A HOTter me! TerryDecember 31, 2011 0 comments

2011 has had its challenges, ups and downs - ups mostly, and I'm grateful to the almighty; thus far He has brought me.
2012 is here, fresh and virgin. Time to make resolutions?? Well, I don't usually make resolutions, don't know why but I guess it's because most of the times I'm random, dynamic and good to go though grounded girl  and it has worked well for me.

This time I'm gonna make a resolution, a bit basic though. No, I'm not sitting at the dining table with a pen and resolution book rather I'm looking inwards, at all the things I'd like to change, delete or add in my life. Thank God, that I love me and my life so I have no drastic or unrealistic resolves to implement. But like the weeds I talked about HERE, I need some pruning in order to bloom.

2012 is  the year for a HOTter! Terry. Maybe I'm scared of the big 3-0 which is next year but 2012, am taking better care of myself. I have to have something to show for the three decades on earth. I won't tell yet what I'm gonna do, it's in the agenda on my phone complete with alarm reminders. What I will tell you though is that I am embracing Sunscreen and I have a glass of water with me as I write this, let me take a sip *there*

A sneek peek of other 'things to do':

  

 

what are some of your resolutions for the new year?

Happy and prosperous 2012!

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Xmas cheer TerryDecember 20, 2011 0 comments

We finally got our Christmas tree, our first one ever!

it's amazing !

Baby girl insisted that we must have a Christmas tree this year - effects of advertising and growing up.
She insisted that the tree be bought by 15th December but unfortunately stocks run out at our local Tuskys. You can imagine we've been going there daily to check if they have been replenished with no luck.

19th December and no tree yet? Mr. had no choice but to pass through Naivas which is on his way home and check if they have the trees in stock. Luckily they did, and at a whole K less the price we'd seen! good riddance!

first decorators: baby girl and her daddy

Daddy and the girls

Mommy and the girls

he too was making merry

you can see the excitement in and on me!

The dancing lights of Christmas

It was so much fun decorating. Funny how we all started humming and singing carols. The Christmas tree has lived the air in my home, endless cheer.

Merry Christmas people !

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Wonna bloom? prune your life TerryDecember 19, 2011 0 comments

I have tried in vain to wean myself off my daily habit of waking up early now that it's the holidays. Unfortunately or fortunately, nothing seems to be working. Sometimes I wish I could sleep like my teenage children who wake up past noon but it seems my waking habits just won't let me! The alternative has been to plan my day while I laze tiredly in bed before I finally give up and touchdown. 

Today I decided to write -  I have been planning on starting a 'feminine genius' blog and I finally did. Check it out on https://embracefemininity.wordpress.com/.

My second plan of the day was to tend to my flowers. I am not a fan of gardening so usually I ask my house-help or eldest son to tend to the flowerbeds. I have however not been satisfied with the outcome in comparison to when I personally lovingly planted, nurtured and tended to them. So despite my last Friday manicure, it was time to get down and dirty to ensure a beautiful outcome and fragrance.

As I was gardening, I thought about how similar weeding, pruning and sometimes pulling out the flowers is to life. There is a time when we also need to weed, prune, water and pull out various aspects of life in order to blossom in spring.

Why do we prune flowers and/or plants? Benefits of pruning  include: Eliminate deceased parts, Simplify transplantation, Promote fruit growth and Correct irregular growth. Same case with life, often or sometimes we need to get rid of baggage so that we may grow and blossom. 

The deceased parts in our lives can be in the form of distractions, negative thoughts & people, bad habits, ill feelings, younameitcozyouknowit.

When I was pruning my flowers,  what mattered to me was what was left of the flower and the flowerbed rather than what I was removing. Thus pruning your life is about what is left and what becomes of it. Pruning helps branching out in new directions, while controlling its shape and size. Just as I pruned my flowers, I will also prune my life to allow for new ideas, new opportunities, new perspectives, new ventures, new e.t.c

"...old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

I spent a lot of time tending to my flowers today because I had neglected them for so long. I have now made a resolve, I will prune consistently often so that none of my energy goes towards maintaining what is dead or dying instead of to enjoying the budding and blooming. Looking at life, pruning helps us re evaluate our lives and we shouldn't wait till things get to an irreparable point  and neither should we put up with things that are of no benefit.

