..good bok by Deepak Chopra.. recommend it. Polished it off this morning ( Sunday ).
Now trying to write a proposal for Vodacom for the school, Kind Heart Africa..
stumbling over it...
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Ludacris
Is in Tanzania.. and last night ( Friday 29th ) I was invited by my lovely friend Anita to go for dinner with her and him at the owner of Clouds FM for dinner. How lovely. I couldn't go as I forgot I had other plans..
dying to hear how it went! When I was out at the Kempinski last night I bumped into Abby ( looking really gorgeous ) and she was off to meet them all later.. Ludacris in the house partying at Runway.
I bet Simone was grumpy.
Ludacris is here all weekend, so maybe if I lose my weekend virgintiy at Runway ( I've only ever been on Thursday's & Wednesdays ) I will get to see what all the hoo hah is about. People love him here!
Dunno though, as I am off to Bongamoyo now for the day with John Hudson, a colleague of lovely Victoria's. He's off back home to Ireland tomorrow after a lengthy stint working out here for Diageo as a consultant.
Looking forward to visiting the island as I have heard good things! Factor 50 on. Slapped on.
dying to hear how it went! When I was out at the Kempinski last night I bumped into Abby ( looking really gorgeous ) and she was off to meet them all later.. Ludacris in the house partying at Runway.
I bet Simone was grumpy.
Ludacris is here all weekend, so maybe if I lose my weekend virgintiy at Runway ( I've only ever been on Thursday's & Wednesdays ) I will get to see what all the hoo hah is about. People love him here!
Dunno though, as I am off to Bongamoyo now for the day with John Hudson, a colleague of lovely Victoria's. He's off back home to Ireland tomorrow after a lengthy stint working out here for Diageo as a consultant.
Looking forward to visiting the island as I have heard good things! Factor 50 on. Slapped on.
Kessie
Is Graham's new driver. He is 46, married with 2 kids, both girls, one is at school in Nairoberry, the other is here. His wife is a chef and works nightshift at the Piccolo Hotel.
This is his first new job with National, after spending 9 years driving an Irish family - The O'Driscolls round Dar Es Salaam.
I gave him one of the lovely little meditation books that Panna gifted me. They have met and can speak with each other in Swahili. He was very quiet to begin with but as Kessie and I have spent a week together he's coming more and more out of his shell. He had flu earlier in the week so I sent him home with some Lemsip as he had a fever, he felt better then next day, so hurrah for Lemsip.
I told him about the project we are doing here with Kind Heart Africa and how I was looking for sponsors.. he only goes and calls his old schoolmate to see if she could help. She works a The Vodacom Foundation!?
Amazing and we got a meeting, in which he came to it with me. Now have to work up a proposal to send to them on Monday.
I offered to do his CV, so we are doing that next week and the other night when I went to the Kempinsky ( to people watch, use their high speed wifi and have a hot chocolate ) to do some work
I suggested that he join me for a coffee. He had never set foot in the Kempinsky. Locals just don't do that or have access to the means to do it.
Anyway, he decided not to come in and after an hour sent me a text to say Miss Heather, may I join you.
I am coming to get you I texted back in a Davina McCall stylee as I walked to greet him at the entrance. WOW. He was gobsmacked, speechless.
We sat down, he loves my mac book pro - had never touched one before, we ordered coffee and a hot chocolate, he choked at the prices. Then he noticed a lady outside, she's famous, she's on Bongo Star Search. Que ??
I googled her and sure thing, the woman outside ( drinking champagne and johnny walker ) was on my screen in google images wearing the same outfit she had been pictured in, she's like the danni minogue of popstars, only older and not as stylish. Anyway! I asked Kessie if he'd like an autograph, which he did and so off in search I went, sorted. She was very personable. Her name is Rita Paulson. Her manager chatted away quite the thing, had been to Glasgow and loved my accent.. anyway, I thought bugger it, I'll ask for a pic, so before you know it, she's draped herself over Kessie in the bar at the Kempinski. Ha!
He asked for the receipt for the bill as a keepsake. I've still to send him the pics but now as I have a USB stick as gifted to me by Shay, I can put them on that.
Just an average night in Tanzania!
This is his first new job with National, after spending 9 years driving an Irish family - The O'Driscolls round Dar Es Salaam.
I gave him one of the lovely little meditation books that Panna gifted me. They have met and can speak with each other in Swahili. He was very quiet to begin with but as Kessie and I have spent a week together he's coming more and more out of his shell. He had flu earlier in the week so I sent him home with some Lemsip as he had a fever, he felt better then next day, so hurrah for Lemsip.
