tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54415169036016650072024-03-13T05:16:44.357+03:00ReneeissanceReborn into calm. Reborn into love. Reborn into cognizance. I live! And I fill these pages with the breathings of my heart.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-24338004240628188422014-10-20T06:26:00.000+03:002014-10-20T06:35:21.530+03:00We are moving to www.renee.co.ke Come with me?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Please click on the link below;</b></h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.renee.co.ke/">www.renee.co.ke</a></h3>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-20274643259408659962014-10-13T16:29:00.000+03:002014-10-13T16:29:27.585+03:00Back to the Beginning.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBbT5fbXYCZo-x5E0t7PwGJB5iLhQqvUEfYnQycFyAO6_T8AaxqPJFZphjPD2QJfKbkTg9wG2ckGRJYnhbrWopCQ3LAaxte9FVadaNGK9k1noKsPvGx5jm_YIPAbQ8gFiAVuxPbW4cIU/s1600/Packed+Suitcase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBbT5fbXYCZo-x5E0t7PwGJB5iLhQqvUEfYnQycFyAO6_T8AaxqPJFZphjPD2QJfKbkTg9wG2ckGRJYnhbrWopCQ3LAaxte9FVadaNGK9k1noKsPvGx5jm_YIPAbQ8gFiAVuxPbW4cIU/s1600/Packed+Suitcase.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We always start with a mattress, don’t we? We take
our first salary which is not much at the time and we go to a supermarket
nearby because carrying a mattress over a long distance is nobody’s piece of
cake. With our meager earnings, we purchase a mattress that will be as kind to our
backs as it will be to our pockets. We grab a cheap blanket and pair of sheets
on the way out and, carrying our only possessions proudly in our hands, walk
with heads held high into an empty house to start our life of independence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We will spread the mattress on the floor at the
far corner of our one-roomed house. This mattress will serve as our sleeping
area, our dining table and our sofa. For the most part, we will not entertain
visitors much. We will not cook much either. The nearby food <i>kiosk</i> will be our saving grace from
starvation as we will rush there to grab
a serving of <i>madondo</i> or <i>githeri</i> or … what else it there … <i>chapati</i>? to take us through these empty
days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We will however not live like this forever. Our
circumstances will help fan a flame in us. A flame that will propel us to excel.
We will want more room. We will get tired of <i>madondo chapo</i> and crave for home-cooked <i>ugali, sukuma wiki</i> and beef stew. We will then save up to buy a
stove or a jiko, a <i>sufuria </i>and a
cooking stick. Maybe one plate and a cup? A spoon and fork…no, the cutlery can
wait. We will fall asleep on the mattress and on it dream of laying our heads
on a bed for a change. We will have an obsessive desire to sit on one of those
fluffy couches that come with pillows to cushion your bum and your back. We
will want. This wanting will drive us to work even harder. We will hustle day
and night for more financial freedom. Soon we will be rushing back to the
supermarket for that bed. For that dining table. For the curtains that match
the seats. For a carpet, a fridge and a cooker. Subsequently, we will move into
a bigger house. In no time, our cold and empty one-roomed house will become a
warm fully furnished multiple-roomed home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How about that for small beginnings?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is how most of us are introduced to a life of
independence. If your stride to independence was to a furnished house then you
make me jealous. Consider yourself exceptionally lucky my friend. I remember my first house. It was a very small
affair. It had a sink and a kitchen cabinet – which was a bargain for the rent
I was paying. There was barely room for a bed. There was an adjacent room with
shelves, which was supposed to be some kind of store room? It was small and
cozy. Not much, but it made me proud that I could sustain myself and did not
have to live off my siblings anymore. I had come of age. It was exciting as it
was limiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With time, I could afford to move to a house with
rooms and stuff. I had the luxury of a living room and a modern kitchen. This
house had a balcony to boot. It was timely too because Hailey happened at the
time. The timing couldn’t have been better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is what life is about. Evolution. You start
small and dare to dream big hoping that someday you will need to create more
room for your growing collection of shoes, your ginomous TV set, your king size bed. We grow progressively. And
it is a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But even when we move to bigger things and bigger
places, we never forget our humble beginnings. We always treasure them because
it made us want more out of life. With that desire, we were able to strive hard
to make it. Our beginnings made us who we are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This was my first home. I have
laughed in here but I have cried most of the time. I have been so many things at different times.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Yet with every first home, there comes growth. We
live somewhere and with that growth, we tend to want more stuff.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We just want better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I want more. I want better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What I am doing now is that I am packing. I am
leaving. I am looking for a better home. A bigger home with bigger windows and nicer
stuff. I need a backyard. I need more space. It is a bittersweet experience
because I am leaving this home that I have grown so attached to. It stings a bit.
I don’t know whether to be happy that this new home is a step forward? I should
be happy about this no? But then again, humble beginnings. They are responsible
for who I am. Bittersweet is the emotion I will settle with for now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am emptying the closets and putting everything
in labeled boxes. Soon, I will be out of here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will sure miss this place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Come with me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Come with me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Come with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-5476405952546759132014-10-07T10:15:00.001+03:002014-10-07T10:18:49.630+03:00Crying Space<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhzhV3g5ZkUTZ1kAHyidQlsQbfOUVLweT9kFb09wj3Duqy3KDZ1yLJpsvm9KAfo2wZ0pftaAIjZ25nJZ2zI7XPYwaN2sMq_nvcQjZpERmaj1GcW7rIqzEVqqC8ly-D34JOoY8OYmcWjg/s1600/CryingWoman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhzhV3g5ZkUTZ1kAHyidQlsQbfOUVLweT9kFb09wj3Duqy3KDZ1yLJpsvm9KAfo2wZ0pftaAIjZ25nJZ2zI7XPYwaN2sMq_nvcQjZpERmaj1GcW7rIqzEVqqC8ly-D34JOoY8OYmcWjg/s1600/CryingWoman.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Courtesy of Wisegeek.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When have I not cried? Yeah, that is an easier question
to answer than; when have I cried? This gets me more to the point because I
have cried more times than I care to remember. I cried when the Titanic sunk in
the movie <i>Titanic</i>. When Phoebe gave
up the triplets she had been carrying for his brother in <i>Friends. </i>I cried in almost every episode of <i>Army Wives</i>-that series is a tear-jerker<i>!</i> I cried when Md and I got engaged. I cried when Heidi tearfully
bid farewell to her cousin recently and hugged him so tight, refusing to let go. When Hailey, while hugging and kissing me on the cheek, neck, eyes,
mouth, told me how much she missed me when I was away in Nairobi for a whole
week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, when have I not cried? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This warm Wednesday evening, I am walking along a
busy road. I am in deep thought. Cars swish past me. Thoughts that I shouldn’t
be having start creeping into my mind. They peep in. Look around for some space.
There is little room, barely enough to accommodate one leg or an arm, or a
small head. These thoughts are determined. They know that all they need is a
small opening. True to their conviction (and thanks to my aimless walking, my
straying thoughts, and a difficult day that drained me as it took its time to come
to an end) they find that tiny crack to squeeze themselves through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With one leg in, the thoughts start to slowly feed
my mind with negativity. They can barely be heard since I am on a busy road and
thinking is not all I am doing entirely. I am watching out for the passing
cars, giving room for the human traffic going against my direction, stopping to
give room to a sweating <i>mkokoteni</i> guy…these
thoughts need my attention. They squeeze in and before I know it, two legs are
in. Both arms find room. A big head squeezes in as well. They are slowly progressing
from inconsequential whispers to overwhelming noises. They are taking over. My attention
is drawn to them. My positivity is neglected. Surely, I am not going to kick
positivity to the curb only to focus on these newcomers, now am I? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, I do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A car passes by in full speed almost hitting me. I
have strayed from the pavement to the road. The driver peeps out and curses me
out. Just like that, the negatives find a better avenue to assert themselves: “You
could have died on this road. That car could have hit you. If that happened and
you died, would anyone really miss you? You really think so? Who?” Do they have
a point? I think about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I think about so much more. I am now a walking
host to bad vibes. I reek of negativity. I stink of a bad attitude. Of bad feelings. I
am all blue and full of gloom. I have a mind to get a sticker and put it on my
forehead that reads: <i>Suffering from Acute
Melancholia. Highly Contagious!</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have a lump in my throat. My eyes tingle. There
are tears welling up. Fast. They want to be let out. But I am on the streets.
People will see me. I might meet someone who recognizes me and they will insist
on talking to me and I will feel like slapping them across the face, and I will
try to talk to them anyway because it’s the right thing to do and my mouth will
open and the words will refuse to come out and the tears will refuse to stay in
and the waterworks will flow and the person will stand there looking all
confused wondering what it is they said, or did, or who is responsible for the
tears, whether I am a victim of a dead beat dad…then I will shake my head, they will keep prodding,
asking why I am upset, what has gone wrong, who has wronged me, whether I am
sick or hungry, or angry or ... <i>That sign
on my forehead would have come in handy!</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Seriously, who doesn’t know not to ask questions
when you see a grown woman crying. Women need some alone time with their
emotions sometimes. I know I do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I need space where no one will ask me why I have
tears in my eyes. Where I can cry so that the lump in my throat is cleared - I
actually get a sore throat when I am stressed so there must be a connection. I
need somewhere where I can cry, wail, snort, sob, heave, and not care how ugly
I look. Well, I need space to wear that teary, mucus-y face with pride. And I
will not answer any questions. Space that will shield me from judging looks. A
place that will cushion me from labels like ‘softy’ or ‘pathetic’ or ‘unstable’
or ‘poor Renee’. Where I will not be expected to act all put together. I need a
place where I can break apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This space will enable me to express these dark emotions
the way a mother expresses milk that burn her welling breasts. The toxic
emotions need to be excreted from my body before they corrode me from the
inside. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I am in dire need of some crying space. But where
does one find that? Where in this crowded busy world?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">While others can hold their tears and their hurt
until they are in that comfortable crying space; in the comfort of their beds
at night, behind the walls of their homes, out of glaring eyes and unwelcome
queries- I don’t have that luxury. I am embarrassingly unable to hold the tears
when they demand to get out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As if on cue, one tear trickles down my cheek.
Maybe this is not the best time to cross the road to the other side then? I
will just stand here for a minute or two. I reach for my handkerchief from my
purse…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">See, until I grant these ‘visiting’ thoughts time
to express their fears, their anger and disappointment. Until I acknowledge
these feelings and cry them out of my system, I will not be able to smile
again. Unacknowledged feelings are like that drunk cousin at a family reunion,
they say. They won’t shut up so you can hear anyone else. They go on and on and
on. These feelings may be unwanted but they have a purpose. After the
acknowledgement, I will be able to see more clearly (I will cross that road
with better care for sure!) I am then better placed to forge ahead. I can then welcome
back positivity. I can even afford a smile. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will be ‘normal’ again in a minute. Normal meaning;
jovial, full of hope, fun. But that is not really the meaning of ‘Normal’, now
is it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you spot me standing at the corner of a street
with my head bowed down and a handkerchief covering my eyes, do me a favor and move
right along. There is nothing here for you to see. Just an emotional woman
grabbing her rightful crying space. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And No. It couldn’t wait!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Have a positive week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-83398172778787040062014-09-29T15:22:00.000+03:002014-09-29T15:22:05.530+03:00This feels like 36.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">36 is that age. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That age where you are neither young nor old. You have
the liberty of officially declaring yourself old when you clock 40, I think? Or
maybe you don’t? Ever? Life begins at 40 anyway, right? Middle age is what this
is; a tad confusing because you are neither here nor there. Neither hip nor
extinct. You are in between being cool and being so outdated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">36 is that age where you are no longer content
with <i>status quo</i>. It is that age where
you grow tired of mere talk and yearn for more action. You want things to
change. You want to leave a mark. This is the age where the bucket list is
unleashed with zeal and thrown thunderously onto the table for serious consideration.
POW!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you don’t allow its liminality to get to you, this
is the age where your dreams seem so reachable. You are vibrant and energetic
enough to go for what you want. You have the confidence and the zeal to leap
without fear of landing face first. You have sure steps. You know your strengths
and you understand your weaknesses. You are ok with that. You are ok with all of
you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You feel attractive, still. Ironically, you don’t
care much for physical attributes as you do the non-physical. You don’t walk
into a room or stroll across the street and get an ego boost at the number of
stares and catcalls that follow you. Or do you? You however find fulfillment in
connecting intellectually. You are enthralled by a man’s mind as opposed to his
abs and broad chest. You don’t judge books by their covers anymore. You delve
deeper. Scratch beneath the surface. In the process, you lose respect for
people you initially held in awe only to scratch beneath the surface and find
nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj0C8mAn_absRnlOewSohoTd1xxMsEyveewAqpxBy5LbqvqYkNcXvo5GYrJzbD8XUjbbMEZQw0iteQ1C4Js92VoBbrbHMrpSCcvHB2T2jk1f-igJkZAnbvhm-Vzazs14FYKGYHNt2rmTw/s1600/36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj0C8mAn_absRnlOewSohoTd1xxMsEyveewAqpxBy5LbqvqYkNcXvo5GYrJzbD8XUjbbMEZQw0iteQ1C4Js92VoBbrbHMrpSCcvHB2T2jk1f-igJkZAnbvhm-Vzazs14FYKGYHNt2rmTw/s1600/36.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At 36, your patience wans. You become intolerant about
hanging around pretenders. You appreciate people who are real. Those who don’t
try to pretend that they have it all together – who does anyway? You are drawn
to people who are clear on what they want out of life. You love the honest
prostitute and abhor the promiscuous bible-wielding nun, so to speak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You don’t waste time on arguments anymore. If at
this age, they still don’t know what you stand for. What makes you tick. What ticks
you off. What your principles are. You cannot
help them. Not at 36. Surely there are better, urgent, more productive, more important
things to do than to make someone see your point. You either agree, or agree to
disagree. Life goes on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And we only live once. Get on with the living.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You learn to let go. Especially of the adults that
you might have, sorta, in one way or another, ‘babied’ for a while. At some
point, you might have conceitedly thought that you could solve all problems for those who came to you. Thankfully,
you grew up enough to </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">realize that grownups have the capacity to take care of themselves. You offered unsolicited advice,
</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">talked to them about this and that. The
importance of doing this and living like this as opposed to the other way. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Then y</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ou got tired. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It took you a while but you managed to finally see that
an adult will (and rightfully so) do whatever they damn well please. That is
one of the perks that come with adulthood; freedom. Every one of them is
entitled to their own mistakes. Your attitude, now that you're 36, towards adults who insist
on making glaring mistakes is summed up in two words; your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Arrgh! But mediocrity tires you. It really does! You strive for
excellence. You want to explore more. Travel more. Feel more. Achieve more. Do more. Read
more. Ultimately, write more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You are not just a dilettante anymore. You are the
real deal. The Da Vinci. The Elvis Presley. You have purpose and you are committed
to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At 36, you grab your dreams with both hands and
refuse to let anything, anyone take them away from you. You are going in. Full throttle.
