intermittent
clouds
falling
drifting away
their shadows
leaving echoes
on our skin
snatched
by the rain
stolen by the sun
the cool breeze
caresses your cheek
an apology
from the sea
tears
stinging
behind closed eyelids
I feel my heart
hesitate
beside
your heart
racing
© Kirsten Diederichs
I would like to advise people that are currently job hunting to be aware of agencies they work for especially MJM Recruitment. I am currently job hunting an like a fool I was, got a text message from the so called CEO of MJM recruitment agency, named Mario Matthews. He told me it was a temp post for a period of 3 days, with a salary of R187 a day. I had left my kids with a baby sitter an also borrowed money to get there. I worked for the entire day 9 hours no breaks. But! I then phoned Mario in regards to my contract an he said they were currently off line an will send it asap. No contract came. I got in the taxi the next day went to town an then got a message from Mario saying, that the person I was temping for was back. My point is! if u own a recruitment agency! you need to give your employees correct details. I was furious because it's not cheap taking two taxis. I then texted Mario in regards to my wages an he requested for my banking details. I was so happy just to get paid because of my commitments at home. I forwarded this with no hesitation. He also promised me that I would receive payment the next day. He then put all my calls on reject an his number disappeared from my phone. Up to this very day, "I have not been paid" despite my attempts to get back what I worked for. I even called the place I worked at, and they said it's not they responsibility because they had paid MJM recruitment. The phone numbers provided on the Internet for the mentioned agency are all incorrect. Please ensure that when applying for a job! the recruitment agency is recognised, also make sure you read the contract before signing anything. My advise to you is! "If you hear the name MJM recruitment please say no." Don't be fooled an scamed like I was. Agencies like this just use you to work like a slave an don't pay you.
Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.
An interesting article stating the obvious, but no matter how obvious the states are, I do think that that needed to be said... Byonce's outfits are getting skimpier by the album!
However though, I do not believe in pointing fingers at the media when it comes to parents raising their kids. YES the media does play a huge, bad role in the way that women percieve themselves. Which is sad really.
However, it is the responsibility of parent (not the media) to teach our kids right from wrong. It the parents' duty (not Beyonce's to become good role models and to act in a way that they would like to see their kids act.
Yes there is no denying Beyonce uses her sexuality to push sales. But, she does not come into anyones house and puts a gun on anyones head to watch her obscene performances or buy her sexually overt album. It is not as if she came into our homes and no one could do anything about it. Beyonce is what she is today because we all supported her - whether it was by buying her music or turning a blind eye at her less than moral marketing strategy.
Girls will grow up to believe they are sex symbols not because Beyonce's potraying herself as one, but simply because no one will tell them any different.
So yes the media has distorted our perception of the roles girls and women play in society but pointing fingers at those who profit from this does nothing to solve the problem.
If part of being a feminist entails being overly sexually expressive at the cost of propriety and decency, then that's exactly what Beyoncé is showcasing on her latest self-titled album. Is the highly sexual lyrical and visual content of her album a reinforcement of feminism?
Beyoncè is a self-proclaimed feminist. In her album there a segment in a song called Flawless in which she features a speech titled 'We should all be feminists' given by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It is questionable whether the advocacy of women's rights and gender equality is best expressed through such blatant and tasteless displays of sexuality. This coming from a woman who's influential, is concerning as little kids also sing along to Beyoncé's music.
In a patriarchal world in which men are constantly accused of objectifying women as sexual tools, as a woman, Beyoncé's behavior is ironic because she is constantly portraying herself in a sexual way and yet women complain about men's treatment. However, this is in no way a justification of the sexual harassment of women. But then again, that's the business of pop culture in which sex is what sells. Most commercial products in music, film and magazine industries must contain an element of sex in order to garner mass attention. Sex is a key ingredient to raising sales and making large profits.
The record-breaking sales figures of the Beyoncé album attests to this having sold over 800 000 copies in just under a week on i-Tunes. Sure, this can be attributed to her mega stardom but it is also plausible that sex appeal aided her album sales.
Beyoncé has always been a sex symbol from her early days in Destiny's Child and after the launch of her highly successful solo career in 2003. She has never shied away from sexiness as much of her music reveals. But this time the unapologetically sexual lyrical and visual content on her album has raised eyebrows eliciting some negative comments.
By TV host Bill O'Reilley's reckoning, Beyoncé is a role model to young girls and therefore shouldn't be doing this sort of thing. He lodged harsh criticism towards her in interviews referring to her album as 'exploitative garbage'.
Indeed, Beyoncé has overstepped the boundary unnecessarily. With global fame and a massive bank account of about $300 million, she doesn't need to do this. She is setting a bad example of conduct for young girls. However, she is a 'Grown Woman' and she can do whatever she likes as she boldly states on one of the album's catchy songs.
People say that the only time you get to know a person is when you live with them. It may all seem so unreal an like you living in a fairy tale at first, but when time comes you will eventually see the true colors. Most marriages fall apart because something is lacking emotionally, sexually or physically. To all the women that have been abused verbally,physically an emotionally. Remember life is too short to just sit back and be treated with no respect. Don't let any man put you down, call you names an judge you because you are a precious piece of rare jewel. You may sometimes feel so alone an used, but believe me! it's not the end of the world." You deserve better an can accomplish so many things by yourself, staying positive being determined an just loving your self each day is the best tool ever.
