A Penny For Your Thoughts

Pravin Gordhan Pulls Plug On Guptas?

2016-02-21T10:30:00.001+02:00

Holy Cow! Maybe, that is the reaction the Sunday Times article, titled, Pravin Pulls Plug On Guptas' Breakfast Cash Cow is supposed to get out of me as a reader. Just like the SABC are confused, I am too.

"I have no time for that. I only have time for working on the budget. So don't listen to gossip and don't try and create unnecessary sensation. The more important thing for the country is not this nonsense, it is whether we as a country can grow and create jobs. That's the key," ~ Pravin Gordhan said.

Read the article, and draw your own conclusions. I read it, and get the angle, that this is a direct shot at the Gupta family. I suppose that angle has a lot more flavour for entertainment news, than one where investigative journalism is done to research the rationale behind the decision, and put forward a non fiction story to explain to us as readers what has happened.

NEWS publishing should not compete with entertainment!

My Space, My Blog

2016-02-13T11:31:00.000+02:00

Yes, this is my space. This is my Blog. Then again, if the purpose is to create a community, then a more accurate statement is "This is our space!". A Blog, in the traditional sense, is a personal journal. Well that is what I remember reading back in January 2012, when I was starting what was then my second full year of blogging. Four years later, I am still blogging.

Blogging is not something that is difficult in my opinion. What is difficult is coming up with content that is interesting to you, as well as for your audience. One can easily get lost in the numbers game, but I could not be authentic if blogged about what interested others, and not me.

A lot interests me. When I started this blog, career related matters dominated my topics, with thoughts on self-mastery at the core of my writing. I have met the distrusting, who frown at the self-help or self-improvement genre. While they are few relatively, the perception that there are many of them could mislead you to think that there would be no audience for blog posts along that line of topic. The blogs were long, some read, some probably skimmed through.

I wanted to be more popular. To get that, it meant reaching out to a wider audience, with more interesting everyday topics, other than a reflection on the self and aspirations of being effective in achieving career ambitions. People need a space to also kick back and relax.It's not all WORK WORK WORK!

I changed the tempo a little bit on this blog in 2012, to support this new ambition. While it felt like starting again, losing what I had built, I could make it anything I wanted. "It would still be authentic", I told myself. I wanted to share my life experiences, leaving my South African readers with a message of hope, and daring them to pursue their aspirations and dreams. I wanted you, my readers from the everywhere in the world, to fall in love with South Africa, and see that it is not all guns and violence.

I wanted you all to understand that we are a passionate nation, living in a beautiful country that has a lot of life experiences to offer. I still want that today!

It meant toying with my style of writing, as I discovered that non-fiction writing can still be creative. It did not have to be stale facts and opinions. It was alright for me to write more from my heart, than from my head. It was always evident to me, since I started blogging in 2011, that when I wrote from my heart, I felt a certain kind of 'let go'. I felt a lot lighter, and I felt a certain privilege to be able to impart what I had, rather than keep it selfishly to myself.

I find it an amazing art, to be able to paint pictures with words. Seth Godin, has a title where the words 'All Marketers ~~Are Liars~~ Tell A Good Story' are utilised to great effect.

This Blog Post, is for me to reaffirm what it is that I wish to do with this blog. It's my commitment to myself, and my commitment to you. The title of the blog was almost scrapped at the eleventh hour. On revising and editing what I had written, it became clear to me that while it is not a catchy popular title, it spoke to the content.

I know Bad News Sells, but since I am not selling, nor trying to win the popular vote, the content will be about sharing my experiences, and learning from the experience of others. While I may be the catalyst, to have an engaged community come alive on this blog, is dependent on you.

I can convince myself that this is my space, that this is my blog. At a subconscious level, I know that that's not what I am looking for. I would like you to share your thoughts, and remember that while you have rights, freedom of speech coming to mind, you also have obligations. It is an obligation in this community to be thoughtful in how you put your points of view across. Before you press enter or send, ask yourself how you want to be received!

How Do You Want To Be Received?

2016-02-07T21:19:00.002+02:00

Every so often, we see a career lost, as a direct result of an irresponsible post on social media. I am not talking about when someone bad mouths another person, and their character assassination is successful. I am referring to people posting on twitter or facebook, something that is not only career limiting, but changes their life's course completely.

I am not going to name any of the infamous characters. There are plenty of them, and they have felt the wrath of the public as their name goes viral, and overnight they become the example of what not to do!

Writing for yourself and writing for an audience, are two very different undertakings. When you write for yourself, you can't be misunderstood, and there is no context to worry of. When you write for an audience, you become a conduit, and through you, your audience gets the story.

No matter how short a post, be it limited to the twitter 140 characters, or a blog that is longer and allows you to embellish in content, you need to imagine a relationship with the person reading your words.

Be very clear about what it is you are looking to say, and more importantly, have a clear understanding of how you want your words to be received.