No holds barred. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe it’s just me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yeah. This indeed feels like 36. The countdown begins;
it is exactly one week since I turned 36. This will go down in history as the
age at which I wrote my first book . The age at which dreams transitioned to
reality; I bought my first car, I travelled the world. I made a mark. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am grabbing these dreams. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Not letting go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Not letting go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Have a productive week!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-42849414259828578212014-09-15T10:51:00.000+03:002014-09-15T10:51:00.432+03:00Storymoja Festival: Reading is so cool!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I was washing the dishes in the kitchen one day when
Hailey brought her plastic chair and sat behind me. She had her bible story
books in her hands. She had; The Miracles of Jesus, Joseph and His Brothers, and
The Birth of Jesus. I asked her what she was up to and she told me that she
wanted to read. She started reading quietly. “Why don’t you read aloud?” I asked
her. She read aloud and I listened as I did the dishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was an interesting dish-washing experience. I got
to listen to my six year old daughter read and I was able to teach her how to
pronounce difficult words in the process. I am happy to have a daughter who reads
because reading is a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I remember my father buying us storybooks when we
were young. Each one of us owned a book that we held onto for a long time. They
included Louisa May Alcott’s <i>Little Women</i>,
Mark Twain’s <i>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,</i>
Charles Dicken’s <i>Hard Times</i> & <i>David Copperfield,</i> and Anthony Hope’s <i>The Prisoner of Zenda.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Growing up, I saw my father grab a book and get
immersed in it so dedicatedly. There was a shelf full of books (which exists to
this day) from where we would once in a while make our own selection and share
in the reading experience. That experience
was invaluable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqw0a2utiXDH7gHJJD4f2Gwo293Y4yjOS76UswniF6qw3PX587djofI_F0gX370oKFjqwZkUX4QLQVgOwfeEwiiaPcnJyZD7XzLkwp6mktau3ehpMGa-oRv_uK9ToTOCLpHua4KGhZRk/s1600/Reading-is-cool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqw0a2utiXDH7gHJJD4f2Gwo293Y4yjOS76UswniF6qw3PX587djofI_F0gX370oKFjqwZkUX4QLQVgOwfeEwiiaPcnJyZD7XzLkwp6mktau3ehpMGa-oRv_uK9ToTOCLpHua4KGhZRk/s1600/Reading-is-cool.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Since then, I have read books that left me shaking
my head in disapproval or nodding my head furiously in approval. With every
book, I have been able to learn. A lot. My emotions have been stirred by authors
who made me cry and laugh. I have been angered, while on other occasions, I have
been deeply impressed. Books have had me thinking about stuff. I have changed
my opinion about stuff. I have made discoveries, travelled to different worlds
with different people in different times. Reading has made me learn. It has
made me write better. Speak better. It has helped shape my dreams. It has
sharpened my mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am glad to have had the chance to peep into the
reading culture and entering deeper and deeper, to a point of no return. I am aware
of the transformation that happens between the time one opens a book to begin
reading from the first page, to the time one closes the same book having read
it to the last page. I am privy of the fact that every book one reads does not
leave one the same way it found them. That we learn from each reading
experience. I want the same for my children. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Reading is cool. I know that. Do you know that? The
Storymoja Festival begins this Wednesday the 17<sup>th</sup> through to the 21<sup>st</sup>
of September. During the festival, there are events that will be too important
to miss. Case in point is the <i>Reading is
cool! Kusoma ni Poa! </i> event that will
be held on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8.30 to 9.15am. This reading
anthem (<a href="http://storymojafestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/KUSOMA-NI-POA-READING-ANTHEM.mp3" target="_blank">click here</a> to listen) will be sung by the Grace Children’s Centre
choir. They will perform and launch their CD during the festival. Listen in.
Dance to it. Teach it to your children- I intend to teach it to Hailey and Heidi
too. Share it and let it become a powerful tool for spreading the reading
culture in Nairobi and beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If I will be anything, I will <i>not</i> be that mother who never taught her children the importance of
reading. A reading child is a knowledgeable child. A knowledgeable child is a
strong child. A strong child is a grounded child, a confident child. If my
reading has anything to do with who I have become, then I can confidently say
that a reading child is a fearless child. Unashamed to live their lives the
best way they deem fit. A reading child grows to become a sage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">During these times when the reading culture in
Nairobi has degenerated due to the attention given to video games and cartoons
as the quintessential pastime for children, you need to introduce your children
to the magical experience that comes with holding a book between their hands. Read
for them. Read with them. Encourage them to read for you. Read together. Read. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Since you guys are dear to me, I will give one of
you a complimentary ticket to the Storymoja Festival to be held at the Nairobi
National Museum. If you are interested in attending the weekend events on the 20<sup>th</sup>
or 21<sup>st</sup> Sept, all you need to do is to email me between now and
Thursday at <a href="mailto:renee.murrey@gmail.com">renee.murrey@gmail.com</a>
and share with me what your favourite book is to date and why. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Storymoja Festival weekend events include a
session with Dr. Kinyanjui Nganga on Parenting and Marriage, a children’s book
launch of <i>The Lizard and the Rock</i>
with author Joanne Ball-Burgess, a discussion with award winning Kenyan journalist
Jeff Koinange as he talks about his memoir- <i>Through
My African Eyes</i>, a <i>Wangari Maathai Memorial
Lecture</i> delivered by Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka from Nigeria (I
know!). There will be exhibitions, talks by Tony Mochama aka Smitta, Caine Prize
winners - Okwiri Oduor and Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor (I know!) There will be hot
conversations, Poetry, storytelling, <i>Mchongoano</i>,
film screening… Go on, hit my inbox and grab that ticket!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Oh, almost forgot - Sauti Sol will also be there. I
Know! (sigh!) They together with Berry Heart of Botswana and Dizraeli from UK will
steer the <i>Jaza Matatu na vitabu concert</i>
to raise money for <a href="http://www.startalibrary.org/">www.startalibrary.org</a>
in order to stock libraries in schools. Storymoja Festival attendees will
literally get to <i>jaza matatu</i> <i>na vitabu</i>. Reading is such serious business!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Do me a favor and let your children, your young
nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters…this young generation, let them know that
reading is cool. Reading is oh-so-cool!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Have a cool week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-76644115043335995932014-09-08T14:23:00.001+03:002014-09-08T14:23:28.049+03:00The Reward<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We are doing breakfast, my sisters and I. My dad did
something interesting with our names. He named his first two daughter names
beginning with (I), the last two he gave names starting with (V) then for the
middle daughter, who sits smack in the middle of the I’s and the V’s he
distinguishingly gave a name starting with ‘R’. Granted, this must have been a
coincidence since there is no way he could have known beforehand that he would
have five girls in succession. But still, the coincidence is uncanny. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Breakfast it is, at my sister’s place. Now such
gatherings are normally very interesting because there is laughter, there is
madness then there are the arguments. Part of the fun of having siblings is for
the fights right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I see how Hailey and Heidi do it. One day they are
the best of buddies, throwing in the ‘sister’ word here and there in their
sentences. “Mum, <i>sister yangu anataka
maji ya kunywa</i>” Heidi says as she comes to fetch drinking water for Hailey.
Or Hailey insists on giving Heidi a piggyback ride, and when I try to warn her
that they might both fall down, Hailey reminds me “<i>Si</i> Heidi <i>ni</i> sister <i>yangu</i>?” – Like that has anything to do
with anything. On other days however, the sisterhood is thrown out the window
and they scratch each other’s faces, and a stern “<i>Hauna miguu?”</i> is shot when one asks the other to bring her
something. That is what siblingry (if such a word exists) is all about: Fighting
with love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ever watched the series <i>Brothers and Sisters</i>? You get to witness typical sibling behavior in
this series; the gossiping of a sibling by the others to a point that it finally
reaches the gossipee and all hell breaks loose; the formation of alliances
against one common ‘enemy’; the silent treatment of yet another sibling for a
reason they have no clue about, and so on. I seriously need to catch up on this
series from season 4 onwards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This post is going somewhere, I promise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Breakfast at my sister’s. I am charged with preparing
Sandwiches. All five of us have a thing
about well cooked, adequately spiced (masala) tea that has enough milk. I therefore
steered away from tea preparation because the pressure my friend. The
pressure! No, sandwiches were much safer. Every time we visit each other, we prepare tea with precision. We just don’t take
kindly to mediocre tea. You will be forgiven for forgetting to add the key
ingredient to your recipe; say, <i>pilau masala</i> to your <i>pilau</i>, but not for serving
ill-brewed tea. Be forewarned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I swear this post is not about tea. Nor is it
about food. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, breakfast. Me, sandwiches. Others prepare
sausages. A brave soul takes on the tea while my older sister is busy attending
to her 7month old baby. We are chatting about the most recent series. In between
this flurry of activities, we mention the series <i>Scandal</i>. Most of us agree that it ain’t all that. Olivia pope? Meh! There is absolutely nothing
phenomenal about Olivia pope. We decide. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Which series is that again?” my eldest sister
asks <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Scandal” all of us reply<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She shrugs “I don’t know about movies or series
anymore. I don’t watch them”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We all nod in understanding. We all assumed that
her little boy is taking most of her time. I remember how it took a while with
Hailey and Heidi for my life to become ‘normal’ again. It took months to
finally get some alone time or even manage a trip to the hairdresser’s. Between
her job and taking care of the baby, we understood how hard it was to squeeze
in a few hours of TV. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“But you need to grab some ‘me’ time whenever you
get the chance.” we offered our advice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To which she said “No. I wouldn’t do that”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Why?” we were curious. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Not now. Maybe a year from now. I don’t know… I
consider it as rewarding myself for a task I haven’t even completed yet. ” she
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “Wow!” “Deep!”
“Aaaw!” we all said in unison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “See, I look
forward to his first birthday. In fact, his first birthday will not be about
him. His first birthday will be about me. I will then reward myself. But not
now” she continued</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I had a tear in my eye which I swiftly wiped away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That was the most beautiful thing I heard someone
saying that day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That was a mother putting a part of her life on hold
to deliberately focus on her young son. I found that utterly profound. I Still do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMJ5_skt7X99f7BIfNrJ_TW6Fij0sxN_jZAynwX8XuEiuSIja4KzNIi0jUpCz0JVie4Q8iGk1QvbdDkHCOwBlUcAz57gnXCgAXhESFOYSpwjnfuI2_E8EzNB0FzyfuQPQrDmIBBSa9jc/s1600/TheReward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMJ5_skt7X99f7BIfNrJ_TW6Fij0sxN_jZAynwX8XuEiuSIja4KzNIi0jUpCz0JVie4Q8iGk1QvbdDkHCOwBlUcAz57gnXCgAXhESFOYSpwjnfuI2_E8EzNB0FzyfuQPQrDmIBBSa9jc/s1600/TheReward.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He is a beautiful boy, my nephew. He is a happy
child. When he grows up, I will rat on her mother. I will tell him what his
mother did for him. How she took care of him meticulously.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Make no mistake; Mothers. Are. Awesome! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Have an Awesome Week?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-42889768913659917392014-08-25T08:43:00.000+03:002014-08-25T08:43:22.447+03:00WAAAAAH!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vFMIF_8bYG9Jy4ZvycfLZbPH_VF1kL4ctI9ZjcXX_9WRr5AozVBQaYVcDiHsahB3Cy6fNq05Igw-hw5w9-MXt8USCraD1rcYy6c1jSrdoGMfyf6bL0qmsEdcLYU7EK33bhKsq8_vQEY/s1600/CryingBaby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3vFMIF_8bYG9Jy4ZvycfLZbPH_VF1kL4ctI9ZjcXX_9WRr5AozVBQaYVcDiHsahB3Cy6fNq05Igw-hw5w9-MXt8USCraD1rcYy6c1jSrdoGMfyf6bL0qmsEdcLYU7EK33bhKsq8_vQEY/s1600/CryingBaby.jpg" height="320" width="309" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WAAAAAH!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the cry of a manipulative child. It is distinct. It is recognizable. It does not sound like a cry of pain. It doesn’t come close to a cry of disappointment or a cry of hunger. It is worse. It is shrill and piercing to the ears. It is uncomfortable because it is exaggerated. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-05ef4986-0ba4-b3d4-a560-4eb84109d4d3" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adults react to this cry in the way that children expect them to; They wear worried faces. They fear that their child is hurting. They try to find out how they can make things right. How they can enjoy silence again? We do whatever it takes to stop the ‘irritating’noise. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And therein lies the problem.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am enjoying the company of my nephews and nieces who I have not seen in a long time. We are taking late afternoon tea. Hailey and Heidi are with me and they are happy to be in the company of their cousins. Kids love each others company and to them, it is creed that the more is indeed the merrier. A neighbor's kid comes to join the merry as it is also my neices’daughter’s birthday (hehe, I like making your reading life difficult, don’t I?)</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All is well in play and they even sit down to tea. I notice the manipulative nature of the neighbour’s kid early enough. He wants this, doesn’t want that. He wants to sit here, won’t sit there. He needs this, won’t do that. He had a lot of preferences. He had a lot of dislikes and you would be in this child’s beck and call if you were to give him everything he wants.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You have seen that kid right? He is with his mother at the supermarket. Mother gets to till to pay for the the stuff in the shopping basket. Child decides that he wants something. Mother obliges and gets him ‘something’. He is happy. But just for a while. The queue is moving slowly and soon, child asks (nay, demands) something else that catches his eyes. There is so much that catches a child’s eye when you are close to the checkout till; the candy strategically placed at a child’s eye level; the pocket-unfriendly, useless, tooth-damaging, appetite-eradicating, goodies that are there to solely create a rift between parents and their children and so much more. Child demands for something else. Mother is on a budget. She declines and tries to convince child that what she has bought for him is enough, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">baby</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baby will hear none of it. He wants what he wants and he wants it now. He gets what he wants or there will be trouble to pay if he doesn’t.. Mother tries harder to talk to him because what he wants is expensive. Stuff that is not in her budget. Stuff that will not feed him, educate him or clothe him. But see, the child does not care about usefulness. He wants it, he wants it, he wants it NOW and ….. WAAAAAH! That distinctive, unmistakable manipulative cry is unleashed!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Frantic mother tries to end the annoying noise. She is wondering what to do to stop this child from embarrassing her. Everybody is looking at them. Watching to see what she will do. she returns something from her basket. One of the useful stuff she had picked. Maybe even something that could have fed, clothed or educated him. She instead puts the useless expensive thingamajig that the child demanded into the shopping basket. Noise ends, there is peace and quiet just like she likes it. Child is happy. Prying eyes look away. There is peace. Are you kidding?</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The neighbour’s kid was such child. when he was ready to go home, he decided that he was going with another child’s stuff. ”But those are not yours young man.”he was told. “They are mine! Mine! mine!”he replied. He threw everything he had and demanded to be given what he wanted. WAAAAAH?! </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And off he runs to fetch his mother from the adjoining house. We sat still. We sipped our tea.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hailey tried it once on me. Its a cold afternoon, we are outdoors with family. The ice cream guy comes to where we are picnicking and strategically places ice cream a sniffing distance away from our children’s noses. Hailey takes the bait, tugs the sleeve of my shirt and goes “Mum, buy me ice cream?”I say no, it is cold for one, and two, you have recurring tonsilitis. She starts pleading. I stick to my guns. Seeing that pleading is not working, she unleashes the weapon: WAAAAAH! Everyone looks around. What does Hailey want? Just ice cream? Surely, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">si</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you buy for her? It’s only ten bob!? Just buy her the damn ice cream! Someone brought out a ten bob from her purse, “Here Hailey, go buy yourself ice cream” she said. I snatched it away before it reached her hand. “Don’t!”I warned them.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the crying went on for a while. Everyone was uncomfortable for the time it lasted. But I knew that it was necessary. I did not want to stifle that cry because it came with a lesson that we don’t always get what we want.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The moment you frantically search for something to shut them up or end the disturbing noise, you encourage them to continue being children when they actually need to grow up. It is not something easy to do, but it is something that needs to be done. Enduring that manipulative cry with resilience, helps rid society of the thieves, murderers, and wayward adults who have a demented sense of entitlement. </span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So next time your child cries for something you can’t give, try and make them understand why they cannot have it. If they are well fed and hunger is not a contributing factor, if their health is not threatened then relax and sip your tea because growth is happening. Allow them to grow up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have a splendid week!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-72419813370768600332014-08-18T13:46:00.004+03:002014-08-18T13:46:51.294+03:00It’s The Little Moments…<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Heidi’s closet is getting revamped with clothes
