Posts Tagged With 'Regim A'

Christmas in July – project me day 566

Posted by jodene July 25, 2011 No Comments »
Christmas in July - project me day 566

Tracey Clark of RegimA and host of today's Christmas in July

It’s taken long enough for me to have faith in the GPS and … oh wait, I did redirect myself to a route I was more familiar with on more than one occasion while heading out to the breakfast I was guest speaker at. Do any of you remember the old day when I was so freaked out at driving anywhere by myself that it put a damper of most exciting events?

I think it happened at the perfect time because this morning I was asked if I would be interested in driving about 3 hours out of town to host a workshop. Before I would have been in a hysterical panic, but this new and much braver me is ready to travel pretty much anywhere! Holy cow … let’s hope the Universe, filled with opportunity, didn’t just hear me say that.

Today was an exciting enough step and a huge realisation for me for a few reasons.
Firstly, this is the industry that I spent most of my years in and one that I thought I would never go beyond, so it was bitter sweet to be in the mix of it all again.
I think that because times can get a little tough, I do wish that I were back in the industry and locking myself in a treatment room for a few hours and switching off while I got lost in doing a massage or healing.  The ‘project me’ part of that statement is the consciousness of know that I was never truly present in those treatments in the first place. I spent far too much time wishing I was out of those rooms to ever want to be back in them again.

With my mom's first student and best friend of nearly 30 years

The other part of me was thrilled to see the odd familiar face while the other part of me was just as thrilled to be in a new line of work and as far away from salon and spa life as possible. I think the talk that Tracey Clark of RegimA made about the new credit act, made it sound all too stressful to be a part of dealing with products, customers and clients. Or … I just did it for long. Or, the real reason … I am so happy in what I do that I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

That doesn’t mean that I didn’t have one of the strangest experiences as a blogger, social influencer and speaker today.
It was thrilling for me to be able to bring some very influential people to the breakfast because RegimA means more to me than just a talk at an event. Tracey and myself go way back. I think I met her when I was finishing school and she was studying at my mom’s beauty school. We ended up working together for many years and the bond has never been broken.

Years later, I left the field and started a blog! At that point a big part of ‘project me’ was my skin that resembled my teenage years. Tracey was there in a flash and one of the first people to believe in me and my blog enough to partner with me and offer me products.
There are so many people who have believed in me along the way, but by my side where 2 sets of incredible ladies and Twitterers who I was thrilled to share the day with. Jules and Michele of Curvy SA and Lindsey and Nikita of NewsClip. There ladies have been an amazing support and now that I’m driving #FollowSA I am learning how important it is to network people together.

@JulesCurvySA, @LindseyKin85, @Jodenecoza, @NikitaGA & @CurvySA - The only Twits in the room

The craziest part of my morning was realising that I wasn’t in a room full of Twits. In actual fact, my four friends and I were the only Twits in the room.
I guess that everyone listening to me talk must have been as foreign as me staring into a crowd who get through life not having any form of online presence. Truth is, it threw me and I really didn’t feel that I was the right person to be sharing my story today. It took a lot for me to be kind to myself, reel me back in and remind myself that I do have value to add to any crowd I stand in front of. It’s back to the same old feeling of wishing I could just hide behind the laptop always and not have to throw myself out into the world. That ain’t gonna happen now that I’m having way too much fun out there in the world.

Unbelievably, it’s taken me over 4 hours to blog … I could come with a whole lot of reasons why, but sometimes it’s about cutting myself some slack and just having a slow, long blogging day!

Before I go and start sifting through some urgent emails *rolls eyes* I have to say a very big ‘wow’ to Tracey’s brother Craig and his dance partner Natalie for an unbelievable dance experience. I’m slowly beginning to understand the power of dance … and seem to enjoy the escapism and silence it allows my mind!

Craig and Natalie from Exhibitionsdance.com

 

That’s a wrap … Amen!



With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour

We did it: Mashable’s SMDayJozi – project me day 538

Posted by jodene June 23, 2011 6 Comments »
We did it: Mashable's SMDayJozi - project me day 538

I like having a partner in crime and I’m so excited to introduce you to Derek Martin for an event that truly is defining me as the social influencers I have been working so hard at establishing myself as.

