To photoshop or not to photoshop? It is in fact a huge question!

This image (below) has not been touched up and this question came up because I am needing to send in a bio and pic of myself for a website. To be honest I had a little battle with myself, I mean even Cindy Crawford has been known to say: "I wish I looked as hot as Cindy Crawford" in essence, once you've been photoshopped it can be scary looking in the mirror and seeing the real you! But I think I that if I am truly opposed to men and woman being literally 're-formed' to look "ideal" in advertisers eyes and less real and less attainable to the masses then I have to choose not to photoshop and just be me. Like many woman, I have grown up desperately trying to fit in to this idea of what the world sees as "perfect" and it is unattainable, everyone is photoshopped and not a little bit, a LOT! It is the wrong message to be sending our children, showing them images of what they can't achieve even if  they exercise intensely daily, starve themselves and beat themselves up for every blemish and imperfection when it is the opposite of what we should be demanding of ourselves.  We should strive to love ourselves as whole human being, we should thank each wrinkle for a happy memory and our bodies for being the incredible vehicles which carry us through life and we should feed them with sustenance that is nutritious and delicious not starve them to live up to somebody else's ideal. We should exercise to feel strong and well not to create a specific shape.

Yes, I do still battle with body dysmorphia so the temptation to photoshop is a big one, but then I remember I am not alone in this battle and remind myself to be kind and gentle with myself and appreciate what I have and who I am.

So today, I chose NOT to photoshop.

My Absolutely Tranquil break at Absolute Beach Accommodation in Britannia Bay

I needed to get out of town and find a beautiful quiet place where I could work undistracted and replenish and thats exactly what I found at Absolute Beach Accommodation in Britannia Bay.

Driving distance is only about two and a half hours from Cape Town, 

making it an easy option for a weekend getaway.

Arriving at Absolute Beach Accommodation to absolutely perfect weather, this was our location for the weekend, literally one step out the bedroom and only a few meters from the ocean...

We were welcomed warmly by our hosts Marina and Duncan, both ex-Capetonians who moved to Marina's family home and converted it into a guest house. You can feel that this has been a home, it is warm and friendly, inviting you to relax and feel cared for.

There was lovely attention to detail with all kinds of little added extra's 

and the rooms were very clean and well prepared.

In the afternoon I sat on the floor and worked while looking out my shutters at this calming and exquisite view of a seemingly barely disturbed landscape.

We had dinner at a near by Portuguese restaurant called Alegria in St.Helena Bay, the setting was beautifully rustic and simple, the service attentive and friendly and the food fresh and delicious, do pop in if you are in this area.

Breakfasts in the morning remind me of being on holiday with my family, except I'm usually the one cooking! Everyone come's together and sits around a huge table and eats together and your desire will be made possible if Duncan and Marina have anything to do with it, I even asked for broccoli with my eggs and Vwala, I got it!

 Marina also baked mini muffin's each morning which were served with your choice of tea or coffee, 

in my opinion a lovely little touch.

I even found the spot that Vasco De Gama's ship landed in St. Helena Bay in 1497

Then back to work with a view...

That evening we visited one of the local's favorite spots *&^ to be honest, this was not my favorite. 

The staff were very friendly but the food was average and smoking was permitted, 

which isn't up my alley but it was a fun evening anyway.

After breakfast on sunday morning I walked the shell labyrinth and make some furry friends before getting stuck into work again. I am writing this blog while I am still here and trying to convince myself that it is now time to leave, but its just so tranquil and comfortable, I'm not winning.

Marina and Duncan have been superb hosts, extremely accommodating and attentive while giving me the space to relax and not feel crowded in anyway. If you're wanting peace and quiet this is a great spot to go, if you're looking for a naughty weekend, I suggest you go else where - that for me was the only possible negative, the walls feel paper thin and so every sound seems to carry to all surrounding ear's. The wifi was also not particularly stable but decent enough and work still flowed - not that normal people go away to work hahahaa. Everything else was wonderful, friendly, welcoming and attentive hosts, clean and welcoming home type feeling, lovely attention to detail from the mini-muffins to the tea selection, to the welcome note with sweet nuts to the rusks and kettle and bathroom essentials, Absolute Beach Accommodation was Absolutely wonderful, I hope to come back again.

If you'd like to book a get away contact Marina at Tel: +27(0)71 411 1077

            Email: info@absolutebeach.co.za or visit their website http://www.absolutebeach.co.za

Thank You so much Marina and Duncan I wish you huge success 

and constantly sold out rooms, you deserve it

Being in a relationship means you need to be brave...

Being in a relationship today, means being big enough and honest enough to realize that who ever you are with, will have faults, and you will have to accept those faults. And in return, that person will have to accept that you have faults too. 

Possibly the most difficult of all, you are going to have to look at your self honestly, admit to your faults and then work on them and compromise so that you can be someone that the person you love can live with… 

As difficult and hard and tiresome as this sounds, don’t you think that’s the point, to find our humanity through love, to discover who we really are through the mirror provided by the ones we love? And if we take note and listen we are given the opportunity to become the best possible version of who we can be, and them the best possible version of who they can be. 

And don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying get into a relationship with someone who wants to change everything about you, or someone who compromises your value and what you truly want and deserve. 

But often a true soul mate will reveal the things about you, you least want to deal with, but the things that need to heal and grow in order for you to reach your full potential. 

AKA Mr. & Mrs. Smith

By choosing (and I say choosing very specifically because it is a choice) to share our lives by truly loving another human being and embracing them faults and all and being ourselves embraced, it is the most difficult, challenging, selfish and selfless thing we can do, you really need to be brave and to want it because to be honest it's not always floating hearts and butterflies. 

Today many people chose to travel solo, it's much simpler and less complicated, not nearly as scary and of course you can do an enormous amount of self growth and healing on your own... and yet for me, a life without love, is a life not lived at all...

So isn’t it worth it?

Looking back to when I joined 2oceansvibe radio

Looking back to when I joined 2oceansvibe radio

Ok so as most of you now know, I started on 2oceansvibe radio Station with DJSox on his show "Sox and the City" every friday afternoon, from the word go I absolutely loved it!  

How did this come to be you might be asking well, 

lets do a quick summery overview to get you up to speed...

At that time, my friend, beautiful and brilliant friend Bailey Schneider had recently joined "2 Oceans Vibe" she came to stay with me in cape town for a week so that she could meet Richard Hardiman 

and to check out the Cape Town Branch. I met her and Richard at Loading Bay and then took Bailey back into Studio, where I had just been, to introduce her to my good friend Sox, we 

all ended up chatting and having a great time, girls VS Boys!

Sox, Me, Bailey & Yaron

In fact we had soooooo much fun that our pop in visit lasted almost the entire show....

Sox told me that his partner in crime Yaron the hairy Jew was leaving him alone for 2 months ...

and invited me to join him as a stand in, I thought this was a great idea, 

I mean I love a good chin wag and a challenge, this is right up my ally...

So before I knew it... I was Sox's stand in partner in crime

Sox liked to soulfully "sing" into the mike during songs 

(well he called it singing - but truthfully it sounded more like a drowning cat 

having its intestines removed by jagged tweezers) 

Kidding Soxie, you not that bad (not kidding between you and me he is) 

You Good Sox, you've got a great voice  (not)

And I found a guy... aaahhhh Charles, he was so affectionate and loving... 

literally couldn't keep his paws off me... Grrrr!

And that my dear friends is how I discovered my love and passion for radio, so I'd like to thank Sox and 2oceansvibe media, so many awesome memories were made possible because of you!