Disappointment Wednesday TerryJuly 14, 2011 0 comments

Wednesday 13^th July 2011, a disappointing day indeed. My group and I were doing our advert critique today. We had three ads, one we thought was bad, the other – average and the 3^rd was really good. My friend Irene and I were critiquing the ‘bad’ advert and it was first on the presentation. Maybe we should have let the good one start because, mmmhhhmmm !! The Lecturer completely roasted our critique, and he totally murdered our opinions. He interjected quarter way saying how powerful the ad was and went ahead to invite the rest of the class to give their opinions. There we were, Irene and I, standing awkwardly in front of the lecture room with our thoughts now scattered all over with even no chance to defend our position.

eish, I thought in university everybody is entitled to their own opinion (having independent thoughts is in fact encouraged!)as long as they can convincingly defend their position. The presentation was such a disaster so much so that when the mantle was on us to continue, all we could manage to do was press the keyboard arrow to the next slide and let the class read for themselves as we sat down with our heads on our chests. I have never felt so academically low and challenged, not even in Math class where the lectured used to say I ‘cook’ my own methodology to arrive at the correct answer. He always listened to my arguments, I could have been inventing a new formula, you know?

Towards the end of the same class (Advertising), I received a text message that I had to pick my elder daughter from school because she was feeling unwell, in the middle of exams. I had visited her on Friday and Sunday, she was in perfect health, now this? Mr. and I went to pick her up. She had a fever, chest and joint pains - totally bad signs for a girl who suffers from Rheumatic Heart Disease. We took her to the Doctor who gave her some medication and said she’d be okay to resume her exams tomorrow (Thursday).

As I was unpacking my gym bag in the evening, I noticed I forgot to pack my sports shoes, the expensive motivational ones that hubby got me. =((

Oh no, not another frustration! I’ve had enough for the next two months.  I called my friend who resides in campus to check if they are still in the gym bathroom where I left them, and of course as I had expected, there were nowhere to be found. Somebody had decided to help themselves to a pair of nice looking shoes or as we say in Kenya, somebody decided to kuniwekea poa.

By the time I went to sleep, my head was aching and I had to take a painkiller. Sometimes life is on a down, but then again, tomorrow is a new day full of hopes and opportunities. I will make my bliss then.

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Sneezy Wednesday TerryJuly 6, 2011 2 comments

Today I didn't feel like waking up, I really toyed with the idea of calling in sick and staying home all day but against all the resistance of my sinuses I got up, got ready and off for the day. I'm feeling quite under the weather thanks to the flu bug that caught me unawares.

I dragged my self to the campus sanatorium this morning only to find they are running low on medical supplies so I couldn't get the medication that the clinician recommended and had to do with alternatives that the pharmacist advised. The way I was feeling at that time, I could have taken a placebo had they given it to me, anything to get this flu under control. That done, it was time to get on with my full schedule of the day.

I'm glad I attended classes because I momentarily forgot the flu and enjoyed loads of knowledge and laughter. My advertising lecturer is hilariously funny in his own VERY unique way, the poetry lecturer made us stand up and dance to music that we like, the print class was exciting as usual with lots of insights and opinions.

My day wasn't exactly moments and bliss, que es la vida (that's life), but am glad I got out of bed this morning.

The flu will soon be gone and the bubble and spark will be back, in multiple measures !



* photos from google

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Affrimative action !! TerryMay 10, 2011 0 comments

The week, yah I know it's been only two days, is going well and No! the title doesn't mean I started some feminist movement rather it's my state of mind to people, to opinions and to situations. In my about me on this blog, I write that "I love life, I strive to see the positive in all situations". I strive to abide by this mantra though sometimes it can be quiet a challenge.
Why the long story? At my campus, one has the liberty to select courses based on their needs, time and Lecturer. This is a wonderful system as it enables one attend to their other responsibilities at a pace and schedule comfortable to them. Unfortunately, some students form a habit of avoiding Lecturer's who they perceive as strict or demanding. It may be a good thing to some but I think it's unfair to judge someone on people's perceptions or just one incident.
Yesterday, a number of my 'to-be' colleagues dropped the journalism class I had today simply because they heard from the previous class the guy taught, 3/4 of them flanked and had to repeat the course. Is this a good enough/valid reason? From my affirmative mind action, HELL NO! Often you get the grade you deserve, you can't plant mediocrity, copy-paste, last minute rushes and expect to come out 'flying with colours' Never ever!
I know, I know, sometimes you work so hard but shit happens in the exam room but if you are a good student, it's easy to request the instructor for a 'make-up' assignment or remedial lesson.
Then again, there are Lecturers who are plain sadists, I know one. He has senselessly under-graded me twice despite being my exemplary student (if I must say so myself). Gave me no opportunity to remedy my errors or atleast extra work to compensate. Yeah, this version is not objective, coz that's a relative concept, neither does it have a right of reply, coz it's my blog not his, ha ha!
Let me justify this, it makes no sense to PRETEND all that has been learned in a semester, which is loads, can be COMPETENTLY evaluated in one and a half hours, in three to six questions ???? eish! Maybe all exams should include random oral exams to gauge how well the subject has been understood.
All that regardless, it's still wrong to see someone through other peoples' often judgmental eyes. I actually thought today's Lecturer to be a nice man and above all, backed by his academic and professional background to be qualified beyond reproach.
And to all those who dropped the class, who knows? You could have been among the 1/4 who passed the class.


Allow your most positive, affirming feelings to fill your awareness.
— Ralph Marston

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traffic situations TerryFebruary 21, 2011 2 comments

It's week 7, exam week at la universidad. I spent my entire weekend reading for today's 1:20-3:00 pm paper. gracias Adios I did coz the paper was a total WALK-OVER, yeah! and I still had to attend the other classes.

Kind request to lecturer's: please give us a break during mid-sem week !!!

to the titled issue; usually it takes me 25 minutes from home to campus in the morning and 45 minutes in the evening to get back home but today ..... Whoa x 8 !!!! a whole 2hours !! Mind you I didn't come across any incident to warrant the traffic jam.
I think the problem with Kenyan drivers is that they get into a "hurry" once they see 5 cars infront, then everybody starts wrapping  (Ooops! mother tongue influence) overlapping. I thought matatus were the worst offenders but it's seems private motorists have taken over.

You know what's even worse?? seeing jalopies and shindes jostling for space allover pedestrian paths and muddy patches. I excuse the jalopies but the shindes ......mschew!..... NO. You gotta treat your car with RESPECT, if you want it to serve you well and for long otherwise it will join that group I just forgave sooner that you can pandisha it on the side walk.

plus it's very an embarrassing, uncouth and classless behaviour, Trust me, I know ......  Last week I got pulled over and was almost arrested/charged for this bad behaviour. I felt so ashamed and unworthy of the Pajero I was driving. I told a lie that I will not repeat on this public forum to get  myself off the messy situations and promised myself not to do that again, after all, even the other motorists have places to get to.

Back to today's humongous traffic, I made the best out of all that jam ............ filing, buffing and cleaning my nails, oh, and removing the cuticles too in between driving at snail's pace. I even had enough time left to pop my pimples but that's another bad habit I dropped !!!
On the downside, I never jaza tank my car unless eeeeeeehhhh ... NEVER ! Usually i fuel enough for 2 - 3 days. I had enough fuel for today and tomorrow, to and from Campus but what is left won't even get me to Thika Road *sob* *sob* I'll just have to 'steal'  hubby's new ride  kwanza av been yearning to use it.

Thanks Henry, you motivate me even when I think my writing is lacking or this blog is let me not say that word. I do appreciate your moral support

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