I had a plan to work with Derek on the night I met him at the Twitter Blanket Drive. It goes like that with me and I’ve made some great decisions that way. I had the same feeling when my Twitter friend, Liam told me about the Mashable International Social Media Day. Granted, we had about 10 days max to organise it, but when one of SA’s most advanced social media hotels, Crown Plaza Johannesburg, offered Derek and myself the venue then plans started to spiral.

The friends in my life are all a combination of talented in their own fields and extremely generous. With such a magical cocktail it was so special to have both Emmanuel Castis and Nick Duncan agree to contribute their talents to this exciting event. Both have already supported ‘project me’ by being interviewed for the blog and their generosity keeps flowing. Emmanuel is an incredibly talent actor, singer and celeb (and one of my favourite Twits) who will be singing on the night. Nick is the developer of SA’s Aggregator, My Scoop and one of the smartest people I have had the honour of meeting in the realms of social media.

We all know that I’m not mad into sports but a huge shout out has to go to Follow the Bounce (Twitter handle for Ben Karpinski) for having the following he does and showing the chilled out, sports mad and super fun side of Twitter. Derek made this happen and we are thrilled to have Ben as a guest speaker for the event.

But this is the best part … yesterday Derek and I sat at the Crowne Plaza, which is by far the sexiest hotel this town has to offer and we set out to create the event and get those invitations out. With a limit of 120 people, I did get myself in a state and imagined 20 people hanging around on the night. I need to give us as a team and as South Africans a huge well done for hitting our target in less than 24 hours.

I know this blog totally sounds like a press release, but I can’t believe I’m here and I literally am making a big announcement. Myself and Derek grabbed the bull by the horns and are totally hosting an international event!
It all goes down in a week today and the next few days are all about press releases, media info and … um … Derek, what else???

Something has changed over the past few weeks and I must admit that I feel as though it’s a bit of a whirlwind. Not one thing is the same … I’m doing ‘project body’ which includes eating differently, hitting the gym first thing in the morning and having a totally different mindset. All of a sudden I’m falling for my friend and am doing my best to take it one day at a time … tell that to a heart.
I’ve been asked to talk at a ladies breakfast for 120 woman thanks to yet another project me partner, Regim A and the first issue of Curvy SA, with my article in it, goes out very soon. That’s a lot … right?

Well, not nearly enough with my cheerleader standing behind me. I don’t know how it all began, but I have found inspiration in my friend, The Gossip Guy that goes beyond words. When something exciting happens I just want to phone him and when he tell me to do something socially bold, I get my fears in check and run with it. All while he’s settling into his new home and new life … So today my Gossip Guy told me to sort myself out and get my blog off to one of the magazines who features a blogger a month. Okay, I knew they did that and made a half’ hearted  attempt not so long ago, but that’s it … no half hearted … not for nothing!

This huge step to bring a Mashable event to life seems to be the wind that caught the sail and I feel like I’m really doing it … sailing into the sunset!



With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour

#D500: Beyond words – project me day 501

Posted by jodene May 16, 2011 7 Comments »
#D500: Beyond words - project me day 501

Although I spend my life blogging thousands of words a day and Twitter might be limited to 120 characters but the possibility is endless, there are times when a picture truly does paint a thousand words.
I can’t begin to express my gratitude to everyone who embraced the excitement of my 500 days of blogging and I am thrilled to thank my latest sponsor, Skyetor photography for capturing my celebration so that I can share it with you all now.

So here it is …

Cafe Culture in Pineslopes Shopping Centre where the most gracious hosts with a special mention of the prego rolls that certainly are a signature delight! Kerry, thank you so much for the hospitality and for the incredible venue that you have. I can’t wait to host more Lifeology events there! Follow @cafeculturersa on Twitter.

To 6on13th for being an incredible sponsor of the #D500 event and for the awesome giveaway of the handbag that my mother won fair and square. We did a live Twitter competition where the person with the weirdest thing in their handbag won. Bless my mom … she had the original cover that her handbag was purchased in. Need I say more. To Bev, Mattie and Claire … I will never forget the enthusiasm with which you supported me and I look forward to so many more exciting functions together.

