It’s official. I am moving to London! Yes – London, England. No, I’m not kidding. My visa has been approved, my letter of resignation handed in and my ticket booked and paid for. Now all that’s left is 14 days to sort through, reminisce at, obsess over and whittle down to 30kgs all my worldly possessions in eager anticipation of D-Day: January 19th, 2010. Utter panic is currently being held at a safe distance by sheer disbelief. But not for long. Let the countdown begin!

Far too long has passed since I last posted something so in an attempt to establish some consistency I am borrowing/stealing the idea of “This week I…” from a friend of mine. (Si, forgive my plagiarism)

The idea is to list 7 memorable things that happened through the week.
So here it is. Hopefully the first of many to come.

This week I:

Mourned the loss of my last living grandparent.
Flooded my kitchen floor at midnight. Epic fail! (Well, truthfully the washing machine was responsible for the flooding but you get the picture)
Gymmed so hard my arms got stuck in a 90 degree position for somewhere between 24 to 36 hours.  I kid you not!
Helped found a group now fondly known as the Thirsty Threesome, whose mission it is to pay the more neglected nights of the week some much deserved attention.
Drank an innumerable amount of pink shots with said group, the likes of which should not be allowed for human consumption!
Rediscovered that there are some incredibly genuine families out there whose open homes and hearts can make one feel blissfully loved, content and at home.
Found out that my path will once again be crossing with a very good friend’s in a big way in 2011.

This next year is looking to be a GREAT one!

Yesterday I got an awesome surprise in the mail! I had completely forgotten that I had ordered Brooke Fraser’s new album “Flags” as a birthday gift to myself. Yes, I sometimes buy myself birthday gifts…occasionally I  buy myself gifts for no reason at all. Anyway, there it was waiting for me in the post box…11 songs, 85.5mb and 45.2 minutes of sheer, unadulterated, audio bliss! This self-produced album is, in my opinion, award worthy and I am currently completely in love with (amongst others) the title song, Flags. Perhaps it is the events of this past week, amongst which was the tragedy of a life lost, that make it ring so true to me at this time. Perhaps it is just that the song speaks of a timeless reality. Either way it is hauntingly beautiful.

Have a listen at brookefraser.com
Better yet, buy the album!

Brooke Fraser

Flags

Come, tell me your trouble
I’m not your answer
But I’m a listening ear
Reality has left you reeling
All facts and no feeling
No faith and all fear

I don’t know why the good man will fall
While a wicked one stands
And our lives blow about
Like flags on the land

Who’s at fault is not important
Good intentions lie dormant
And we’re all to blame
While apathy acts like an ally
My enemy and I
Are one and the same

I don’t know why the innocents fall
While the monsters still stand
And our lives blow about like flags on the land
I don’t know why our words are so proud
Yet their promise so thin
And our lives blow about like flags in the wind

You who mourn will be comforted
You who hunger will hunger no more
Oh the last shall be first, of this I am sure
You who weep now will laugh again
Oh you lonely, be lonely no more
Yes the last will be first, of this I am sure.

I don’t know why the innocents fall
While the monsters stand
I don’t know why the little ones thirst
But I know the last shall be first
I know the last shall be first
I know the last shall be first

“If you’re going through hell, keep going!”

- Winston Churchill

If you follow my blog at all you’ll probably have noticed I haven’t had much to say in the last while. The above quote is not merely intended to sound philosophical or witty; it’s somewhat of an explanation for my virtual absence of late. Right now, I’m putting everything I have into the “keep going” part of that quote.

I hope my transparency and Winston Churchill’s wisdom will be an encouragement to anyone else who may be feeling the same way round about now. Know these 2 things…First, you are not alone.  And second, you CAN do this!

My advise – to myself as much as anyone else – is find something to set your focus on, don’t let it out of your sights, and do all you can to keep moving towards it.

One foot in front of the other, one step at a time.

We can make it if we try.

I asked for Strength
and was given difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for Wisdom
and was given problems to learn to solve.
I asked for Prosperity
and was given a brain & brawn to work.
I asked for Courage
and was given danger to overcome.
I asked for Love
and was given troubled people to help.
I asked for Favours
and was given opportunities.
I got nothing I wanted
and yet received everything I needed.

- Author Unknown

Something in the Water

Brooke Fraser

Kiwi girl, Brooke Fraser, is about to release her much anticipated third album “Flags”. You may know her from Hillsong United or from either of her previous solo albums, of which the last – Albertine – went pretty big in terms of sales and deep in terms of lyrics. But if you’re expecting something “Hillsongy”, throw your expectations away NOW! What you are going to get is Brooke Fraser – The Artist. This album promises to be quite different from the last…a bit more lighthearted, folky and fun, if I may.

