sleep

now i know why they say sleep like a baby
my mind is racing haven't had good sleep for 48 hours
this is supposed to be a blog
may be i should do more to make it constructive any ides ?????
anyone

pipa i love you

all falls down

judith
there is not much i can say . but i hope you got though the server crash .
my server is up and running
am good i hope emily's plans are ok i care about you
who ever still cares about this musoga am still here for my wifey and my mami and for everything it worth my daddy that dark horse which i so admire . daddy i will get you one day . i promise on my grave

i love you judith like the cast loves your skin xxxx

Practice, Practice.

Last week, during one of the long nights I had to spend in the office, I had to turn to telly at some point to psych me up. What did I watch- a soap! One of the several Spanish Telenovelas on TV. Had quite long name, I can’t remember it.
Anyhow, what always strikes me, is how these guys use endearments!!! They really ‘shower’ themselves. I imagine being called anything apart from my name or the common ones!!! It got me back to one of the several past telephone conversations I’ve had with This Musoga. I remember trying that stuff on him, punctuating each sentence with ‘My Love’!!! At the end of my word parade, a long silence ensured on the other end.
Then finally, ‘Akora, are you OK? Is anything wrong?’
I think Reverse Psychology was getting to This Musoga!! Himself only says those things, in excess, nga he wants you to pull some extra ordinary feats!! But when I tried, I must have sounded like I was going bananas!!
I think I’ll limit ‘My Love’ to the screen, since it’s there on those long days.

Do you remember this last year?
Rachael, This Musoga finaly learnt to delegate. Alexis taught well!!
Imagine my shock at getting flowers on 14th. I must’ve been walking on cloud nine that day that I was even spared running the End of Day!!!

V- Day battles

I must profusely apologise for the updates drought that’s been going on here. In Ugandan- speak, it’s due to unavoidable circumstances.
V- day blues!!!
Last year, at this time, I was in mourning, This Musoga had decided to relegate the day. It would have otherwise gone unnoticed for me, except Himself decided to call a day earlier and very well inform me not to expect anything. In the end, it was more of a reminder of what wasn’t, which was quite……………. (I lack a word there!)
This year, I decided, I wasn’t going to be the one caught on the wrong foot!! I was going to beat the odds, even if Himself decided to call a day before, I was going to beat him to it!!!! The guns came out from the mid- Jan. I tell you, I was winning!!!!
Last Saturday, Max called me and was singing the calypso song “O my commanding wife…..”. Well, I was going to destroy This Musoga’s life!! There even existed a song for this battle! Winning was on my side.
But then it got stolen from under my feet. This Musoga had a bug and my big mouth landed me in problems!! I was put on katebe, eeh, I was now benching!!!
There was nothing a quick fix wouldn’t do! Be Prepared!!! As soon as the coast was clear from all issues, plan was back in action!!!
I think my efforts have been rewarded, as of last night, I was kindly informed that a stranger will give me a call!!
That stranger had better call; else, I’ll sue for leading me on!

Papa, Happy Valentine’s Day, You beat me to it, again.

And Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone else!

Naija Tales

Many people have been warning me that I may soon pick up Nigerian habits because of my daily interactions with them.
So far, I've stuck to my Ugandan ways and I think, their pronunciations of some words are tongue- twisting. But there's no escaping the heavy Os and they are really working up a sweat trying to pronounce Ugandan names. For instance, there's a Nalweyiso, Kyeyune, Agonzibwa. I think we've to tell them that sometimes it's easiest to call people by their first names. One of the directors has insisted my name's Nigerian. I've given up convincing him otherwise.
Basically, it's full scale comedy up in here!!

