Sunshine Lady

:: it's great to meet you ::

In the early days of punch card, tabulators and tape drives, I remember my Dad working many hours in what was called ‘The Bureau’ – maintaining mission critical systems that filled rooms and buildings and kept engineers out of sleep and family life for many an hour, day, week and year. "Not for me, I said."

I have chosen several cross country, business roads - including one of cooking and the fascinating world of food and entertainment, handheld meals and Middle Eastern delicacies, seafood platters, passionate pasta, coffee and Italian ice cream. A passion turned into a labour-intensive, customer-centric and mission critical lifestyle, spending more hours in a hot kitchen than my Dad had ever spent in the 'Bureau'.

At 48, I found myself poor, unemployable and rather afraid. Although I had come close back in 1983, I had never completed my B.Sc degree and being hot into the age of technology, it seemed a sound business decision to call UNISA and ask whether I would be accepted as a student with the aim of completing a degree in Information Systems. The question was a frail hope that a negative reply would be forthcoming. Alas, joy and acceptance! Two years later I completed it all – B.Sc Information Technology in Software Engineering. I attended graduation with Ma and Daughter in the audience and walked away with the accolade – a few months after my 50th birthday. That was a strongly spiritual day!

I have obviously forgotten my Dad’s reminder to keep out of the ICT industry! Many souls, angels and fairies have helped me along the way but I believe this is the platform to pay tribute to my Dad: “Thanks Dad – your efforts, commitment and intelligence have been my inspiration. You have left me with a lasting legacy and yen to give the best I can irrespective of life’s season.”