QOTD: Snowflakes, Snowflakes.

“Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together.”

Vista M Kelly

Over indulgence

There is something totally unsatisfying and uncomfortable about overeating. It doesn’t matter how many buttons you undo, which position you sprawl yourself on the sofa- your stomach still feels like a dead weight. Although, it’s funny that when the food entered our mouths, over eating was the last thing on our agenda.

Walking into Argos this morning made me feel a little queasy, with the number of people buying last minutes gifts. Spending into the hundreds and it hit me that probably only a handful of all these people would actually stop and give thanks that a saviour was born to die for our sins.

Christmas is probably the most common period of over indulgence, Not just with food, but money and retail abuses this and can leave us squeezed dry before we enter the new year. Although there is nothing wrong with eating good food, spending time with family and friends and sharing gifts, let us not forget the REAL reason behind CHRISTmas (no, that was not a typo.) You cannot place a cross or strike out his name. His name is a permanent stamp that cannot be erased.

I understand that some people don’t agree with the basis of CHRISTmas, for what ever reason. I’ve heard people say, “It’s all pagan tradition…or Jesus wasn’t born on the 25th” but my reply to that is that if you believe that Jesus died and three days later rose again, then you have to accept and believe his birth. Who cares if it wasn’t the 25th of December- what matters is that we acknowledge his birth otherwise we would still be confined to a life of condemnation. At times we feel that it was Jesus's duty to die for our sins- but at any point he could have held his hands up and said, “I’ve had enough! I want out!” and then ascended back to heaven. But he didn’t. He stuck it out. He came in the form of a baby and lead his life until they whipped him and hung him on a cross. That’s love. That’s sacrifice. That’s dedication. That’s giving your all. And it cost more than an x-box or Nintendo Wii- it cost him his life.

There’s no guilt trip involved in this blog, just the truth of a message that gets lost when all the presents have been opened and all the turkey’s finished. I just hope and pray that this finds you in good health and that just for a moment you give thanks for the birth of a beautiful saviour, who began his journey as a babe, all for our sake. The greatest gift anyone could wish for.

Merry Christmas

I came, I saw. I blog

Ruthie x

Outliers

“Everything we have learnt in Outliers says that success follows a predictable course. It is not the brightest who succeed. If it were, Chris Langan would be up there with Einstein. Nor is success simply the sum of the decisions and effort we make on our own behalf. It is, rather, a gift. Outliers are those who have been given opportunities- and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them.”

Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, Chapter 9 pg 267

I think it’s fair to make the assumption that everyone wants to be successful. No matter what field or area we choose to pursue, we want to be good at what we do and most importantly, our fallen nature wants to be recognised for the good that we do. Outliers, is not a self-help book, neither is it a quick read promising to make you successful. It is a book of discovery with one simple aim: To ask the question, what is it that makes people so successful?

For those who like to fully submerge themselves in science and believe that it has the answer for everything- then this book probably won’t meet you where you’re at. Gladwell, does not uncover the secrets of success being the discovery of a secret gene, tucked away in DNA, that only some possess. Neither does he confirm that success is confined for only the brightest students, rather, it is all a matter of opportunities and what we do with them. Think back to Neo in the Matrix, where he can either take the red pill or the blue pill. It is not as life threating as that clip- but Malcolm Gladwell has unveiled that makes people so successful in their chosen fields is a combination of the basis of their work ethos, how prepared they were (10,000 hour rule) and fundamentally what they did with the opportunities- good or bad- that arose before them.

With a fine tooth comb, Gladwell,goes through well known individuals in our society whom no-one would dispute as being successful. Ranging from Bill Gates, to The Beatles and even lesser known success stories such as Chris Langan ( dubbed the world’s smartest man) and even delving into aviation and how cultural characteristics can (and have) determined the safety of it’s passengers,crew members and airline credibility.

Initially, I felt that I was reading a friends’ thesis- Gladwell, I feel to some extent enjoys making you feel like you’re about to divulge into a novel, which each chapter having a descriptive beginning- but when he get’s into the swing of things you as a reader become more intrigued with where he’s taking this idea of Outliers. As, towards the end of the introduction, I began to get a little more curious as to how any person deemed as an outlier would almost be pre-destined for success.

