Stupendous Snippets

Ever had those days that you don’t expect something magical to happen, then voilà! Out of the blues someone, something happens. It could be a brilliant “out of the ordinary” idea, an awesome find, a delicious something, a successful plan, some awesome company, or a SALE. Not because it’s out of this world, but because it is just what it is.

My girlfriend E discovered a sale on some shoes then when she was going to show me hers I spot a two pair  as well. They were on sale, got them without putting too much thought into it. After all, at the back of my head I have been saying I need some extra pair of heels to rock my dresses that I will add to my small collection. Plus the heel was just right, can’t walk in 6″ heels, I’ll gully creep after a few steps…lol

Red and Black Pumps…

All these good things were happening on Friday, including these rubber shoes. I was on my way home and I happened to pass through the mall, I think I’m a supermarket addict. Sometimes I just go just because it’s there. Then of  course I buy something that I didn’t really need. Bata had just opened a new branch at the mall so I walked in just to see what they had in stock without the intention of buying anything. Then as I looked around, I see rubber shoes. Black ones. They were cheap and on 20% discount, why not have them? Okay, I got them.

Bata Rubber Shoes…

It wasn’t all about shoes though. If you recall, I moved to a normal house…lol, you know what I mean. One with a full sitting room, and I had wondered how I’ll be accommodating people who come visit me. See I care about you, I can’t just subject you to the carpet. I only had one seat and that wasn’t enough. Getting extra seats is an expensive affair and I wasn’t going to invest in that at least this month or the next. So what to do? My parents being old school were saying plastic seats O_o, ah ah! My sister was like no never, haha! Then the boyfriend suggested poofs … BRILLIANT! I call my furniture guy, he gets my concept and fixes me something to my liking.

Poofs, my alternative to seats for now.

There are those people who make your rather boring weekend or days rather interesting. You know how they bug you, they bully you, they care for you, they make you laugh, the piss you off, they make it up, they love you, they enjoy being around you, they want your attention, they don’t want it, they’re complicated, but I understand them. The two munchkins here are those people for me. They’re a hand-full and they both happen to be lastborns, gosh the pressure! They look spoilt yah?

The Lastborns and the Firstborn Me

Remember the FREE medical check up out reach I was telling you about the other day? Well, it happened this Sunday and I am proud to say that it was a success as the turn out was pretty good for a start. Considering our target was mainly the women and mothers in Kahawa Wendani community and surrounding areas. It could have been far for you but they’ve got to start from somewhere ain’t it? To bigger better and closer to you next time. I would like to urge people to push their people to go for these random medical check ups. They may seem not so important, but they are. Even if you’re not doing it for you, at least do it for your loved ones.

FREE Medical Check Up Out Reach at Rithika Medical Centre

I saw this one on the internet and I am definitely stealing that design. I can see myself in it already. A girl’s got to show a bit of leg you know. It looks absolutely stunning, and the lady in it has definitely done it some well deserved justice.

What do you think?

Other things I was up to over the weekend:

Watching

The voice. This is one is way better than Idols, which is way better than our local project fame. The artiste is judged  by their voice (talent) and not how they look. Then once they’re in, they’re coached by grammy award artistes. The likes of Adam Levine *swoon*, Cello Green, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton. I was literally glued to the T.V. It’s an amazing show. It shows you how people go through stuff, but still hold on to their talent.

It also goes ahead to bring out the importance of family and friends who are like family. They’re the only ones who stand by you when you’re hitting rock bottom, and when you’re soaring in the skies.

Doing

Housework. I discoverd that I get so many ideas running through my mind when I am busy doing housework. That’s when I think of what I want, where I want to be, what I want to do and such like things. Strange huh? But getting there always needs some extra mojo, who likes doing housework anyway? Plus it’s a form of exercise or so I’d like to convince myself.

Listening

To Size 8 – Mateke and Sauti Sol – Still the One. The new local singles that have just been released. I like, totally like!

Wanting

A stereo! I want one I don’t know why, but I really want one.

