The Wine Diet

Is it not a conspiracy the way we have all the things we grow to know as 'facts' suddenly tern to be fiction?
Do you remember Pluto used to be a planet? I wonder how many other things are wrong and yet we think we know ("The known unknowns!")

Anyway I've been following a series of articles on diet - last week it was about how wine is good for my health. I never used to drink (oops sorry I never could afford buying wine!) was not even concerned about its medical value. It was not an issue back in the day - I stayed healthy the natural way; anything I did I did it with moderation. It is amaxim I still subscribe too.

As I slowly (and gracefully grow 'old') move on in years I realise the importance of watching what I eat. I know life is tough but we still cling to it.
Healthy diets are big business nowadays - manufacturers have us paranoid so they can sell anything to us. Remember kimbo with vitamins? If you cannot convince someone at least scare them into buying

low fat diets, fibre and drinking lots of water...

This are the most expensive stuff to get in any supermarket. Two slices of bread stuffed with slices of chicken and lettuce £2 - hey and that is from the 'normal' shops I go to and for drink to go with that - that's a small fortune, especially since you are not full at the end of it all. I look at all that and read that diet and chronic diseases, like cancer, are closely linked. Obesity is linked to diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart diseases and various cancers. Especially when you are young if you somehow manage to survive all that in your old age you are staring at blindness, osteoporosis, cognitive decline and dementia. AAaaarrggh!

I better watch what I let in my body. Buy lettuce, tomatoes, bread and make my own sandwich - very much cheaper.

Changing Lanes
Samuel Jackson as Doyle Gipson

"Money. You... you think I want money? What I want is my morning back. I need you to give my time back to me. Can you give me back my time? Can you give my time back to me? Huh? Can you?"

Extreme Jobs?

While we are still on the topic of tough jobs.
Business language continues to develop forget workaholic, there's a new term for those high adrenaline top jobs.

A report will be coming out next week on the Harvard Business Review (Extreme Jobs: The Dangerous Allure of the 70 hr work week) according to the FT (29/11/06)

This are the always accessible heads of global companies - they carry around blackberries, mobile phones that have email access matched with alot of travelling around. Apparently they give a huge part of their hearts and brains to the job. The problem is they are between 35-55 year olds - they are in essence separated from their families and failing in health. I'm not complaining any more - usually I don't feel like talking to anyone after a hard day and we are talking about something like 9 hours of work. Imagine if I was married poor soul.

Why don't they just quit?
Work for one or two years and leave? Most of those in this positions are not even aware that this are extreme jobs (workaholics). Besides let us not forget the over-sized compensation packages they are getting, the recognition and respect from peers....

We all want what they got - maybe that's why they are not quitting.

The downside is evertime they go to bed 4 people are in bed together.
1. Oneself
2. Partner/Spouse
3.and Two Blackberries!

Friends?

On a light note – we are getting friendly in the UK.
Britons have an average of 54 friends! What? Apparently due to improved communications! I'm trying to count the number of friends I have and honestly I need help - it's way below the British average.

But I'm wondering if we are making so many friends why are still so lonely? I mean we have so many people we can talk to yet we are so isolated and vulnerable. Look at the numerous dating, graduates, xanga etc etc sites coming up daily we are all looking for company. Seeking the approval of others - how sad but real.

Maybe it is easy to appreciate people when they are far - they move too close we will find a reason to push them off.
I'm just flowing with the flow -- okay Goodnight tomorrow should be better there's a high chance i will make a new friend I'm way below the average in Britain!

Monday Blues

Monday mornings are never the best times to change the routine you are used to. Someone somewhere must have done this research.

I mean it can only happen on a Monday morning you wake up rushing as usual last minute to catch the train only to find trains are not running - Over running engineering works. My former lecturer would claim an accountant (Duh!) would find something to talk about for the rest of the week - how interesting victims of that profession can be. It shows how important it is to leave in a neighbourhood that has good transport system - normally it is the top on my list if looking for a place. Yes mainly because I'm not driving hence dependent on public transport. Because I, like so many others, operate like machines in a routine fashion my route for the day is pre-determined hence any change and the whole world crumbles - on a Monday. You are even forced to ask the guy who sells coffee whether he knows the buses in the neighbourhood! I saw it all today.

