?



    There are many things in my life that I would not change for the world.  My friends have been instrumental in shaping who I am today and have been such a support to me.  My mother has taken care of me and provided me with all the necessities I required to get me where I am today.  Those things I would never change, even if I had the chance.

    But, what if?  I always try to live life to the fullest and not think back on "could have, should have or would have," but it is inevitable.  You will always think 'what if?' and cannot help but wonder if you life could have been better if you had just made that one different choice.

    There are two choices I have made in my life that I would give anything to change.  I know that if I had made different choices back then, that my life would now be significantly different and would be better than it currently is.  It is not a nice feeling to live with regrets, but unfortunately it is a part of life.

    After knowing the results of those decisions that I made, if I could do it all over again, there are definitely things I would change.  I do, however, believe that everything happens for a reason and the decisions you make are the ones that are supposed to be made.  If something is meant to be one day, then it will be.

    There are beautiful lyrics from one of my favourite artists, John Mayer, who writes:

    Is there anyone who
    Ever remembers changing their mind from
    The paint on a sign?
    Is there anyone who really recalls
    Ever breaking rank at all
    For something someone yelled real loud one time

    Everyone believes
    In how they think it ought to be
    Everyone believes
    And they're not going easily

    Belief is a beautiful armor
    But makes for the heaviest sword
    Like punching under water
    You never can hit who you're trying for

    Some need the exhibition
    And some have to know they tried
    It's the chemical weapon
    For the war that's raging on inside

    Everyone believes
    From emptiness to everything
    Everyone believes
    And no one's going quietly

    When it's all said and done, will you have said more than you've done?

    I absolutely love the title of this blog post as it always raises so many questions in my head.  I always think back to many different scenarios throughout my life and try to relate this very relevant question.

    When it's all said and done, will you have said more than you've done?
     
     
    It is never a good thing to be a hypocrite - to say more than what you do.  Remember, actions always speak louder than words.  It is very easy to simply say something, but the hard part arises when it comes to the actual "doing."
     
    People often say something just for the sake of saying it, but never follow through with the action.  And we learn the hard way to eventually stop trusting these people.  As individuals, we can only take so much before we completely crack.  After someone saying the same thing over and over to you, but never implementing the action they say they will, we eventually give up and learn that it is easier said than it is done.
     
    I hope and try to not be one of those people.  I would like to consider myself as someone who does what they say they will do.  So when the time comes for me to ask myself 'when it's all said and done, will you have said more than you've done,' I can say 'No, I have done more than I have said.'

    What is the difference between living and existing?

    There is a clear distinction between living and existing.

    Living is when you enjoy the life that you have been given and you do things to the best of your ability.  You take part in spontaneous activities and feel privileged to be alive.  Although you may not be happy all of the time, living is about so much more than that.  Living is about not just going about day-to-day tasks and merely accepting what you have - it is about passion, enjoyment and fulfilment.

    Existing, on the other hand, is merely just going through the motions and not really having any ambition.  You just accepted what is there and do not do anything to change it.  Your day to day tasks remain the same and you don't allow change in.

    If you merely exist, rather than live, then you are wasting valuable air or Oxygen that somebody who really wants to live could be using.  Not all of us are fortunate enough to be able to live healthy and happy lives.  So take the chance that has been given to you.  You never know when it could change and you never stop to think about someone else out there that would appreciate it a whole lot more than you do.

    Remember: YOLO :)

    Do you think crying is a sign of weakness or strength?

    In my opinion, crying represents a sign of weakness and a sign of strength.  Crying is a wonderful emotion that shows immense expression and passion for something.

    Often, people view someone who cries as weak or inadequate.  I think that it is good to cry, and everybody, regardless of if you are a man or a woman, should cry.  Crying is the best way to express sadness, pain, joy, fear, longing, excitement, happiness, and sorrow.  If you can express your emotions through crying, it shows that you are strong and comfortable with who you are and what you feel.