that don’t fit Hailey anymore. This means that Hailey’s closet is slowly
gaining more room until we buy her new clothes to compensate for the ones she
has lost to Heidi. I was arranging their closets the other day and realized
that a lot of Hailey’s clothes have become too small and have to be passed down
to Heidi. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These are the moments that make you aware that
growth is happening. If the fact that they don’t need you to spoon feed them
anymore, that they wash their hands before sitting down to eat without being
told, that they don’t soil themselves or have small ‘accidents’ here and then,
that they go to Sunday school willingly, without a fight (as was previously the
case <a href="http://reneemurrey.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-church-of-play.html" target="_blank">here</a>) and stay there until mass is over before coming to find you - If these
fact somehow don’t catch your eye, then you thankfully have the clothes that
stop fitting to jolt you to that glaring reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But my Heidi sweetly thinks that the same way
clothes become small after a while is the same way, they become bigger for a
bigger person to wear. So when Hailey makes a face because she doesn’t like the
idea of passing down her favorite skirt, Heidi is quick to console her saying <i>“Usijali </i>Hailey<i>. Ikikuwa kubwa nitakupatia, sawa?”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am glad that this growth is happening right
before my eyes. I get to experience some things for the first time since this
is the first school holiday that we are spending together entirely. Previously,
all the time I could afford was a smidgen just before they closed their eyes to
sleep or very early in the morning when they woke up, if they woke up early to
catch me before I went to work. There was also the weekend option of a Saturday
afternoon, and the whole of Sunday (God bless Sunday!) Things are different now
in the sense that I am present. I am doing everything for my children from the
time they wake up to the time they go back to sleep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am cooking for them, giving them baths. I am
disciplining them, scolding them for not answering when I call them and admonishing
them for not sharing their toys. I am also learning in the process. Learning to
be patient with their young exploring minds. I am also learning to write and
read amidst the noise. I am learning that children can play endlessly without
tiring (the energy, my goodness!) especially now that schools are closed. I am
learning to expect an unexpected kiss from Heidi when I am helping her get
dressed. And I am loving it! I am learning to accept a helping hand from Hailey
when she offers to do the dishes. And not to tear up when she does a jaw-dropping
job. I am watching them eat, play, and sleep. I am watching them grow. I am watching them watch me and
emulate me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Under my watchful eyes, my children blossom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It doesn’t escape my mind that these moments will
never come back. This is it. I am living for the moment because who knows…
tomorrow there may be no kiss from Heidi. She might have gone to college, got married
or relocated to another continent. And I will think of that kiss, crave it, but
it will be gone. So, yeah, I will have one kiss to the cheek now, this moment,
before it is taken away from me, thankyouverymuch! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As I put them to bed every night, I know that this
is it. This is what their childhood will read like in their books. As I cook
their favorite meal, I am fully aware that the smell of the food wafting from
the kitchen to fill the whole house will be picked by their nostrils in their
adult life and it will bring them down memory lane to this very moment of their
childhood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These are the moments. And these little moments
are a big deal. It’s the little moments that make life big, <i>innit</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I was just reading about the Cherry Blossom, a white
flower with a tinge of pink at the base. These flowers are, apparently, Japan’s
unofficial National Flower. Why doesn’t our country have a National Flower, <i>woiye</i>? Cherry Blossoms symbolize a
bright future. In full bloom, they are a sight to behold with the trees taking
the appearance of a beautiful cloud from afar. There is in fact a Cherry
Blossom viewing ceremony (Hanami) where people hold picnics underneath the tree,
taking the chance to relax and take in the beautiful view. What do you know, it
is in fact said that most people give the answer ‘Under a Cherry tree’ to the
question, ‘Where would you like to get married?’ Though Cherry Blossoms are nothing
short of<i> tres</i> <i>magnifique</i> in full bloom, they only last a week or ten days tops
before all the blossoms are carried away by the wind. Ten days and it’s all
over. So even with all these hurly-burly surrounding its bloom, the Cherry
Blossom, in all its glory and splendor lasts for ten meagre days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREV1OzYHB8SpkWVoBRYVILICfCNbs7CkOCS1Mw0B3H50ig4EzEtXl-1-EIy62zcG_YerQ5g-3CGZQiminkRcn1Xp4PpPENDdkJ7E4jNTr1kS631cAdrg9FLmCI9qf7vdtpiTR4nQk-Rs/s1600/CherryBlossomFlower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREV1OzYHB8SpkWVoBRYVILICfCNbs7CkOCS1Mw0B3H50ig4EzEtXl-1-EIy62zcG_YerQ5g-3CGZQiminkRcn1Xp4PpPENDdkJ7E4jNTr1kS631cAdrg9FLmCI9qf7vdtpiTR4nQk-Rs/s1600/CherryBlossomFlower.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cherry Blossom Flower<br />(Photo courtesy of Fanpop.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmXF33RESAFFO7_ePkum4kNkm9J_dvfmiijYDCWhgmoKXLniL4d_qtCcLclHIltGVe0GM4EsriHGPVnhztmWOXA-xXeFPafGj79DXEy_qaWg2hP2smp0L8V5IlkKoCo5gpi6GHXb4Y4I/s1600/CherryBlossomFestival.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBmXF33RESAFFO7_ePkum4kNkm9J_dvfmiijYDCWhgmoKXLniL4d_qtCcLclHIltGVe0GM4EsriHGPVnhztmWOXA-xXeFPafGj79DXEy_qaWg2hP2smp0L8V5IlkKoCo5gpi6GHXb4Y4I/s1600/CherryBlossomFestival.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cherry Blossom Festival - Washington DC<br />(Photo Courtesy of Mediagallery.usatoday.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is therefore referred to as a brief burst of the
beauty of nature. A brief burst. I don’t think that anything better defines the
ephemeral nature of life. Nothing lasts forever; Not the Cherry
Blossom, nor childhood. Some things are here to be enjoyed for a moment. My
children will soon cease being children. Every moment I can spend with them, I
am grabbing now. What I will do is spread out that picnic blanket; stuff a
basket full of picnic snacks and goodies. Then I will sit down with them under
this spectacular ‘childhood’ tree. We will all make the best of it while it
lasts. While the childhood clothes still fit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I challenge you to emulate the Cherry Blossom.
Burst forth with splendour even if its just for a moment. Make
that moment count. Enjoy that child, that relationship, that job, while you
still can. Live a life of beauty and be present in the moment. Because when you
think about it, that moment is essentially all you have. It will be gone before
you know it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Have a splendid week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-41464340482127513722014-08-11T08:00:00.000+03:002014-08-11T09:36:13.975+03:0045 Years On.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You get into a relationship with a man in your
prime years. Soon it turns into something serious. You date and get married,
say “I do” because you truly do. You are barely 18. You love him. You would
like to spend the rest of your life with him. You are accepting him at his best
and will keep him at his worst. You mean it when you promise to be with him for
richer and for poorer. In sickness and in health. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04uXoIETLkoG3-zC99VW0_ll495T8L5g9BocHV-jDALxwFR7aHrbMmvSi0zF7ALMWVdoWGgCAHT_DAHZnMUxDp4P19i_gZFY33NRBDxGw64FN_zs-gQXbfQ5bP4YOxUGjMkeHGcAwubw/s1600/WeddingPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04uXoIETLkoG3-zC99VW0_ll495T8L5g9BocHV-jDALxwFR7aHrbMmvSi0zF7ALMWVdoWGgCAHT_DAHZnMUxDp4P19i_gZFY33NRBDxGw64FN_zs-gQXbfQ5bP4YOxUGjMkeHGcAwubw/s1600/WeddingPhoto.jpg" height="294" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. & Mrs. Murrey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You start your life together. You fit into your
new role as a wife pretty fast since you have your first child (a son) the following year. You are there for your young family. You are happy. He works. You are a
housewife, which is work too. Immense work. You endeavour to take care of him,
your home and your child. And the children keep coming. One after the other. Eight
of them, they come. Some pregnancies are easy breezy. Others are a challenge.
But you bear them all like the champ you are. With each birth come unsurpassed
emotions of love. With each child, you experience elation that knows no bounds.
You want more children, but the eighth pregnancy proves challenging. You
realize that you have stretched your luck. Eight is ok. Eight is enough. You
love the eight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You take care of all of them. You change napkins
more times than you care to count – diapers are not a word that exists in your
vocabulary. You run after the children to contain them. You scold those who
show signs of straying from your teachings. You crack the whip on your wayward
brood more times than you can count. You love them all. You adore them even
more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Soon they start school and have to go to the city
to get the good education that their father wants for them. You have to stay in
the village and run your home. It kills you to be away from your children. You
tough it out all the same. You do a spectacular job. A big beautiful house is constructed
under your watch. It rises from the ground to tower intimidatingly at the other
huts in your neighbourhood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You tough out a lot more for your marriage to
stand. You are taken for granted. You feel unappreciated. You remind yourself
how it felt to be loved. You wonder whether he has forgotten
how it was between the two of you. You wonder if he thinks about you. If he still loves you the same way he did when he married you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You keep the faith. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He loves you. In his own imperfect way. He shows
it. He takes you to travel around the world with him. You traverse the globe to
countries you only saw in the map during your Geography lessons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Years come and pass by. Retirement beckons. He
comes home to you and you now spend every waking minute together. The children
are all grown up. They are out there charting their own paths in life. They
visit sometimes, but it’s only you and him now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then it hits you. You’ve been together for eons. During
these years, you have argued. You surely have laughed. You have cried and made
merry. Through the good times and the bad. Better, worse. Health, sickness. Births,
deaths. Weddings, divorce. Success, failure. Bounty, scarcity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s been a long stretch. So long that you don’t know
where his life ends and where yours begins anymore. You are at this point
entirely, completely, confusingly one. Your dreams, ideals, values collided so
much over the years to eventually merge into one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You understand his every need. You know his
deepest secrets. His strengths, his weaknesses.
You know what he’s feeling because you have studied his mannerisms to
perfection. You know why he is quiet and
withdrawn some days and why he bubbles with excitement on other days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You look at him and wonder how you managed to stay
together for all these years to remain standing. You wonder to what you owe
this miracle where you have called him husband for so long, while he calls you
wife. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You marvel at how you worked through marital problems
and made a conscious decision to stay together at the end of it all. How you honored
your leap of faith that resulted in you saying “I do” even without knowing what
you were ‘doing’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You wonder how your marriage stood the test of
time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Most of all, you wonder if he still remembers how
it felt to fall in love with you for the first time. How it felt when he led
you to the altar to declare to the world and to God that you were his chosen
one, his wife. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then he gathers his children together on the 3<sup>rd</sup>
of August, 2014. He makes it known to them that today is a special day. He
explains that it is special because it is the same day he married a beautiful
girl 45 years ago. A very beautiful girl, he calls you. He remembers. This
brings tears to your eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He remembers!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">45 years on, you still do. It’s you and him now
till the end of time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To my parents! To 45 years of marriage! To many
more!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-69111092357729468682014-07-29T06:22:00.001+03:002014-07-29T06:22:21.617+03:00Vera Sidika: Whatever Makes You Sleep Better At Night<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is three o’clock in the a.m and sleep eludes
me. I have been tossing and turning for a while. Insomnia and I are bedfellows
(wink, wink!). Then Md woke up for a glass of milk and the morsel of sleep that
I could have used to ignite much more, flew out the window. I had to throw away
the covers and seek the solace of the keyboard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Writing at this hour is so peaceful. So quiet that
you can literally hear the ‘tap’ of your fingers on the keyboard as your
thoughts flow from your head to a Microsoft word page. The sound of silence is so
seductive. The air is still. The only movement is from my fingers, the only
sound is the soft tap, tap, tap. This is profound serenity. I wish it could
last forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All day yesterday, my mind was on a post I was to do.
I wanted to give my two cents on Vera Sidika’s recent body changes. Her skin
lightening and boob enlargement, mostly. I wrote paragraph after paragraph but the
story was just not connecting the way I knew it should. For me, the best thing
to do to an obstinate story that refuses to come together is to leave it alone.
Let it lie there and ferment for a while. When you come back to it, its ripeness
will sting your nostrils as soon as you open the page. Then you can devour it
like there is no tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I therefore let the Vera story be and I slept. All
the while knowing that I owed you a post. That must be the reason why I woke up
at a few minutes to 3 a.m to answer the call of nature (the things I share with
you on this blog <i>yawa!</i>) and couldn’t go back to sleep. It’s the guilt of
leaving you hanging yesterday. I could see your evil eye cast in my direction
as you refreshed the page and no new post was forthcoming. Yeah, I could sense your
indignation. I saw how you looked at me. How you closed the web page in
annoyance. Yeah, thank you very much for interrupting my sleep by the way!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When Vera Sidika first talked about her skin
lightening on TV, I wondered loudly what the hell was wrong with this woman. I
shook my head, like I suspect most Kenyans out there did as she twirled her
hair backwards in a ‘don’t care’ attitude. “My body is my business” she said. I
analyzed her. I diagnosed her to have self-esteem issues. Concluded that as a
child, she was never told that she was beautiful enough times. I, in my most judgmental
outfit, prescribed a shrink to talk to her and help her deal with whatever
issues she was dealing with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am a woman in my thirties and I too believe that
my body is my business. I don’t like being judged. No one out there knows me
better than I know myself. My choices now reflect on my experiences while growing
up. My thought process is based on my beliefs, my values and my morals (or lack
thereof, depending on who you ask) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I imagined therefore, someone telling me that
their life is better than mine. That I should do things their way, based on
their beliefs and values. I imagined how it would sit with me to have someone dictate
my choices to me. I concluded that it wouldn’t augur well with me. Not in the
least bit. This train of thought is what prompted me out of bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It dawned on me (at dawn nonetheless!) that at
this point in my life, I don’t appreciate being judged or being told what to do,
and most probably so doesn’t Vera. As an adult (of sound mind, if I might add)
I embrace the person that I am ever so tightly, than ever before. I love my
hair in dreadlocks, I love how I dress. I love who I am, warts and all! I make
my decisions based on what I believe in. If I can live with the choices I make,
then so should everybody else. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am all woman. <a href="http://perfectlywoman.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Perfectly WOMAN</a>. All grown. I have
earned the privilege of being allowed to make my own mistakes. I wouldn’t
appreciate it if that privilege was taken away from me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t know how old Vera is (really) but I know
that the people we should be paying attention to are our children. Vera is a
grown woman. We should leave her to her mistakes and focus instead in influencing
our young children and our teens. We should be helping build their self esteem.