On Saturday, Puli and I went to a shop on Buganda Road that sells kitenges and such. Suprise suprise, the shop is owned and managed by Nigerians. After our initial giggles we got down to business with the attendant. And he goes,
"How may I be of service to you, mama?"
"Anything in particular you are looking for, mama"

We were just really amused by the 'mama', at this point.
So while we were making up our minds, he brings a book over. A customer's book so they can keep you in their contacts and get in touch with you when they've new stuff.
Anyhow, we list a number.
Then the killer came,
"So mama, let me be your papa"
I died. The effort of hiding our amusement was too much to handle. We simply burst out laughing in his face.
He didn't give up.
He continued, "Tell papa anything you want, mama"
My reply,
"I'll tell Papa what I want"
It was an effort walking out of the shop, they must've thought we were high on something!

Toys vs. Shoes Pt II

I call this another level of endurance and fighting.
The number plate, that's plain sneaky!

Toys vs. shoes

Himself and I have a words' contest when it comes to toys and shoes. He loves toys and can put up a good argument why he needs a particular phone, monitor or some other device and it doesn't help that he works in such a store. He's surrounded by these gadgets so it's a bit like living a dream.
I also put up a good fight when it comes to what I want. Shoes.
I've put up a similar fight in my house for as long as I could eat bread. I love marmalade and come what may, it has to be on the shopping list. Never mind that I'm the only one who likes marmalade in the house, but it HAS to be there.
Oddly enough, The Times reports that in a bid to improve marmalade sales, it'll be packaged as Orange jam. I hope it'll still taste the same.

This musoga has his eye on this baby. And we had the toys and shoes contest about it. So in the spirit of meeting halfway, Verily, I say unto you, get yourself the monitor!

Last week's post ended with me in the process of writing the text. In the end, Himself gave in first with something in the post!

My Archenemy.

I hate Entebbe Road.
It gives and takes away four days later on. But you have to keep your enemies particularly closest. Hence I'll continue to travel that road till..............

Breaking resolutions
So soon.
Whenever This Musoga goes back, there's always the resolution to keep the texts flowing, chats up, phone calls- everything.
Sooner than later, maybe, we get tired and the dumping drill kicks in. So it trickles down to a few texts, a few chats, then one text, no chats and finally silence. And when you are caught, excuses are quick.
So if you are found online, I'd probably say Boss calls or if Himself's master piece is "I'm going to watch a movie"! Or "I'm so broke, no airtime." That gives you leverage for a few hours.
Then one of us after a while, gives it up- I can't fight, so it's usually me that breaks the defense! But.............., this one comes with a one liner, enough to drive the point home!
It's been two days and I'm composing my line!

2008
May it be filled with good fortune, health, joy and peace.

Escaping by the skin of my teeth.

With all the excitement that has been in Kampala the past two months- first CHOGM now it's a few days to Christmas, you'd think that everyone would be in euphoria- ville. Some people are so immune to this stuff, that at whatever opportunity, you've got to earn the dime.
When I came in today morning, I was reliably informed that I was to be traveling on the 29th. That has taken the award for the shock of the month! I really had to wriggle myself out of this one and I successfully did! But I had alot of explaining to do!
A while ago, in a phone conversation with Himself, he asked me what I was doing on the 29th. Silly me, I fell into that pit- that bottomless pit! I thought about it, then said, "Nothing"
Then I remembered! 29th is Himself's birthday! The shoe was on the other foot, it was me who forgot this time! Now I know how horrible feels like! I think, I'll try not to harrass This Musoga, if the opportunity of forgetting my birthday arises.
If I'd travelled, and forgotten before, I surely was going to take the prize!

Otherwise,

Going traditional- NOW!

I have come to the realization, or maybe been boxed into a corner that, NOW, more than I ever thought necessary; I’ve to brush up on my local languages. If not, even start to learn them.

My three weeks in Nairobi have been relatively trouble free- except for a few language issues here and there. The house help speaks very little English and manages
to survive and I also survive because either my grandmother or my cousin Alice are in the house. So I can always ask for translations.
This time however, Alice is away at school and Jajja is elsewhere conducting business. So I’m in the house with the help alone. First course of action was to smile a lot the morning I got there, then in the afternoon I had to get to the bookshop in Sarit Centre and buy a Kiswahili phrasebook.

