Watch this space….

12 November 2010 will mark the end of my life as a full time student; but t it will mark the beginning to what I hope will be a fruitful career. I may not know what lies ahead, but I do have hopes and dreams that I hope will be fulfilled in the years to come. I won’t give you inclusive details; you will simply have to watch this space. Sibongile Mayaba will be making her mark doing what she knows best. So don’t be too surprised when you read about me in your favourite magazine, simply be happy for me. So remember to watch this space dear.

Signing out> Sbosh

Being at school for 17 years…

Being at school for 17 years, means that I have been studying most of my life. I haven’t experienced life without having to worry about assignments, exams, tests and presentations. I have always had school keeping me busy and on my toes. I just can’t seem to stop wondering how my life will be without studying. Studying has always been a way of keeping myself challenged and preoccupied. I have heard people say that they have returned to school merely because they felt that they needed to challenge themselves. What I do know right now is that I need to take a break from studying and live my life with out studying for at least a year or so.

I hope to study further because I have realised that it is important to keep on studying as it empowers you as an individual and it opens up opportunities. The biggest reward is walking up on the stage and receive your qualification on graduation day; you look back on the time and effort you put in order to get there. That feeling is indescribable; it’s something that you are simply grateful for.

Here is to the future and what it holds.

Signing out> Sbosh

The year 2010…

The year 2010, when you first came to existence I was filled with so much excitement looking forward to what you would bring us.

The year 2010, you brought so much pain and sadness when I lost my grandmother on January 28.

The year 2010 you brought so much hope and joy to our county when we hosted the World Cup from June 11- July 11 with the whole world watching what we as South Africans were capable of.

The year 2010 you have united our nation and put our country on the map.
The year 2010 you brought a very challenging year. Studying this year has taken a lot of hard work and determination and has shaped be in to a better individual who is ready to take on the industry next year.

The year 2010, you have taken away from me loved ones but you have also introduced me to new people and brought me new friends.

The year 2010, you have given me strength and courage to face each day with an open mind and I have been able to identify that there are endless possibilities out there.

In about two months time, we will part my friend and it will be as if you never existed, but I will forever remember all the things that happened during 2010 and I shall remember that they all happened for a reason; a reason which might have not been apparent at the time.

Signing out> Sbosh

Don’t take things lightly…

Yesterday while I was engaging in a conversation with a friend, I noticed how miserable she was, but her take on life was generally positive. When she mentioned how at her age she hadn’t acquired a career, a car, a qualification, a life partner and a child meant that she really didn’t have anything that she could be grateful for. I could merely tell her that she should be grateful for her life and for being healthy.

We shouldn’t take things such as having decent health lightly as many people don’t have this privilege; health can be a daily struggle for some people.

Let us not compare the things we have with other people, as people don’t all achieve things at the same rate as others; other people progress quicker in life than others.

So let us be grateful for what we have and not take the things and people we have in our lives for granted.

Signing out> Sbosh

Your own happiness comes first…

Have you ever been in a position in which you find that your own happiness is influenced by people around you? You compare the way you live your life with people around you even though they have different values and believes. You may find that you have compromised many things in order to be happy when others haven’t. I was at a point in my life where I thought that I was compromising a lot of things in order to be happy.

I soon realised that maybe it is best to stick with what I have in my life even though it has meant that I have had to compromise, because firstly I don’t know how long the happiness will last and when I will be completely happy or content with what I have in my life.

So I have decided that I should live for the moment and stick with what makes me happy right now and not worry about what others have to say. I should simply put myself first.

Signing out> Sbosh

My favourite Cat in the Hat book is…

The last time I read a Cat in the Hat book must have been when I was in primary school. I used to enjoy reading the books because they were funny and entertaining, the crazy story lines captured one’s imagination.

A movie based on the Cat in the Hat book was released on the big screen in 2003 ; I had an opportunity of watching the movie and see the story come to life right in front of me. Cat in the Hat books have been around for over 50 years and hopefully they will be still around for generations to come in order for children to enjoy them.