We should be telling our young girls that they are beautiful. We should be
teaching them to value themselves so that when they choose their role models,
it will be someone who is comfortable in her own skin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If I don’t appreciate an adult woman lightening
her skin, tough! That is my problem which I have to deal with. I don’t advocate
for boob enlargement through plastic surgery, but tough on me! Those are my
demons to exorcise, not hers. So what if she is all fake? If she is happy with herself,
who are we? Just because I go to church every (most, really </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> ) Sunday, does it mean I should go
knocking on other people’s doors and prevail upon them to go to church with me?
And if they prefer to sleep in, should I sneer and point fingers, predicting
fire and brimstone on their souls in the hereafter? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Personal choices, as long as they don’t border on
criminality, are to be respected. And mine are as important as the next person’s.
Infringing on those choices is denying someone the right to live their lives. The
right to be themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Even though you will catch me dead getting a
boob job or bleaching my skin (I could only ever afford ‘River Road’ bleaching
anyway), I realize that people have a right to make their mistakes. They then
get to learn from those mistakes. Folly is thinking that I hold a stake in
someone else’s destiny. I don’t. In the same way that no one else does in mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vera could possibly have whatever issues we would like to diagnose her with. But all
that is speculation. We haven’t walked a mile in her shoe. We don’t know how
her typical day looks like. We are clueless on how she sleeps at night. What
goes through her head as it hits the pillow at the end of the day? What does
she think about when she can’t sleep at 3am in the morning? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We are in no position to judge her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am in no position to tell her story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When faced with decisions, whatever makes you sleep
better at night suffices. It is your life, your beauty sleep. If your
conscience is clear, you owe no one nothing! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We will talk and give our opinion about you, but
in the end, you are the only one who gets to live with the choices you make. You
will stop living the day you let others make those choices for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Please don’t ever let that happen. Live your life!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-9528945400242770322014-07-21T12:28:00.002+03:002014-07-21T12:28:27.538+03:00What Hailey Knows<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Geography dictates that nights are colder when the
sky is clear. A clear sky allows heat to escape from the earth to the sky. A
clear sky also enables easy visibility of the moon at night. We are therefore
tempted to assume that the presence of the moon makes the nights colder while
in essence it is the clear sky (which coincidentally enables us to
conspicuously spot the moon) that causes the drop in temperatures at night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And our geography lesson for today ends there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am taking the kids to catch the bus to school in
the morning, right? It is a cold morning and I lament how cold it is as I pull
my jacket to hug my body. As soon as the words are out of my mouth, Hailey
looks up to the sky and tells me that the reason it is cold is because the moon
is out. Yes, it is cold when the moon is out, she shares.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You must have caught on by now that my children
have a thing for the moon. This must mean something, and I believe we will find
out in due course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I ask Hailey to repeat what she just said
because I can’t believe my ears. She goes “When there is a moon, it is cold” I
say ok. Then silence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We wait for the bus which should be here
any minute now. Heidi is standing quietly beside me. I am looking at Hailey just
to make sure that nobody made a switch at night to give me someone else’s daughter. She has Hailey’s face alright. I see my cheeks in there. My eyes are
looking back at me. Her father’s ears and nose stand out defiantly. Haha..those
ears! They confirm to me that I have the right child for sure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Who told you that mum?” I ask after the long
pause.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“What?” she asks. She already forgot we were
having a conversation. Kids!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Who told you about the moon and the cold nights?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I just know” she says as she shrugs her shoulders<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Come on. Who told you” I ask again. Coz really, I
need an answer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Najua
tu!”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
she shrugs her shoulders again. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then we see the bus.
It’s hugs and kisses. “I love you!”, “Good day!” and off they go! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am left there standing, and still in need of an
answer. Sorry, but <i>Najua tu</i> will not
cut it for this mother. Someone is educating my daughter about stuff and I have
a right to know who, right? I know for a fact that they are not on ‘The Correlation
Between The Moon and Cold Nights’ topic in their Science lesson because 1) She
is in class one. So, pleeease! Digital kids or not, NO WAY! 2) I check her books
every evening, which confirms point no. 1, that they are still learning the
basics. Come on, she doesn’t even know what the word ‘Correlation’ means! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is what you see when you go through Hailey’s
Science book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: FangSong; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When the trees are swaying, it is a windy day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: FangSong; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When the sun is out, it is a sunny day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: FangSong; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When it is raining, it is a rainy day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: FangSong; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When there is cloud cover, it is a cloudy day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: FangSong; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The above sentences are accompanied by ill-drawn
pictures of the sun, rains, swaying trees and clouds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They were asked to carry balloons the other day to
learn about air and bubbles and moving air - which is called wind by the way. Hihi…you’re
so welcome!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Given the above evidence, I expect weather conversations
with her to border along the lines; “Mum, since it is raining, today is a rainy
day <i>sindio?” </i> Yesterday, while reading her Science book, she
looked up to ask me whether it is possible to have rainy and windy nights as
well. To which I answered in the affirmative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You get my point?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I need to know who is teaching my baby and the
fact that she is not sharing information with me has me worried<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is how it all begins. It’s the moon today,
tomorrow it will be the “Birds and the Bees’ story. She is growing so fast and
before you know it, it will be time for that talk. I will sit her down and
putting my shyness (Yes I am shy… sometimes) aside, I will look her straight in
the eye (Oh boy!) and say; “Hailey, I think it is time we had a talk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Ok” she will respond while looking at me straight
in the eye. Hailey has a steady stare. She looks you straight in the eye when
you talk to her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Now, there is a story about the ‘Birds and the Bees’…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The she will burst out laughing. I will look on
with shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She will laugh and laugh. Hysterically.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Hailey, what is so funny?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Muuum (she likes dragging the ‘mum’) I know that
‘story’!” She will put imaginary quotes on ‘story’ us</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">ing both her forefingers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“You do?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She will nod, with a smile on her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“You know about the birds and the bees?” I will
ask again, unbelievably.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She will nod again, still smiling<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Ok. So you know what the story means?” I will
give her a knowing look like…you know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then she will nod again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“…REALLY means?” I will not believe her<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Yes, I know what it REALLY means. It means that
children are not bought from hospital. That a man and a woman….”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Ok! Ok! Young lady! I would like to hear the
story from you, but first things first. Who told you the story?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then she will shrug her shoulders and say <i>“Najua tu!”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will lose my mind! I promise you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Like this information falls from the skies? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ok, maybe her teacher mentioned about the moon in
passing or she heard a conversation between adults. I mean, kids hear and see
things and learn from them all the time. It is no big deal really. The only
problem I have is with this <i>‘Najua tu’</i>
business. Why won’t she tell me? Is this what our relationship has become? She
learns new stuff and doesn’t see it fit to share with her mother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sometimes it is unsettling that my children are
growing up and they are learning so much from so many people. PEOPLE I DON’T
EVEN KNOW! From the way those people speak, to what they do and how they carry
themselves. They are watching, listening and learning. I wish I could hand pick
the people they are allowed to emulate. Maybe even make a list for reference.
Once out there, their small minds belong to the world. It belongs to her
friends, her teachers and any other person who crosses their path in the course
of their day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Forget the moon stuff, I can let it go that she
learnt it somewhere and won’t tell me about it. Maybe she doesn’t even remember
where she got that piece of information from. What I will not take sitting down
is if someone else beats me to the ‘birds and the bees’ story. What if someone
else out there, teaches her about it before I get to it? That really scares me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am therefore watching Hailey closely. I am watching
her like a hawk. When she is ready for the ‘birds and the bees’ narrative, it
will not slip my surveillance. I will grab the chance and be all over her mind
like white on rice. She gets to hear it from me first. I think I earned that
right when I pushed her out of me in the delivery room 6 years ago. Once we have had the talk, I hope, oh, I pray
that she will come to me for clarity whenever she is confused. O how I pray!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the meantime, this shrugging and “I just know”
business between me and Hailey, needs to stop. It has to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Do you understand my anxiety? Do you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-76473020017430536872014-07-14T16:20:00.000+03:002014-07-14T16:20:54.147+03:00Life & Football<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My body is literally sprawled on the couch. No, I
did not finally solicit the services of a shrink, thank you very much!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am watching the World Cup finals. It’s Germany
pitting against Argentina. I am not watching this game because </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
love football much (much) more than my beauty sleep. Nor because I am so
knowledgeable on matters football. I am not doing this because I suffer from
insomnia (I am in fact very sleepy!) No. I am watching the finals because I am
a sport. I am keeping Md company. Unlike me, he loves football. He is
knowledgeable on matters football and he is not sleepy. Plus I had a bet to
win. I supported Germany, he supported Argentina. Guess who lost! Guess who is
getting herself a new pair of shoes! Woot! Woot!</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I promised him that I would not fall asleep. That I
would watch the game (I am a sport remember?). That I was eager to witness ‘my’
team trash ‘his’ team. He wasn’t convinced given the ‘sprawled on couch’
posture I had assumed. I promised. Then I fell asleep in the twenty ‘something-th’
minute. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Not my fault really. The thing about me is that my
productivity is at its peak from morning (read 4 am) when I wake up, and it
keeps dwindling as the day progresses, up until the time I go back to sleep. After 7pm, I am
dawdling through the remaining activities of the day. I am a Zombie at this
point. So, don’t go taking my word for it when I make promises about activities
that require my attention during those hours because I will disappoint you.
During this time, I am only good for quiet (meaningless) chatter, leisurely
activities like filing finger nails, applying nail polish, watching comedy,
sprawling on the couch…you know? Nothing serious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Knowing this weakness, I try to cram all the
important stuff on my to-do list into the morning hours. If it spills over, I
have no choice but to start with it the next day. I write early in the morning
when my mind is top notch. I then post blog posts, read blogs, read articles,
news items, books, in the afternoon. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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">
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o:title=""/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="f"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You therefore have to understand that I wanted to
watch the game. I wanted to. But, of course, I drifted off to sleep. I remember waking up briefly to some commotion about a goal by
Argentina. Then it was cancelled <i>ati</i>
offside. I asked Md what this “offside” business really meant. Was it just a
ploy by the referee to deny a team a rightfully-earned goal? He almost jumped
at the suggestion seeing as he was supporting the offended team, but opted to
try and explain it for the umpteenth time. I have never been able to grasp the ‘offside’
concept. I wasn’t getting it now either. Not because I don’t generally get
stuff, but because…well, I am a zombie from 7pm, didn’t I tell you? He gave up talking
to himself after a while and resigned to watching the game ‘alone’. I slept.
Maybe I snored (he insists that I snore can you believe that! Me, I think that
when one’s team is about to lose a game, the ‘disgruntled’ loser can say crazy
things!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Half time came. I woke up briefly then snored away
(As if?!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When I woke up next, the score read Germany 1,
Argentina 0. Only then did I really wake up! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Do you smell something?” I asked Md.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He looks at me puzzled ‘What?’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“VICTORY!” I shrieked. (Don’t you love that World
Cup Ad? ‘The Diehards’ make me smile always.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Now you wake up! Now you wake up?” He asked as he
shook his head. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Suffice to say, I was wide eyed as ever as I
watched Germany receive with pride the world cup trophy and held it up for the
world to acknowledge that they were champions. I had no ounce of sleep in me
when I stretched my hand to receive my well-earned one thousand shillings from
the bet with Md.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well-earned you wonder? I slept through the march
and never cheered or supported ‘my’ team in any way, right? But that is life my
friend. And in life;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are people who only show up for
the celebration and are nowhere in sight when you are grinding and need their
support the most.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are people who will cash in on
your success. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">People will always put their needs
ahead of yours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While still on football</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, learning something new never hurt
anyone. So…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
offside Rule in Soccer (Defined) </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
law states that if a player is in an offside position when the ball is played
to him or touched by a teammate, he may not become actively involved in the
play.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
player is in an offside position if he is closer to the goal line than both the
ball and the second-to-last defender, but only if he is in the opposition half
of the field. To be offside, a player must:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Be in the opposition half.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Be in front of the ball.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Have fewer than two opposition players
between himself and the goal line when the ball is played to him by a teammate.
