Writer's Workshop: I Am Merida

 

Photo from Pinterest

5. If you had to choose a Disney princess to live the rest of your life as…which princess would you choose and why?

I choose to be Merida.

So although the writing prompt tells me that I can be a princess for the rest of my life, it is so typical of me to select one that did not want to be one at all. Is this an inner call that I should be someone else? Not really. For me, I identified with Merida's feelings that she did not want to be confined to the moulds of just being a princess. She wanted to be all that and more.

She rather resonated with me when she showed up in Disney's "Brave". She was headstrong, feisty and stubborn. Granted, I am not as wild as her, maybe because I am no longer as young as 16, but I see a lot of myself in her. She also had a tumultuous relationship with her mother, which somehow also kinda described what I had with my mom. We didn't see eye-to-eye but I loved her nonetheless.

And I believed every word when Merida said in the movie ending that "our fate lives within us...you only need to be brave enough to see it". Succinct words.

And although I am not Merida at all, I'd like to think that I have been living her life already... that I have been brave/still being brave as I continue my quest to live an interesting life and continuously choose my fate. I am not just a wife, a mother....I would like to say that I am all that and more. Funny, how a Disney character can enlighten you in such a way!

Merida's my choice. And now, it's your turn. Who's yours?

Writer's Workshop: I Made It!

Instagrammed by jamie250196

2. Something that made you smile this week.

I am rather infamous for my skills in the kitchen. In fact, if there is any volunteering done in a charity bake sale, I am the first one to run away.

Not that I don't like cooking. The fact of the matter is, I'd love to try my hand and be good at it. But the sad truth is that even with my perseverance and enthusiasm, I picked the shortest end of the stick when it comes to food preparation. I know myself only too well.

Just this past weekend, I decided to bake something again. We had a banana overflow and so I thought googling a banana bread recipe was quite a good idea.

To constitute a triumph in the kitchen, I measure my cooking results by 3 very important criteria:

1.) The house is still standing after the event.

2.) No harm came to any of the kitchen equipment.

3.) After the first taste, I get a comment from my child that what I had just done "did not taste particularly delicious, but it was not horrible tasting either."

And I am happy to announce that although it was slightly overcooked, my banana bread passed all three with semi-flying colours.

Success, booyah!!

Writer's Workshop: Perfecting the Art of Being Lazy

iRobot Roomba

2. November 3rd is National Housewife’s Day…how did you celebrate?

Okay, so I didn't really know that November 3 was National Housewife's Day but I had this post gathering dust on my blogging dashboard (pun intended) that it seemed to be a perfect fit when talking about celebrating being a housewife in this Rodriguez family.

You know me, being a housewife equates to being domesticated. And anything that helps me get a little bit domesticated is worth a celebration. Buying the Roomba is certainly not gonna win me any points when I argue that I am trying to learn to be domesticated. But it was really an excellent way to celebrate my housewifey-ness.

The Roomba I am referring to is a robotic vacuum cleaner famously sold by iRobot. I got myself one such cool gadget when it went on sale recently at the local Canadian Tire. Actually I encouraged hubby to queue at the store at opening time and grab a Roomba before they were all gone.

So we got the Roomba and started putting it to good use. It is really quite nifty. It goes around the house, sensing and avoiding stairs, bumping into walls and furniture but able to change direction, memorises room patterns, picking up dirt, hair, anything on the floor. It moves around until it just almost runs out of batteries, then it goes back to its docking station to charge. The higher models even have the ability to schedule when to start cleaning the house. It works best with wooden floors but can also do carpets.

After all the good things mentioned, you'd think that your maid is no longer needed. The only disclaimer that the Roomba has is that even with all its good qualities, it does not absolve the house owner of domestic duties. The Roomba is only there to help me maintain, but in the end, I will still need to give the house a good scrubbing once in a while.

Fast, efficient, and effective - the Roomba is definitely a cleaning equipment after my own heart. Which house gadget do you consider to be the greatest addition to your cleaning arsenal?
 

Writer's Workshop: Ahoy Me Halloween Hearties

5.) Write a post in just 12 lines.

Instagram photo by jamie250196

The preparation for this year's Halloween was certainly more thought-out than last year's. Missy decided to go as a pirate. Personally, I would've wanted to have given birth to a superhero this year. But I think there was a stigma of responsibility and behaving well attached to being a good guy that did not appeal to my young kid, that she decided being bad and carefree was a much better option.



