BHH Recap

And so it was, BHH I mean and it rocked. I was the first one there as I usually am only because I work so close to Mateos and finish work at 4 so I am basically idle till 6. I wasn't there long and who comes along but the blushing bride-to-be Be Silent herself. We talked about Tandra's latest post which reads like a Hollywood rom-com with none of the rom or com just the tears. We weren't there long when Carlo came with Pesh who despite not having a blog reads them religiously. Ivan was next, fresh from his gig on the radio (Vision Voice 94.8 they had better pay me for this) discussing which one in the couple should declare their wealth to the other, the man or the woman. Does this mean they are not allowed to talk about same sex couples?

Rachel was next and she was shortly followed by Mr. Back to Basics himself, Edmund with Tandra. Kissyfur came soon after and we had a newbie, Lucy decided to deign us with her presence. We introduced Pesh to her as Keitetsi and it was not pretty. Did I forget to mention Peter had been there for ages by this time? Flora came last but not too late and she invited someone along. Brian knows his series so he was fun. The whole night in general was a good one. We didn't get into the whole 'I am not my tribe' debate as we thought we would but we did get to see Ivan show off his Zune and Peter show off his Iphone. (But also boys!) The nomination sheets were handed out and the list will be out later on today. The night was soon over and we were all out of there by 9.30pm.

P.S There was no Guinness!

Blogger's Happy Hour

It is January so it is time for yet another BHH go here for details and an update on the 2007 Uganda Best of Blog Awards.

Night Rider

It is 2.00am and I am in my living room having just been dropped home from work. It is always so beautiful driving (or being driven) around Kampala at night and I thought I would share what that is like for me with you guys. Bear with me for I am an amateur, here I present Night Rider: A home made movie by me.If some images a are blurry and there is a bit of bumping, please, chalk it up to the moving car. I hope you enjoy.




If it is a bit bumpy or blurry in some places, please chalk it up to the moving car and not to my inexperience.

Later loverlies.

Only a few questions.

Despite there being no fuel in town, there was a massive traffic jam on my way to work today. This is so not good, the no fuel I mean. I was speaking to someone earlier today who called to my attention the fact that we are not the only ones suffering from the border closing. I had forgotten that Rwanda, Burundi, Congo and Sudan all benefit from neighbouring Kenya. If this carries on much longer, everything will eventually be priced much higher to factor in the price of fuel.
While we are on the subject of Kenya, what I want to ask, what gets me so incensed, is the machetes. Must it be machetes? I wonder about the human condition when one man can hack another to death and watch him die as he does this. We have an incredible capacity for evil as humans, we do. To burn up a church with women and children in it simply because they are not the same tribe as you is ludicrous and I cannot believe it is happening. Is there anything I can do, we can do to stop the madness? I also wonder about a man who starts out with a pledge to help his people but goes on to let this evil fester right under his nose knowing it is all his own fault. Does Kibaki not care? I know they say that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely but how can he not care at all? How long will he not care? Now, I am not very political at all but it sucks to see what is happening and to have it happen only next door. Please don't let this turn into another genocide. Kenya, you are all very much in my prayers.


Year in Review

All in all, I have had a pretty interesting year.

I got my heart broken and met the love of my life.

I got a job, lost it, got another one and got a promotion.

I moved house and really love the one I'm in now.

I pierced my tongue and let the second piercings in my ear seal up.

I got green eyes which I assure you I love. (see banner)

I cried, laughed, sighed, danced, loved and lived.


The one still to come.

For the new year I resolve to

Blog more often (yeah right)

Care more practically (i.e. give alms and volunteer for good causes)

And the biggie, launch the Read-A-Book Literacy programme. (I want to promote the reading culture in primary school going children and I need all of you guys help to make this happen. You can start by giving me all your old children's books and promising to volunteer to read to the kids when I need you to.)

Wish me luck.

And another one.

I can't believe we are in another year. I remember the New Year's Eve of 2007 so vividly as if it were yesterday. Actually, a little better than yesterday considering it was way more fun. This is what I did for New Year's Eve yesterday. I watched Rent with my sisters. What did you do?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Can't be bothered to think of one.

I have been seeing this on may way to and from work everyday and I don't think I have ever seen a lazier attempt at decorating.

The taxi was moving so not the best shot but those light look like they were simply flung at the tree. Really? (You probably can't see the trees but that's what the lights are hanging on.)

Secret Santa

We had our own Secret Santa a bit late in the season but I got myself a pretty toilet bag. (Seen Here)

Also I had a camera for a while there which explains the above post.

Awesome Presents.

I have always wanted an excuse to take a picture of my eyes (as if Tumwi) and I finally got one. I am so feeling these right now. I got these for Christmas from my lover and it the most awesome present ever. Don't you agree?

Christmas at Work.

Yes, I am at work. Can you believe it? I had to wake up at the crack of dawn to come here and now I am sleepy as all fuck. I don't usually do mornings but I should be having dinner with the part of my family that is still stuck in Kampala with me.

It is strange how this feels like any other ordinary day, the people's complaints are the same, everyone here looks pretty much the same and nothing is happening. Oh, to be a kid again.

Will post later after the day is done and let you know how it has gone.

OMG! WTF!

I ran into some guy I used to go to school with and he looked me over and said "Congratulations" and I asked him what they were for at which point he reached out and touched my tummy.
I told you I had a pot belly but even I didn't think I looked pregnant.

Smorgasbord

Of (oh so ) Dry Men.

So last night I go out after forever and I remember why I stopped. There was a kasiki for one of my workmates at Pa Lui and I had to walk out every now and then to breathe. Anyway, the interesting bit happened when I was on my way home.

A bunch of us left the club and this guy asks where I live and it turns out we are neighbours so I take the ride he offers. We get to the exit and he meets two of his friends whom he decides to first drop in Wandegeya. This is cool up to the point we stop in Wandegeya and these guys in a white car park right next to us and the driver jumps out brandishing a gun, I think it was an AK47. Instead of the expected flash of life, I imagined being found shot to pieces in this guy's car whom I don't even particularly like and getting my pretty white vest all soiled with blood. Turns out, these guys followed us from Ntinda and tried to stop us (they didn't try hard, none of us noticed them) because this guy didn't have a number plate. He had a receipt for one though and it was all sorted. We eventually get on our way home and he parks outside my gate and tries to kiss me. I tell him I have a boyfriend and he asks me what that has got to do with anything. Now, this boy is starting to infuriate me and I want to make it clear to him that I don't cheat on my boyfriend, not because of how he would feel about it, although I am not saying this doesn't matter, but because I need to be able to live with myself. Oba, where has he been living? He assures me how in Uganda, women don't know what they want and therefore I can't know I don't want him until he convinces me that I do. WTF?! (This dude does not know my pedigree) I summarily tell him that even if I didn't have a boyfriend he still wouldn't even be close to the type of guy I would be with. I have never been so disgusted in my life, I got out of that car and into my house. I have been thinking, is this how all you guys feel? Do you think women don't have brains or that we don't enjoy sex and can therefore not be picky? Please tell me.

Padded Panties

My mom told me last night that there is a shop that sells padded underwear for women. I found that unbelievable and I can't wait to see them, apparently they are called bum panties. Aparrently they are all the rage and she keeps getting phone calls to give directions to where the shop is. If you feel you could use one, please let me know in the comments and I will direct you.

A Fine Balance

I just finished reading this book and right now all I can say is it is the saddest book I have ever read and what's worse it could all actually have happened.


See y'all on the flip side.

Pot Belly

I have put on a little weight, now I am not saying I am fat or anything but when I put my hand up to flag down a taxi, there is jiggling going on under my arm. I, however, am not complaining. After all,

"...even though I got
fat thighs, flabby arms
a pot belly, still give
good loving..."

I don't know if it is because of this weight gain (almost all of the weight is on my ass, arms and former abs, I really do have a kind of a potbelly) or because of all the pregnant people I have been meeting lately (almost all my friends are pregnant or already have babies) that I had a very vivid dream last night in which I was pregnant. Very pregnant. I actually felt my stomach was stretched to the limit and the strange thing is (strange thing? What am I saying? All my dreams are strange) a moment before I was pregnant, I was not. I was walking around the mall, minding my own business when suddenly I look at myself and I am in this very nice dress with a humongous tummy. I was so stocked with how I looked I was walking up to strangers and getting them to feel the baby kick. So weird.

*The lyrics are from a Freshly Ground song I am really loving right now.

BHH

WHO SHOWED UP.


Carlo and I were the first there, as usual. (It is as if we have no lives!)

Ivan was not far off (which I found strange seeing as he had an exam that only started 2 hours before he showed up.)

We moved tables because, even as pretty as Carlo and I both are (and we are) the idiot waiter had not served us for 45 minutes. We finally got drinks (which I am chalking up to Ivan's arrival, the waiter obviously thought him cuter than us. Must be those dainty little fingers.)

Rev then walked in brandishing the book I lent him like a weapon.

We seriously considered getting him thrown out seeing as he doesn't exactly blog anymore. (What am I saying, exactly? He doesn't blog at all.)

Ed was next looking a bit dressed down compared to his last appearance and this was quickly explained. He is on leave. (Oh, to be on leave.)

