Tuesday 28 February 2012

CHOICE ~ RIP Whitney Houston

Choice...this is a very powerful tool available to everyone and yes i mean everyone, no matter the race or belief.  It's vital that we utilise it to the best of our abilities while we can whenever necessary. It doesn't cost you anything and but if when we fail to make the right choice at the right time, we pay the price!


I have decided to use ''The Legend'' ( well through my lens ) Whitney Houston as an example of how choice was wrongly used or should i say neglected?

Whitney Houston in my eyes is the greatest female singer ever lived and She was  effortlessly  brilliant and talented both in singing and in her acting career. In the movie ''The Bodyguard'' she proved to be a genius. That is just one of her films i watch time and time again tirelessly. This woman raised the bar in the music industry and catching up is almost looking impossible. She was simply a genius!

Whitney Houston
 August 1963 -  February 2012
She started off as young girl singing in her local church, with so much potential. It didnt take long for her to be spotted by one of the mogul in the music industry,Clive Davies.  She went on to produce good music and was a household name in no time and I think I can confidently say she is still a house hold name,even in death. She rose to fame in a twinkle of an eye but its only natural for someone with such amazing talent. Imagine such huge transformation.
No matter how we look at it, singing in the church and singing in front of thousand of people is a massive step and the question of acceptance always hangs in the air of whether they are going to love you or not. Struggle for acceptance in such industries is a battle in itself. But being the talented woman that she was she rose to the challenged and she was loved universally. You can't hide talent. In as much as she was coping well in the eyes of her fans and bosses, in her quiet moments i think there would be times she just long for a normal life,you know the kind she was used to. The safe,quiet life of the local church singer which is almost impossible when you become a public figure.

Whitney was described as her own person by her family, She never confided in anyone and just took things in her stride. Imagine all the pressures of the industry she had to cope with, she still never confided in anyone. Surely there must be a solace, a place, or thing where she goes to find peace and tranquillity.  Not very long she was reported caught with drugs. It wasn't hard to see that,That became ''the solace'' Now this is bad news. This is when the talent starts to decline. Its pretty obvious that when you mix drugs with anything the end result is an absolute disaster. There is no two ways about it. It will drain you and leave you breathless! This went from bad to worst and she openly confessed to taking drugs. She started showing up in interviews looking buck wild and speech became slurry by the minute. Shows and tours were being cancelled as she wasn't physically up to it. Frequently been caught at airports with drugs and crack! Yes this is bad news, especially for someone with such  a m a z i n g  talent. To add salt to injury,Bobby Brown whom she fell in love with and got married to was already a drug addict.

Remember this woman, from a church singer to an international singer, thrown into the industry with little or no experience of the big world and somehow she coped in her own way but only to a point. To a point till she found drugs. Under the influence, she would be in another world, a different zone, a place where she is stress free.... her place of solace. This she sought out whenever she needed a friend, the drugs would act like a friend when the going gets tough and a place of consolation. The drugs transformed from a place of solace to a habit and then to an addiction, although in her eyes, she defined her drugs taking as ''a bad habit'' as opposed to an addiction. Now this is where the problem gets real. Refusal to admit that yes she was suffering from a serious problem called addiction. The moment refusal comes in,the problem just gets real and help is almost impossible because you can't help someone who don't want to be helped,neither can you save a drowning cow that claims to be swimming!

Whitney Houston went from bad to worst and this resulted in a career decline. The pressures became too much and she wasn't coping well at all. I am not saying the cause of her death was drugs but it played a great part in it....a very great part.

People are blaming Bobby Brown her ex husband. Fair enough he was a drug addict as well and wasn't a good influence on the singer in no way as he himself has a track record of court cases and endless arrests. They say show me your friends and i'll tell you who you are,fact! Therefore, I am not ruling Bobby Brown out of the picture. He played a part as well because sometimes when people we love tell us to stop, we actually do listen. He could have been a pillar of support but unfortunately he was a weak pillar himself so he can't possibly support anyone else.