My pirate

But who am I to speak? I, myself, wanted to don a ladybug costume but could not find one that was cheap enough for my liking. Not to mention, being tiny and being an insect at the same time had some serious repercussions it seemed. On a chance occasion, I happened on a vampire costume at Walmart for $20 and so a Morticia Addams I was meant to be. Another baddie at Halloween.

The pirate and the vampiress

Being the baddies that we were, the little pirate and her bodyguard vampire went around fleecing the neighbourhood for candies. We always seem to have great fun at being bad. Which begs the question, would we have as much fun if we had gone as Super Girl and Bumble Bee?

12 Lines. 1 Post. The magic of Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop.

Writer's Workshop: Better than Bitter (Repost)

The post, "What I Know For Sure: Better Than Bitter", first appeared on the blog three years ago on October 5, 2011. I just couldn't resist the temptation. After all, it was such a defining moment. I thought it fitting to repost when I saw that the writer's workshop prompts for this week had:

3.) Write a post inspired by the word: bitter

And so, here it goes...

Gawd! What a startling discovery I made recently when an old colleague contacted me. My reaction to her request can only be described, as Oprah would put it, an “A-ha!” moment for me.

Old colleagues became wary of me after I left the old workplace two years ago, thinking me the disgruntled employee who will avenge whatever. And I suppose, to some extent, I did not blame them for thinking such. Nor did I try and convince them otherwise. I was on the vestige of positivity. People and circumstances had let me down; In fact, I still remember the hurt and frustration each time I think about that time.

So it was quite astonishing to be contacted for some assistance with regards anything about my old job. My colleague wanted to find out if I knew the mechanics of a certain apparatus that I used to have in my old office.
 

I debated whether to assist or not. Somehow, the tempting thought did cross my mind that I could just keep quiet about it. After all, it’s their problem, not mine. After all they’ve put me through, a little inconvenience like this could really make the “bitter” me very happy (evil laugh filtering through the air BWAHAHAHAHA)!
 

But I chose to help. However much I can. Yep! I did just that.
 

In the end, what I know for sure was that….I was better than the embittered person these people painted me out to be. Way, way better.
 

Lately I mostly hear myself saying that I have moved on and I am soooo over my old job. But this time, my heart truly believes it.

I'm sure most of us have had bad work experiences in one way or another. Have you truly gotten over yours yet?
 

Writer's Workshop: the Teacher and the Student

Instagram photo by jamie250196

Writer's Workshop - Prompt #2: Hi, my name is MJ and I am a perpetual life student.

A few years back when I was retrenched, I asked a friend to put in a good word for me at the company she worked for. I was told that although I was educated enough, the company did not need people with degrees like me. Number 1, the company wouldn’t be able to afford me, number 2, the company gets the work done hiring less-qualified people…and on and on and such and such.

 

My friend probably did not mean anything bad by the remarks. I would like to believe that she just wanted to let me down easy and not put too much hope in a situation that would likely amount to nothing. But I felt annoyed that I was made to feel that my education (and the hard work, dedication, not to mention long years, that I’ve put in to attain it) was worthless.

I am proud of what I’ve accomplished in terms of my schooling. And before you turn your nose up and pigeonhole me as an uppity b**** who thinks I’m better than everybody else, please allow me to explain.

After high school, I did not get into university the same way as most kids my age. Financially, my family was not able to afford it. I started working and funded my university studies this way. I was taught via distance learning. Long before, emails and internet subscriptions became popular and online videos and classes were considered learning tools.

At this point, the “real” education began. Let's face it, not all teaching is done at school. More than just the academics that I got from the distance learning, I learnt that life was hard like a rock. Sometimes you have to bang your head into it a couple of times so that your dreams spill out into the open.

After 7 long years (instead of 4) of working by day and self-studying by night, I graduated with a degree. This is why I valued education so much, because it had not been an easy road for me. It’s good and well that you can dream big, but where’s the sweat and blood that go with it? The whole experience taught me self-belief. And I learnt the true and responsible meaning of “follow your dreams”.

Nowadays, life continues to enlighten me on a lot of other things. It has not been mistake-free but I have learnt the following:
- strength and acceptance: Destiny Calling, Fate Beckoning
- clarity and focus: What I Know For Sure: Better Than Bitter
- mistakes and admission: The Prodigal Employee
- lost chance and regret: A Mother...in Retrospect
- time and healing wounds: What I Know For Sure...About My Family
- faith in human nature: On the Other Side of Fear Lies Freedom
- patience and love: Mommy Pressure Moments

After all, this is Life and it is a Teacher. And as long as there continues to be life, I intend to learn.

