Stand for Kenya

On February 28th, at 1 pm, East Africa time: Kenyans will come together and unite in the prayer that is the Kenyan National Anthem, to celebrate their unity as a people, and to remind themselves that together, they can achieve much more.On this occasion, Kenyans come together, not to protest against anything but to stand for unity

  As an African, and more importantly a Kenyan; I couldn't be more proud of What Kenya is doing on february 28th. Just incase you have no clue of what I'm talking about, Please take this moment and click on this link to learn more about this epic historical moment : http://28feb.co.ke/

For the record, This is not about politics or Kibaki and Raila's overly annoying ways of rubbing Kenyans the wrong way. So if you are one of those " I dont care about politics" Nazis then stay calm. Its all about unity and standing up as one nation, in one accordance. For the first time in my 2...(hold up, I was just about to give away my age )...anyways, for the first time in my  many years of life, I am so proud of  my country. Ever since I could I remember, Kenyans as a people have been crippled and divided by tribalism. Hence, progress has been a foreign language to us. Lets for once join forces and look at each other as one people.

Its a fresh start for this beautiful country. This is not a cause requiring cynicism but optimism. Before you knock the concept of unity in Kenya out, Please keep in mind that We do have a Black President in the united states now. With that being said, Anything is possible and YES WE CAN!! I actually had a very interesting conversation with a few Kenyans and their crippled minds asked me "what's next after we sing this song? and what's actually the point of all this?"...First of all its not just any song...its the National anthem; the song of all songs that defines who we are as Kenyans. Secondly, what happens After 1 pm on feb 28th is really upto you. You can choose to change your thinking, stop the ignorance, kick nonchalance to the curb and embrace patriotism  and change or you can continue living life the same way. The latter is what I would choose, but hey to each its own.

Cut me open, and I'll bleed Black, red, white and green. Even though I currently don't reside in Kenya...you can count on me being part of this glorious day! YES LORD. And that concludes my patriotic moment of the day. GO KENYA!!!! *waves the Kenyan flag*

Peace, Love, Change.

NAMASTE.

The Journey of a 20 something

 If you’d asked me at fourteen where I saw myself a decade from then, I'm quite sure I wouldn't have described where I am now. It's with a mixture of disappointment and despair; I find myself, aged 24, not yet having achieved anything on the ambitious “to-do-list” my fourteen-year-old self formulated.

Apparently I’m an adult. On paper I’m an adult, the world looks at me like I’m an adult and on some days I feel like an adult. But my gosh, I am so not an adult.

I look around at my friends and although we’re different, we’re all going through the same phase of being “ adults but not quite adults”. Some of us are broke creatives, living on the financial edge, doing all we can to make our dream a reality. We like to think we’re on the verge of blowing up; our parents think we’re deluded and should hurry up and get a “real job”. Others are doing unpaid internships, which to the outside world seem like Sisyphean quests.  Some of us are traveling around the world, seeking that “Eat, Pray, Love” moment, all in the effort to stall the inevitability of a 9-5.

Then there are those who were sensible and sold their soul to a soulless corporation and are being paid a hefty sum in exchange. Though their bank accounts suggest adulthood, their lifestyles are markedly different from what their parents were doing at their age.

This isn’t a trend localised to my social circle, it’s global. There are millions of us scattered across the western world. The 20-Somethings ; adults on paper and united by their choice to “avoid” becoming adults in substance.

In an article in the New York Times called “What Is It about 20-somethings?”, Robin Marantz Henig explores why we are the generation that refuses to grow up. Even wondering whether “we need to start rethinking our definition of normal development and create systems of education, health care and social supports that take the new stage into account”

Ironically we were the ones in a rush to grow up. Then we grew up and realised the process isn’t as simple or romantic as we assumed. All we want is time to figure out what the hell what we want to do. Unfortunately the time frame for finding yourself expires as soon as you complete university.When the graduation jollity subsided, and we took off our cap and gowns, suddenly we were surrounded by expectations. Expectations that we never signed up for and are not quite sure we want to meet.

