Time Machine

What if you had the opportunity to turn back time, do your life all over again, with the knowledge that you have today. Would you do it? Would you make different choices, or are you happy with what you've achieved and with where you are today?

I would like to choose all of the above.

I feel incredibly blessed with my amazing job as an air-hostess, traveling the word, meeting people and experiencing so many different cultures. While that is all very fulfilling in many ways, I can't help but wonder what my life would have been like if I had the guts to tell everyone what was really on my mind; what I kept wondering and dreaming about for so long. Secret revealed in 5,4,3,2,1...

I can already hear how this conversation would go down.. "Mom, Dad, I wanna join the circus." Yep, that was the dream and still is a little bit... You may think I'm crazy, but have you ever been to a circus? The costumes, animals, acrobats, magicians, dancers and comedians; what's not to love?

Everything about it is fun and magical! I have always had a great love for performing arts, from being a pretty little ballerina when I was a little girl to a teenager with amazing drama skills (or was that just puberty?) And definitely the costumes! You get to play a different character every other day, letting your emotions run free, from the utmost happy to crazy clown and scary lion tamer, just letting yourself go! Speaking of animals, that would be the best part. I'm a big animal lover, they bring so much joy to this world and petting a lion or tiger for an every day job, not too shabby.

Back to reality. Today I am a successful working girl, I stand on my own two feet, pay my bills and have a wonderful relationship with an amazing man. My friends and family support me in whatever I do, and I couldn't be happier with where I am right now. 


Seems like you will find your way to where ever you were meant to go, and do what you were meant to do, even if life has to kick you a little bit in the butt to get there. Besides, I do get to pet tigers while on holiday!

If you could go back and change anything in your life? Would you?

My Best Friend, My Rock, My Mentor

I'm kicking of today's post with a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout out to my amazing mom.

Today we are all celebrating her 59th birthday, though when you see her, you're more likely to ask, "Is that your sister?" Yep, she looks amazing, but even more than that, she's got the most beautiful soul.

I grew up carefree, with a loving family, many friends and with lots of support. As I grew older, life started throwing obstacles my way, sometimes easy to overcome and sometimes it took a few weeks to pick myself up and move forward. Like any mom, my mom's always been there for me with a tight hug and words of care and wisdom. It wasn't until the winter of 2008 that I truly understood and experienced the extent of my mom's love and support for me.

After graduating from high school, I moved to Johannesburg (South Africa) to be part of a Performing Arts School. We were called ACTS (Arts Christian Training School). We toured South Africa, performing dance and drama productions, reaching out to the youth of South Africa on a Christian basis. 

We were a team of 30 students every year, trained for 3 months and then hit the road. A lot of hard work went into those productions, lead by an incredible artist named John Norman. From dancing, directing, writing and managing our group, he was probably the most inspirational person I have ever come across in my life. It was with his amazing passion and relationship with God, that every production that was written by him, was a big success. 

After almost 3 years traveling with the group, it was time to spread my wings and apply for jobs and enter the real world. The first interview I ever did landed me this great opportunity to work as an air-hostess. But my life came to an abrupt halt one day when I was still at home, getting ready for my life abroad. I received a heartbreaking phone call that the ACTS group on tour had a massive car accident, and 5 of my amazing friends and colleagues had passed away. Sadly John was one of them. My best friend, my rock, my mentor.
 

From that day on, my life changed dramatically as it felt like everyone I loved and cared for so deeply was slipping away from me. I couldn't understand why it happened, why all the kindest souls were taken away at such a young age?

That's when my family really stepped in for support. I was never alone, always had a shoulder to cry on. But needless to say, I was heartbroken, with so many questions left unanswered. 

I had a dream one night; I was on tour, back when everyone was happy, laughing and discussing our roles in our next production. Suddenly we collided with another car. We came to a halt and I remember trying to find my friends. To find John, and make sure he was okay. I found him. In the distance he was standing with a beautiful white suit. Calm, beautiful, angelic. I ran and asked him if he was okay, asked if he was hurt, and he took me in his arms and said:  "I am okay, you have to let go now".

I woke up out of breath, scared and confused, so I grabbed my Bible, flipped it open randomly and it happened to open at John 3 verse 13, it read: "I have many things to write to you. But I do not want to tell you these things by a letter. I hope to see you soon. When I come, we can talk together."

I found peace. I realized I wasn't in control of what happened. With a lot of support, time, cries, I found that a broken heart can be mended. I will never truly get over losing incredible friends, but i've learned how to deal with loss."May God give you calm in yourself. The friends here send their greetings to you. Please greet each of our friends there for me."