I told him about the project we are doing here with Kind Heart Africa and how I was looking for sponsors.. he only goes and calls his old schoolmate to see if she could help. She works a The Vodacom Foundation!?
Amazing and we got a meeting, in which he came to it with me. Now have to work up a proposal to send to them on Monday.
I offered to do his CV, so we are doing that next week and the other night when I went to the Kempinsky ( to people watch, use their high speed wifi and have a hot chocolate ) to do some work
I suggested that he join me for a coffee. He had never set foot in the Kempinsky. Locals just don't do that or have access to the means to do it.
Anyway, he decided not to come in and after an hour sent me a text to say Miss Heather, may I join you.
I am coming to get you I texted back in a Davina McCall stylee as I walked to greet him at the entrance. WOW. He was gobsmacked, speechless.
We sat down, he loves my mac book pro - had never touched one before, we ordered coffee and a hot chocolate, he choked at the prices. Then he noticed a lady outside, she's famous, she's on Bongo Star Search. Que ??
I googled her and sure thing, the woman outside ( drinking champagne and johnny walker ) was on my screen in google images wearing the same outfit she had been pictured in, she's like the danni minogue of popstars, only older and not as stylish. Anyway! I asked Kessie if he'd like an autograph, which he did and so off in search I went, sorted. She was very personable. Her name is Rita Paulson. Her manager chatted away quite the thing, had been to Glasgow and loved my accent.. anyway, I thought bugger it, I'll ask for a pic, so before you know it, she's draped herself over Kessie in the bar at the Kempinski. Ha!
He asked for the receipt for the bill as a keepsake. I've still to send him the pics but now as I have a USB stick as gifted to me by Shay, I can put them on that.
Just an average night in Tanzania!
Gas
So, I visit the Movenpick Hotel here rather a lot as the Sasatel internet connection we have at Upanga is so flaky. Also, as this is a big hotel, they have a big generator so when there is a powercut you don't feel it as much. Anyway, there is a hair salon here, called Jazz and the guy who owns it is Gas.
He is from Beirut -which he tells me is amazing and I should visit there with my European passport.
We had a coffee and shared stories of why we're here, what we like to do, where to go, etc.
He used to live in Congo and has a brother still there, his other brother here runs the salon.
I had my first blowdry there the other day - too darn hot for a blowdry but I was feeling a bit skanky and if truth be told I just wanted someone to play with my hair. My ex bf was a hairdresser and as well as making my hair look fab he was also pretty good at playing with it and sometimes its those little tokens of affection that you miss most.
Anyway, sit me down in a chair for an hour and I will interview you - I love finding out about people and Gas is quite a dude. His father is the Lebanese Diplomat here in Tanzania, Gas has 2 salons ( one local ) and another opening soon. He also deals in diamonds and wait for it has 5 jumpy ( he means bouncy ) castles that he rents out to people. Quite the entrepeneur.
He finds my accent funny and sometimes doesn't get it but on the whole I think he does.
He did a fab blowdry, 30 000 TSH ( VERY expensive for here ) and it was worth every penny as I felt great and enjoyed looking at out of date Hello and Ok! Mags purely for the pictorial nonsense that was featured. Donald Trump in his home with his poseur of a wife, etc.. so so so far emoved from everything here. Anyway, as I paid my bill, he asked if I had time for a coffee. Yes, I did.
So we had a coffee, chatted further and I told him about the Kind Heat Africa School, he offered to sponsor it. I am going to send him a document and see if he sticks to his word. Part of the culture here, the unfortunate part is that people have a tendancy to make big promises and then not deliver..
He asked me out to dinner but I explained I already had plans to meet Shay. Another time perhaps.
He is from Beirut -which he tells me is amazing and I should visit there with my European passport.
We had a coffee and shared stories of why we're here, what we like to do, where to go, etc.
He used to live in Congo and has a brother still there, his other brother here runs the salon.
I had my first blowdry there the other day - too darn hot for a blowdry but I was feeling a bit skanky and if truth be told I just wanted someone to play with my hair. My ex bf was a hairdresser and as well as making my hair look fab he was also pretty good at playing with it and sometimes its those little tokens of affection that you miss most.
Anyway, sit me down in a chair for an hour and I will interview you - I love finding out about people and Gas is quite a dude. His father is the Lebanese Diplomat here in Tanzania, Gas has 2 salons ( one local ) and another opening soon. He also deals in diamonds and wait for it has 5 jumpy ( he means bouncy ) castles that he rents out to people. Quite the entrepeneur.