Maybe I should give myself a chance to read one of the books soon, who knows the book might bring out the child in me.

Signing out> Sbosh

Why I have conversations?

I have conversations simply because as human beings it is vital to have some sort of communication in order to understand what the next person is thinking. Conversations permit for an exchange of information to take place; through conversations we are able to learn new information and share knowledge. Conversations contribute to the intellectual growth of a person; the more we know the better we become accustomed to our environment.

Conversations nowadays take place not just face to face but also through various mediums such as social media tools. I personally engage in conversations with people usually because I want to know what they opinion is regarding a certain issue, or may be because I want to know more about them.

Regardless what the reason may be behind why I have conversations I feel that having conversations is the way of life. As humans we all have the need to engage in conversations each day may it be at work or school or even at home.

Signing out> Sbosh

My big fat BIG dream.

My big fat BIG dream would be to travel the world on an unrestricted budget. I have never travelled outside of the South African borders in my entire life. My trip would have to commence right here in Africa therefore my first stop would be Zambia; merely because I would love to witness the Zambezi falls with my own eyes, as I have heard so many accounts of it.

The next stop would have to be Madagascar; it seems to be a beautiful island with wonderful creatures and beaches. My journey would lead me to the continent of Asia, where I would begin with Thailand. Thailand seems to be a beautiful country with a rich heritage and various national monuments. I would then possibly visit China and India which are next door to each other in order to experience their ambient culture and the way they live. I would also make a stop at United Arab of Emirates and visit Dubai to experience the glitz and glamour the city is known for.

I would then travel to the continent of South America, and the county I would visit is Brazil. I would make it to Brazil in time for the Rio Carnival as I have heard that it is the best time to visit the country.

I would then visit the U.S.A.; there are so many cities I would like to visit there. These cities include Los Angeles, Miami, New York City; the concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
My last stop would be Europe and the countries I would visit include France, Italy, Greece, England, Germany, Spain, Scotland and Switzerland.

I would like the to have the opportunty to be exposed to numerous cultures and lifestyles in my life, traveling the world is something that I simply have to do in my life time even if it means travelling to simply a few countries.

Signing out > Sbosh

Black people and the unnecessary costs they endure.

Normally when a black person sets out to host an event such as a party or any kind of traditional ceremony they go all out; meaning that they will go as far as spending their last cent. This is because they merely want to be the talk of the town as they want people to be talking about their event for years to come. That is not necessary always the case though; you find that people do not appreciate the efforts of the person who hosts an event as people become greedy and demanding wanting they needs to be constantly met.

When black people have a funeral to attend, the funeral becomes an event. Black people dress up to the nines for funerals, a funeral can become a fashion parade if it’s a funeral of a popular figure especially in the townships. When it comes to catering at a funeral, black people go all out. Food for a funeral can cost up to R15 000. A funeral has become a place where one is guaranteed they will receive a plate of food and a beverage. It has become a social event where you are likely to meet up with old friends and catch up on gossip and so on.

Black people simply don’t like keeping things simple. There is always an opportunity to compete with the next person and we find ourselves enduring unnecessary costs because of this. I wonder if these trends occur amongst other black Africans.

Signing out> Sbosh

My bucket list…

There are many things I would like to accomplish during my life time, but I don’t think that I will be able to mention a hundred. These include in no particular order obtaining my Master/ Honours Degree, travelling the world, going on a road trip across at least three provinces in the country.

A helicopter ride would be quite an adventure or even a hot air balloon ride, visit the Zambezi River, ride a quad bike, go on a yacht, go on a ocean cruise, establish my own successful business, make exercising a routine, get married and have children, see the seven wonders of the world, have a feature written about me in a magazine, make a life changing difference to someone’s life.
Go on a real shopping spree meaning I would have to spend about R10 000 on shoes and clothes in just one day.