Wishing

That what you’ve hoped for comes to be. Sometimes our hopes and wishes may take a while to come to be, maybe they’re giving us time to be sure that that’s what we want, just in case we change our minds or it was just a thing of the moment. Because when they come to be, they come in ten fold. Like you’ve got to pinch yourself to make sure that what is happening is really happening and you’re not dreaming.

Has that ever happened to you? It’s happened to me a couple of times, and I’m still looking forward to more and more. My hope tank is still full…lol. Thanking God everyday.

The weather may be dull and blue but may your Monday and the rest of your week be full of sunshine. Blessings!

Signing Off ~~~*Kawi*

FREE Medical Check Up – Thika Road

With our lifestyles changing every other day, we need to be sure that our body is also taking that change positively. You can be sitting on your desk, making your daily work or school rounds or just chilling and enjoying life and thinking that your body is fine. That you’re in tip-top shape. That’s you thinking. Thinking doesn’t mean that it actually is. Just because you haven’t experienced some pain here or some itch in some awkward place there doesn’t mean everything is okay. It’s important to have your body checked by a medical practitioner. You know to have a second opinion that your health is clean and crisp. You cannot rely on your feelings alone.

With that in mind. It’s recommended that people have medical check up’s annually, sometimes half-yearly or quarterly depending on your lifestyle or your preference. Rithika Medical Centre, which is a new clinic has realized this gap and seeks to make sure that you have health in check done every so often. Do you live along Thika Road? Even better for you. You should have this medical check up as part of your Sunday plan. It could be before or after church for those of you who go, for those who sleep in, you have the afternoon to do so. Happening this Sunday 14th April 2013 is a FREE medical check up by the specialists at Rithika Medical Centre between 8:00AM and 5:00PM.

Check up details. Ps: This is a scanned copy!

Taking care of your wealth through your health. Basically, your health is their concern.

You can have all the money in the world but if you don’t have good health, the money doesn’t mean much. Prevention by all means is better than cure. You get to know your health status and that of your loved ones. Should there be a problem, you’ll be offered a solution. So have no worries, if there’s one thing I can assure you, you’ll be in good hands. Don’t I look healthy and happy? *wink*. Have friends who live along Thika Road? Or can get their way there and you think they could do with a medical check up? Please share the good news with them. Sharing is caring, but sharing something that could save them some money and make sure that their health is in check, that’s caring on another level. Be that friend.

Services Offered at Rithika Medical Center. Ps: This is a scanned copy!

Signing Off ~~~ *Kawi*

Your State House

We spent 9th April 2013, following up on the presidential inauguration process for those of us who weren’t able to attend it physically. Well, because we didn’t receive V.I.P invitation cards…lol. Truth be told though, there’s no way I would squeeze my way into the crowd to watch it and the media has ensured that the whole event was being aired live. I think you even get to witness it better when watching it from the comfort of your couch. You can switch channels when a boring choir comes on or when there’s a delay in arrivals, better yet snooze then wake up for the speeches or go grab some snacks in the kitchen you get what I mean. All the same, a historical moment that will go down the books happened. So it’s a date worth remembering. Also, for the sake of your kids, you’ll probably have to narrate this story sometime in future.

On a non-serious note depends on how you look at it I like that our president and vice presidents are eloquent. You know, very convincing, audible, precise and most of all young and hip aka “the dynamic duo”. There will be no more cringing during national or informal speeches. Is it just me or did you ever have moments of “I don’t know what you’ll say next, but please be subtle” when Kibaki made informal speeches. I know they were humorous and all, but I think I’m kind of relieved. I don’t have to wonder anymore how he converses with dignitaries and the likes. Things that keep you up at night…ha ha!

Source: Outgoing President Mwai Kibaki hands over instruments of Power and Authority (the Commander-in-chief’s ceremonial sword and the constitution) to President Uhuru Kenyatta during the State Installation of the 4th President of Kenya at Kasarani Sports Complex, Nairobi.