In no, way am I planning to spoil this book for those who are yet to read it, yet, I feel that what Malcolm Gladwell has done is unpeel the belief that success is all about a numerous string of lucky breaks. Throughout the nine chapters, Gladwell disintegrates the notion that success in highlighted areas such as maths, aviation, computers and music are just bound to certain ethnic or social groups. Rather he delves deep into the understanding as to why the American-Asian community are so good at Maths. Why The Beatles ended up becoming one of the most successful bands on the planet and more crucially- how a change in cultural thinking can revolutionise educational systems worldwide. (You have to read the book to understand but I can now see why educational programmes like Kumon Maths work- because of the Asian principles that act as its foundation.)

The book had left me taking steps back into my upbringing/ schooling and generally life’s opportunities and wondering if I seized them to the full capacity. Throughout the motions of the book, I believe that reading this book with the intention that it is going to make you successful is a bit of a farce. Nothing can make you successful, however there are opportunities available to all of us. They may not be the same but it’s what we ultimately do with these opportunities and whether or not we’ve put in our “10, 000 hours” that will define if we are successful or not.

I believe that hard work and dedication went into Malcolm Gladwells book and I don’t dispute what he had written down onto paper. Throughout the duration of me reading the book, I often paused to think about individual's I know who fall into the outliers category. They may not have millions in the bank but are rich through other means and are successful, that which cannot be denied. In our society, we believe that having money can buy you a fantastic education- but where we fail in our understanding is that it cannot buy you knowledge. There are many people out there who attended the best schools in the country, had all the opportunities' laid out in front of them, but failed to take them because they felt that they would always be available. In comparison to those who went to the local comprehensive, were not necessarily predicted A’s and A*’s but seized every opportunity available, whether it be staying after school to go through past papers or writing letters to those already in the position they once hoped to be and building a rapport that way. Success comes to those who want it, but you’ve got to want it bad enough and use what the world regards as disadvantages to your advantage.

R.A.K: Random Acts of Kindness

 

Now, is it just me but have you ever had the feeling that someone may feel a little intimidated when you do or say something nice to them? You know, that awkward approach they have whenever you say “I love the way you’ve styled your hair today” or  “That colour really suits you- you should wear it more often.” 

I’ve come to believe (albeit, I must state my opinion is not based on any scientific experimentation/ theory. Just my own mental satisfaction.) that we have forgotten what it means to be kind exactly. We have become so expectant that our ‘species’ is naturally wicked that we always need to sleep with one eye open.  On that note, I fully agree that you cannot trust anyone and everyone but the defence mechanism we created is hindering our freedom to fully accept open kindness.

I offered to cook my flatmates Sunday dinner.  When I announced this to them- their shock was enough to see their hair turn grey. Why would I want to cook them dinner, they asked? Do I want something in return? Money towards the food perhaps? A favour maybe? No. I just thought I’d be nice.  I did cook the dinner and it went down a treat but then again, there is no student who will ever turn down home cooked food- I wondered why it had been so alien to them that someone would want to be kind.  I felt like I had overstepped the personal mark-  maybe I was invading their private space.  Yet, the fault, I believe, does not just lie with us, as givers or doers, but also with our role as receivers.

Women, more so than men, find it difficult to accept compliments because we feel that if we accept “wholesome words” to that effect, especially in the presence of other females that we are merely full of ourselves and will definitely be hot gossip topic of the week because we think we’re all that.  But, why have we been tricked into believing that accepting kindness is a weakness or failure that the world frowns upon?

This has been a challenge that I, myself am carefully taking steps towards.  So, yesterday, as I sat in the library revising for yet another exam- I put my anatomy book to one side and took out a piece of a paper and began to write some simple- but encouraging words.  Words that I need to hear every so often.  I even got out the colouring pens that are usually strictly for the purposes of trying to make revision fun and I proceeded to colour in the words on that piece of paper.  It looked pretty good. In the end I was satisfied,  a nice encouraging message, with a bit of colour.  It would hardly win the turner prize (But then again anything is art these days..) but it was kindness- on paper.  So, what did I do next? Did I scour the library to find a suitable candidate and hand over my paper gift? Nope.  I merely packed my bags, for, I’d surely had enough revision for one day, and left that piece of paper there for the next person who was bound to come and sit in the same seat I had, probably plagued with a mountain of essays, assignments and tests to complete before the end of term.  Because, I wanted them to know that although it’s not always easy- it can be done. 