Glenna and David were next and it was becoming quite the crowd. Glenna still had some work to do to beat a deadline and so she left David at the mercy of Rev who briefly accused him of being a spy for the CIA at which point we agreed that the only information David would give the CIA is the growth status of Rev's dreadlocks. (Quick Aside: These guys are together and have known each other since they were 10 years old, how cool is that?)

Rachel was next with Hellen in tow. It was good to see Hellen although I did accuse her of not RSVPing my Facebook invite and it's always nice to see Rachel, well..., because she is Rachel and I still have a huge cyber-crush on her. And she brought books, bless her.

My lover finally made an appearance. Albeit a short one, it was a nice one. He got time to float the idea of a literary magazine and open his birthday present.

Flora was next and she looked nice. We got to talking about lingerie and where one can purchase said lingerie. (Where can one purchase quality lingerie?)

Peter showed up last and took out his laptop and proceeded to be anti-social by actually watching Family Guy.

All in all, I think it went pretty well. December is up to another one of you. I sent out invites, put up a kalango and did The Kampalan. I pass the baton on.

BHH

This thursday, same place, same time.

Here By Me by 3 Doors Down

So I am at work and completely bored out of mind. You wouldn't think that is possible, what with having to be a motor mouth to do this but I finish a call and I can't remember what I have just been saying. So what do I do to aleviate this, search for lyrics of songs that I like and post them here. Sorry guys, false alarm post.

"Here By Me"

I hope you’re doing fine out there without me
‘Cause I’m not doing so good without you
The things I thought you’d never know about me
Were the things I guess you always understood

So how could I have been so blind for all these years?
Guess I only see the truth through all this fear,
And living without you…

And everything I have in this world
And all that I’ll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me.

I can’t take another day without you
‘Cause baby, I could never make it on my own
I’ve been waiting so long, just to hold you
And to be back in your arms where I belong

Sorry I can’t always find the words to say
But everything I’ve ever known gets swept away
Inside of your love…

And everything I have in this world
And all that I’ll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me.

As the days grow long I see
That time is standing still for me
When you’re not here

Sorry I can’t always find the words to say
Everything I’ve ever known gets swept away
Inside of your love

And everything I have in this world
And all that I’ll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me.

And everything I have in this world
And all that I’ll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me.

Some think this is the best song ever, give it a listen sometime.

I'm out of here.

Love, as I see it.

If any of you read my blog at all last year, you know I was head over heels in love for the first time and you also know how devastated I was when it ended. Those of you who know me personally, you know how broken up I was about this and I want to say something about that; I don’t think I really knew what love was then. Sure I saw myself married to this man and “our” house and kids, I saw everything and I think that was our problem. I was so caught up in tomorrow that today was just in my way and I believe it was the same for ‘Sir, whom I loved’ to borrow a phrase. Our relationship never existed in the here and now but always in an ideal we both had of this perfect life we were going to have. You will remember, Iwaya especially, me saying I would be broken if this ended and indeed I was but the point I am trying to make here is that if this hadn’t happened, there is no way, in a million years, I would be as happy as I am now. Being in love and being heart broken taught me to truly love, to live in the love. And I tell you there is no better feeling than that of knowing this moment is awesome, this moment is (I hate to say it and sound corny) precious. Imagine a lifetime of precious moments, I know it’s hard, joy overload, we are not conditioned for so much happiness but I say to you, embrace it. (I’m starting to sound decidedly odd.)

Love is odd, indefinable, but the late night texts on my way home up till I get there making it feel like he is right there, that is my definition. Writing this while smiling the whole time, defines it. Being able to be my own person aside from him yet having him be such an integral part of me, defines it. Laughing at terrible jokes together but also discussing the identity crisis of a trans-gendered infant, defines it. I know, I know it could not be more right.

Carpe Diem, my friends. It’s worth it.

Finally, a work-related post.

Some guy called me and told me his son had eaten his airtime. That was the funniest thing I had ever heard.

Parenting and all it's attendant bullshit.

I showed my mother the video of me bungee jumping and for the first time in my life, I saw her look old.

I told her when I was going but I guess the abstractness of it all stopped it from sinking in for her and so now, so many months after I did it, I have forgotten how it felt, is when she gets how horrifying a concept it is. I don’t know if I should have shown her or left her in her ignorant bliss.

I didn’t like seeing he old, I don’t want my children to some day age me n 15 minutes either but what goes around comes around, who knows what form of soon to be thought up extreme-come-this-close-to-death sport my kids will engage in about 20 years that will stop my heart beating for a minute? I don’t, but that is one day I can definitely wait for.

That book review I promised.

Since I read this book, I have read about 3 others but luckily for me I found a review I had written some time back and I still agree with it. The book is

If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor.

If you read alot then you know that there is usually one book which just seems like a drop of rain in a desert of okay-written, not so memorable books and this book is one of those.

You will think about it a long time after you have read it and you will want everyone to read it so you can have someone to talk to it about. It's books like this that give book clubs a reason for existance. In fact, I implore each one of you to read it so we can talk about it at the next BHH.

I loved this book, it is so beautifully written, so in fact, that I could not pick just one passage for an excerpt post, you need to read all of it. When someone writes so hauntingly about a rainy afternoon for the better part of 10 pages and still makes you want to read the rest of it; when you get shivers and actually hear the rain, you know you're onto something golden.

I didn't want this book to end and the only way I can think of doing this is to get all of you to read it so we can talk about it for the rest of our lives.

Nice reading.

Yet Another Job.

Yes, I know I have been gone a while and this is why.

While my last job availed me constant access to the internet, this one doesn't. Oh, did I mention I have a new job. I started training last week and will officially begin working on Monday after I have done a test on Saturday. The position is that of a call centre agent at UTL. Please don't prank call me, on second thought do. It will be nice to hear a friendly voice on the other side of the line.

Anyway, thought I should check in and say whats up.

Heads up, my next post is going to be about a Book so I will kinda be calling it in. I am sure I willl have alot of interesting things to talk about now.

See y'all soon.

Excerpts

I read these and wished I could write.

'To know clearly what you surrender, what you gain, and to have no regrets; to revisit without envy the scenes of a surrendered joy, and to taste it ephemerally once more, with a delight undimmed by the knowledge that it is momentary, that is happiness, that surely is freedom.'

- Iris Murdoch, The Bell -


'And it might be absurd to us that one Iqbal can believe the breadcrumbs laid down by another Iqbal, genarations before him, have not yet blown away in the breeze. But it really doesn't matter what we believe. It seems it won't stop the man who thinks this life is guided by the life he thinks he had before, or the gypsy who swears by the queens in her tarot pack. And it's hard to change the mind of the high-strung woman who lays responsibility for all her actions at the feet of her mother, or the lonely guy who sits in a fold-up chair on a hill in the dead of night waiting for the little green men. Amidst the strange landscapes that have replaced our belief in the efficacy of the stars, Millat's is not such old terrain. He believes the decisions that are made, come back. He believes we live in circles. His is a simple, neat fatalism. What goes around comes around.'

- Zadie Smith, White Teeth -



'And then I felt sad because I realised that once people are broken in certain ways, they can't be fixed, and this is something nobody ever tells you when you are young and it never fails to surprise you as you grow older as you see the people in your life break one by one. You wonder when your turn is going to be, or if it's already happened.

- Douglas Coupland, Life After God -



'Everything was gone. But not everything. This sort of evil does not subside, this sort of evil grows as it feeds. They would turn to other villagers with their machetes swinging in dull whirrs of dark iron and if they could not slice the lips, ears, noses cleanly off or of they did not chop the hands, buttocks, legs cleanly off, if the flesh lung to the body by a string of bleeding desperate faith, their hands would grab in, nails digging in for a stronger grip, and pull, to tear it off. And then they would laugh and let the man, thus mutilated, live because they thought it was funny.'

- Ernest Bazanye -



'What was it about this unlovable century that convinced us we were, despite everything, eminently lovable as a people, as a species? What made us think that anyone who fails to love us is damaged, lacking, malfunctioning in some way? And particularly if they replace us with a god, or a weeping madonna, or the face of Christ in a ciabatta roll - then we call them crazy. Deluded. Regressive. We are so convinced of the goodness of urselves, and the goodness of our love, we cannot bear to believe that there might be something more worthy of love than us, more worthy of worship. Greeting cards routinely tell us that everybody deserves love. No. Everybody deserves clean water. Not everybody deserves love all the time.

- Zadie Smith, White Teeth -


'She didn't read books so she didn't know that she was the world and the heavens boiled down to a drop. Man attempting to climb to painless heights from his dung hill.

- Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God -

Rock Night Chronicles

Have you ever just been dying to listen to a song and you can't find it? Since Friday of last week, I was dying to listen to 'Starlight' by Muse but never to find it anywhere (and don't tell me now how you have it.) I listened to Touch FM and asked for it everyday till yesterday, nothing, they don't have it yet. I go to Steak Out yesterday and ask Shadrac for it but he doesn't have it either, he tells me Tams does. I have to leave at 11.30pm and still no Tams and just as I am walking out he walks in and I tell him he must play this song and bless his soul it is the first of his set. I was so happy, I just wanted to cry. Thank you Tams.

