How we behave.

Time magaizine has a really interesting article on how humans behave in the worst of times. I can't really say I have been in such a situation although I remember as a kid, heading back from Molo with my dad, our car tyre blew and the car careened off the road making rapid acquaintances with an accacia tree. In the ensuing commotion my relatives had recited a couple of hail mary's, our father's, one called on the good lord, another one spoke in a tongue I can bet any professor in linguistics wouldn't figure. I have since heard various versions of the story, none more elaborate than the six-step breakdown from my uncle who also claimed that he'd seen a woman by the roadside holding a kid.(it's my understanding that Molo line drivers have encountered such "incidences")- but I just think its all hot air. I'm not superstitious at all and here's the math.

1.Car hits pothole = Car tyre busts + careens off the road/hits accacia tree = people speak*act funny.(duh!)

However, I do question how i'd react if I was in such a situation (9/11, tsunami etc). Back in the day I had an interesting exchange with some makangas next to the Kenya Railways station having just alighted from a 111 from ngong. A dude in our contingent had dared that should they even 'darest thou thinkest' to touch him, the clique would descend upon them with fury hell hath not seen before. The clique?

1. The fella Magaidi
2. A dude by the name of Gitau.

He must have said something because we managed to walk/run/squat away from the place with heads somehow held high. My actual feeling when this was going on was more of curiosity. The sweat on my brow was only due to the sweltering heat! I think my first instinct would be to go check out what happened and that's probably not a good thing. On the flip side if I scurry away, I barely know what i'm running from or to - One thing I doubt i'd do in such situations is sit and chill.

Song Of the Week.

From the Transparency International (T.I Kenyan Chapter) B.O.G to one Gladwell Otieno
dedication:

'T.I's - You don't know me.

Caption: "They call me T.I but you don't know me"

Add yours here! ------------------------------------>

Marathon Monday

Magaidi
Today I intend to proudly put on my 'Kenya - Hatucheki na watu' t-shirt and head on to town for the marathon. Its the only day miros gather around adorned in Kenyan regalia be it t-shirts, flags, bandanas,vests and since it's almost a given that a Kenyan will win the race (Yeah I know we're spoilt beyond words) unless Bong Ju Lee comes out of nowhere and takes it, we intend to belt out the national anthem in the streets of downtown Boston. I was astounded at how badly we mixed up the tunes and the words last year. We had fellows singing the same verse three times since none of us could remember the words until 'Kila siku tuwe na shukrani'. Thanks to the good fellas at KenyanspaceI am ready to educate the masses.

On the same note:

I hear old man M-O-1 is also in town and they had a dinner organized for fellows to meet the dude, I believe you had to part with $250 for entrance, plus the meal. Bollox I say, it would take a well thought case for me to even part with $2.50 to meet the guy, from what i've seen, I haven't been impressed

Of Affirmative Action

Magaidi

An acquaintance of mine has taken it upon himself to protect the world from half-roasted peas, light milk shakes, not-so-fresh salads and undercooked veggies. This particular individual sees it as his sole responsibility to inform the uneducated that it is your civil right, ingrained within the framework of affirmative action that if you order a half roasted goat and sukumawiki ‘to go’ then it had better be half-roasted and ready to go. I have observed this individual complain how, after all Malcolm X and Martin Luther King fought for, he still cannot get a decent steak at a local eating house. I cringed when once during dinner he made an awkward analogy comparing the plight of slaves in the slavery era to miniature supporting roles that people of color get in big budget movies. After this i'd have bet my last buck on him blaming the government for him not showering. MLK would have turned in his grave if word of this ever got to him. Please don’t send me email claiming I be-little the causes of ‘affirmative action’ because you’ll be wasting your time. I believe affirmative action should exist but for some reason. There seems to be a disconcerting ‘sense of entitlement’ unfairly attached to the causes that affirmative action should be advocating for. This notwithstanding, I am sure getting a decent steak at the local eatery wasn’t on MLK and other pioneers' minds when they were fighting for equal rights.

When Hits are not so Fresh anymore

Magaidi
Nairobi's KISS 100FM and its presenters, I have come to believe live their lives 2-months behind everyone else's schedule. Matter of fact, I believe they might be making plans for the valentines show sometime this week. Avid listeners must dress in red and call in to request the freshest new track on the market - sema's 'Leta Wimbo'. In addition, if you and your friends call numerous times we just might be able to get E-Sir's 'Boomba Train' back on the countdown (nairobi's fresh 10). This morning they premiered Kevin Little's hot new track!'Turn Me On'. It will be played countless times and rest assured it will be dubbed Nairobi's hottest new song each time you hear it. Maybe, just maybe Sean Paul's 'Like Glue' might premier sometime next week but rest assured at KISS FM, there is no such thing as an old song. In two months listeners should be keen lest you be fooled by their every funny 'April Fools' prank.

