Natural Born Killers

"Once upon a time, a woman was picking up firewood. She came upon a poisonous snake frozen in the snow. She took the snake home and nursed it back to health. One day the snake bit her on the cheek. As she lay dying, she asked the snake, "Why have you done this to me?" And the snake answered, "Look, bitch, you knew I was a snake."

Positively one of my favourite movies of all time. There are many, but this is definitely one of my favourite. I mean, the microscope on the role of the media in making people that shouldn't be heroes, heroes through their sensationalism is something I talk about all the time. It's also the reason that I decided against my media studies degree; I really ended up not wanting to be a journalist. I don't think it sucks that much, so don't feel bad for me. You probably weren't right? haha

Anyway, Mickey and Mallory are such misguided souls. I love when Dr. Reingold says that Mickey & Mallory know the difference between right and wrong, but they just don't give a fuck. Well, the Doctor said they don't give a damn. Not fuck. But, most people do know the difference, it's just the choice they make. Those that aren't sure of the difference are psychopaths, and not everyone is a psychopath, although I've met a few sociopaths in my life. Like Mickey and Mallory, they know the difference too, they just don't care.

I think I might make Saturday movie arvie...

This Is My Life

Nights Of RaMdomness!

So I had a standing arrangement with Vie to attend Noodlebox Cinema at The Bioscope...we were both excited for it - I mean, noodles and an old school romance - who's really gonna say no? Luckily, Zaki also happened to be in town so Vie recruited her too. Yay. We were good to go! Except that Vie and I were late. By the time we arrived, Zaki was inside the cinema with her box of noodles watching a 1960's Chinese romance. The douche in charge wouldn't let us in because it was too ful- and he refused to allow us to sit on the floor (as if that would somehow fuck up the other guests' experience). "That's not what we're trying to do here", is what he kept on saying. What a square.
Anyway, so this other dude basically just invited us into the private party that was happening next door at Malva- which by the way, is a delightful venue filled with clothes and some nice decor - both of which I think are for sale. Not sure about the clothes- didn't get a chance to look around. Anyway, so it was an open bar and they had some really nice finger food. Now, usually I don't do this, but I went IN on the finger foods cos I didn't have dinner (remember, I was meant to have noodles at the cinema). That food was the goodness! And silly me, I forgot to find out who catered. At this point, I still didn't know what the event was about. AND THEN Nonku put me on the spot on camera, asking what I was doing there. I'm usually great at avoiding cameras (used to being the one WITH the camera), but she ambushed me She didn't seem impressed with my honest answer (I thought the sheer randomness that brought me to the party was cool). Turns out it was the album launch for a Gallo artist called Liz Ogumbo. Sigh. She was bad. No. TERRIBLE. Besides singing about big asses in blue jeans, she had these weird dancers that sashayed onto the stage mid-performance doing this hip gyration move. Her songs weren't all that. Judging by the nice launch they gave her, amsho Gallo feels they have their entry into the "emerging urban African market". This shit grated me intensely. She's a model, business person and artist. Ja. O montle. O motelle. O mosesane. So she gets the deal and attention. The white guys were loving her. Of course. Anyway, good for her, I hope she rides it til the wheels fall off, but I wish other talent got that kind of record label love. Real talent.

Anyway, the best part of the evening was when circumstance led us to Radium Beer Hall. Shit like this reminds me that Joburg is a great city, and you just have to choose which side of the real cool you wanna be on. These two ancient men were playing some good ass blues music - and the obese white guy entertaining the skinny coloured girl kept on saying it's Boeremusiek and we were like ummm no, it's black people music...anywho, that war might rage on for a long ass time to come. The one dude was strumming the shit out of a tin-like guitar - and Vie pointed out that they look like grown up Wayne and Garth. We giggled like hell when we realised one of the dudes' names was actually Wayne! Except older Garth's hair was completely thinning our, leaving his little fringe really little. What an awesome night.

