Becoming a Morning Person
Let’s get right down to it. But before I tell you about that, what have I learnt this past week?
1. Mungu Pekee – Nyashinski
Awesomeness. That is what I am feeling right now. I was feeling real good today. On a Monday. I had cleared up a lot of work last night so I kinda knew I was going to have a good day today. I had all the time in the world to focus on all the work I love doing, you know, content and stuff. Then toward the end of the workday, I discovered this YouTube video/track today, at 5 PM. I cannot stop playing it. YouTube displayed it on the Trending section and I was like, why not? I have heard of Nyashinski before but I cannot tell you any of his songs. I had a feeling he was part of Kleptomaniacs or something of the sort. But who cares about that when there is an awesome awesome track coming through your eardrums? When the “Mungu Pekee” chorus came on, I knew I had heard it somewhere recently. Maybe Kubamba Radio. Not too sure. I did not fall for it then. But today, it’s like my brain opened up. And then, you know what’s more awesome, it has a lyric video! A Kenyan song has a lyric video!!!!! That is super amazing. I only see this with American music videos, tobyMac, MercyMe, Matthew West, name them.
Yaani I am so amazed, I cannot stop talking about it and telling everyone in the house about it. I even brought a little JBL speaker from the office to play the video on repeat. LOL. So deep. Rich content. Awesome awesome beat. Feel-good words. What more can you ask for? The song is making me repeat the word awesome and break so many grammar rules but again, who cares? You get the message, right? Question is, are these Kenyans songs available on iTunes? I want. And if they are not, why are they not? I would expect to see a link to the track or album in the YouTube description.
Oh, I just Googled. I was kinda right. They were Kleptomaniax. I saw Collo on The Trend on Friday too. I never watch the show after Larry and my brain broke up. But that Friday, I saw those kids dancing and I sat a little longer and watched. He was part of that group too, right? Good stuff.
2. A General Theory of Oblivion – José Eduardo Agualusa
I will not even lie. The only reason I bought this book is because it was the TBC book of the month recently. I thought I was going to struggle with it. Up until now, the title still confuses me. I replace “of” with “in”. However, I was pleasantly surprised as I got deeper into the book slowly. The book is set in Angola during the independence days. I know very little about Angola. Let’s be honest, you, Kenyan, probably don’t know much too. In this book, I learnt a ton about the struggle between the Portuguese and Angolans. It’s translated from Portuguese, but still maintains the flow and storytelling. It’s a story on survival. Multiple stories meet at a doorstep in the end. I will not spoil it for you. If you are looking for an African read this October, go grab this one.
3. Rape
In the end, the book above is actually about a rape story. Sorry I have now spoilt it a bit for you now. But I had to. You see, I also read another story about rape last week. You can read it here too. It breaks my heart that this happens to people. The thing about rape is that it’s a clear crime whose victim almost always blames herself (I believe it happens to men and boys too) or is blamed by other people. Even little children are blamed, for crying out loud. I will be honest, I have been in situations where a man came onto me physically against my wish. While it never turned ugly because he came to his senses and thought about what he was doing or realized that no was actually no, I realize there are many girls and women out there who have not been as fortunate. Let’s not be fickle. Let’s draw lines. It boils down to responsibility and humanity. There is right and there is wrong. Let’s not find excuses for doing the latter.
4. Running Can Make You a Morning Person
If you think I am kidding, meet me tomorrow at 6:30 AM at an undisclosed location, that is, unless you know where I live. I have been waking up since the beginning of last week to run. On Monday, I totally felt like I was going to die. I felt like throwing up. I stopped running and walked the rest of the way. The next morning, I decided I was made for this and ran a little farther. We! Wacha tu. I could not walk on Wednesday morning. :’D So I skipped that day and walked for quite a bit on Mashujaa Day to recuperate. Now, it’s becoming easy-peasy. No aches, no pains, but not much exertion for now. If I feel tired, I walk. No point puking in public early in the morning. Now, how has this made me a morning person? No clue. But what I know is that I wake up before the alarm clock rings. Even during the weekend. I am not even kidding you. Effortlessly. I even take breakfast nowadays. Unbelievable? Believe it!
5. The Best Way to Keep Customers Is to Show You Care
So, if you had seen me the past two weeks, you would have seen what looking lost is made of in the flesh. My hair was a disaster. Such a disaster it was that I resorted to girly headbands to make it look like I knew what I was doing. It worked, btw. Wonders. Anyway, my hairdresser, Lenny, got concerned eventually. He texted to check on me. The reason I had not made my hair is because he moved from Nairobi CBD to the bowels of South B. There are places in this Nairobi I have never been to. South B is one such place. But because he picked up his phone and began by asking how I was, instead of “umelost”, I made the decision, right there and then, to find him in those very bowels of South B. And find him I did. I was pleased. My picture of South B was not the cool collected place I saw. Or maybe it’s just that part of it. I guess I will find out sooner or later.
Also, my current finger curls were made using Marini Naturals “Curl Magic” Curling Gel. It was a coincidence that Lenny used the product the same week I discovered the products via this CNN article. Turns out they are exactly what they say they are, made for African hair. My hair is not as hard and dry as it has always been with the previous finger curl waxes. I am now sold to the brand and will look for the rest of the accompaniments Lenny recommended. At the risk of going all “naturalista” on you.
6. Four Kinds of People
So when I started this last week, people came up to me, judging me. LOL. I knew that would happen. There were four types of people that emerged.
- People who will outright judge you for not knowing something. These are what we call normal people.
- People who will automatically jump into I-knew-this-before-you mode and even told you about it, even if they didn’t. Their heart is in the right place.
- People who will tell you that they also didn’t know and have learnt something too. These are the people who need Jesus, like you. LOL.
- People who tell you that they will share what they have learnt too! High five!
I love you all, people. You keep me going. 🙂
This post has got me thinking over many things.
Whoop! Let’s go!
Running? Gosh! I can never get myself to do that but I do walk a lot. About Marini Naturals, Do they have something for dreadlocks? I have heard about them but I have never actually tried anything by them. I guess I will have to go find out.
I love the Mungu Pekee song…I still haven’t mastered the words yet..Day i do i’m making a video with dance moves..lol.
Send to me first!