I remember when I first went to an underground station - suddenly you are a distraction - ladies on high heels racing down the escalator! I guess that is what it means to be in the city - thought Nairobi was hectic. Everyday I am convinced of maintaining a work/life balance - easy to go crazy running around.
I mean going through the papers on the same day we learn that 4 rail executives are going to share £13million in bonuses!
Of course everyone is crying foul (me I’m just jealous – when will I become a fat cat too!) In London it is a luxury to drive to work – the public transport in my opinion is good enough (of course except today!) – Anyway if you drive to work where will you park? Or even get there – the traffic is normally horrendous. So most people including myself use public transport (I cannot simply afford to maintain a car)

I can't wait for proper winter to set in and then transport is messed say on a Monday morning or Friday afternoon - AAAaaaarrrggghh! A site to behold.


Black cabs:

A black cab from waterloo to say Wandsworth Town costs at least £20 – Zones 1 and 2; a weekly travel card for the same zones should be in the same region. I discovered why I'm never keen on using these luxuries and someone pointed out to me that I was supposed to tip the cab driver! Thank God I was not the one paying the fare - frankly maybe I'd rather walk

Engineers or Technicians?

"The trouble with the British is that they call the chap who fixes the fridge an engineer. He's not. He's a technician. An engineer is someone who will invent the next light bulb."
- Sir Richard Sykes (former boss of GSK)

He is furious of the lowly status given to engineers and even worse Britain's reluctance to educate more and better scientists.

Whatever I should be in bed!

Diddy - Super cool!

Is he hiding somegthing or is he just super cool? That's what some people thinks (playa haters?)



Funny stuff - ever wondered how come you will never see p. diddy (aka diddy, puffy etc etc) in an un-cool position. Apparently he does not let just anyone reporter take his picture - if you book an interview he has to be dressed up first.




No problem with that. But again he has to put on his shades first! That is what the reporter of the Sunday Times found out in Copenhagen recently.
He is definately working too hard to be cool!

Makeover?

Funny I was going through my profile here and was surprised of what I was writing. You know when you start something new and you are all excited to just get going? That's the feeling I had when I started writing here. I wanted something that was reflective rather than personal and most important I was concerned about my finances. Am I still on track?

Exuberance?
It is not a dating site (Hahaa) what was going through my mind.
At about the same time I was starting here a friend sent me an invitation to join one of those site where you have to give a brief description with a catchy phrase. I must have picked a line from there!

I like to think of myself as being serious (!) others think otherwise - that might be misconstrued as boring. When I go out usually I'm the first to leave the club, its takes time for me to loosen up and go with the flow. I'm careful about what I drink. Clearly I wouldn't be your buddy if
Loosen up? You must be joking that is hard work!

There was a Japanese PM back in the 90s who was accussed of being 'boring' and someone challenged him to kind of loosen up, his response: 'I do not see why I should I have been boring all my life. Look where I am now!' (Of course it is paraphrased! - it was a long time ago I read this - Okay)

Back to the profile is it going to change? mmmm of course just not now. (If not now then when?)

Did I mention it is a beautiful weekend? Oh and I received a council tax bill (£187.79) and warning 'pay within 7 days or else...' I'll pay later after exhausting all avenues of exemption.

A good day has nothing to do with the weather. Enjoy.

The Last Man Standing

The past week most companies released their half year results. Impressive from the usual suspects - it sets me wondering does pressure on the management actually produce results?


Vodafone announced its half-year results this week - as expected because of the changes that are happening it made a pre-tax loss - much better than same period last year (impairment charges). Interesting the CEO is still around and many agree that it seems like there is a sense of direction finally creeping in.

What is interesting to me is the fact that competition in Europe has been very stiff hence Vodafone's interest in emerging markets. I was reading somewhere in the local press (Daily Nation or Standard) that it had an interest in increasing its stake in Safaricom. I don't know how far that has gone but I understand why the interest. I mean Safaricom is now enjoying the best time in the Kenyan market (Celtel does not seem to be offering competition)

'....expand to emerging markets....selective acquisitions in Africa'

Revenue from emerging markets helped offset challenges in Europe. SA or Kenya??

On his future as CEO: I am in the job and I intend to continue in the job. What I like most about the whole situation is the way business leaders are put on the spot. I mean you have to produce results to justify the obscene salary and bonuses that they receive. Arun Sarin was under (is still is) to bring changes this announcement should loosen the noose around his neck.

