BEHIND the BLOGGING SCENES…💻

I’m having a good time here in Mombasa away from the hustle and bustle of Nairobi. Earlier this week, I read an interesting blog called ‘The mum review’ which challenged me to answer a few questions on how exactly I do my blogging. 

Now I’m working at ‘behind the blogging scenes’. This one gives bloggers a chance to give their readers a glimpse at how they work behind the closed doors before getting any stories ready. 

Call it writers’ madness, blogger on weed….opps! Creativity, I don’t know how to phrase it but the way you have it is not my problem in any way….Or it could be introvert problems but hell no! I love answering questions about myself lol…So here I go….

Where do you blog?

Usually sat on a couch with my ‘mac’ laptop beside my chiwawa Lulu after everyone has gone to work or bed. I get easily distracted by a number of things “food” included so i tend to shut the kitchen door all the time while I am in blogging business.

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 I do love watching T.V a lot but when I write, I pretend that no set was bought in my place.It’s that serious.I’ve been to  the cinema a couple of times but I’d rather be doing something blog related when the movies are not interesting.

 I carry my phone with me at all times too, ideas and saving them on my drafts becomes easy, especially while stuck in silly traffic. At my lowest moments’ I normally blog in my bedroom! Yes you heard me right. Although in a few occasions, I’ve been carried away by sleep!

• ATTENTION: Writers don’t you ever write while in bed, it gets too comfortable at times that your mind freezes.

The weirdest thing I’ve done with blogging is when sometimes back I was going to town and as I was waiting for my cab guy to pick me up, a friend came with his car.

 Fortunate enough he was going towards town as well. Having not seeing each other for a long time one would definitely expect a chit chat, I later came to realize he was talking to me but then I was a “little bit” too busy on my phone that he decided to keep quiet.I later on apologized for my “weird behaviour” but we are still in good terms.

Where do you find inspiration for your blog posts?

Everywhere; I can remember back in my junior high , I had a friend who told me that I was an introvert. That meant I had too many stories in my head but then I didn’t know how to express them. 

By then blogging was not that common and as interesting as it is today. I am a jack when it comes to writing. I may see a man with Kanzu* and write about his religion. I at times imagine too much, which is not bad and by doing so, ideas flow within naturally.

Travelling, taking perfect shots and sharing new experiences is one of my biggest “suppliers “in terms of content as one would never find same culture on a particular environment.

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Good food that meets my taste buds approval could as well make a perfect story. Every person loves tasty meals and probably they could not know where to find the same at an affordable price, or just prepare it at home. By sharing such, I feel like am fulfilling my purpose on earth at the same time doing what I love most thus improving my skills on culinary matters.

I find it hard to understand, blogging is fun especially if you have a good following, a nice editor{s} and mentors who keeps one on toss.Numbesr do speak, but to me it isn’t a priority. It’s like putting money and fame in any flourishing career which most of the time is short lived, unlike when doing it deep down from ones heart.

How long does it take you to write a blog?

I can handle a full story for a whole day, when iam not in school or attending any photoshoots.If it is just me writing about my feelings or my past, it usually spills out pretty quick. But while handling different stories, I might take a week or two since I might have to research on the same issue I should be writing about .To be a good writer, ought’s to dedicate time for reading which can be challenging when one is experiencing writers block.

I dedicate weekends, especially afternoons for refreshing content on a new blogs, I make friends with new writers and also comment on their articles. If it’s too good to be read alone, I ‘plagiarize’ it in a good way of course I seek permission from the owner of the story as a disciplined writer. 

Gone are the days when one would write and keep stories till God knows when, but with publishing houses accepting manuscripts and social media, I can see the future of writing flourishing.

How do you plan for your blog posts?

Sometimes in January, I was posting new stories every day, apart from Saturdays and Sundays which I fully had dedicated for other issues .I find it easy writing after Mondays ever since I began posting articles.

 Sometimes I post up to two stories weekly, depending on my school schedule plus getting a perfect editor is not a walk in the park. I am more of a random writer so it has never been hard for me to write an article on a particular topic.

I do work with schedules since my personal time is quite limited. My diary has been my greatest companion as it guides me on what exactly to work on a particular date and time. It’s not easy being your own boss, plus one requires to up their game all the time to become a better writer.

I work with a particular group of people all the time to ensure I don’t lag behind in anything that I write, whatsapp writing groups too have been my greatest source of my strength since it is full of both young and old persons who are greatly talented. Writing, just like music needs proper research and timing for one to be on the safer side.

What kind of camera do you use? What editing software?