To diverge a bit- this bookshop makes you feel like buying all the books in it. It is so well arranged, the service is superb and Joe, my cousin swears he wants to marry the pretty Indian lady who helps you find what you are looking for! Aristoc should really send some of its staff on a spy mission to this bookstore because Aristoc sucks compared to these guys. Also, that brilliantly funny comedy show, Ze Comedy Show on EATV and another Kiswahili series Je Huu Ni Ungwana, which Joe kindly looked up for me, is helping. Apart from the rib crackers, I get to hear Kiswahili spoken the way it should- not of the Ugandan kind. I should also mention that the phrasebook is just what the doctor ordered- I’m really catching up!

For the first time in slightly over a decade, we have a live- in help at home. It was more convenient to have someone who came in twice a week to clean and wash but now with the house empty for the whole day, we need someone to stay home and help us a little.
He is from Mubende and does not speak an ounce of English. Mode of communication- Luganda. It is so amusing watching my father and I fumble to express ourselves to him and mum just loves the show! I think it’s her perfect revenge- finally! This morning for instance, I was shocked to hear the sound of running water at 3am from the kitchen. When I got to the kitchen, the only words that came to my mind were, “Ivan, essawa!” When mum investigated later on, he’d thought it was 6am and had gotten up to make breakfast!
So this weekend, I’m buying a Luganda phrasebook too!

I am Lango, from Lango and I speak Lango. This is how I manage to keep up with the identity of who I am, from where and what language I speak. The Lango is coming quite well; the words are shorter, chap- chap and a lot easier to remember. And a few of them are plagiarized from English- Buk for Book, Bach for Bus!

Moment of Panic!

On Wednesday, I was reading an article on the Bugweri parliamentary race and how it is fast degenerating into a murky family affair. Family, meaning it is finally boiling down to which clan you are from and who’s grandchild are you. One contestant, a grandfather wants his grandchild to step down for him! Eer, shouldn’t it be the other way round?
So anyways, at the end of the article which listed a few of Busoga’s clans, I realized I didn’t know This Musoga’s clan! I’m quite vocal about mine and he sometimes calls me Gwe Oyima. The SMS saved the day, he told me he was from the Leopard clan, but didn’t know the Lusoga name. Said he was going to ask Daddy about it.

Come to think of it, I don’t know what Oyima is in English, let me go find out from Dad!

What's up!

Even if I have fat thighs
Flabby arms,
A pot belly,
I still give good loving.

This is taken from a song- aptly named Pot Belly done by a South African band- called Freshly Ground. Pam forced this band onto me. Put it on my player and plays the CD all the time. Thus, I’m boxed in a corner. I must admit, I looked at the CD jacket and didn’t think them serious. Surprise, surprise. They are actually good at what they do! And now I can’t get their song out of my system! And I saw them on MTV. OK, from now on, I’ll listen to them

I’m on a forced holiday till after CHOGM. Because the building is under renovation and as such everyone was sent home to allow the contractors finish that work. Then again I was absent the day they were issuing the CHOGM IDs. So from 1st November till 26th November I’ll not be allowed into the building. So, I’m on a holiday then a forced extension for close to seven weeks.

I’m soon running out of ideas on how to spend my holiday. So far it has consisted of telly, a few books and “just being around”. In a few days, I was bored witless and soon pulling out my hair. My mum suggested I try to do things that I’ve failed to do.
First, I made the resolution to try to follow my gym schedule to the dot. After Himself left, I‘d gone from doing twenty laps in the pool to about seven if I pushed myself hard. I once swam one lap and got out and went home. I was so ashamed of myself that day. I decided to get a swim mate. First was Vanessa- she wasn’t helping much because in two weeks, we only swam three times and less than ten laps. I went looking again and ended up with someone I’d not bargained for. Because this guy pushes and pushes and pushes. He probably swims twice as much as me and I can’t catch up. I mentally cry when I get in but at the end of it, I’ve achieved what I wanted in the first place. At least I’m back to my twenty laps and I don’t care if he’s doing probably fifty to my miserable twenty!