Thank you to The Residence hotel for providing chocolates that accompanied the info on all of my sponsors. I am blessed to have people who support Project Me: Hustler Extreme, Slimlab, Regim A, Thava Indian Restaurant, web new SA and Skyetor Photography

Let the Tweeting begin! In this picture is Melanie Minnaar from The Twitter Blanket Drive and Dean from UCit Social Buying.

Our very special mommies! On the left is Greggie’s mom and the right is my mommy … Hello mommies and thank you for the unfailing support in Lifeology and us two crazy kids.
And there in the background is JohnnyBoixxx and Hustler Girl’s Ponkie who isn’t on Twitter (as yet).

My beautiful friend, Hustler Girl who looks damn fine for feeling so sick! Thank you for making it to the event despite all your fluiness and for always supporting me!

Yummy … Cafe Culture officially rocks for the best prego rolls and potato wedges in town!

Greggie and I forgot to pose for pics (for a change) … so this is the one and only, but still a gem!

I choose things because they are pretty and they don’t have to make practical sense at all. I should have thought of that when I decided that the gerbera would be the icon for project me. What’s the joke … I look at plants and they wither away, but thanks to Hustler Girl, Greggie and Ponkie for the special gift anyway! Hold thumbs and let’s see if it lasts until #D1K.

My Twitter friend, @Champ_Payne, who has the ability to make nonsense sound like sense and then turns into the person I like talking to the most when sense is what I’m craving!

The awesome team from NewsClip SA,  Joanne and Lindsey. It was such an honour to have you lovely ladies join the celebrations and thank you for embracing project me with such enthusiasm! I can’t wait for the interview ;-)

These 3 crazy kids are proof that Twitter has the ability to go beyond work and just bring new friends my way! Thank you so much to Mike, Liza and Harm for making my event that over the top amount of fun. Liza, not many people admit to following Kim Kardashian with such enthusiasm so you deserved the prize hunny!

My dearest friend and sponsor, Niel who taunted me before the event and told me he couldn’t make it, would be running late, was coming in slip slops … and anything else to frazzle my nerves. Thanks for the support my hunny … you truly are one in a million (take that any way you like!!)

Within this crowd are some magical people who I can’t begin to thank for making the build up to #D500 and the night so spectacular. I met so many of you for the first time last night and I felt as though I have known you forever.
A special thank you to Norwin and Joslyn for your incredible support.
Then there are my dear friends Bryan and Trevor who embrace the whole Twitter, blogging, social networking thing with so much to learn … lol … but I’m there to help! You never know …

What would Greggie be without sporting a handbag? Thanks to him and Kerry from Cafe Culture for making the Kathy competition giveaway such fun.
On this note, I have to say a special thank you to my best friend and business partner for an amazing evening and for being the MC for the night. Greggie, you post for day 500 was beyond words and I am so excited to travel each day of of the journey to the days that follow, with you by my side!

There’s mommy and Kerry with the winning bag!

And lastly … here’s me! The happiest and luckiest girl in the whole wide world! Thanks to each of you, online and off, for making #D500 so spectacular.
So many people asked me if it would be the last blog and other asked where-to from here! No … it’s far from the last and I’m never one to say where anything is going judging from the place I started and the unexpectedly magical place I ended up.

 

I want to take a moment to thank my dearest blogging friends, Traci and Nikki for such special messages that Greggie read out to all my guests. To Robbie, I’m so thrilled that you took the time to send your message to me and I thank you for the dedication to commenting on my blog after all these days. To my Soldier Guy all the way over there in Canada … you are one special person and thank you for the message.
One message I want to share with you is from my friend Alexes AKA One Cluttered Brain who does these awesome vlogs and dedicated on just to me. My brainy friend … while everyone else danced and moved to your dedication … I cried … thank you for taking the time and for making my milestone such a treasured one. This vid is not to be missed ;-)



With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour

A tribute to my sponsors – project me day 499

Posted by jodene May 14, 2011 11 Comments »
A tribute to my sponsors - project me day 499

A part of me can’t believe that I am writing my 499th post and other part of me can feel every moment of every word that has been typed. Sometimes I can’t live without it and other times I can’t believe I ever started it.

