Immortalising dreams - Tiwerenge

Sadly, I cannot say that I have read many books in my life. If it were not for my exams or general academic work, I could literally count the books I have read in my lifetime using my fingers. Due to the minimal number of books that I have read, the individual stories are still so vivid in my mind. I remember forging my parent's signature in primary school to tick off with my English teacher that I had indeed read the book! Needless to say, I had 'read' the most books in my class!

My sister on the other hand would read absolutely everything she could get her hands on. Unlike me, she actually read the books! She would always recommend books to me, but alas, if it wasn't part of the Twilight Saga, I found the effort to psych myself up to be an almost impossible task to carry out. My lines have always been, 'After my exams are done!' or 'during my holiday' or my recent classic favourite is 'when I get a kindle or iPad’. Exams have come and gone, so have holidays, and the opportunity to get a kindle even as a present has come and has been passed off! Looking at it now, it was her way of sharing the area in her life that she finds joy in. 

Unlike my situation, where I was given the resources but did not utilise them, in Africa, and I can only speak for Malawian government school such resources are scarce. The number of child per book is very high. 

The dream to get everyone reading gave birth to Tiwerenge Foundation. This foundation encapsulated the joy of reading that my sister has always shared with my mother, myself, and her friends. Tiwerenge is an organisation in Malawi that supplies books to primary schools that need them the most. The very first resources of Tiwerenge were the very books that I was offered to read and never quite got around to reading. This foundation founded in Malawi has opened up the access of books to kids who would have otherwise not had the opportunity to these resources.

Something that started off as a casual conversation in my parent’s kitchen, the dream shared then was big! We discussed, looking at the use of kindles in schools. We also looked at starting middle school book clubs, where children could come together and share what they have read. This would get them thinking broadly for themselves. I personally felt the latter idea to be really good as I would have definitely been caught out with my signature forging routine! To imagine the thought of being asked to share what I had read, the shame!

This foundation is looking to provide skills that no one could ever steal from the children. To equip such skills to any child is a priceless gift and significantly undervalued, whether in a developing nation or developed. Just imagine not being able to read, what is the price you would have paid to get that skill? 

In these modern days we are sounded with over ambitious individual and an eager population. Everyone is looking for something that will fulfil their being, and give them that extra meaning to life. Think big and do it, don’t ever apologise or belittle your thoughts, imagination and ideas! If an idea such as that of a matchstick can light a room, imagine what an idea of enlightening a whole nation can do.

As John Quincy Adam said 'The influence of each human being on others in this life is a kind of immortality', therefore, I say immortalise your joys, and dreams!

Food for thought

I have been pondering on what to write in recent days and due to several reasons I have suffered from writers block and as a way to free up my brain I will be taking my inspiration this week from the book of truth: The Bible.

These are a few proverbs that I thought were good to share. ( the quote either come from the book of Proverbs or Ecclesiastes.) 

1. Don't pay attention to everything people say, you may hear your servant insulting you and you know yourself that you have insulted other people many times.

2. Keep your temper under control it is foolish to habour a grudge

3. Never ask 'oh why we're things do much better in the old day?' it's not an intelligent question to ask.

4. Young people enjoy your youth. Be happy while you are still young. Do what you want to do, follow your heart's desire. But remember that God is going to judge you for whatever you do. Don't let anything worry you or cause you pain. You aren't going to be young very long.

5. Invest your money in foreign trade, and one of those days you will make a profit. Put your investments in several places, many places in fact, because you never know what kind of bad luck you are going to have in this world.

6. If you are weak in a crisis you are weak indeed

Food for thought.

Paserelle

My friend Ivy has always had a twist and originality in her dressing. In all honesty before I met her, African fabric and attire was always something I stayed far away from. It always represented the image of the older woman. And in my early years growing up in Malawi, that was one look you tried to stay away from.

When I met Ivy, she had a quirkiness in how she dressed up her fabrics, and I was intrigued. She promoted the youthfulness of Africa print in modern day fashion, and I was quickly sold! There were occasions she would jokingly say ‘If I was a designer,’ or ‘If I could change this outfit.’ Never did I think she would actually turn these thoughts into something of this nature.

As I curled up on the couch, my once un-artistic friend had a sketch book and was doodling in it. 'What on earth are you doing?' I ask, ‘Designing. Eh Eve, although its summer, designers are working on their fall outfits.’ I was highly amused. And looking at the sketch book I must say the drawings were rather impressive! 

