Money answereth all things

It’s the eve of mother’s day, I’m ecstatic because it’s my first anniversary as a blogger. Reason for feeling elated? Not because I have loads of followers, but the fulfillment that I garnered courage to start and have followed through for one year.

It’s a Saturday and I am at a friend’s. While the boys are watching football, I’m basking in the serenity of the highly captivating neighbourhood. From the kitchen where I’m trying to fix myself an afternoon snack, I hear a scream from the living room, it’s a goal, it’s a goal, and it’s a goal! I shake my head thinking; only a few weeks ago he was lonely and very irritated simply because he wasn't financially stable.

Today, he's significantly different and that's what money brings you. With some money in your pocket, you get comfort, friendship, fun, excitement, the liberty of watching a football match on a 50 inch flat screen TV in a cozy environment amidst friends as opposed to watching alone from a Laptop!

So, why then do we humans deny that we are better beings when we have money? In my reflection, I came to the following submissions:

The difference between watching the 2011 Unknown starring Liaam Neeson at the Cinema and a pirated copy on a laptop is what your money can buy. The difference between shopping at House of Fraser or Harvey Nichols and TK Maxx is what your money can buy. The difference between wearing a Thomas Pink shirt and a TM Lewin is what your money can buy. The difference between wearing an Austin Reed shirt and a Hawes and Curtis is what your money can buy. The difference between the cars in that photo and my Kia Cerato is what money can buy. The difference between my time at a four star hotel in central London and a budget hotel also in London, is what money can buy. The difference between the highpoints of my 2006 vacation in Jo’burg and Pretoria is what money can buy. The difference between dinner at Prezzo and KFC is what money can buy.

He gets touchy when he’s broke but is the best and most generous fellow when he’s got money in his pocket. She’s a bitch and unsupportive when her partner is broke but treats him like a king when he picks up the bill, it's really about what money can buy. He doesn’t shave when his broke but when he’s got money in his pocket, he gets a nice hair cut and clean shave and becomes really handsome. She’s totally transformed when she visits the highbrow salon, that’s what money can buy.

We like to deny the fact that we are somewhat happier when we have money in our pockets, can afford the fancy clothes and cars; lunch or dinner in the highbrow restaurants, expensive gifts and vacations, but I think about all these and once again the holy book, the bible, is right in saying that ‘Money answereth all things’.

I also remember the inscription on a stock image which my friend Emma once had on her blackberry profile. It read,

Yes, money can’t buy happiness but it’s more comfortable to cry in a BMW than on a bicycle.

I lol when I read it, but it is so true.

Age is Nothing but a Number… Is it?

My typical evening after work is characterised by a visit to my bedroom by my two nieces. Young as they are, 6 years+ and 23 month old, they are growing into fashionistas. And their visit, certainly not to find out how my day at work panned out but to adorn themselves with my heels and jewellery, dance in front of the mirror and catwalk! You can imagine what state they’d usually leave my room when they finally decide to kiss me good nite!


I used to shout down my older niece but when baby Koko joined the fashion show, I became totally amazed at how well she imitated her older sister and played copy-cat. At that point, I couldn’t help but think, how adorable! So, I decided to just have fun with the girls. Now, they scatter all they want and when it’s time to say good nite, I get them to put things back in the right places and everyone is happy.

Few weeks ago, my 6 year old niece said to me, “Aunty, your shoes are almost my size. Very soon, I will begin to wear the same shoe size as you”. I laughed and said to her, “You must really think I’m your age mate”. As she stood there, in front of the mirror butt-naked wearing only her vest and underwear and my black patent stiletto, I admired the freshness of her skin, its smoothness and the firmness of her thighs and wondered if age really is nothing but a number?

I had only just learnt of the separation of Eva Longoria from Tony Parker that morning, and it brought that question to mind. I am a big fan of Eva Longoria and was almost certain that her marriage to Tony Parker wouldn’t work just as Cameron Diaz relationship with Justin Timberlake failed. My reason, age!

I was very fond of the Justin-Cameron duo and was very pained by their break-up, so I decided not to get too attached to Eva and Tony when they tied the nuptial knot back in July 7, 2007. Eva and Tony chose that date (07/07/07) for luck E-news reports, but I guess luck didn’t take them far as the marriage is ending barely 4 years down the line. In some reports, in Hollywood speak, “Irreconcilable differences” is cited as the reason for the divorce while other news making the rounds is that, Tony had an affair with Erin Barry, wife of his former teammate Brent Barry. They are said to have been sexting; a new slang which connotes racy text with dirty thought.

Be it irreconcilable differences or infidelity, I can’t help thinking that age might be the underlying factor. After all, unfaithful spouses hinge their infidelity on something. My good friend Buksicles disagrees with me but you’d agree that something’s gotta give where your man is 7 years younger. If you have followed Eva and Tony’s story, you might be aware that there were also reports 6 months after they tied the nuptial knots that the marriage was in danger following rumours that Tony had a two-month old affair with a French model by the name of Alexandra Paressant who he met at his wedding to Eva in Paris. Tony however took legal action against X17, the gossip photo agency that broke the story, he received an apology and the case was closed merely tagging it a ‘rumour’. If that allegation was true, I wonder if it had anything to do with the youthfulness of Alexandra Paressant, her age or the firmness of her thighs; hmmm!

The reality here though is - how possible would it be for a woman to submit to a man she is 7 years older than? Who will look up to who? Who will be the head of the house?

Eva had mentioned at an interview that she teaches Tony a lot of things because she came to the world first; that didn’t sound right. On the flip side, criticisms trailed Ashton for buying a house for Demi’s daughter. Critics say it shouldn’t be, since her father, Bruce Willis has a very successful career and can afford to buy his daughter a house. As for Ashton, he was being the man of the house and taking care of his responsibilities. Now, that sounds right.

Demi and Ashton Kutcher are still holding it together but for how long? When Demi begins to grow grey and wrinkled and her body begins to sag, will Ashton be there? When her sex drive diminishes, will she resort to hormonal pills like Samantha did in Sex and the City 2, and will it be good enough for Ashton? If Demi is called an old hag beside her man Ashton, even if he rises to her defence, will she truly be able to stomach it?

A lot of older women these days seemingly find solace with the younger men while some others swear it is an anomaly like homosexuality. To them, God created Adam before Eve, and suffices to say that Adam was older than Eve and by inference the man should be older that the woman. That way certain things like maturity would be a given and certain rancour that lead to easy break-ups would be avoided.