Closing This, Opening Those

Oh well, something to make my Monday a little more interesting. Yes, as you know it’s in my nature to make Monday yellow yellow and kill all the blues that present themselves today. I mean, I need to write a post to mark some days like today and how I’m taking a big step.

You’ve probably seen me saying it feels like closing day. Yes, it really does feel like it. Only thing missing is a pack of cards, some snacks and you know how it was when it was closing day back in primary and high school. The excitements and all thinking I have never gone through this before and I don’t know what I am supposed to expect. Good thing is that there’s always a first time for everything. This is my very first to serve a full notice to the end and for a job I loved to bits. It’s quite the experience I must say. Ups and downs, but most of all regardless of the that, it’s been a good experience. One that I’ll look back and I’ll be able to give someone a piece of advice.

So, it’s my last day being online content editor for rupu, yup! Been here for almost 2 years now (1 year 8 months to be exact) and lets say they are the ones who have molded me to be who I am today. It’s an amazing thing to see a platform be given birth to, take care of  it as it grows up, and while at it be at the top of the game. If that’s how nannys feel when they see us (the kids they took care of) all grown up after wiping off poop, bathing us, feeding us, teaching us and what not … then it’s such a fulfilling feeling.

So the final one month wasn’t exactly the easiest of my months. Oh my! I’ve experienced many moments, from the beginning where I actually handed in my resignation letter to the last day. Could that be the reason it’s standard that you have to give at least one month notice. It’s a reality check month, it’s a roller coaster of your feelings. At one point you’re here *points top* then next thing you know you’re there *points bottom* and it’s a cycle. You actually get to learn people, your colleagues through the good and the bad, this one is the bad, because you’re actually leaving them, more like dumping your spouse. Resigning from an organisation is not the easiest thing one could do. It bites, it makes you wonder what the others are saying, if they are happy for you, if you’re doing the right thing, if you’re headed in the right direction and other related thoughts.

However, this is in my own honest opinion. If I have a person who’s resigning in my department/organisation and moving to wherever I would be sincerely happy for them. It shows that they are still of relevance, that you added value to them. Well, that’s what the few organisations I have worked with have done. They have added value to me and I’m super grateful that I worked with them, I will carry that knowledge they’ve impacted in me everywhere I go. After all that’s what life is about – ‘live, learn and apply’. And now my former colleagues are part of my life in one way or another. I would love to meet them and catch up, buy them a drink or vice versa, be invited for stuff, give them business and so on.

Anywhoo, so that’s wassup! So in the midst of all that, let me do something humorous at least. Too much seriousness is not good for me today  So there’s this thing called “Not Me Mondays”, stolen the concept from some random blog I happened to see, I think it must’ve been a post from the link below the image above. It’s where you’re just brutally honest, tell it, then you deny it. I think she must’ve gotten it from “Shaggy’s – It wasn’t me” song. Here’s how I got it, let’s give it a try with 5 for starters and see if I have my hand at it.

• The alarm went off at 6:30 and I didn’t just snooze it and wake up 1 hour later. I mean I would never, never ever…lol
• That guy who was about to splash on my some puddle water while I was walking to work, that guy hmmm! I didn’t throw imaginary daggers at him, if looks could kill, but nah, that wasn’t me.
• The guy in a BMW who was picking his nose like he wanted to remove his brains via his nostrils O_O. I didn’t even judge him and think, who does that on traffic. Yuck! But no, that wasn’t me.
• I’m not that girl wishing that closing day at work could have been a little more interesting, nah not at all. Disclaimer: I’ll make it exciting after I’m out. Now that I have one week of bumming *yaaay* Meeh if only school was also on break, I could take a trip or something. No I’m not the one wishing that.
• I’m not even so overly smitten *swoon* over a certain mister mister, butterflies, giggles e.t.c. I mean, how now? LOL (that’s for another day, I know you’re thinking, suspense is good continue thinking)

Ha ha so how did it go? I think I should do it more often. That being besides the point, cheers to new beginnings, as I swim in new waters, the unknown, yes, new in every essence of it. Quite a couple of new chapters in my life actually, this should get interesting. Just gotten off my comfort zone. And for every ending, there’s always a new beginning. This is mine, as I close this and open those *cheers*

Have a super week lovely readers, one full of positiveness and awesomeness. Be blessed!