 I do really love photography very much that I can pay for a million bucks just to get that perfect shot. I used to have a Nikon D5200 which I lost sometimes back.
 It has never been easy for me taking pics with my phone, unlike before where I’d use a professional digital camera but then with the help of “OWEN” my official photographer, things have returned a bit normal. 

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We are both photography enthusiasts, but normally I am the one to organise on the venue, dress code and the general theme of the shoot to make it epic. For editing, I’ve been using photo studio editor and the square insta- pic which have never disappointed.

I have a thousand plus photos within my computer gallery so I also find it easy importing from one file to another where need is.Any good picture is worth telling a beautiful story, that is why I’d never compromise on anything when it comes to pictography*

*What is your favourite type of blog post to write?

One that has my own pictures telling the story. Plus articles that have perfect intersection of something I’m passionate about with something other people can as well relate to.

Who knows about your blog?

Haha….My Elder sister, a cousin plus a few members in my class who believe I can write great articles on any given day. My mom knows too, although she says that at times I work too hard yet little is appreciated.
 She boasts of having better vocabulary than I got which I find quite interesting and it also motivates me to work even smarter day after day. My inner circle of writers too know I write though I share via email or rather inbox to ensure my readers are genuine and not just for fun purposes

Are you an organized or messy blogger?

I’m usually a super organised person, but I tend to be picky when it comes to what I put down on my blog. Whatever crosses my mind is at times what I work with, from that food I ate at a cheap restaurant to how I got treated by security personnel at K.R.A (Kenya Revenue Authority).
I’ve got tips on how to blog more productively ,but I don’t want to feel too much like a job. I just want to write down what is in my heart and mind without choking. It’s good to commit on what you love, besides working.

YOU CAN’T MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY …UNLESS you are a Nutella jar… 😂😂😂

Making resolutions is easy but keeping them is no mean feat, but do you  really have to make them? Today being a weekend…i decided to write on a few things one should do differently and forget about the worries of failure to obey the same rules before a new month begins… 

LOOK AT THE MIRROR; FEEL PROUD OF YOURSELF… 

Body confidence is good for every human being, it’s even more important when the person is a woman. “Women value how they appear”,i dare say it again. 

Body confidence inspires a woman to be best at every thing she does from hair do and general physical appearance -which is also important for the people one interacts with, so much that dress code could determine whether one is welcome within certain spaces. 

It’s important that a woman looks and feels like herself and so is to a man. 

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“Don’t do it for someone else;Look good as you would want and not as someone else would want.Avoid following trends that your inner persona would not revel in. This is because every woman is born a different and  so should be the way they want to express their beauty. Don’t look in a certain way to please anyone other than yourself; my friend you’re not Santa! “.

GIVE YOUR WHOLE AT WORK; But don’t live your life in the office. If you live in Nairobi, you know that earning a decent living is always everyone’s priority. You give your employer valuable experience/expertise and get paid at the end of the month. 

Even the good book says whoever does not work should not eat. And holding up a career is good for one’s CV. But remember there is life beyond the office and clearly define your boundaries on time to work and when to have that coffee break. And once you’ve given your employer his dues then ought to plan other sections of your life around the remaining time. 

Remember that the position at the company you work for will always have someone willing to fit in. But on the other hand, your life and happiness are irreplaceable. 

BESTOW ENOUGH TIME FOR YOUR FAMILY;Everything has changed completely in today’s digital world. People have a thousand plus ‘friends’ on social media as well as family but the truth is that they don’t even see eye to eye.

 If you are a mother, it’s a life long career. And like someone said, “parenting does not end with popping out of the baby. “Dedicate enough time to your kids.The biggest mistake modern day parents do is spending very little time with their children. Everyone is chasing after money, we all got bills to pay… I understand that completely. 

But in the end, money is not the goal. Spare time for squash, or join a literature club or sports and discover something new in you as well as your family. 

DROP FAKE FRIENDS AND RELATIONSHIPS;You know you need a friend when your back is against the wall and there is very little room to even make a step. 

Friends (true friends) give us the shoulder to lean on when our world is crumbling upon us. This particular ones will therefore make the difference in your life -especially during tough times. 

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On the other side, fake friends add into misery and turn a bad situation into worse. Fake friendship will way you down instead of lifting you up. If someone doesn’t wish to be present in your life then it would be good to let them off. Know that bad relationships -like clandestine love affairs that provide quasi -fulfillment eventually cause chaos in ones life. 