Talk about crying for songs, I haven't heard 'Travelling Soldier' by The Dixie Chicks in a while, so when I listened to it this afternoon, it was all I could do to stop myself wailing and calling attention to myself. See the lyrics below and cry with me.

"Travelin' Soldier"

Two days past eighteen
He was waiting for the bus in his army green
Sat down in a booth in a cafe there
Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
He's a little shy so she gives him a smile
And he said would you mind sittin' down for a while
And talking to me,I'm feeling a little low
She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go

So they went down and they sat on the pier
He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care
I got no one to send a letter to
Would you mind if I sent one back here to you

Chorus:

I criedNever gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone when the letter said
A soldier's coming home

So the letters came from an army camp
In California then Vietnam
And he told her of his heart
It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
He said when it's getting kinda rough over here
I think of that day sittin' down at the pier
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
Don't worry but I won't be able to write for awhile

[Chorus]

One Friday night at a football game
The Lord's Prayer said and the Anthem sang
A man said folks would you bow your heads
For a list of local Vietnam dead
Crying all alone under the stands
Was a piccolo player in the marching band
And one name read and nobody really
a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair

[Chorus x2]


Is that not the saddest song?

Bye.

Hmmmm (as in sigh)

I started working on Thursday, and is the case when I am working, I leave home pretty early and get back tired when all I want to do is sleep. As a result, I haven't seen my mom in a while. It's just my mom and I at home so when one of us is missing, the other really notices it. Yesterday I made it a point to go home early and yippee! I caught her just as she was going out so I was pretty stocked. It might seem right now that this post is going nowhere not so fast.

I was just wondering, what is about mothers? When I was younger and I was going through my rebellious stage, I used to swear I would never turn into my mother and now that I am grown, I know that if I ever became even half the woman my mother is, that I would have it made. I was having one of those days where I needed a hug and who better to make it all better than the woman who birthed you? I wonder, does everyone feel this way about their mothers? It kinda scares me. I mean on the one hand, I can't wait to have children if only to have them feel about me the way I feel about her and on the other hand I am terrified that they might not, that I will never be as good a mother as she has been to me. Either way, mothers rock, or at least, mine does.

In other news, isn't the Sanyu Breakfast show amazing? I know my morning would not be the same without them. And the Most Wanted show on Touch FM from 10.00am to 12.00pm? I so look forward to these two shows everyday.

And now, I'm out.

More Books

I finally thought of something to write about. I was going through my old posts and noticed I should have talked about other books that I read, I'm sorry I forgot. Since that last post I have read so many books but I can only remember 8 and I will write about four to begin with in chronoligical order from the last one I read.

A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket:

A Bad Beginning - Book the First.

I just finished reading this last night and I must say I really liked it. It is funny and easy to read. I like children's books and I usually enjoy them immensely and this one was no different.In this book the Baudeliere children become orphans and must stay with Count Olaf, which as you can imagine, does not go well. My 12 year old sister read Book the Third and really liked it. You should give it a try.

The Shadow Of The Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

There is something about these South American writers and magical realism, they do it so well and I am quickly getting hooked to this genre. This book was a bit different, in that, it was very believable, I guess that explains the realism bit. It is about this boy and this book, it is truly a book for people who love books. Rev, you will be getting this soon, don't fret. It is very well written and the imagery is beautiful. Have you ever read a book and so clearly seen it? That's what reading this was like for me.

A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket:

The Wide Window - Book The Third

I read this one before the first one by mistake. When Ernest bought it he thought it was the first one and I took it of him before he could read it. I guess you could say it was the beginning of my obsession with everything Snicket but that wouldn't be strictly true because the movie was the beginning. I really liked it and I knew I wanted to read the book it was based on. Just recently I find that it is actually 3 books. In this particular one is when the orphans go to stay with their Aunt Josephine. It takes on basically the same vein as the first one and it is worth a read. While you're at it, check out the website lemonysnicket.com

Fury - Salman Rushdie

Now anyone who knows me knows I am a huge Rushdie fan, I adore his books. This man is a genius, genius, I tell you and this book is no different. How do you begin to describe the thing you love most? I feel my words are inadequate to impress upon you how his words make me feel. I am planning to read everything he has ever written and I don't think I am a long way off. I loved this book, though not as much as I loved 'The Ground Beneath Her Feet.'

I am tired of writing now so I will stop and write some more soon. I will also put up a list of the ones I want to read and see if you guys can help me get them.

I'm out.

Rock Night Chronicles

I know it has been forever since I chronicled my nights and this particular chapter is not even because anything special happened last night but because I have the internet and nothing to do. So as usual I went last night, I go almost every Thursday and it has to be a snowy night in Hell for me not to orI have to not be in town.
It was ordinary and I saw the same people I see every Thursday. There are a bunch of regulars and just because we see each other every week, we are now friends. I have nothing more to say so bye.

Hallelujah, She is not dead.

I truly believed I was though. I have been wracking my brain trying to come up with a suitable reason to explain my absence and a topic to blog about now that I am back and sorry I can't figure anything out. I haven't blogged simply because I haven't had anything to say and I'm blogging now because I have nothing to do so early in the morning.

I'm temping at an office that has internet so I will be blogging regularly even with nothing to say, you guys are in trouble, you're going to have to read all my crap now and you'll be sorry you wondered where I had gone.

I actually have a really nice picture of Carlo, Kaza and I that I should put up, maybe make this a little more interesting.

Ok, bye.

Does this make us Tagren?

It took getting tagged to get me back here, I didn't even know what this tagging was till today, every blog I'm going to has something or other to do with getting tagged, I have no idea who to tag but I will post 8 random facts about myself, here goes.

Oh, I'm supposed to put these up first.

1. We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
2. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Ok, now here goes.

I bite my nails, don't know why I do it, I just always have. I have tried stopping a gazillion times and now I am down to biting only my thumb nails, I cheat sometimes and bite the rest especially when I am reading or watching a really good movie.

Movies make me cry, it doesn't matter if its sad, happy, whatever, I cry. Glitter made me cry and that was a bad movie, Titanic made me cry for 3 months, every time I heard that Celine Dion song for 3 months after I saw the movie I couldn't help crying, The Notebook made me cry like my mother had just died, I was in ugly cry mode for most of the movie. John Q made me cry in the first five minutes. Some songs have been known to make me cry and ofcourse books.

I read alot. I love to read, like Nathan, I will read labels, fine print everything but unlike Nathan I love novels. The first book I remember reading is Thumbelina, I was around 4 or 5 and my Mom and I walked into this shop and the book was there so she bought it for me, I was done with it before we got home. She asked me why we didn't just stand in the shop and let me finish it there instead of buying it.

How many are those? I have this strange ability to retain song lyrics, even if I have only heard the song once. I will listen to a song for the first time and sing the second chorus and it will get stuck in my head.

I am unkind to my hair, I don't go to the saloon as often as I should and I wish I weren't but I hate saloons.

When I was 7, I walked home from Kitante Primary School. We lived in Bukoto then, and when I got home I was exhausted and terrified because I knew my Dad was supposed to pick me up and I wouldn't be there. When he came home he gave the only beating he has ever given me.

When I was 7, my Dad forgot to pick me up from school and I slept in a kind man's bed. We had fish in g.nuts for supper that night and up till this day, I cannot eat fish or g.nuts.

And lucky number 8, I love food. I love to eat out and try out new things. The last new food I ate was Mongolian.

I guess, I am done. Now who to tag, can you tag someone who has already been tagged? Ok, I can't think of anyone, sorry.

Stranger Than Fiction

I received a beep from a number just like mine except for the last digit. This guy beeped me and beeped me and woke me up so I decide to call him and he apparently had the wrong number. He asked for a Jada and I wasn't then he asks who I am. Do you know how annoying that is? I told him I am obviously not who he was looking for and hung up. The next day he sent me this message, this is it ad verbatim.

"Hai halo, may u alwo me expres ma feelings 2u dat immediately i had ur tone,

I felt like we becm one hw do u see. I rly have luv 4u. reply."

How hilarious is that? I was home alone and had no one to share it with but I could not stop laughing. Whoever you are, you totally made my afternoon. I haven't laughed that hard in a while.

Why is Cock better Than Pussy?

I was in a taxi the other day and somehow those words came out of my mouth at just the time that the taxi was deathly quiet.
So we were talking about cock blocking which is the act of blocking cock. One friend stops another guy from getting with their female friend, that's cock blocking. We were wondering what the equivalent is for chicks, where a friend stops a girl from getting with her male friend. I suggested Pussy Plugging. The guys we were with were saying that that sounds disgusting and I asked "Why is Cock better than Pussy?" It's still a question I want to ask, does cock blocking sound better than pussy plugging and if so, why? Is it not only we have more exposed to the word cock than to the word pussy?

Those books.

A while back I told y'all how I bought a bunch of books, I have read a couple of them and I think it is time I talked about them.

Memoirs Of A Geisha - Arthur Golden

When I told a friend of mine who devours books like I do that this book was written by an American who lived in Japan and put in print this Geisha's memoirs, he asked me what frame of mind that man was in to be so entranced by another culture that he moves there and studies their history and learns their language. Well, whatever he was on, he manages to enchant you with this world in the book. It does what so few books do to me these days which is completely transport me into the world of the book that to tear my eyes away from the page yanks me so violently from it that I am jarred for a second till I realise I am actually in a taxi way past my stop. I loved it. The language was like a clear stream flowing gently over rocks on a path it has not strayed from for ages. (That sounds alot like a line from the book) Suffice it so say, I strongly recommend this.

