My mum jetted into the country last week to visit us.Most people you will talk to will tell you about how the mum is a wonderful person.I will tell you why I think my mum is a wonderful person.When I was 9 years old my dad passed away.My dad like in many african cases brought home the bulk of the bread.So here my mum was alone with 4 kids to bring up and she was a government employee at the time.To add salt to the wound my mum was the first born in her family and her parents had also passed away.So she also had to take care of her youngest brothers and sisters, the youngest who was just a year older then me.What about the relatives on my dad's side?Well you know how most Africans are, during the funeral they all stand up and say how you can depend on them but after that you are on your own.My dad's sisters aka my aunt's never approved of my dad marrying my mum.But my mum did have help from some family friends like my dad's best friend who helped us to the extent of helping wind up cases from my dad's law firm after which he would only recoup the cost and give my mum the rest of the cash.Another paid for my big sister's to finish high school.Note that none of these people were of the same tribe as us,I guess that is why half of the time you'll hear me talking smack about tribe coz the fact that you speak the same language doesn't mean that those people have your best interests at heart.
Anyway with it being hard to survive as a widow.My mum put us through school, put up with our teenage madness and kept a roof over our heads.It also helped me grow up faster coz as the oldest boy in the house I had to learn to think on my feet as I was now my mum's right hand man.As for my aunt's who were rooting for us to fail, one of them even refused to give me a statement for the embassy when I was coming and the other refused to help me hook up a jobo at the U.N even though she is a senior there.Well what goes round comes round coz as for my aunt who refused with the statement, her daughter came here to states to do an MBA,spent her cash like it was goin out of fashion, didnt graduate so she just brought her back to nai to "work" for her; all her millions gone to waste.As for my other aunt she has been unable to get married and her daughter has had 2 abortions and is barely making it through college.What goes around comes around!When I go to my sister's place in ATL it will be the first time we will all be together as a family in 8 years.
So even though we do have our domes ( quarrels ) we are still tight.Let's all be grateful for the good mothers and fathers ( who are often overlooked ) that God has given us!
Monday, November 14, 2005
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Anutha saturday
Yesterday afternoon I was suppossed to get a haircut coz my hair is getting a tad bit long.So as I was taking a stroll downtown I decided against it and decided to go to the store and get some things I had forgotten to buy when I was at Walmart.So in addition to the kawa milk and warus I saw that they had those pre-cooked pizzas that you pop into your microwave.I decided what they heck lemme try one!So I got home popped the thingie in the microwave heated it up.It looked really good when it was done.So I took a bit.DAMN!It tasted like a latex glove with cheese and some meat on it.Since it was small and me being the true mwafrika I was not seeing my cash goin to waste like that plus i think was stubborn enuff to think that the taste would improve.I finished the thing after a couple of rubbery bites.
I then decided to chill out and finish a novel I had gotten from the lib.Ngoja the stomach begins complaining.Thank God for Coke!Yes unless it is a major tumbo war Coke or alcohol come in handy for self medication.That and no food for an hour or two.I remember when I used to go see some relas whose food I thot was suspect, I used to meza actal before I get there plus a sachet of eno as soon as I got home, best head off trouble at the pass!!So order was restored.Why should I go to the store to buy food poisoning when i can do it for myself for less cash at home?
I then decided to chill out and finish a novel I had gotten from the lib.Ngoja the stomach begins complaining.Thank God for Coke!Yes unless it is a major tumbo war Coke or alcohol come in handy for self medication.That and no food for an hour or two.I remember when I used to go see some relas whose food I thot was suspect, I used to meza actal before I get there plus a sachet of eno as soon as I got home, best head off trouble at the pass!!So order was restored.Why should I go to the store to buy food poisoning when i can do it for myself for less cash at home?
Gay Teletubby?
I was doing some research on the net when I ran into an article highlighting that one of the teletubbies may be gay.I never could watch more then 3 minutes of that programme, putting an electric drill through my ear would feel much better.Frankly I think that inserting any sort of sexual cues in childrens' programming is despicable but on the other hand it could have been a misunderstanding.Anyway here is the article.When did things get so complicated?
Friday, November 11, 2005
Order
Yesterday was painful for me!I was talking to some chics and they told me how they were making a quick dash to Walmart so as to buy stuff to make spanish omelette and samosas for a function.Since my fridge was empty I decided to tag along and get a few things.
So we check in and I pick the basics that I needed eg cereal,rice,heineken,apple juice etc.That took me less that half and hour.Do you know it took these chics almost 2 hours to get those things, I mean if it was a buffet being planned I would still be there now!What happened to in and out?Yes, I sound like a typical miroo at heart but that is how I am.
But it got me to thinking about my life.I think that orderliness and logic at some point are over prevelant in my life but unfortunately they havent fully extended to the state my bedroom.Most of the time before I do anything I think 2-3 steps ahead.When I do something most of the time I have weighed the consequences, if I can deal with them and how I can deal with them.I am not Mr Perfect but many times when something comes up I have plan A - C.There are times I have not wanted to do things especially those involving other ppl coz of a lack of plan B.It took me time to learn how to listen to people tell me their problems without chipping in with a solution.But thank God I am not alone, I was chatting to an old workmate/pal who is in the U.K and she tells me she has the same problem.Sometimes I wish for excitement and unpredictability in my life but at times it also comes with more problems then it is worth.We came to the conclusion that as long as the schedule is bearing fruit there is no need to fix what isnt broken.All I need to do is to spice up my life once in a while do something different, so on Monday I will cross at the first red light instead of the second!On a serious note I think that is why I am looking forward to Thanksgiving in ATL a change is in order.