Oh, we also bumped into Wandi and Scottness there - who tried to get us to come out, but we were STRONG and didn't succumb to any kind of FOMO.

I'm Sorry Charlie Murphy, I Was Having Too Much Fun

If you know me, you know that I love Amy, despite the issues I usually have with crackish people. But I just love love love Amy man. So anyway, whenever I listen to Valerie - which was a collabo with Mark Ronson (who I also respect), I have a little giggle when she says "I'm sorry Charlie Murphy, I was having too much fun". Now, I was never sure if in fact she was talking about the Charlie Murphy, or if there was actually a "Charlie Murphy" present when she was recording. You know, like someone in personel or something. So anyway, it turns out she was referencing Rick James in a skit on Chappelle's Show.

I know, it's a total music/pop culture geek moment, but this is me. LOL!

This Is Funny

Lifted from my husband - The Bullshit Artist's blog.

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

So, I've been quite the wet rag this week. Very mopey and generally just being snappy and somewhat harsh-but to people that deserved it. At some point, my crappy mood was fucking with everything around me- I wasn't getting things right at work (work was a big part of the reason that I was in such a kak mood), and I was arguing with my mom and had less patience than usual for my brother (who has a knack for pressing the wrong buttons without fail). So anyway, one day,I burst out crying and the smallest gesture made me get it together. My 16 month-old niece walked over to give me a hug and stroked my face so lovingly.

It was the most genuine thing anyone has done for me this week (and no doubt the best part of my week). After that, I couldn't mope around any longer. I got it together, did my school work and focused on things that are in my control. I also learnt a lesson that I always think I know in theory but when it comes to practice...lol! Anyway, the lesson was a) Tumi, you can't be in control of everything b) not everyone sees things the way I see them, and I can't force that onto people c) Although I am so desperate to effect change, I can't do it on my own (this has a lot to do with my work situation, and the reason for this week's depression). Anyway, now I've decided to deal with the things that are in my power, and to make sure that those are 100% and just surrender the rest to the universe. It's worked for two days. I'm excited to see what the next few weeks have in store for yours truly.

Anyway, this song made me laugh a lot this week, and I had a great time watching Life With Brian with my niece Humi on Tuesday. I was shocked that she even knew Monty Python but really happy that I had someone to share my laughs and giggles with.

Throwbacks: Goodie Mob

So this morning, I was listening to Still Tippin and mk called me out for listening to trap music so early in the morning. I realised that in fact, lately, I've been listening to a lot of that kind of music, and I've been digging that ol' dirrrty dirrrrty. What I've been bumping a lot of on my ipod though, is a certain is an often forgotten classic album from Goodie Mob, Still Standing. I know I say this all the time, but if you aren't familiar, you might have to kill yourself already.

These guys ARE dirty south. I will always love this album, and of course, how could I not love Soul Food. This is Cee-lo's beginning, and I will always love dude because he's really managed to evolve in his music, without losing credibility, respect and fans (and when he realised that he was a grown man, he replaced his full mouth grill with super white veneers). In fact, he's done what few hip hop artists are ever able to do- transcend boundaries as an artist. The other person I really dig for that is RZA, but that's another blog post all together. Don't me wrong, I'm not singling out Cee-lo because Khujo is one of the most underrated rhymists for me, and Big Gipp and T-Mo have had their own collabo's with artists too.

You might have heard the song below, maybe in the club, or heard a really cool person humming it, or a tryina be cool cornball sayin "dey don dance no mo, all they do is THIS"...Aaaaanyway, here's a video of They Don't Dance No More. I still have my Still Standing album in MINT CONDITION. That's something coming from me, because I haven't respected physical music in about 10 years (yeah, I've been downloading music since diap-up days, you ignorant grasshopper).