Stories We Could Tell - Tony Parsons

Tony Parsons happens to be one of my favourite authors and when I saw this book in Fareed's I could hardly walk out without it, I didn't. I have tried to read everything he has ever written. This book, for me, was very reminiscent of High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. The music was the focal point for the book and even though I don't think it is nearly as good as Man and Boy or even One For My Baby, I liked it. Like Ernest would say, "Infact, parts of it were excellent." If you are into the music of the '60s and '70s this book is like an amalgam of all the best songs of that time and it captures just what that music was about, the place everyone was in then and the way they felt. It also reaffirms what I like to believe, which is, that the music of an age aptly describes the genaration that made it and listened to it. I would give it 3 stars out of 5. There were some really good lines as well. He is still an awesome writer.

Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston

It is so hard to believe this book was written in 1937. It makes so much sense and I am quickly falling in love with it. I'm not done with it yet but what I have read so far is so not disappointing. This woman rocks (I guess I mean, both the author and Janie the main character). It is funny too.

Next

I am going to read If Nobody Speaks Of Remarkable Things by Jon Mcgregor which is apparently an amazing book. Everyone I've told about it assures me it's awesome. Then I'm going to read White Teeth by Zadie Smith which Ishta says is the story of her life. Then I'm finally going to read 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, don't tell me again how awesome it is. In a while, I am going to put up my list of the books I want to read and y'all should help me get them, you and Fareed both.

I am done, I guess. Out. xoxo

I don't know yet.

The last post I put up I wrote on Tuesday and I just got access to the internet today so I put it up today. Now I have nothing to say. I am at the Serena, I am a poser. I have a couple of friends who have a room here.
Now I remember what I wanted to say. I was having pork with a couple of guys so I excuse myelf to wash my hands and as I stand up to go away so do they. It was so exciting, I mean you know the saying 'chivalry is dead' well for me it never existed. Except for the few times someone opened the door for me, nothing like this had ever happened to me and I cannot get over it. Every guy I have told about this is livid, they go they are spoiling for them. I loved it.
Ok, that's it... for now.

I Have Arrived!

For those of you who read the Sunday Vision thoroughly you will have noticed that my name was in the ‘It’s Kawa’ on Sunday. Yes, as a writer. Granted, all I did was the reviews but still I was so happy to see my name in print. I will take this moment to clarify that the review for Ocean’s 13 was actually written by Ivan Musoke and it was mistakenly attributed to me. I did the one for Pursuit of Happyness and I did the pick of the week, which was Dirty Jobs. I am so proud of myself and I know it seems like I am making a big deal out of only appearing once but it is so cool. I have actually already written my reviews for this Sunday. I am, must be, the hardest working employee you have Ernest.

In other news, the Ntinda Shopping Center is fast becoming my new home. I am always there, be it buying books at Fareed’s, having ice cream at Chilling Pleasures, having a drink at Michelle’s Pub, borrowing movies at Lids Video Lib or just hanging out at Kamikazi. It helps that it is only a 2-minute walk from my home and I know this is quickly starting to sound like a paid ad (I wish) but it is so much fun. If it had a cinema, there would be no reason for me to ever leave Ntinda except maybe for the awesome Club Sandwich at Café Pap.

I think this post is making it obvious that I really have nothing to say so bye bye my sweets. Till later.

Moving on up... more like out.

I have been meaning to put this post up for like 2 weeks but like I keep saying, I loathe internet cafes. Think I can get one of you guys to blog for me, we can work out the terms.

We moved!!! I know for some of you that is barely news worthy but the house we moved from is legendary. We had lived there 21 years, 21 years people. That is almost all my life and all my siblings lives. I like the new place though and the whole moving experience was so much fun coz it was all so new to me and also because I went to Mbale I missed all heavy lifting. I just came home to a new place, it was awesome. We have so much more space for everything and we are in Ntinda which is awesome, everything is just a short walk away.

In unrelated news, I bought 7 new books. I love reading, incase you didn't know, and there is this place on the Ntinda Shopping Centre that sells all their books at shs5,000. Believe it. It's called Fareed's. One of my favourite authors is Tony Parsons and I loved the 3 books of his I read, Man and Boy, Man and Wife and One for My Baby. At one point, I owned all these books but somehow they were 'misplaced' by the people I lent them to. I walked into the shop one afternoon and she had all three, of course, I bought all three. This is only the first shelf I have been looking through, mind you. I go on and see Memoirs of a Geisha which I have always wanted to read, Their Eyes Were Watching God, which I have also wanted to read and If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things which I vaguely remember hearing about and vowing to read. I spent all my money in that shop because I knew I could walk home. The next day, I go in there with Ernest and we see another Tony Parsons I had never even heard of and I had to get that one too. I am so in love with the chic who runs that store, she has no idea.
When is the BHH? Is it on the 21st of June like The Danes want it to be? Below is an email from them that should help us make that decision.

"Hi guys.Have you planned the next BHH yet? We were wondering if we could influence theplanning a bit.. One of Sara's friends from MS is coming to Uganda a long withfour Danish reporters who are interested in the 'blogging' story. This would ofcourse give the documentary publicity but it would also bring the story ofblogging in Uganda out to more people in Denmark.Would you consider doing the BHH on Thursday the 21. of June?"

That's it for me. Bye.

Mbale!!

So I am posting this from Mbale, yeah! I came here for the weekend to see my two friends who work here and I came with another friend of mine. It has been awesome so far. I came on Friday and we are planning to leave on Sunday. The trip here was so eventful. We took a taxi from the park and almost everything that could go wrong, did. First of all, the taxi won't start, that should have warned us that all was not going to go well. When it eventually starts, everything is fine up till we hit a crazy jam because of a, I can only call it, pitch size hole on one side of the road. To avoid the jam, our driver decides to drive on the side of the road but there is a bit of an incline and this prompts most of the passengers to disembark the taxi, either to lighten the load or due to sheer fear. We stay in. He goes by fine but still doesn't clear the jam so he decides to go through some poor woman's compound. The land was water logged so the tyres got stuck and while trying to get out of the mud his engine switches off, remember it can't start. Luckily enough there were strong guys in the taxi who pushed it and one guy who must have been a jump-start genius coz as soon as he got behind the wheel the car started. After that, we still haven't cleared the jam so one of the locals tells us about an alternative route. This route was like a scene out of the movie Wrong Turn. Zam and I were terrified but we got through it okay and finally got out on a clear part of the road. We then get to a point on the road that has the most unbelievable dust. The dust was so much that you couldn't even see where you were going but that didn't stop our driver from driving like a bat out of hell. The journey seemed to take forever but we got here eventually and being the happening people we are hit the trade fair (it was happening) and the club right after dinner, ofcourse. This morning we went to Sipi falls which are beautiful (I will post some pictures soon). Now we are hanging out, going to the club again and then going back home tomorrow.
WE WON!!!! I missed riding the train to the stadium but I got to watch the match over here and wasn't it exciting? I was so glad we won and everyone is such a celebratory mood. Congratulations.
Kati, I gotta go. Toodles. Will keep y'all posted on the trip when I come back.

Of really cool hotels and the pirates who wish they lived in them.

My blog post title has very little to do with this post actually, just thought I should warn you.
I had a very exciting weekend and I will begin to fill you in on it, forthwith. On Thursday (because for those of us who have no jobs, that is when our weekends start), I went bowling and totally SUCKED!!! at it. Like there is no excuse for how bad I was. I must say though, I wasn't as bad as some people. I then went for rock night and remembered how much I had abandoned my Rock Night Chronicles. Went home early and on Friday went and had pork and then went to Fat Boys (I know, you can always find me there) and I had the time of my life. I drunk so much and somehow survived getting drunk till Saturday morning. I woke up Saturday morning, totally sozzled. How the hell does that happen? Anyway, I fall asleep in the afternoon and wake up at 6 with a massive hangover yet I had to go out again. So I shower and get dressed. I had been looking forward to debuting this pair of awesome boots I just got and how better to do this than to wear them with the shortes skirt imaginable. I don't usually wear short skirts and I felt this skirt was really short but the guys I ran into did not agree with this. Anyway, I went to Efendy's, the Turkish restaurant, then to Bubbles then to Fat Boys again. I went to bed at 6 knowing full well I had to be up by 9 on Sunday morning. I didn't drink though, the massive hangover wouldn't let me. Anyway, I set my alarm but before that I set my clock. So on sunday, my alarm goes off and I turn it off and I wake up a 9.30. This is bad, because I was supposed to meet someone at the Cinema at 9.30 so we could catch an early showing of Pirates 3, which I had been dying to watch and had to watch this early show because this someone was going out of town at 3pm. So I give the situation the adequate amount of panic and do everything double time. Good thing I had had the forethought to oick out my outfit before I slept (sobriety rocks). After getting into a panic, I pass by the kitchen for a glass of water and when I look at the clock in the kitchen, the time is 8.30. Turn out I had set my clock wrong. Anyway, we then had time to have breakfast, watch the movie and have lunch before he had to go back. I get home, thinking I am going to get some sleep, and I find we have to go see my sister, it's her V.D (visitation day not venereal disease).
Pirates 3 was awesome, don't let my love of Spiderman 3 lead you to believe I have clouded judgement. Pirates was a really good movie, highly recommended. WATCH IT!!!
Now I am at the Serena Hotel doing a kyeyo and having awesome lunch. I just had wonderful soup, salad, a main course consisting of lasagna (who serves lasagna?) and some really awesome desert, all of which I managed to wolf down in about 2 minutes because I had to be back at my post.
I also had 2 job interviews yesterday that I think went pretty well, so keep your fingers crossed.
... and I'm out.