We each have the innate ability to bloom, all we need is to make an active choice to do so by tending to life's garden, let go of what is done, and create the opportunity to bud and bloom.

After tending to my flowers, I swept clean the flower beds and front yard, I collected and threw away all the waste matter. After pruning our lives, let  us also remember to throw away the unneeded and not leave it to others to clean up. After all, we are the masters of our lives.

As I sit by the window enjoying a cup of tea and ngwaci, I can't help but sigh with satisfaction!

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Boredom is a state of mind TerryNovember 26, 2011 0 comments

Today has been a boring day for me, really boring. Right now I'm supposed to be at an Argentinian Tango exhibition at the Tribe, Village Market. I have been looking forward to it for a whole week but now I'm too bored to go.
Of late, I have noticed that I barely go anywhere, simply because am too bored. I had decided to be taking salad during school days lunch and value-add with a walk to the fruit bar but I've never done that. I get too bored to get out of uni unless going home and I get even more bored to show my ID to security at the gate ass I come back in.
I have assignments to do, my room's thorough cleaning is waaaaaay over due, I have this blog. In fact if I did all the things that are due, I wouldn't even have enough time to pee. But here I am feigning and tweeting boredom.
I was walking into my room to force a nap when it hit me, maybe boredom is a state of mind!! Aha! I just got on my blog and now I really think is boredom a state of mind!

 “Never be “Bored” it’s a state of mind that waste’s life!” – David King

Which translates to boredom is a waste of time and life yet I have the choice to a different state of mind!

Now that am writing this, It's like my boredom has been cured! Come to think of it, had I blogged earlier (on any subject), I'd be done by my Spanish reading assignments earlier. 

I'm never getting bored again, especially not at home coz I end up eating unnecessarily just to kill the boredom!

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Leadership TerryNovember 23, 2011 0 comments

Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal. 

~ ~Vince Lombardi

Of late, I have found myself in situations that test my leadership skills / qualities. There's a little evil voice that keeps questioning if truly my team and I will manage to fulfill our mandate and successfully so. But then there's the stronger voice that reminds me I was selected from a large pool of applicants in a competitive process and offered a higher poster than I'd applied for. I choose to listen to the latter voice because it is the voice that I trust and believe in.
However, I acknowledge distractions will always be there, sometimes confidence will wane, but I am determined and working towards success.
I want to build a powerful team to ensure a powerful brand. I want to excel in all areas of my life, after all, I am my own leader before I lead others.

Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself. 

~ ~Henry Ward Beecher

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A Kenyan is a Kenyan is a Kenyan ! TerryNovember 5, 2011 0 comments

In Africa as in other parts of the world, communities living near a country’s borders tend to stretch between two countries. They are however not dual citizens because their loyalty lies on only one side of the border. It is as a result of such circumstances that there Kenya Somalis and Somalia Somalis and both are authentic to their respective nations.

A good example of these across- border communities presents itself clearly in the case of the former Vice President, Moody Awori whose blood brother is an opposition MP in Uganda. Does this make us speculate of their ‘origin’? Nooooo!

Why then are we victimising Kenyan Somalis just because they share an ethnicity with others across the border?

Today as I was watching the news, I realised that in fact we should be concerned and advocate for security of our Somali brothers and sisters. Instead we refer to them in derogatory terms and stereotypically accuse them of being Al-Shabaab.

Did it ever occur to you that the Somalis are on the receiving end of terror groups more that we are? The chairperson of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, Mr. Kibunjia, put it in a very smart way that challenged me. He gave the example of Mungiki who are mainly young Kikuyus, yet they perpetrate violence and ills against their own. This made me realise that if there is any single community that would want Al-Shabaab wiped out, it is the Somalis, on the Kenyan side and Somalia side because they suffer the most.

Look at what SLDF did to its own community in Mount Elgon!

We have no right, absolutely no right nor authority or obligation to victimise Somalis for what a few bad elements have done or are doing. Unless of course, we are also ready to be judged by the same measure. And then almost every Kenyan will be an outlaw.

 Are you prepared to be referred to as Mungiki, SLDF, Chinkororo, jeshi la mzee and whatever else a minute fraction of your community calls themselves? I believe nobody is.

It is the different ethnicity, different cultures that blend into the beautiful rainbow that is Kenya. Let’s keep it that way!

Oh, and there’s nothing as ‘Kenyan of Somali origin’, there are just Kenyan Somalis !