If there is anything you need to know about my friend is that when she has an idea in her head, she goes for it. Our London house was full of woohoos, and woop woops spurring her on. I never conceived that we would be involved in preparing and getting ready for the Paserelle first studio photo shoot.  

Our kitchen was the setting of a design studio! A mini sewing machine, contacts with seamstresses, numerous fashion magazines, pins, buttons, fabrics, it was all there, this has been  the closest I have ever come to fashion week!! (Not forgetting trying to keep the hyperactive cats out of the way!!)

Looking back at the evenings on the kitchen table with fabrics all over and the endless emails and picture message about the next new designs, pictures from the seamstresses, fabrics, unit cost sheets. I can honestly say that starting a business is not easy. The first sale of the Paserelle’s signature green maxis, was a high moment. And going into the American market was also another significant point.


So its now over two years since we sat on the kitchen table and new line is finally out, and the second photo shoot was set. Models, make-up artists, photographers! It is always a stressful but fun day on site. With a fun crowd, just what Paserelle is all about.


 Paserelle has been a big lesson for me in starting up a business and doing something that you love, and the importance of the Internet, costing, and sheer determination, the life of a business is only as strong as the founder. If you  ever have a chance of turning something you love into a business go for it! If nothing at all, it will inspire on lookers (me!!). 

Signature Green Maxi

My blogs usually have a bottom message, but if not celebrating the success and drive of a friend, I don't know what lesson I could give. As Nolan Bushell said, 'The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It's as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about then NOW. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.' 


Paserelle is a youthful, fresh and modern fashion line. The outfits you imagine come alive. 
Here's to another successful line launch of Paserelle!

The art of giving up

It's that time of the year again, the period of Lent. ( yes I know am 3 weeks late) so what did I give up this Lent season, well.....nothing really.

I have heard many interesting things people have given up, alcohol, cakes, chocolate, meat, cucumbers, you name it people are giving it up.

It was interesting after meeting up with a good friend of mine over the weekend ( who had given up meat and alcohol), we went for lunch, and I found myself trying to join her vegetarian nature for the meal, we settled on a prawn dish ( sea food is not meat ;)) and then she ordered a glass of wine!! To which I said 'hold on here!' and she quickly said ' oh for weekends am off'. Oh my! The new rules of the 21st century Lent.

This got me thinking. We all treat lent as time of self sacrifice which it rightly is and straight after the 40 days we are back bingeing on the one thing that we 'over love' if I can put it that way. If you can 'correct' it over Lent why not then just have it in moderation after. Because at this rate it's almost the 40 day game we play each year. A test of one self. And then back to the 'off days'

So as you go through the period of Lent this year (about 3 weeks more) think of the time after Lent, if you thought it was something you wanted to give up, can you carry it into your usual daily 'Lent free' life, so that next year it's not the same thing that you are giving up, as you are no longer a prisoner to it.

Albert Einstein defined insanity as 'doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome.' Let's not ritualise Lent the way we have ritualised Christmas.

Too young to be feeling this old

So apparently there are a growing number of young people suffering from the quarter life crisis. Forget the dreaded mid life crisis, it seems we will have enough practise getting over our quarter life crisis, just in time to deal with our mid life crisis. So what is this new disease all about? The symptoms are:


1.  Not in a job you had your mind set on

2.      Confusion of identity, usually as a result of work, changing friends.

3.       Insecurity regarding the near future

4.       Insecurity about present accomplishments

5.       Nostalgia for college and university

6.       Financial stress

7.       The feeling that everyone is doing better than you.

The symptoms really try to catch everyone in. What is this quarter life crisis all about? As children we set ourselves expectations, and with no knowledge of what life after school is like, we come into the real world and realise things are not always as clear cut. I remember as a child, I always wanted to work at the World Bank, had no idea, what exactly I would be doing there, or ever how I would get there, but that is where I saw myself, and that was what I defined as reaching my ultimate goal. Looking at it now, it was influenced by what I thought was the most powerful organisation in my child mind and where my parent would feel (or at least I felt) I have really done them proud.