We saw the new president-elect being sworn in as Hon. His Excellency President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and the Deputy President William Ruto. I’m happy that this finally came to be. It had been a long time coming. With so many doubts and unsurities along the way we were able to come to an agreement of who deserves what. I guess fair trial in the end. I wasn’t also so sure about how everything will turn out but since inception I had prayed for the best outcome and for a peaceful election. I didn’t know who was the best presidential candidate, we all had our opinions and a choice of 8. As you know, for each person, their opinions rules and politics is pretty sensitive. If there’s one discussion I didn’t enjoy, it’s that of politics. I hated the analysts on T.V. too I don’t know why the bring them on. They didn’t help my judgement in any way, the debates on the other hand really did.

I’m glad that whole politics things especially in regard to elections is over. Who’s with me here? Now we can deal with more pertinent matters. Like how to make better our economy, fix things. The new government has made promises, many promises. The frameworks, the policies, but most of all the reforms. I am one of those hopeful Kenyans. I want to see and experience how all these promises will be executed and how they will involve the common mwananchi who doesn’t have links in the government while at it.

Congratulations Kenyans for a job well done and for the bright future ahead of us.

As Uhuru enters the national State House he already did, also enter your own State House and run with it. Yours is not the actual presidential State House *quips* with the a million and one rooms, I mean the proverbial one. You’re the president of your life. I don’t know where in the bible it says but I’ve definitely seen it and read it. That God gave you dominion over your life (the power and the authority to govern and control it). So even as we wait and expect the government to develop the country, they will probably play their role in doing so, I believe. But they will not come to you as an individual and develop you. You have to do it yourself. You have to work harder than ever, you have to push yourself to the limits.

Nothing comes easy. You want a good life? You have to chase it. It’s that girl who plays “hard to get” or that man who’s not akin to commitment. Quite slippery, but it can be caught eventually.

If you think about it critically, even the president worked quite hard to get to where he is. His team mates worked even harder to make sure that they get him to where he is. So we are no exception. The reforms they’ll make will create opportunities for us, which will mean that someone has to take them on. Opportunities are like a gold mine, do nothing and nothing will come off them. It will just be land like any other. Do something and you’ll have gold and other minerals at your disposal. Dig deeper and deeper until it becomes the opportunities become something tangible, that have a positive effect in your life.

I’m also not too sure how this will go for me as well but I am all macho. Let me start thinking how I can develop my personal and professional life via this opportunities. LOL, definitely not the babies one at least for now, they said free maternity in public hospitals and free laptops for class 1 kids in public schools. I foresee a baby boom next year. Wololo, there’s more to babies than that don’t be deceived. Don’t forget to analyse some of these opportunities before taking them up. All the best while at it and God bless Kenya!

Signing Off ~~~ *Kawi*

#OnceUponAKenyanTime

It was a trending topic yesterday and it got me thinking of all the things that made my childhood the best childhood ever. From the cartoons (looney toons, saber rider, road runner, sonic the hedge hog, Denver, sky dancers, captain planet, anamaniacs, lion king e.t.c), to the snacks (goodie goodie’s, super snack, crunchie, ball gums, kashata’s e.t.c), the programmes (fresh prince, full house, martin, derrik, sunset beach, sister sister, seventh heaven, Tausi, Tahamaki, club kiboko lol e.t.c. ), the games (shake, rounders, brikicho ‘hide-n-seek’, cha mama, scrambo e.t.c) that kept me outside till dark when the house-help comes looking for you to go take a bath (that bit wasn’t fun). There was the music ( brandy, 3T’s, Monica, soul for real, sisqo, DMX, Ja-Rule, Bow Wow childhood celebrity crush e.t.c). How we would do cut outs from the Sunday paper on exercise books to get the lyrics so that we can sing-along when their songs are playing. Growing up in the 90′s was just it. There was so much time to do out door things especially as kids. I think it gave us so much room for development (both mental and physical). We had time to have socialize with neighbors and have fun while at it. Now? I don’t even know who my neighbors are and I don’t see me getting to know them any time soon.