MAKE TIME TO UNWIND;Me time

The general perception of travel is that it is expensive. In reality though there are plenty of options in Kenya. You don’t have to really break the bank to roam in the Mara. And who said golf is for the ‘RICH ‘

Personally i refuse this notion, i mean, even a simple road trip 100km away on that SUBARU may provide the much needed sigh of nature. Which is good for the mind and soul. Carry that snack you made at home with a few bottles for refreshment and uinstead of taking food at expensive restaurants and trust me you won’t regret it… 

AND MOST IMPORTANT OF THEM ALL IS HEALTH CHECK UP;Life is a boring experience when one is blogged down by illness. With today’s ‘,lifestyle shift ‘ humanity is more than ever plagued by diseases and conditions that lower the quality of life.

 Essentially, to be able to work and earn you need to be healthy and in good shape. Women need general check up once every year .This is critical in early detection of debilitating conditions such breast and cervical cancer. Any   suspected source of problem in the body should be treated to the maximum and given attention it deserves. 

My BLUE EYED Soul mate…

Electrifying blue eyes stared back at me. 

“I know you” they said. 

“I know you too”,I replied. 

We would periodically  stare at each other, for this half hour that we were meant to be listening to how Jesus Christ saved us. 

“How? “I Kept asking Honestly i knew him… 

I did. 

As soon as his blue gaze landed on me, that was it. I knew i was home. 

And he kept looking back at me too. So i knew this wasn’t in my brain. I wasn’t crazy, itching to get up and sit next to him, i had to control myself considering that i had once deceived my mother and hidden the ADHD tablet under my tongue, my hyperness was an overload. 

My senses, each every single one of them had been. Awakened by just one glance. Finally the last song you sang, and i dashed across to him. We actually met halfway. We looked at each other until i blurted out. 

“I’m Noni”

“Christo”

The next thing i know was i was dragging my mum across the church parking lot saying. 

“mom, you HAVE to meet

Christo! His soo beautiful “.

While he had gone to get song mom too you see, we had made a silent pact. That we just had to be friends and it didn’t matter who or what, we just had to. 

So shock on my mum and his mum, when standing across each other, with us in the middle giggling and chattering away, they were as different as day is to night. 

I don’t know what happened. All i know is that the next day is that the next Sunday after church, We headed out to the beach across in Kigamboni and we had the most afternoon ever. 

Christo and i dived into the sea, splashed one another, raced, got hungry, bugged our dads and boiled our siblings. 

I spend every other Sunday and every other single afternoon after school for close to four years with him. 

We would sit in his room and he’d play the guitar or complain about school work. He’d tell me stories of South Africa and I’d tell him stories from Kenya. 

We had a song. 

We had a song. Nothing Else Matters by Metallica. 

I’d tease him and he’d tease me back. We rarely pissed each other off, and if we didn’t we’d try to fix it quickly. 

He once told me”your mom’s fat”and i told him “your mom is fatter “then, hit him and walked away. 

He came to where i was sitting a few minutes later and said, “Look, they are both fat. They can fit shells in their boobs “.(Our mums would collect sea shells every Sunday  when we went to the beach).His mom would make coffee and we’d sit in the kitchen and listen to our mothers stories.

Or we’d go outside and watch, our siblings squabbling.

We’d peep at our dads, pretending to get a long.

We both had  ADHD.in his own way he taught me how to love myself. He told me how he didn’t want his medication.

I loved him.I told him and he kissed my shoulder and he told me”Noni if i wasn’t a South African, I’d date you. But I can’t. You are amazing. I don’t want you to go through shit. ”

I didn’t wash my shoulder for a week ☺.

I remember one day he pissed off his mom and i watched him take off faster than Usain Bolt. When she grabbed the mwiko or the time he stepped on a sea urchin and she had to pee on his hand and he got embarrassed cause I was rolling in the sand dying of laughter. 

I watched him grow taller than me, his voice broke and I’d tease him about it. I watched him become such a  beautiful person. I watched his music grow and exceed. He introduced me to jimi Hendrix and all the great guitarists. 

I came back to Kenya and he to South Africa. We keep in touch. We had to. 

I don’t remember much of my last conversation with him. I know he had a gig. 

The nice day of the 5th of October 2009,he left this world. 

A motorcycle accident. 

I broke down completely i felt my heart break. Christo was gone. And i didn’t know what to do. 

I wrote on his Facebook wall twice. Then I just completely shut down. 

I felt like my grief wasn’t, I don’t know the word but i felt like i shouldn’t be as broken as i was. That my grief was nothing compared to his mom’s or his family. 

I felt like i shouldn’t be devastated, i mean…. I was just another black girl to him right? 

Christo it’s been 9 years of me denying how much you really meant to me. 

I miss you every single second. I call you my soulmate because you were. We were never going to be romantic because we just couldn’t. Yet i knew we loved each other because how else do you explain our 7 year friendship. 