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Embrace your inner girl TerryNovember 1, 2011 0 comments

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Spam TerryOctober 11, 2011 0 comments

The spam folder in my e-mail always has unread mail. Most of it - trash. The only reason I check it daily is because some of my genuine e-mail goes to this folder.

The other is usually offensive content. I never read it but I can tell by the subject its @#$% 

 http://spam.abuse.net/overview/whatisspam.shtml terms it as flooding the Internet with many copies of the same message, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it. Most spam is commercial advertising, often for dubious products, get-rich-quick schemes, or quasi-legal services. 

 In this age of the internet, I know and understand spam will always be there. My only appeal is, "could the inventors make it gender sensitive?" What infuriates me is the number of 'Viagra discounts' and 'enlarge with trial' messages I receive in a day. Today I got 24, aaiiihh! seriously, I don't think am within the gender demography targeted. I know it's too much to expect but ...

There's lots of spam in this world away from the internet. What can you do about it? Be true to yourself. Know who you are and do not give in to the 'flooding messages', the whims of this world.

And in the words of Cormac Burke, Identify things by how they suit you - your satisfaction, your advantage - not by the value of others.

Empty the spam then and only then will you experience the concealed, critical and countless purpose of your life.

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Fare thee well, Prof. Wangari Maathai TerryOctober 9, 2011 0 comments

I remember that  'breaking news' at around 6:15 a.m. on 26th September 2011. Maina Kageni came on air to announce the death of the Nobel laureate at the Nairobi Hospital while receiving treatment. I think my mind shut down for a moment and all I could say was "shit!". I don't usually curse but that morning, the word just came out of my mouth unintentionally.

Prof. Maathai receives the Nobel prize in 2004

I remembered reading in The Star about a week prior to her death that Wangari Maathai was in hospital.
No details were provided because she did not want her health a matter of public discussions. I thought to myself she was just suffering from a minor ailment and would soon be back to her usual active and smiling self. How wrong I was!

She never left the hospital alive, not even to plant one more tree or to smile one more time.

Kenya and the world bade her farewell yesterday at a function devoid of pomp and ceremony, just as she wanted.

A mammoth crowd: the youth turned up in large numbers to bid farewell to a role model and icon.

picture source http://www.nation.co.ke/image/view/-/1252176/highRes/301082/-/maxw/600/-/12v0jhj/-/PIX1.jpg

We have lost a gallant sister but like Raila Odinga said, she will forever be with us through her work which will carry on for many generations to come.

The amazing this about the great lady is that she stayed true to her cause even in death.

Good bye Wangari Maathai, you continue to dwell amongst us.

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Getting started TerryOctober 4, 2011 0 comments

The excitement of being editor-in-chief has settled, not out, just settled.
My team and I met today formally for the first time though we are all well acquainted. Funny how we all applied at the same time.
We had an early morning meeting with the dean and head of activities to orientate us on our roles for the next one year.
 I must say I was impressed by all committee members for their commitment illustrated by how each kept time. I mean, ten minutes before the interview, we were all present. I pray we keep the standard.
The tasks will be pretty demanding coupled with the fact that we have to hit the ground running since we're a bit late getting into office. But we're tough cookies. We will make the best yearbook ever!
The targets are high, our dreams so huge, the expectations soaring and we gonna make it real! Watch this space, ok, not exactly this one but yeah, I'll be sure to let showcase the yearbook here when the time comes.

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Women and perceptions. TerryOctober 2, 2011 0 comments

I have just finished writing an essay on “Women are their own enemies”. I wish I didn’t have to as I do not subscribe to that school of thought but it course work.

On finishing with the essay I reflected on if it is truly so or it’s a fabrication of society’s imaginations and wishful thinking.  

Yesterday I was at a young women’s get-together-ish and I can certainly say women are NOT their enemies. Just that the dynamics of life sometimes make it seem so.  Any who, below is an excerpt of our discussions:

o   A home is a place where love is given and received in an exemplary manner. That is, one can learn and apply it to others. The traditional understanding of home is under threat from several factors such as:

• Civilization of money and technology.

•   Feminism.

• Progress. ( maendeleo). 

