Monday, February 28, 2011

Where have all the classics gone?

So when was the last time you watched a really great movie, not a good movie but one that actually had you telling your friends that they just have to see it? My guess is quite a long time ago. Movies just aren’t the same anymore, I barely go to the movies anymore and when I do I usually leave disappointed by my choice, or the lack of choice there is to select.

Yes of course there are the odd one or two movies that are really funny or have a good story line but this doesn’t happen too often. What happened to movies such as Grease, Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman and Titanic? Movies like that are sadly not made any more. I have watched Pretty Woman at least 10 times, since the age of 11. And Grease, that movie has been around forever and is still popular, it won’t be forgotten any time soon. How many movies are like that nowadays, I doubt the Hangover will still be watched by our children. Dirty Dancing is one of my all time favourites; I know it’s cliché but still a classic love story.

So if you haven’t watched any of these movies I suggest you watch them. They are classics that even our parents watched. So get busy watching them, you won’t be disappointedJ I promise!

If I were the boss

When we were given the topic of ‘If I were the boss’ I couldn’t get the song ‘Like a Boss’ out of my head. This song is by a group called Lonely Island, it consists of three guys who started off doing live comedy skits in High School and eventually performed and wrote material for the popular America TV show, Saturday Night Live.

Lonely Island’s lyrics are funny and are not meant to be taken seriously. There music videos are also original. There songs feature some of Hollywood’s big names such as Akon, Seth Rogan, T-pain, Justin Timberlake and Susan Sarandon to name a few.  So for my blog I have decided to quote the lyrics of the song ‘Like a Boss’. If it doesn’t make sense check out the video on YouTube, I have posted the link below!

Like a Boss Lyrics by The Lonely Island

Mr. Samberg Thanks for coming to your performance review
No problem
So you're in charge around here, is that fair to say?
Absolutely, I'm the boss
Okay, so take us through a day in the life of the boss
Well the first thing I do is...
Talk to to corporate (like a boss)
Approve memos (like a boss)
Lead a workshop (like a boss)
Remember birthdays (like a boss)
Direct workflow (like a boss)
My own bathroom (like a boss)
Micromanage (like a boss)
Promote Synergy (like a boss)
Hit on Debra (like a boss)
Get rejected (like a boss)
Sallow sadness (like a boss)
Send some faxes (like a boss)
Call a sex line (like a boss)
Cry deeply (like a boss)
Demand a refund (like a boss)
Eat a bagel (like a boss)
Harassment lawsuit (like a boss)
No promotion (like a boss)
Fifth of vodka (like a boss)
S*** on Debra's desk (like a boss)
Buy a gun (like a boss)
In my mouth (like a boss)
Oh crap man I can't f***ing do it... s***!
P**** out (like a boss)
Puke on Debra's desk (like a boss)
Jump out the window (like a boss)
Suck a dude's d*** (like a boss)
Score some coke (like a boss)
Crash my car (like a boss)
Suck my own d*** (like a boss)
Eat some chicken strips (like a boss)
Chop my b**** off (like a boss)
Black out in the sewer (like a boss)
Meet a giant fish (like a boss)
F*** its brains out (like a boss)
Turn into a jet (like a boss)
Bomb the Russians (like a boss)
Crash into the sun (like a boss)
Now I'm dead (like a boss)
Uh huh. So that's an average day for you then?
No doubt
You chop your balls off and die?
Hell yeah
And I think at one point there you said something about sucking your own d***
Nope!
Actually I'm pretty sure you did
Nah, that ain't me
Okay, well this has been eye opening for me
I'm the boss
Yeah, no I got that. You said it about four-hundred times
I'm the boss
Yeah yeah I got it!
I'm the boss
OK, great. I heard you. Bye.
LIKE A BOSS!



Sunday, February 20, 2011

Two people walk out of a building and into a story

Two ordinary people who were going about their day, walked out of a building and into an unwanted situation, so random, that it could have been a story... it didn’t seem real.

Simone and Jason were going about their day as usual, every Saturday morning they would do their weekly shopping. On this particular Saturday they needed to visit the bank downtown. The bank was situated in a large ten storey building. As Simone and Jason were walking out of the building a man fell, seemingly, out of nowhere and landed right in front of them. Jason frantically tried to cover Simone’s eyes from seeing the horror that lay in front of them but it was too late. What had been seen could not be unseen.

What had just happened and where did the man fall from? As it turns out Dennis, a man who was in his mid forties, had jumped off the ten storey building after he had to file for bankruptcy at the bank. The thought of not being able to financially support his growing family must have been overwhelming, overwhelming enough to end his short life. In the end it was discovered that the man thought he was more helpful to his family dead, than he was alive.

