Hot Spot

This is my favorite place in town.

Everytime I move to a new place there are 2 things I have to locate fast- a good church and a library. This is the City Library and I love it. I look forward to visiting this place - it is one of my havens. What do you think of the architecture of the building? I think it looks cultured and tasteful.

Fear of Being Average

I saw this saying somewhere some time ago and if I am not mistaken it was at the campus of the University of Pretoria.

I agree average is not good enough, I want more than average in my life. Like someone said there will only ever be one me. Hence the more reason that I should be an exceptional and unique me. Being average is not a part of it. Here is to everyone who desires to be more than average.

A Visit to the Neighbourhood

Although I live close to the Neighbourgoods Market in Braamfontein (a 30 miniutes walk) I had never been there. Procrastination. Yes, I had been procrastinating. Two weeks ago I woke up on a Saturday morning and decided I was going to go. I am glad I did.

Welcome to the Neighbourgoods Market.

Stopped by Sumting Fresh Food stall and I must say  the guy in the pink totally convinced me to try their Chow Pao burger. I was skeptical because it had this white Taiwanese bun which I was not familiar with. It was a gamble which I am glad I took.

These guys are great. You should hear them doing their haka occassionally. Its what made me curious and approach the stall in the 1st place.

There is my Chow Pau and a Berry Mojito. I tell you that Chow Pau is out of this world. Loved it. So fresh and the flavors just exploded in my mouth.

I think my experience at the market would have been much nicer if I had company. I didnt have anyone to exclaim to how delicious the food was and I am sure I would have tried more new food and stayed longer.

This visit to the Neighbourgoods market made me realise that although I have lived in Joburg for years I do not really know the city. There are still so many places yet to be seen and explored. This year I want to try and discover this great city and all its character and beauty.

Cool Bosses Exist

I believe we have one of the coolest bosses. I mean hey rock stars always are.

Yep. These arrived at our office on Friday morning, with a note attched. Cupcakes for valentines. He is so sweet. Guess what he sent us for Christmas last year? Irish beer (Guinness). I told you ourr boss is so cool.

The One I Missed

I was of the view that I had read all of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency book series but I was wrong. I came across this one in the local library and of course I couldn't resist. I knew I was in for a good laugh. At some point I had to stop reading it in the bus because I kept giggling behind the and I was in serious danger of busting out in laughter. Mr. Smith you never fail to get me with Mma Ramotswe and crew. This is one collection I have to have in my personal library so that I can read again and again if I want some cheering up.

Here is an excerpt from The Double Comfort Safari Club, but to really get it I would recommend just reading the whole book or better still the whole series:

Side Note: Mma Ramotswe is the main character and the owner of the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency and Mma Makutsi her secretary (she is a riot).

'In the place which she always occupied, halfway down and at the end of the pew, a good spot to observe, Mma Ramotswe cast an eye over the congregation. There were no surprises, although she did not recognize one couple sitting towards the back, the man heavy-jowled, the woman wearing a blue hat and a shawl in a clashing pink colour – not a good combination, thought Mma Ramotswe, even if well intentioned. The Mma Makutsi School of fashion, she thought wryly, and then immediately took back the uncharitable observation, remembering where she was. But it was true: Mma Makutsi did not have a good color sense, and should not wear spots. Mma Ramotswe had been thinking for some years of saying something to her about that, but it was difficult. You could not say, A lady who has blotchy skin, Mma should not wear spotted blouses. You could not. And even if you were more tactful, saying something like, Spots are nice, Mma, but I think that in your case stripes might be better, there would still be a chance that the person to whom the advice was offered might ask why. Then, if you were truthful, you would have to explain. If you were truthful…'

It is scenes like this which get me laughing. Mr. Smith I hope you are penning another book in this series. 

One Person Can Make a Difference

Have you ever met someone only once and that person had a huge impact on you? I have. Last year when I went to our Washington DC office I met one of my colleagues. It was my first time to meet her. We had previously communicated work wise here and there on email but not much. Her kindness and care towards me as someone who she hardly knew touched me beyond measure. I happened to mention in a conversation where she was present that I wanted to step out and grab something for a memento before I left. Just a recap – my visit to Washington was a hectic one, I had to leave my last meeting to rush to the airport so I didn’t get a chance to do and see much.

Anyways, when she heard me saying this she gave me her phone (a very nice one at that) and gave me a number (of one of our colleagues) l could call if I got lost and so that she could come and get me. I was floored, I couldn’t believe it. I mean very few people would go to such lengths for a person they hardly know. She later on offered to take me to see the White House echoing that I should at least see one attraction in Washington before leaving. True to her word she did and she went on to take me countless pictures there with her phone cause the one I had took bad pictures. I will always remember her with a smile on my face. By the way she wasn’t only kind to me, but I later heard another colleague expressing how kind and lovely this lady is and how he was even moved to send her a gift to just say thank you at some point. So of course, I was so sad when in December last year I heard she was moving on to another job with another organization.

As I am writing this post I am just wondering if I ever did something for someone which meant a lot to them and touched them deeply such that they will never forget me the way I will not forget this lady. Either way I feel challenged and inspired to practice love and care to those around me even those people that I do not know much. I love the following verses from Philippians:

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be innocent and pure as God's perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky, as you offer them the message of life. If you do so, I shall have reason to be proud of you on the Day of Christ, because it will show that all my effort and work have not been wasted – Philippians 2:14-16 (The Good News Translation).

We are supposed to live shinning like stars lighting up the sky in our environments. I saw this in the said lady; she is a breath of fresh air I tell you. I can bet where ever she is now she is still shinning with her kindness and good heart. With this inspiration alight in me I am striving to shine showing love and kindness to those around me. .