These are just a few of the things I would like to undertake before I die.

Signing out> Sbosh

The world would be a better place…

Imagine if people had tolerance for each other, there would be mutual respect and understanding between each individual. People would be able to identify with each other and appreciate each other more. This would possibly mean that there would be hardly any crime as people would be compassionate and would not want to bring any hardship or cruelty to another person.

People would think twice before illegally acquiring something from another person, there would be a sense of love and a brotherly/ sisterly bond between people. People would watch out for one another and not think about their own prosperity but also of people in their lives; basically people would look out for each other.

This would be an ideal world wouldn’t it? The fact that we live in a world that is full of malicious behavior, where people have disregard for human life simply sadness me. When will all this come to an end? The world needs to be healed and made into a better place for the entire human race, but how will this be possible?

Unfortunately this is a question that I cannot answer; only time will tell how the world will end up.

Signing Out> Sbosh

Conventional is a good fallback position isn’t it?

Conventional is a good fallback position when you realize that something you wanted to try out for the first time doesn’t seem to work out the way you had anticipated. You can always conform to the accepted standards which people have come to accept as the norm.

As human beings we tend to be afraid of the idea to do things differently as we fear being rejected by society. Being different is sometimes a good thing, take for example Lady Gaga; she totally does what she feels like doing and she doesn’t seem to care what other people will think about her. She has generated a huge following over the past few years she has been in the limelight.

So conventional doesn’t always work well for other people, being different can lead to various opportunities and experiences.

What do you think?

Signing Out> Sbosh

Would I like to live in a draconian censorship?

The time of draconian censorship in our country has seized to exists, I’m sure many people would not like to return to that period of our history. It is unacceptable that countries such as Korea have draconian laws; the laws create too many restrictions on web users by challenging their anonymity.

In Korea some laws require that online visitors register their real name and national ID card number when visiting sites with more than 100 000 members. Imagine having to do this every time you go onto Google, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube. You would have to give out confidential information such as your ID number. That is simply not right; it is an invasion of your own privacy.

An IT news site Bloter.net had to suspend user comments because of the Korean system. This meant that people would not have the opportunity to express their opinions.

Here in South Africa we are used to having the freedom to express ourselves and I’m sure that many people wouldn’t like that right to be taken away from them. So let’s learn from countries like Korea and China and fight for our country to not move backward to draconian censorship.

Signing out >Sbosh

Moving away from our comfort zones.

Many people are terrified by the idea of attempting something new, they prefer sticking to things that they are familiar with; things that are the norm as they want to fit in and belong to a certain group.

We are coming to the end of our tertiary life and I am sure most of us would like to work in the private sector for large companies. Only a handful of us may be considering starting a new business, but why is this? Fear of failure restrains many of us from doing our own thing. We tend to doubt our capabilities and we tend to think that people who succeed are superior to us.

I know that many of us may have ideas floating in our minds, but these ideas remain there. We may never be brave enough to implement these ideas as we perhaps think that they are not good enough.

Let me urge you by saying that opportunities surround everyone each day but it is up to you to identify one and grab it before it disappears right in front of you.

“Only by doing, do people become great”

Signing Out> Sbosh

You cannot chase two rabbits at the same time.

This statement is debatable as sometimes one can focus on two things or tasks at a time as it depends on how disciplined an individual is. Some people have the capacity to handle numerous tasks at a time; we simply have to remember that we are not all the same.

Some people have to be constantly reminded to not take on more than they can handle as they may struggle to cope when they have too many things happening in their lives. These people may end up not excelling in either task as they were not able to manage their time or resources well.

I believe that each individual knows what they are capable of ; therefore we shouldn’t allude ourselves by thinking that we can chase two rabbits at the same time when we clearly know that we can’t.

Signing out > Sbosh

Mapping out our own destiny…

Each individual is responsible for mapping out their own destiny. Each day we live our lives we should think about what we want to achieve in our life time. We only live once therefore we should dream big, aim high and not allow anything to stand in our way.