I challenge you-  as much as I’ve set a challenge to myself to undertake more R.A.K’s as I like to call them because as cheesy as it sounds it may not be able to heal the world, but it can and will definitely help soothe the pain that life’s tumbles cause along the way.

I came. I saw.  I blog.

Ruthie x

On constant repeat

Whatever the situation, be encourgaed.

Take my hand.: Love Unstoppable Fred Hammond

The Overnight Success Myth

I have a secret I wish to share. The term "overnight success" is a myth. ***SHOCK SHOCK HORROR!*** (WE WOZ ROBBBED!) After years of believing and secretly dreaming in my head that one day I would be plucked out of oblivion and offered a major book deal worth thousands by a major publishing company, or sit alongside Oprah on her couch discussing what inspires me as a writer- my bubble has been quite rudely burst by reality. Not because, my dream cannot happen ( I still believe that it will) but... if I don't work hard for or put any positive and practical steps in towards reaching my long term goal then, to put it bluntly, it won't.

"You can be my black Kate Moss tonight" Kanye West

I may be black- but I am no Kate moss (Sorry to disappoint you Kanye!). Neither am I a carbon copy of Jourdan Dunn or somewhat reminiscent of Sophie Dahl, who were a few average girls minding their own business one day and then became "discovered." Seriously! What are the chances that Isabella Blow should see Sophie Dahl in her school uniform all snotty noted and red faced after a full blown argument with her mother and transform her into a household name. But now I'm beginning to realise that just because some fashion Icon, PR executive or agent found these girls- they had to train to be models and not just a pretty face or 6ft goddesses.

An overnight success is only what society sees at the other end- they don't see the years of hard graft that went on behind the scenes.

So, I'm on a grind. I know this spot has been kind of dormant for a while, but whenever I get a hot minute I'm going to try and make it a priority to add to this blog. Regardless if I feel I can write a paragraph or an award winning essay. Working towards the end goal is all that matters.

Although, there may be no such thing as an overnight success- I hazard a guess that somewhere on this globe there are individuals, trying to better their gifting and one day that flower will blossom to unveil to the world the next latest phenomenon- to then be hailed the next overnight success. I just hope I make it into that category.

I came. I saw. I blog.

Ruthie x

Colour of Water

"What Good is money if your brain is empty?"

Ruth McBride Jordan

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The Trap

"Time is a precious thing. Never Waste it" Gene Wilder, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Generally, I'm quite cautious as to whom I seek solace and advice from, yet within the past two weeks I've heard some really poignant words from the most unlikely people. Some of which, I barely know on a personal level and whose 'friendship' I would say is strictly professional. Yet, almost everyone in this category has told me in one way or another to make sure that I don't get trapped. Our culture is forever transforming and in order to make a quick buck for yourself, all you have to do nowadays is apply to Big Brother, be as peculiar as humanly possible and hope that your antics in the house will be enough sustain you. Yet, as we become more consumed with reality (TV) I can barely remember the name of the last years X-factor winner, let alone the first dude that won.

It so happens that winning as it seems isn't everything- in some cases coming second is quite cushty. (JLS and Jade Goody are prime example of this) However, comfort can do more damage than good in some circumstances. But, throughout all this I must admire all those who stand for hours/days queuing for a slice of their promised fifteen minutes of fame in the ever growing lines for reality TV, because as I was reminded by a fifteen year old boy the other week;