This was a random event that forced Simone and Jason into a story that they did not wish to be part of, they didn’t ask for it. In every newspaper story that reported the tragedy, Simone and Jason were asked to give their input about the events of that day and how they felt about it. They had become part of a story, due to no fault of their own, all because they walked out of a building at that particular moment.

Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time. It can change your life forever.

Warning: Sale might prevent injury!

So for those of you who don’t know, YDE is a shop that sells clothing that is designed by South African designers. The clothing at YDE is young, funky and on trend. Twice a year, every year, they have their sale where the clothes are marked down from 25%, then 50% and eventually to R99.

The R99 sale means that every item of clothing in the all the YDE stores across South Africa is R99. As you can imagine this causes a lot of excitement and believe it or not even injury. I have been to a few of these R99 sales but stopped after things got a bit too crazy.

I remember the R99 sale last year February really well. Before the store even opened at 8am, there were so many people already waiting at the store entrance to get in. Some people I heard even spent the night to make sure they are the first people waiting in front of the store. Shoppers were so eager to get in as the store assistants opened the door that people were pushed to the floor and literally walked over as excitable shoppers were eager to get in. A lady even got her hand jammed in the door and as result her blood was all over the entrance of YDE. A scary sight!

Once shoppers were inside things didn’t calm down, people grabbed rails of clothes without even checking sizes and styles. Within 20 minutes the rails were empty and all the clothes were gone. Luckily in all the madness I managed to get a few cool items of clothing.

All the commotion and craziness was a bit too much for me. So I have decided that I would rather pay a bit more for my clothes and shop in a calm, civilised manner than have to fend for my life just because the clothes are R99.













Tuesday, February 15, 2011

I am

I am very excited for what the future holds for me. I have so many plans for my life and places to see I am not sure I will be able to do them all in one life time. So many people have great plans for their lives but never accomplish them.

 I want to be one of those people who look back on life and don't regret a thing - maybe that's impossible though, I mean we all have done things we wish we hadn't or could take back but that's not how life works.

 I like adventure and learning new things, so one plan I have decided to implement, hopefully next year, is to travel overseas. I have never been anywhere outside of South Africa so I think it is about time that I see the world around me, even though South Africa is a beautiful country that I love! I'm thinking Europe would be a great place to start, all the site seeing, great shopping...and partying:) there is no way I won't have the time of my life. Like they say, you only young once so I better make the most of it while I still can

Can I have your BBM pin?

Black Berry’s are no longer just another tasty fruit you can eat, in fact if you ask someone what a Black Berry is I doubt the answer you would get would be a fruit.

Black Berry’s are the hottest cell phones to have and if you don’t have one, then you should get one. This, however, wasn’t my view up until a few days ago. The Blackberry was just another piece of technology to me that would soon fade out but now I think it might take over the world.

Not only are they easy to use, look good (they now come in cool colours like red, purple and white) and not too expensive, they also have the best feature of all...Black Berry Messenger (BBM). BBM allows those who have blackberries to message each other as much as your heart desires, in other words unlimited, for a small monthly fee.

I swore I would never give into the Black Berry trend but I guess views change and mine certainly did. I am not ashamed to admit it, to be honest I ‘m loving my Black Berry and all the joy that it brings me...I just wish that it was pink.

Designer PR

So when you hear the phrase designer PR, what comes to mind? I think of two things Samantha and Sex and the City. Now for those that don’t know about Sex and the City this might sound a bit confusing.

Sex and the City is a TV series that follows the lives of four middle aged women, all with successful careers, who live in the upbeat, fast paced city of New York. One of the women in the series, called Samantha, is a successful PR practitioner who runs her own PR company in New York. She to me is the definition of designer PR. She is fabulous, witty and full of personality and is constantly decked out in the latest designer clothing from her shoes to her sunglasses. Even if you watch just one episode you will see she is never without her Dolce and Gabbana bag, Chanel sunglasses or Louis Vuitton heels.

So what does this mean for us PR people that don’t live in a TV series and can’t afford to wear the latest trends from designers? All I know is that the label a person wears doesn’t make them any better at what they do, they might just look better while doing it.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Shop till you drop

So I am sure that every girl loves to shop and I am no exception. The shops seem to call my name every time I enter a shopping mall. It always starts off the same, I tell myself not enter any shop I don't need something specific from but before I know it I’m drawn into yet another shop that will only cause me to spend my money unnecessarily and walk out with an item of clothing I don’t even need. All it takes is a sale sign or a good window display to grab my attention and make me enter the shop, almost against my will. I can’t help it if I like nice things. Just try walking through Canal Walk without seeing a 'Sale' sign, it just doesn’t happen and we as the shoppers are almost obliged to go in and have a look. There could be a top that you've been dying to get and it could just happen to be on sale...bargain!

So my advice to anyone that likes nice things and can’t seem to turn a blind eye to a sale sign, rather stay away from shopping malls all together. Nice things will never run out of the shops but your cash sure will.