It was the era between non-technology and technology. Technology has changed things I tell you. From the great wall black and white  T.V’s to colored now digital / L.E.D /3D TV’s. Cartoons are now more than ever complicated, they force the kid to grow up so fast. Games are even worse (from the simple brick game and adventure / fighting games (super mario, tekken, street fighter and so on) – now we’re on simulators for games). I am just wondering in the next say 30 years how life will be? There will be a gadget for doing everything. You will basically need to do nothing. Currently everyone is working on making life extra ordinarily easier. I can bet people may eventually end up not knowing each other offline.

Then there are just those things that were the best at taking “pain” away. Especially if you’re feeling unwell. You know kids,  they get sick every so often. Then your mum very appropriately asks you, “*insert home name*, what do you want to eat today?”. I would really like to know what some of your responses were. Mine was always an automatic, “FRIES and SAUSAGE”. I mean, I didn’t even have to think about it. Sometimes that would even make me forget that I was actually sick when the excitement checks in. But you know, you have to maintain your sick act or else the next day you’ll be up in the morning preparing for school…lol (that preparing for school in the morning part wasn’t fun. I remember there was a time I was so sleepy after the help woke me up, and instead of going to bathe I went ahead to sleep in the bath tub and she didn’t notice, my mother wasn’t amused ha ha. It’s never been repeated).

This previous Easter weekend, in the midst of all the moving we decided to make home fries. Best decision since I genuinely love home fries. Home-made fries can make me happy any day, any time as the taste is … oh so delish. So we started the preparations of making home fries. I was the one doing the potato peeling, then the boyfriend took over and made the chips slices. Talk of someone who complements your weaknesses. Yes, making chips slices is not my forte.

Then somehow, he’s the one who took over the rest of the frying. I was not allowed to comment on anything and when I started “won’t they burn”, “isn’t the heat too much” … I was shoo’ed off the kitchen. Some sausages were added to complete the meal. Plus what’s a meal without chilled ribena. I was in heaven for a moment, that’s redefined yumminess. It was nostalgic. Just that this time we’re the one’s making them. At least no one was sick and the following day was work day, no excuse for not waking up early.

Well, thanks to technology, in future I intend to get a potato peeler, a potato cutter (you know the ones that help you cut potato into chips) and a chips maker. This will eliminate the effort used to make this meal. But are they all necessary really? They make work easier yes, but don’t they spoil all the fun involved? We had fun prepping this home-made fries and the effort made them even taste better. What’s your take though?

I wonder what the “cure meal” for kids nowadays is?

Signing Off ~~~ *Kawi*

It Gets Better…

Whoop whoop! I moved, I unpacked, I settled and I love it!

LOL. I couldn’t do it silently. That’s for Ninja’s!

So much for having those major cringes and unfounded fears that come with change. You know that uneasy feeling in your tum tum that makes you wonder, what will happen, how will I do it, will I manage, what if I don’t like it???? Well, I rebuked all those feelings. I have done this two times now, moving houses. I gave my notice and my former landlord was more than encouraging (God bless them), I think I was looking for signs from everywhere. Like before I told them I want to move out, I did quite some pacing at their door step before knocking the door. I was telling myself if they react negatively, that’s a sign. Then of course they didn’t. Ha ha ha on my face.

The one thing they (my landlord and his wife) told me that got me feeling all melty on the insides was, “your landlord on the other side will definitely have a good tenant. We’ve enjoyed having you here.” Someone say humbling. I’m not the best there is, but I try to live well with those around me and also leave them well when the time comes. I believe in not burning bridges. There’s a reason why you meet people and interact with them in various ways. One day you will need them, not now, not tomorrow but someday, when you least expect it. I have seen my parents meet friends whom they were with in their youth. That’s like 20+ years ago. They meet in the streets, in offices, in the kids schools, in weddings or in family meetings. This world is big in size but small in its connections. That 6 degrees of separation vibe gets more real.