Ginger Madness: Quick Stir Fry Recipe

As if the mint & ginger infused green tea wasn't enough to satisfy my craving for ginger, I had to take it a step further. This week, I was wandering around the food isles at Woolies trying to figure out what I would make for my lunch. As usual, I wandered aimlessly for about 20 minutes before realising what my body craved. See, I have to walk around and let my eyes take it all in and communicate with the belly to see if the little man inside jumps up for joy or curls up writhing in feigned pain.

So anyway, after scanning the near empty salad shelves (it was evening-time, and they only had those pasta salads - grossums), my eyes settled on the stir-fry veggie mix. He was jumping for joy- this had to be the meal! Then I had to make the decision- to noodle or not to noodle...I know it sounds crazy but a stir-fry is perfectly good without rice or noodles. Right. Settled on no noodles, no rice. What follows is the recipe I've had for the last two days. It's deelish. Please try it. I don't really do the thing of measuring quantities when cooking, so bear with me please.

Ingredients

Stir-Fry Mix from Woolies/Spar/P&P - or you can make your own using

julliened carrots
florets of broccoli
chopped onion
cabbage (red,white or chinese)
spinach
chinese/regular mushrooms
julliened baby marrows
chopped coriander (not a lot-so it take your taste buds' attention from the ginger-chillies taste)

and whatever else you fancy in your stir-fry

cloves garlic
ginger root
soy sauce/fish sauce
Whole chillies
olive oil/grapeseed oil

Method

Pour a tablespoon of chosen oil into pan. Heat.
Using a pestle and motar, crush chillies, ginger and garlic, then throw it into the pan for frying.
When flavours release, throw the veggies in and mix it all up
Keep turning the veggies over to ensure heat distribution and to make sure all veggies are cooking.
If you like to add salt to everything, this is the part where you add some salt.
Pour some soy or fish sauce and simmer- BUT DON'T LET THE VEGGIES DIE.

Serve with whatever tickles your fancy.

It's very quick to make but it tastes soooooo good!

P.S Sorry for the kak pic, I ate the food faster than I could blog about it. LOL

Artists I Like: Marc Baptiste

I've been meaning to blog about Marc Baptiste for years now, and I still haven't. Marc is one of my faourite photographers, and when you see some of his work, I'm sure you'll understand why. Haitian by birth, this man's work is often emotive- but then again, what's the point of a photograph if it's not emotive?

Anyway, so Marc has shot for a gazillion magazines including Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Trace and (my favourite magazine) Clam.He's shot more celebrities than I want to fit into this post and has also worked with various clients including Nike and Reebok.

Marc's work caught my eye around '07 when I was paging through a Clam magazine - and then even more a few months later when I heard about his book Beautiful. The book challenges the same old boring stereotypes of nudity of black women in the media: draped semi-naked across cars, grinding against a man, fighting with another woman over a man who probably doesn't care about them (Flavor of Love, For The Love Of Ray Jay) and all the other depictions of black women in magazines like King, XXL, The Source as well music videos.

In his book Beautiful, he's photographed some of the most beautiful women in different phases in their lives. Some of the models are very well known, while others might not be immediately recognisable.

You can see more of his images and profile on his website and his blog.

Tea Infusions: Mint Green Tea

So I really love drinking tea. My main kind is ceylon tea, but I generally venture into other kinds depending on my mood. I love teas from everywhere, and I especially love adding masala to  , I've decided to lay off the regular ceylon tea though, because drinking it means I end up consuming a lot of sugar. So in my effort to be healthy, I haven't had ceylon tea in 10 days. At all. Instead, I've been making tea infusions and the one below is by far my favourite. It has such a fresh taste and everything inside it works towards helping my body function.

Mint Green Tea

Ingredients

Green Tea
A few sprigs of mint (according to taste)
Ginger slices or chunks (according to taste)
A pinch of aniseed

Stick em all in a teapot, tea infuser or a cup, pour some boiling water and allow to stand for a few minutes so as to bring the flavours out, and then enjoy. If you prefer a more lasting taste, put the ingredients in a flask and allow to stand for about two hours before drinking.

