Kylie Jenner...Is This What 17 Looks Like??

When did 17 year olds stop being 17? When did they stop being fresh faced and carefree, and turn into stripper wannabe's!? Do we blame the internet? Social media? Or bad parenting?...Or has society and technology developed so rapidly over the years, that those ghastly teenage years are documented for all eternity...for all the world to dissect and see?

 

I was recently left horrified when I stumbled across Kylie Jenner's Instagram account...my mouth literally hanging in shock at the provocative images posted by the 17 year old...one setting international trends nonetheless. One being copied and looked up to by millions of young girls worldwide.



 

 

I understand that celebs live under public scrutiny. That the young are especially vulnerable to the pitfalls of the fast paced, superficial, narcissistic and over sexed  lifestyle that comes with living in an environment that thrives on overexposure. That this behaviour stems from being submerged in a society where selling yourself seems like the only way to the top!

 

Now, what the next person does is none of my business and I am not one to be swayed by the likes of Celebville...This is not a message of concern to Kylie. She has her parents for that. Besides, there have been enough open letters written to celebs who will never read them. My concern is my daughter, who, at soon to be 13, is only four years younger than Kylie! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for being proud of your body, but be proud enough to give it the respect it deserves!!! Provocative and suggestive poses do not do your body (or personality) justice. All you are doing is creating an image that probably doesn't even represent the true you...It only just about causes a stir and gets millions of people chatting about you for all the wrong reasons. Is that what you want to be known for??

 Though I have no doubt that this is just a passing phase for Kylie ( I am hoping and praying) and that everyone eventually finds themselves; the kind of pressure that social media creates for the vulnerable youth is quite frightening from a parents perspective!  

 

Kim Kardashian herself has made a fortune and forged a career from her 'Big Mistake'. We've seen Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus both go off the rails and they too seem to be making money and carrying on. Sure enough, life doesn't stand still...but the lesson to learn is that in today's digital age, your mistakes can no longer be swept under the rug. They become permanent markers against your name and the stigma remains for ever and ever. Your online presence is a representation of YOU. Sometimes, keeping a low profile and staying under the radar might not gain one endless popularity, but you can be assured that you will always be recognised for the right reasons...

 

 

Do you think there's too much pressure on celebs to be role models?

Thanks for reading!

Peace,

NAMU :) 

 

 

Second Chances...

 

Certain things in life are promised to us and there is no way of escaping it. And though every human shall taste love and loss, success and failure, joy and sorrow...the order in which they reveal themselves will be different for every being. There is no fixed formula in the way life reveals itself, only faith that each chapter is preparing us for a brighter tomorrow...

In her lifetime, my sister has tasted disappointment and heartache one time too many, and even though, as a family, we have been loyally by her side through it all, I am happy that the tides are changing for her, that her heart is getting a taste of love and her life is filled with joy...

Every once in a while, Life hands us a second chance, a gift, a curve ball that has the power to wipe away an ocean of grief, change our destiny and open up a whole new world of possibilities before us!  Sometimes we have to have faith that Fate and Destiny will lead us to where we need to be...and into the arms of the right person!

It is important to never lose sight of our beacon of hope...that one day the dawn will come bearing Love, Joy and endless blessings from above...Your destiny has brought  you here. Your time is now! Enjoy every minute of it :-)

 

A new chapter for Mother and Son...

 

The guy who has captured her heart <3

 

 

 

Only 19 days till the wedding!

 

Looking forward to it all!

 

Peace,

 

NAMU :)

 

 

 

 

Life Begins @ 40!

There's an old adage that says " Life begins at 40 ". Having faltered through life in our 20's and 30's, I can only assume that this means we have made enough mistakes in our former years to learn from, and that these lessons have somehow transformed us, made us wiser and formed the foundation for a calmer, more peaceful existence in our 40's and beyond...

 

Sometimes in life, we put others' needs above our own. Culturally, I think Indian women are conditioned givers and very rarely claim anything...most especially for themselves! The greatest mistake with this kind of nature is that we so often get lost in living out someone else's dream...become someone else's shadow...lose our own identity.

We live in a culture that celebrates youth and makes one think that life cannot be enjoyed beyond a certain age...But at 40, a woman's life belongs to herself...she starts to shake off the multitude of roles she has been conditioned to fulfil...HER life only begins!

 

To my dear oldest sister...Today you have reached a much celebrated milestone of turning 40!! Though I know nothing about turning 40 myself, what I do know is that the scars we bear; the wounded heart, the hurt, the tears, the struggles, the tortured fragments of our souls... all our broken pieces forces us to rise stronger than we were before! And so I am hoping, for you, that it will be the start of a decade where you put yourself first! Where you are able to let go of all the restraints of the past and create a truly meaningful path forward.

It is true, that in life, what you seek out you will find. So search for the rainbows on the rainy days, find the humour in the impossible situations, dance with Laughter often, look for life's answers in the dull, dreary moments, find the silent stillness, the solemn smile of a happy heart....

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

 

Love Always,

 

NAMU :)

 

Recipe - Beat and Bake Cake

The last time life was this hectic, was in the early years of motherhood, where perils of having kids a year apart, dominated all sphere's of my life (Life? What life? I had none!). The only difference between then and now is that I now know the importance of not losing one's identity to fulfil a single role. To make time to pursue my own passions and make sure I maintain a balance between it all...

 

Sometimes life interferes with the image I have in my head. An image of domestic goddess bliss, where my kitchen counters are loaded with Nigella-like treats for my family and my household is run in a way that will make Martha Stewart proud! And all this is done in 60's like fashion; puffed out skirt, red lips, perfectly curled hair and heels! Plus, I somehow maintain my sanity through it all! Aaah! But  real life can be quite a dream murderer!

 

While I'm thankful that we have evolved since the 60's, I do still like to treat my family every now and again; and even with our hectic lifestyle and time constraints, it's good to know that a delicious recipe is just a Beat & Bake away ;-) Here's my flop proof recipe for a Beat & Bake cake that can easily be transformed into any flavour you like. Making time management that much easier for us all!

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 150gr Butter/margarine melted

• 260gr Flour

• 250gr Castor Sugar

• 15ml baking powder

• pinch of salt

• 3 large eggs

• 100 ml milk

• 50 ml water

• 5 ml vanilla essence 

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and bottom line two 20cm sandwich tins or a ring mould like I used.
2. Place butter/margarine in a bowl. Sift dry ingredients onto butter.
3. Add eggs, milk, water and essence. Beat for about 2 minutes with an electric beater until mixture is smooth.
4. Spoon into sandwich tins. Bake or 25-30 minutes (allow a few minutes extra for the ring mould) until skewer comes out clean.
5. Ice and decorate as desired.

BEAT & BAKE VARIATIONS

Coffee Cake : Replace vanilla essence with 15ml instant coffee dissolved in 15ml hot water. Also add 25ml instant coffee dissolved in 15ml hot water to your basic icing mixture.

Chocolate Cake : Add 3 Tablespoons cocoa and an extra 50ml of water or milk to basic mixture.

Orange Cake : Omit vanilla essence. Replace 50ml of water with 50ml of orange juice. Add grated rind of one orange (I use far less...about 1 Tblsp) to the cake mixture. Add 20 ml orange juice to your basic icing mixture to top the cake.

 

 

 Happy Baking!

 

Peace,

 

NAMU :)