*As an afterthought: I continue to study academically and am now on my way to complete Canadian CPA status. My career is still on the right track. My family still lovingly tests my patience from time to time. And my friend, sadly, is now just somebody that I used to know.

Writers Workshop: The Has-Beens

After self-diagnosing early this year that I was indeed suffering from chain watching, one of this week's writing prompts definitely had the makings of manna from heaven. I have chosen to do....what else?

3.) List 6 retired TV shows you’d like to see come back

Doing this prompt today certainly cements my status of not being cured from chain watching...or any kind of binge-watching whatsoever. I've even posted about some of the series here on the blog, hoping that it alleviates some of my craving but to no avail. Here's my list of 6 TV has-beens that I'd like to see come back:

1. The X-Files (1993-2002, 9 seasons)

My number 1 pick. I am a huge, huge fan of this cult classic. I always pictured myself as the third wheel along the Scully/Mulder investigations. I chose this because I lie awake sometimes in the dead of the night, wondering who was behind the conspiracy theories that The X-Files made me believe.  Yes, the aliens did it. Or did they?

2. Desperate Housewives (2004-2012, 8 seasons)
I was the other desperate housewife...or at least, I was in my mind. I loved these girls to bits and how funny, exciting and yes, sometimes menacing, they made suburban life appeared. All those crazy antics and all those juicy secrets are definitely just some reasons to bring the old Wisteria Lane neighbourhood back.

3. Fringe (2008-2013, 5 seasons)
The idea of having another me in an alternate universe screamed so loudly that I could not resist adding this show on the list because I just gotta know if there is another me somewhere in the deep, dark unknown. To say that it intrigued me to no end would be an understatement. Although I must admit, it confused me a whole lot too. In which other series can you say, "Where the hell am I?" as each episode starts?

4. Breaking Bad (2008-2013, 5 seasons)
I know, I know. Unless they find some way to bring Walter White back from the dead, (in which case it will no longer be a Breaking Bad episode, and more like a Walking Dead one), this quality series is not coming back at all. It ended well, as it should. But I sure wish I could've been bad a little while longer.

5. House M.D. (2004-2012, 8 seasons)
Well, the list of TV series will not be complete without including a medical drama. I actually loathe specialist dramas because medical jargons really do bore me. House M.D. is no different. A lot of mumbo-jumbo gets thrown about, but a dark, demented, diabolical doctor who elicits a love-hate reaction from fans certainly appeals to my evil side. Good enough for 8 seasons. I am on my last season of this series on Netflix, and although I'm not quite finished, I am already dreading twiddling my thumbs when I'm done.

6.How I Met Your Mother (2005-2013, 9 seasons)
It was really a toss up between this show and Friends. I love both and the general theme of both shows seem to be in the same vein - having good friends and finding true love. With all its laugh, impossible, funny situations, love choices and decisions, the show re-affirms that you don't need to look far and wide for love, and that it is not crazy to wait for your soul mate. It speaks to my romantic side, which is rare, since I consider myself a cynical romantic. But it's simple and feel-good and it's got Canadian roots because of Robin Sparkles, what more can I ask for?

Writer's Workshop: Chatting Up Missy

A Mama Kat inspired writing prompt: #2 - Share a recent text exchange that made you laugh.

I could throw in a few statistics about kids under 13 years old having Facebook accounts. I've been to the countless seminars, I know that percentage is more than the 10 fingers I have on my hands.

 

My kid joins the lesser crowd of not having any social media accounts. Yes, at 10, she's not immune to the pressure; she'd like to have an account of her own. But I am hesitant, insisting rather that she uses one of my old accounts to login and play. Ironically, I created that Facebook account for exactly that purpose...when I was still tending farm sheep and harvesting crops and serving dishes in a previous lifetime.

 

Okay, so let's get back to the story. Kid uses mommy's play-play account and the kid's only friends are immediate family - mommy, daddy and big sis. There's gotta be more to Facebook life than just games, right? Enter messenger. It's a great way to keep in touch even when we're just not in the same room together.

 

Here's a sample banter between my youngest daughter and me recently....