    Crying is also a sign of weakness.  Often, when we are at our most vulnerable, we cry more often.  Crying represents the sadness we feel for something, possibly something we are longing for or something out of our control.  Crying can even be used to express nostalgia for something.

    Crying can only be classified according to the context it is present in.  Often when I am having a bad day, and something triggers a certain part of me, I cry.  I feel that it is a great way to express what I am feeling.  It is never good to keep any emotion bottled up, whether it is joy, pain, sadness, hatred or love.  It is all about expression.

    So go ahead and cry; let it all out!  Whether someone thinks you're strong or weak, it does not matter.  All I know is that when I am sad or happy, or sitting watching Grey's Anatomy, I have my box of tissues handy!

    Sadie's Bubble of Yum

    My good friend, Saadiyah Hendricks, has started her very own food blog.  Saadiyah is a person that not only loves cooking, but absolutely loves sweet things and loves to bake.

    Considering that, it was only fitting that she eventually started her own blog to share her wonderful recipes and ideas with the rest of the world.

    Saadiyah's blog has a central focus on anything sweet, ranging from various cheesecakes to chocolate brownies and even a basic cupcake.  Saadiyah also posts some all time favourites such as butter chicken and home-made roti recipes.  She even posted her very own creation of an Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookie - you guessed it, a chocolate chip cookie with a whole oreo inside of it!

    All her recipes are easy to make and she gives you a step-by-step breakdown of the process.

    These are a few of her creations:



    To view her amazing recipes, visit her blog at http://sadiesbubbleofyum.wordpress.com/

    Although you may not regret it, your hips sure will!

    The last lecture



    Usually, over these past four years I have spent at CPUT, the last lecture is a momentous one that I always count down and usually has a lot of significance to me.  This year, being my final year as a student and my final year at CPUT, I thought that my last lecture would have an even bigger impact than usual.

    This year, the last lecture sort-of just happened.  It was a Management Practice lecture held last Thursday, November 1, 2012, but it just went as quickly as it came.  Usually I look so forward to "the last lecture" and am counting down the days, but I think this year we all still had so many assignments and tests due after our lectures ended, that it didn't feel significant because we knew it was not really over.

    All the last lectures for each subject really just fizzled out this year.  I don't even think we really knew they were ending.  Maybe, after four long years, we have all come to that stage where we are quite "over it" and the significance of the last lectures are gone.

    The last Media Studies lecture was a packed one, with us working right up until our very last lecture.  I preferred it this way as we did not waste time.  We didn't have to come to class unnecessarily and sit and do nothing.  Instead, our very hectic assignment was completed and finalised in our last lecture, making this subject seem more finalised than the others.

    I had a really great time in Media Studies this year, surprisingly though as usually it is my most dreaded subject!  We learnt so much and Marian very kindly imparted all her knowledge and experience to us, making us view the PR world and the media in a very different light.

    I will definitely miss all my classes in the coming months and years, but right now, I just cannot wait to be done once and for all.  It has been a long, hectic year, but the end is in sight and the last lectures have been conducted.  That leaves just one or two small hurdles to overcome before we call it a day.
     
    As Randy Pausch would say, "be good at something, it makes you valuable."
     
     

    Nicole's famous chicken curry!

    My friend, Nicole, makes the best chicken curry and she was kind enough to share her recipe with me, so I thought that I should share it with all of you.