He finds my accent funny and sometimes doesn't get it but on the whole I think he does.
He did a fab blowdry, 30 000 TSH ( VERY expensive for here ) and it was worth every penny as I felt great and enjoyed looking at out of date Hello and Ok! Mags purely for the pictorial nonsense that was featured. Donald Trump in his home with his poseur of a wife, etc.. so so so far emoved from everything here. Anyway, as I paid my bill, he asked if I had time for a coffee. Yes, I did.
So we had a coffee, chatted further and I told him about the Kind Heat Africa School, he offered to sponsor it. I am going to send him a document and see if he sticks to his word. Part of the culture here, the unfortunate part is that people have a tendancy to make big promises and then not deliver..
He asked me out to dinner but I explained I already had plans to meet Shay. Another time perhaps.
Lost in Transalation
So last night I went to the Kempinsky Hotel to meet with Shay. I met him earlier in the day.
34 year old Israeli dude who runs an indoor and otdoor marketing and advertising agency specialising in promotional materials. I was 40 mins late for the meeting ( unlike me as I choose to be punctual ) anyway,
we need his help for the project that Sarah and I are working on. I instantly liked him, tonnes of energy, funny, direct, helpful and full of advice. Tanzania and Africa are differerent to any other countries as this is the developing workd and I sometimes forget that. Everything can take way longer than you either hoped or expected it to.. i'm learning the art of patience and letting go and at the same time display the tenacity and energy to see things through.. I am results focussed and I'm getting there!
Anyway, we had a good meeting, showed him my dog Charleee - she's my screen saver, he also loves dogs adn we shared a few personal titbits of information, as we'd said our thank you's and goodbyes I was walking out the frint door when he shouts Heather and gies me 2 little gifts. Firts of all delighted to receive the gifts ( not one bit two ) and when I got into the car I opened them, only the 2 things that I need right now - a USB stick and a keyring with a powerful torch. : )
He's looking to hire a sales manager, so I sent him my CV, that was a bit weird, haven't done a CV in a loong time.. anyway sent it and then he emailed back to see if I'd like to meet him for a drink at the Kempinsky later. I said yes.
So, he had his Thai massage and we met around 9.30 and went foer sushi ( delicious ) in the Oriental restaurant where we chatted for about 3 hours, then went upstairs for a drink. He is hilarious, has a very contagious laugh and was very open and honest about his life here, his relationship ( I guessed he had a spanish girlfriend ) don't ask me how and he told me something that blew me away.. I won't share too much as it doesn't seem right.
Anyway, before we met I had emailed him to suggest that he research and patent a mini tennis bat ( the size of a ping pong bat ) that you can carry in your handbag. There is already a full sized tennis racket available that zaps the mossies with an electric shock. I am getting a bit fed up of them now as I am covered in bites, even though I am taking all the precautions anyway, as I was just about to walk into the hotel, I sent him a text that said "please tell me this is an mboo free zone"
He then proceeded to ask me as we sat down for dinner, as he was laughing his head off that what I had meant. I said mboo (mosquiotes ) hahahahahahaha. Mbu is the correct spelling for mosquiotes but in order for me to learn the lingo I write things phonetically.. Mboo means 'dick'.
So I sent him a text saying please tell me this is a 'dick' free zone. Methinks that will come in handy at some point! Slightly embarassing but oh so very funny especially with his infectious laugh!
I was excited about the prospect of some male company and in my head had deemed it a sort of 'date'. I twas Friday night after all and I don't usually go to swanky hotels of a weekend.. soit was even better
as we got on like a house on fire, we share lots of the same interests and I told him about my friend Susie Pearl and all the wonderful things she does and how she lives her life, he calls her Amazing Susie and even looked her up on facebook and said "wow she has such a positive evergy, look at her smile. Indeed.
I think I have a new friend. No bull, just upfront good chat and a few giggles. I'm also hoping that perhaps he'sll be able to help me find some paid work. He knows everyone, Dar is a bit like Glasgow, sprawling city geographically and everyone knows everyone else. He told me something I already know, I am not going to meet a 'good guy' in a club. No siree. For now I am to just do my own thing.
I got in at 2am. Talked out and very happy to have met such a kindred spirit.
34 year old Israeli dude who runs an indoor and otdoor marketing and advertising agency specialising in promotional materials. I was 40 mins late for the meeting ( unlike me as I choose to be punctual ) anyway,
we need his help for the project that Sarah and I are working on. I instantly liked him, tonnes of energy, funny, direct, helpful and full of advice. Tanzania and Africa are differerent to any other countries as this is the developing workd and I sometimes forget that. Everything can take way longer than you either hoped or expected it to.. i'm learning the art of patience and letting go and at the same time display the tenacity and energy to see things through.. I am results focussed and I'm getting there!
