Still waters run deep...

When a woman is in love; everything is so pretty. She has butterflies in her stomach; the sky is always blue and birds are always singing. She is ready to do anything for the one she loves: cook; clean; wash dishes; do the laundry; accept every whim that he makes just because he makes that cute face when he asks for something so normally irrational. Since she is this calm; attentive and caring girl; she does it anyway even though she knows that she should not. Even when he acts badly; she keeps silent. But beware; as people say: "still waters run deep". 

http://www.123rf.com/photo_10130909_caring-woman-check-the-temperature-of-her-sick-boyfriend-with-a-thermometer-against-white-background.html

 A woman is so nurturing; caring and loving; but beware as much as she can be this sweet angel; she can be this horrible monster (if you push her of course). When a woman is fed up; she is not willing to put up with those whims and bad actions towards her anymore. Suddenly; she stops doing what she used to because she knows it is not worth it. She will be bitter; will make him upset; will not attend his every need, will not be fooled anymore and will make his life a nightmare.

http://madamenoire.com/182946/true-life-the-revenge-was-sweet-or-sour/

It is important for guys to treat their ladies right; as it will permit them to always have this sweet angel by their sides…

15 minutes of fame...

“In the future everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes.” Why would I be famous? Any Warhol

Being famous is such a complicated notion. When most people hear the word “famous”; they think about glamorous life with fancy lifestyle; being on TV. They want to be famous because they want show off their belongings; throw parties; be invited to parties. I think that this is shallow.  The word “famous” can be defined as something or someone that is widely known for performing a particular action or doing a particular job. This definition gives so many dimensions to the word “famous”. It includes glitter but above all serious matters.

http://www.web-hosting-newsletter.com/2011/05/06/lunarpicks-may-famous-for/

If I had the chance to be famous for fifteen minutes; I would want to be famous for helping people in need; working with charities and giving back. I think that I am a fortunate person in the fact that I was born in a family who has always loved and provided me with everything that I have always needed. I have the chance to be educated; to go to university and that is thanks to God and them.

http://simplegreenworld.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-am-i-doing-to-eradicate-hunger-and.html

A lot of people do not have that kind of chance. Many people around the world find themselves in situations of poverty. There are shocking facts about poverty nowadays:

• Almost half the world live on less than $2.50 a day
• According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world.
•  More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening.  It is important to give back to the less fortunate. If we have the possibility to help someone in need; why not help him/her and make his/her life easier? In my point of view; we must give back to different communities around the world for a better tomorrow.

http://www.culturepop.com/art-design/5-creative-ways-to-give-back/

As there are many people around the world needing help; I would first donate my time or money to non profit organisations or shelters in the country I will be living in. Then ; it would be easier for me to provide much more help around the world through the channels of those different organisations.

 Source: http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

A skill set called leadership

A leader… Simply defined it is a person that leads other people towards the achievement of a particular goal. Those people are called followers. An important question to ask is what makes someone a leader?

http://www.prosperityequation.com/personal-development-topics/leadership

A leader is a person who has a vision; a drive and a commitment to achieve that vision and the skills to make it happen. The vision of a leader is created through a problem that needs to be fixed or a goal that needs to be achieved. It might be an issue that is tabou and that nobody wants to tackle. Furthermore; the essence of a leader rest in the fact that unlike numerous people who see things that should be fixed; they act. A true leader always moves forward.

In order to be a leader; they are numerous traits and skills that people should have:

§    Integrity

§    Be a people person

§    Positive

§    Effective communication

§    Motivation

§    Planning.

Through history; there are numerous examples of great leaders that made huge changes in today’s world. It is the case for Martin Luther King; who was the leader of millions in nonviolent drive for racial justice. His example of leadership gave lessons to people on the skills needed in order to be a true leader:

§    Being direct and truthful

§    Engaging people’s heart

§    Refusing to accept the status quo

§    Creating a sense of urgency

§    Acknowledging the sacrifice of their followers

§    Painting a vivid picture for a better tomorrow.

http://simonmainwaring.com/future/honoring-martin-luther-king-jr-using-social-media-to-realize-his-vision-of-economic-equality/

It is important to use this skills and develop those traits in order to lead people towards the achievement of a particular goal.