I love you Christo Ludwig visser, and i miss you so much. 

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THIS STORY BELONGS TO WRITER:NONI NURAH PALESA@all rights reserved. 

THE LENS AFFAIR :PART ONE

On my previous article, i talked about falling in love. Well how does one know they are in love? I really don’t know,but everyday i feel like am digging deeper and harder onto it. It all began with a meagre dream, but I’d call it a plan well, but they say if you want to make God laugh ,tell him your future plans, i took a long walk over the weekend, just to keep fit and this morning being ‘our’ birthday, i couldn’t hesitate, pumped up with piss and vinegar, ready to write like 6,000 words for the day. 

So last night i was in a black mood for the better part of the day. I sit down on this cream couch beside my cosy bed, spread my legs like someone who had just won a lottery, and decided to take a close look at my darling Canon. 

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I’ve been with him, for the past two weeks not long since last year, i had lost Nikon on robbery, quite sad but well life has to move on .we’ve been happy together for quite a while until today morning. Canon has always been this cute, well endowed dark buddy and has never complained of being unwell. He never has certain days of the month when we can’t hang out. I really don’t need to visit the massage parlor with him for a special treat. Every time when I’m in the mood(to capture) good memories. He just let me go in, he opens up without any hesitation and i use him to the my level of satisfaction. 

We’ve made over 900u$d. Through Canon I’ve paid for our Wi-Fi, food and also Krushers in town on those hot days when I’d need one. See, Canon is not only my darling but my full time sponsor. I just can’t do without him. For two weeks now, Canon and i have been seeing each other daily. I take him to dinners, we eat, we laugh he stares but at the end of the day, enables me to have all the memories in my life, to birthdays parties,weddings, pretty much everywhere. 

Before Canon, i had another bestie, whom i call my first love. His name was Nikon. (D5200 was his model), Dee was his nickname and we were quite close that my family knew i couldn’t make it without him.) 

You see, while I am completely grateful for the role Dee played last night, he didn’t quite satisfy me. Despite being my first love and introducing me to the world of photography, Dee, had some shortcomings that i could not put up with for long. He was quite slow and poor in shutter speed. Quite boring especially when i needed a *quickie before i could chuck out of my hood and let the rest of the people see him. He could at times wake up and even refuse to open and let light and me in, that i wasn’t going going to be with whom for sometimes though he was really good. It really riled me up. To make matters worse, he was quite unbelievable at times. 

I appreciate a bit of energy and weight when it comes to my cameras, but life became a bit unbearable when he couldn’t handle over 1000shots without shutting down due to inadequate power. Well, powerbanks have never worked for us either. 

For a long time, he would lie beside me but every time i passed Canon house, i couldn’t resist them. Nikon wasn’t endowed with the right features, and you know how painful it can be especially on those occasions when you are in a great company of pro -photojournalists .Here I am talking about camera features such as image stabilizer, lens holders, extra batteries and also stand for image clarity. 

No offence to photographers without this’fancy’tools but then a worth shot will forever remain in a million people’s minds. 

Well, i never saw this misfortune come until late last year when i lost Nikon to robbery. It was such a hard and traumatizing moment for me and my family since we had been too attached to him.I actually cried,i couldn’t imagine visiting all those good places without my Dee.Being the holiday season we were to visit Kigali the land of beautiful hills, everyone who asked for Dee couldn’t believe it when i told them he was gone.

Most of the time I’d sit alone in the corner of my dark room and sob for hours but then life had to continue. Within this hard time, my Sony Z experia* was quite close to me, though he gave me blue balls, i couldn’t stand the treatment anymore but still kept my dream alive. 

I knew God had a purpose for this, most probably i deserved better than what i had. I also had this feeling that i could do better. But what was a beautiful lady, with such a strong character without penny to do? 

So, for about two years or so, i had to make a turn in my life and let go Dee,i would ocassionally use my friends lenses and hang around Nikon’s showroom only to realize I’d shed tears when i remembered my past with him. But, i had to accept my fate, calm down my tits and stayed in my lane with Sony whom i went back home with all the time. But through my supportive ‘first family ‘as i refer to it… Suddenly, i could start shopping for a new baby and that’s how i met Canon.

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When i first met Canon,it was love at first sight.My close friends zee had a really awesome camera. He knows of my little struggles with the loss of Nikon,and really empathized with my situation.

“I’ll take you to my good friend who imports great cameras and you’ll get a chance to choose one that you like. There are a variety of nice cams, very soon you’ll be able to get over Dee”.Zee said. He was a nice buddy, that guy who always hooked his crew with nice new cameras as he had been in the industry for quite sometime. 