So it finally happened. Though while at it, I was also looking for assurance from people. Why we do this when we want to make a decisions always beats me. If only we could make a decision, believe in it and abide by it.  So I kept telling people I’m moving, then when they ask me where, to what and why? I’m like here and to this. Funny because I had thought of all these things ( distance, security, convenience to amenities, traffic, water e.t.c. ) as I was looking for a place. The reason I chose that place is because I could almost justify the place will meet my current needs and at the same time cover the things mentioned. But people have opinions, we all do. So they’ll give you opinions but in the end you have to make your own choice. Because as people give you opinions, no one is walking in your shoes.

You are the one who knows the comfort or discomfort of your shoes. Whether it’s too tight, or too loose, too high or too flat. Or just the right fit for you. Then you decide whether to continue suffering in its discomfort, get another, fix it. Choice is always yours.

The best thing about this moving experience was the support I got. I have never gotten this much support before. The first time I moved, it was just me and my dad. The second time, I was more or less alone, until I bumped into a friend who offered a hand shortly (God always has your back). The third time was the best of all times. I was with the boyfriend (aka knight in shining armor), a girlfriend E (the girl every girl needs to have), baby sister C (the little distraction we all need) and mummy dearest (super momma). They made it not feel so new and foreign. There was lots of food (thanks to the mother, bless her) and laughter (the 3 other culprits who crack each other up) as we unpacked and cleaned up. Oh yeah, got hand me down curtains to keep me going till I get mine. I have windows, many windows *excitement*. I love this new experience, different from the previous one, which was different from the 1st one. Let me revel in it and make it homely!

Housewarming? It’s already warm thanks to the 3 lovely helpers. But for once I can have a couple of visitors at the same time. LOL. I just need more plates, cutlery, sitting space and so on. I had 4 actually 3 of each before. That needs to change soon. I can hold a parrrrty! But we don’t stop here, cheers to bigger and better when the time’s right!

How about you have yourself a whimsy Wednesday and remember that positive thoughts breed positive results, that’s the secret. If you don’t know how to be positive (it can be quite the uphill task especially when things don’t seem to be looking up or going your way). You can try this out ↓ it milks the positive out of you!

Signing Off ~~~*Kawi*

Bury then Unbury

There are two kind of things in this world, those things that are in your control, then those things that are either beyond or not in your control. If you’re in control, then you’re safe. If it’s beyond your control, you’re in danger. There are two things involved when it’s beyond your control, you either bury it for that moment then work on it later or let go and let be. When you let go and let be you’re in danger. If you bury it for the moment and plan to work on it later, oh well, that’s the best thing to do. Lol was trying to pull a Basket Mouth (you know that famous Nigerian Comedian)move and I’ve sort of failed … not so miserably though.

I experienced that the other day while going around school trying to get some stuff signed to enable me to continue with the last two chapters of my thesis. Lecturers can really de-psyche you when it comes to finding them to give you a signature here or a stamp there. That time you have sneaked out of work to get these stuff done because ideally it’s supposed to be some 15 mins work. Frustrating I tell you. So many times you feel like letting go and letting it be. Then you think, the lecturers won’t chase you around, you have to chase them around. You’re the one who wants to graduate and get a master’s degree ain’t it.

So while in the chase, I met with a random classmate who I don’t even talk to that much except in when in class discussions. Of course with all my frustrations and being very Kenya I give a synopsis of my current hurdle. Ah this school, this lecturers, how do I go about this and that *rant and raves on how crappy all those are*. These guys can make you feel like just giving up on these stuff. The dude goes like, “aaah just that? Just bury it and get back to it next week” me:  “O_O say what?”. That’s the solution to my BIG problem. Considering how distraught I was, I couldn’t even make a sound decision at that point.

That’s what happens to us. Sometimes all we need to do is bury a problem or something we see as a problem then unbury it when we are refreshed. We usually try to solve problems when we’re angry, when we are distraught and end up making poor decisions while we could have gone for a breather then taken it up when we’re cooled down, well rested. I noticed that helps in our decision process. It’s not every-time we’ll be able to solve problems there and then. I’m a sucker for doing that, so when it doesn’t happen I get frustrated. But then again, life doesn’t always allow you to have your way. You have to get accustomed to it and come up with ways of going around it. Which is what my classmate had done. That day, it worked for me. It helped me not to give up on something that just needed a little more time for it to work out.