Signing Off ~~~ *Kawi*

20 Questions to ask yourself every Sunday

So as I was reading @Nkirdizzle’s blog, as usual she has the most amazing stuff that will get you to juggle your head for a bit. I came across one of her posts that has this, “20 questions one should ask themselves every sunday”. Well, it wasn’t Sunday, but I sure can take myself back and I thought I should try it out … It’s like therapy, makes me notice how much I’ve been lazing around *bad, bad, bad girl*.

He he, this pic is funny!

What did I learn last week?

• Being paranoid could sometimes be the best way to avoid an oncoming problem.
• Family is important; they know you more than anyone else would.
• Positivity makes everything seem better and is emotionally needed to deal with life.

What was my greatest accomplishment over the past week?

• Good question! Keeping up with the pressures of life could be classified as a weekly accomplishment yah?

Which moment from last week was the most memorable, and why?

• That would be the beginning of last week. Because I made an unsaid promise to myself and to someone else :p

What is the 1 thing I need to accomplish this week?

• School, school, school, I need to gather all the psyche I need to apply for my masters…Jeez!

What can I do right now to make the week less stressful?

• Search, Identify and Apply!

What have I struggled with in the past that might also affect the upcoming week?

• Sleep! I need to get insomnia. I’ll blame it on the cold for now, but I think I love my sleep a bit too much.

What was last week’s biggest time sink?

• Procrastination enough said!

Am I carrying excess baggage into the week that can be dropped?

• None really! Funny enough I have the least baggage in my life right now, I just hope I keep that trend.

What have I been avoiding that needs to get done?

• My postgraduate diploma Project! Like seriously, I need to get over and done with it.

What opportunities are still on the table?

• I believe they are many; I’m just not creating room for them. Which is just wrong all together, so something’s got to give!

Is there anyone I’ve been meaning to talk to?

• I don’t think so, at least as per now.

Is there anyone that deserves a big thank you?

• I say thank you when I need to, and I keep saying when I have the opportunity to, but my folks do deserve a BIG one.

How can I help someone else this coming week?

• I’m trying to be of help where possible.

What are my top 3 goals for the next 3 years?

• To complete my Masters degree
• To exponentially grow in my career
• To be completely stable; this includes relationship-wise and financial-wise

Have any of my recent actions led me to closer to my goals?

• I think so and then again I haven’t tried hard enough. Jeez this is like a therapy of sorts it seems…yikes!

What is the next step for each goal?

• Look for a school and apply
• Work smart, in a way that’s going to contribute to my career growth
• As for the other, I’m not doing bad so far :p

What am I looking forward to during the upcoming week?

• Ummmm! This is bad … but in case of anything, it’s got to be something good.

What are my fears?

• My efforts to go unnoticed by the relevant people
• Not achieving what I would want to achieve (does that make sense? at least in my head it does.)

What am I most grateful for?

• Everything that I am today, and for the people who have played a role in it … I am grateful.

If I knew I only had one week to live, who would I spend my time with?

• This is a familiar question. If I knew I only had one week to live, I would call my family and friends and let them know, then I will spend time with whoever wants to spend time with me

Maybe you should try it out too!

Signing Off ~~~ *Kawi*

Dear Employers *Thinking Out Aloud*

Disclaimer: This is more of a general overview not personal per se!

No, I wasn’t going to write a letter, I’ll save that for cover letters.

So speaking as any other youth who is interested in development and empowerment, looking to grow career-wise and wants to exercise what they learnt in campus and the little experience gained while working … (since we are now graduates or better yet professionals) in a reputable organization. We have one major hurdle.