A.O.B

*Ogopa DJs launch Kleptomaniax' new album 'M4E' later this month, I believe April 30th. Personally i've heard a few of the tracks on this album thanks to the ever generous Banda of Ogopa DJs. Sounds tight and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of this CD!.The Ogopa Website I am made to believe is going live this Friday April 15th so check it out whenever you have a moment.

Mad Props to:

* Ory and global voices for putting us on the map.
* Mental for his unrelenting work ethic to improving the Kenyan Blogosphere. KenyaUnlimited is now up and running.

Magaidi On Both Sides -

Magaidi

This is the list from which you'll find out whether I eat guacamoli, fart in bed, pee in the shower or terrorize your pets. This is me right here!

1. I'm the consumate free spirit, as long as there's a will, I will find a way!
2. This has at times in the past been seen as an arrogance about myself
3. I usually shrugged it away and continued on..(refer to #2)
4. I get this from my beloved mom..
5. Who is the single greatest person I know in this world
6. Because she rose from humble begginings to the top of the corporate world and still held our family together.
7. She spoils us with her extraordinary cooking abilities
8. Baby gal contends her mom can cook better than mine,
9. I say baby gal needs to go to rehab or should schedule a therapy session soon.
10. Baby gal is the love of my life, we talk every single day about everything!..
11. She loves teddy bears and cats
12. Oddly I have come to love them too..
13. Which is a far stretch from back in the day when I was bila feelings
14. Well, let's just say our resident cat and I engaged in running battles akin the 'shock and awe' attack witnessed on Baghdad
15. It was only fair coz he'd killed (or should I say, intentionally assasinated) my bird (R.I.P 'Spirit')
16. I love animals and pets
17. As long as they require only minimal human supervision
18. So I guess i'll settle for a cat.
19. I maintain a pretty simple lifestyle
20. Not easily dissuaded by fads or trends, I have my style and i'm good with it.
21. I love music - period.
22. My big bro was a DJ and so I kind of followed in his footsteps for a while
23. He's played with the best of them from Bryo of vibestar/carnivore, magic myke - vibestar, Morii of Studio B, hussein abdallah,babu..you name it from back in the day
24. I love soul, old school hip hop, neo soul, soft rock!-luv it!,genge,e.t.c..refer to#21.
25. I hate stereotyes/ stereotypical views
26. I also have very little patience for people who use sweeping generalizations - "Kenyan men this Kenyan women that.." nonsense
27. I once attempted to be a vegetarian..
28. Those were the two longest days of my life.
29. I've been told, (on numerous occasions) that I am an excellent cook.( had to mention this!)hehehe
30. This I believe stems from a personality that is very independent. I just do it the way I watched my mom do it (refer to #7)
31. Having said that, I also have the worst eating habits.
32. I can easily eat mokimo for breakfast, cookies for lunch and popcorn for dinner.
33. This drives baby gal crazy, and she's mentioned the habit to my mom who had observed with absolute and sheer amazement as I drank water for breakfast on my way to work a couple of years ago.
34. Breakfast was ready on the table the next day though so I can't compain.
35. I thoroughly enjoy having my friends over.
36. I have friends to die for.
37. They've seen me at my best and worst and are still very close to me.
38. I like to think/ and try always to offer as much to them as they do to me.
39. My love life - I consider a pretty private affair although I will menion tit bits here and there
40. I've only had two serious relationships. - 2 very special ladies in my life
41. We're still in touch with my first love
42. Was caught up in a messy entangled web of lies and deception a few years back, her dude was cheating on her.
43. I knew the dude - dude knew me, we'd been friends.
44. This, my friends is a DIABOLICAL situation, a lose-lose deal
45. Some chics see baby gal and I and ask me about relationships
46. My answer is usually a generic one: if you want the perfect guy, make yourself the perfect chic
47.O.K now hold on right there. I'm not saying i'm the perfect dude by any stretch of your [vivid] imagination, I just try like the next dude.
48. Relationships aren't that complicated if you ask me
49. I think if we can get clear pictures from a rover on planet mars - we can definitely solve issues on relationships
50.This is not being naive..i'm just being me (refer to #1)
51. I'm particularly corny with kids.
52. Our next door neighbors' kid knew that 'my car' could fly.
53. My small bro 'knew for a fact' that I was born in China for a good portion of his life.
54. I am told that my looks are very deceiving and I appear to be very shy.
55. I think people may try to take advantage of my nonaggressive nature
56. I have the best sister in the whole wide world and beyond.
57. At a tender age, she has reached astounding levels in her career and is the most down to earth person you'll ever meet.
58. She claims I inspire her but she knows it's the other way around.
59. I'm also inspired by self-made people. You don't have to be rich, just an independent thinker, confident in his/her ways. - case in point: My mom.(refer again to #6)