I enjoy the taste of mint in tea- it's fresh and lasting- and I love that mint is good for my dodgy digestive system. Ginger is great for the immune system, so I know the flu isn't touching me again this winter. Aniseed is also a digestive aid, and has a great licoricey taste.

I'm still deciding whether I should substitute the mint for cinnamon sticks, but we'll see in time.

Bad Ass Females: Nicole Lyons

If you know me, then you definately know that I love to have bad ass women around me. If not around me, I at least love to know of them. Imagine my giggles when I discovered one Nicole Lyons- the first black woman to race and compete in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), the drag racing authority States-side. She's so into her cars, that she's built some award winning engines (She once won an award for building an 1100 hp 565 naturally aspirated engine. I'm not sure what that is but I think it's good) AND she owns a muscle car restoration shop called "Cole Muscle Cars". If I was a dude, this is the type of girl I would be gunning for; fearless, stunning, ambitious and feminine.

Cyanide...

R.I.P Lumumba

This is one of my heroes and inspirations to be a better person and a better African. Patrice Lumumba. His birthday would have been on July 2nd, and he would have been 85. He was a man of vision, and his vision was one of a united, powerful Africa. It can happen. I know this because he would have never been murdered if it was impossible. They know how a powerful Africa could level the playing field, that's why they continue to have a go at our Achilles. We can still do it.

In the memory of our fathers and mothers, we have no choice but to rise, or face a future where those who have had no hand in our liberation victoriously walk over fields of our skulls.

Without dignity there is no liberty, without justice there is no dignity, and without independence there are no free men. - Patrice Lumumba '60

Article: Death Of The Independent Sneaker Store

If you know me, you know that I *heart* kicks for real. You also know that I prefer small boutique stores and I certainly don't enjoy looking like everyone else. This Sneaker Freaker article really interested me and I feel compelled to share with the 3 1/2 people that read my blog.

In South Africa, the market is as small as a pin head, it's not easy to run an independent store that does more than break even. I think too many store owners adopt methods from overseas that can't fully work in S.A. We have to think of ourselves as 1000 steps back in terms of streetwear culture (that goes beyond chucks, dickies pants and spotties) in S.A. We are not a developed market in terms of individuality etc. and Joburg and Cape Town and Durban (where applicable) are easy enough to penetrate into when you're dealing with a handful of people, but when you're trying to get mass reach, that's when you walk into a brick wall.

Read more of the article here.

My First Time: Not Yet Uhuru

For the first six years of my life, my family was very close knit, and made up of very few people. Well, compared to a lot of people, I guess my family was still very big. It was made of my parents, three siblings, my mother's four siblings, three of my cousins and two of my father's siblings. There were names that floated around during conversations about abuti such and such in exile or ausi mang mang ko Zambia but it never really registered what these people were doing in exile. I thought exile was a country and these people that my family kept referring to were living amazing lives and didn't have to worry about hippos, stay aways and such on a daily basis. I thought "the struggle" was in South Africa. In Soweto. Not in Pietersburg, because my coloured family lived the life there: nice houses that were made up of more than three rooms and bathrooms in the house and nice schools. And they never seemed to be concerned about stay aways, staying out of the way of marching IFP mobs, wondering where missing family and friends are, or any of that stuff that seemed to form my environment back home in Soweto.

1991 arrived. Mandela had been released and freedom was on the horizon. Lots of MK soldiers that we never thought we would ever see again were beginning to return home, and we sensed hope in the adults' voices when eavesdropping on their conversations.
I remember the first time I heard Letta Mbulu's Not Yet Uhuru. My mother's eldest sister- whose name was just a figment of conversation between family members and never really a real part of our family- had finally arrived. She who they called Sesi. They didn't even call her by her real name. I couldn't understand why until I finally met her. She pulled everyone together, and spontaneously, there was a huge party right there in the yard. Struggle songs could be heard from the corners as neighbours came out to greet and party with the returning soldiers and people who had snuck out of the country decades earlier. This was the moment of the formation of my family as I know it now.