Today I had a mini primary school reunion. A part of me felt rushed and just wanted to get back to sorting out arrangements for tomorrow’s big #D500 party. On the other hand, it was so good to get together and catch up after about 25 years. Of course, both moments are thanks to the same thing … social networking.

Without Facebook, the 3 of us would not have connected and without Twitter I would not have the platform to have shared my blog with the world. Well, I would not even have a blog had it not become one of the post powerful forms of communication.

I’ve had a very melancholy few days and I keep bursting out crying with excitement and then overwhelming amazement at the journey. In all the emotion I’ve reflected on how I got to tomorrow being so supported, online and off and I’ve realised this … besides my mother and my best friend/business partner Greggie, every other person surrounding me is a part of my life thanks to social networking.

EVERY!!!!

Then I thought about the turning point when I knew that the blog went from being a commitment for 365 day to an open journey with limitless possibility … it was the day I looked at my blog and saw ‘sponsors’ in red writing and went … “WOW … I have sponsors”!
There is something in that. Something in someone believing in you so much that they put their brand behind you, spend time or money on you and encourage you to carry on way beyond 365, with a promise to be by your side.

I have those sponsors and I ask you to indulge me as I thank each one of them for their role in making ‘project me’ what it is today.

sell your creativity on byouThe gorgeousness of this blog is all thanks to Bruce Young and his combination of patience and web design genius.
Bruce, thank you for the countless hours committed to bringing ‘project me’ to life. I have requested the impossible and expected everything to happen at the click of a button. I have crashed my site and turned it upside down and each time, there you are … my knight in shining web designed armour!

Hustler Girl, where do I begin to thank you for the support and dedication to my blog and our friendship?
Never once did I question the need for the sponsorship of your adult store. When it comes to being a single girl with an open mind about sex, it is refreshing to know that there is someone in the industry with the compassion, care and discreet respect for every client. It’s the greatest joy and fun to be able to call on you during the single days and the attached ones (as fleeting as they have been of late!)

I think that the journey with weight never leaves a person whether they get to their goal or not. Obviously the whole point of ‘project me’ is to show that it’s more about the purpose than the goal and that is a difficult route to take when dealing with a sponsorship that is driven by the scale or the tape measure.
I don’t know how to explain my gratitude for this sponsorship or how to thank Niel for taking his time to understand the choice to not follow the route of the goal, but to live the purpose. Your support has been unfailing and after I injured my back and couldn’t train for month while the weight crept back on, you kept cheering me on. Your product is truly all it promised to be and still it stick within my beliefs that you might have support, but you still have to do the work yourself. Thank you for believing in me … always!

Tracey, when my mother told me that you had heard my story of having teenage skin in my (late) 30′s and wanted to sponsor my blog, I was beyond thrilled. Every day that I wash my face, put on my day or night cream and look at myself in the mirror and smile at my clear skin … I give thanks to you and the amazing product your represent.
I got told that I looked ten years younger than I am but it was when the person nearly fell over at my real age that I said: “It’s thanks to my amazing sponsor, Regim A!”

This sponsorship began in an instant, with a touch of spice and a warmth of hospitality.
To ‘my family’ at Thava Indian Restaurant, I am blessed to have you share so many special moments where you feed my friends, family and myself. When I was sick in bed for months, you bought me food. When I have had celebrations, you have opened your hearts to my guests. You have rescued my sister during shock Joburg floods and you have fed my heart with an unfailing warmth.
As for the food … well, I don’t say you’re the best in town for nothing!

The new kid on the block:

I hate having my picture taken. Okay, I hated having my picture taken and now I can handle having my picture taken. I am tired of hearing that there are rules to photography and that what I look like is what the world must see. It’s not easy trying to explain what it’s like being a bigger woman and wanting to feel sexy in front of the camera. Well, it wasn’t easy until Pat Sloan entered the picture and told me how he specialises in photographing woman for boudoir shots. Pat, for the first time ever I have felt ‘semi’ comfortable with a camera in my face. The picture featured on my post tonight is that very confirmation … wow, I love me in that shot!
I thank you for the comfort with which you make me feel and for making me brave making the camera my friend … here’s to my boudoir shoot (a few weeks down the line of course).

