It takes a village!

There is a reason why my blog says; " A thing called life and a worried me". I stay being worried about Life! Recently I had a bad day like a really bad day. I don't remember having that bad a day maybe because this bad day made all the others in the past seem like a piece of cake. Almost like how you think 3 finals in a day is bad until you have to study for the MCAT and all of a sudden the finals seemed like a breeze...Not that I had to take the MCAT or anything LOL I've just heard stories.

Living Abundantly

                          "To live is the rarest thing in the world,
                                                           Most people just exist" -Oscar Wilde 

Different

                                In order to be irreplaceable, 
                                            One must always be different- Coco Chanel

 It's very hard for us to see at times, but we are very different from each other. A difference we do not see until we are exposed to it. Until I packed up my bags and went to boarding school, I had no idea I was 'different'. To me, everyone talked the same, reacted the same etc. Like why would they be different from me? I'm awesome! *chuckles*. As soon as I got there, not even a year, I learnt I had a deeper voice than 'normal' (A difference I have grown to love), I found out I have some jumbo ears something which I later attributed to my dad. Hearing is on fleeeeek! Lol!  I learned people don't walk the same not because they're handicapped but because some people lean more on one foot than the other or lean forward and so on... You couldn't even hide that, our school sandals will tell any and every one the story. They definitely told me I had narrow feet with the smallest cutest toes Lol aka chinchin toes. Now the one I still hold against humanity. Our hair grows at different rates!!!!!!!!! I was 10 guys, bare with me. We had to have low cuts aka big chops but I noticed no matter how much pink oil (do people still use this? loved it) I used other peoples hair just grew faster right in front of my eyes. Till today, I will not tell you how many years I've been natural cause what I have achieved in years, my other natural chicas achieved in like 5 blinks. Amidst all that, I also learnt I am a people person! Something I later on banked on in school and life. I also learned I was organized with a dash of OCD. I still don't understand why people can't fold socks or underwear?? or just keep stuff organized. Completely blows my mind. Fast forward to college after meeting people from different regions, I was so convinced I was no where near normal. Like what is normal?

Blind

 I happened to re-read Mayas' poem Take time out. The second stanza in particular caught my eye.
                                 "........Use a minute
                                       feel some sorrow
                                       for the folks
                                       who thinks tomorrow
                                       is a place that they
                                       can call up
                                       on the phone.
                                       take a month
                                       and show some kindness
                                       for the folks
                                       who thought that blindness
                                       was an illness that
                                       affected eyes alone..."

Steps

                                            "The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide

                                              that you are not going to stay where you are. "

Steps are the guides that lead us to the next point, the next step, the next level.  And somewhere in that lies the confusion of life (at least in my life). The bittersweet truth about steps is once you go up, there’s no going down and once up, the tasks only get harder. No wonder it’s so easy to go down the stairs than go up the stairs lol! 

The blazer is fly..I know! I designed it!

Twenty-FINE

Ah the joys that life bring!

Know You!

                                 When you know yourself, you're empowered. 

                                                               When you accept yourself, you're invincible.

We know a lot of people and a lot of people know us, but then how many people really know us and how many people do we know?! Scratch the 500 IG friends or those you strictly turn up with... How many people really know us?

When you fixing to be ready...

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

Writing that title brings the famous song to mine the whistling at the beginning you know? Okay if you don't..it's okay you're probably too young to remember it but IT IS a classic though!

Who do you do it for?

No matter how passionate we are about our dreams or goals, a lot of times in our lives there's a driving power that pushes us to be more, to continue to move forward, to do YOU. Along the way some people loose track of themselves or forget why they're even doing what they are doing.

I Can't Keep Calm

Post grad and you'll think I'll have all the time in the world not to be MIA right? Lol! I'm still in awe that I walked the stage and I'm so eager to be part of corporate America! ayeee I'm old! lol

The beginning of the end.

Ah the nostalgia, the satisfaction, the pride, the freedom, the challenge to have seen the beginning of an end. I always anticipated when I will grace the stage and envied others ahead of me but alas! my day came and I graced the stage as remarkably as I possibly could being the me I am I had to make a statement.

As I Age

Something always stimulates my thoughts and this time it's a gorgeous wall in good ole Nashville, TN courtesy of my partenaire himself. I have not seen this wall personally but it's on the to do when I revisit Nashville.

February 9th

                            Do not count the candles but notice the light they give.
                                                        Do not count the years; look at the life you live.

Everyone who knows me knows I'm a sucker for birthdays. I'm that one person who will wait till its 12:00 on the dot just to scream  Happy birthday so imagine how much more anxious I am when it's my turn! :D

To some its just another day, to me, its another chance to do it even better. A chance to make right of the wrongs, to smile cause of how far I've come, to be grateful for the memories of the yester years but wise enough to leave them there (In the past), to develop plans, get closer to my dreams but most importantly to its a chance for me to LIVE not exist. I could go on but I cannot be thankful enough for simply the gift of life! 20+ years no be beans!

Seeing as my birthday fell on a Monday, had dinner the weekend before with my lovely primes who could make it. Each of which hold a unique story and spot in my life and heart (see summary below pics). Also, my grande photo shoot a norm for every year..I'm going to run out of space for pictures lol! One can never have too many.