This was my first time. The drums combined Mme Letta's powerful commanding voice implored you to listen to her message. Not Yet Uhuru. Immediately, perhaps because I had become a product of my environment, I knew exactly what the song meant. That freedom will never be here until it is accessible to everyone in every corner in all of its manifestations. But, we stlil celebreated. We celebreated because we were alive, that we were together, that we had all found our way back to each other again. That our family had been reunited. Surely, better days were to come.

Tonight, driving through the leafy yet badly potholed streets of Bryanston en route to one of the poshest surburbs of Johannesburg- the wealthiest African city, almost eerily, the disk changer switched to Letta's CD. Of course I pumped up the volume and sang along. Four times. Then I found ened up in the middle of a conversation with myself about what it is that Africa needs in order to reach its full potential. This is a conversation I often have with myself, and it often leaves me back at square one. Without political will, meaningful public participation in governance and lawmaking, solid economic-educational-health policies, we are done for. We will never rise in the way that we can.

Phew. This is a long post. And it's late. It shall continue. Not Yet Uhuru.

Studded Louboutin Kicks

As seen on the feet of my fav rappers that I like to hear rapping sexy and romantic vibes to a girl - Fabolous, Juelz and Pharrell (is Skateboard P a rapper? iono lol). I could def buy these for a boy. And for myself too.

Unfortunately, Gucci Mane has also been spotted rocking them. I wish he'd stuck to wearing those tasteless Gucci kicks I've seen him in.

50-50

I'm all alone in this world, she said,
Aint for nobody to share my bed,
Aint got nobody to hold my hand-
The truth of the matter's
I ain't got no man.

Big Boy opened his mouth and said,
Trouble with you is
you ain't got no head!
If you had a head and used your mind
You could have me with you
All the time.

She answered, Babe, what must I do?

He said, share your bed -
And your money too.

Langston Hughes

Throwbacks: Camp Lo

Man, Camp Lo just brings back memories! It was 1996, I was young and had already been culturally socialised (thanks to my brother) to understand hip hop and to love it. Even though I was an annoying 11 year old, my brother still kicked it with me and even taught me what a "bar" is and I was proud to be the one that schooled so many boys on such basic knowledge. My brother, who was in matric at the time, had previously tried to make me less boyish by buying me a Mariah Carey Fantasy single- and my favourite version was the one with ODB in it. There was just no hope for me.

So anyway, come 1996 and my brother was banging Camp Lo around the house and of course the big tune was Luchini. Well, hip hop just wouldn't be without a sample and in this particular instance, the legendary Ski (shame on you if you don't know who that is) sampled Dynasty's Adentures In Music. I still listen to Geechi and Sonny every now and then and it always leaves me smiling and yearning a little for the good ol days when talent was all that mattered. As with all of hip hop, beats are recycled- sometimes cleverly and sometimes really badly. Have a listen to Camp Lo's Luchini aka This Is It and decide for yourself whether it was a good sample and think about whether you've heard any subsequent samples from this.

If you have never heard of Camp Lo, kill yourself. (I know, that's real mature of me, hey?)

Artifying Darth Vader's Helmet

I love this exhibition. Invite 100 artists to go wild with Darth Vader's helmet, and they'll give you some amazing work. Mocoloco say that the exhibition has been travelling for four years and will exhibit in L.A before heading to Philly for auction. Too bad it didn't make it to Joburg City because I love this and so does my inner geek.

Images lifted from one of my favourite design/art blogs.

Magnified Heart

This is an amazing magnified image of a heart that I lifted from National Geographic to share.

Video: Why Don't You Love Me

When I saw Solange post a link to this video, I ignored it- until a few seconds later when I realise that Solange herself had written the track. See, I'm more of a fan of Solange than Beyonce. I generally don't give Beyonce two glances; especially since I don't watch music television anymore, and I'm not a big music radio station person. Except on Sundaze. On Metro. Anywho, the other reason I paid attention to this video was because Melina directed the video, and I can't deny myself some Melina.