    Enjoy! :)

    INGREDIENTS
    • 8-10 chicken pieces, coated in tumeric and seasoned
    • 250ml cream
    • 300ml stock
    • 1 chopped onion
    • 1 tin tomato paste
    • 4 whole cloves
    • 4 cardomom pods, crushed
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
    • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (use less if you use dry ginger)
    • 1 tablespoon cumin
    • Chlli flakes/powder (as much as you want, depending on how hot you want it)
    • 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
    • 3 or 4 carrots, peeledand cut into chunks
    • Cauliflower
    METHOD
    • Heat the cloves and cardomom pods in some oil for about 2mins
    • Add the chicken pieces to the pot to seal them, about 5 mins a side
    • Remove the chicken pieces and set aside
    • Add some butter/margerine and fry the chopped oinions for 2 mins
    • Add the garlic, tomato paste and chilli and cook for 5mins
    • Add the stock, cream, ginger, cumin, and more tumeric and seasoning if needed. Let the sauce cook for 15 mins
    • Add all your vegetables and the chicken pieces, and let it simmer for 25 mins
    • Add fresh coriander right at the end for taste.

    If presented with the opportunity to get a message to a large group of people, what would your message be? Is it possible to lie without saying a word?

    If I was given the opportunity to get a message out to a large group of people, my message would be directed to individuals within a country such as South Africa, who are affected by unemployment.

    The reason our unemployment rate (currently at over 25%) is so high is because we are over-populated.  There is no question about it.  The rate of reproduction is so advanced that there are simply not enough jobs out there for everyone.

    It often makes me angry when I see women who are homeless or unemployed with no form of income, who are pregnant.  What type of life will that child of yours have?  I understand that having a child is a blessing and is a gift from God, as many women struggle to have children.  That child could even be given to a family that desperately wants a child to love and take care of.  But our foster homes and orphanages are also extremely over-populated because people do not take proper precautions to avoid unwanted pregnancies.

    If you can barely support yourself and do not even have a home or form of income, your child's life may be no better.  They will also not have a home and will not have access to proper education, thereby contributing to the unemployment rate once again as they will struggle to get a job without having received an education.



    My message would be just to think about the consequences of your actions.  If you are in no position to raise a child and give him/her everything that he/she deserves, you should be extra cautious and should endeavour to not allow your child to have the same upbringing as you did.

    I firmly believe that the solution to our problem of unemployment in South Africa is to curb the rate of reproduction and especially unplanned or unwanted pregnancies.  This would be the message that I would communicate to South Africans.

    I do, however, think it is possible to lie without saying a word.  We often forget about what we DO instead of what we SAY, which may in fact have more drastic consequences.  Just remember, actions often speak louder than words.

    Leaving on a jet plane!

    So for the first time in my life on Saturday, October 27, 2012 I flew on an aeroplane!  Quite a significant moment in my life, I think, considering that I am 21 years old and had never stepped foot on an aeroplane before.

    I found out the Thursday prior to my flight that I had to go to Johannesburg alone - considering that I had never been there before either - but, I mean, where have I been, like living under a rock or something?  The trip was for work as I had to manage and co-ordinate all the media that were attending the Hansa Pilsener Special Ingredient Search gala dinner.

    Working for Corporate Image, one of the main clients that I work on is SA Breweries (SAB) and Hansa Pilsener, specifically.  My manager had the utmost faith in me and suggested that I travel to Johannesburg on behalf of Corporate Image to manage our side of the event.

    I was extremely nervous before the time, but managed to keep my cool.  The take-off was by far the best part, and luckily I checked in early enough to get a window seat.

    We had clear, sunny skies in Cape Town, but as we descended into Johannesburg, I was greeted by grey clouds, rain and even lightning.  I had to go straight to the event in Newtown from OR Thambo International Airport.  Thank goodness I had a driver because I would have been totally lost if I had to drive there myself!

    After a long evening, I finally checked into my hotel room (the Rosebank Courtyard Hotel) which was absolutely beautiful!  Luxurious and spacious and very serene with a large en-suite bathroom, kitchenette, flat-screen TV and a balcony.  After getting some much needed rest, I had breakfast the next morning and even took the Gautrain for the first time back to the airport.


    The flight back to Cape Town was a bit more boring than before, as the thrill of the "first time" was over.  I flew SAA both ways (thank goodness it wasn't 1Time) and the airline was wonderfully accommodating and efficient.