The goalkeeper can count as an opposing player in this instance.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Source:
About.com)<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do have a lovely week!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-55185924619812053632014-07-09T11:57:00.002+03:002014-07-09T11:57:47.303+03:00The Roaring Lady In Red<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“When
in doubt, wear Red” Bill Blass<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“When are the elections for the PTA officials
held?” She asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our heads turned from her to the person she was
addressing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“The elections are held every year” he replied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We all turned our heads to look at her. She was
still standing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“When? Cos we’ve never heard about them?” I could
swear I saw a sneer on her face!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Heads turn back to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Actually, the PTA officials are selected by a PTA
organizing committee, not by the members” he explained patiently, ignoring the
sneer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Heads turn back to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Why are you here alone then? Where are the other officials?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Back to him<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He smiled. No, that wasn’t a genuine smile. More
like a ‘who-the-hell-do-you-think-you-are’ smile<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Good question. I don’t know where the other
officials are either. ” he laughed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Her<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She is still on her feet. Clearly, that answer did
not amuse her as it did the gentleman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Ever since we started coming to these PTA meetings,
you’ve always been introduced as the chairman. You mean to tell me the
committee has been re-electing you over and over?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Someone in the crowd giggled. Another gave a low
whistle. Claws were out! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Had we been a fun crowd (which I thoroughly regret
we weren’t) we would immediately have played the song ROAR by Katy Perry as the
soundtrack for this scene. I need more fun parents with a vibrant playlist in
their touch screen phones to attend these PTA meetings with. <i>“…you’re gonna hear me roar oh oh oh oh oh
oh…</i>” The lady in red was roaring alright! Imagine the above exchange
happening as the song played in a low volume. That would have been fun! We were
no fun! Or maybe I watch too many movies!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I stand here as the PTA Chairman because I was
elected as such” he answered, visibly pissed with the interrogation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was getting ugly people!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Md and I shared a look. He shook his head. I
smiled. <i>Where was popcorn when you needed it!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“So when is the next election?” she prodded. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She was not going to let this go, was she?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We all turned to look at her then back at the
gentleman. Our head choreography was spectacular!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“December. But as I said, the organizing committee
elects the officials, not…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You could tell he was struggling to be civil. The
interrogation went back and forth, and so did our heads. Back, forth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“But we don’t even know when these elections are
held. We’ve always known you as the chairman, aren’t there other people who can
be elected to that post”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The guy yielded. He must have realized that this
exchange was headed nowhere. He kept giving answers, while she kept asking the
same question over and over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I will sit down now and let one of the committee
members answer your questions”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He sat down. She followed suit. FINALLY! Something
told me that she would stand up again for another reason. She was after all, dressed
in red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The committee member stood up and repeated the
same information that the Chairman had given. YAWN!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The exchange we had just witnessed was between the
PTA chairman and a parent. We attended the girls’ Academic day at their school
this past weekend and all was going well, until one lady in a red dress decided
to give the PTA Chairman a hard time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now, you would be tempted to think that the
Chairman was incompetent, or did not chair the meeting as expected hence the
attack from the lady right? You would be tempted further to think that he
refused to let her speak her mind during the meeting, that he ignored her hand
when it went up? <i>Au contraire!</i> He was
doing a good job of chairing the meeting. He was fair and gave the lady so many
chances to stand up and wow the audience with her beautiful personality, grace
and charm. He in fact insisted on
hearing contributions equally from men and women alike. He said it. He said, I
will give three gentlemen a chance to speak, and three women a chance as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Sema</span></i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
equality!” I whispered to Md.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She wore a red dress and had braided hair. She was
slender and from the introductions - we had to introduce ourselves, the name of
our child(ren) and which class they were in- I gathered that her son was in
standard 3. Allan, if memory serves me right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The meeting had been going well, and we discussed
issues that needed to be addressed by the school. Issues about changing the
school uniform – they are introducing some pretty dresses for our girls, yay! –
how we need more buses for transportation to and from school. Punishment
issues, how flogging should be done with moderation. It was in essence a very
constructive meeting. Until her claws came out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you ask me when I first sensed that she was
trouble, I would tell you when she stood up to make contributions several times
and I noticed that she was wearing a red dress. The confidence that comes with
wearing a red dress! I knew there and then that she was on fire! If you ask md
when he first sensed that the lady in red was trouble, he will tell you when
she took every chance to take photos with her i-pad, even during moments which
were in his opinion, not the standard ‘Kodak moments’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_cfOk1RljgP-1IQ9sazPrZYd6C-TaBy26F2KDbwq4oUIbTi5SmbUQ-EEI9ziNN_3Y_p4RVqPrzZwmW5G9d8hYQn6ynshVsfsvOONDK72rvS_-3MpwouuTZ2jSi3MDhfM6Qds_vz-m0I/s1600/WhenInDoubtWearRED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_cfOk1RljgP-1IQ9sazPrZYd6C-TaBy26F2KDbwq4oUIbTi5SmbUQ-EEI9ziNN_3Y_p4RVqPrzZwmW5G9d8hYQn6ynshVsfsvOONDK72rvS_-3MpwouuTZ2jSi3MDhfM6Qds_vz-m0I/s1600/WhenInDoubtWearRED.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Bill Blass said that Red is the ultimate cure for
sadness. Wearing red attire builds up your confidence. They say that it gives
you a presence, perks you up. It is almost like a drug! (Sssssshhhh!) Think
about it. So hate the game, not the player.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Theatrics aside, I finally met Shanterina. Not my
Shanterina, but Hailey’s friend Shanterina. We met her after the PTA meeting,
as we were going to Heidi’s class to meet her teacher. Md is holding Heidi’s
hand as we are walking, then she suddenly yells “Shanty! Shanty!” as she waved
at a young girl in a ponytail. Our attention was piqued. Wait, we know that
name, don’t we?! That name gets a mention in our household quite a bit. But isn’t
she Hailey’s friend? We say hi to Shanterina Odhiambo as she gives Heidi a PK
(chewing gum) tablet from the pack she had. Apparently, Shanterina though in Hailey’s
class, is both Hailey and Heidi’s friend. And she is the sweetest girl!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">PS: I apologize for the late post. My schedule
this week has been quite messed up. Forgiven? Aren’t you guys the best-est! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-50996859679497607722014-06-30T16:11:00.001+03:002014-06-30T16:11:46.241+03:00The Magic Bean<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“First tell us a story then sing for us. When you
are done, we will all pray and go to sleep” Hailey clearly gives the sequence
of events when I try to send them to slumber land with just a prayer. Heidi
nods in agreement with her sister. A prayer is never enough. A short story, a
song, prayer, then sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t know why I have to sing on most days at
7.30pm in the evening but I indulge them anyway. When you see Hailey’s face as she watches me sing,
you would think she is watching Celine Dion in concert. There is never a dull
moment with these children of mine. Not one! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The story is always a selection from Cinderella,
Snow White and the seven dwarfs, and Little Red Riding Hood. I really need to
expand my fairy tales scope. I tried <i>Rumpelstiltskin</i> but scratched it when I
couldn’t remember what happens after: Once upon a time, there was a girl called
<i>Rumpelstiltskin</i> who had long golden hair. Her hair was so long that it was used
as a ladder… Then I hit a blank. I should read that story again to refresh my
memory as soon as I am done with writing this post. The things we do for love. *le
sigh!*. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The story I enjoy telling the most though, is the
one about the boy who cried wolf. I like this story because I get to drive the
importance of honesty into my girls’ heads. You should see me saying with exaggerated
emphasis, forefinger pointing up; “…the moral of the story is if you insist on
telling lies, no one will believe you when you tell the truth” I think I have repeated
this phrase a ‘nauseating’ couple of times but thankfully my girls are still too
respectful to use the phrase “Shut up Mum!” - I am not sure how long that will last though. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For the longest time, I have been aware that repeating
the above stories could soon earn me the badge ‘Boring Mum’. Then this weekend,
Phoebe Buffay, she of the comedy <i>Friends </i>(Yeah, don’t mind me. Carry on into the
future with The Big Bang Theory while I hang around the 20<sup>th</sup> Century
for a while longer) handed a fairy tale to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is season 1 of <i>Friends</i>. The one where it all
began. Rachel has just left Barry (the groom, an orthodontist) at the altar.
She couldn’t marry him because she realized at the last moment, when she was
fully dressed in a wedding gown, when the church was full with congregants
eager to witness an exchange of nuptials. At that moment, just as she was about
to walk towards her future husband’s arms, she realized <i>then</i> that she did not
have feelings for Barry. Poor Barry! Great timing?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So here is Rachel, wondering whether she made a mistake.
She left Barry at the altar. Barry was an orthodontist, you know, quite the catch?
(Because she was marrying his job?) Now she is at a point where she is
second-guessing herself. What if she lives to regret this decision for the rest
of her life? Phoebe then steps in. I love Phoebe! She compares Rachel to Jack. No, not Jack from downstairs. Jack from the <i>Jack and the beanstalk</i> story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7FRxnnKuPjyMNhxHl9vQwOmv02i_ej9FNOJN9Ws_-6pr8BhYifQKijj6s635qxVGAj5zyzbVtIfl8Nr8mynM_icXBmqi4yJQh0X6yz7tcuCPJiIToZ_EZyDjpWNKHFI9zPpnTkCvKFU/s1600/Jack&TheBeanstalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7FRxnnKuPjyMNhxHl9vQwOmv02i_ej9FNOJN9Ws_-6pr8BhYifQKijj6s635qxVGAj5zyzbVtIfl8Nr8mynM_icXBmqi4yJQh0X6yz7tcuCPJiIToZ_EZyDjpWNKHFI9zPpnTkCvKFU/s1600/Jack&TheBeanstalk.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Once upon a time, there was a boy called Jack who
lived with her widowed mother. They were very poor. All they had was one cow
which they depended on for milk. The cow stopped producing milk and Jack’s
mother, not knowing what to do, decided to sell the cow because, you know, hard
times. Jack was assigned the task of taking the cow to the market to find a
buyer for it. Instead of giving Jack money in exchange for the cow, a butcher
offered him five beans which unbeknownst to Jack's mother, were magic beans.
Her mother was (understandably) annoyed to get beans in place of her precious
cow. Vexed, she threw them out of the window, into the garden where they grew
into a huge beanstalk that stretched all the way to the sky. Curious Jack
climbs up the beanstalk and discovers a castle whose occupants are a rich Giant
and his wife. A beautiful maiden appears from nowhere and informs Jack that
everything the Giant has belonged to his father, and was
therefore rightfully theirs. Jack then gets into the habit of climbing
up the beanstalk to the castle and stealing from the giant when he goes to
sleep. He steals gold, a magic hen that lays golden eggs and a magic harp that
can sing. His luck however runs out one day when the Giant catches him stealing
and starts chasing him down the beanstalk. Jack then yells for his mum to bring
an axe, which he uses to cut the beanstalk. The Giant falls with a thud and
that was the end of him. Jack and his mum henceforth live richly, happily ever
after.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Back to Friends; Rachel wonders if she made a
mistake leaving the good life behind to become a waitress in New York. Her
friends Phoebe and Monica are trying to encourage her. Just like Jack, she had lost
a cow that was not adding value to her life anymore. The Magic bean doesn’t
look as valuable as the ‘cow’ was, but it turned things around for Jack and her
mother. Rachel’s magic bean is a job as a waitress. A lacklustre job; as lacklustre as a bean is when compared to money. The magic of Rachel’s bean is however manifested
in her growth as an independent woman who doesn’t need her father’s credit cards
(which she cuts to pieces) or her (orthodontist) husband to survive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There is always a magic bean for everyone who lets
go of something that they believed they couldn’t do without. The magic bean is neither
lush nor glamorous. It looks like a pathetic mirage of what we let go of. But that
magic bean gets you from where you are, to where you need to be. You have to
let go of a cow that doesn't produce milk anymore, in the same way you
need to let go of a bad relationship that is hurting you, an addiction that is consuming
you; anything that does not add value to your life. Anything that hinders your growth.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To get from a point of misery, poverty, hopelessness,
to a point of clarity, hope, and success a magic bean, a very mundane-looking magic
bean, could be all you need to hold on to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I guess you know which story I am telling the
girls tonight?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-9550125215371376862014-06-23T15:24:00.002+03:002014-06-23T15:29:48.813+03:00Shanterina.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She is the epitome of African beauty; short hair, dark
complexion, white dazzling teeth. She walks with grace. She has a smile
permanently plastered on her face. She is beautiful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Shanterina is a goddess.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She comes
to me whenever I need her. I don’t even have to call her, text her, snap my
fingers or anything. She just appears. Just senses my need for her, and she is
there! Nice, huh? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She does her job well too. With loyalty, commitment
and diligence – she possesses the perfect CV, I’m sure. She is smart and funny
to boot. Her creativity is unmatched. You can’t help but fall in love with her
when you meet her for the first time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She always has the right words. She knows exactly
what I want to say, when I want to say it. She fuels my thoughts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Shanterina ladies and gentlemen, is the name I choose to call my
muse. (And also the fascinating name of a girl in Hailey’s class who I have
never met. But that is a story for
another day…)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Day in day out, Shanty seats by my side. I tap on
my keyboard as she tells me what to write. She coins the words for me to make
me look good. She does this out of selflessness. She is painfully modest. Never
takes any credit. Always letting me shine in the limelight while she lurks
in the shadows. She has been a great companion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Until now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She is quiet today. Awfully quiet. I have tried
talking to her, beseeched her to give me something to pen down for you my loyal
readers, but she won’t budge.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am lost on what to do t</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">o her. I keep calling her
name.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Shanterina?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Silence</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“SHANTERINA?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pin-drop silence<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“For Chrissake, SHANTERINA, can’t you hear me
calling you?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">More silence<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She stares at me. Her eyes are blank. She won’t
give me nothing. No emotions. No smile. No sneer. No nothing. Absolutely
nothing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nothing I say seems to work. I even tried to bribe
her at some point when desperation had hit a whole new low. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“What do you want? Tell me. Anything and I will give it to you. What, you want to bleach….sorry...lighten your skin like Vera perhaps? Are you fed up of your black African skin?” I asked</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Is that what you want? Tell me … 50 million is a
lot of money, but, but … I can organize a small <i>harambee </i>… have all my friends and readers donate something…you
know….”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Can we go to work now please? Please remind me of
that funny incident that happened that day in whatsthenameofthatplaceagain?
Remember? Go on, tell me about that as I type...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I stretch out my fingers as I hover my left hand over
letters A S D F, and my right hand over J K L ; as we were taught in typing
school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My fingers are ready. I sit upright. My posture is
ready.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am all set. Yet my muse won’t budge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She does not utter a word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“What do you want from me?” I ask in exasperation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“WHAT DO YOU WANT?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“TALK TO ME DAMMIT! SAY SOMETHING!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She looks away as if ashamed of my outburst.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am going crazy. She is driving me mad!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Please…” I add softly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Don’t leave me now?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She looks at me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Please. I need you” I continue pressing for a
reaction. ANY reaction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I need you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am begging now. Groveling, really. I am one
sentence away from falling on my knees. I even use Pink’s lyrics from the song <i>“Please don’t leave me”</i>, to plead my case; </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“I always say how I don’t need you, but it’s
always gonna come right back to this. Pleeeeease don’t leave me!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Shanterina has an ice-cold heart people! She is
unmoved. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am beyond desperate now. I go up to her and hold
her arm. I pull her face towards mine to force her to look at me. Maybe if she sees
my pleading eyes, her heart will soften.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our eyes meet. She returns my stare. She doesn’t
blink. There is no emotion there. Her heart doesn’t soften. She feels nothing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Please give me something” I whisper still looking
her deep in the eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Shanty pulls away to free her arm from my grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She turns her back towards me and starts to walk
away. She takes one steady step at a time. She is leaving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The distance between us grows bigger. She is
leaving!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“SHANTERINA!” I call after her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She stops in her tracks but doesn’t look back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“SHANTERINA!” I bark even louder. So loud that I
do not recognize my own voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is enough to make her turn. She looks
straight at me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I take my time. I walk slowly, leisurely, towards
her. One steady step at a time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I stop short of walking into her frame. Our faces
are almost touching. Some of our body parts touch. I am aware that I just
invaded her personal space. I know that I should step back a little, give us
some room. But I don’t move an inch. I have my face in hers. I can smell her
breath. Mint. Her eyes don’t blink. Neither do mine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My eyes burrow into hers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I bring up my right hand to cup her chin and force
her face to the side so that my mouth is directly above her right ear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Shanterina…?” I whisper in her ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She says nothing. Of course!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“YOU ARE FIRED!” I hiss into her ear again. The
words come out of me with so much force that it makes me shudder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Without saying a word, she frees herself from my
grip. She steps back. Reclaiming her personal space. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She then turns to walk
away like before. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I look at her as she walks away.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then I see it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There’s a leap in her step. She skips and turns
around to look at me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She smiles! A bright smile. Perfect teeth. She winks
at me then turns away to glide into the horizon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I find myself smiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“See you soon” I whisper at her disappearing
frame.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">See you soon!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-12123469685562762052014-06-16T14:26:00.001+03:002014-06-16T14:26:15.305+03:00I am a writer!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When you quit your job, you take up another task
of having to explain to everyone you meet what it is you do now. This is
because your job gives a glimpse into the kind of person you are. Yes, you are
what you do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A name doesn’t say much about you, but the minute
you say that you are an accountant, a lawyer, a waitress, a househelp, a
janitor, you will be quickly classified and it is from that classification that
your worth will be measured. Sad, but true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have met two people now who, after introducing
myself, sought to find out what I do. Make that three, if you count an old
lady who was curiously interested in my life. I found that a bit unusual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One was a hairdresser I happened to go to, to have
my hair done. We chatted about my hair for a while – there is so much to be
said about dreadlocks. This is the kind of hair you can pretty much choose to
forget for a couple of days, and there will be no real damage done to your appearance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“How old are your dreadlocks?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Two years?” I counted mentally to confirm this answer was
accurate. Yes it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “I think I
should also put dreadlocks” she said with a smile. Why does everyone say that?
Most people keep promising to ‘put’ dreadlocks every time we have a conversation
about my hair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“It seems so much easier to maintain” she justified
herself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I smiled at her image in the mirror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Silence<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“So, where do you work?” she ambushed me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I say ‘ambushed’ because I did not expect to be
asked where I worked. More of what I did. Not where. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She already assumed that I worked somewhere for
someone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I am a writer” I replied<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I was disappointed when she didn't ask what I
wrote about. I could have told her that I had already written our conversation
in my head and that I would share it with my blog readers this week. Pity she
didn’t ask. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I later thought about it and realized that for all
the years that I have been writing, I had never referred to myself as a writer.