Memorable words by Nelson Mandele. RIP Tata.
“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this
struggle of the African people. I have fought against
white domination, and I have fought against black
domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic
and free society in which all persons live together in
harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal
which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be,
it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
A mother is someone that carried you in her womb for 9 months, natured,loved you unconditionally,fed you no matter how bad things were, comforted you when you were down an out , taught you right from wrong, But! most importantly showered you with love all the time no matter how you treated her. We always tend to take the things they say or do for granted, but when they are gone it's too late. When you see them lying helpless an cold in a wooden coffin your heart just melts, knowing that the same women who gave birth to you, you cannot help. Your heart is then filled with unconditional sorrow an pain which will heal in time. Memory's are the only things that can get you through this tragedy an no matter how lonely an empty you may feel just remember that your mum is now with God in a better place watching,guiding an still looking over your shoulder.
I often ponder on years gone by and wish that I could go back and relive my life.There are so many wrongs that I want to make right and so many battles that I am now ready to fight.Life is a journey that we all have to take, with no rewind or replay, just one chance to either make or break.Straight roads do not make skillful drivers and if your dreams don't scare you then they are certainly not big enough.Everyone is gifted but most of US never open our package and all that remains is bitterness and regret.I used to walk into a room and wonder if they liked me but now I look around and wonder if I like them.Running away from ones problems is a race that can never be won, a deed that remains undone.Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life.To be able to live, laugh and love is the hope of a better tomorrow.Words so true yet easier said than done but with confidence and determination, the sky is truly the limit.Love and accept yourself wholeheartedly before you expect the world to.You can never be good enough for everyone but you will always be the best for those who care, appreciate and deserve you.Give everyday the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.Be there for others but never leave yourself behind.Happiness isn't about getting what you want all the time.Its about loving what you have and being grateful for it.I am not sure of what > my future holds but I am sure of who holds my future. > "Finding Me" ,I look around but all I see , Are empty spaces, staring back at me , Once a child , so young and free, The precious fruit of a great big tree , A tender bond full of love and care , Nothing on earth could ever compare , The truth of reality comes tumbling down , Leaving behind it's piercing crown , The gift of life , a priceless token , Though sometimes shaken yet never broken , Every heart has threaded this path , often giving into temptations wrath , The time has come to finally see , What lays hidden inside of me , The challenges I face will be a fight , But the courage I embrace shall lead me to the light , I set aside all my fears and pleas , Believing that I hold the secret key , Within me lies the ultimate dream , Taking me to the very extreme ," Come what may", today I say ," For I am ready and waiting to play" , I stand up proud and fairly strong , knowing that the show must go on , Unlocking the fear of finding me , Is the greatest treasure that lies in thee.
Bengingethokoza Nginani? njenga lokhu ebeseduze kwami,ehamba nami futhi ebamb' isandla sami lesi isbani sami"
Bengingethokoza benginani? nginani nenhlupheko ng'ngasayinaki,
ngkhuleka beng'ngasalali namhla k'lolu thando imina umhlali,ababhali abafarisi,impumalanga nezazi ngalokho beng'ngaz'khathazi,useqed uJuda ubeqalile.ELOI" Isabelo sami,dlula sitsha sami Leli aksilo icala lami Bengingethokoza Nginani?
By Themba Mtunja
Preaching freedom while liberation exist not in the mind... Untrusted future in the hands of a desparate generation... Hope forgotten because ignorance is ruling a rebelious nation... A cursed pigment will always fall behind...
Give it a shiny object and see how it brags... Then you wont have to chain it as it thinks of freedom... Name it according to its behaviour... Then you will see it resembling its ape ancestors...
By throwing stones at you and singing amandla, nga wethu... Grant it freedom of expression... Because it wont see that it is under psychological oppression... Like its ancestors...
Put it in a cage and give it a banana... You will see it bousting by beating its chest at a sight of an audience... Calling itself iskhothane...
Then you say the future belongs to the youth... Then my question would be... Which future and which youth?
THEMBA MTUNJA
The following article was copied from a status update on facebook.
The writer of the article is unknown however I thought this might make for some interesting food for thought.
*cited from elsewhere:
Mandela's cabinet consisted of 28 ministers and
their deputies.
Thabo Mbeki cabinet consisted of 28 ministers and
their deputies.
Jacob Zuma cabinet consists of 64 ministers and 64
deputy ministers.
Each minister has 8 bodyguards
Each minister has 2 mansions in Cape Town and in
Pretoria.
Each deputy minister has 8 bodyguards.
Each deputy minister has 2 mansions in Cape
Town and in Pretoria.
In 2009 when the Zuma government took over,
auditor general reported a loss of R8 billion.
In 2010 we lost R15 billion.
In 2011 n 2012 we lost R20 billion.
In 2013 we lost R31 billion.
America has about 400 million citizens and Obama
cabinet consists of only 20 people.
South Africa has 51 million citizens and is the only
country in the world that has the biggest cabinet
that consist of 128 people.
Our debt is R1 trillion.
As you vote on May 7th, think about the billions we
lose every year, monies that could have created
jobs.