   

Everyone grows up wanting the best for themselves, and to have it all figured out. Be it landing the dream job, have all the money the world can offer, and just know how things will turn out. Then when we start making grown up decisions you realise, the dream jobs are not always so easy to land, and when you do eventually get into a meaningful job, all the things you were hoping to get might have to wait until you either start earning a decent amount, or move up in the working ladder. It is easy to feel like after you have one thing figured out, the next obstacle arrives. It feels like a constant battle.

Seeing as we had the world’s highest viewed sermon on CNN yesterday, this would be a great time to bring in a lesson I got from one of Joel Osteen sermon, I feel he addressed the issue of the quarter life crisis, quite well. He says, 'We really have to have the right perspective, if we are constantly waiting for the mountain peaks to feel fulfilled i.e a wedding, birth of a child, promotion, graduation or winning the lottery, then we can count the number of days we will be living'. Joel message is that these big life fulfilling 'mountain tops' days are there in life, but they do not come so often, promotion, at best once a year, weddings, you would hope once in a lifetime.

Instead of worrying about the unknown future focus on the now, yes your job is not giving you the money you had hoped for, but how was it before you had the job and not having a constant source of income? And the salary that you had you mindset on, how many people are actually being paid that? Is it the industry norm? If it is an attainable figure then by all mean look for another job, that might bring you more financial satisfaction, and job fulfilment. But, if you are looking for Steve Job salary, then you have to be doing Steve Job type of things. 

Just try to stay realistic. These are the thoughts that fuel your ‘quarter life crisis’. If you are looking to improve something in your life sitting around feeling bad about the situation will not make it better, if you feel there is something you can do about it then by all means get off your back side and do it!!!

My point is, if you are unhappy with something in your life, you have obviously been comparing yourself to someone else and thought hmm...if I had that I will be happier. And sometimes these are the things that drive us to attain levels that we never would have. But if on the other hand, it drives you to feel less worthy and less self fulfilled, then you are not doing yourself any favours and are wasting your life away, and merely waiting on the start of your mid life crisis straight after your ages pushes you out of the quarter life crisis.

Do yourself a favour and just have the right perspective.

Miss Whitney

The passing of the lovely Miss Houston was a shock to hear when I woke up. After watching her Oprah come back interview, my heart went out to her and her daughter. It’s got me thinking about doing the things I have been wanting to do, and just live life, with no excuses!!

So this is a tribute from fractured 12^th rib to the gorgeous lady who brought as the fabulous sounds of ‘I’ll always love you’ and my personal favourite ‘Dance with somebody’ (at least I think that’s what it’s called, quickly googling it....and yes, was right all along!)

‘Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself’ and I personally think this is what Whitney accomplished! She really did create her own self, even in the mid 80s when she was not in the mainstream African American themed songs, she created her own style with her icon voice. Let’s not be limited with what the world had branded us to be!

She may be gone but her songs will live forever, and she was her music!!

Have a personal reflection on your own life today, create yourself!

Rest in peace Miss Whitney Houston.

Diets, Diets, Diets

With summer around the corner many people are thinking of crash diets, joining the gym or joining a fitness challenge to get back into shape. this is really infectious! I have witnessed may different diets people are taking up and I must say some are clearly much harder than others:

1. The celebrity shake diet. This is a diet that only allows u to have 2 shakes a day and a meal at night.
2. No carb diet or a fist size of carbs with each meal.
3. The special k diet
4. The water diet!!!! Yes you heard me right, first day, its all about the water and next day is a meal day, and back to an all water day!!!

Hell, I could go on for ever about these diets, and when u think about the amount of money people are paying for these diet groups or programmes, to the tunes of £15 to £100 membership a week!!!!! A week!!!!

I have tried a few, in the hope of getting my ketone levels up too!! (from the weight loss guru, that's what we are trying to get our bodies producing, to burn off the weight).
I have tried increasing my water intake (not water diet, just the intake!!). Bringing in a container of healthy snacks, carrots, olives, cherry tomatoes, almonds with me to work. All I can say is when I sit next to the snack table at work it sure isn't easy, someone should have told me that your waist line goes as soon as you sign the dotted line!