Even More Culture.

On Sunday, Carlo (my culture buddy) and I went to La Bonita to watch 'The Nutcracker - Sweet Dreams, an African Twist' a ballet performed by The Kampala Ballet and Modern Dance School. It was something else, I must say. There was this one girl, the main one in the ballet who gets the nutcracker that was an awesome dancer and who so reminded me of Carlo, she had her if about her.

Before that in the day, I had gone walking. I got there right on time and I hadn't been sitting long when it was time to set off. I took a few pictures of the magnitude of people that were there but I can't upload them coz I don't have a data cable for my Nokia 6020. Anyway, I ran into a cousin of mine I hadn't seen in ages, maybe 3 years and we did the walk together in exactly 1 hour. We were so proud of ourselves. For those of you not in the know, we walked from the Kololo Airstrip down through Wampewo Avenue to the Celtel building onto Jinja Road to Kampala Road up to the Sheraton then onto Ternan Avenue to Fairway hotel, Acacia Avenue, Upper Kololo back to the Airstrip which is about 8 Kilometres. My ass is still hurting, I mean of all the places to hurt, it's going to be my ass.

Turns out I won't be blogging as frequently, I was fired. I know, someone as awesome as me!? The guy I was working for thought the other chic I was working with was better suited for the job (it helped that she was white).

I WATCHED SPIDERMAN 3 and loved it. I loved every single bit of it, the make up, the costumes, the plot, the villains, honestly, what wasn't to like? I can't wait for Pirates of the Carribean 3.

See you all at the new inproved BHH, can't wait for it. Ciao.

All Cultured Up!

Yesterday Carlo and I went to the National Theatre to catch the tail end of the Amakula Film Festival and hopefully in the process get a bit of culture. We watched a silent movie called, I think, Search for the Blue Bird or something but the awesome thing was the score of the movie was being played live in the theatre by a musician called Tshila and a band. It was the coolest thing but Carlo and I agreed that cinema had come a long way since then. This movie was made in 1918, that is a long time ago. The theme for this year's festival is Travel & Transit. They have some pretty good movies which you might have heard of like Borat, Broken Flowers, Dave Chappelle's Bloc Party (which I kicked myself for missing) and Grapes of Wrath. They are also showing many african movies which revolve around the same thing. We left in the middle of a South African Movie, Bunny Chow (which is not some perverted sex act but in fact a loaf of unsliced bread cut in half and stuffed, in this case, with mutton) which started out well enough but we had to leave because of the time.

Update: I am going to walk for hunger on Sunday but I am told the president is going to be there, is he? Because that kind of security will put me off the whole walk thing. You might be asking yourself why I want to walk? I have been hanging out with someone who does alot of volunteering and he is younger than me, and I think back on my life and ask myself what I have done for people other than myself and I have to say it isn't much. This walk is supposed my start, then I can start volunteering. I really believe it would improve the quality of my life to help someone out, you know.

See you all Sunday at 6 at the National Theatre for the closing ceremony of the festival. It's gonna be legendary!!!

Help!!

I really need your help. I joined Afrigator but I can not figure out how to embed their logo into my blog code, I tried but it just won't work, also I want to have a custom header, how do I do that if I have an image I really want to be my custom header? Help me, Please!

Told you I was back

Today is my first day on the job and I have utilised it adequately. I have caught up on all the blogs and, my God, have I been gone a long time. I am going to update regularly and I am not moving to wordpress. I keep telling Ernest that he is not a blogger anymore but a wordpress guy, I am true and loyal till the end.
As is fairly obvious, I have nothing to say. I will be back though.

I apologise for being AWOL

I am really sorry about that, I just have not had either the time to blog or the access to an internet cafe. I know that excuse is getting old but you won't be hearing it again since I am going to be online more often.
So much has happened since I was last here that I don't even know where to begin.
I will start with the last BHH. I dragged a couple of my friends along and another one showed up in the middle of it. The Danes were still around, so that was pretty cool. We all planned to meet up on Saturday to go white-water rafting and bungee jumping. My friend, Kaza and I signed up for only the bungee jump while the Danes, Carlo and Peter opted to raft. Carlo, Peter and his cousin Isaac were hard because they did both. They came back from the rafting bruised, wounded and generally looking like death warmed up but they still jumped. It was the most exhilarating thing I have ever done. It was scary as shit but also I have never been more excited or proud of myself for doing something. I recommend it for anyone, go, jump and be reborn.
What else? I have been reading some pretty good books lately but I have noone to share them with. I make it a point to let atleast one other person read a book I think is good so I don't mean that kind of share, but talk about. I have an idea to start a book club but I need to know if anyone would actually show. So let me know what you all think.
I guess that's pretty much it. L8rz.

Boo Hoo Hoo:(

My dear dear friend is leaving the country tomorrow, going outside countries, and I am blogging from her home right now where I am sleeping over to push her to the airport early in the morning.
I was just thinking, I have been blogging for like 3 years, not consistently, but I still haven't gotten to 100 posts while Cherie has already hit the 100 mark and gone over it in only a year.
I still have nothing to say except I can't wait for UBHH tomorrow and Jinja on Saturday. I might finally get to bungee jump.
I am so totally distracted so you will all hear from me after the UBHH.
Toodles.

Big Brother Africa, Here I Come!!!

I think the title of this blog post speaks for itself, I am filling in an entry form for Big Brother Africa II. I am so excited and now if I get in, none of y'all are allowed to make fun of me or my body (damn shower hour!) on this here blogosphere. We have all been through so much together, I forbid y'all, you hear?
As of now that is all I have going on in my life, could I be leading a sadder existance?
Tell me how y'all have been?
Toodles.

P.S. The Danes ate at mine, if y'all want the same all you have to do is give me a heads up, infact, brilliant idea, the next BHH after this one should be at mine. (Pot luck anyone?)

Ummm?

Sometimes I wonder why I do this. I have just been reading Ishta's latest post and it is beautiful and here I am again with nothing to say.
I am in that place in my life where I am just tired and I feel restless and claustrophobic, do any of you guys ever feel like that?
A cool thing happened on Sunday, I met a deaf boy and he was teaching me some sign language. Now, I already knew the alphabet so it was kinda easy talking to him but I have a new mission now and that is to learn sign language, who's with me?

Ummm?

Sometimes I wonder why I do this. I have just been reading Ishta's latest post and it is beautiful and here I am again with nothing to say.
I am in that place in my life where I am just tired and I feel restless and claustrophobic, do any of you guys ever feel like that.
A cool thing happened on Sunday, I met a deaf boy and he was teaching me some sign language. Now, I already knew the alphabet so it was kinda easy talking to him but I have a new mission now and that is to learn sign language, who's with me?

...And I was born

Today is my birthday and I have nothing planned and nothing to say so why the hell am I even here? Funny thing, I thought I was turning 24, I was so sure of it and I kept asking myself how I got there so fast. See, I was born in 1984 so I am only turning 23 so I had skipped a whole year in my head. My mom had too. Isn't that strange? I honestly could not remember what I had done with my 23rd year and I am so glad I have it back, thank God, I am going to use it for good.
It is 1.30pm and I have gotten a dvd, How to Kill Your Neighbour's Dog, a wallet and a pair of ear rings. I love presents.
This post is all over the place so I am just going to stop and come back when I have something interesting to say. Toodles.

Over it!

I saw him, with her, yesterday and as much as I hate to admit I was really shaken. I said hi, to both of them, and had as polite a conversation as one can have with the man she still loves, against all her better judgement, and his new, once ex, girlfriend. That is by far the hardest thing I have ever done and I am grateful because it provided that closure I so badly needed. I may not be wholly over him but I am well on my way.
I know now that I am strong and I think to myself what right do i have to sulk when children in Darfur who have lost everything can still laugh as they play a game of football outside their concentration camp tents. This is good.
From now on only happy subjects. Toodles.
xoxo

Very Quick Post

I am here only for a minute, just want all you guys to check this out. I couldn't stop laughing.
How To Give a Man to Man Hug.

Finally!!!

Ok, here I am about to post the post I have been so dying to post, finally, and not a moment too soon considering its only 3 hours till the next BHH, so here y'all are.

GEEKY CHIC (contd.)