So we check in and I pick the basics that I needed eg cereal,rice,heineken,apple juice etc.That took me less that half and hour.Do you know it took these chics almost 2 hours to get those things, I mean if it was a buffet being planned I would still be there now!What happened to in and out?Yes, I sound like a typical miroo at heart but that is how I am.
But it got me to thinking about my life.I think that orderliness and logic at some point are over prevelant in my life but unfortunately they havent fully extended to the state my bedroom.Most of the time before I do anything I think 2-3 steps ahead.When I do something most of the time I have weighed the consequences, if I can deal with them and how I can deal with them.I am not Mr Perfect but many times when something comes up I have plan A - C.There are times I have not wanted to do things especially those involving other ppl coz of a lack of plan B.It took me time to learn how to listen to people tell me their problems without chipping in with a solution.But thank God I am not alone, I was chatting to an old workmate/pal who is in the U.K and she tells me she has the same problem.Sometimes I wish for excitement and unpredictability in my life but at times it also comes with more problems then it is worth.We came to the conclusion that as long as the schedule is bearing fruit there is no need to fix what isnt broken.All I need to do is to spice up my life once in a while do something different, so on Monday I will cross at the first red light instead of the second!On a serious note I think that is why I am looking forward to Thanksgiving in ATL a change is in order.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
News,radio etc
There are times when you find yourself doing some things that people would find interesting or even strange.Anyone who grew up in Kenya knows how the news is one of the most pivotal times of day for the old folk and those who seek to be informed.I recall how when you were in some locals the music would be turned down and the volume of the telly turned up at 9pm for the news.You could usually hear a pin drop when the news was on, I recall being the recipient of a couple of slaps as kid because of making noise during news.Anyway during the last few weeks I have actually been watching FOX 5 news in the evenings instead of stuff like MTV,VH1 and the many other channels on cable.
I turned on the radio this morning,something I rarely do (refer to my morning schedule) and there was a most interesting discussion.First of all it seems that this station ( a black station ) had been making jokes about Africans.Of course some ppl didnt approve and sent mail.Then the discussion moved to what Africans think about African Americans.Well one African I think Nigerian called and said that first they need to drop the African part from the name.Something that I agree with totally because there are many populations in the States that descended from immigrants but not too many call themselves Italian American,Irish American, British American etc according to the caller.Also they do say that they are descended from Africans which I dont argue with but since Africa is the cradle of civilisation doesn't that mean that we are all African in some way and everyone should add African in front of their heritage ie African-Italian-American.Then one other thing that most of the African American callers pointed out is that most Africans think that African Americans are lazy.A point that I dont dispute, thing is that even though most of the callers said that none of them refuted the belief that they are lazy.Not to say that I think that all of them are lazy on the contrary, they do have quite a number of super achievers among them but as Bill Cosby said there are very many who are not carrying their share of the load.The thing is that people didnt get angry at Cosby for what he said, it is because he said it out loud; he aired dirty linen.It was also pointed out that they don't take advantage of all the opportunities that they have like free education and loans for college.An African American chic actually called and said that we foreign black ppl have more opportunities in the form of grants and scholarships.Anyone who is an international student out here knows how fallacious that statement is, it is really hard getting scholarship and aid as an international student.Bickering aside I dont think anyone persons choice to be lazy or not can be used to describe a whole group of people.It was interesting to listen and know how people can be so the same yet so different.Anyway back to my term paper...
I turned on the radio this morning,something I rarely do (refer to my morning schedule) and there was a most interesting discussion.First of all it seems that this station ( a black station ) had been making jokes about Africans.Of course some ppl didnt approve and sent mail.Then the discussion moved to what Africans think about African Americans.Well one African I think Nigerian called and said that first they need to drop the African part from the name.Something that I agree with totally because there are many populations in the States that descended from immigrants but not too many call themselves Italian American,Irish American, British American etc according to the caller.Also they do say that they are descended from Africans which I dont argue with but since Africa is the cradle of civilisation doesn't that mean that we are all African in some way and everyone should add African in front of their heritage ie African-Italian-American.Then one other thing that most of the African American callers pointed out is that most Africans think that African Americans are lazy.A point that I dont dispute, thing is that even though most of the callers said that none of them refuted the belief that they are lazy.Not to say that I think that all of them are lazy on the contrary, they do have quite a number of super achievers among them but as Bill Cosby said there are very many who are not carrying their share of the load.The thing is that people didnt get angry at Cosby for what he said, it is because he said it out loud; he aired dirty linen.It was also pointed out that they don't take advantage of all the opportunities that they have like free education and loans for college.An African American chic actually called and said that we foreign black ppl have more opportunities in the form of grants and scholarships.Anyone who is an international student out here knows how fallacious that statement is, it is really hard getting scholarship and aid as an international student.Bickering aside I dont think anyone persons choice to be lazy or not can be used to describe a whole group of people.It was interesting to listen and know how people can be so the same yet so different.Anyway back to my term paper...
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