I would always go through vacancies on both the dailies and the Internet, we all do look for greener pastures I must say considering the rate at which our economy is growing…*uumm read becoming super expensive and unaffordable*.

This major hurdle happens to be EXPERIENCE. Nowadays that word, that small “11″ letter word, when it comes to anything to do  with career totally gives me the creeps. That would be because, a job that perfectly describes what you can do and offer (or bet yet think that you have the ability to do so, I mean qualification, skills all match) … all except that one sentence that reads -  6years or 15years experience needed.

Surely, is my dad the one supposed to be the one applying for this jobs. So what’s left for us youngsters? The ones who have 2 – 3 – 4 – 5years experience? or the ones whose age doesn’t read over 35.

Ps: Everytime i’m sending out my C.V, I look at my age and laugh a bit at myself but assure myself that you shall not judge me by my age.

I do apply anyway … seeing as I have nothing to loose and maybe everything to gain … probably not giving it high hopes. Well the excuse would be the more experience one has, the more bring on the table, the more they know how to deal with certain situations. I will always agree with that …

But our minds are young, we have new ideas. We do see what’s going on, we are the ones who get to hear what the others have to say. We are the one’s who interact with people on the ground. Maybe we should be nourished in such a way that Experience shouldn’t be our hurdle to get into the corporate world.

Thanks to corporates that offer Graduate Trainee opportunities, but that’s like 1 out of 500 in Kenya , and how many educated and “partially” experienced youngsters are we? like millions and millions. And not all of us are cut-out to be entrepreneurs just yet.

So I was just wondering what happens to us? Do we sit on our skills, since we are not given that opportunity or platform to actually show what we can offer (more like our ideas aren’t taken into consideration )or do we just settle for available underpaying jobs that more or less do not provide for any career growth, in the name of getting work experience as well as striving to be over 35 in order to get a managerial job?

LOVELY DAY PEOPLE’S!

Signing Off ~~~ *Kawi*

On the Prowl

Well was just chit chatting with my workmates and one of them goes like:

So if you were to go back through your career and school life what would you change? Like what is it that you would want to do different career-wise, or do you like what you are doing right now?

Shiish! that’s a difficult question I must say. Seeing as we all go to school so that  we can have career that will enable us to live a comfortable life as well as contribute to the economic development of the country in an effective way well am being positive here lol

Anyhow this took me down memory lane, from when I was say 5yrs old to 13yrs that’s practically Primary school, when your parents ask you “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Our answers always started like that, “When I grow up I want to be like ……” and we knew exactly what we wanted and you would confidently say it. I mean no hesitation, it was for direct answers. And for that reason I admire kids. I mean if to be a doctor requires me to be good in maths and science, I would do whatever it takes to get a 90% or an A in those subjects, we used to compete, cry because we have failed i.e gotten a B in a subject. I mean if you fail, it’s like someone has crushed your dream.

When you say I want to be like daddy, it’s because you admire them, what they do and see that they are successful in their endeavours – I mean he is able to buy for you your best bike, the best clothes, feed you – as a result you want to be that what he is.

I mean at that age, our career decisions are influenced by those grown-ups around us like teachers, especially teachers or your parents friends, or people you see on T.V. Like I wanted to be a doctor (because of my mum) I would play doctor – patient with my dolls like the way I used to see when I visit moms work place, I also wanted to be an air hostess clearly seen from my posses on photos. I used to think they are the most beautiful models, until I saw air hostesses for British airways, my hopes were shuttered, they were old and not very appealing. #nopunintended

There is the stage for when I was 14yrs to 17yrs this was my high school phase. It’s at this point, where your teachers and parents are the dictators of what you should do, your career direction. Because I remember when I was in form 2, I had to drop some subjects and retain some and the people who contributed here, were mainly my teachers. They tell you what you are good in and what you are poor in based on your performance.