I have been wanting to write a post about this (now, last) month's UBHH but internet cafes hold no allure. I am finally here though and here goes.
I come to mateos, late, and the first thing I notice is no Josh and then I see Rebecca (Becky, Becca, Becks, Beck, Reba, Reb, I wonder if anyone call her any of those) and my fears are allayed. I then immedialtely spot Carlo and Soki and even before I can be seated, more peiople come. It's Carlo and I who thought up the L shape and in retrospect I don't know if it was such a good idea. Anyway, then Cherie comes and, boy, am I excited to se her. We sit around for a while amd I realise I am only talking to people I know socially ie Carlo, Ivan and Cherie, so I decide to not be so anti-social and scooch over to Rebecca and Chris. At about this time, Dante walks in and he looks different from his picture but he kinda looks like I would expect him to. It's looking at him that I coin, Geeky Chic, as a matter of fact, it can be used to adequately describe all bloggers. We might be geeks but damn it, we are cool geeks and the geeks shall inherit the earth. I mean look at the founders of Google, these are young, good looking millionaire geeks. So geeky chic, oye!!! Anyway, it was the most fun, I laughed so hard and at one point, rebecca almost made my soda come out of my nose. I was really psyched to see Degstar as well, whom i discovered I knew from a previous life. I was shocked and fell in love with his glasses.

That is it, and if there are a million gramatic mistakes, forgive me but I am typing as fast as I can to beat the clock. Laters.

Anything but that!!!

I just really needed to put something up because it's starting to look like I have no life and also like I am milking this break up thing for all it's worth.
I have really been wanting to post about the last BHH but at this rate the next one will come around before I have actually put up my post. So read on for it.

GEEKY CHIC

That phrase totally sums it up for me, everyone was so good looking and I was so happy to actually know you guys. I was telling Carlo the other day that I am not up to making new friends except you blogger guys, I swear, just tell me you are a blogger and that's enough for us to be tight till death baby!
Talking about bloggers, I ran into two bloggers very unexpectedly. I met Scofield and since I love the real Scofield and I love bloggers, this guy has like a double helping from me.
I also met Jay. I met Jay. (Can you read the excitement just leaping off the page?)
Ok I have like 3 minutes so I have to go but I will be back, soon to finish this post.
Toodles

Excuse me while my heart breaks.

I am miserable and this is not an easy post to write, I have cried sufficiently so now I can actually write this. I think I have been dumped, no, make that, I have been dumped. The man who I thought I was going to marry is such a coward he can't even do it properly. Ok, I don't want to be mean but I am officially back on the shelf, yippee!! (Can you totally tell I'm kidding, I'm devastated) Now I don't want your pity. Just tell me how to get over him, fast.
The details are that I haven't heard from him in three weeks and he is not dead or out of town, I see him driving along and I just want to scream. Before I accepted that I had actually been sumped I was making excuses like I don't have a phone and neither does he so we just keep missing each other but he has an email address which I inundated with mail and got not even one reply. I hate that I was so smitten and I can't stand myself for feeling like I do coz, I might not look it, but I am one tough cookie. I hate that I gave someone the power to make me feel like this. I will be fine I'm sure and I will be back with more light hearted material on how my dating life will be like. I have studied this relationship in retrospect and I see how I did everything wrong. Please tell me how to stop it from hurting so much. See y'all around.

Nothing Special.

I was on my way home yesterday when the funniest thing happened. You know, if you live in Ntinda just how hard it is to get a taxi home between the hours of 6 and 8pm. I decided to get taxi to Kamwokya and then another to Bukoto. Apparently, I wasn't the only person who thought of this because the number of people at the stage was unbelievable. I decided to walk home since it is pretty close to the stage. As I was walking, some guy starts walking next to me and, I guess, as a means of striking up a conversation says, "It is very hard to get a taxi." I don't say anything, thinking he can't possibly be talking to me or that if I ignored him, he would go away. That didn't work and he said it again, "It is very hard to get a taxi." This time I look up to see who this guy is and maybe if I know him. I didn't. When he saw he had my attention, he said it again, "It is very hard to get a taxi." This time, I nod. He takes this as a cue to go into a long narrative about how one hustles for the taxi and the conductors are so mean as if one won't be paying the fare and about how the fares have hiked and how unfair that is to the ordinary man and woman. I make some kind of agreeing sound and he then proceeds to introduce himself as Farooq and asks my name. I make up one since I was not up to the jokes that usually follow once I tell people my name. He asks if I have a phone and I say that I don't since I don't have one right now. He then gives me his number. I burst out and laughed right there and told him that even if I did remember his number I would not call him. So he asked why? This is where I was stumped, what do you say? What do you say that does not sound very mean or that would satisfy him as a good enough reason why I won't call him. Because I have enough friends and don't want anymore, that would be untrue. Help me out here people.
When I told some of my girlfriends this story it led into a conversation about the worst pick up lines we have ever heard. One of my girlfriends was told she must be a broom because she had swept some guy off his feet. Another guy said, "I am humbled." Perplexed, my girlfriend asks why and he counters, "by such great beauty." I must say I can't remember any pick up line that was ever used on me except some guy who asked, "you know I am totally hitting on you, right?" I found that hilarious and I think I have told y'all about it before.
So please tell me some of the worst and best pick up lines you have heard or dished out yourselves.

I suck at interviews.

You would think a together girl like me would breeze right through them but I don't, in fact, I suck! I had one today at UTL and if I were me I would not hire me. I forgot what I wanted to do, I bumbled through most of it and the only thing I could do was grin foolishly. The guy must have been thinking, "what a ditzy air head." I am so bummed. Is there any way to get a job without actually having an interview and if not could one of you volunteer to coach me so I don't screw my next one up? I need help.

Random Musings.

On my way home yesterday in the taxi, a song was played over the radio that took me back to S.3. The song is 'Tenderness' by Diana King and it is to this song that I danced my first ever slow with a guy who was not my dad. His name was, I guess it still is Peter and he was in Budo. See, I was a scout in my O'level and we got to go to Budo once for a sort of seminar cum conference that included a dance as part of the festivities. Peter was Carlo's friend and we, Carlo and I hung out with him most of the day (Carlo was a scout too). I think he danced with me just to be polite because he was clearly eyeing Carlo (story of my life). Now there was a boy there who I would have much rather been dancing with but we didn't get to dance any slows, we did get to dance though and boy, he danced as good as he looked. I wonder what happened to him, oddly enough his name is Peter too.

It turns out I get to go to Mr. Biggs today to watch the 14th episode of Prison Break before he closes shop. It is very sad but I already mourned enough for it and also got into enough trouble already while doing said mourning. I warn you, do not turn to alcohol to allay your sorrows
I had wanted this post to be called 'A series of Firsts' until I realised it would include the first paragraph of this post and then I would be stumped because my memory sucks. I tried to remember my first kiss ever and I couldn't. This could be because it was unremarkable and therefore easily forgettable but you would think that by the simple fact of it being the first I would have bothered to store it away somewhere so I could recall it and compare it to later kisses but no, not me. I have no idea when it happened or who it was with or where I was. Sad, huh?

By the way, turns out I am getting another job but there is no internet connection and there is no free phone but it is a salary so I can go for more Rock Nights.

Ciao.

Paying the high price.

I went out last night and I drank a drink I don't usually drink and it did not go down well with my body, so today I am paying in a way I have never paid before. I got up this morning and I felt like a Semi was doing donuts in my brain and I had to clean the entire house because today our help decided to quit, not funny.
In other news, the bilango section, Mr. Biggs is closing, yes, you read right, closing. This place was like the only thing I had going for me and now it will be no more, I will have nowhere to while my evenings away. I am so bummed.
Since my head is still acting up, I can say no more, except, goodbye.

You gotta give me credit.

I am really trying to blog more regularly now, hopefully this will get me into the nominees for the Uganda Best of Blog Awards.
I am constantly on campus these days because graduation is on and we need to get ready, don't we? Thankfully, my uncle's office has a fast internet connection and he hardly ever uses his laptop.
Now that I am here I realise that I have nothing to say. As usual my life is uneventful but I feel so cooped up sometimes. Do you ever get that feeling, like your life is claustrophobic? I think it's coz I am so tired of living at home, waking up to the faces of my parents everyday. I can barely stand it, so now I have a new resolution and a reason to actually look for a job, I need to move out and get a place of my own, ASAP.
Keep your fingers crossed for me, y'all and ciao.

P.S. I have been going around reading all the blogs and there is so much I have been missing, it feels so good to play catch up.

Ugandan Bloggers' Happy Hour among other things.

So I know I have been gone like forever but if one of you hired me and provide me with 24hr internet access we would not be facing this problem. I have been going about the business of living and doing a pretty godd job of it too. I went to Mateos on Thursday and it was the most fun ever, if you weren't there (Cherie) you really missed out. I got a hair cut yesterday, and for those who know me they know this is a milestone. Only a handful of people have seen me so far and my dad really likes it. I still don't have a job an dit is painfully obvious. I still go for Rock Night religiously and one can always be sure they will see me there.
I don't know if its coz I have been away so long but I have completely forgotten how to do this, I don't know what to say, I have forgotten how to be funny (if I ever was) and I am basically flustering through this, forgive me.
So fill me in, tell me what I have missed coz apart from not blogging, I have also not been reading any blogs, any new fights, new loves, new babies I need to know about?
I will be back soon, hopefully on much better form than I am on now.
Toodles.

How have you been, my sweets?