My chat with Missy

I love re-reading our exchanges. She may be the girl with the short answers but she's learning to use emoticons like a pro. And I just realised that she loves them cats too damn much!

Writer's Workshop: Learning Recyclables

3.) Talk about one thing you learned last month.

Typical garbage day

I did not learn this new habit recently, but I do have a deeper understanding of it since becoming a homeowner myself last month. The pressure of learning is certainly on.

As opposed to the one big, gigantic green bin allotted to each property owner that we got accustomed to in South Africa, here in Canada, it’s almost some kind of street celebration when it’s garbage day on your neighbourhood block. The multi-coloured bins line up the street curbs like they were Christmas lights on a pine tree.

The green bins in South Africa were not too choosy and held every kind of waste imaginable. Be it organic, plastic, garbage, recyclable anything, non-recyclable junk, etc., whatever it can carry, as long as the weight is manageable and you can still wheel the bin out to the street, it’s all good.

Shortly after landing here in Canada, we learnt that this bad habit of ours, mixing everything up with no care in the world, was about to go. We were warned that our discarded items would not be collected if we erred on putting the correct garbage in the right bin. And since I do hate unfinished business with a vengeance (and I count uncollected trash as one of them), I decided to brush up on our city’s waste management programs.

Here’s a crash course of what I’ve learnt:

The green bins held the organics, the blue the recycling papers and container items, and the black box was for everything else that were not allowed to be inside the green or blue bins. On occasion, like every 2 weeks or so, there’s a collection for compost which goes into a brown bag. You are only allowed 2 black bags every week unless you can buy tags for additional ones. There are some weeks (very rare) that you can have endless black bags. I have no idea why...yet. You are allowed endless blue bins unless you ran out of blue bins, in which case you’d have to start putting your recyclables in a blue (or white), clear, plastic bag. The green bins here are mini versions of the ones in South Africa. You can throw out appliances and they are either collected or taken by other people. If you are not particular, you can drive around on garbage day. It’s almost like going through a thrift store. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t.

Now that I got that all off my chest, the whole thing felt like a brief rap of information. It overwhelms me at the moment, all these do’s and don’ts, and heaven forbid I eventually put something out that is in the wrong bin, but I am happier to be learning to help the environment in some sort of way.

For the Peel Region’s waste management programs, see here.
 

Writer's Workshop: My Little Cupcake's Cupcakes

2.) Write a blog post inspired by the word: cupcakes

As you all know (well, probably not, but I'll tell you anyway), I am one of the most undomesticated goddess here on earth. Cooking and me don't play well together ever since I can remember. I sometimes fear it could be genetics and that my kids might one day catch this from me.

Thinking somehow I could deviate my kids from this path of being "undomesticated-ness", I decided it would be a good idea to enrol my youngest for baking classes this summer. Nothing too hectic, just a week's worth of icing sugar, egg, flour and milk. See how it goes. She started the class this week and by the end of the fourth day (today), all she can say is that she loves it.

Here are samples of her work:

First attempt

Frozen-themed cupcakes

Animal-themed cupcakes

Cookies

 

The baking classes are held at (the aptly named shop called) Bakersville. They offer kids the chance to be a baker's helper with mixing and stirring and icing. They make 4 cupcakes or cookies a day. The kids do their own designs on their cupcakes.

Bakersville

Secretly, I think my child just loves designing the cupcakes more than the actual baking. Oh but well, I suppose, as long as she's enjoying herself with baking, there's a good chance she might turn out a little differently from me when it comes to kitchen duties.

And so I end this post, munching on a little cupcake that was especially decorated for me. I am grateful but will eternally be wondering why my child designed a hippo at the thought of me.

Writer's Workshop: The Graduate

The graduate



Prompt #4 - Share your top favourite photo you took in June. Give us the back story.

The day has finally arrived....I am no longer a mother of a high-schooler. I graduated and have now become the next level, whatever that is. A mother of a university learner? I'm feeling kinda tired and old just by saying that.

It seems like it's no biggie, but in true honesty, I am feeling blessed and very, very proud. I know, I know....graduating high school is definitely my child's momentous milestone, not mine. But as a parent, you can't begrudge me for equating her achievements as me doing my parental obligation correctly somehow?

I can't help it. In the past, I've had some serious doubts about my motherly skills from time to time, wondering if I'm doing the right thing by her, by them (if you have not followed the blog, I have 2 kids by the way)...