Then I tried baking a sponge cake. All my attempts at baking a sponge cake have flopped- in one word. I tried again and after two tries I finally got something that my mum ate and liked! With that new found joy, I expanded my efforts to Black Forest, with a little help from a cousin, and, Voila!

Also, for the love of me, I can’t make eggs. Let me just say that it comes out another way. If you ask for sunny side up, it may come out like scrambled without the milk maybe. If I try the fried egg, I get something that’s been slightly over done. The only sensible eggs I can make are poached and plain boiled- quite easy actually. The hard part here is turning the egg over to get the other side cooked. That’s when things go wrong. In the things I’ve failed to do, that I’m trying to do, making eggs has miserably failed. I give up!
My cousin Richard has summed up the failures in one word, “Fala”!

It’s officially about three weeks to graduation. In my telly holiday, I was kindly reminded that I had to get a dress and n’ebigenderako for grad! I’d been regaled with stories by Angel and Shu about walking nearly the whole length of the Kampala shops and not finding what they want or even something close to what they want. And with this unpredictable weather, you just don’t know when the heavens will open up on you! I wanted to avoid all that and I decided I’d find something from what I have.
That’s out, according to my mum. I’ve to go and find something suitable. Everyday from the start of this week, I’ve made plans to start looking. One look at the midday sun changes my mind about it and now the hunt is being pushed further and further away.

Well, I have to confront it soon because today afternoon Rita and Angel are coming home to pick me up and WE go looking for dresses. I hope I find something chap- chap, because…………………. I don’t know!!!

Off I go!
Ta- rar!

The curse of Facebook.

This phenomenon called Social Networking took a long, really long, time to creep up on me!
First, I have an utter dislike for sites where I have to fill in endless details about myself and whatever.
Second, I hardly have the attention span to keep up with that turf, upload pictures, update the mood swings?. All that stuff, to me seems like it would take a lot of time, and I simply was lazy maybe to jump on the wagon.
Thirdly, I figured, if you needed to get in touch with me, you'd know my email address or phone number. The beauty about the email is that, if you tired of someone, you could spam them and forget they ever wrote you something!! Or maybe smile coyly the next time you meet and say,"Oh, I stopped using that address! I still have your email, I'll send you my new one." And then you never get round to sending it.

I could say this, albeit with abit of villag-er in me, that my profiles on Hi5 and Facebook have been the concerted efforts of people like Bryan and Shulin, who were probably getting ashamed. So I gave them my ID and password and they'd do whatever. However, the few emails I sent, are always written by me.

So, I can say, that the phenomenon of Facebook is on me! Earlier this week, when I had to spend nearly the whole night in the office, doing boring and frustrating work, I found solace in Facebook- the great comforter!
I pimped my profile, added applications, looked at friends, answered requests and even posted a mood!! Heck, I had a mood swing that I posted online!
Since that evening, I catch myself signing into my account like three times a day and doing what these facebook- ers do on the site!

Shu, Nat, Bryan- I've joined Facebook! I've styled up!

Enjoy graduation weekend!

War of words.

For the observant, you'll notice that this blog has undergone three blog title changes in a period of a few months.
Reason, I would say, This Musoga and I have been having a cold war with all the characteristics. Across continents, each keeping up their front and minimum talk on the subject. The war is about, the blog title!
It was first This Musoga while it was his alone. Then when I joined the fray it got changed to Seven Seas. As of last week, it was re- baptised my darling judith.
So, I quickly suggested we find a new name as I was uncomfortable with the focus on one of the names because it revealed too much identity. It was something that people got confused about the identities of Elit and Mama and Papa and This Musoga!!
Well, now maybe we have to bring our woes to Blogger.
So, in the spirit of defeat that I concede,
I invite suggestions on what we should name our blog!