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He was everything that Dee was not…He was easy to operate and well endowed with the right features and was simply amazing far much better than Dee. 

Her model had been manufactured five years later than Dee meaning Canon was way younger. He had perfect zoom ability, and was quite expensive to acquire but all i wanted  was to let go Nikon. I could afford him. I had finally found my match made in heaven. But i still had a close attachment to Dee, even after falling in love with Canon. I thought  i could juggle using Sonny and Canon to my fullest potential, and for a while it worked. But slowly and slowly i started forgetting about Nikon (Dee). I felt sorry for him and decided to take long walks,eating healthy and also enrolling at a local Yoga club but then it never turned out as expected.I still cried and locked myself up in my room. 

I just can’t figure out why i can’t stop crying every time I am alone and think of Dee. Honestly i couldn’t resist, i hope he finally found a new family and found happiness that probably i couldn’t give her…. I’ve finally moved on to a happy life with my current Darling Dee. 

I AM FINALLY IN LOVE AND I CAN’T DOUBLE DATE….

I am proud to talk about it to the public. I am proud to say this to my baby love. I can’t stay a week without you, i may probably fall it. Your body and awesome physique is one thing that drives me crazy. No wonder you love wearing black attire, your clear eyes the type with no eye bugs and blue eye balls keeps mine too glued in caressing each time we are together. 

I don’t mind being caught with you in the act, yes they say age is a number but i can’t help but agree that you are really older than me. I just don’t care. Some people find it weird when we hold hands, and work it out together in public. They think Lynncy is nuts* or probably got loose nuts in the head but this is not true. I actually don’t care what they say, do or think about it!!! 

I am the only one who truly knows the tears, sweat and blood it took me to have you by my side. I never knew I’d get one of a kind like you. And i had to let OUR secret(s) out to help the rest too. 

I HAD TO HONE IT CONTINUALLY :It all began with a mere dream, i searched for you in the internet, I’d admire you for long since i couldn’t get hold of you for a long time. Dear, you were so far yet so close. I hoped for days that one day will hold each others arms and go places in peace. I couldn’t forget how our foundation began. I knew it would take time but i wasn’t going to give up on our dream. 

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I HAD TO KEEP OUR STANDARDS HIGH :To build a great family of beautiful portraits, i had to be consistent. The good work we did together was what lit the fire in our tummies. We paid for it, i had to determine ‘our’ quality knowing that it would pay at the end of our ‘big ‘day dear. 

I HAD TO ACT WITH INTEGRITY :We both had to walk an extra mile everyday in order to get where we are today, i always kept in mind that it was journey worth a thousand steps but i always kept you in my heart. At times i had to work for free, and please the so called ‘friends ‘ which was not easy. I did that for you, and it got me my work out there which was all i ever wanted. 

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Even after i could pay our bills at ‘SAROVA Stanley ‘.I remained true to you and so did you. We never took ‘selfies‘ at this point since you were camera shy. But why?  I came to understand later that you didn’t want people to ruin our relationship  .

I HAD TO GREET TEETH AND FORGE AHEAD :Just like it is for everyone I, it wasn’t a walk in the park. When we both started out. I remember mama thinking of how i had ‘bad ideas ‘when i opened up, to let you come home. Even after they had toiled so hard to take me to good schools and the university abroad, i couldn’t get you off my mind and heart. 

I HAD TO KEEP MY EYE ON YOU:i risked for you, i bled financially and i did not care whether it would work out or not. I always kept in mind that my life’s purpose would be fulfilled through you. After i had my first shot, i became absolutely certain about the direction we both were heading to. I even quit my masters class just to pursue you .

MY WORD REMAINED OUR BOND :Well at times, i couldn’t make it up to you  but you remained true to your words and actions too. You always delivered the best as long as i handled your base in the right manner .I kept you warm and covered during the winter, always had you indoors while we were free and this got our bond even stronger. Part of my modus operandi was not to let the cat out of the bag. I had to work it naturally. I knew every individual had something different. I had to find you, incorporate each and every skill just to keep it lit. 

WE HAD TO WORK WITH WHAT WE HAD; We both had no ‘real ‘ money while starting out, but i knew some day we would inspire a soul. The most important thing was that we had the ‘eye ‘.We never got tired. We sacrificed, but i knew a day would come when I’d hold youttight in my arms. 

I had to seek a mentor, my mentor was the media. Every time i made an effort to attend live shows as well as recordings just to see you perform. I’d skip my classes to keep in touch with you. I always had goose bumps on my oily skin while passing ‘CANON house ‘i would admire you in the display glasses but, then i had a dream, that one day I’d hold you in my arms my darling CANON CAMERA. 