Source: http://management.about.com/od/leadership/a/whatisaleader.htm
Source: http://michaelhyatt.com/eight-leadership-lessons-from-martin-luther-king-jr.html

Time…

Have you ever wondered while maybe looking at a picture or talking to someone where did the time go? It’s so funny how sometimes we are impatient for things to happen and; in just the blink of an eye; they become memories. With the use of time; we have done so many things and went to so many places.



http://www.acus.org/new_atlanticist/time-friend-or-foe



I think that time can be our best friend and our worst enemy at the same time. It can be our best friend through the fact that with time we have the opportunity to to heal; to grow and to find ourselves on a long term basis. In some magic way; time gives us the necessary tools to deal with things we have problem dealing with in the first place.

 However; it is our worst enemy in the fact that sometimes; we do not have enough time (or we do not make enough time) to do everything we would like to. In a blink of an eye; time passes and sometimes you would like to enjoy more of certain things. As people say “time flies when you are having fun”. It is a shame but we can notice it on a daily basis.

http://catchthenew.blogspot.com/2010/09/what-exactly-is-time-management-time.html

We should just try to manage our time properly; learn to make time and enjoy every minute of our lives as we are never getting any of them back…

Lie to me

I recently came across a really interesting TV serie titled “lie to me”. It is about the ability to decode non verbal language in order to get answers and find out the hidden truth. In the television serie; the services of a group called “Lightman group” are often needed by the police or the government. They are the specialists of decoding non verbal cues.

http://pncinfotech.blogspot.com/2009/11/lie-to-me-season-2-episode-8-watch-lie.html

It really got me thinking about an obvious fact: people lie almost all the time about almost anything. It can be because they are afraid; ashamed; guilty; disgusted or even happy. The key to understanding properly those non verbal signs is the micro expressions. It can be defined as the quick little non verbal indication that your body makes. It is so quick that you have to be really attentive to see it (well most people do). It can be your lips going a certain way before you start to speak; or the way your eyes or cheeks move when you hear a question.

http://www.fanpop.com/spots/lie-to-me/images/4290669/title/lie-wallpaper

Through the serie; we see different facial expressions; and the funny thing is that we notice them on the face of famous people as well. They have taken the example of Mike Tyson; Condoleezza Rice; Jessica Simpson or Nicolas Sarkozy. Those expressions are universal regardless of the age; race or cultural background.

http://www.poptower.com/lie-to-me-picture-5709.htm

It may not be an exact science as we can come across really good liars. It’s true that it is a television serie and that they can maybe come up with all of this but whether they are lying or not ; they highlight the importance of decoding non verbal communication for our professional and even personal lives.

http://www.bodylanguagesuccess.com/2011/10/negotiation-secret-389-moammars.html

What do you think?

Rock journalism...

Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read” …This comment was made by Frank Zappa, an American composer, guitarist and activist.

http://home.gwi.net/~drrknrl/fzappa.html

Through this quote; Frank Zappa wants to highlight the fact that rock journalism does not serve any valuable function. Through his quote; he says that rock journalism is used by the people who don’t have the necessary skills to write properly for people to understand. Then he adds that those same people interview people who can’t talk. It can refer to the artists who don’t necessarily express themselves with their voices. Obviously it means that it will be impossible to get answers from them. Finally; he states that it is for people who can’t read. It is therefore evident that rock journalism is pointless according to Franck Zappa.

http://www.killuglyradio.com/2009/09/22/frank-zappa-the-interview-sessions/

Through this quote, we can understand that rock journalism creates miscommunication between the artists and the readers. The intended information that is given is not the one communicated to the audience. The artists convey information that the journalists don’t know how to decode. The people who can’t read understand it their own way.

Source: http://wernercarol.blogspot.com/2011/07/rock-journalism-is-people-who-cant.htmlhttp://4

Past...