Same thing is happening at M&S - sales were down, staff demoralised and facing take-over threats from BHS - Stuart Rose had to fend of all this now things seem to have changed. While BHS had a moderate performance M&S is the darling again of high street. Now M&S is a standard mark of success - suddenly there is a renewed confidence about everything. They are moving abroad, new adverts are out, new product lines - its easy to forget just the other day they were about to be taken over. Okay and Stuart Rose is still the top guy here and suddenly Phillip Green (BHS) is forgotten.

I know it is a long short but I think that is what should be the case at home - still thanks to the distance I rarely hear anything on Uchumi.
One year is just too long to give an update on what's happening - I thought the CEO would showing us every now and then the progress he and his team are making (remember the public has a short memory)

Maybe it's just me - I'm whingeing! I guess I just hope all this would be happening in Kenya since the potential is there.

Psst. So is it for real that Safaricom is planning to offload 25% of its shares to the public? Interesting. I read here that the board is interested in expanding its investment in the growing African Mobile technology market.

Definition of a Man

I don't know think that you should go
through the change that you do
I want to change things for the better

He don't deserve your kind of love
like the kind of guys like me need don't
get enough of
hanging out late with his friends
always in your pockets spending you ends
What I wouldn't do to be in his shoes
he goes out his way to misuse you
don't take much to share responsibilities
he don't even care what kind of man is he

You give him everything
but get nothing in return
whatever you need just teach me
I ain't afraid to learn no

Ill care for you be there for you I'll
share with you
I'll understand I'll be your friend
that's my definition of a man
I'll care for you be there for you I'll
share with you
I'll understand I'll be your friend
that's my definition of a man

You don't seem like you're satisfied
he said that he changed but you know he lied
I never been one to have a Phd.
cause I don't want nobody player hating on me
I know a good thing when I see one
I look in your eyes girl I see the sun
girl let him go while you're ahead
I should be the one sleeping in your bed baby


See baby you should never have to wear the same
thing twice
I'll buy you everything you like
I'll go to the wall for you
spend my last dime at the mall for you baby
go downtown in more ways than one
see a good man's
is never never never never never
never never never done baby

G.L

The apple does not fall far from the tree.



Sad really just read this news from Chatterly that Gerald Levert is dead! Life is precious - was a heart attack I gather from BET

I remember seeing him in London promoting his album - live he had what an entertainer needed - oh and he had a way of pleasing his female fan base.

Personally I love music after getting what the lyrics are all about. I remember Rythmix on KTN back in the day and the favourite "I'll Give Anything To Fall in Love" I guess I kind of related to the lyrics.
Then I came to the UK and it was kind rough and my two first CDs were both by G.L.
'Dream and No Love' - I played it almost daily maybe due to the insecurities I experienced - alone and far from home ....lol

'Application' :... Coz I'm sending out this application all across the world hurry up and sign up...
'DJ Played Our Song' ...I see u standing across the room and you look so beautiful to me... Now it's come to this no loving no kiss it's time to move on.. But what if the DJ played our song.! (mmmmm mmm)

Sentimental. From the pain of love to the joy of finding love he had it all wooven together. And the Father and Son album is a must for anyone after good music.

Maybe I loved his music because of the fact that being kind of reserved I thought I could use some of his lines (What am I saying?!)

I could go on and on - guess simply said I miss the music already.
You guessed it right I'm not your cassanova!

R.I.P - I hope you found what we all looking for.

Laptop Vs. Desktop

One thing that I find challenging is making up my mind on certain things, mainly when usage of funds is involved!

Take a good example my perennial problem of getting the laptop fixed - all the knowledge on investment analysis don't help me that much! My current lifestyle demands that laptop would be most convenient (Yes I'm a nomad!) - it is VERY convenient for me. A desk top - though cheaper takes up a lot of space in my opinion and worse when I'm moving around. Maybe I've just gotten used to laptops - sentimental? Thought I was pragmatic.

This is where I need advice. Which is more durable?

My current laptop has lasted for approximately 3 years - being my first one I guess I never took great care of it. The next one would be well looked after!
Apart from cost why should I go for a desktop?

This is where I actually need help - I hope e-nyce is around (can I borrow your brains)

Who told to take time when deciding who to marry this is more complicated!
Nice weekend.

Straight, Unwavering, Focussed and Tragic

I will definately miss him.
All the presidents key men are older (and wiser?) I must confess I love any interview that involved D. Rumsfeld the way he was brash and arrogant. That comes with experience - no wonder all this places require people with experience.