Her first single off the album, “There’s Something in the Water”, is out now (available off her website for only $0.99 or off US iTunes) and I absolutely cannot get enough of it! Here in the Southern hemisphere it is the first day of Spring and this song is absolutely, without-a-doubt, my soundtrack to Spring! I have been listening to it on repeat constantly and just can’t help but feel great, regardless of what else is going on at the time! The video is also very, very cute…It’ll put a Spring in your step! Check it out, along with a preview to “Flags”, at brookefraser.com

- Alfred Lord Tennyson

My morning ritual is to snooze the alarm 3 times at the very least and upon finally dragging myself out of  bed, to make a strong cup of coffee, switch on an itunes mix that in a combined effort with the coffee will [hopefully] work to wake me up enough so that I can actually drive to work without causing a 3 car pile up! Then, and only then, will I attempt to do makeup or anything else that requires actual ordered thought.

This morning while doing my makeup I was thinking how it just was not working to make me look any less like a pockmarked ghost with bags under my eyes that could hold the week’s groceries! During this sleepy little moan sesh to myself, a song by India Arie came on called “Because I am a Queen”. I couldn’t help but laugh at the timing of it!

With August deemed Women’s Month in South Africa, I thought this song was a little gem I just had to share. Coz honestly ladies, most of us are our own greatest critics! It can’t hurt to love ourselves a little more can it? So click on the link below, wait for it to load, have a listen and sing along. Sing LOUD, sing proud! And the next time you look in the mirror – before putting on your makeup or getting dressed – find something you love (and I mean LOVE) about yourself. You are queen of your world! So shoulders back, head up and walk proud!

India Arie – Because I am a Queen

Sometimes i shave my legs and sometimes i don’t
Sometimes i comb my hair and sometimes i won’t
Depending how the wind blows i might even paint my toes
It really just depends on whatever feels good in my soul

I’m not the average girl from your video
And i ain’t built like a supermodel
But i learned to love myself unconditionally
Because i am a queen
I’m not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what i’m wearing i will always be
<insert your name here>

When i look in the mirror and the only one there is me
Every freckle on my face is where it’s supposed to be
And i know my Creator didn’t make no mistakes on me
My feet my thighs my lips my eyes i’m loving what i see

I’m not the average girl from your video
And i ain’t built like a supermodel
But i learned to love myself unconditionally
Because i am a queen
I’m not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what i’m wearing i will always be
<insert your name here>

Am i less of a lady if i don’t wear pantyhose
My mama said a lady ain’t what she wears but what she knows
But i’ve drawn the conclusion
It’s all an illusion
Confusion’s the name of the game
A misconception, a vast deception
Something’s got to change

Don’t be offended this is all my opinion
Ain’t nothing that i’m saying law
This is a true confession
Of a life-learned lesson
I was sent here to share with y’all
So get in where you fit in
Go on and shine
Clear your mind
Now’s the time
Put your salt on the shelf
Go on and love yourself
‘Cause everything’s gonna be alright

I’m not the average girl from your video
And i ain’t built like a supermodel
But i learned to love myself unconditionally
Because i am a queen
I’m not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what i’m wearing i will always be
<insert your name here>

Keep your fancy drink and your expensive minks
I don’t need that to have a good time
Keep your expensive cars
And your caviar
All i need is my guitar
Keep your cristal and your pistol
I’d rather have a pretty piece of crystal
Don’t need your silicone
I prefer my own
What God gave me is just fine

I’m not the average girl from your video
And i ain’t built like a supermodel
But i learned to love myself unconditionally
Because i am a queen
I’m not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what i’m wearing i will always be
<insert your name here>

Monday was Women’s Day in South Africa. Now to a lot of women this was a pretty big deal. For me, however, the first and foremost thought in my mind was that it meant a day off work. Score! And so in light of that fairly shallow thought, I don’t have any great epiphanies to share with you…just some appreciation.

Looking back on it, for someone who didn’t give Women’s Day or how I would spend it, too much thought, I think I spent it pretty aptly: chatting for hours on end with two of my closest and oldest friends. One, face-to-face over brunch (that lasted till 2 30pm!) and the other, who lives in another city, via BlackBerry Messenger.

I can literally count on one hand, the number of times I’ve seen these two friends over the past 4 ½ years. Since finishing school, we’ve lived around the country and around the world. But in terms of our friendship, nothing has changed. We are as close as we were when we spent the vast majority of our lives together, day in and day out. We are still as honest and as candid as we ever were; reliving every possible hilarious and embarrassing memory,  to the point where it takes everything in me not to spray a mouthful of chai latte all over my friend sitting across from me, as I attempt to control my laughter. That to me is real friendship. And this sort of friendship, which no distance or time apart can alter, is one of the things I love most about being a woman.

We women are relational at our core, so I’m grateful I got a day to spend on what women do best – building relationship – with two of the best friends a girl could ask for.

This post is simply an ode to the women in my world – across the world – who make this journey called life a little easier. Who carry my burdens when I can’t find the strength to do so myself. Who make me cry with laughter when I can’t think of any reason to smile. Who share my pain and in doing so halve it. Who challenge me to dream bigger when I’ve stopped believing in dreams altogether. Who push me to reach for goals I never even thought to set. Who remind me of what it is to live, to love, to laugh in the face of adversity and in doing so to be: woman.

To each of you, thank you! And may we grow old together!