Monday, March 23, 2009

delusions of grandeur

You may have noticed the title I have bestowed on myself.
Rain queen.
Lets just call her my alter ego. You see, I was born average. Very average. My family was your typical middle class common and garden peanut- butter- sandwiches and fish on a Friday night variety. No illustrious ancestors, no major achievers. Just honest and hardworking.

I was marginally above average at school only because I loved it and had a bunch of teachers who loved me, but I exhibited no visible talent or sporting prowess at all.
So, I was destined to be ordinary. It is what God gave me ( someday I plan to ask Him why ), but in my heart, I rallied against ordinary, mediocre, average. I wanted to really achieve at something – anything. Just to get me off the path of mediocrity. I tried many things – psychology, antique restorer, would be landscaper in charge of plastic tulips at Sun City casino, amateur chef, hotelier, waitress, auction house trawler, plant propagator. All of them had one core element in common – entrepeneurship – I have for almost my entire working life , been self employed. I was the only one who wanted me . Just as well as I don’t think I am cut out for the cut throat corporate world, brown nosing and red tape.

What I want to do, I want to do NOW. It is my motto , my credo – the Nike slogan – Just do it ( and NOW ).

But on a more serious note, deep down, I am convinced that I should have been born royal or at least titled. I would have been an asset to the nobility – never revelling in my means or station , but exhibiting philanthropic, well meaning behaviour .

Alas it was not to be. But in my own business, where I make the rules, I can lay claim to the title of Rain Queen. Or perhaps not – that title belongs to Miss Swaziland. Ok I will just have to settle for the “ Queen of Rain” .
My little company is the jewel in the crown of my life’s work. It is what I eat, sleep, dream. I selflessly give it my all ...... and more. It has hurt me more deeply than any other single event in my life, and it has provided unparalled joys and highs. Nothing I have today has come easily, without blood, sweat and many tears. I am quite convinced that God has used Rain to build character in me and I am constantly hoping that He is now satisfied with the character part and will let me get onto the fun bits of being Queen.

Oh , one can only dream.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Ok, so I am a novice. Never blogged before. Where does one start, and is there really a beginning ?

I suppose it would help to tell you why the heck I am doing this . It is basically because I long to share. I am an exhorter and giver by nature. At my very core, I love to share, to give , to mentor, and to encourage and uplift others. So maybe, somehow, somewhere, sometime these blog rambles may well give someone a glimmer of hope, or a lifeline in a tough situation. It may well encouarge a would be entrepenuer to take the plunge or gamble on a risk. It may inform and inspire - this is my hope and intent.

My little african company called RAIN is a daily challenge , as well as a source of joy and thrill for me. The characters who work for me, the bump and grind of daily factory production interspersed with adrenalin charged disasters, opprtunities and hopes - all rolled into exciting exhilirating days - are all too good to keep to myself. I want to share what I have with the world, giving you all a peek into the daily life of a crackpot entrepenuer near the southern tip of Africa whose dream and vision is to give jobs, create hope and help meet needs.
Now that all sounds so mushy and goody two shoes.But it is not really so - my motives are not entirely selfless. I also aspire to elevate myself from the current role of worker - doing anything and everything that my hand finds to do to make my little company tick - to a more queenly role - with servants and things.
I like nice things and I adore travelling to nice places. So, I work and I work and I work. Happily and with a spring in my step I might add. But oneday, perhaps I will be able to delegate more, smell the proverbial roses and buy my clothes in boutiques rather than department stores .


So, stick around, I hope to entertain you, make you laugh, make you dream, make you cry, as I share with you the inner workings of my little company called RAIN.

Winter essential: Wild harvested Baobab oil

There is a beautiful African folklore story about how the Baobab tree came to be African and also known as ‘the upside-down tree’. ...