My entire family have been incredible, with so much support, especially my mom. She's the one I call before and after every flight. The one that's up until 4 am to speak a word of courage. Loving me unconditionally, helping me make life decisions and always up for a good laugh. She picked me up and brought me back with so much love. I look up to her as she is the most incredible person to walk this planet.

So, here's to Mom, The strongest woman I know with so much joy in her heart! Happy Birthday! May your loving heart rub off on those around you, may you be blessed for all the kindness you give to others. I love you so much. My best friend, my rock my mentor, my mom!

Re-evaluating New Years Resolutions

I know what you're thinking. "Uhm... it's already June, Lynette. Way too late, or way too early, to start thinking about making a list of those again."

The thing is, I get really inspired to tackle new interests and hobbies when I know I get a brand new year to make it happen and do it right. Although, after the first couple of months all those new year resolutions fade away and I find myself saying. "Nah, I'll start saving next year" or "I'll sign up for the gym some other time".

I think June is a good month to re-evaluate those resolutions that you felt oh so excited about. Here's my chance to get inspired again.

1. Cook more often

I'm proud to say that I've stuck with this one; still not a whiz in the kitchen, but i'm learning, and enjoying cooking delicious food. I'm actually cooking lunch for my boyfriend tomorrow. What's on the menu? Chicken pot pie, made from scratch, with a green salad; something simple, yet delicious. For dessert, I'm making decadent chocolate brownies.

2. Shop less ... or shop smart

Uhm... let's just move to the next one?… Okay, so I haven't gotten around to this one, since I still have a MAJOR shopping addiction. From clothes to shoes, to home decor to food. Everything pretty, I have to have. And yes, I blame my shopping addiction on everything and everyone else. Denial?

3. Learn how to play tennis

My brother and his fiancé joined the airline industry last year, and we are fortunate to live in the same building. My brother is a pro at playing tennis, and as soon as the weather cools down a bit he is taking me and his fiancé for a tennis lesson. I am super excited and a tad bit nervous at the same time. The last time I held a tennis racket, it somehow ended up hitting me in the face, leaving a print of little blocks on my forehead. True story.

4. Read more often

Yes, I have been reading a lot more this year and I'm still going strong. I'm currently on the last book in The Hunger Games trilogy. It's definitely a fantastic series and I'm looking forward to finish it, and then find a new inspirational book. Any suggestions?

5. Work out and eat healthier

Nope, still not working out, and still not cutting out McDonalds. Ask me this question again in a few months, and maybe I'll have a different answer. Maybe not...

6. Save money

This is a tricky one. It's no secret that I love spending money. However, I never find myself without money. I give freely and help people out who need that extra penny. I probably should save more and invest, like the "grown ups" say. So this is definitely my biggest challenge for the next couple of months. I strongly believe in giving a 10th of my salary to whoever needs it. Whether it is a charity organization, or a family member in need. It's important to give, and in return you will receive an incredible sense of well being. For the leaner months, a bright smile will do.

How are you all doing with your New Year's Resolutions?

May Fashion Purchases 2012

I may have mentioned before that I slightly, kinda, really LOVE shopping; from beautiful floral dresses to skinny jeans, light blouses and lots more! 

My favorite May fashion purchases:

I am a huge fan of ZARA. It's light, playful and fits perfectly every time, with no need to even try it on. Although it's summer here in the UAE, with temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), it's always smart to carry a light jacket or blazer for indoors where the air conditioning threatens to give you frost bite. So this is what I purchased from ZARA this month:

ZARA blue patterned blazer

I thought this patterned blazer is so interesting. Had to have it!

ZARA dress

The dress is just beautiful. Dress it up with heels and it's perfect for date night, or wear sandals with it and you are ready for a casual day out with the girls.

ZARA blouse

ZARA blouse

ZARA blouse

These blouses are all so soft and chic. Super light and fits perfectly! 

ZARA TRF sandals

The sandals are from Zara's TRF collection. I love them and wear them almost everyday.

Wedges from SPRING

I stumbled upon these beautiful wedges at SPRING. I bought them immediately and in both colors. They are super comfortable. Dress it up with a summer dress, or wear them with you favorite pair of skinny jeans.

CHANEL Chance perfume

This summer I'm taking a chance on CHANEL. See what I did there? Like my entire collection at home, Chance from CHANEL is super fresh and light. Absolutely perfect for summer. 

Schwarzkopf Perfect Mousse permanent color

 
I enjoy experimenting with hairstyles and colors, although I always tend to go back to my favorite, which is red. It may seem daring, but I think it suits my fair skin, freckles and green eyes. More likely a winter hair color, but it makes me feel confident and playful. 

Now for the shocker; I color it myself! Schwarzkopf makes it really easy with the new DIY Mousse Hair Color. I'd definitely recommend it.