This was my first time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It felt good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another time that I owned up to being a writer was a week ago while on a bid to participate as a Storymoja
Festival blogger. The annual Festival will be running this year from September
17<sup>th</sup> to 21<sup>st</sup>. I am happy to have made the cut. You can
visit the <a href="http://blog.storymojafestival.com/" target="_blank">storymoja blog</a> where I will be a contributor </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">to keep up with the events lined up during this year’s festival. Also visit </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">my other blog - </span><a href="http://perfectlywoman.wordpress.com/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;" target="_blank">http://perfectlywoman.wordpress.com/</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> to read my writeups on various issues. Feel free to add your voice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I consider it a great blessing to have found
myself in a room full of young creative, free minds. Bloggers who are very,
very, very (can’t stress this enough) passionate about writing. There were
those who had forsaken lucrative careers, law was the prevalent jiltee, to
simply write. Take Olivia who dropped out of a law degree class because she
realized that she did not want to be a lawyer after all, for example. She
was at pains to explain to her people that law was not the way for her. Her
insistence that she wanted to take an English course was met with disdain - What?! And become an English teacher??? You should have seen the passion in her
eyes when she spoke about teaching English. It was palpable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The thing about one’s passion; be it a writer’s, a
lawyer’s, a teacher’s or a waitresses’ is that it fills your life with purpose.
You stop considering what you do as a job. It becomes who you are. Even if that
(ugly) wig and gown that lawyers wear look good on you, you only find fulfilment
the day you start enjoying what you do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I sat next
to Magunga who had just shared on <a href="http://www.magunga.com/" target="_blank">his blog</a> that he had successfully completed a
law degree course but was not keen in pursuing a career in law. Why doesn’t
anybody want to be a lawyer <i>woiye</i>? He
wrote about being nervous at the thought of informing his mother that he wanted
to be a writer instead. It cannot be easy to ditch a career that has practically
dug a huge hole in your sponsor’s pockets. It isn’t easy, but such is life. You
gotta live it! You gotta be happy! Happiness comes with a price sometimes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The passion that Olivia writes with. The expertise
with which Magunga pieces his articles. These can never be ignored. They are
ingrained so deep within the core of your being that you just have to let it out.
When you gotta write, you gotta write! That room was full of men and women who
wanted nothing but to be allowed to do what they love doing. Write. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We understand that there are bills to be paid and
that writing might not always give you the financial stability that you seek. Even
though I was applauded for quitting my job, there were voices of reason in
between the cheers. “When the landlord comes for the rent, make sure you call
all these people who are cheering you this minute to help you raise the rent” Magunga
whispered to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thing is, writing may not pay a dime, but that compelling
feeling will not allow a writer not to write. It
cannot be silenced with a six figure salary. I guess in a way, the universe
knows that it is at a loss when those people who should be writing, choose not
to do it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I wake up every day to tap away at my computer
because I am a writer. It is all I am now. I am no longer a writer clothed as
a secretary. I have been laid bare. Writing is not my side hustle anymore. It is not something I do
when I have nothing else to do. It might take a while to get where I want to
be, but the crazy me believes that as long as I keep doing this persistently, consistently,
I might not have to go back to my fellow writers for a quick <i>mchango</i> at the end of the month. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So hey, I am a writer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am a writer!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">P.S: As I write this, news is streaming in about the Mpeketoni Attacks. I condole with the families who have lost their loved ones to this heinous attack. May God help our country.</span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-85868208468439466262014-06-10T14:50:00.000+03:002014-07-06T11:37:37.198+03:00Nothing New Under The Sun<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am clicking away at my phone camera taking
numerous photos. There are things that don’t happen every day. This is one such
thing. You don’t see this everyday! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Are you taking a video?” someone asks <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“A video. I should take a video!” I think aloud as
I switch from camera to camcorder. Why did I not think of that before? I hold
my phone tighter, keeping it still between my thumb and forefinger, while using
my left hand to steady my right hand. I keep taking the video making sure I
position the phone to get the best view while at the same time taking care not to
drop it and smash it on the floor. A video is useless on a broken phone.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am standing on the verandah. Door is slightly
open as I move the phone around to capture this moment. “Amazing!” I say
inaudibly. I smile. Feeling awfully pleased. A blog post weaving itself in my
mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A few minutes ago, I had rushed outside to get the
laundry from the clothes line. It was a Sunday afternoon. Ominous clouds were
gathering in the sky, but I thought nothing of it. It threatened to pour any
time soon and so I grabbed the clothes in a quick sweep from where they hang,
and dashed into the house to avoid getting soaked in the rain. I had closed the door behind me not knowing that I'd open
it again a few minutes later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">During such times, when it is cold and you are
cold and it is raining outside, a warm bed is hard to resist. You are tempted
to cover yourself with a heavy blanket as you watch a movie, a comedy or a nice
series with a cup of tea or coffee or chocolate held hostage securely between
both your hands. Before I could <i>eeny, meeny,
miny, moe</i> on which of those temptations to fall for, we hear heavy pounding
outside. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The kids rush to the window to see what is going on. I join them to find out where the noise was
coming from. Two minutes of taking it all in and I made the decision to fetch my
phone and open the door a fraction. There are things that don’t happen every day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Interesting how two people see the same thing and
interpret it differently. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the one hand, one sees an exciting thing worth
filming. On the other hand, someone else sees danger and fear creeps up on them
to the point of tears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The spectacle we are all witnessing while
photographing and filming is (cue drums) … Hailstones. Yes, it is raining
hailstones!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyEpiqhMHBJSIA9btLYjZR2r3BIjEkpRSZlILkdUj3wy9skWABsbK4pRnd9L9iQAVnnJ9k2ucfMezof3uD_bg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The stones are hitting the roof with a vengeance.
Splattering all over the ground and bits and pieces find their way to our
veranda. My hands get busy. My phone is busy.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I briefly pause filming to look at the girls now
standing on the couch and looking outside the window. Both have quizzical looks
on their faces. They look confused!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The hailstones are now filling up the ground.
There is more white than green on the grass. They keep falling. They are big.
The pounding is loud. It rains hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After a while, I go back inside the house, phone
in hand. Video clip in phone memory. It is then that Heidi calls me to report
that “Hailey <i>analia</i>” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And indeed she is crying. Silently. Fearfully. She
is scared. She points outside to ask what is going on. The rain is noisy. ‘Things’
are falling from the sky. I then delve into a brief geography lesson on why
these ‘things’ are hitting our roof.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Realizing that I am not making headway with the somewhat
complex geography lesson, I give up and instead assure her repeatedly that she
is in no danger whatsoever. Heidi, while listening to my explanation to Hailey
had just one question to ask: Was there any chance that the falling ‘ice’ could
find its way into our house and smash the TV set? (They had been watching
cartoons) When I assured her that there was no chance of that happening, she
climbed down from the couch and went back to watching Nickelodeon, unperturbed
by the noise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The kids had never witnessed this kind of rains
before. It took a while for me to convince them that this was not something new.
That sometimes instead of good old rainfall, earth is pelted with hailstones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Interesting how we see things differently through
different sets of eyes. The experienced eye sees opportunities where others see
scary challenges. I grabbed the opportunity for photos and videos. I was
fascinated by this rare occurrence and wanted to hang onto every minute of it
for as long as it lasted. Hailey on the other hand, the poor child, saw a
threat to her livelihood! This was all new to her and therefore, something was
not right. It wasn’t supposed to rain
this way. This was different. And to some set of eyes, different equals scary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Next time you go through a challenging experience
remember that someone else could have gone through it before you. In fact, bet on it. There is after all nothing new under the sun. Others could have
managed to overcome the same to come out unscathed. Just because it is new to you
doesn’t mean you cannot overcome it as well. Fearless people have faced
challenges over and over again to reach a point where they don’t pay attention
to fear anymore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hailey’s tears subsided eventually. But she kept
looking outside the window, taking it all in until the rains stopped. Once the
heavens ceased pelting the earth, she looked at me curiously and asked a question
that seemed to have occupied her mind for a while:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“So Mum, can it also rain mud?”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-14495160862854689942014-06-02T09:25:00.000+03:002014-06-02T09:25:02.170+03:00To be a child again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s pretty simple, if the bus doesn’t find you
waiting, it leaves you. We all know this and that is why on this morning,
realizing that we were running late, we tried our best to perform miracles. I beseeched
the girls to gulp their tea instead of sipping it with pursed lips as their
pinky fingers saluted the sky a la the rich housewives of some city or the
other. I tried to make them brush their teeth with the speed of lightening. I
even coerced them to find whatever was missing from their bags-a misplaced
pencil, book, rubber-as I filled their water bottles. The shoe laces, the
jackets, handkerchiefs in pockets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sometimes, miracles do happen. This wasn’t the
morning for them though. All the above made little difference to prevent us
from being late. And just as we were struggling to sling school bags over tiny
shoulders we heard the bus come to a halt outside our gate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We make for the door. Bags slung on shoulders. We
are out of the door. We are running. Running like mad. Running like Kalenjins
out to win a race. Then as the bus engine
revs and the bus starts to move, I yell for it to wait. “WAIT!” Hailey decides
to yell with me. Soon we are one mad woman with two kids yelling and running at
6.15am. The neighborhood is barely awake. I bet they all heard us. I bet one
Kipruto was busy dreaming of how well his <i>shamba</i>
was doing. How his yields were coming up pretty well. Maybe his wife Chelagat was
just turning in bed trying to catch last minute morsels of sleep before she would wake up to prepare dreaming
Kipruto some breakfast. Only for both to be jolted out of their sleep with
yells of “WAIT! WAIT!” I think we owe
our neighbors an apology.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lucky for us, the stars aligned prettily that
morning because the driver heard us. Then again, who didn’t? He stopped and waited
as I opened the gate, held each child’s hand and lead them to the waiting bus.
I tried smiling at him apologetically but he wasn’t into showing teeth at that
hour of the morning. I gave up. Just as I was about to lift Heidi onto the bus,
she lets go of my hand, retreats from my grasp and points to the sky gleefully yelling
“MOON! Mum, Moon! Look, moon!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I am dumbfounded. In all that rush, she took the time
to spot the moon? NOW? I tried to ignore her and put her on the bus anyway but
she wouldn’t let up until I acknowledged the moon. So I looked up and put on a
smile. “Moon!” I marveled with feigned excitement. Only then did she allow me
to lift her onto the bus and Hailey followed suit. After keeping the bus
waiting for ten seconds, I wouldn’t dare look at the driver again. First we
were late, and now we were holding the bus to stare at the moon? We are
terrible, terrible people!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But it was a few seconds that did not really
matter to the driver; it did not change his schedule. Those ten seconds however
meant a lot to Heidi. She took the time to notice something she felt was quite
important. She goes to school every day, but you don’t see a full moon in all its
glory in the wee hours of every morning. Just for the record, Heidi was onto
something. It was a full moon, big, white and bright. A spectacular sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">While I was thinking that I should put them on the
bus as fast as possible she was thinking that the bus had already stopped anyway,
so what was the harm in taking a few seconds to look at the moon. I did not
think of that but her 3 year old mind did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I marvel at a child’s mind. Children perceive the
world with awe and curiosity. Look the moon is out! There is a flower! The shining
stars! An adult mind assumes it already knows too much. It stops being curious.
It doesn’t stop to notice the simple things because we believe we already have all
the answers. We therefore deny ourselves a chance to learn a great deal in the
process. A bunch of know-it-alls is what we are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We grownups suck the joy out of life. We focus
only on challenges, on bigger, difficult things, while ignoring the simple
pleasures. We forget that solutions to complicated matters lie in the very
simple day to day activities. An apple falling from a tree is something most of
us would not give a second glance. How boring is that!? Yet Newton the genius was paying attention
when that apple fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sometimes, we have to be reminded to stay still
and notice what is going on around and within us. We pay for yoga and
meditation classes because we really don’t know how to stay still anymore. We
are always on the move. We have to learn to focus on our breathing, our beating
hearts. Important things that we ignore because we have more important things
to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t think I like being grown up. Not if
growing up means not asking questions, not being curious, not noticing the
simple stuff that adults pass by all the time. I don’t want to grow up if I
don’t get to play. If it means not getting to experience the magic moments handed
to us by the universe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To perceive the world through the eyes of a child
means never once asking yourself what people will think about you because that
really doesn’t matter. Not being ashamed of saying the words “I don’t know” and
therefore learning something new in the process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Everybody is in a rush nowadays. But I will stop. I
will stop being impatient. I will take a pause, take a deep breath. Turn off my
cell phone. Look away from my computer. Wait for the light to turn green before
crossing the road. I will stop running and instead kick the pebbles on the road.
I will calm my overworked mind. Find my inner child, ergo inner peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will be a child again. Because kids will teach
you. Then teach you some more. And if you are a good learner, they will change
you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-797371453516730192014-05-26T12:48:00.001+03:002014-06-13T12:37:44.535+03:00The Wall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I finally witnessed firsthand what Mutahi Ngunyi
was saying the other day about the tyranny of numbers. He said it unapologetically,
with a hint of arrogance; that Jubilee had a better chance of winning the last
general elections because well, they had the tyranny of numbers in their favor.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We were disappointed at his audaciousness. How
dare he? We were trying to move away from such backward politics, we lamented. We
don’t vote along tribal lines anymore. We know better. But do we really?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I walked into a Butchery in Sotik the other day
and a light bulb moment happened. Md is done babysitting me now and I am
getting to know Sotik all on my own. He did a good job of showing us around.
Not that Sotik is a big town or anything. You can walk around the whole town
from end to end in what? 20mins? The town is small but the babysitting was good
while it lasted. He showed me the
supermarket, the grocery market place, the ATM, the chemist. He also showed me
a restaurant where they make the most delicious fried chicken a girl could ever
crave for. A girl has to know such a place because there comes a time when the
craving for fatty foods far outweighs your determination to maintain a trim waistline.
When that time comes, you have no choice but to indulge, calories be damned! Ladies, can I get an Amen?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So I walked into this butchery to buy meat. There
was nothing extraordinary about the shop; there were two attendants with blood
stained white coats, big pangas cutting through stubborn bones. There was <i>matumbo</i> – fresh <i>matumbo</i> - so you can imagine the ‘stench’. Blood. Fresh blood.
Smell of blood. Why do I eat meat again? I took in the scene. Tried to picture
what had happened to make a live cow a piece of meat. The merciless act of butchering.
Gutting. Spilling of blood. I tried to pay attention to any feelings of repulsion.
Nada. I truly have no ounce of vegetarianism in me. Not an ounce. I proceeded
to buy meat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I noticed that one of the butcher men who had been
pounding on stubborn bones was now looking at me impatiently, waiting for my
order. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Kilo <i>Moja ni </i>how much?” I asked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Three hundreth” Yeah. That is how ‘hundred’ is
pronounced in <i>Kalenjinese!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I requested for a kilo and a half, all packed in
halves for refrigeration purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the far side of the counter the other guy was
trying to do something to the <i>matumbo</i>;
was he cleaning it, cutting it? I did not look long enough to see what he was
doing because something else caught my attention. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There were newspaper cuttings pasted all over the
wall. The focus was on none other than the Vice President of Kenya, William
Samoei Ruto. The wall was covered with newspaper picture cuttings of Ruto. There
was Ruto with Uhuru Kenyatta in that photo where they did the campaign advert
standing side by side against a red background with their backs to each other. Another
picture was of Ruto with his wife and other members of a church congregation
when he cried and cried and cried at a church service after Jubilee’s victory. Boy,
didn’t he cry! I even got to notice that he knelt down in the process and wept
thoroughly– I had missed that! I think every picture ever taken of Ruto with
his wife, alone, in a press conference, in a rally, in a funeral, wedding…was
there on that wall. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I noticed Rachel Ruto’s shoes in the picture where
her husband was weeping in church. That shoe is so good! I took a great length
of time to study that shoe. It was multicolored, had a great heel…the shoe was
to die for! But I guess the shoe was the last thing on her mind when her
husband was kneeling down weeping and she had one arm on his shoulder seeming
lost on how to react. Ruto had both his hands on the floor. He seriously wept!