We’re grappling with the world’s expectations of us whilst trying to decipher what precisely we expect of ourselves. It’s a delicate balancing act and at times it feels like we’re cartwheeling on a tightrope that’s suspended over a noisy reservoir. Constantly engaging in such an elaborate acrobatic act is tiring. Many of us have garnered reputations for being unstable dreamers who are unable to execute. Everyone’s concluded that we don’t want to grow up. They don’t understand that we want to grow up, we’re just not sure how.

At least when we were teenagers awkwardness was expected and accepted. Now we’re 20-Somethings we’re supposed to have magically grown out of our awkwardness. Since none of us really have, we've learnt clever mechanisms to conceal it. We walk around with the air of confidence and defiance, when in truth most of us are plagued by bouts of diffidence.

They didn’t warn us that part of the journey in becoming an adult, involves combat with an overpowering force. And when it seems like everything you once dreamed of achieving may never happen, that force has a voice that drowns out everything else. It gets louder with every day and perpetually reminds us "You're not good enough". What’s the force called? Self-doubt. Self-doubt is the real reason behind the 20-Somethings apparent refusal to grow up. We’re just so good at cartwheeling no-one’s noticed.

At the end of this decade, hopefully we’ll be real adults. Warehouse parties, dodgy internships, living in perpetual overdraft and questionable sexual partners, will be a thing of the past. Hopefully we will have overcome self-doubt and decided the only expectations we need to fulfill are the ones we set for ourselves. We’ll have departed from that platform that reads “Not Quite Adults” and boarded on a train marked "Real Adults" or at the very least one that reads “Finally Getting To Grips With This Life Thing.”

Despite the fact we haven’t got the best rep, I like to think of us 20-Somethings as superheros. Complex flawed beings, each in possession of a magical gift. The only thing stopping us flying are the closed doors where our capes are trapped. Maybe a decade from now they’ll be no need to board any train. Perhaps we’ll kick down the doors, cast away our burdens and fly to our destinations.

Until then, To all the 20-somethings wearing capes on their shoulders that everyone sees as chips, stand firm. I heard somewhere that things eventually get easier.


Love & Light

Linda

Linda's rants and Realizations

Howdy Everyone, Lets dig in; shall we? Good.
Rants
1.A 20 year old British Woman died at a hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania while receiving butt injections. At 20 years old, I did lots of stupid things, luckily none of them killed me. When I first read this story I was like what in the world? who would do that? But then again, I came to realize that the modern world puts so much pressure on being "size zero" and they forget that black women have an inverse pressure of being "size thick". The media praises all these women whose proportions don't even exist. Ladies, Love yourself for who you are. I admit, when I was younger, I had self -esteem issues and wanted a body like no other. Its not until I begun having a relationship with myself that I realized am beautiful and fine just the way I am.

2. The catholic church has now released a "confession app". I'm not quite sure how it works because I am not interested. I don't mean to be rude, but really? where do these confessions go? to the Pope? no sir. I'm good. I have Jesus on my necklace and he is the only Man I can confess my sins to.

3. Egypt Finally did it...whatever that means! Mubarak's step down was as vile and disgraceful as a woman trying to hang herself by her used tampon string. The rest of Africa could Learn a thing or two.

Realizations

1. There's a lot of people out there whose job is to do nothing but criticize, analyze and dish out barbaric remarks. These are not even Professional critics or anything. Just a bunch of Idiots who can't help but dispense vile, idiotic advise. But do you know what's even worse? WE allow them to come into our lives and choke our confidence and self-esteem, pollute our minds with all these negative ideas that kill your dreams. Listen, stop caring about what everyone thinks about you. If your success or failure has no direct impact on someone then why do you even value them? ONLY listen to those people that care about you and want nothing but the best for you.