Which of these do you like best? And did you buy something this month that you absolutely love?

My Biggest Pet Peeves!

In general, I see myself as a very happy and accepting person, who loves people and try to understand situations for what it is, and why people act the way they do. Getting irritated from time to time is normal; however I came to realize that ever since stepping into the real world, it's usually the same things that really tick me off.

1. Toddler beauty pageants

In my day, it was heaps of fun; putting on a dress, yet still barefoot, and parading down a catwalk, which mostly consisted of wooden planks, decorated with flowers. We answered questions like, "What is your name and your favorite game to play?" It was appropriate because we were only 7 or 8 years old after all. These days, I don't know which is worse; the tiny little human beings painted with more makeup than a clown, or the scary pageant moms. They compete for trophies and money, with so much pressure from the scary pageant moms. Aren't they supposed to be outside playing on a swing set like any normal child their age?

2. Noisy chewers, especially gum

I don't care who you are or where you are from, it IS considered rude to chew out loud in someone's ear... and with your mouth open at that. Gross!

3. Attention-seeking status updates

There seems to be so many social portals these days, where you let your friends/family/strangers know what you've been up to. Where it's intended to be fun and interesting, you still get people who see a status update as a chance to seek attention or complain ALL the time. A recent Facebook status read: "why does this always happen to me *sigh*…". Then someone will comment: "what happened" only to get a reply like: "i cant say" or "ill inbox you". STOP putting your life dramas on status updates just to get attention. And what is the *sigh* about?

4. Animal-like yawners 

Yawning is normal. And, bonus, you were blessed with two hands to cover your mouth when a yawn happens. Maximum one hand required for this action, actually! No one wants to see whether you still have your tonsils or wisdom teeth. 

5. Combining of celebrity couples' names:

Tomkat (Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes), Brangelina (Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie), Bennifer (Ben Affleck & Jennifer Lopez) Apparently, according to gossip mags' writers, the shortening of celebrity names intrigue the readers more to read the article. I just think it's stupid.

So, these are my biggest pet peeves. What are yours?

Hotel Secrets

Being an air-hostess, I travel a lot. And by "a lot" I mean sleeping in a different hotel every other day, meeting hundreds of new people every week and trying to remember my current hotel room number. Staying in hotels so often, I've learned many helpful things, and I'd like to share my tips and tricks with fellow flight attendants and travelers.  


1. Knock, or else - Now this may sound crazy, but when you reach your assigned hotel room, knock! Don't just swipe your key card and enter. Here's why; hotels often do double bookings and the last thing you want to find after an exhausting trip is a hairy old fella doing naked yoga in your room.  Yep, that's happened.  


2. Laptop light - When you've located the light switches and figured out how they work, please let me know.  From turning nobs to flicking a switch, from touch screens to inserting a key card... I have officially given up and rely on my laptop light to find my way.  


3. Don't forget your stuff - The in-room safe is very helpful, especially if you have valuable items to keep safe when you head out. But it has happened numorous times where people check out and forget about those items. Here's what I do; store something of absolute need, like your work shoe, with your valuable items. You can't leave your hotel room and go to work with only one shoe on; that way you'll remember the rest of your items.  


4. Be lazy, and save money - No one wants to go out and buy groceries when you just arrived from a long trip. So feel free to indulge in the most expensive beverage and snack items in that minibar. And then, before you check out, find the nearest 7/Eleven and replace those items. Score! 


So there you have it. Happy "hotelling". Yep, that's a word I just made up.

A picture of my day

As i've mentioned before, I work as an air-hostess and on my days off, I am back in Dubai in my apartment that I share with my best friend. Today has been a typical lazy day, sleeping till 10, going to the supermarket to stock up on snacks, and hitting the pool with my brother and his fiancé, who I happen to introduce to people as my other sister.

We had a great time in 40 degrees Celsius, tanning, swimming and floating around on our lilo's. After that, we went to the mall for lunch, had delicious burrito's, with a giant Coke, and a "little bit" of shopping afterwards. Here's the deal; I have a major shopping addiction, which I don't have under control, despite what I may try to convince you of. But my sister asked me to get her this really cute dress at H&M, I tried it on myself, and next thing you know, i'm at the check out counter buying one for myself with a matching ring and handbag and shoes and ....

Lets get back on topic; tomorrow I am going on a 6-day trip, so most of my evening consisted out of packing, cleaning up my room, doing a bit of laundry and catching up with my roommate. And that wrapped up a pretty awesome day.

And yes, this is how every day off goes down here. Except for the ones where my lovely boyfriend is home. But more on him later. I love my job and that I get loads of time off. I am truly blessed with amazing people living close by, whom I get to share all these amazing sunny days with. Whats everyone else been up to?