• Amongst other factors.

o   All the above notwithstanding, current trends shouldn’t define the home rather, realistic needs of the family; the love for family and the means available.

o   Creating habits and customs is part of creating a home.

o   The Woman makes the home and teaches her family virtues.

o   A home depends on the Mom because a househelp no matter how well trained doesn’t have the same weight of love, order and cleanliness for your family as you do. Delegate well, and when possible, do it yourself.

These are just but a few of what we were discussing at a (new)friends house. By we, I mean myself and close to 20 other young mothers and professional single women with aspirations of making good wives and mothers. It was the last of a series of talks and my first one to attend.

photo from http://www.gwdpearls07.com/about_us.html

 I was invited by one of my Lecturers (advantages of being a good student) and I must say it surpassed my expectations. It was also a wonderful time of networking in a comfortable homely environment.

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A pleasant surprise TerrySeptember 29, 2011 0 comments

 Today has been an exceptional day. Getting greater things than I had expected is certainly a bucket load of sunshine.
I had applied for a position in campus as part of a year-long committee that presents the opportunity of a lifetime. The interview was rigorous and I gave it my best. I knew I did well so I expected to get the position. What I had not anticipated was to be recommended for a higher post, heck! the highest post!
When the news was broken to me, I couldn't believe. I kept thinking it was a dream and soon I'd be back on earth, that was until I saw my name on all campus noticeboards in bold. What a feeling! I felt like I could fly.
I entered class and my colleagues referred me by my new title; being called editor-in-chief in a journalism class is an honour and trully humbling.
I am grateful for the panel seeing the potential in me.  Brace yourselves for the best yearbook ever! and that's a promise.

Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.

Hebrew 11:1

Being great doesn’t necessarily mean being impressive, or being obsessive, or being anything other than how you sincerely wish to be. Being great means being great at being you.

http://www.greatday.com/#ixzz1ZMQt4VA4

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Magic formulas and Marriage TerrySeptember 24, 2011 0 comments

To the best of my knowledge, last weekend is the second time that Pastor Chris Ojgibani has been to Kenya. He is the founder of Covenant Singles and Married Ministries, a non-denominational marriage ministry. 

Being a staunch christian, I try not to comment of people who are in the purpose of the great commission but as a human being, I often fail.

I do not want to comment on the man of God, after-all I am not the one who called him, rather on his message. Read it here http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000043352&cid=300& .

Pastor Chris at Nyayo Stadium

His message is not as controversial as I expected it to be. I do not however agree with some of his interpretations of the Bible and some doctrine matters here and there. You do not have to be a theologian to know the story of Adam and Eve, do you?

Moving along ... Here's my own dose of Quick tips on getting a spouse - Terry's magic formula.

One. To the people who were at the stadium: If you are serious in your quest for a mate, please please look the part. That is,  no stained teeth, no two month-old hairstyles, etc etc. I'm not being mean here, just honest. I saw you on TV-ooh. 

To the rest of y'all single people,

• Be open minded. If someone , including friends, asks you out on a date or to an event e.g. wedding, party, accept it. You never know what you might find out about that person that you didn't already know or meet someone through them. This especially goes out to my dear friend (unajijua). BTW, you can throw a party and tell friends to come with friends. However, be careful of wierdos.
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• Go to where other single people are. You don't need me to give you suggestions, do you? 
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• Go to watch a game in a bar or other decent establishment where there are potential future mates. Without naming names, y'all know the popular female sports authority on radio? She's now married thanks to the power of sports.
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• Volunteer your time and skills. No wonder this is mandatory at my university, kumbe they know a thing or two on hooking up people, lol! Anyway, people who are prepared to give a little of themselves often very caring people, capable of passion and commitment. If you meet someone there, you've found a gem. If not, continue to good. karma will be good to you.
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• 2012 is around the corner. Join a political party and be active in the campaign.This is a good way to find a  responsible citizen, hopefully a date with whom you have something in common. If it does not work, you will have at least widened your circle of friends possibly in high places. 
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• Join evening or graduate classes. Yeees! You know college / uni is mixed unless ofcourse the name suggests otherwise. So, apart from learning something new, this is a potential hunting ground. You can also join a gym as a complementary strategy, mmhhmm, beauty and brains ! 
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• Above all, you can show someone you are interested in them and if the feeling is mutual, someway, somehow, the universe will be aligned for the two of you to be together.
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• If someone else is interested in your catch, up your mental game and strategy. Fight off the competition(s), not physically, not verbally, just be smart. DO NOT be psycho!
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