Wednesday, 24 June 2015

THE FLIP SIDE OF NYERI WOMEN

image from - Business Daily
Almost 27, damn are we growing old. And well, cant escape the thoughts about marriage and children, can we? Evidently, the man is growing soft.
So, random thought... Can we marry a Nyeri girl?
Lol, why ask? Is it because I have my roots from the place? Or maybe because I just dated one who does? Oh shoot, I know it has something to do with the news.
And sure it does. These women are crazy! Forgive me for the stereotype but these women are nuts. The last time I checked, they were all about beating up their husbands. Now, they don't stop! They are chopping off their manhood. Some are even killing the poor men. I'm even confused about which one is worse.
Anyway, enough about repeating the headlines. If by any chance you're in the dark, Nyeri is a town in Kenya populated mostly by the Kikuyu.
Nyeri women have been making headlines for all the bad reasons. One thing I know though is that these women are the epitome of hardworking. From my great grandma to my granny, mum, aunts, cousins and girlfriend, I can tell that the women work themselves crazy. Like I know my aunt who has managed to raise her children all alone through so much pain. She is so hardworking, it pains me as a man. Even more painful is that the jobs that earn the daily bread is mostly manual. Like a Nyeri woman will wake up before dawn, milk the cows, prepare tea for the family, prepare children and see them off to school, and take care of the house chores before heading off to the shamba. And not a single day will you ever find the house dirty, or hear anyone in the family complain about food. How she manages all that is in true spirit of the African Mother.
That is the reason why it kills the woman whose husband spends the whole day in the bar and comes back drunk in the evening with all manner of disrespect.
I mean, the women are go-getters. And sure, they push their men. They'll push them to break limits and become people they never would were they all alone. The Nyeri woman will make a manager or a president from a mere villager. If she won't be behind her man in his quest to becoming a successful businessman, then she will be beside him working and closing deals. She has perfected business, she is such a resource. For the man who can stand their shortcomings, rest assured he'll make it. It is no surprise that the Kikuyu are known to be among if not the most successful businessmen in the country.
Sad thing though is that that's what some of them are all about: Money and status quo. Who are you? Woe unto the poor Nyeri man; to him who is no one in the society; to him who is not destined to be a president, manager or whatever rich man. He might as well invest in getting some steel underpants.
Too much for Nyeri women, I also have some insight about Nyeri men. They battle with so much pressure from all the expectations, in the end some lose themselves in the process. A good number end up on drugs for closure. The pressure notwithstanding, I always believe that a woman will hit a man who is hitting material. That's that.
So in all fairness, let's applaud the Nyeri women for their hardworking nature. Lets also thank the man who remains clean despite the pressure. And lets condemn the lazy men who drink all day and go back home to disrespect their families. And the women who beat up their men, chop their genitals and kill them. Family is all about working together as a team, and somehow managing to solve our problems in a quiet way, so that the house maintains the love and warmth for the parents and the little ones.
So, back to the trivial question, can we marry one of our own?
Hmm, still can't get an answer to that. It is not a Nyeri thing, we all have our angels, we all have our demons.
But we are still young, still learning about women and the world. And honestly, the more we grow, the more we know... and the more we get scared.





Friday, 29 May 2015

DESIDERATA

http://lifestyledezine.com/desiderata-by-max-ehrmann/

Dear Citizens, 
Welcome back. Our last article was Quarter Life Crisis? Well, its been long and I'm still learning about myself and about the world, trying to orientate and navigate through the phases of life. My greatest endeavor will always be to seek and acquire wisdom, hope I turn out to be a Solomon some day.

In that regard, I came across a very rich prose poem "Desiderata" (Latin: "desired things") written by Max Ehrmann in 1927: I thought I'd share it with you...

Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. 
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. 
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. 
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. 
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. 
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. 
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. 
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. 
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. 
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. 
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.


Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Quarter Life Crisis?

https://thiscanbeweird.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/the-quarter-life-crisis/comment-page-1/

Today seems dull, I wake up with nothing particular to write about. But I feel that I have to at least come up with something. I promised myself to push, and write more. Good luck, a random thought springs: Quarter Life Crisis. I've been going through times, I think the title would fit just fine.
Hmmm... I'll be turning 27 this year. Quite a late bloomer, I haven't achieved anything in my bucket list. Oh wait, I don't even have a bucket list! Growing up sucks.
I Google the words and head straight to Wikipedia. I'm a Google junkie and computer is my life. I wouldn't call myself a total Geek/Nerd, but I dream to reach there someday.
"The quarterlife crisis is a period of life usually ranging from the late teens to the early thirties, in which a person begins to feel doubtful about their own lives, brought on by the stress of becoming an adult. The term was coined by analogy with mid-life crisis."
I continue reading. Some expert Erik H. Erikson came up with Intimacy vs Isolation. According to him, "... after establishing a personal identity in adolescence, young adults seek to form intense, usually romantic relationships with other people." Crap.
Moving on, studies show that unemployment and choosing a career path is a major cause of stress and anxiety. Bulls-eye! Voila! My crisis.
Family and career are core pillars of life, I believe. I'm still fighting for a career (looking for a job/ trying to complete my university degree) and finding my way about building a family.
I don't know which of the two bears more weight but I think family runs deeper. It means the world to me what I'll make of it- who I'll choose to settle with and what parent I'll become. I consider them to be the most important decisions a man will ever make in life and I feel so much pressure trying to get them right.
Well, I haven't mastered life yet but looking at the much I've experienced, the much I've learned, I'm glad to have delayed the decision this far. There's so much to learn about women and the world.
Career-wise, I'm still transitioning from my previous job, learning to live without a regular paycheck. It's not been easy, I stress, though I'm glad I'm getting through my hard days. I cannot be grateful enough to the people who've remained loyal to me through thick and thin. I'm taking my life lessons, I hope I make good stories and articles out of it.
Ambition is priceless, I keep telling myself. One day I'll strike a balance between the two: Family and Career. I don't want to be no rich man without a home. That's a dream. They say dreams come true and when they do that's a beautiful thing.
So much for my thoughts.
Welcome again to March, I'll be writing a lot and by the look of things, Family, Relationships, Ambitions and Life in general will keep recurring. I'll also be coming up with the article Quarter Life Crisis soon.
Keep getting posted.

Monday, 2 March 2015

Welcome March


Dear Citizens, 
Welcome to March. Let's be grateful that we've reached this far. I know it's been long, I know how much we've missed each other, I cannot apologize enough. But let's take March to be a symbol for a new beginning, one filled with interesting, entertaining and enlightening pieces.

For a start, I came across an old Irish marriage blessing, I thought I would share it with you.
Enjoy.

Irish Marriage Blessing  
May God be with you and bless you.
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortunes
and rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
from this day forward.