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‘I love you my CANON‘. 

COULD SHE Be The one…

*The most intelligent girls are always stressed out* She’s always stressed out, because she has high expectations for herself. No matter how much she gets done in a day, she isn’t happy with herself. She knows that she could have accomplished more, that she could have found a way to be more productive. At the end of the day, she’s always disappointed in herself for not doing more.

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She’s always stressed out, because other people believe that she’s invincible. They come to her with their problems, hoping that she can help sort things out. They never stop to realize that she could be struggling herself, that maybe she needs a helping hand.

 They take from her and forget to give.
She’s always stressed out, because she doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing. She acts like she has it all together. She has everyone convinced that she has a good head on her shoulders. 

But secretly, she’s lost. Confused. Unsure of what she should do with her life.
She’s always stressed out, because there aren’t enough hours in thhday. She strives to be the type of girl that balances everything — her career, her love life, her health, her friends, her family. 

But it’s hard to find enough time to go to the gym, get dinner with her date, and get drinks with her friends when she’s working half the day.
She’s always stressed out, because she puts a lot of pressure on herself. She knows what she’s capable of, which is why it’s so frustrating when she ‘fails.’ She has a habit of replaying scenarios in her head, thinking of how she could have handled a situation better, how she could have come out on top if she acted a little differently.

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She’s always stressed out, because the future is constantly on her mind. Ever since she was little, everyone told her that she was going to make something of herself, that she was going to be rich and successful. She doesn’t want to let them down. She wants to reach her full potential.
She’s always stressed out, because she has a lot on her plate. There are so many dreams she wants to pursue, so many goals she wants to accomplish, and she doesn’t want to turn down any opportunities. She takes on more than is healthy for one person to handle.
She’s always stressed out, because life sucks. Even if she makes all of the right choices, she still gets hit with problems that she could never control. She still suffers from setbacks. She still has to deal with the horror of being a human.

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She’s always stressed out, because the little things matter to her. She wants all of her work organized, all of her friends happy, all of her affairs in order. She wants to come as close to perfection as she can get, which is why her to-do list is never-ending.

She’s always stressed out, because she’s smart enough to see the truth about the world. She understands that people aren’t as nice as they seem, that lies and deceit and death surround her. She’s smart enough to know

that it takes effort to find happiness in this world, that she has to fight for it. 

This post was originally done by a WRITERS GUILD MEMBER

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The Society we ALL live in…

And we spend time with what we call our friends.  We put ourselves at risk to be the latest gossip trends. 

 It’s when we are left alone to ourselves that. We become aware of what we are.  

We see our conscious step out from the corner and every frebe and faded scar.  We realize we don’t like the shallow life we lead. 

 And wonder if it’s too late to correct every evil deed. 

​The experience, the tolerance, the social love of dying We kill ourselves wide awake when in our sleep we’re fighting .(To destroy others)  But we were born to strive for what we swallow on tv ​ We starve and morph ourselves into what we are told to be. 

MY VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT TO THE SICKO WHO RAPED ME!

FATHERHOOD. 101

BY :JOSAYA WASONGA

Sometimes i wonder. What you are up to? Are you a church elder now? An opinion leader? Are you in a mental asylum? Are you a respected member of society? 

Tell you what, sicko, when i was a young adult, your indecent assault on my mind, body and soul made me silent my sexuality. Rape was my debut sexual experience and,at times, it messed up a little. I thought the rape was an ‘induction ‘ of sorts and it was, an unscriptural at it sounds, a ‘sign’ from God. 

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A good number of men who are rape victims -especially if it was their sex debut -silently wrestle with demons of sexual orientation. And it’s done easy to swing the gay way. 

Seconds after  you raped me, if i had been asked, I would not pick your face from a police line up. You accosted me on a semi-lit road, then raped me in a dark alley, and i was this shy eleven -year-old kid who could not identify you from cain.

Tell me  did you sleep that night after you raped me? And did i sleep that night? Do you really want would now? I am still turning and tossing, and screaming in my sleep, and letting our ear-shattering primal screams, because it was the lomgest sleepless night. Ever. 

Hell, i would love to see your face now. I would love to put, not only a face, but also a name to the jerk who violently robbed me off my innocence. 

All these years, i have lived with the weight -both literal and physical -but not your face. 

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Ever since you raped me, I have so many questions, and they keep piling up by year. Why me? Did you personally know me? After, raping me, did you still see me around the ‘hood‘? 