I know I have been gone forever and I have not been posting or even trying to post twice a week as I promised but Internet Cafes are bogus, which is why I am in Alfie's office making use of his facilities.
Iwaya, I am not dead and I will thank you to not be reading my eulogies just yet.
I have been the complete opposite of not busy and loving it. The only thing I ever have to do is go to the bank everyday to bank my Mom's money (she says it's the least I can do to keep myself busy). I have finished one wonderful book, Life after God - Douglas Coupland and have started another, Still Life With Woodpecker - Tom Robbins. I have finished the second seasons of Grey's Anatomy and House and am repeating Friends. I have started Heroes (sorry, Dante) and am trying to make it through the fifth season of Smallville, which is hard. I go to Mr. Biggs on Lumumba Avenue which, some of you know, shows movies from Mon - Thur, for free. The Departed is showing on Thursday, so if you're not doing anything come by and we can go to Steak Out after the movie, for Rock Night.
Nothing more to say, 'cept, "Damn, it feels good to be back."
Toodles. :-)

The time of my life.

I am, right now in an internet cafe and I had forgotten just how slow some connections can be, it sucks and for the first time this week, I am really missing my job.
Other than that, I am having the time of my life. Seriously, I can wake up whenever and go to sleep whenever and not have to find what to wear every morning, it rocks. You guys should try it sometime.
Don't have much time so I will fill yinz in on what's happening some other time. Miss all o' y'all so much. Much love and kisses.
Laterz

Rock Night Chronicles

First, there was no Rock Night Chronicles last week coz I did not go for Rock Night last week.
So, last night I leave work, go to Ntinda to see a friend of mine and then on to Steak Out where I rocked with Baasha and Kaza and there was an as-if new DJ and the music was excellent. What I am going to start doing, since all I'm going to have is time on my hands, is actually make a list of the songs that are played every Thursday so you guys don't think I am saying the music was nice just because. I ran into Cherie again and I walked up to yet another guy to ask him if he is Jay. There is this guy who I always saw hanging out next to DJ's booth with a beard so I assumed he was Jay, one day I walk up to him and ask him and it turns out he is the manager of Steak Out which would explain why he is always there in the exact same spot. Yesterday, I saw another guy with a beard who actually looks like the picture on Jay's blog and I walk up to him and below is the conversation;

Me: Are you by any chance the blogger known as Jay?
Him: What?!?
Me: Do you blog?
Him: What?!?
Me: Blog!
Him: My name?
Me: Ok, is it by any chance Jay?
Him: No (with the most incredulous look on his face)

I should provide some context for the above conversation. It was loud... we were standing next to the DJ's booth and they are like a multitude of speakers near there and also I had been staring at him a bit to ascertain that it was infact Jay before I walk up to him. He must have thought I was hitting on him, poor guy, and it wasn't Jay, duh!
All in all, it was another very satisfying night.

In other news, today is my last day at work and this is my last post from this building. Now, please, no tears, I am just fine. The apprehension I was feeling, all gone. I can't wait to blow this place (would have liked to say town).

I am going for a wedding tomorrow, one of my friends is getting married. I feel like I am being left behind, not for long though because before you know it y'all will be getting a virtual invite to my wedding. Wish me luck out there in the big bad world.

Kisses xxxx

P. S. Someone asked me a very weird question last night that I thought you guys might help me with, "When is the right time to fart infront of your new boy/girlfriend?"

Scary Changes

I am leaving my job on Thursday and I am terrified. I didn't think I would care but I guess it's only natural to feel a bit of apprehension before such a major decision. The things I am going to miss most are my all day access to the internet and a free phone. I abused the company phone so much in that I am sure the bill is so going to reflect my abscence. My friends will miss the free phone thing too, won't you Ivan? I, however, will not miss waking up early and looking for what to wear, those two things I can do without. Oh, I will miss having a disposable income as well. :-(
I said scary changes, but really there is only this one major change. I'll be fine though, right?

Hot off the shelf!!!

I have just purchased the very first copy of Ernest Bazanye's Worst Idea which is a compilation of the best of Bad Idea for the last 5 or 6 years and I got the FIRST copy. Rush out and get one, they will be in Aristoc soon and selected book stores along with New Vision Agents. I am going to start reading it now and will post a review soon.

Rock Night Chronicles

So I have been AWOL for a while which can be explained by the fact that there were two rock nights this week so I didn't come to work on either Friday or Saturday. On Thursday I went to Steak Out as usual but I wasn't there long. First I went to Al Zizi's to meet a few of my friends of mine and when they left I went to Steak Out where, at the entrance, I met one of my oldest friends, Kaza with Baasha and Brian, we go in and meet 2 of my oldest friends, Faith and Miti with Kate (friend too, but not as old). Later on my Alfie passed by (oh, he's back from gallivanting about the world) and took me home. A fun night though a bit on the tame side. Got home and got to tallking to my mom for about 4 hours finally got into bed at 3.00am and just could not get up for work on Friday.
Friday is rock night as Al z's so I went back there. This was really cool because Ivan passed by with Paul and Kiwa and they came with flash discs full of some really new, really rockin' music so it was pretty cool. Left there and relocated to the Rouge, which I love but hadn't been to in ages because Hubby has my membership card and I really feel like I'm putting my membership to waste if I pay for my entrance, which I had to do this time though. Had a blast and later went to Ange and finally got home at about 5.00am. There was no way I was going to make it in to work on Saturday considering the amount of alcohol I had consumed and the time I got into bed. I was supposed to go out on Saturday again but there was no way I was going to manage that since my hangover lasted till Sunday morning (love that song by Maroon 5).
Otherwise, I have officially handed in my two weeks notice, I am leaving this place on November 30th or maybe December 1st. That means I won't be able to post as regularly but I will seriously try to post at least twice a week.
That's it my darlings, goodbye.

You are going to be just fine dahling!

So I went swimming on Saturday at a private pool. Sounds all exclusive, doesn't it? Well, it isn't. It is at a friend's house so I guess that is about as private as you get, right? I hadn't been swimming in a while. Granted, I went to the same pool the previous Saturday but I can't exactly call what I spent 4 hours doing swimming. This time I went all out and I paid dearly for it on Sunday, as I am still paying. Every muscle in my body is rebelling against the impulses from my brain, I can barely move. Typing this is using up more energy and will power than I have used in the past year.
Anyway, I ran into Cherie and BS yesterday at AlZizi, as someone I know refers to it. I was going to say that this blogger sighting is getting out of hand then I realised I only see the same bloggers. Where are the rest of you? Show yourselves.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO.... WITH ONE MILLION SHILLINGS?

What is all that about? I hate being out of the loop so if you have any ideas clue me in.

Get there fast, KC!

Kim +10 is up, go now, what are you waiting for?

Rock Night Chronicles

I apologise that I haven't posted in a week, even I can't believe it's been that long, instead I have been blog hopping and thoroughly enjoying myself doing so.
So I went for rock night again yesterday and I am not going to complain about not being hit on because I was only there for an hour and was mobile the whole time so I didn't really give anyone a chance to hit on me. Ivan attoned for his sins by coming with me this time since he ditched me the last and although we were only there for about 10 songs it was, as always, a blast. I got to talking to one of the djs who said that he will be leaving soon and since the other dj is Kenyan, I am hoping this does not spell the end of rock night as we know it or at the least it's decline. I propose we run a 'Save the Rock Night' campaign and find some cool dj so that I don't have to spend my Thursday nights moping about the house.
In other news, I am totally bored with my job and seriously considering quitting. What I am going to do is go to Mombasa on Dec 1st, then go to Goa with my husband for Christmas and New Year's and if the job is still here when I get back, I will keep it, if not... whatever.
Gotta go and actually earn my next paycheck. Toodles.

Rock Night Chronicles

The title kinda gives the story away, doesn't it? Anyway, I went to Steak Out yesterday for yet another Rock Night. I went by myself and incredulously, I wasn't hit on... not once. Yes, I am complaining. I need a little validation and, if I do say so myself, I looked good too. How do I, how does any woman sit at a bar alone and not invite unwanted but sometimes much needed advances from strangers? Go on, I want some answers. Otherwise, I am paying for last night but happily, I am not grumbling.
In other news, I visited a new blog and the first thing I saw was a bat, now I am terrified of rats and bats. Reminded of a time in my third year on campus (I say that like it was ages ago, it wasn't) and a bat entered my room and I was alone. I screamed bloody murder and to this day I can't believe that I didn't wake up the whole Hall let alone the floor. My room's window was directly below a nest/cave/hell/wherever they live and they would come and go as they pleased sometimes nestling in my hair which, my friends said was because it was so black, had it tinted after that. So this one night I was alone in my room and Satan saw fit to send me one of his little winged angels and like I said I screamed like I was being hit on by PeeWee Herman. It was dark and my bulb had blown so I couldn't even turn on the light, it was flapping around so I couldn't get out, I was well and truly a prisoner in my own room. When I finally got over my screaming fit, I made a dash for the door and went and knocked on one of my friends' door, have I mentioned this was about 3.00am? As I was standing in the corridor waiting for them to hear my frantic calls, this cat that was rummaging in the trash just stops, sits and stares at me, it stayed that way till my friend opened the door. I got up the next morning and cautiously entered my room to the sight of the bat with it's head buried in my sink. I had to pay someone to take it out and I couldn't use that sink for a week. I might have forgotten to mention that I sleep naked so I threw on whatever I found which was a small t-shirt, since I couldn't enter my room until the bat from hell had vacated so I spent the better part of my morning in next to nothing.
So, I hope to see yinz at Al Zawadee tonight.