Why Don't You Love Me

Looking at it, the art direction is really fun, the wardrobe cool in that Beyonce way. Except, Bey wishes she was housewife material-she can't even cook to save her life. But ja, I love the song-you can tell that it's Solange's work - even though there's a credit for her sister (we know that story lol).



The song resonates so much with situations that so many women find themselves in, when they feel insignificant, like they are not good enough, and are not worthy of their partner's affection, even when they actually are. The worst thing about being in that situation is that it borders on emotional abuse. You find yourself wondering why such and such a person needs to stray to validate themselves when you- his wife (sexy, smart and all) are there waiting for him every night.

Why don't you love me?
Tell me, baby, why don't you love me
When I make me so damn easy to love?
And why don't you need me?
Tell me, baby, why don't you need me
When I make me so damn easy to need?

I got beauty, I got class
I got style, and I got ass
And you don't even care to care
Looka here
I even put money in the bank account
Don't have to ask no one to help me out
You don't even notice that

But maybe he doesn't love her because- as she says; she's got beauty and she's got class. She never mentions intelligence. But it's Beyonce. lol

Time: Pictures of the Week (s)

This is one of my favourite things to look out for on the TIME website. You have to go through the Pictures of the Week for a bit but some of the ones I enjoy follow.


I love all the volcano images- I don't know why, but I do love the glow and intensity of fire. At the same time, I also enjoy water images (hello, I'm a pisces). I also love the image of the vendor in Port-au-Prince (makes me think of Andrew). The image of the illegal weapons being set on fire in Nai...are those all the illegal weapons there? If so, I think I'll be moving the the East much sooner than I thought LOL. Another favourite definitely HAS got to be the image titled "13 Billion Year-Old Baby"- if that isn't beauty and testament to how amazing the cycle of life is...then I don't know what is. The image of the students looking at the Einstein manuscript gave me goosebumps...I know quite a few people who would be very interested in seeing that upfront. This is just so crass that I can't talk about it.

Above: 13 Billion Year-Old Baby

I love the picture of the waves crashing into the streets of Havana. Also love the overturned cars in Chile post 'quake. Lesson learnt: Nature rules. Man doesn't. The giraffes! A beautiful image and it pulled at my maternal heartstrings! I love nature in all its manifestations man. That shit with the Siberian tigers...then they wonder why the tiger went tiger and ate a trainer. I would also be pissed off if you trained me to do that; if man is so amazing, why can't it teach tigers to speak? At least the tiger would be able to warn you that it's getting annoyed with your condescending training. Tigers have pride too.

Thakadu

Friends that visit my house are always asking me why I have a porcelain model of an anteater in my house. It's my totem. If they are white, I have to explain away. Black people get it. But the story is kinda cool. My uncle has a big ant eater at the entrance of his drive way, and another uncle has named his farm Tlokwe. I was the apple of my grandfather's eye, and his nickname for me was Thakadu, so it's always with love when someone in my family calls me an ant eater (aardvark).


Here's the short of the story behind Thakadu.

Ke mo tlokwa Long ago, our totem used to be nkwe before we adopted Thakadu (ant eater) as our totem. This was after our people were preserved by the water found in wells dug out by diThakadu while we were in the wilderness after being defeated by Basotho.

LEBOKO LA BOTLOKWA

Re Mafifatswana a go rekwa ka kgomo,
Mafetakgomo a je motho,
Magadimana ntweng a a ja, ga a gadime,
Ba ha Mmakana a Mosima!
Bag a Musi! Mmolaa-moapei Moapeelwana a sale alla
Bag a Nkwenyana, a Nkwe o apareng?
KE APERE TAU!

I think being named for the anteater is a great honour. It means that like the anteater did for my people so long ago, I am more aware of my ability to preserve people when they are at their most vulnerable. If you ask any of my real friends, they'll tell you that this is definitely one of my more positive traits.