Can I just ask, emotions aside, why exactly did he cry so much? I know he was
happy, grateful and you know…all emotional about that victory. But seriously,
the weeping was ….why did he cry that much? Coz he really cried. <i>Aki alilia!</i> Get that clip and watch
again if you can. Dude can cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Done with the weeping reverie, I finally spotted
it. The newspaper clippings were nothing compared to this particular picture. Right
there in front of me, above me, I saw it. I don’t know how I missed it before.
A framed picture of the president was there, which was expected. BUT next to
the framed picture of the president of the republic of Kenya, stood the framed
picture of the vice president of the republic of Kenya. There was something
about that picture. I could tell that it was framed with a little more care. A
little more precision. I imagine that whoever framed it did so with a smile on
his face. He must have caressed the frame a bit before putting it up on the
wall. A thousand shillings says that the glass is cleaned every week or every
fortnight just so that it does not accumulate any dust. Dust on that picture
frame would be an abomination. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After looking at the wall, you realize that the framed
picture of the president holds no candle to the vice president’s picture, regardless
of superiority. It was put there with pride. It was a conquest of sort. A
battle that was fought and won. A trophy? Arsenal fans <i>now</i> know what I am talking about, huh?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The butcher man could be a local man with no more
ambition than to run his business and make a decent living. Feed his children,
educate them and put a roof on their heads. But every five years, he wields
some power. He goes out to war. He gets to play a part in determining whose
picture he will hang on the wall of his butchery. He pitifully believes that
Ruto’s win is his win, irrespective of whether Ruto does the work assigned to
him by Kenyans or not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This man, just like Ngunyi, knows about the
tyranny of numbers only too well. Maybe better than us ‘educated’ lot. It is
sad that it is the only language he knows though. Maybe we should educate him
about the ‘tyranny’ of a good development record, the ‘tyranny’ of security, the
‘tyranny’ of corrupt-free government. Until he is educated about other
important aspects of government, then his voting will only be informed by that
tyranny of numbers. It is the only language he understands after all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The butcher man let the wall speak for him. We
barely said two words and yet I got a glimpse of his heart through the hangings
on his wall. He is a man proud of Ruto. Ruto’s win, was his win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How about you? What do you proudly hang on your
wall? What is it that speaks for you even before you say a single word? <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcryLpkCnQF7QvweChlkx9_m-3905Uqa03BS8ZKbuVC1qVconkEIcmxcVskPNYnfQREcz7VhgD4jTfaI3GkV5KrMiWchOhGviOCZAl2t02tVXa5V2EitSpYEsHm5aBQ7DZe6lp21W_fnQ/s1600/Portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcryLpkCnQF7QvweChlkx9_m-3905Uqa03BS8ZKbuVC1qVconkEIcmxcVskPNYnfQREcz7VhgD4jTfaI3GkV5KrMiWchOhGviOCZAl2t02tVXa5V2EitSpYEsHm5aBQ7DZe6lp21W_fnQ/s1600/Portrait.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> What is
your Ruto?</span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-53960563042825900152014-05-19T15:50:00.000+03:002014-05-19T15:50:07.998+03:00Coloring within the lines<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My daughters have answers to every question asked. Check out our conversations recently: </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-6b8d46c3-1483-107a-bddc-e8c4abc33331" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hailey: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Makes a sound; half-belch, half-hiccup, half-cough)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Teasingly)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Did you just belch?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hailey: No! I don’t belch.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: You don’t?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hailey: Yes. I am not a boy!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Rolls eyes in defeat)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Offering Hailey her 4 o'clock tea) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do you want bread or pancakes to go with that?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hailey: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Thinks for a moment)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> My heart tells me to go with pancakes</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Does a quick double take)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> YOUR HEART tells you?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hailey: Yes. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Smiles sweetly) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My heart tells me to eat pancakes.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: Ok then. Let’s follow what your heart says, shall we? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Hands her pancakes)</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: Heidi, have you done your homework?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heidi: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Absentmindedly)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> No</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: Why?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heidi: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Ever so innocently!)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Coz I have not done my homework. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: Heidi, did you finish your food?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heidi: No</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: Why?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heidi: Coz I did not finish my food</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hailey surprises you with very unconventional answers (My heart tells me? I am yet to get over that statement. She is barely six for chrissake!), while Heidi never gives a reason for anything she does! She is in love with the word ‘coz’ and it has to punctuate her every statement. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You tell her not to remove her sweater, and she asks “Coz…?”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Coz if you do, I will spank your bottom, that’s coz!” I am tempted to respond.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Incidentally, ‘bottom’ is an anatomy she is fascinated with too! </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Mum, you’re washing my bottom?” She asks laughingly when I am giving her a bath.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Muuuum! Hailey slapped me on my bottom!”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Muuum! Hailey touched my bottom!”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am left wondering if her bottom is that sensitive or she just loves to use the word.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After giving me the ‘coz I have not done my homework’ response in one of the interrogations above, I asked Heidi to bring her book so that I could help with homework. She had been asked to color a car drawn by her teacher. The idea is to color within the lines. So she takes the crayon and starts coloring. She really tries. But she is not perfect yet and so some colors cross the outline. Which gets me thinking...</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How many adults are still doing what Heidi was asked to do? Still coloring within the lines? Someone drew some invisible lines for us and we subconsciously try to keep within the boundary. Afraid to try anything out of the norm. Who said we all have to be good in sciences? Get married and have children by the age of thirty? Have a skinny body and light skinned complexion? We kill our uniqueness every single day as we try to live like everyone else. And when we cannot live up to those standards, we beat ourselves up, become depressed and unhappy with feelings of inadequacy and self-loathing. So many problems while we could just be content with being ourselves and consequently live a happy, fulfilling life by being who we are meant to be! Haven’t we humans perfected the art of complicating life?! Think about it really. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How about drawing the line wherever you want and not letting anyone else show you where the coloring should stop. Know what you want and make it your personal goal to achieve that which your heart desires. Isn’t life better that way? Aren’t we happier when we conquer the fear of exploring (coloring) outside that box? </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asking a child to color within the lines stifles their creativity. Why not give them a blank page instead? See how far their imagination goes. Heidi did her homework all right. She colored the car and tried as much as possible to stick within the boundaries. But I vowed to teach her how to get the most out of life. To go over and beyond. Explore the unexplored. Seek the undiscovered. Once she was through with her homework, I gave her another option. I gave her a blank piece of paper and asked her to color anywhere with whichever colors she fancied. Take a risk. Make a mess. Go where your imagination takes you.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You never know; coloring outside the lines might produce an even better picture. Out of that mess, could come something insanely spectacular.</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coloring within the lines is good. Neat. Perfect. But when you think about it, what is so great about perfect? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-78662830721965579312014-05-09T22:49:00.002+03:002014-05-09T22:49:40.894+03:00Greetings from Sotik!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"><br />Walking
between the raindrops,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Riding
the aftershock beside you,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Off
into the sunset<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Living
like there’s nothing left to lose<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Chasing
after goldmines, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Crossing
the fine lines we knew<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Hold
on and take a breath,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">I’ll
be here every step, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Walking
between the raindrops with you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: right;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">-<b>Between the Raindrops</b> by Lifehouse
& Natasha Bedingfield<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If ever you are to move house, make sure you pack
your stuff in labeled boxes. Or something. Anything that will make it easy for
you to find stuff when you need…stuff. Since chances are high that you will not
be able to unpack everything at once, you might have to live off boxes and
suitcases for a few days. Labeled boxes will make life easier for you. You’re
so welcome!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Or maybe it’s just me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, we moved.
From Nairobi all the way to the South Rift region. For you who have no
clue where this is, think Bomet County. Think Isaac Ruto - We need devolution
to work by the way. <i>Na sio tafadhali</i>.
Ha! Look at me going all ‘County Development talk’ on you guys!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Forgive my digression: We upped and left like it
was no big deal. Like we are used to this kind of thing; Living in one town
then moving to a totally different region when we get the itch to do so. Md and
I uprooted our kids from a home they have known for a while, a school they have
known since they started school, and friends they have known since they started
socializing. We bundled our earthly belongings in a big Lorry and said <i>Adios</i> to Nairobi. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Destination Sotik constituency. It is indeed a
whole new scene. Where the grass is green, and it meets you at your doorstep.
You don’t have to go looking for it in a park or in the leafy suburbs of Runda.
It’s right there. Anywhere. Everywhere. It sticks with you, keeps you company,
wades off the dust while at it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nature is in your face. Making no apologies for
its presence. The vegetation refuses to be tamed; obstinately wild. Tall trees.
Fertile land. Land that feeds you-and don’t you forget it. The wind blows, nay,
howls like a boss. The sun shines on cue every morning. It comes up quite
early. The sun doesn’t just rise. It makes a grand entrance. Bright and yellow
and oh-so-warm! You look forward to its
warmth because the nights, the nights are something else. Freezing cold. It’s
as if the sun gathers all the remaining warmth when it </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">sets in the evening</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. Leaving nothing to get us
through the night. And when it rises in the morning, it does so majestically
like a god. To deliver you from your misery.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">I now understand why some communities (Ahem!) worshipped the sun. It knows that earthlings wait for it all night long. That they endure the cold night just so they can enjoy the sunrise. It is not blind to the fact that the world longs for its warm caress. Make no mistake now, you are privileged to be touched by the sun. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">It is beautiful. And I don’t worship the sun. It is awesome!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cQCsleEuXhNQuQ9ChIIcwk1mAsZjZHFFhsw6xK3A71RpXo-CP82ubCEh57IixkQ1kD40LOIiiUDV6mPokNU09kON-_jcsBjPVIr5-dbhvkt4GwZ5kF1AteixcpRt_XZ-IbXdU19CpaE/s1600/Sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cQCsleEuXhNQuQ9ChIIcwk1mAsZjZHFFhsw6xK3A71RpXo-CP82ubCEh57IixkQ1kD40LOIiiUDV6mPokNU09kON-_jcsBjPVIr5-dbhvkt4GwZ5kF1AteixcpRt_XZ-IbXdU19CpaE/s1600/Sunrise.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise in Sotik</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Yet even with its grandiosity, the sun respectfully
gives way to the rains. It rains whenever it dang feels like. Morning, noon or
night. The sun tucks itself under the clouds and bam! Rain. Without warning. Well,
it owes you zilch after all!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You learn the lesson pretty fast when you come
here: Nature owes you nothing! You submit to it. You recognize it. You
acknowledge it. You have no choice but to appreciate it. Respect it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our big move has been all we hoped it would be and
more. And we are grateful for that. Kids are adjusting well to the weather, the
new environment, the new home, the new school (It’s been three days of school so
I am still keeping my fingers crossed on this one). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One major problem though: Connecting to ‘le Internet’.