For Iwaya.

Not really, but I figured since you asked for it and since you already got a post all for yourself on Cherie's blog, I might as well make you feel even better.
Now, I haven't even been AWOL for that long so I don't know what D... sorry, Iwaya is complaining about but I have got to say that the abscence is for no other reason but the simple fact that I am boring, like Doris likes to remind me oh so often.
In other news, I am slowly turning into an alcoholic. I never used to let alcohol cross my lips... then (woe is me) Smirnoff Black Ice was introduced and it was my downfall. My excuse or reason for not drinking was always that nothing tasted nice enough or even at all but Black Ice tastes amazing, the first sip after a long day is a like a little slice of relief, release, a glimpse of a quiet sandy beach at dusk, I tell if you haven't tried it yet you are seriously missing out. It's 8:00 am and I have a slight headache from the few I consumed last night otherwise I would be more prolific about the joys of Black Ice.
In an entirely unrelated development, I met a bajaj guy who didn't know where Bukoto is, can you believe that? He knew Ntinda and Kiira Road but had no idea that the place in between had a name and that that name is Bukoto. I don't want to pass judgement but people you have to be some kind of a very special 'ijot' not to know or maybe not.
I have something going on that I will inform yinz on as soon as it turns into something.
It's raining so I am going to go have myself a cup of coffee, no make that a hot chocolate. Laterz.

Be Silent!

Before I start, everyone go here and post a comment, just trying to be a good friend.
I saw Be Silent on Friday at Al Zawadee's Rock Night. (You happy?) Friday was a really good night for me, not only because I ran into BS but because I was out with my husband after forever. I love rock, and if you have been reading my blog you know this, so it helped that they were playing it this very night. It was so much fun and ended much too soon but I want write about more than this is how I was locked out of my house this very night. I parted ways with Alfie at about 2.00am and got a cab home where I sat outside the house for a half hour pounding on the door to no avail. I finally gave up and decided to join Ivan a.k.a Genius at Cheese bar. I have never been locked out no matter how late I have been, apparently no one heard because the boy who usually opens the door was out as well. Unbelievable. Even after all this, Friday was still a really good night for me.
I seem to meeting many bloggers these days, I met Country Boy on Sunday, granted this was arranged not like bumping into Caramel/Pancake/Idi Koko/Cherie L'amour or whatever she is calling herself these days (girl, I can hardly keep track). Country Boy is helping me out with a little something but still it is a little weird putting faces and expressions and nuances to all these characters that are such a big part of my life on a daily basis, you know.
In other news, I didn't go for the PAM Awards after all, it seems my demands were just too much for anyone to handle. It doesn't sound like I missed much though, or is that just me trying to make myself feel better?
Nothing more, laterz.

Post Rock Night Chronicles

I haven't been to Steak Out for Rock Night in ages and last night I was there inadvertently (is that the spelling?) I had a wedding meeting to attend there yesterday and it ran a little long so I hung around afterwards with my girlfriend, Benita.
Allow me to digress a little, I have nothing against people who hold wedding meetings, don't get me wrong but having never been to one, I didn't know why Alfred was so opposed to the idea of one. Now, however, I am completely in agreement with him, I won't do it. I am going to start saving seriously so that I can pay for my small wedding by myself.
Back to 'The Steak', like my friend refers to it. We go to the bar get ourselves a drink and who do we run into but the inimitable Cherie L'Amour herself. Now let me just say that those pictures that some of us were lucky to see do not do her a lick of justice. Those of you who didn't see probably don't know what I am talking about, too bad. I must say that I love being a girl, if a guy was gushing over the looks of one of his own I would question his sexual orientation but with me it's ok, right? Even if it isn't, like the stereo typical blonde high school bitch would say, Whatever!
Meanwhile, every one is asking me if I am going for the PAM Awards and unfortunately my answer is a sad no so if any of you are going and need a date, I am beautiful arm candy, intelligent and cheap. I want to go VIP though only for the tables. Holla. Did I mention funny?
See y'all at the winners' table.

Change (gon come nephew)

As is evident I have changed my template. I like blue so I love this new template. Pretty cool, don't you think?
Otherwise, I am bored out of my mind, nothing interesting is happening therefore, I have nothing to blog about. Sorry. (Doro, deal with it!)

Hilarious.

I stumbled upon this hilarious blog, The Letter D, seriously, y'all should check it out. (Check out the Urban Dictionary too for the definitions of some of the words.)

Answers.

First of all, I am not married... not yet. Like I said to Minty, that's just what I call him. Confession Possession. If everything goes according to plan though, I will be inviting y'all to a July wedding. Fingers crossed.
Savage, you have put me on the spot and even when I was inviting these questions I knew the ones from you were going to be the toughest to field but I am prepared.
Caveat: My answers might alter the way some of you see me but I guess it's better to be honest.
1) Yes, though I don't know if I should call it a one - night stand seeing as it lasted 3 days.
2) No. I have never cheated on any one of my boyfriends. What's the point? If I get to a stage in a relationship where I am even thinking of sleeping with anyone other than my partner, I consider this a big sign in red neon telling me it's over. So no, never cheated.
3) My girlfriends, I would like to think. I have never actually been in a situation where I had to choose and I don't like to predict my behaviour because I usually surprise even myself but I have known my girlfriends forever and I am usually skeptical of new people so based on this information it would be girlfriends trumps lover.
4) 16. Doris, how shocked are you?
5) I am the kind who has nothing against tattoes. I would have something nuetral that can be altered if the situation is. For example, my ex-boyfriends initials are JS and I always thought of getting the initials which I would later fill in with ESU if anything ever happened which it did so it's a good thing I didn't get it.
6) This question is... I am speechless. I am going to answer it but I expect you to comment and tell me why you asked it and also how you prefer it. No.
Onto Inktus' qns;
1) First love - details
2) Fav. sibling - reasons
3) Fav. song - reasond

1) This is going to be hard pill to swallow for some of you but Alfred is actually my first love. I have had boyfriends before but none I have ever really loved. My last boyfriend and I were together 4 years and were talking marriage but I never really was in love with him. I realise this now and I know some of you are going to ask if I realise this after we broke up, if something happens with Alfie won't it be the same thing? No, it won't. I have never been as afraid of being dumped as I am now. It would completely shatter me because this is the only time I have ever really cared. I have never been dumped by the way. Another thing you might not believe, when I was 14 I had a dream of the man I was going to marry and to describe him I might as well be describing Alfie. From the time I had the dream till now, I had never dated a man with the specifications of my dream man. No one light, tall, thin, handsome. All my boyfriends have been dark, some fat others small. None of them conventionally handsome but Alfie is my dream man. So Ishta my first love story is still being written and I will fill you in along the way.
2) I have 2 sisters and 1 brother, Cindy, Doris and Arnold. Doris is my fav. sibling (I hope you are happy to see I am writing about you). When I was younger it used to be Arnold simply because Doris was so big headed but now she is more grown up and so am I so we get along much better. Cindy is 11 years younger than me so that might explain why she isn't.
3) I don't have a favourite song. I have a favourite book and a favourite movie but no fav. song. I don't know why. My fav. book is Man and Boy by Tony Parsons, you should all read it. It is amazing. Coming a close second is The Little Prince. I don't even know who wrote it, it's a children's book but with some of the most profound things you will ever read. My fav. movie is Tuesdays with Morrie with Hank Azaria and Jack Lemmon. If you watch this movie and read those books it might give you and insight on who I am.
I think I have answered all your questions satisfactorily. I have a few of my own for y'all so go ahead and ask me to ask you. Thank you for giving me something to blog about, I was dying here.
I'm out.

Ronery!!!

I am so ronery like Kim Jong Il said in Team America: World Police. That is why I have been so quiet. My social life had started revolving around my husband who is out of town now and has been for so long now, I have lost count. Seriously, if he doesn't come back soon, the time I haven't seen him in will be longer than the time I have actually spent with him.

I called someone yesterday and he said he doesn't remember me. Now, this never happens to me... at all, so you will appreciate my shock. I just could not believe it. A name like mine does not easily skip one's memory. Later I find out he was joking, this wasn't funny. Anyway, it got me thinking about how mean I must be coz I never remember anyone, my memory is total crap. That said, I can't forget all y'all who actually take time out to read this crap and actually miss me when I am gone.

In the abscence of a social life, I have been doing alot of thinking and I wonder if the concept of Pay it Forward would work in a practical world. I know it would be ideal ( have you guys seen that movie? The concept is, if someone does you a good turn, instead of paying them back, you do a good turn to someone else, in effect, paying it forward) and I was thinking about it and I just did not see it working especially since some people can't even be bothered to pay it back. What do you think?

Also, so I can have something to write in my next post, I am pulling a Jayesque move. Ask me, anything. You can do it in my comments or send me an email, darlkom@gmail.com but please be nice... or don't, doesn't matter.

I'm out.