Do you have kids? Do you fear for them? Do they even know what type of a father you are? And how would you feel if your little son told you that they were raped? I do not wish what you did to me on your son(child ),or anyone’s baby. But still. How do you feel? The way you feel does not, and will not come close to even how i feel. 

You know what else you did to me? Made me paranoid. That’s what you did. I am overprotective of my ten -year -old daughter. I cover her with protective prayers daily. I asked God that no rape weapon fashioned against her shall prosper. 

Because i lived with the hurtful secret for so long, the evil you meted on me turned me into a man who clams up. I did not know if my father would believe me. 

It was my word against a nameless faceless stranger. So, on that night, when i ran home, and entered the shower and washed away the scum off me, i thought i would wash off every single thought of that evil. 

But I was wrong. I am grown up now, but i have not healed. I do not think that I will ever heal. People heal from repeated bouts of flu; not from rape. 

But, here is one thing that you didn’t turn me into; a rapist. It’s not true that hurt people hurt people. That’s a lie from the devil .

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The senseless violence that you meter on me a more sensitive being. And, in my walk of faith, I have had revelation that, if God allowed this rape to happen, He will orchestrate to that, ultimately, all things will work together for good of divine purpose.

 

THE UNDISCOVERED pocket of delight.

☺TAKE THE TRIP -WITH THORN MULLI

Have you travelled recently? “my physician asked me during a recent check -up. “Does Kitengela count? “I responded and was instantly meant with a chuckle.

While Doc had her foot on medical ground, there is a general assumption that travel goals must feature far flung areas and cost a fortune to qualifying as ‘real’travel. As such, a majority leader Kenyans sit back and hope for financial windfall or the major holidays to warrant travel. As i would find out, looking outside the box might offer just as much thrill for a fraction of the cost. 

I live in a hamlet located on one of the highest points of the city. As you might already know, the higher you go ,the cooler it becomes and every visitor to my home sure makes a note of how low temperatures go especially in the evening. In need of a break from the chills, I purposed to have a weekend getaway. 

My brief was simple; the destination had to have  weather and environs different from what I am accustomed to. Most importantlyit was vital that the escape not cost me an arm and leg. That is how i ended up in Kitengela in Kajiado County just 31kilometers south of Nairobi. 

I had been through the town before, on my way to border town Namanga ,but had never bothered to stop and explore. Kitengela, as you might know, is a satellite town that mushroomed in the last decade on Kapiti plains where pastoralists herded livestock amid roaming wildlife. 

While it still clutches on the straw of being a wildlife dispersal area, it’s proximity to the city has ensured speedy industrial development resulting to atleast five cement factories, about ten major banks branches and several learning institutions all jostling for space and with residential units. After conducting background research on available accommodation options, I settled on a newbie located on the fringes of the town, The Galaxy Resort and Lounge, which promised value of my lean budget.

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 As you exit Kitengela town on Nairobi -Namanga road, the hard-to-miss Tarikiville Mall is your marker. After, approximately 3.4 kilometers from the marker, a signboard indicates left your destination that is less than a kilometre away. 

I booked full-board in one of Galaxy’s deluxe rooms for the cost of 9,800/=.The deluxe rooms have their own designated compound complete with a parking lot surrounded by a perimeter wall fence. 

Upon inquiry, i was informed that families or friends travelling together who book the total eight deluxe rooms earn exclusive use of the complex during the duration of their stay. This, in essence, means that they can customise their visit to the I liking including putting up tents on the manicured lawns to accommodate more members at no extra charge. 

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All accommodation has free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, television, tea/coffee making facilities and shaver points. Hair dryers and ironing facilities are also available on request. Each room is also fitted with cable TV, fresh beddings, and state of art showers.

 The feeling of a Kenyan home is rife with the onsite restaurant specialising in Kenyan dishes including the all too popular kienyeji chicken. While i moaned at the size of their swimming pool that was rather elfin, I especially  enjoyed the rather intimate lounge where a resident band plays. As I watched the sun set, I spotted somewwildebeest foraging close to the resort’s perimeter wall. 

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Keen to sample the towns nightlife, owing to its innumerable taverns, picking a single spot was rather daunting. I eventually settled on club 411 that seemed to be everyones choice. It didn’t disappoint with its three floors of entertainment and sizeable crowd. 

After a night of dancing cured by a lazy Sunday, I was happy to note that the escape to a satellite town matched the much sought after thrill of out-of-town experiences. With Kitengela out of the way, I am drawn to sampling what the other satellite towns -Kiserian, Ngong, Kikuyu, Ruaka, Ruiru and Ruai-have to offer. 