<i>Safaricom</i>
is like that lover you were crazy about at some point in the past, then you grow
apart and you wonder what you ever saw in them in the first place. They just
don’t love you the way you want to be loved. A few years into the relationship,
they became complacent and arrogant. They grew fat, acquired a potbelly, and became
quite unattractive. You therefore look for something more workable. You forge a
new relationship-Airtel has a dazzling smile, abs to die for. He is the perfect
gentleman. He treats you right. You fall deeply in love. <i>Airtel</i> knows the essence of your relationship: Reliability. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Other than the internet hiccups, let me just
report back that Sotik is treating us well so far. The kids thankfully adjusted
so fast it’s like we never moved! The upside of uprooting anything is that you
get to plant it in a place with high chances of good yields. What’s more, our
stuff has slowly made its way from the suitcases to the closets. We are not
jumping over boxes to get around anymore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Do I miss Nairobi? Well…let me just say that I miss
the people I left behind. On the other hand, I don’t miss the noise, pollution,
thuggery, high level of insecurity, bad roads…you get my point. Since the
people I left behind know where to find me, it
all works out perfectly in the end. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I send you warm greetings from Sotik.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">PS:</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
I wrote this while listening to the song <i>Between
The Raindrops</i> by Lifehouse ft Natasha Bedingfield. It is a beautiful song,
no? </span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-50247456920386536432014-04-23T12:40:00.000+03:002014-04-23T12:40:24.248+03:00Goodbye: The End Of A Chapter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-155a1d1f-8de6-44d5-54ec-c13b1a69234f" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodbyes are so many things rolled into one: Sad, intense, promising, exhilarating, freeing. Goodbyes are strong. Stronger than ‘see-you-soon’s. Goodbyes seem so final.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I leave my current place of work in a few days. So yeah, that is final. Heart pounding. Butterflies in the stomach. Fear, apprehension, elation, anxiety, anticipation. Leaving any comfort zone is describable using those many adjectives, and then some.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am saying my goodbyes. When its time to leave, you leave. And it is time. This is the time to put your doubts and fears aside and to forge straight ahead. No looking back. Should I encounter any fears, I will have no choice but to pick them up by their scary horns, look them deep in the eye and explain to them that I will not be cowed. I am on a mission here. I am keeping my eyes on the prize.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That is the only way forward. The way to growth. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodbye is inevitable.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In every aspect of our lives, there comes a point of goodbye and the best thing to do when that time comes is to embrace it. You can run, but you can never hide. Don’t hang around with one foot outside the door. Who is it that said that freedom comes when you learn to let go? Do it then. Embrace it!</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodbye is growth.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is knowing what you know. Yet wanting to know more. Gnawing persistently at knowledge. Wanting to explore what it out there. Learning. Growing. Interacting. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodbye is change.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Embracing change. Stepping away from familiarity. Daring to see things in a different light. Letting the world take you places. Surrendering to your destiny. Allowing the universe to teach you. Taking what you learn and using it to better yourself, enrich your spirit. Lead a fulfilling life. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodbye is the memories. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cherishing the good times, the laughs, the smiles, the Monday blues, the bad hair days, the opportune helping hand, the shared secrets, the office gossip, the awkward moments after bumping into each other in the cloak room, the conversations during lunch break, the opinions shared. The disagreements. The office ‘parties’. Wedding and funeral </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mchangos</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for colleagues. Weekend hangouts. Shared frustrations at obstinate copying machines refusing to work. The list is endless. Memories.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodbye is gratitude.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For having made it to this particular moment. For the person you have become. For the many many incidences that have helped shape you. For the difficult days you thought you would never get through, and yet did. For the hurdles that you managed to overcome along the way. Goodbye is a thank you for playing a part in shaping my destiny. For a chance to prove that I am up to the task, whatever that may be. For preparing me for my next chapter. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodbye is a fresh start.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A final chance to right a wrong. To say the unsaid. The parting shot. It is the opportune time for forgiveness. You do not want to leave with a heavy heart; that will only drag you down. You want to leave feeling lighter. You want the past to remain in the past. No baggage. Yes, goodbye is the perfect time to wipe that slate clean. To start over again.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodbye is a promise.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A promise to call and say hi, to whatsApp good day wishes, to share good reads, funny memes, a link to an inspirational article. To check up on you when you are under the weather. To keep in touch. To like your facebook page, to retweet your tweets. To wish your son a happy birthday. A promise of a strong friendship, distance notwithstanding. </span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is a promise to myself. To be better. To do better. To know better. A promise not to repeat previous mistakes. To work harder. And no matter the place or the circumstances, to keep doing the work.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodbye is hello</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hello to the next chapter, the next challenge. It is an introduction to the new; Hi, my name is Renee. And a chance to enjoy the novelty that comes with new experiences. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Growth, change, gratitude, memories, promises… I am feeling so many emotions right now. Goodbye is not a bad thing at all. That must be the reason why cuddling next to the butterflies, there is this excitement deep down in my tummy. There is a fullness in my heart. Clarity in my head. There never was a better time to say goodbye. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One chapter of my life ends here. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As for you reading this, I beg that you stick around. You will get to see more of me henceforth - that’s a promise. The breathings of my heart have never been more pronounced.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Another chapter begins now.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, hello!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-49117544809858587652014-03-14T16:44:00.000+03:002014-03-14T16:44:11.149+03:00The Reneeissance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My blog title </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reneeissance</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is a portmanteau of my name </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Renee,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and the word </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">renaissance</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> both of which carry the same meaning - Rebirth. Two words with the same meaning put together to form one word - I couldn’t stress the point more if I tried. This is the place where I manage to undergo several resuscitations. Where my thoughts are regurgitated to a point of cognizance, my attitude towards life reconsidered, my role as a mother reevaluated. My whole being; who I am (lover, sister, daughter, employee), what I believe in...all go through some form of reinvention from time to time. That is what life is about, isn’t it? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There comes a time in life therefore, when you take a pause from the daily hustles of life to ask yourself; what was I put on this earth to do? Why am I here? What is my purpose in this life? I have been asking myself such questions lately. Though the answers are not forthcoming yet, I know for a fact that I am not the same person I used to be. That I have undergone a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">reneeissance</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is in no doubt. If you hadn’t caught on already, then <a href="http://reneemurrey.blogspot.com/2014_01_01_archive.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a> was the adumbration (I finally get to use that word!)</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t go getting confused now; I am still Hailey and Heidi’s mother. Still MD’s wife. Still D.R.E (You know what I mean) But lately, I feel like that is not all. I believe there is more. I am Mr & Mrs Murrey’s daughter, my siblings’ sister. I am Renee. </span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But still, there is more! </span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is my destiny?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Why am I here? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Why?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How?</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All these questions seek to be answered. I know for a fact that I will be restless until I find those answers. I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">am</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> restless right now.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Have you ever had that feeling that someone was standing outside your door even before you saw them? Have you waited and anticipated a knock on the door and by some miracle or something, the knock came? Sometimes you hear approaching footsteps before the knock. Sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you just feel someone or something approaching, and you know that they will be knocking on your door any minute. True to your suspicions, you get the anticipated knock!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And then it is up to you to open the door. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Or not.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Should you choose not to open the door, you maintain your </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">status quo</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. You hang onto your comfort zone. Everything remains the way it has been; familiar, routine, predictable, safe. Your life does not get interrupted by the ‘intruder’. Maybe that is how you prefer it?</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Should you open the door, you open yourself to possibilities. You forego your comfort zone for the unknown. It exposes you. Builds you. Challenges you. Pushes you to the limit even. The ‘intruder’ could make demands that might inconvenience you. Either way, once you open that door you will never be the same again! You will say goodbye </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">status quo</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and hello </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">joie de vivre!</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am in that place where I just heard the footsteps outside my door. I knew the knock was coming even before I heard it. The knock came and I am now heading towards the door. You know me, I have to open the door! See what’s out there. Something bigger than me is urging me to leave my comfort zone and see myself for who I really am. For what I am meant to be!</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When I open the door, then I will get the rest of the answers to the why? When? How? Where? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It will all make sense then.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fear is what stops many people from opening that door. Fear of the unknown. Fear that you will not be able to deal with what stands out there. Fear that you will face the challenge and fail. </span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Am I afraid?</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Of course I am! But I will not give fear a chance. I will not let fear dictate how I live my life. So when I ask: What if I fail? I will counter that question with; What if I succeed beyond my wildest imagination? What if I don’t like what’s out there? But what if I finally get something I have wanted all my life? What if the challenge is too much for me to take on? BUT what if I finally get to live the life of my dreams? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What if?</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I think the heavens prepared me for this even before I ever thought of it. See, I took <a href="http://reneemurrey.blogspot.com/2014_01_01_archive.html" target="_blank">the rocking chair test</a> and I finally got the courage to give notice of resignation from my current job. What is it they say: When you want new things to come into your life, you have to make room for them.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am making room for my family. I am making room for my creativity. I am making room for growth. I am making room for wisdom. I am making room for love.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am quitting my job because the rocking chair gave me a grasp of what is important in my life right now.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m quitting because you </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">really</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> only live once.</span></div>
<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Because my dreams are valid. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am leaving behind the old. I am reinventing myself. I am undergoing a rebirth. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is THE Reneeissance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Wish me luck!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-56725735808580083692014-03-07T16:58:00.000+03:002014-03-07T17:01:40.473+03:00We almost didn’t cry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There is a place Heidi escapes to when she needs soothing or when she is sleepy. She finds that place as soon as she puts her index finger in her mouth and sucks on it as she runs her other hand on any nearby fabric.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I haven’t told you about Heidi’s first day at school have I? Alrighty then, there’ll be no further ado...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Date: Monday 6th January, 2014. Place: Nairobi, Kenya. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I wake up at 5am as usual and I sensed, even before dawn broke, that it would be a long day. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The day started at a slow pace with me taking a slow shower “So much time in my hands,” I foolishly thought. I went to the kitchen to prepare tea then heated the kid’s bathing water before ransacking their wardrobe for their uniforms. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All set, I woke up Heidi - better to start with the youngest, right? Wrong! Let’s just say that this is where the rush officially began! Heidi did not wonder why I woke her up early because she knew from the previous day that today was D-day. Waking her up was not a problem. The problem was that she was too excited, therefore playful and fidgety. Bathing an excited child! The</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> rocket</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> science of bathing and dressing an excited child! Has any of you ever tried it? It is messy and exhausting. It involves spillage...lots of it. It requires patience (loads and loads of patience!) and excellent persuasion skills.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I bathed Heidi for what seemed like hours and had trouble applying Vaseline on her. She giggled at every touch “You’re tickling me!” she shrieked. I swear I wasn’t! Tickling her was the furthest thing from my mind. She wouldn’t stop laughing though. She was slow in putting up her arms as I passed the dress over her head. I pleaded, cajoled and begged her to cooperate. I couldn’t blame her - it was after all her first day of school! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I was exhausted even before I started on Hailey. Lucky for me, Hailey was more cooperative and I finished with her in record time. Breakfast out of the way, we made for the door. Rushing like mad!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">No sooner had we gone outside the gate, than Heidi’s shoe snapped and the strap came off. Murphy’s law was at work! We had to rush back to the house to get a different pair.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By this time, we were at the epitome of the rush. The eye of the storm - so to speak. The rush was on us like white on rice. We practically ran to the school and funny thing is that the girls enjoyed the run. I think they enjoyed watching me run more than anything else. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You know about school opening days and queues right? They sorta go together like </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">githeri </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and avocado :-) (I am writing this post over lunch hour so bear with me) We reach Hailey’s primary school section and there is a queue from here to theeeeereee! The genius in me reasons that we should start with Heidi’s baby class section. I asked Hailey to wait for me at their registration hall as I rushed to take Heidi to her class. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Heidi’s section was also packed. What’s worse is that here, the children are yelling for their mommies and so progress is at a snail’s pace! I decide to stick it out all the same. We got to queuing and our patience eventually paid off. Soon, Heidi and I were strutting from the administration office to her allocated class to meet her new teacher. I crossed my fingers, hoping she wouldn’t cry. She didn’t. There was no sign of a tear. I cautiously bid her farewell and seeing how well she was taking it all, I sprinted to the primary section to find Hailey. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I found Hailey. A different Hailey than I remembered. She was seated with her new friends, chatting away quietly. Happily. No worry or anxiety in her face. I looked at her and it hit me! Like a thunderbolt it hit me: My girl is all grown up! I had never seen her act so mature and independent! Some sort of epiphany was happening; I don’t know whether the sharp contrast between the primary and baby class sections exaggerated things a bit but it was enough to stop me on my tracks. Hailey smiled and waved at me when she saw me approaching. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I really don’t know what I expected. I expected to find her anxious, for her to run to meet me and ask me why I took too long to get back. I expected some kind of childlike reaction, you know? Not the calm, waving, smiling, chatting-quietly young girl I found seated, surrounded by a bunch of pupils. I had to take a moment to take it all in.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sometimes you think you are watching them as they grow only to realize that they’ve been growing, but you haven’t been watching!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After Hailey’s registration, I decided to pass by Heidi’s class to check on her one last time. You know, see if she is getting along fine with the other kids. I am utterly ashamed to announce at this point that this takes the biscuit for being the biggest mistake of the day, on my part. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Heidi was doing fine alright. Until she saw me. “MUMMY! She was so excited to see me back. “<i>Twende?</i>” she asked. The clever girl thought that 20 minutes of class was enough and it was time to leave!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She came to where I stood talking to her teacher and held onto the hem of my dress. Her index finger swiftly found its way to her mouth. When I tried to convince her to take a seat next to the other kids, she shook her head vigorously. This was promptly followed by frowning. Then the creasing of her face. And then...SWASH! She turned on the waterworks! Seeing my helplessness, her teacher carried her and tried to distract her. At that point I was dying to sweep her in my arms and carry her with me. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When my child cries, I cry with her. She screams and gets tears smeared all over her face coupled with a running nose to boot. Her crying is evident, for all to see that she is unhappy. When this happens, I cry too. Inwardly. Discretely. I cry with my heart. Until her tears stop, only then can my tears dry up as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Heidi and I both needed to grow out of this interdependence. So I walked away with tears in my heart. I too was yelling and screaming. I was just as afraid as Heidi was. While she wondered how she’d get through the day without mummy, I thought “Will my precious cope with the new environment, the new faces?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So yeah. We cried. We yelled. And screamed. But we braved day number one like champs! And now we are doing much better. We almost didn’t cry. Almost. You should be proud of us.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15690378327485197160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5441516903601665007.post-23202082793814367332014-01-30T16:55:00.001+03:002014-01-30T16:55:33.051+03:00My 'Rocking Chair' Test<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You reach a certain age and suddenly, as if a blinding veil has finally been lifted off, you start seeing things more clearly. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Say I am 80 years old, right? Work with me here...I am 80, I have no teeth. A wrinkled face is definitely inevitable - forget what </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nivea</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> have been trying to sell to you - the wrinkles are all there! We are talking hearing aids, toothless grin, hunched back and all the tribulations that come with living to an advanced age. I am frail. Throw in a cough for good measure. A persistent dry cough. Hair is all grey. Am I in dreadlocks still? Probably not. That would be weird. I probably shaved them off in my mid 40s? No, make that 50s. Or thereabouts. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am sitting on a rocking chair, outside on the porch. I am surrounded by green vegetation. Remember my <a href="http://reneemurrey.blogspot.com/2013/08/my-true-north.html" target="_blank">True North post</a>? In the bush? Yeah. That kind of setting is what I’m looking at. I now reside in the cold green farms in the Valley. I rock my chair back...forth….back...forth….</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chances are, I am reading a book - oh, wait my eyesight must be giving me grief. I can only read with glasses now? My eyes tear up when I expose them to books? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sema</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> book allergy! One never forgets how to read though, do they? Maybe reading at that age is too farfetched? I don’t know...I have never really thought about this. Fine, scratch the reading; I am listening to music then? The oldies maybe? I wonder whose music will qualify as oldies at the time; Rihanna’s? Chris Brown’s? Beyonce’s? Bieber's? Or we could pick a song and artist more believable like... <i>‘Incredible’</i> by Celine Dion? Now there’s a song to listen to in your old age!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As I nod my head to this beautiful song (grandma nodding her head, really Renee?) my mind wanders. It goes back to my heydays. Back to when I was young and vibrant. When I had the world, my life and a myriad of choices ahead of me. I think of the choices I made. The path I chose that led me right here, where I am now, co-existing with the evergreen tea plantations. The sacrifices I made, the mistakes I made. My successes and my challenges. This reverie takes me back to the beginning while Celine and Ne-Yo inspire me to ask myself “Was I incredible?” Was I? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Being who I am, I want to believe that I strayed off the beaten path. Oh yes, I definitely did! It’s the only way I could have remained true to myself.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One memory that will sure make me proud is if somewhere along the line, as I navigated through this life of mine I managed to pursue my passion. I will be glad to remember a day when I woke up and searching my soul, I asked myself; Woman, what maketh thou happy? and went ahead to do exactly that instead of giving myself a pep talk every morning that went very much like “This job pays the bills. Writing won’t put food on the table...blablablabla” I sure hope that somewhere along the way, I grabbed the bull by the horns on this one. I must have taken that leap of faith at some point. I surely must have!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I know for sure that the best memories will be those of spending time with my family especially during annual celebrations like birthdays, Christmas, Easter and the likes. Precious moments will include the moment when I came home after a hard day’s work. The affectionate hugs and kisses I got from Hailey and Heidi, the sheer excitement, shrieks of joy and laughter that my arrival elicited from them which always left me at the verge of tears. The love. My goodness, the sheer, complete, unconditional and heartwarming LOVE! There is nothing quite like it I tell ya. Nothing!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I won’t forget the simple pleasures that we indulged in like baking, where Hailey helped with adding the milk into a bowl of flour, while Heidi put in the sugar. We stirred the ingredients in a bowl and together we watched the cake rise in the oven and marvelled at the work of our hands as it turned golden in colour. I will remember the day we stuffed our faces with Cinnamon cake and after a generous serving for the girls, we watched as Heidi’s body started to swell; face, legs, hands. I won’t forget how I panicked and rushed her to hospital and how we, on that fateful day, stumbled on the discovery that Heidi is in fact allergic to Cinnamon! Though ok after medication, the swelling took some time to go down and Hailey took every opportunity to poke fun at her sister’s ‘fatness’ - “Mum, Heidi </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ni mfat!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” she would exclaim from time to time before going into a feat of laughter. This memory will make me nostalgic to no end.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The biggest contentment while rocking that chair will come from being a mother to my children in every sense of the word. Should I succeed in making my voice permanently instilled in their heads, having it ingrained so deep that the world will have a tough time leading them astray, I will bear a huge toothless smile on that chair. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Part of that smile will be from the joy of publishing my books, one (or a few - a girl can dream!) of which will earn me an award. MUST earn me an award. My heart will swell with pride at the thought of having influenced society on various issues affecting women. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I might carry some regrets on that chair. I might regret not saying ‘No’ enough times. I might very well regret not getting another child. Tic….toc, I hear that biological clock ticking away. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Who knows what the future holds? I choose to bless my path with my words anyway. I hope that when I eventually sit on that chair years, many years, from now, memories of my life will leave me with a toothless grin stretching from ear to ear. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I will henceforth wake up every morning with the intention of remedying the foreseeable regrets and making the dreams come true. Whatever the outcome, I want the 80 year-old me, to describe her life using one word: INCREDIBLE! </span></div>
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