So what practical things have I tried so far, (having said this I have lost 1kg since Xmas, yeah me!)
1. I still take in my carrots and my tomatoes and fruits to work, to beat the munchies!
2. I know squash is probably not the best thing, but I reckon it sure does beat not having water or substituting  it with a mars bar!!!
3. I have joined a few running challenges to help me get to the gym, it's a good motivation, and it does make you feel like you have a goal to work towards, can't wait to get a medal for crossing over the finish line!!
4. I have subscribed to my fitness pal and fatcreep, it really does help keeping track of your weight, and what you are eating!
5. Reduce eating out, or have the less creamy based meals when I go out.
6. Taking my own lunch to work, that way I know what am having.


Now I really do hope I am on track to a great summer. For more weight loss tips check out this blog for some new ideas and inspiration!

The One

So recently I got into a discussion with a girl about when I am planning on getting married and starting a family... in her words ‘Have I not found my beloved yet? Or am I just too picky?’ And after defending myself, she then asked ‘then what type of guy are you looking for?’ And to be honest I had nothing to tell her, because I have never really had an ideal person, apart from the celebrities I see on T.V. maybe someone like Trey Songz...no.... wait...definitely Blair Underwood....but do I know any of their qualities....NO!....hmm, after getting side tracked, I started thinking quickly, and told her ‘If I have an ideal guy then is that not being picky?’

What is an ideal guy? And what is being picky? Personally, I feel if you have dated someone, anyone at all, then you can’t really be picky, because the qualities you are looking for, must have existed in whoever you were with...to some extent.  And it’s from the people you date that you decide what you want in an individual. Similarly, you also learn that there are other qualities you liked in someone, that you never had on your ‘list’. This should hopefully sort out the question of 'what type of guy am I looking for'

I have been told ‘You have to make someone how you want them’ however, I feel if you date to change people to your liking, that would be unfair, as that is not who they are. Things like time management, cleaning up after one self can be changed, but if someone is not a party animal....don’t force them to live in the clubs....

The ideal guy is a growing worry for women all over the world in the 20s, 30s, 40s and more.... I had a quick chat with a lady in her 60s who is now divorced. She was stressing herself out as she was off to a wedding where her ex will be there, so she had to make sure she looked fabulous! I sighed to myself and thought, ‘I was hoping this would stop by then, but it seems we can’t always have things figured out, and the people who say ‘everything will be fine’.... probably told her the same things in her 20s, and now 40 years late she is still looking for her ‘The One’’ After watching shows like ‘Single ladies ’and ‘Sex and the City’ they depict the modern girl in her 40s still looking for ‘The One’. But who is this ‘The One’? Will he come with references and a plank sign that reads ‘The One’?

So, I embarked on asking newly-weds or people who had just gotten engaged about how they knew the people they were with were ‘The One’ and I got various answers, but the most common one was ‘you just know it!!’ ......you just know what? What is it that I will all of a sudden know? What was so different about this person compared the last person you had dated?

Personal, I think it is all about good TIMING, where you are in your life... you have to feel you are ready to take that step... ‘The One’ doesn't come up with a plank or references....relationships have both good and bad sides, at the end of the day, you really have to have someone who makes you a better person, supports you in your crazy thoughts and the one who is not afraid to tell you when you are wrong and not being true to yourself....the person you enjoy spending time with....the one who you always consider before making a decision.

So to answer the question of who is my ideal guy it would have to be the person who will get me to say ‘You just know it!’

a little more on finances....I promise :)

From my first ever blog I spoke about personal finances and making a budget. Today, I am going to talk about ways I have invested my savings. This is not a lecture on investment, just a few easy things that will get your head thinking.

After my first pay, I was so happy to start my savings account. I wanted to put the money into an account, and see the interest coming in and see my saving grow. In the first few months that I started saving, interest rates were over 5%, monthly interest was really something. I would get £10 in a good month...then it happened, the global crisis took its toll, the Bank of England started cutting its interest rate down to a 0.5%!! Gone were the days of interest rates above £10, welcome to the era of the penny interest rates!

The options I am going to discussion are things I have tried and it does not consider long term investments. (This is not financial advice; this is just sharing what I have done!!)

So with the world of 0.5% interest what does one save in! Well if money isn’t really earning any interest why not put it in premium bonds, where if you are lucky, you could get drawn for the monthly prize award, £25 to £100,000 (though I have only known people to win the £50). The great thing about this option is the money is not in your reach so you can’t just go into a shop and spend it BUT it can be changed to cash quickly, at no cost! And the prizes are tax free!