Elsewhere,
Two months ago when Himself went back, it was he that had the problem of floods and I guess questions whether his house was under water!
Now, the rains shifted focus and they are on this side of the world. And now I have to deal with the questions of whether my village is among the flooded areas.
In Himself's words, "Despite popular belief, my home is not flooded"- If only for a while, maybe?!

Have a great one.

Encounters with pettiness.

It always amazes me when people need help and immediately they are looking beyond the obvious. Here, the in thing when you go to sort out a problem, the first question that is usually asked is, "So, which constituency are you from?" I imagine with every office equiped with the 8th Parliament charts, they look at who represents you and maybe party!
This is often followed by subtle glances at you. It's like in their heads they are saying, "Do you fit the bill?" Others outright refuse to get any assistance from you and prefer to get help from the men in the department.
To counter all these issues, I practice what I know best- The Art of Quiet and in response to the question of my constituency, I ask them, "Or you mean which part of the world I come from".
In the end, I befuddle them both ways!

man on the beach

a picture is worth a thousand words so this is what i am saying ( look right)
with most os my sister running shops reasearch centers and various internet companies ( happy muko ) i know notice there is free space in the kitchen ( because of the hunger in my tummy )
so the dangerous sub is out and no more fast food at least untill i have milked all my housemates knowledge of cooking

mean while the reading is going good have my time table and every thing seems to be in the same week so thes tonsils bettter vanish before i flush them with chilli .


mean while a sister notifys me with a text that i there visitors coming on the weekend ( cheeky why didnt they come when i was home ) but i am sending my own special envoy to negotiate the red chicken like in the picture i dont want any painted stuff ,

need to read the baby blogs i may have missed milestones so have a good morning nelly and i say hi to the commander in chief.

The crime of laziness.

Truly, that is a huge crime seeing that we haven't posted in more than a week, close to two weeks infact.
So what have we been up to lately?
Finding our feet again, after a moment- like time together, but all the same trying to keep from falling on the wayside!

I am still debating on a holiday that was planned a while back and procrastination just keeps pushing it further and further away. So today, I made the decision to actually go for it in a couple of weeks.
Somehow, the rush to raft again has died down after the last week's news of a child dying in the river. I know that's a common enough occurence, but then again, I'm no longer keen. So instead, my partners in adventure and I will be heading to Sipi in Mbale/ Kapchorwa for a few days of climbing and fun on Mount Elgon.
A friend was asking why all of a sudden I'm doing out of the ordianry things. My reply, "I want to enjoy some things, if only for a time."
So at this rate, the procrastinated day at the beach with This Musoga, may happen quite soon.
Just watch this space!

Have a nice one.

A few random thoughts.

When someone leaves to go back to their end of the world, might you cite abandonement?
So, Himself went back to his neck of the woods after a whirlwind stay. But hey, who am I to complain. I'll let him write about that.
The days were filled with babysitting the nieces and seeing the girlfriend in between. He once said, "Funny we're in the same place but I've to talk to you on phone"!
I also had to remind This Musoga to treat his hand luggage with utmost care as it had cake for delivery.
Sadly, he forgot to ask Mary to dance Calypso for him. I guess he'll have to rely on You Tube for videos.

The girlfriend on the other hand went down with the flu almost immediately, which hasn't gone away even a week later.

Have a good one!

8 random things

As usual the cute one has said pretty much all i would say ,

8 i have walked in the same pair of shoes for over a year . poverty is not living under a dollar a day but not being able think how to make hay while the sun shines

7 i know how to cook matooke without banana leaves (take that to the bank )

6 dispite popular belief my home in reading is not i repeat NOT flooded

5 i told my girlfriend my dream and she laughed in my face

4 the world is a stage and i still want to share it with her

3 i feel the pressure i need to get a car

2 i want to start a shop (nelson a real shop )

1 am scared of going bald .