The DREAMS DO COME TRUE Tour - Part 23, FNB - Braamfontein

   Standing in front of an audience that was dressed more or less like me gave me a sense of

dejavu. And with their warm reception, it was as if they were saying, 'Welcome back home."

   Much, much love to the vocal group of ladies that were seated to my right. 'Big up' for their enthusiasm during this presentation. Whether it was initiating the F-G clap, or saying back the steps with me, or reading with me the poem for raising awareness about gender-based violence, this group was in the forefront. It is such liveliness from an audience that makes one want to do these motivational talks until the end of time.

                                                SOME THANK YOU's

- Ausi Winnie( the Manager) - For the 'Yes'. And the 2nd chance to redeem myself.

- Bongani ( mpintji yaka) - For helping to organize this gig.
- Ausi Vaneesa King - For the sweets.

- FNB staff - For making me feel at home.

                                                =================

Our FEEL GOOD of the week:

"VALLEY PEOPLE ...are stuck where it's relatively comfortable; they

seek the calm and shelter of the familiar. They may talk about change but

if it means hard work and moving away from what seems to be working 

now, then forget it.

MOUNTAIN PEOPLE, on the other hand, take the risk of winning to test

themselves on the toughest of terrains - life itself. They bounce back from 

bumps and bruises, they succeed, they achieve, they win."

Jack Black( from the book - MINDSTORE)

                                          =====================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                            ===================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU 

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?    

  

     

The DREAMS DO COME TRUE Tour - Part 22, Old Mutual - Gandhi Square, JHB CBD

   When you give the talk you do wish for the manager to be there. If your presentation is any good, you would like the person who gave you the opportunity to witness this.

   Sometimes we do not get our wishes though. The manager at this Old Mutual branch could not make it to work on this day( Wed 13th) of the talk because of an emergency. 

   Admittedly thoughts of the talk being called off did cross my mind. There are few things as disheartening as a cancelled presentation. 

  But the show did go on. And it was a damn good show, if I may say so myself. 

                                         SOME THANK YOU's

- Ausi Zanele( the Manager) - For the opportunity. "Hoping the little one is ok by now."

- Old Mutual staff - For allowing yours truly to soldier on nevertheless.

                                          ================

Our FEEL GOOD quote of the week:

"The goals that our own subconscious mind/creative mechanism

seeks to achieve are our MENTAL IMAGES, or mental pictures, 

which we create by the use of IMAGINATION.

The key goal-image is our Self-Image. Our Self-Image prescribes

the limits for the accomplishment of any particular goals. It 

prescribes the 'area of the possible' "

Maxwell Maltz ( from the book - PSYCHO-CYBERNETICS)

                                          =====================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                            ===================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU 

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?    

The DREAMS DO COME TRUE(DDCT) Tour - Part 21, ABSA - Kerk Street, JHB CBD

   It is sometimes difficult to gauge how one is doing during the presentation itself. It is only after you have done your bit that you get idea of whether your message went down well.

   At this Absa Kerk street gig(on Friday 8th Nov.) the staff members were quiet and very attentive during my talk. I kept wondering if I am doing ok as I moved along.

   Real action - as in animated discussion - from the staff came after I was finished. In addition to wanting to browse through my book, the staff members wanted to know, for example, if this was my first book(Heita Mpho). Some of them were avid readers of self-improvement books(Heita Thabiso), like me. So after the talk was over we got a chance to talk about books we have read in common.

   This sudden lively conversation at the conclusion of the presentation was not the end of surprises from ausi Yvonne and her staff. While still highly enjoying these after talk discussions, I was told that I should so maar stay and have breakfast with them. It was an offer that truly 'floored' me. It made me want to abandon the whole DDCT Tour thing and stay there to work with these guys. 

                                             SOME THANK YOU's 
- Ausi Yvonne Pedinyane( the Manager) - For the permission, and the breakfast.
- Absa staff( bo-ausi Khomo, ausi Christina, Mesh, Mpho, Zulu, 
  Thabiso et al) - For making it very difficult for me to leave your premises. 

                                                      ====================

Our FEEL GOOD quote of the week:

"Excellence in athletics - or indeed in any endeavor - depends
primarily on having a clear mental picture of your goal/dream."

John Kehoe( from the book - MIND POWER)

                                             ==================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                            ===================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU 

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?    

        

The DREAMS DO COME TRUE Tour - Part 20, Old Mutual - Braamfontein

   The group photograph we took with the Old Mutual staff members at the end of this talk was a highlight for me. It was a fitting end to a presentation that I think went well.
   It was with the grace of the manager and her staff that this talk(on Wed 6th Nov.) took place as per plan. On another day, at another place, this presentation would have been cancelled. That is because yours truly was a bit late in arriving. We continue to be grateful for small mercies.

                                           SOME THANK YOU's  
- Ausi Ruth( the Manager) - For your 'go ahead' and understanding.
- Old Mutual staff members - For hearing me out, and your liking of our 'F-G' clap.
- The 2nd, later 3rd, lady from my right - For your two 'F-G' clap requests. 'Much appreciated ausi.'

                                           ==================

Our FEEL GOOD quote of the week:

"To succeed we have to push on to experience new 
opportunities, to look beyond our current reality.
There is of course a great sense of risk about all of this. It
is clearly easier to stay where and as we are, even if we 
are not happy with our current situation." 

Jack Black( from the book MINDSTORE)

                                       ========================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                            ===================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU 

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?    