However Whitney Houston had a very powerful tool available to her which was CHOICE. The choice was hers to make whether she should take drugs or not and whether she should succumb to the pressures of the media or not. Bear in mind that the singer was few years older than Bobby Brown as well. She could have walked away and look to God for help when things become unbearable. Confide in someone or better still look where she came from so she'll know where she was heading. The choice was hers to make. The choice was in the palm of her hands but was neglected. I am not judging this woman but Whitney didnt have to find a solace in drugs, God was her solace. As she sang in her song ''I look to you''


Whitney Houston - I Look To You.
This is such an inspiring song!



I believe one of the reasons she fell in love with Bobby Brown was because they both shared something in common which was this drugs. When you find someone who does the same stuff as you or love the same things as you, you tend to grow an extra ordinary bond which i believe existed between the pair. I say extra ordinary because their relationship was one that was never understood,justified or accepted by the public, bearing in mind Bobby's past. But personally I think Whitney's decline was solely down to her and she had 100% control over it until she decided that she was going to give up on her self. Shame that was, as she had so many people looking up to her which she was oblivious to.

Her life I would say is a lesson,even in death. A very valuable lesson to all.
Few things to bear in mind:

  • You might not know but you have at least one person looking up to you
  • Embrace your talent
  • Associate yourself with people who pull you upwards
  • There is no price for living your life in the fast lane
  • Crack kills
  • Choice is a powerful tool - Use it
  • Don't succumb to the pressures of this world
  • God is our ultimate solace
  • When the going gets tough, Look To God

I know everyone is fighting some kind of battle, but it's how we deal with it that really matters. Fight with the last bone in your body and come out more than a conqueror. When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long.

Have a Victorious Week everyone.

Till then....
xoxo

Monday 20 February 2012

Weekend Quote

The Power Of The Extreme

Happiness needs Sadness
Love needs Hatred
Smile needs Tears
Victory needs Defeat
Light needs darkness
Good needs Bad
Success needs Struggles
Pleasure needs Pain
A calm sea needs a rough sea

You must experience and accept the extremes in order to appreciate the simple things in life. If the contrast is lost,you lose appreciate and value of everything!



My adorable nephew Ryan enjoying the simple things in life, such as
Football which he absolutely loves!








Enjoy and appreciate the little things in life because they make up the BIGGER PICTURE.



Have a Favoured week ahead!

Wednesday 15 February 2012

February 14, Guess who's riding solo?

A lot of people can't even remember their parents' birthday but February 14 is a date they never forget,especially the teenagers (not picking on you guys..i promise) What is it?

Saint Valentine's Day
  • Valentine's day is hyped worldwide but is that a good thing or a bad thing? 
  • The pressures of Valentines day and all the expenses that comes with ..is it worth it? 
  • Is your love forever or just meaningful for one day?
  • Are you that bored in your relationship that you have to look forward to Valentine's day for excitement?

All these questions springs to mind when Valentine's day approaches.

I love valentines day, (yes i'm a sucker for love) in as much as it comes with so much drama, I still look forward to the day. Its another chance to show the one you love that you care. I know people say ''oh we do it everyday'' let me just say, that is a big lie! (please take a seat) Right in the middle of life's chaos, we do forget to show it sometimes.So I'll call it another chance. 

However i think its overly commercialised....every advert on my telly has something to do with Valentine's day and every shop find a way to associate the day with their products and we stupidly fall for it. Yes we do. We go to the extent of buying chocolate that we don't even like just because we want to feel the spirit of February 14! Ha..please ask yourself, is this life? We put ourselves in unnecessary expenses and spend money we don't have ....it shouldn't be that way. You can show someone you care without breaking the bank and likewise the amount of money spent on that day on a flimsy present doesn't scream how much you love and care for an individual. Love sensibly!
What about the pressures of being in a relationship on Feb 14? 
I feel sorry for individuals who think that way because you are clearly setting your self up for a disaster. OK you managed to get yourself a guy/ a lady because its the Feb 14th soon and all your friends are in a relationship. Great .Well done. Clap for yourself!! The day comes and you spend your hard earned cash or maybe an emergency loan you can't even afford on the most expensive gift and a luxurious dinner in a dress or suit you afford. When the night is over, if you are lucky you get a well earned kiss ( but do you have to work that hard for a kiss??) or maybe something more but what happens the morning after? The question is was it worth it, are you going to be single or still in the most expensive relationship you have ever been in? I hope you can afford to feed yourself till your next pay day or if you depend on Mum & Dad's bank, that would always be there for you...so there you go.Not forgetting the loan shark!!

