Black & White Weekends - Boats on the River

River Boats

Black & White Weekend: On top

The Roof

Rue's Friday Fragments #7

Hi I'm Rue, the artist and voice behind Passion in the Moments / E:thos Photographic. As you may have gathered in looking around the blog,  I think a lot and share those thoughts with all and sundry (that is anyone who will listen!). This weekly posting is essentially an opportunity to share tid-bits, rants and observations that I have made in the course of the week that are not really worth writing a whole article about but are interesting nevertheless. These coupled with that odd picture I have taken that doesn't really fit in anywhere, news about what's going on @ E:thos and a review of something interesting, put together in one post makes up what I call Rue's Friday Fragments. There is humour, righteous indignation, sad truths and a little of me, so something for everyone...enjoy!

The 30 things to do before 30 list has got of to a good start with two tasks completed since the initial posting last week. Click here to see the full list, here for the London Tour and here for the beauty treatment pain!!! and you will be able to see how I got on! 

If you would like your goods or services featured here please get in touch with us at ethosphotographic@gmail.com

10. Picture of the week

On the bread line...

9. Tourist trampled to death by elephant

This is a sad yet bizarre story... A man named Don Hornsby was killed by 'an enraged elephant' when he was on holiday in Zimbabwe and trying to take a picture of the elephant. Why was the elephant enraged? Because the elephant is upset at all the poaching that has been taking place in the neighbourhood lately!?!?! Or so was reported by the New Zimbabwe Newspaper. The paper said that the elephant was traumatised! Really???? I thought. So I read on... Apparently Hornsby's attempts at snapping the animal enraged it and it charged him while he was fishing next to a river. I just don't know about this report but my heart and prayers go out to the family of this poor man.


8. Child labour in The united Kingdom

Seven Romanian children between the ages of 9 and 16 have been found working on a farm in the Malvern Hills District, Worcestershire, England without adequate clothing for warm the BBC reported on Sunday. (Child labour in the first world! Yes you read correctly, do not adjust your monitors). The children, some with their parents were among a group of 50 Romanians that were found on the farm without a license to work in the UK it was reported. The children have been taken into police custody and handed over to social services who are trying to discover the children's identities. It is truly ironic that these children were found working in the UK which has such robust law to protect children that it denies parents their responsibility of disciplining their children and raising them the way they see fit. Even teachers have little authority in their classrooms over pupils yet here in the midst of all this legislation we find child labourers! The mind boggles...


7. The E:thos I-Pad review

The official spiel: 'The iPad is Apple's first tablet computing device and builds upon the success of its iOS platform for iPhone and iPod Touch. Essentially the iPad could be perceived as a large version of the iPod Touch, but bridging the gap between small devices and laptops. The iPad is the portable, lightweight, convenient computing and entertainment device.' 
I got an I-pad about a month ago now and I have got to say that it does everything it says on the tin, its fantastic! This is my first experience of Apple products so a plea sent surprise how flexible it is and the amazing way it shows my images in its gallery application, I am in awe! The best feature for me is the gallery / image display application most definitely! I also love how I can write notes in the note pad and then email them to myself even if I am offline and as soon as I have signal the email goes through! the downside is that everything has to go through I-tunes which really is a bore are you have to be online to add anything to you I-pad and as I have the wireless version instead of 3G, occasionally the simple cut and past of windows is sorely missed. Aside from that it is fantastic, I love it and can see more apple products in my future....So overall I would recommend it, totally!  

6. Keeping hope alive for single women everywhere

This picture is worth a million words!!!

Being a single woman fast approaching 30 myself, this story brings such hope for the future! These first time brides (my twist) are blushing and indeed in style wearing the dresses they bought in their 30's no less in preparation for this their big day! They are excited and reading for that moment they have been waiting for since they were little girls!  So single ladies take heart! It may take a week or a month or forty or fifty years, but if you hold onto your dream, your prince will come!


5. Goodbyes
I was watching Ugly Betty this week and she said something profound which I actually took away from the episode and have applied to my life (yes I have learnt something from junk TV people!) She said (and I paraphrase a little)

Not so Ugly Betty in my book!

"Goodbyes are painful and seem to happen more often than we would like... though we will never forget what we have lost we owe it to ourselves to keep moving forward. What we cant do is live our lives afraid of the next goodbye because chances are, their not going to stop... The trick is to recognise when a goodbye is a good thing...when its a chance to start again..." Wise words.


4. A third sex?

Seriously I saw this symbol this week online. Cant remember where to be honest but I recall pausing, looking at it and wondering what on earth it was?????? I get that people have all sorts of sexual orientation these days but the last time I heart there were still only two basic sexes. Has that changed? Is there really a 'shemale' out there now standing as the third sex?


