My talk at the Sleekgeek dinner, Johannesburg.

photo by Jenni Murray

Last night I was given the opportunity to address the diners

 at the Johannesburg SG dinner.

It was great to see old friends and meet some new people.

We are all on the same journey and we were there with a common purpose...

Good food, great company and inspiring words from Elan, Meg and Eric.

Not forgetting Natalie Lazarus who ROCKED!

You certainly are NOT broken Nat, and your talk last night proved that.

photo by Meg Otto

For those of you who were unable to make the event last night.

This was my contribution to the evening.

Please excuse the capital letters, but that was how I wrote the speech.

GOOD EVENING.
 IT IS GREAT TO SEE SO LITTLE OF YOU HERE THIS EVENING!

PLEASE SAVE ALL YOU LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE FOR THE END
 AS I ONLY HAVE 10 MINUTES TO SHARE SOME THOUGHTS WITH YOU…

THIS IS A CONSTANT REMINDER ABOUT WHAT I (AND BY EXTENSION YOU) CAN ACHIEVE…

“COME TO THE EDGE HE SAID”

“WE CAN’T MASTER, WE’RE SCARED”

”COME TO THE EDGE” HE SAID

“WE CAN’T MASTER. WE’RE SCARED”.

“COME TO THE EDGE”, HE SAID.

THEY CAME.

HE PUSHED THEM…

THEY FLEW.

FREEDOM IS OUR DESTINY.

YET WE FEAR TAKING THE VERY STEP THAT WILL CARRY US
 INTO THE GREATNESS WHICH IS OUR OWN TRUE NATURE.

IN THE WORDS OF THE JONI MITCHELL SONG:
 “YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT TILL IT’S GONE"

WE ALL LOOK AT OUR BEFORE AND AFTER IMAGES 
WITH A SENSE OF AMAZEMENT AND WONDER...
 “DID I REALLY LOOK LIKE THAT”…

logo created by Jayne Batzofin

 I HAVE TO THANK MY DAUGHTER, JAYNE, 
WITHOUT WHOM NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.
 IT WAS AT HER INSISTENCE THAT WE TEAMED UP 
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND
 ACCEPTED THE SLEEKGEEK CHALLENGE TOGETHER.

TO PARAPHRASE THE WORDS OF COMEDIAN/ACTRESS …CHELSEA HANDLER
" SLEEKGEEKS NEVER BLOWS OUT SOMEONE ELSE’S CANDLE TO MAKE THEIRS SHINE BRIGHTER”

IN A WORLD OF FILLED WITH ANTI-SOCIAL MEDIA, 
THE SG FACEBOOK PAGES ARE THE PORT IN A STORM
 WHEN WE NEED INSPIRATION OR AFFIRMATION…
OR WE JUST WANT TO SHARE A PICTURE OF A MEAL!

THIS ON-LINE COMMUNITY HAS ENABLED ME TO DO SOMETHING THAT I NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE…

TO RUN THROUGH THE STREETS OF JOHANNESBURG,
 WEARING ONLY A SPEEDO.!
YES THERE WERE 3499 OTHER RUNNERS, BUT IT IS SINGULARLY THE MOST LIBERATING ACCOMPLISHMENT I HAVE ACHIEVED TO DATE!

 

TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SITTING HERE TONIGHT
 WHO MIGHT HAVE NOT QUITE ACHIEVED WHAT YOU SET OUT TO DO, 
THIS IS A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT.

 IT IS A WAY OF LIFE NOT A QUICK FIX.

PERSEVERE, PERSEVERE, PERSEVERE AND
 ALLOW THIS NURTURING GROUP TO HELP YOU THROUGH YOUR TOUGH TIMES.

Images by Nicolette Dicks

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME TO SHARE MY STORY…
NOW YOU CAN LAUGH AND APPLAUD!