We all have a past. It is full with things we have done; places we went to; people we met and decisions we made. I think that the past is like a double-edged knife. It can bring back so many good and bad things. On one hand; we can think about the good times we had with friends or family. There is nothing like the warm memory of a big family dinner or lunch with people laughing, smiling and sharing when you are feeling down and alone (especially in a foreign country). Some people say that we must not live in the past; but I think it can be beneficial in that way. However; it can bring back so many painful memories such as pain or bad decisions taken. Those bad memories can really affect you in a negative way…

http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2012/06/authentic-leadership-development-your.html

I think that is important for our mental well-being to be able to filter what the past is bringing in our present lives. If it is positive; let it in. It can help you get stronger and even help you regarding your future. But if it is not, do everything you can to block it. I read somewhere that the past has nothing new to say… In this sense; it makes perfect sense to me. Letting this “negative” part of your past in your life can only damage the way you see things and consequently ruin your future…

http://www.iclei-europe.org/enewsletter/2011/october/

My top 200 achievements

Below is the list of the different things I achieved in my life. It is not going to 200 but here are the ones that I can give:


1. Being on a diet for 6 months
2. Obtaining my National diploma
3. Obtaining my English language certificate
4. Obtaining my Matric
5. Performing at the 2012 Gabonese independence party
6. Being the goalkeeper of my handball team in high school
7.  Internship at the Laico Okoumé Palace for 6 months
8. Creation of an album for the catering service of the Laico Okoumé Palace hotel
9. Taking pictures for the album of the Laico Okoumé Palace hotel
10. Creation of a Facebook page for the Laico Okoumé Palace hotel
11.  Coordination of the “Psaumes of David” project at the Laico Okoumé Palace hotel
12. Promotion of the “Psaumes of David” project on a television show titled “Boulevard triomphal” on the RTG1 channel in Gabon.
13.  Admin work at the Laico Okoumé Palace hotel
14. Ushering at the Kings of Leon concert in Cape Town in 2011
15. Taking hip hop classes since February 2012
16. Taking hip hop classes in December 2010
17.  Creating a media list for the Laico Okoumé Palace hotel
18.  Drafting minutes of meetings for the marketing service meetings of the Laico Okoumé Palace
19.  Creation of a PowerPoint presentation for meetings between the different departments of the Laico Okoumé Palace hotel
20. Taking Spanish classes
21. Modeling in a fashion show in Gabon at the age of 7
22.  Being a Btech student
23.  Staring in the video of a Gabonese singer
24.  Learning how to ride a bike
25. Learning how to cook
26.  Losing 4 kg in a month
27.  Internship at the Sunflower Fund for a year
28. Organisation of the  Sunflower Fund Bandana Day exhibition
29. Creation of the poster of the event of the Sunflower Fund exhibition
30.  Taking pictures and videos of  the Sunflower Fund exhibition
31. Cake, books and CDs sale to raise funds for the Sunflower Fund at Muizenberg
32. Cake sale to raise funds for the Sunflower Fund in the CPUT Cape Town Campus
33. Compiling a budget for the Sunflower Fund
34. Compiling an invoice for the Sunflower Fund
35.  Compiling a deposit slip for the Sunflower fund
36. Creation of a radio advertisement to promote the Sunflower Fund
37. Getting an article published in the Hub (The CPUT newspaper)
38. Getting an article published in the Tygerberg newspaper
39. Getting an article published in the Constantiaberg Bulletin
40. Getting an article published in “L’union” (Gabonese newspaper)
41. Getting sponsored embroidered napkins from Pikanini for the “Obrigado” luncheon organised by first year PR students in 2009
42.  Interview of the South African adventurer David Grier for an article in 2009
43. Interview of the manager of Mango OMC Consultancy
44. Interview of the manager of Liquid Lingo Consultancy
45. Interview of the manager  of the manager of Ons Plek shelter
46. Interview of the manager of the Homestead shelter in
47.  Creation of a video about lack of reading within university for the videology class in 2009
48.  Creation of a video about a day in my life for the videology class in 2010
49. Promotion of the course of design at the CPUT Open Day in 2009
50.  Promotion of Dealfish at the CPUT Open Day
51.  Selling of tickets for the Cape Speed team at the CPUT Cape Town campus
52. Selling of tickets for the Cape Speed team at the CPUT Bellville campus
53.  Writing a book review of the book “Alternative media”
54.  Interview of Tina Botha (CEO of the Sunflower Fund)
55. Interview of Mr Cisse (Financial Director of the Laico Okoumé Palace)
56. Taking pictures of Mother’s Day event at the Laico Okoume Palace in 2011
57.  Distribution of flyers of the Mother’s Day event organised by the Laico Okoumé Palace

Source of image: http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/gabon/libreville-r1973427/okoume-palace-hotel-q1415062/