3. Slovenia elects Peter Bossman as first black mayor
An interesting story out of Eastern EuA Ghana born doctor has been elected the first black mayor in Slovenia and he is thought to be the first in old Yugoslavia as well. Mr Bossman says that he faced no discrimination during the political race and he is delighted to have been elected. [Full story here].


2. Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman sing to Dubai Fountain

 Uncle John and Me :)

Uncle John sent me an email this week on Thursday with this spectacular video presentation of that timeless song ' Time to say goodbye' sang by Andrea Bocelli love him!) and Sarah Brightman sung to the movement of the Dubai Mountain. It is just breathtaking and I couldn't think of a better way to end the week than by sharing this with you...To watch it, click on the web link below the picture of the Dubai Fountain...Enjoy!

http://www.wimp.com/dubaifountain/

1. Music Video of the Week
Song: Bab Yetu compossed by Christopher Tin (Choir unknown to me)
The song for this week is a beautiful rendition of 'The Lord's Prayer' in Swahili called Baba Yetu (which means our Father). I was so taken by the Dubai fountain that it is in our video of the week as well, only this time to the song Bab Yetu (translation below) 

Click here for the link

Baba Yetu Lyrics

CHORUS
Baba yetu, yetu uliye
Mbinguni yetu, yetu, amina!
Baba yetu, yetu, uliye
Jina lako litukuzwe.
(x2)

Utupe leo chakula chetu
Tunachohitaji utusamehe
Makosa yetu, hey!
Kama nasi tunavyowasamehe
Waliotukosea usitutie
Katika majaribu, lakini
Utuokoe, na yule, milelea milele!

CHORUS

Ufalme wako ufike utakalo
Lifanyike duniani kama mbinguni. (Amina)

CHORUS

Utupe leo chakula chetu
Tunachohitaji utusamehe
Makosa yetu, hey!
Kama nasi tunavyowasamehe
Waliotukosea usitutie
Katika majaribu, lakini
Utuokoe, na yule, simovu mwehu (?)

Baba yetu, yetu, uliye
Jina lako litukuzwe.
(x2)

Rough Translation

CHORUS
Our Father, Jesus, who art
in Heaven. Amen!
Our Father, Jesus
Hallowed be thy name.
(x2)

Give us this day our daily bread,
Forgive us of
our trespasses
As we forgive others
Who tresspass against us
Lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from Evil, and you are forever and ever!

CHORUS

Your kingdom come, your will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven. (Amen)

CHORUS

Give us this day our daily bread,
Forgive us of
our trespasses
As we forgive others
Who tresspass against us
Lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from Evil, and you wake the dead (?)

Our Father, Jesus who art...
Hallowed be thy name.
(x2)

Have a great weekend folks! 

Try a beauty treatment I have not had before # 7 - 30 things to do before 30

Eyebrow threading...ouch! 

'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...' I have heard this quoted and quoted it myself on so many occasions but it was not until I started to consider what to write about this challenge that I seriously pondered the depth and power of meaning these simple eight words have. It means that beauty is defined in a very subjective way be the individual that is determining it. Or consider it this way; that the person looking at another person or object decides if it/they are beautiful based on what the former person believes to be beautiful. So one may look upon a subject and judge it beautiful whilst another person can come along and look at the same subject, in the same conditions at the same time and judge it unattractive to their eye. 

At this point your'e probably thinking; 'Rue! what has a philosophical lesson on a phrase got to do with eyebrow threading!?!' Well to understand that phrase is to unlock the secret behind beauty treatments and how that industry makes loads of cash off beautiful women who barely need much enhancement! (To which most of my girlfriends will start to throw stones at me screaming, 'its OK for you to say that, you have flawless skin!!!) Seriously though, I believe that the best kind of beauty is as natural as possible...Why? Because there is something unique, fresh and lovely about a woman, not just in her natural state, but feeling amazingly beautiful that way.

Me!

I get asked often how I became so body confident particularly as I am somewhat curvaceous ( Lol) and not a 'conventional beauty' by 'the fashion world standards'. Well the answer to that is two fold. Firstly how I define beauty gives me confidence in who I am and what I got. Beauty to me; is a combination of physical appearance, intellect, charm, wit and sense of charity to your fellow man...essentially a holistic picture of a person as in opposed to just what they look like. Because I judge myself as being well balanced all round, I am confident in who I am as a person and think I am an attractive person as a result. The key I have found is that if you don't find yourself attractive, no one else will either! If you honestly believe you are beautiful, attractive or sexy, other people will see and feel that energy and will in turn view you that way, or at the very least they will acknowledge your confidence and sense of being comfortable in your own skin...now I cant think of anything more attractive than one who loves being themselves! In a nutshell, 'beauty is not and is never skin deep...and without any depth, one can never be a true beauty'. So where does my confidence comes from...within (and well there is the flawless skin...smile...you get the picture).