No risk- No fun. Some people are successful enough to carve their entrepreneurial career out of a stint on TV so much so that magazine, TV and perfume deals come flooding in after the show is over and everyone leaves the building- yet, there is a portion - statistics say 90% - of the population who do not have any written aspirations reviewed on a regular basis and are therefore trapped. Sometimes the comfort of our life can trap us into becoming stagnant with what we hope to achieve. There may be avenues and doors wide open for us, yet we put on hold entering through them either due to fear or laziness. Then fifty years down the line, we look back and realise that the moment we left our educational institutions life happened right before our very eyes. And thus, all a majority of us have to show for it is a mortgage, 2.4 kids and an ok job- a far cry from where we dreamed of being. Our constant struggle is that we don’t consistently set ourselves enough goals/ targets. I recall one girl in primary school telling me that her dad made sure that he changed his car every five years. Now some would say that, if it aint broke- don't fix it, yet I see his choice as a wise one. As the times changed, so did technology and in order to fulfil this personal choice, he had to make sure that his wage packet enabled him to maintain this. So, therefore, this decision aptly fuelled the drive to succeed at work in order to place a down payment on a brand new car every five years. I've come to realise, it’s better to have a goal- no matter how small/ idiotic/ selfish or odd it may seem, because it is far better than having none at all. Time is a ruthless thief. You, me and the random guy from Kathmandu all get blessed with 24 hours in a day- what we choose to do with it is what makes the difference between who is the boss and who works for the boss.

One of my favourite childhood movies was and still is Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory. I would hate to recall how many hours I spent with my siblings watching that video over and over again- but one quote that Gene Wilder tells one of the children visiting his glorious factory is that, "Time is a precious thing. Never waste it."

I came. I saw. I blog.

Ruthie x

Black water rising

About 3 hours ago I finally completed this novel. What I had hoped to finish in a week took me approximatley three to finish due to the sheer volume of words Attica Locke has used to cultivate Black Water Rising.

Set in Texas in 1981 the story begins on a bayou that holds an eerie secret to tell. Although I'm not usually partial to thrillers what kept me reading this novel was the consistant use of the present tense throughout. It is noticable to tell that Locke has used her writing abilities to make the sentences short and sweet where nesscary to keep that pace of the heartbeat racing as you turn each page.

Not many writers have the gift of writing a novel directly fit for the movie screen but Attica has carefully done so and reading Black Water Rising made me feel like I was the only person in screen one of my local cinema with a never ending tub of popcorn to accompany me. Although the novel circles around the main character, Jay, there are many other characters within the book that all play a crucial role in the final outcome. Comparitativley, in regards to other novels I have read the number of main characters are usually far less than that in Attica's novel. However, she capably finds a way of linking all of them creating a fuller and more bountiful novel.

Black Water Rising is carefully entwined politically and historically but is yet still so relevant with it's resounding message. As a virgin thriller reader, I would not hesitate to pick up Attica's next novel if it followed suite- no wonder the book has accolades after it already.

The Legacy

"The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example." Benjamin Disareli I remember exactly what I was doing on this day last year. At around 11pm on the 25th June 2009 I received a text from a friend that simply stated , "MJ is dead." Now, the only MJ that I knew was The Michael Jackson. He couldn't be dead. He was just about to embark on fifty dates at the O2 in London. He was, as one of his previous albums had been named- invincible. Yet, as I turned the tv channels frantically to CNN/ Sky news, any channel that I knew would be credible- swooping helicopters and thousands of people outside some American hospital confirmed what I feared. MJ was dead- the pop icon was no more.

But, a year on, we not only still play his music more than ever before, a movie has been produced in his honour, his funeral was a national event with everyone glued to their seats as musicians and singers like Mariah and John Mayer paid tribute. And even more so, we still talk about him like he never left. Because, in reality he hasn't. His legacy lives on. Besides all the fame, money and success that we all constantly continue to strive for- we often forget about the legacy that we have the oppourtinity to leave behind. For some of us, wealth and inheritance is not an available option to leave behind for the ones we love because we just don't have it to give- yet there are still principles and morals that remain even after death. We all will admit that MJ may have had his absurd moments but besides all the madness surrounding him he had the ability to unite people using his music as a tool against all social, racial, economic barriers. His legacy is not the million pound estates, the Neverland ranch, the records or lewd and crazy acts but rather the use of putting his talents to work and leaving unmovable stamp on this world. We can't take the money, cars, women/men with us when we die. So lets make sure that our legacy has the lasting impression when we leave this earthly realm and enter the next.

I came. I saw. I blog.

Ruth x