Given a chance to go back to high school, I would drop Physics and pick Social Ethics, that would’ve been a straight A #justsaying

Anyway then comes form 4 where you have to choose what it is you want to do? Engineering, Medicine, Computer Science, Bcom — I mean something! They should’ve said it’s your parents choice at that point, because basically they are the ones who are called to come help (tell you) what to fill in those forms.

Then reality checks in, when you are done. And this is where most people get confused, yeah you applied to get into the University but sometimes they give you weird degrees like Wood Science, Anatomy …. hehe It’s when you are left in a situation where you are torn in between everything.

Personally, I was unaware of what I want. I was even thinking Bio Chemistry because I loved Biology and Chemistry Thank God for not letting me go there that would’ve been disastrous. Anyway, I went for what was available and was thought of being a good school.

Sometimes you just don’t know what you want, and you need the brilliant people around you to push you a bit, sort of shake you up to help you figure what it is that you want.

And that was my dad, he saw an advert for Strathmore University having intakes for Diploma in Business Information Technology (DBIT) and he says “go do the interview and study as you figure what you want to do”.

That was the shaking I needed to figure out what I wanted in life, because I was so clueless or rather confused. That to me was the most critical time of my life, you can either make your life or break it. And when I finished that I went into Bachelor of Business Information Technology (BBIT), and right now as much as my parents could be a pain sometimes, I thank them for pushing me into it, sometimes as much as we complain, that’s their role, to make sure we get the best education and direct us in paths they think would be suitable for us especially when we are young, fragile and vulnerable.

Anyway, campus life was so much fun , exhausting and stressful — all those cats, projects, assignments, life issues, friends and trying to mix them up in a balanced way.

I would say Campus was like preparing a meal, i mean you had to mix the ingredients well to be able to come up with something tasty and edible (not in that sense though) at the end of it, that is a good education, good personality, good reputation, good record, good friends and so on.

Then comes the time you finish campus and now you have to look for a place to build up your career, where you are going to at least use the knowledge gained throughout your 8.4.4 , to be given roles and responsibilities, be PAID at the end of the month.

But there’s a cycle you go through. You need to Identify where it is you want to work, as a what (position), the requirements for the position, the salary you need to be paid. And so many other things, this are just but a few.

Personally, I figured I want to do project management and system analysis and design but before realizing that I went through a series of other things such as Networking, Programming #notforme but that’s not all there is to it, i mean you need to up your skill, read more, do more projects or better yet start your own thing.

Makes you have the feeling of not wanting to grow up, life is hard especially career-wise, to get that job that you really want,that makes you grow, that pays you well. Makes me want to be 5 years once again.

Or maybe not, since that would mean I would have to grow up all over again and go through 8.4.4. wololo that would be a nightmare!

So nowadays we have been reduced to just having a job that can help pay your bills that’s all. I mean, you don’t do what it is you were employed to do. Or that which you studied and went through sleepless nights to pass exams and get more knowledge. Or worse yet, you do what you would want to do but you don’t develop yourself intellectually because everything is so routine.

You know what I mean, I would want a job where I am given responsibilities and left accountable, where my brain is challenged, where I’m stressed not because I’ve come to work late but because I haven’t met my deadlines, where I’m leaving the office late not because I was tweeting or blogging but because I’m trying to work things out, where I get rewarded for the hard work I put in. In general , I want to develop and mature career wise and feel it, since at the moment I don’t.

As a result am still on the prowl, that’s what I want, it’s what I wish for and pray for thinking of which why do we just remember to pray when we have problems…gosh! Sorry God

“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves”~ Thomas Edison

So out of curiosity, are there guys who have such discussions …. lol that’s just lack of ambition. Found it hilarious. If I foud my kids in future talking like this, I for sure would force him/her to become a doctor /engineer, the full dictation.

“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.”

“You can either create or allow everything that happens to you.”

Signing Off — *Kawi*