Anyway, we had a good meeting, showed him my dog Charleee - she's my screen saver, he also loves dogs adn we shared a few personal titbits of information, as we'd said our thank you's and goodbyes I was walking out the frint door when he shouts Heather and gies me 2 little gifts. Firts of all delighted to receive the gifts ( not one bit two ) and when I got into the car I opened them, only the 2 things that I need right now - a USB stick and a keyring with a powerful torch. : )
He's looking to hire a sales manager, so I sent him my CV, that was a bit weird, haven't done a CV in a loong time.. anyway sent it and then he emailed back to see if I'd like to meet him for a drink at the Kempinsky later. I said yes.
So, he had his Thai massage and we met around 9.30 and went foer sushi ( delicious ) in the Oriental restaurant where we chatted for about 3 hours, then went upstairs for a drink. He is hilarious, has a very contagious laugh and was very open and honest about his life here, his relationship ( I guessed he had a spanish girlfriend ) don't ask me how and he told me something that blew me away.. I won't share too much as it doesn't seem right.
Anyway, before we met I had emailed him to suggest that he research and patent a mini tennis bat ( the size of a ping pong bat ) that you can carry in your handbag. There is already a full sized tennis racket available that zaps the mossies with an electric shock. I am getting a bit fed up of them now as I am covered in bites, even though I am taking all the precautions anyway, as I was just about to walk into the hotel, I sent him a text that said "please tell me this is an mboo free zone"
He then proceeded to ask me as we sat down for dinner, as he was laughing his head off that what I had meant. I said mboo (mosquiotes ) hahahahahahaha. Mbu is the correct spelling for mosquiotes but in order for me to learn the lingo I write things phonetically.. Mboo means 'dick'.
So I sent him a text saying please tell me this is a 'dick' free zone. Methinks that will come in handy at some point! Slightly embarassing but oh so very funny especially with his infectious laugh!
I was excited about the prospect of some male company and in my head had deemed it a sort of 'date'. I twas Friday night after all and I don't usually go to swanky hotels of a weekend.. soit was even better
as we got on like a house on fire, we share lots of the same interests and I told him about my friend Susie Pearl and all the wonderful things she does and how she lives her life, he calls her Amazing Susie and even looked her up on facebook and said "wow she has such a positive evergy, look at her smile. Indeed.
I think I have a new friend. No bull, just upfront good chat and a few giggles. I'm also hoping that perhaps he'sll be able to help me find some paid work. He knows everyone, Dar is a bit like Glasgow, sprawling city geographically and everyone knows everyone else. He told me something I already know, I am not going to meet a 'good guy' in a club. No siree. For now I am to just do my own thing.
I got in at 2am. Talked out and very happy to have met such a kindred spirit.
Friday, 29 July 2011
The Sunday Mail
My friend Billy Sloan, the legendary Billy Sloan is leaving the newspaper today after decades of writing some of the best interviews with musicians, artists and popstars that have ever been written.
He is leaving with a heavy heart and he will be sorely missed, not just by his colleagues but by the millions of people who have read his column over the years..
He's my pal too and I love him and I also know what its like to have to leave a job that you really love..
truth is its you never see it like a job, yes it pays some of the bills but that's not why we do it, there are way more secure and financially rewarding jobs out there, we do it for the love of it.
Also thinking of a few other lovely people who are leaving the paper today..
Everything comes to an end and its a new chapter.. all good and perfect as it is in this moment.
Am also chuffed that a piece I wrote will appear in this Sunday's supplement - fitting and I hope Billy
takes me up on the offer to join me for a wee holiday here in Tanzania..
He is leaving with a heavy heart and he will be sorely missed, not just by his colleagues but by the millions of people who have read his column over the years..
He's my pal too and I love him and I also know what its like to have to leave a job that you really love..
truth is its you never see it like a job, yes it pays some of the bills but that's not why we do it, there are way more secure and financially rewarding jobs out there, we do it for the love of it.
Also thinking of a few other lovely people who are leaving the paper today..
Everything comes to an end and its a new chapter.. all good and perfect as it is in this moment.
Am also chuffed that a piece I wrote will appear in this Sunday's supplement - fitting and I hope Billy
takes me up on the offer to join me for a wee holiday here in Tanzania..
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