As a mother, am I disciplining them enough? Am I too lenient? Too harsh? Too crazy? Am I setting a good example? (No?) Are they learning what they should? (Probably?) Am I the right guide? And on and on and on. I'm not the perfect mom, but this graduation is certainly a nod in the right direction that I'm doing some things right, at least.

I do not wish to take away anything from her hard work and dedication. Today is a celebration of her success. This accomplishment is all hers. She did it all and she did her best. For me, it is just a proud mama moment of my child, the graduate.

This is my photo share for Mama Kat's today. I personally love the photo because...well, it's exactly like what I said above. And that which rarely happens, getting a gazillion likes for it did not hurt either.

Writer's Workshop: The Fabulous Five

Prompt #5 - Talk about a club from your childhood you belonged to (or wanted to belong to)

To say that my childhood was uneventful is truly an understatement. I actually feel like I've suffered amnesia somewhere along the line because I can't recall much about my life as a kid. Or maybe it's just old age. After all, this is some 25 years ago we're talking about and the memory, she certainly ain't all there anymore.

It's really a wonder that I even remember any of this.

When I was around 9, 10, 11 maybe, I was part of a secret club in elementary school. We called ourselves The Fabulous Five because there were 5 of us in the group - Sam, Burns, Joyce, Char and me. We came together because we were adventurers and explorers (much like what Dora is now).

The 5 of us would meet everyday before our afternoon classes started. We'd regularly go around the school "investigating". Sometimes we'd sit by the stairs and talk and mull things over. Other times we'd draw characters and make imaginary stories of our adventures and staple the sheets of paper together to make booklets. We'd swap these self-made comic books with each other. (This is probably when I started loving telling stories. Blogging kindergarten :-)). I don't recollect much about the stories or what we investigated, but I remember being happy and looking forward to being with my circle of friends all the time.

After that, high school happened. I lost touch with them. It's kinda sad because we were all still in the same school, just different paths, I guess.

It's really a long time ago. These days I often reminisce these scenes in my head of our secret club meetings and the sense of belonging just engulfs me...I wonder where my fellow adventurers are now?
 

The Fabulous Five according to me

 

This is the first time in years that I've picked up a pen and drew my comic characters again. This post is in honour and memory of the members of The Fabulous Five, or however much I can remember of the club. It was not even a real school club per se...but it was real enough for the child in me.

Writer's Workshop: The Man In The Kitchen

One of the best things my husband does for the family is feed us. Hands down, no contest, and I do admit defeat here.

I know that I joke about it all the time, me being undomesticated. I've told stories about how I used to serve my hubby fried pork chops when he was courting me. I poke fun that with me in the kitchen, recipes mean nothing even if they stare me in the eyes. My cooking skills are really out of this world, actually, more like not here nor there nor anywhere on this Earth at all.

But to refocus on the subject, I'd just like to say that my hubby really does thrive in his simple labour of love. He's a great cook to boot. And I'm truly grateful for it.

So for this coming Father's Day, here's to the man behind the apron, who feeds us and feeds us well.

This Father's Day inspired post joins Mama Kat's Writers Workshop today.

Writer's Workshop: The Medea Experience

Public speaking? These days I avoid it like the plague. The most public speaking engagement I do is when I post my status on Facebook  to tell my circle of friends what I'm up to. And because it's mostly one-liners, I'm not sure that even counts.

I was subjected to public speaking most during my formative years. I don't remember much about my elementary school days, but there is definitely one experience that comes to mind when I think of "speaking" and "the public".

I remembered when I was in high school, I was chosen to represent my class in a declamation contest. I was a loud child, and our teacher probably thought it suitable to put my voice to good use.

Initially I was excited. I found a declamation piece, learnt all the lines and gave a passable version of it in class. I've narrated in front of the class many times before (when I was in grade school and couldn't care less if my classmates understood me or not), and this declamation thing was really not much different.

D-day finally came and I was really chuffed; I was a contestant at a declamation contest! I knew I had all the lines etched in my brains. And no amount of shaking was gonna make me forget them. Nothing should go wrong now. Of course, the minute I thought those words, Murphy's Law kicked in and I started feeling all nervous and sweaty. 

You see, I realised after watching a couple of the other contestants do their pieces, that it was not just a memorizing blitz of words, this declamation thing. On top of knowing what to say, you had to deliver the whole act convincingly. Now how do I act like I'm not declaiming when I am, in fact, declaiming?