My #D500 Sponsors

Well am I not just the luckiest girl to have the awesome duo of mom and son sponsoring my big day! Bev and Matt, you have been unfailing in your support and your excitement for tomorrow. I am honoured to be inspired by your passion to shine.

Thank you for the support when the wheels fell of and for helping every step of the way. I can’t wait for everyone to see the Kathy van Zeeland bags and to give one away courtesy of 6 on Thirteenth.
I have a sneaky suspicion that this is just the first step along and exciting journey of collaboration and celebrations.

I fell in love with the venue before I even walked in the door and with every step through it I just knew that I wanted to host #D500 at Cafe Culture.
Kerry, you have embraced this special day with such excitement and have the same vision as me for the endless possibility of networking and socialising as the greatest tool to explore endless possibility.
I see myself sharing your venue with so many people, be if for project me or any of the other products within Lifeology. I can’t wait to taste the prego rolls you are raving about … oh, and the potato wedges. I know they are going to be worth a few tweets.

Project Me would love to welcome more sponsors on board and now has advertising space, so please read more about it where it says ‘sponsorship/advertising’ in the tool bar.



With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour

I caught the bouquet – project me day 410

Posted by jodene February 14, 2011 30 Comments »
I caught the bouquet - project me day 410

I’m exhausted after a day that turned out to be more magical than I ever imagined it could be. I can’t believe that my little sis is married and I am thrilled to say that it was one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve ever been too … AND I caught the bouquet.

World, meet my special sister and new brother … Mr Matthew and Mrs Geordie Nicholls. Aren’t they just the cutest couple? I love the height thing that’s going and for the cutting of the cake (which was actually biting into gorgeous cup cakes) my little sis stood on a chair and was just about the same height … tee hee! What a beautiful love to watch blossom.

I was honoured to be my sister’s bridesmaid and do the toast to the incredible special couple. My sis and hubby met on Facebook and were engaged 3 months later. In the speech I started it with a pic that was posted straight onto Facebook in honour of the way these crazy kids met! I did the speech impromptu like I said I would and it went off perfectly (besides all the tears). Thanks to everyone who laughed in the right places and cried when they should have … it made it even more of a gift.

The theme of the wedding was stars and my sister, with her Virgo personality, tied everything in so beautifully. All the little personal touches showed that my sis and hubby poured their heart and soul into sharing their love with everyone who is dear to them.

I can’t thank the couple enough for inviting my most precious friends to share the wedding with them (and with me). Thank you to Twinkletoes for driving the bride to her wedding. Fancy car Mr Twinkletoes and oh so cool … literally aircon cool. Hustler Girl, thanks for helping Geords with your pretty writing and Ponky thanks for driving some special peeps to the wedding for us. Greggie … thank you for holding it all together when the seems were coming out in my frayed little life with the build up to the wedding.

It’s not always easy being single at a wedding and it’s a little tougher at that moment when the retinue is asked to join the bride and groom on the dance floor. For once it was a truly special moment for me to dance with my best friend and know that we are both wishing for the other to find true love, but in the meantime … how lucky can one girl be?

I have been anticipating how I would feel on the day and am so proud of myself for all that I am slowly blossoming into. Less is more and that goes for the bum and tummy most of all. Even I surprised myself at how great I felt but when dear friends had tears in their eyes in honour of my self worth and determination, it was beyond words. I know that I have chosen every step along the way that got me to this point, but without sponsors like RegimA (for my glowing skin that survived all the pre wedding drama) and SlimLab (that kept the binge eating away as a form of survival), I wouldn’t have felt as great as I do.

It left me with a new ‘project me’ knowing and sense of determination. Watching the love that my sister and hubby share reminded me that it’s all worth the wait and that he is out there somewhere. It bonded relationships with some family members and reminded me of just how blessed I am to have the friends I do. My back held out so well and I even got to dance the time warp and do the locomotion.

Today I feel exhausted though, but oh so worth it! So I’m doing simple things like spending time with my sis and her hubby and taking my date (mommy) out for movies and dinner for Valentines.

What a way to celebrate the cheesy day of love! ;-)



With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
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