                   

Tales from the Deep South, Part 5 - A Course in Township Management(TM)

   We roam the township streets during the day when people are at work.

Seemingly, we are doing so aimlessly. But this is not so. There is method to our roaming.

We are students. We are doing a 'course' called Township Management(TM). The chief aim of this course is to teach people how to manage a township. And you do your learning by walking around the township streets; checking that everything is running smoothly ekasi.

   Anybody can study 'TM'. All you have to do is be at home on any week day and then walk the 'loction' streets during the day. And you can do the course for as long as you want because it is done for free. The 'TM' course is not exclusive to the Deep South kasi though. There are 'TM' students of all ages in every township in South Africa.

   We all have different reasons for doing 'TM'. Some of us are cheese boys/girls. That is, we are spoiled kids. We have no inclination to look for a job because our parents work for us. They provide for all our material needs. A large percentage of 'TM' students here in the Deep South in the 'bonded' houses section fall into this category.

   Other 'TM' students - especially from across( mekhukhung) - cannot genuinely find employment, for one reason or another.

   Whatever your reason for doing 'TM', we are all brothers in arms for now. Be it in the 'bonded' 

houses section or mekhukhung, we are all in this together. We must therefore support each other's

attempts to finish our 'TM' studies( ie to find employment) and re tlohele uku bloma ekasi( stop to lay about in the township).

                                           =============================

Our FEEL GOOD quote of the week:

"There is within each of us a 'life instinct,' which is forever

   working toward health, happiness, and all that makes for

   more life for the individual."

Maxwell Maltz( from the book - PSYCH-CYBERNETICS)  

                                          ==============================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                                   ===================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU 

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?    

   

     

   

   

           

"Congratulations Orlando Pirates. Break a Leg at the CAF Club Champs Final."

   "Mona fatshe batho ba Chiefs(ke rona bau), batho ba Sundowns, hammoho le ba bang. 
     Ntho ha ele ntle, e ntle.)
   (Jealousy down supporters of Chiefs(that's us) , supporters of Sundowns, and those of 
     other teams. A thing of beauty is a thing of f beauty.)

   The green-eyed monster may be consuming some of us( batho ba chiefs) inside, but we have to give it to Orlando Pirates. They have done a fantastic job in reaching the CAF Club Champions League Final. This feat they achieved by beating Esperance( of Tunisia) in the semi-finals by an away goals rule yesterday. 
   We have no doubt that Orlando Pirates will represent South Africa( and Southern Africa) well 
in the Final, which will be held over two legs. The first leg is to be played here at home at the Orlando Stadium on 2nd November. 
   As for the monster inside, we will just have to find other ways of taming it.

                                     ============================

Our FEEL GOOD quote of the week:

"When I was very young, I visualized myself being and having
  what it was I wanted. Mentally I never had any doubts about it.
  The mind is really so incredible. Before I won my first Mr Universe,
  I walked around the tournament like I owned it. The title was already
  mine. I had won it so many times in my mind that there was no doubt 
  I would win it."

 Arnold Schwarzenegger( as quoted in MIND POWER by John Kehoe)

                                        =========================== 

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                            ===================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU 

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?    

                  
      

Freedom Fridays

   It is hard to believe. But, yes, next year - 2014 - South Africa as a free and democratic country will be 20 years old. Time has indeed flown by.
   With the above in mind, the South African government, Lead-SA and Proudly South African have initiated a project called 'Freedom Fridays'. Through this initiative South Africans are urged to start the celebrations from now( on launch date -20th September) until the actual 20th anniversary date - 27th April 2014.
   And the how of these celebrations? The minister of Arts and Culture - Paul Mashatile - put it thus:
       " People to do this( celebration) by wearing, every Friday, anything that expresses
          our pride in being South African, including the colours of the national flag,traditional 
          wear or a jersey of our favourite national team."

   Items that I will personally rock on 'Freedom Days' are:
       1. A mokorotlo hat ( sometimes called a Basotho hat).
              - This hat will say I am a Mosotho. A Mosotho whose culture is part of the many
                 diverse cultures that make South Africa what it is. A culture - like the other 
                 10 - that is officially recognized and respected.
       2. A Converse All Star takkie/sneaker.
               - I like the boot version of this sneaker better.
                 There is no other takkie that is as loved in South African townships as this one. Our
                  parents bought us All Stars back in high school. I bought myself All Stars when I 
                  started my first 9-5 job. Today as an adult - who not as fashion conscious as in my 
                  youth - I still rock my All Stars.
       3. A Bafana Bafana jersey.
              - The wearing of Bafana Bafana jerseys on Fridays to show support for our national                            soccer team in the past is what inspired the 'Freedom Fridays' campaign.
                 Our national soccer team may have failed to qualify for FIFA Brazil 2014, but we 
                 still love them. As our coach - Gordon Igesund - keeps saying, this failure has given 
                 us an opportunity to build a squad for World Cups after Brazil 2014.

                             ==================================

Our FEEL GOOD quote of the week:

"Whatever we choose to think we choose for our lives.
   Think what it might be like if you could automatically think
   positively. Imagine the impact on your personal and business life.
   Envision for a moment your family, colleagues and friends being 
   positive. Instead of 'I can't' and 'It's impossible', what about 
   'I can' and 'I will'. What a cultural change to most of us."  

Jack Black( from the book - MINDSTORE)

                               ================================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                            ===================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU 

FEEL GOOD THIS WEEK?