One thing i noticed this past Valentine's day is the day's got loads of haters and loads of bitter people too just chilling and hating on love. WHY?? Stop the hate parade! If you are single on Valentine's day,its not a crime! Why can't you live like a king or queen for the day and treat yourself like the gold you are? Why do you sulk and bestow self pity upon yourself on this particular day? If you feel lonely on Valentine's day, the chances are you've been lonely for a good part of your life and only notices it when the world decides to celebrate love. Well i got news for ya, you can Valentine yourself too..its all looove! Maybe, just maybe right in the middle of loving yourself,you might just get hit by Cupid. Yep... because its only when you embrace life that life will embrace you too.

My dear,you don't have to be in a relationship for valentine's day,remember the day only last for 24 hours. Don't succumb to the pressures of this world,build a mind of your own and think of your heart too. Your heart doesn't deserve all this trouble just for day!

Those in a relationship, why wait for a particular date to show your better half that you care? Love is just not for Valentine's day,its for every passing moment. Maybe,just maybe if we endeavour to show our love ones how much we care and look at it as a duty rather than a chore then Valentine's day wouldn't be so much of a big deal. 

The player...oh dear, this day must be a dilemma for you. Who's going get the dinner date, who's going to get the award winning lie of the year,who's going to get the P45 and who's going to get hired? Decision, Decision, Decision. Must be hard for you but i guess you chose that life so live with it, but it shouldn't be that way. Get a grip young man/woman. Why make your life this hectic? 

On the bright side,one beautiful thing about Valentine's day is the way it's recognised world wide. Yes worldwide, despite the language barrier, colour, age,race and beliefs people both near and far recognise and celebrate the day.  It brings people closer knowing that we all share something in common which is love. Yes..love is universal and everyone recognises it. Isn't it just beautiful?



Remember to show the ones you love that you care every passing moment and don't wait for Valentine's day for a reminder.

Monday 13 February 2012

Weekend Quote

Being with no one is better than being with the wrong person,
sometimes those who fly solo has the strongest wings.
Happiness is a choice and can be found in the darkest of times...
if only we remember to turn the lights on.
Bring your happy out.....no matter the situation.

Have a fulfilled week ahead. 




Wednesday 8 February 2012

The Bucket List

This is my Bucket List....( Inspired by the 2007 movie The Bucket List, directed by Rob Reiner,Starring Morgan Freeman & Jack Nicholson) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0825232/

Bucket list i guess derived from the phrase ''to kick the bucket'' which means to die. So the Bucket list is simply a list of things or should i say dreams that you wish to achieve before the death bell.

Sometimes in life, we are hindered by so many things such as Fear,money,family & friends, time, religion & beliefs, insecurities and sometimes we are just waiting for that perfect time. There is no perfect time, if it happens allow it to take it course and enjoy every bit of it. Other times we are held back by the fear of failure, well i always say if you don't try, you will never know. Your life is yours to live and if anything, make a vow to yourself that you will live it to the best of your abilities. Taking risks is a vital part of living life and just in case you haven't noticed, life itself is a risk and a big one too....so live a little and give all setbacks a back kick!

Having said that,here lies my Bucket List. Some are fears and some are just mere adventures and utter bravery but again, some to you might seem like a piece of cake. It all depends on the individual i guess.
However,this will be a regularly updated list as i'll be striking them out as they are achieved.