60. I love reading, but mainly biographies, real events and life stories.
61. Truth be told though, if there's a movie about a book, i'd rather watch it.
62. I know I know, I miss out a lot but it's the gist I look for.
63. Back in high school ('Changez' - Lenana School), I suffered a horrific accident while playing rugby.
64. I'd gone down to tackle a dude when a guy behind him also came flying and landed squarely on my nose, broke it. I also suffered a dislocated jaw.
65. Was out of school for an extended period of time but came back in time to make the Prescott Final team - yeah I'm crazy I know.
66. Winning that thing was sweetness akin to [this part left blank because content would've been inappropriate for our younger readers]. - you get the message.
67. I'm not shy.(refer to #49) disregard this at your own peril.
68. When I shamelessly laughed while watching Titanic at the site of a dude, barrelling to his demise who made rapid acquaintances with a post jutting out on the stern, babygal and the people around us gave me looks of disbelief and utter resentment like I had chewed their popcorn.
69. I was informed after the movie that I needed to (and I quote verbatum), "re-examine what it is that you find amusing because you obviously have a warped sense of humor"
70. I find myself in these situations alot.
71. My best movie of all time is 'The Godfather', but I must admin 'Ghosts Of Kilimanjaro' made quite an impact on me.
72. It was after all, the first movie I ever watched and understood comprehensively.
73. Others on my top 10 list include 'Matrix-revolution', 'Shrek1 &2', 'Good Fellas','A Bronx Tale','Training day'..among others.
74. I shamelessly enjoy cartoons and Nickelodeon - the kids channel.
75. I have had some of the worst blunders known to mankind during dates when I was younger.
76. I once truthfully lost my wallet after getting to a movie theatre with a chic, needless to say she paid for my ticket and my fare back,
77. There wasn't a second date.
78. I have also been caught napping on a movie date - I blame the exhaustion and boring movie(City Of Angels by Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan) the chic had chosen, she blamed me.
79. This time there was a second date, only that she brought her friend incase I slept during the movie.
80. I went for the third date with her friend, she turned out to be my first serious relationship!.
81. How's that for a turn of events?
82. I have also attempted the unthinkable, - wax lyrical on three chics who were cube-mates in school without them knowing about it.
83. Chics are bright, they figured it out and countered by asking me out on a date on the same! day on different letters ofcourse.- they knew it and pretended as if they didn't!
84. I countered back - declined all three invitations, sighting an out of town engagement I had had prior to this. I requested that we defer the issue until schools had been closed.
85. They checked back 'dissappointed', I ended up with three dates on a back-to back to back schedule, they sent me a letter together claiming that I had been busted.
86. We remain good friends still though and have a chuckle each time we reminisce about this.
87. 13 more to go.
88. My favorite drink is a mixture of orange juice (the real orange juice) and coke/pepsi/cola.
89. Favorite color is a dark shade of brown. (I kid you not!)
90. I'm a sucker for cookies.
91. My ideal day off would be spending the whole day watching TNT - Law and Order with milk and cookies next to me.
92. I have attempted to play golf on numerous occasions.
93. Tiger Woods/Phil Mickelson et al can rest easy wherever they are.
94. The fact that I was an alter boy back in the day is very amusing to my friends.
95. I don't spend as much time as I should at the church.
96. My personal opinion on religion is that there is God and then there is religion.
97. I try to steer away from arguments on religion being that they never resolve anything.
98. I respect those people who respect themselves.
99. I am the quintessential jumpy dude always high on energy.
100. I love who I am and what i've become - a product of my family's efforts.
101. I'm the consumate kid raised by the village.
102. And I try to give back as much as I can.
103. I love my family, friends and my people to death.
104. This is me.

What to do:

Magaidi
Yep! I'm back from DC and still breathing fresh like a squirrel! I katika'd boomba style to the rhythmic sounds of old school played by the ever impressive DJ Babu (Formerly of homeboyz and F2). I have a feeling a photo of me breaking sweat, streaking and sliding on the dancefloor will definitely surface somewhere on the net. If that happens rest assured I will not confirm your suspicions. Our host, K, can make you laugh your eyeballs off - i'll be sharing this with you shortly.

What to do now?

1. Stop procrastinating and complete Meme on me! 100+things about the fella 'Magaidi'
2. Stop procrastinating on stopping to procrastinate!
2. Call those people I met in DC.
3. Catch up on the latest gossip.
4. Gossip about the latest gossip.
5. Translate this blog to another language. I'm always looking to reach a wider audience and present my material in english, senegalese, ki-dholuo, Polish,khoisan, tutu-(ish?) or (tutish?)LOL! and sheng. . Applications with photos attached duly welcome. No x-rays tafadhalini.