TOP PLACES TO VISIT IN KITENGELA

• MAASAI OSTRICH RESORT-If you love nature and some good meat,this is the place to visit when in Kitengela.The road leading to the resort and you may need a four wheel drive to get there.
  
• ROLF’S PLACE-The scenic beauty,great cuisine and their relaxing spa and sauna facilities makes this a good place for a quick getaway.
  
• KITENGELA HOT GLASS-If you want an escape from the hustles of town life,make a trip to this place filled with art,calm and quiet,nature trails and animals.
  

BY THE NUMBERS

• -31 Distance in kilometres between Nairobi town and Kitengela

FRIDAYS’ DOSE AT EKKLESSIA📖.

Each and everyone got deadlines to meet, place or rather destinations to go to and make change but for we writers, it’s not different. Mondays are boring, Tuesdays are a bit interesting as we move on throughout the week. We crush on Wednesdays and unveil our Throwbacks on Thursdays but our Fridays at Ekklessia, we party hard on books. 

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While the ‘REST ‘get absorbed in TRIBEKA, we all assemble at the National Museum. We talk about books and also get to know each other, at first you may expect old men all covered in white beards but when you cross on the other side at FORD HALL, you’ll be surprised to find beautiful young ladies and budding gentlemen.

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 And who is the brains behind the Ekklesia?  Well,have our very own jovial C. E.O and founder Mr.Gabriel Dinda,who has been able to gather this young minds from far and wide all with a common goal which is “Writing for change “.

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On this particular Friday,17th in 2017 at noon. I arrived at our usual place but to my surprise. I just couldn’t spot any of any of our members, i inquired about the venue and was told to go down to the amphitheatre.Too bad, our room had been occupied but just for a day. 

As Africans, timing has always been our biggest challenge and while the waited for the rest. Mr.Gabriel had a challenge concerning each member being a president for about 2minutes.But how was this going to happen? It was just but a teaser,for us to comment about the presidents speech on state of the nation. 

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We were all seated forming a curve and fortunately or unfortunately i was to speak second, just after the first speaker who was actually Mr. Martin who takes really nice shots for our FRIDAYS sessions. 

He never had much to say and thereafter we had a number of six speakers who carried the days flag just before our guest came in. But this one particular lady caught my attention when she shared with us some information from a book she had read on‘RICH DAD AND POOR DAD’. Well,we all want to be rich, we want money, real money but looking at our countrys state.

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 It’s so troubling, the wage bill has gone so high,that means any child born as from ‘anytime ‘will have a debt of eighty two thousand Kenyan shillings to clear.Christ Heavens!!! 

She also captured on how everyone wants to be employed after school yet big firms like Royal Media services and KQ were trying to cut down into the numbers so that there would be less manpower and also financial cost. How sad. 

THE BIG MOMENT 

At about 2:20p.m.,we had our guest Miss Wanjiru Kariuki a fashion blogger and image consultant who left her job for writing and women empowerment. 

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She talked about personal branding and how to stand out in whatever you good at. Especially in this first tech-world, one ought to build themselves in whatever you doing she said. It could be photography, baking, singing, poetry and many other activities people engage in. 

With music, most individuals will only invite you for gigs when they see whatever you are doing is great. We tend to know what our goals are while engaging in this activities but keep in mind what you want to impact in whether big or small. 

“We all have God given abilities and talents but it’s upon us to decide and become better people in what we do “,.She insisted.

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I learnt that Online profile is quite important today, since one will ask for your CV but later on you might wait for long but the job wouldn’t be forthcoming. They just might have checked out on your online profile and discovered something was ‘weird’ somewhere. Which completely put them off and went for another candidate over you. 

Voluntary work has never been easy, and most people want cash before putting any effort in whatever they do. This is not always an easy decision, but you can easily network when you volunteer. 

We later had an awesome presentation from Bulimo.A gifted poet though he said no snaps! I was not shaken at all since we ought to respect everyone’s personality. 

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After that, Miss Kariuki insisted on consistency, this means that one has to have a plan in order to achieve readership. Comparing oneself with another person will never take us, anywhere because you can never be your friend or even your neighbor. 

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Credibility is key to going far,she said but completed by telling us to note a few questions which included ;WHO ARE YOU?​

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 WHAT YOUR GOALS ARE..WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT…WHAT’S YOUR ONLINE PROFILE… HOW OFTEN DO YOU NETWORK  AND HOW UNIQUE ARE YOU.

 Questions came in and thereafter we had a chance to ask but a few though personally, i never has any since i got some knowledge on branding and that’s how our FU’RAHIDAY ended. A successful one. With great value addition.