My communications lecturer gave us an exercise in class in which we had to write our five year goals as well as our long term goals. Writing out your goals makes you think about what you want to achieve in life. My lecturer further stated if you write down your goals you are sure to achieve them as your goals are something that you feel strongly about. She further stated that each individual is responsible for their own destiny.

This made me think a lot about how I want my life to turn out. I have many dreams that I would like to see come true, but I am the only person who can make that possible. I need to be determined, have self discipline and self confidence in order to ensure that I achieve my goals.

Through the grace of God, I hope that my life will turn out the way I hope it will.

Signing out >Sbosh

“Nothing is more dangerous than an idea, when you only have one idea”

I have to agree with the statement that having one idea is dangerous. What happens if that one idea you have does not work out the way you planned it to? What do you do then?

It is important to have a number of ideas or a backup plan when something doesn’t pan out the way you intended it to. You always have to have another plan so that you are not left stranded, thinking about what you should do next in order to move forward is vital.

Some people have a plan a, plan b and even a plan c when they have an idea. They always prepare themselves for the worst case scenario before hand as there is nothing worse than just standing there when something goes wrong and only try to think of ways to remedy the situation then. Thinking under pressure is something that not everyone is good at.

Therefore I urge you when you have an idea think of more than one way to implement that idea and always have a backup plan. Avoid being caught off guard whenever it is possible.

Signing out> Sbosh

The last supper: A Nelson Mandela version

I was a bit worried when I read the paper today and came across the ‘last supper’ painting we all know of Jesus having supper with his disciples; but in this case it was Nelson Mandela who was depicted as Jesus and the disciples where the humanitarians who fought for liberalization of people who were oppressed in the past. The people depicted are Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu, Albert Luthuli and others.

I understand the great role Nelson Mandela and the rest of the people I have mentioned above played, but to depict Nelson Mandela as some kind of God is just taking it a bit too far. I don’t know what might have been going through the artist’s head when he was creating the painting; maybe he just saw it as an opportunity to make money.

As a Christian I feel that it has broken one of Gods commands that says “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My Commandments.

It doesn’t surprise me anymore what kind of lengths people would go through in order to make a quick buck.

Signing out>Sbosh

How hard is it to follow instructions?

Following instructions is not hard, but it doesn’t help when a lecturer explains something in class then it is interpreted differently by students. Sometimes it even seems that each student has their own interpretation even though we were all sitting in the same class and given the same instructions by a lecturer.

Sometimes I think it’s just best to not ask any of my class mates to repeat instructions that where said in class by a lecturer when I didn’t understand them because if I do they end up confusing me even further. That’s why it is always best to ask the lecturer to explain something that you are not clear about. Otherwise you will be playing broken telephone the whole time.

Why is it though that we have different interpretations when we are given instructions in class, I ask myself? It is a bit scary though, knowing that we will be going into the industry soon and we are supposed to be specializing in communication. What kind of mixed messages will we be sending out when we are terrible at interpreting simple instructions?
Come on people we need to listen up carefully and learn to follow instructions appropriately.

Signing out> Sbosh

Have you figured out the second head fake?

Well I haven’t even figured out the first head fake, but I am expected to know what the second head fake is. All I understand about what a head fake is, is when a message is intended to articulate a particular meaning, but you understand it differently or have a different perception compared to what the speaker was expecting the listener to grasp or understand.

An example would be when a lecturer lectures to its students and expects the students to be motivated to reach their goals, but some of the students may grasp something else from the lecture such as; one could discover that they are in the wrong career field or that they want to study further before they go out in to the industry.

Or maybe the second headfake is about discovering what is most important to you? What is the most important thing in your life? Well I think this is a tough question to answer, and I feel that it is hard to pin point just one thing. It looks like I will have to choose three, the first being my family, secondly having a relationship with God, lastly achieving my goals.

Signing out> Sbosh