He acted smarter than everyone else and often pre-empted reporters questions - infact in an interview on CNN someone said if you walked into his office you better have a good case if you wanted to challenge his decisions (Now that's my boss!). Chances are that someone like that could bring the best in you - you have to clear when you ask a question

"He tries very hard not to talk before he's thought through his answer,"

I hope that is the last one to leave - what would politics be without Dick Cheney and his warm sneer? Or Adam Boulton at the UN.

They must be geniuses - that's why they are so impatient with 'common' guys like me!
Who am I trying to impress?

"I have benefitted greatly from criticism, and at no time have I suffered a lack thereof." Winston Churchill

Last few things I bought

Being in the situation I am, I try very much to avoid using money. Sorry I mean I try very hard to avoid spending - that's one thing I am shy of doing. For good reasons especially when I read about the debt levels in the media, always rising.

So rightly I try to look at my expenditure and see how I'm doing. Apart from the obvious like rent, loan repayment others can be avoided. How have I spent cash this week?

1. I bought the 3 papers this week - £ 1.20 (3*0.40) (Yippeee! That's all I did)

2. Wednesday - bought 2 cups of cappucinno and a sandwich £3.60 (yes from one of them cheap places - I'm proud of that. The coffee was really good)

3. Later same day bought some groceries £15.17 (quiet unnecessary - we've done shopping here and it's killing us. We have to buy bits and pieces every now and then. I don't like that!)

What is amazing is that I have so far avoided to be enticed by all this bargains on autumn closing sales (There is always a reason to make go to the shopping).

In other words people I'm broke - went to the ATM and got an advise slip warning me I couldn't withdraw any cash. 1st time in awhile it has happened since I came to the UK - depressing.

A good week indeed - Tight fiscal policy!

Strange I've NEVER read this book.

Why We Want You To Be Rich

As I'm writing I'm watching this interview of Robert Kiyosaki (who?) this guy who wrote 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' and Donald Trump on this book they have out. Yeah I'm so behind - it was done some time ago on the Paula White show. Interesting.

Timing is right as Americans are going to polls - concern is for the shrinking middle class (ordinary Americans have missed out on the benefits of growth apparently). The old story the rest of the world is facing with the rich getting richer at the expense of poor or middle class for that matter. It goes further that income stagnation is affecting people with college degrees as much! - in America! Amazing. There was a time when you only had to be born in America to have made it in life.

An interesting thought:
Most of want to enjoy what money and riches have to offer but very few are ready to do what it takes. We make a few chums and hand them over to some fund manager or Financial advisor to invest it on our behalf. The fund manager invests in the stock market, he/she also loses control of our hard earned money to the stock market. Oops don't forget we are in control at our place of work someone else holds our fate!

It's all not gloomy look at Warren Buffet - Is D. Trump into stock trading? I'm not really sure though I doubt. He comes up with an idea and you and me invest in it.

I certainly want to be rich too - we all want to. It's good others who have made it want us to join them too. Have you read the book?

Friday - It's all good

It's been a fairly good week... not that I succeeded in getting my comp working again (Don't you hate it when you wake up in the morning and yesterday's problems seem to never let you go?). At least I know where the problem lies and the advise I'm getting is helpful - times like this i wish i was a jack of all trades and a master of all of them!

Long story short - either way it is going to cost me major, tough choices. Now I know what Mr Bush faces. So many interests to satisfy yet resources are limited. But I just realised I'm addicted (that's harsh I'm not a junkie am I?) to the computer - I used to think I love TV. I do almost everything online now.

It's Friday I'm going to pick my girls and we are going to hit the club scene tonight. Well not necessarily me - that's a line I heard from Aaliyah - I wish I could say that! LOL. Nature does not allow me (I'm tied by my own policies!) Someone reminded me of a comment of an accusation (very wrong if you ask me) of how boring people in a certain career tend to be. A classic from my business strategy lecturer who did not hide the fact that he thought we were programmed individuals.

'You want to know what you will look like in 10 years time? In the evening go to London Bridge and stand outside the PWC and EY offices - just watch all the men and women walking out of that office. This are people who live in Surbiton, wake up every morning buy the Guardian and the most interesting story they have when they get to the office is how the train was late for 10 minutes today! It is a pity you chose this career.'

This guy really loved us I miss his lectures.

Oh by the way I'm just around this weekend nothing much happening - NOT because I read


Have a nice one won't you I can't wait to hear what others were up to.