Words you could perhaps use during Easter…

ION, Happy Easter good people. What will you be up to this LONG weekend? Don’t tell me travelling because I’m already jealous, for Peep’s sake, I should have been on that road trip. However, I’ll be busy moving houses, settling in and getting used to the newness of the place. I’ll probably boil eggs and hide them to get the Easter feeling. It’s the only weekend I could get to move then manage to relax while at it and have a sweet eggscape. You know cute chicks could do with a little rest. That’s me cracking myself up.

LOL, see what I did there. Thanking God for bigger and better this season. It couldn’t come at a better time. Happy Easter!

Signing Off ~~~ *Kawi*

Something. About. Me.

LOL. Strange way to start the post, I know. But honestly, it’s hilarious how ones life can change in a couple of days, months, years. It just depends when you’re struck by whatever it is that will create that change. Why I was laughing, because I was reading a previous post that made me cringe, then shake my head in almost disbelief. Like “I really said that, no I didn’t”, “how did I even think that”. If I was to write that all over again, the story has completely changed. You know the 360^o kind of change. It would qualify for a face-palm moment.

Then again, it shows that I have really grown. The fact that I can read something I wrote a few years back and it makes me wonder what I was thinking when I was writing it. It’s amazing when something you did a while back gives you that feeling. That feeling of wow, I have come from far, to bring it closer home, yaani nimetoka mbali. I think of my first graduation, first job, my first house, my first relationship, my first blog post, the constant advisory lectures from the parents (he he they were of course almost one-sided, mostly don’t do this, don’t go there e.t.c) and these are the things that made up my foundation. They are what made me even know what direction to and not to take in life. At that particular time, it was all no big deal. It was just living life and doing what I had to do. Then as life went on, I moved into another job, I moved houses, I started dating someone else, wrote more posts. The parental lectures graduated to discussions (it’s two-sided, I give them my opinions, they give me theirs then I weigh them and make a choice). I’ve grown, still am. Little growing to big. It’s amazing.

That’s why I laughed when I read these posts. That one just covers the relationship perspective, there’s this one when I firstmoved out of home, then another when I graduated from my undergraduate and my first post on here. It takes me back, back to where I started out. I started out from down there, from knowing almost nothing about the world. I was like a cub let loose. For those of you who watch Nat Geo, you know how bad it is out there in the wild. You’re prey. Many await to feast on you, lead you in the wrong direction, give you false promises and so on. You are in charge of yourself. You make your own decision, right or wrong. No one is responsible for that but you. It’s crazy in a beautiful way.

To fend for myself, to face the world without the protection of the parents. That’s almost a lie though, because they are on my speed dial. I always update them on things, both good and bad. I always want their blessings in the things that I do or plan to do. Then there’s my boyfriend, he’s on the receiving end of all this I want to do this that and so on, so his opinions really matter as they’ll affect my decisions in one way or another. Then my friend(s), I have started learning to share things. I am not one to. I know it sounds unimaginable considering I am a chatter-box but surprise, there’s some mystery here. It’s like God leads me to people who will help in my venture for growth, the little experience I have gathered in different aspects of my life is through people. People I have known from the places I have been or people I have met in the weirdest of ways or people I have been introduced to. Super support system. You’ve got to love people.

Slowly I have been moving up, learning a couple of things while at it. The one thing that’s been my constant, though sometimes I tend to under-look it sometimes,  is that I strive to excel. I want to grow. The moves I make or intend to make are so that I can grow, so that I can make me and mine better. While at it, make a difference in the lives of the people I meet along the way or better the places I pitch tent in. I think what would make me feel unsatisfied is if I feel that I am not able to do this. If I feel stagnated, if there’s no sense of growth or there’s nothing I can do to make a difference. If I can’t do any of this, then why am I there or why am I doing what it is am doing in the first place?

That’s a little “Something. About.Me”. Also my very first picture-less post. Strange huh?

Signing Off ~~~ *Kawi*