    That weekend was definitely a lot of "first" experiences for me, which I thoroughly enjoyed!  Hopefully there are many more of them to come my way!

    How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?

    If I didn't know how old I was, I think I would be 26 years old.  Currently I am 21 years old, turning 22 in December this year.  I know this may seem like a random number to choose, but I have always seen myself as a mature person.  That having been said, I still think that I am someone who still has child-like qualities and still likes to be spontaneous and have a bit of fun.

    Sometimes I think that other people who are the same age as me do not act the way I do.  Then again, maybe they are the more mature ones and my age should actually be 17!

    It is not always a good thing to be mature before your time, but neither is it a good thing to be more immature than the age you actually are.  Remember, act your age, not your shoe size!


    Whatever the case may be, we are all only a certain age once in our lives, and whatever that age may be, we should embrace it and enjoy it.  We should not wish our lives away or wish to be older.  We should enjoy our youth and the time that we have left, and just live in the moment, regardless of your age.  Age ain't nothing but a number, right?

    What makes you smile?

    What makes me smile is:
    • My amazing friends
    • My dog, Sasha
    • My three-legged cat, Poop (yes, that really is her name, and yes, she really only has three legs!)
    • Thinking back to great moments where awesome memories were made
    • The boat cruise I took with my friends in January 2012
    • Making plans for our Thailand 2014 trip
    • Receiving a compliment
    • Achieving good results in university work
    • Doing well at work
    • Receiving positive feedback for something I have done
    • Knowing that someone has faith in me
    • Receiving flowers
    • Receiving well wishes for something I am about to do
    • Going shopping with my mother
    • Getting paid after I'm very broke
    • Getting gifts from people
    • Knowing that I have an off day coming up (sounds kind of lame, but when you work two jobs and study, it really is something that will make you smile)
    • Knowing that in a week's time I will no longer be a student
    • Looking towards the future and the great things that are in store for me :)

    Of all the forms of courage the ability to laugh is the most…

    Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most BRAVE.
    Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most BOLD.
    Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most DARING.
    Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most AUDACIOUS.
    Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most HEROIC.
    Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most ADMIRABLE.
    Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most COURAGEOUS.
    Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most INTREPID.
    Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the most VALIANT.

    Of all the forms of courage, the ability to laugh is the BEST!  Nothing shows as much courage, or infuriates the other person as much as you brushing it aside and just laughing about it.

    Friday, November 2, 2012

    The last stretch...

    The last stretch is here!  The end is in sight!  The moment I have been waiting four years to arrive has finally begun to creep its head around the corner!

    As my last week of being a student begins to descend upon me, I have begun to look back at all the moments and memories that I have formed over these last few years.  On my first day in 2009, this moment in time seemed destined to never arrive.  People always say "your life passes you by," and "before you know it, it will be over."  We always think this is not true, but it is!

    It feels like just the other day I began my student life journey.  Along the way I have learnt so much and have formed wonderful relationships with my peers and soon-to-be fellow-graduates.

    I will always cherish the moments I had at University and a big part of me will definitely miss it too.  On the other hand, I am excited to begin my (hopefully) very successful career and to make new memories on my new path.  Although I am not 100% sure where I will be next year or what I will be doing, but I do know that these past four years have laid the foundation for my

    The statute of limitations has expired on most of our childhood trauma

    We all suffer traumatic experiences at some or other stage in our lives.  Some are subjected to these experiences as a young child, while others are only exposed to it at a later stage in life.

    When you suffer traumatic experiences at a young age, I do not think that they go away.  Something that bad will stay with you for a very long time, the rest of your life even.

    Although, reading this blog, you are no longer a child, the trauma that was once present in your life during your childhood has severe implications on your future, and can impact your life more than you can imagine.

    Even though the statute of limitations of that trauma from our childhood has expired, the memories remain and shape who we become one day.