And it was my turn. This is it! I swallowed a big gulp of saliva as I walked to the front, thinking "I just gotta make sure I don't faint".

I started the brain dump with my singsong voice as clear as day. I chose to do "Medea", which was a story about a mad woman who killed someone because she loved him. As I was nearing the end of my piece, my palms started sweating profusely, my eyes watered, and I started shaking (probably from the anxiety). I even gave off a nervous laugh at the very end.

And then, that was that. Results came in and the winner was...me?. Go figure.

The judges thought that my tense demeanor was all part of the act of being bonkers.

I don't remember any of the words to that declamation piece anymore. Not a single one. I just knew I was quite mad and that my name was Medea.

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After a long period of absence, I'm breaking my rut and joining Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop today for prompt #3 - Public Speaking.

Writer's Workshop: Finally, Fame!

For Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop prompt #1: Your 15 minutes of fame

The following video is dark and gloomy but hopefully this will not deter your interest to find out what is playing on the other side of it. We really wanted fame (and maybe some fortune) but decided, when the cameras started rolling, that we were just too shy to show our faces. Sorry.

I am sharing the limelight (or lack of it anyway) with my daughter, who has never had any keyboard training in her life. She is a self-taught Youtube student so please judge not too harshly. Also, 15 minutes I felt was way too long and just over 3 minutes and a half between the two of us is better :-) Don't wanna bore you guys to death.

Our claim to fame is a cover of One Republic and Sara Bareilles "Come Home". Enjoy!

Girls Talk - Ain't Doing That!

This week, we touch on the subject of what we are all willing to do for love. Almost every answer would return an "Anything" or "Everything". And that would be it. I suppose it would be a very short post if I told you I would say the same thing.

So I would say the more pertinent question would be what am I not willing to do for love? Here's my tiny 5 of what my hubby probably wished he knew before loving a dynamite like me:

5. Ain't gonna learn to eat funny stuff for you - Nosiree! Sorry but that's definitely out of my list of things to impress. I care about the wellbeing of my stomach too much to just put anything in my mouth. You want a girl who'll eat anything for you, you can probably find her on Survivors or Fear Factor.

You Know You're A Rookie Mom When You....

....still get fascinated by baby albums!

Aaah, this happened many, many moons ago, probably around 14 years.

As a first time mom to my then-newborn, I was really excited to have bought my very first baby album for her. I had so many dreams of having fun times with her, fulfilling her milestones and capturing the moment, recording her first this and first that. So it went on and on...

My Kids Learn About....Cabbage Breasts?!

This bubbled speech conversation that really happened sometime last week was brought to you by Mama Kat's Writers' Workshop prompt #3: Describe the last thing that made you laugh really hard.

A Flame-Grilled Poem

Today at lunch time, you and I met again,

I called for you and I am really glad that you came,

You're brought in and instantly you demand my attention,

I truly simply can't describe this most fatal attraction!

"Money please," I am told, and I become fully aware

That our feelings were never mutual but I don't really care.

The excitement and anticipation just builds up inside

And I succumb to the hunger that I can no longer fight.

I lay you out in your yellow coat and this just drives me mad.

For me, you will always be the best I've ever had.

The pieces that you show make me want for more.

I really must confess that you rock me to the core!

You give me all these choices of how I want you to be,

I want you mild, as always....today, no hot charms for me.

I really wish you and I could always be together

But I know that this moment can never last forever.

We are finally done and I await our next meet

And hope that such gathering will be ever as sweet.

So you see, Mr Nando's, you are my only vice...

I am especially keen on your strips and spicy rice!

P.S. Nando's is a South African fast food franchise, supposedly of Portuguese/Mozambican descent. They specialise in chicken dishes with lemon and herb, mild (medium), hot and extra hot peri-peri marinades. If you happen to know what Nando's is, kudus to you! You are living in one of the luckiest 30 countries over 5 continents in the world. (This according to Wikipedia.)

Disclaimer: Nando's did not pay me to play poet to their strips and spicy rice. In fact, all I had from Nando's was what I had for lunch. And I paid R35.95 (roughly $5-6) for it. But it doesn't mean I'm not gonna let them know about it. I wanna be MADE! LOL! As the chick who has flame-grilled chickens on her mind.

Today I am a poet for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop prompt #2: Write a love poem to a favourite food.

Happy eating!