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image 7 Apr



In my tourist travels through London today, I came across this poster in Flat Planet. 

In case you can’t see the image clearly:

Abraham Lincoln is acknowledged as one of America’s greatest Presidents.
Here’s a brief summary of his career:

Failed in business: 1831

Defeated for legislature: 1832

Failed in business again: 1833

Elected to legislature: 1834

Sweetheart died: 1835

Had nervous breakdown: 1836

Defeated for speaker: 1836

Defeated for elector: 1840

Defeated for congressional nomination: 1843

Elected to Congress: 1846

Defeated for Congress: 1848

Defeated for Senate: 1855

Defeated for Vice President: 1856

Defeated for Senate: 1859

Elected President of the U.S: 1860

The model Mr. Lincoln gave us with his persistence is one we can remember in the face of our own setbacks.
And what is the most wondrous of all is that persistence is a quality that we ourselves control.

You, and only you, can decide whether you will stay the course.

How very fitting.

 

aside 5 Apr

To the smiling gentleman…

Karl, you were always and will always be a smiling gentleman to me.

A smiling gentleman with killer calves!

My thoughts go out to all your loved ones both near and far.

Rest easy now Karl x

 Mariella

 

 

aside 19 Mar

A moment, validation and my go-tos.

I had a moment yesterday…

 

It all went wrong.
And kept going wrong and the balloon of enthusiasm and opportunity that I woke up with was quickly popped, deflated and stamped on.
(Hey, this is my blog and I can be overly dramatic if I want to!)

So I went for a run in the dark and rain (where no one can see your mascara running, your sweat or angry crocodile tears) to take my frustration out on the pavement.

But first, I sent some beacons (also known as text messages) to some people that are (what I now know to call) my go-tos.

And they came without question, without a moment’s hesitation through phone calls, a Facebook message that was so inspirational it made me cry until I heaved (so unsexy) and Skype phone calls that leave you inspired and clucky (darned cute babies with giant eyes and happy smiles).

And if that wasn’t validation enough, then this pearler landed in my inbox:

Rather, I call upon my group of go-tos.

The people that are on the same wavelength. Who get what you’re doing. Who know where you’re coming from, and can finish your thoughts.

I call upon them to remind me that I’m not alone. And to have a laugh. And to feel that connection with someone who makes me feel SEEN. Understood. And fucking sane.

- Ash Ambirge, The Middle Finger Project

They’re my lifeline.

It’s as simple as that.

 

Read the full Ash Ambirge post.

 

 

aside 14 Jan

Hate cannot drive out hate

I work for an LGBT organisation and our core business has nothing to do with advocating or promoting equal rights. Yet, it’s a discussion we have constantly.

Because our audience talks about it.

I can honestly tell you that there’s not one day that the gay press don’t pick up a story about a religious organisation (the domination doesn’t matter) that is spouting hatred on a daily basis. From comments about paedophilia, bestiality to illogical bile and beyond.

So, what’s the point?

The point is to dehumanise people who are gay, lesbian, transgendered or bisexual.

Because if you take the human away from it, it’s easy to hate ‘monsters’.

So it’s no surprise that the LGBT community doesn’t hold religious organisations in high regard. It’s no surprise that people who are religious and are a LGBT struggle not just with their sexuality but also their spirituality.

That’s a lot of struggle.
A lot of hate and war-of-words going on.

Have we had enough of war?

Aren’t we sick of it?

I’m sick of the darkness that surrounds us as human beings.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. – Martin Luther King

It’s one of my all time favourite quotes. While that quote will give us the belief, what I’m hoping for is action.

Every time you see darkness, shine light.

Every time you see hatred, spout love.

Every. Single. Day.

Because quotes will only inspire us but only action will cause change.

I’m ready for a new future.

One with less darkness, more light.

One with less hatred and more love.

Aren’t you?

 

 

aside 17 Nov

Edinburgh – the right amount of buzz and tranquility.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spent my birthday in some dodgy pub with my feet sticking to the carpet. I really can’t tell you, because you would figure out how old I am and how much of a booze hound I am.

Disclaimer: neither are very much.

So in 2011 I made a pact with my loyal travel buddy that we would travel to a city/country of our choice to spend a birthday weekend.

She chose, Scotland. I chose, Denmark.

And like everything in life, Marnie’s birthday kind of creeped up on me. So much so that the best steak of our lives is but a memory, as are the birthday punches and the rejection of my Marilyn-Monroe-Happy-Birthday-Mr-President dance (so WHAT if I was in a towel). Yet her birthday present is still in a heap on the floor of my room and for the love of God, Kindle, get your virtual-gifting-act together.

By how organised Marnie was about Scotland, you wouldn’t have been able to tell that I used to organise events. I had a checklist in my inbox with the local temperature, links of things she wanted to see on which days and even the outfit I was going to wear. The latter is a slight exaggeration but how I wish she had packed my suitcase.

Anyway in true Mariella fashion, I’ve exceeded my word count and I haven’t even finished my introduction. So here’s what you need to know – I loved Edinburgh.

Sure, it’s just another city.
And after three weeks of our travel early this year, where I introduced you to NAFC*, my love of Edinburgh says a lot.

But it had the right amount of buzz with the right amount of tranquility. We had options to thunder up a mountain to see a castle, tour through an underground close (AKA as a street), over-indulge on whisky tastings or go to one of the bespoke cocktail bars that are aplenty.

You’ll be pleased to know, we did all of the above, sometimes twice and sometimes accompanied by cups of tea. It’s hard getting old. (I wouldn’t know, Marnie’s older)

Anyway, enough about Marnie, I have a trip to Denmark to organise…

But first… let me show you what Haggis in a can looks like:



 

*NAFC – Not Another F$*2ing Church.

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  • Persistence is stronger than failure
  • To the smiling gentleman…
  • A moment, validation and my go-tos.
  • Hate cannot drive out hate
  • My first birthday abroad…
  • Edinburgh – the right amount of buzz and tranquility.
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