Why I Hate Shosholoza

The song was originally sung by migrant workers who toiled in the bowels of Apartheid South Africa. In addition to facing oppression as black people, they experienced alienation from their families when they were forced to live away from their families in single sex hostels close to the mines of Apartheid South Africa.

The legacy of this element of the migrant labour system is the systematic and eventual break down of the African family unit: fathers, husbands and brothers left the reserves where black people had been banished to (let's not forget the Southern African migrant labourers whose sweat, blood and lives helped build the white economy), leaving mothers to fulfil both the role of mother and father in the home. Children grew up without fathers and the men working in the cities would eventually form new families in the city.

When these men sang Shosholoza, they weren't singing to celebrate that they had jobs, nor were they celebrating a victory. They were coping with trying to eke out a living in a system that was designed to break them, a system that controlled all of their movements at all times.

That is a small part of why I cringe everytime I hear the song being sung at sports games or in expression of some kind of South African pride. That and people sound like douche bags when they can't be bothered to pronounce the words when singing the song at rugby games while waving the old flag.

Desiderata

If you've received an email from me, chances are, you might have peeped my signature. Below is the full text of the poem, titled Desiderata, which is latin for "things desired". I was introduced to the poem by a friend who was in my life for just a brief period, and this was one of the greatest and most powerful gifts that he left me with. He was definately a value adder. LOL

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

- Max Ehrmann, 1927

Currently Reading: Dead Aid

I'm currently reading a book by a really intelligent African woman, Dambisa Moyo-who, I might add, I really look up to. The book focuses on why aid is not the right way to go about stimulating and developing the African continent. In the book, Dambisa looks at how aid has developed in the past few decades, and she also unpacks the "industry" of aid. I call it an industry because that's the way i perceive the business of aid. I have had the aid conversation with friends from around the world, including those that work in the aid industry. I have always wondered how aid could be so gladly given to obviously intensely corrupt African governments. I've also just felt like aid only stimulates and strengthens the vicious circle of poverty in Africa. Governments who refuse to be accountable are often loaned money that they cannot conceivably and realistically pay back, and then more loans to pay off the other loans! See the circle already?

For Africans, corruption and underdevelopment is part of life, part of the routine. I once shocked myself when, in a conversation on the state of ruin that Lagos is in, I said that people in charge can skim a bit off the top, but could they please just get things done (craters in the road, infrastructure, clean water, sanitation). It's such a resigned attitude, and I really try not to be the person with that kind of attitude but sometimes it's really hard not to be that way. Anyway, back to the topic of aid.

So I haven't finished reading the book, but I just feel like some of what Dambisa says is just what I have been struggling to put across in certain arguments. This morning, I decided to read some reviews on her book and found some really intersting points of view. A review by Michael Gerson in the Washington Post is very defensive. I mean, I don't blame him because I'd also be defensive if someone told me all my efforts to save the world were actually self serving and weren't actually helping the people I actually meant to help- he feels like some aid does help; like the US Government's PEPFAR program that has helped many people, while shutting out those who advocate abortion and other ideals on reproduction and the female body which are contrary to the conservative ideas of the Republican Party of America (in other words, using aid as some kind of neo-. While obviously offended that Moyo has effectively rubbished the PEPFAR program, he doesn't give any other solid example of why Dead Aid is a waste of space in the aid discourse. He also dismisses Moyo's hopefulness for an Africa that doesn't rely on aid to function and to develop, and that, I think was the point where Michael Gerson proved himself to be a Counter-Revolutionary Tjatjarag Agent with White Tendencies. *har har i kill myself*

She doesn't tweet a lot-which is great because there are less brainfarts that way (I only have space for mine), but you can follow her on twitter or check out her website.