The process in action

It must be said at this point that even the most natural of beauties (inwardly and outwardly at that) need a little help to present their physical beauty before the world's scrutiny. So in the spirit of  going through the basic maintenance routines all women have to endure, I thought I would try a new method of torture..err I mean beauty treatment that I have always shied away from (as I am positively allergic to pain!) eyebrow threading....(still feel the pain just by looking at the pics! Ouch!!!). So I am a big believer in your face being a picture and your hair and eyebrows being the frame. Have you ever looked at a beautiful picture in an ugly frame? Or a beautiful house that is dirty, has muddy paws on the porch and has not been painted since the turn of the century before last? Well that's how I see myself when I have not had my eyebrows done especially and my hair looks 'off key'. So I have my eyebrows waxed about every three weeks which keeps them in shape. Now wax is painful but I do it because its a strip and most of the hair comes of at once which I feel is less brutal than threading where she literally is pulling out your eyebrow hair from the root one at at time (or so it felt like) which I feel is 6 million times more pain for the same result! In any event, I went along, had it done, shed tears but I absolutely loved the result! 

Right eyebrow done, Left to go...

So is beauty really in the eye of the beholder? Most certainly; the real question is who is the beholder? For me; I play that role and will lend it to a current 'love interest' or friend / family member when seeking their opinion or approval (though occasionally this is volunteered when unsolicited!). I honestly believe that as women, we are our harshest critics! Why? Because we are sort of stuck with ourselves whereas you know (or should know) your man is with you because he likes what you got / who you are (and if he doesn't and keeps trying to get you to change or putting you down you need to give him his P45 and send him packing!) So in the spirit of seeking out what the beholder deems beautiful; I asked a group of girlfriends of varying races, shades, height, weight etc. the same question as follows:

" Hey, I am writing an article for my blog about body confidence and beauty and was wondering; what do you love and hate about your body and what is the one beauty treatment you cant live without carry out?"

Below are some of the answers i got back:

"my smile; hate is too strong for me majorly dislike my fingers nails in particlar never quite seem to grom them like normal peeps; treatment-wise, i don't do much really but i would say i am religious bout the wash/tone/moisturise routine in the morning" Lady F


"Love my girls, hate my legs although funny enuf I cannot go without a pedicure!!! Well and a hairdo but definately the Pedi!! Waxing in certain places is for the greater good of the public so as necessary...!" Lady D


"Love my boobs...hate my stomach...Love a good massage...cleanses, tones n relaxes!!!!" Lady N


"Love my G-cups and my legs! they make me feel sexy....hate my belly and thighs! (everything i eat goes there!!!) Can't go without my eyebrows shaped and hair done, def musts like clock work!" Lady J.D


"I love my size but I hate how hairy I am.The beauty treatment i couldnt live without is cleanser I can always see and feel the difference when I havent used it." Lady D


"I love my eyebrows, but wish they were more hairy!" Lady B


"Right now I have a "muffin" tummy and I'm hating it, I'm so saving for a nip tuck other wise I'm content with my body. I love my legs, my D cups and of course my smile. I'm always with my hypo allegenic lip gloss from Mac, tube size perfume-Escada for jst incase and facial wipes in the summer.' Lady T


"I love my hair treatments - a good conditioning and oil treatment is always necessary..." Lady P


"hmmm...I hate my stomach...I love my lips and my butt....and for me I am not that used to beauty treatment...but anyway I like hair styling but I can live without it..." Lady A


"I love my booty,legs and calves, breasts, lips and eyes. Hate my belly just too big, but I know how to disguise it! I could not be without my make up case and MAC, Body Shop and Mary Kay cosmetics. I know how to work my look. Love make-up and applying it. But the can't live without product would be Ghanian Shea butter. When I go abroad, I go without makeup and just use that stuff makes my skin soooft and smooth and sun kissed! Buuuut! My new beauty treatment to myself is going to be the gym! Yes, being healthy is becoming important to me. There's no point in 'looking good' if the inside of you actually is'nt.!"  Lady B 


" I Love everything actually...I do love my lips and my shape...HOURGLASS! and my eyes I guess one thing I dont like is my flat backside but I have learned to live with it and work with what I aint gott...With regards to treatment im not a treatment person I do get my nails done on a regular basis" Lady M


"Hate my boobs as they are non existant lol! Love my overall siloutte as it has all the curves in the right places. Couldn't live without my makeup or exfoliator" Lady C


"love my curves dnt like my dress size but going to gym to sort that out so watch this space lol! i love body wraps and exfoliation treatments :)))" Lady H


A big thank you to my ladies for responding to such a perosnal question so quickly and honestly! And to SK from Coconut and Cream and Yemi, the resident poetess at the Potter's House for taking the various pictures of me on this post! Love you all Xxx

To see the full list of 30 things to do before 30, Click here