Here goes, in no particular order (in my X-Factor voice)

  • Learn how to Swim
  • Learn how to ride a bicycle (Don't ask me what i was doing during my childhood)
Just a quick incidence. It was my friend's birthday and she decided to do pub crawl and guess what we were meant to do this Pub crawl by..a bicycle!! Great! I was the only one who couldnt ride. The younger ones were riding on their own and i had to be illegally towed by my cousin half way through and had to walk the rest of the journey. Now i have never wished for a better time to know how to ride a bicycle. The closest i got to riding a bicycle was captured from the picture above. Sad times i tell ya!


  • Learn how to drive a car (automatic of course, i like easy life)
  • Write my own book (Just One)
  • Open my own business ( the idea is but a dream but you'll hear all bout it In Jesus Name)
  • Meet and shake hands with Usher Raymond ( I have liked that singer since i was a child)
  • Save a Life (animal or human)
  • Buy a house and fill it with love and laughter ( Africa or abroad...doesn't matter )
  • Adopt a Child
  • Make a difference in someone's life at least once a month. (I really want to)
  • Read the entire bible ( started when i was a child but i think i got distracted)
  • Distinguish the difference between my right and left in matter of seconds (What a shame aye?)
  • Be a pro in at least one sport. ( maybe basketball & maybe not a pro but at least to a level where i can boast. sad!)
  • Get married to someone i love ( I am human...& some might not see this as an achievement but marry the wrong person then you'll learn!)
  • Ride a horse (Help me Baby Jesus!)
  • Ride in a Limousine (yes!)
  • Spend a weekend in the poshest hotel with a loved one. ( a girl gotta live! )
  • Learn how to speak one more language Fluently (Preferably Spanish or French...don't ask why)
  • Have healthy Kids (Of Course..maybe 2)
  • Own my very own designer bag ( i'm not a vain person but i'll love a Louis Vuitton bag)
  • Learn how to play at least one musical instrument ( preferably the Piano..so far my expertise stops at Do Re Mi )
  • Overcome my fear of heights ( Scary business )
  • Go on Bungee Jumping (I'm not scared but i'll love the adventure)
  • Travelling and i mean loads of it.( China,Spain,Egypt,Brazil,Ghana,Tanzania, and so many others)
  • Learn how to cook a Chinese dish..(especially King Prawn Fried Rice) YUM!
  • Visit Disney ( Yes, and act like a kid for a day, a whole day without a care in the world!)
  • Win a meaningful sum of money in the lottery. (Just want to win something, you know that lucky feeling)
  • Have one more tattoo (hopefully there will be no more)
  • Kick my very old bad habit which is Biting my lips ( yep..no one is perfect and that habit my friend, stinks)
  • Develop and learn the art of Forgiveness and forgoing grudge ( Boy...i'm a class act in that. Very bad!)
  • Create a life worth living for me and my entire family ( filled with all the goodies in life, by God's grace)

If you haven't watched this movie before,please do. It's funny and there is a lesson to be learnt as well which is ....you are never too old or too young to achieve your dreams and it shouldn't take death to teach or push us to start living!










My advice is,if you want to do anything go for it. If the opprotunity arises, grab it because sometimes they only pass us once. Forget about what people think and live for yourself. The crowd is always going to be there and you will always have to interprete the noise for yourself, whether its a cheer or a Booo.....just bear in mind that your life is your stage and you can either put up the performance of a lifetime or shoot for failure and fear and eventually get booted off your very own stage.


Break the fear and take a risk....if you make a mistake, at least it will be your mistake.


WHAT IS LIFE WITHOUT RISKS? bORRRinGG!

Go on and create a list of your own and while doing it,have some fun too  :)





Monday 6 February 2012

Poem of the Month

        The Shepherd Boy's Song






He that is down needs fear no fall,
He that is low no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it or much;
And, Lord, contentment still I crave
Because thou savest such.

Fulness to such a burden is
That go in pilgrimage;
Here little and hereafter bliss
Is best from all to age.

By John Bunyan







This poem i learnt at a very young age and memorised by heart. I can well say it has helped to keep me grounded one way or the other so i thought to share.
Read,Absorb & be inspired!