It's a heck of a good thing having friends/sisters all over the globe. At 12, Paris time, my sister from another mother, Marie-Louise (and yes she's a Marie too) sent me the 'beautifulest' ( I know its not a word,,I still used it tho) text ever teared up a lil! She has literally helped me find solutions to every crisis in my life. fast forward to 12:00 South african time when the one who keeps me sane in this world Koryn (If you read my blog you know this name lol) called me and sang!!!!! I love y'all so so much! And of course 12 my time my phone crashed literally hahahaha!

Baby Steps

It's almost the end of January 2015.. Time sure does fly by.  At this point we are still holding on close to resolutions and hoping they fall through. Well I'm really here to say don't kill yourself if you've broken the resolutions already. Quite honestly here's how I see it....It is extremely hard to hold on to one thing ALL year. So break it down life's not a race and if it is, it's your race so go at your pace.

For example:

If 2015 was your great year to having a six pack like me over here (doesn't matter if I've been trying for Lord knows how many years now. Don't judge!) break it down..end of January expect to be consistent at the gym, end of February expect to have a healthy diet going etc etc baby steps. Now I'm a little harsher with my routine and if it does pull through i'll be self-less and share. Yes I know! I'm awesome ;)

Rome was not built in one day. Don't be too hard yourself!

Somehow..I'm still standing!

                 

                      "We cannot change the cards we are dealt with,                                                                      

                                             Just how we play the game" - Randy Pausch 

Hard to believe this will be my last post in 2014.. It feels like only yesterday I was writing my last post for last year on this same couch in the basement of my aunts house watching TV. Time does fly by and everything goes by so fast. Almost like how you dish out so much food in your plate and you're convinced you won't finish it but somehow you wipe that plate clean in no time (Did that even relate? oh well).

Second chances?! Nah

                    "If I got rid of my demons,                                       

                                              I'll loose my angels too"

  I know it's been a minute since I've been here but y'all this school ish is the realest.. Like the struggle is super real but nothing I can't handle (this is where you say Amen if you didn't already). However, had this convo with a good friend ( MM) and something struck me that I just had to write about. We were talking about birthdays and 'old age' and wondering what we would have done different if given the chance...At that point it hit me when I thought Yeah! I made some pretty dumb choices in the past and it will be great to be given a chance to erase them and make them better but then due to those dumb choices I grew into this awesome (yes I think i'm awesome, if I don't who else will?) lady because of the lessons I learnt from those experiences. I built my resilience towards things that happen in life and I know my WORTH.  If I went back and changed everything, I would not have grown into who I am..I will be way less experienced and less confident in what I can handle. So the question is, do I want to have all my mistakes erased and still be a learner (get it? lol) ? Or do I want to remain the phenominal person I'm growing into? My answer: The latter! I wouldn't change a damn thing! Yes, some experiences were pretty bad but I made it and I'm still here..And I learnt and I grew and now I know waaaay better.

Point Of Light

Our point of lights....

I recently watched Tyler Perry's video where he spoke about point of lights! And it enlightened me in so many ways that I just had to share.

Most times we miss out on the best moments in life because they only lasts but for a minute or so. I always say its the little things in life that count.

We will come across people in our lives that we will see perhaps only that one time, but what they do for us we will remember for eternity.  As Maya (RIP) rightly said;  I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

Sunday Best.

This was one of those 'let's take one for the gram' that turned into a ' let's do one for the blog' typa thing ;). Hope y'all are having a blessed Sunday.

Remember: If you have nothing to be thankful for, check your pulse! :)

Question: Are you ready?!

I had to laugh when I actually decided to write this out. I was at the gym on my usual elliptical you know burning 1/4 of the calories I took in today away just to feel better and text messaging my long time high school friend...when we wondered off to how it seems everyone around us was getting jobs or busy doing something or just having their lives fall in place and it seemed like we were just pretty much here doing nothing. After bashing ourselves and talking about our own plans which are still to come to pass...the moment that followed was almost magical well atleast for me... and I looked in the mirror ahead of me and smiled. Now this does NOT happen. Usually after I realize everyone is on the prowl I hit myself hard and fall into this depression stage and ask God why it had to me of all children to let my parents' down or as my african people go talk abi 'disgrace' lol. but today was different..I looked in the mirror and smiled and just seem to realize that my time is coming until then I keep working and I keep praying.

Miami for two!

Destination ----> Mexance!!

The much deserved Spring break is sadly coming to an end...Sun, beaches, draankksss, food etc you name it, it happened! I now call Miami, Mexance (get it??) cause I either felt like I was in Mexico or France lol Spanish and French EVERYWHERE! Our condo was full of zeee French I wasn't mad though we blended in just fine lol. First time in Miami and believe me the hype is real! If you haven't already been..I strongly recommend. Go fully loaded though, very fully loaded lol!

Anyhu so I wish I had more pics of the names of places but I got sidetracked by having fun and people watching that half the time I forgot I had a camera lol...Plus I forgot the charger(More interested in packing shorts) so we were saving the battery.

Disclaimer: picture OVERLOAD!

Day one...Testing the camera ;)