Economist & Authur Dambisa Moyo

Artists I Like: Melina Moutsakis

Female music video directors are scarce across the world and in any music genre, and it’s always great to find out that a great video was directed by a female. Melina is possibly the biggest female music video director on the scene right now- her showreel features names like Snoop, Lady GaGa, Beyonce, Solange, Ludacris, Mario, Kylie Minogue, Keri Hilson and a host of other A-List artists. Being of Greek/Jamaican/Cuban American decent, her heritage screams passion and art; which definitely translates into her art. A graduate of the American Film Institute and New York University, her videos normally scream colour, or crisp visuals (think Bey’s Upgrade U).

Her breakout video that got her really noticed in the American industry was Ludacris’ Money Maker, and in 2008 she had her African debut when she worked with MTV Base on their Making The Video project in Kenya, where she mentored a group of directors and producers as they shot the music video to Wahu’s banging track Little Things You Do that featured Bobi Wine of Uganda.

Watch the Wahu ft Bobi Wine below- it's one of my favourite tracks! Really, it is.

Yay for Green Bathrooms!

With global warming becoming more and more of an issue that touches us in so many ways, we were drawn to this great design fresh out of Paris. This design is of a bathroom that uses the natural filtering principle by recycling and regenerating the wastewater. Shower and bathwater is filtered through an organic system before being reused. The design is a collaboration effort between Japanese born, Paris based designer Jun Yasumoto Alban Le Henry, Olivier Pigasse and Vincent Vandenbrouck. The design is still in the conceptual stage and we hope it becomes a reality because besides being good for us,it’s preeety.
Links and Images: Jun Yasumoto

But Is It Art? Burlesque – Dita Von Teese

Burlesque is described as a humorous theatrical entertainment involving parody and sometimes grotesque exaggeration. Burlesque shows are associated with striptease, in a more arty and showy sense than the conventional form. The most recognizable faces of burlesque of the past have included Mae West and the beautiful Josephine Baker (who was also the first African American female to star in a major motion picture and to integrate an American concert hall).

Today’s face of burlesque and everything kinky is Dita Von Teese. Her milky, smooth as a baby’s bottom skin betrays nothing but mystery and her red lips tell stories of seduction that you wish you played a part in. Her CV is long and interesting; she’s trained at ballet, she’s a trained stylist, has done porn, was a known tightlacer (the practice of wearing corsets to make ones’ waist smaller) and she’s been featured in fetish magazines. If anyone ever rocked vintage style –complete with the hair and lipstick, her name would be Dita Von Teese. Dita constantly seems to push boundaries: A lover of fashion and a fan of Dior and Marc Jacobs, it’s great to see her acceptance into the fashion industry as a muse and a model; she’s modelled in runway shows for Richie Rich (Heatherette), Giambattista Valli (Ungaro designer), Moschino and Jean Paul Gaultier. By her own admission, Von Teese has put the “tease back into striptease”, insinuating that the gap between the burlesque acts of old and now opened a space for classless, unartistic stripping.


In stark contrast to “regular” stripping, her dance shows include ‘30’s and ‘40’s inspired props and characters. In her routines, Dita has featured a giant powder compact, a clawfoot bathtub, and a carousel horse. The giant martini glass act that was used by Cameron Diaz in Charlies’ Angels is actually Dita’s current signature show (she is credited for it at the end of the movie), and who could forget her appearance at a New York charity function covered in nothing but $5 million worth of diamonds.

Dita inspires an appreciation for art in its various forms: dance; music and fashion by just being her. She has no aspirations to become an actress, having been quoted as saying "I don't understand why women feel the need to go into acting as soon as they become famous...But I suppose if the part were aesthetically correct, then maybe I could consider it.” For those who look at Dita and assume she is a regular run of the mill skank/scallywag just because elements of her art include sex and nudity, always remember that she walked away from a divorce with Marilyn Manson without asking for any of his money. And this is why I love this seemingly independent, artistic, beautiful and intelligent woman.

For more Dita, click here to visit her official website or follow her on twitter.