The other option I have ventured into was investing in the FTSE tracker....I used to hear people talk about this but did not really know how to get into it or even where to begin....thanks to Google and moneysupermarket.com, I found out who could offer this service and at what cost. I will admit, the better option if you are looking to lock in money over £1,000 is just to go to your local bank and ask  them and ‘I believe’ you never lose your original investment, which is really good! All earnings are also tax free.

After all this I settled for Virgin Money, you can invest any amount as low as £1 and they charge 1% of your investment value when you remove you savings. Only problem is they don’t promise to protect your initial investment and for a first time investor August 2011 was a very tense month for me, with the market going down and debating on removing my savings. As it turns out, it does go back up; you just have to have some patience.

Finally, my personal favourite and quickest way to make a bit of money is just opening a Halifax reward account and pay in £1,000 a month and keep it overnight and you get £5 each month, this is the easiest money I am making money at the moment. Even though it is £60 over the year, but for 12 days for a few hours a YEAR, it’s too good a deal to pass! It’s a guaranteed £5 extra....why not! And if you are thinking really for £5 a month, well am guessing if you saw a £5 note on floor you would not pick it up....thought so....

Finally, it’s always good to have online savings accounts as they give you a higher return than normal saving accounts and you will be ready and waiting for when the interest rates start going up!

Personal finances

With the world becoming global, and the fast expansion of the internet, I found myself one evening watching a few Youtube clips on pretty much everything, ‘Bantu curls’, ‘sh*t Nigerian parents say’, ‘how to get a perfect smokey eye’, ‘forgetting an ex boyfriend’, ‘the new Rihanna music video’, ‘how to clean mussels’, name it everything can be found on the internet, with step by step details of exactly what you need to do.

After settling on watching Eddie Griffin’s stand up, I found myself compelled to get involved, share my experiences, thoughts, and possibly even pass on some knowledge.

The topic I will talk about today is on personal finance. I know...... not as interesting as some of the clips I saw on Youtube, but, hey.....I need to start somewhere. I find the issue on personal finance is assumed knowledge. However, not one class has any teacher actually gone through it....or at least not in my classes!! The shock when you leave your parents home and get your first bill! Though we are surrounded by water it sure as hell aint free!!

The first budget I made....well, more like my father made, was when I was going to uni, he budgeted down to the laundry soap! With life’s changes I had to flex my budget, after years of making budgets and always having a big pot of ‘miscellaneous’ I thought it was time to really sort out my finances....but alas, i kept on making budget upon budget with ‘miscellaneous’ and ‘overdraft funds’. And with over draft fund come credit cards, and with credit cards comes the vicious cycle of DEBT!!! It might start as £50 in one month, then you add another £50, and to justify the following months credit card usage, you tell yourself ‘but everyone lives on debt, it’s just how MODERN life is’.

So, last year finally, I learnt ‘how to make the perfect budget’ thanks to a really good friend. This budget gets you to really review, WHAT you are spending and HOW much you should be spending. 

  

So with this budget you split your income into 6 sections:

1.        NECESSITIES; this includes your rent, your bills, food and all other essentials for running your life.

2.        SAVINGS; this is your monthly savings. It’s never too earlier to begin saving for a car, a house etc.

3.        LONG TERM SAVING; this is savings that you will need in your old age, yes....I said it.....old age....even if you have just started work, it’s a good habit to get into. Put it into something you won’t have quick access to i.e. treasury bills, fixed interest bonds or a house (after your money grows J)

4.        CHARITY/CHURCH; the more you give the more you receive! This is healthy for your conscience. J

5.       HOLIDAY/EDUCATION fund; this fund is for holidays or extra education fund, other projects u might be looking into.

6.      ME!!; this is my favourite fund, this is money for u to spoil yourself, if you want to get your hair done, nails, shopping, dinner, just treat yourself or even a PS3 ;) !!

So for the split, 50% of your pay should go to you necessities, and the other 5 accounts get 10%. To start off with I suggest you make a month account and see how much you are currently using in each fund....it’s something good to look at going forward, if you earn £1000 and use £800 for your necessities that’s 80% of your wage is a lot, you are living to pay bills! You could look at cheaper accommodation, bundle up your service provider (t.v, phone, internet), share accommodation. The good thing about this is when you salary increases it doesn’t go to bills, it goes to the most important person in your life YOU!