2. There's a very thick line between being a girl and being a woman. Womanhood is realizing that touching your boobs won't make them any larger and that kissing boys won't make you pregnant. I'm sure you're going huh? yes people,read between those lines.

3. Mentors hardly exist. Those people are as extinct as dinosaurs.

4. Real friends are hard to find and keep. Keyword here being "real".

5. I get analyzed, criticized and compared to other people a lot. The real Linda doesnt even shine in limelight anymore. Its all about "them". It sucks being the underdog. *big sigh*

Thats my semi "let it all out" post. If it made sense to you..GREAT! If it didn't then Oh well things aren't always black and white. The grey area exists.

Don't get it twisted

Today's blog is dedicated to one of the most beautiful and inspiring women I have ever come to know....MY COUSIN DIANA! Diana lives and works in Kenya. She went to College in the U.K and recently got a wonderful job offer in Nairobi. Anyways, Diana and I were talking on Skype two weeks ago and the topic of relationships came up. One thing Diana and I have in common is we are extremely picky when it comes to Men and its just ridiculous. She even joked and said she is convinced her Man is not created yet. That is our biggest flaw. Even though Diana is so beautiful, her past relationships are just a sob story. The men she has been with are the classic definition of douchebaggery, waste of air and skin, Hence the reason she raised her standards sooo high no man on earth can be with her.
Both of us came to this conclusion...There's Prerequisites and preferences when it comes to choosing a partner in life. Prerequisites are those qualities a man/woman MUST have and you are not willing to compromise. These are non-negotiable factors. For me personally, you have to be a man, PERIOD. The word "man' might sound funny or simple to you but trust me there are more boys than men out there. Another very important prerequisite for me is you have to have integrity and virtue. END OF STORY. These two factors matter more than your social status, your race, your income...I don't care if you makes 12 dollars a year...all I want is a real man with integrity and virtue.
Preferences on the other side are just comparative advantages...basically what your taste is. Its not a deal breaker. For instance..I love black men...that's what I prefer...but If a Hispanic man approached me will I turn him down...NO.
The biggest problem though is most females AND males mix prerequisites with preferences and therefore  find themselves using a preference as a way to determine whether or not they will date someone and thats why a majority of people end up with the wrong boyfriend or girlfriend. Have I been victim of this? OH YES YOU BETCHYA! If I told you my love stories you would weep for me and its solely ridiculous! But shout out to the people in my past...ya'll didn't make it to my future for a reason and I'm forever thankful to God for that. I must admit...turning 24 has turned me into one smart woman. I am not bragging...I am just stating a fact. I will no longer settle for a guy based solely on my preferences. Oh he is tall, cute, has a job, lives in highland park or whatever...only to find out he has ZERO integrity...his character stinks worse than a witch's ass and he has no clue how to treat a woman. Get what we call the hell outta here! Shut the front door! I'm done!!
Therfore, My plea to my fellow ladies (and men) is open your eyes and look past the materialistic, good for nothing qualities and dig deeper. Get to know him or her and don't ignore the red flags either. I guarantee you that you cannot and will not have a spiritual connection with someone if they don't share the same values as you do. If you're struggling to "get along" and don't see the basic elements of life in the same way then Let go or just be friends.

This is 2011......Thats all I have to say. Be smart!

NAMASTE!

The Friendship test....A must read

I got a call from a friend of mine a week ago and she was basically heartbroken as a result of the ultimate betrayal from a dear friend of hers. She wanted me to blog about this because she felt someone out there could benefit from this story. so here we go:

2 years ago..My friend Anne (not real name) was in a relationship with a wonderful guy. Everything was fine untill she made the the biggest mistake ever....She cheated on her boyfriend. The guilt was slowly killing her so she decided to confide in one of her "best" friends but she never told her boyfriend because she was scared of loosing him. #pause. One day, Anne's friend was going through a financial turmoil and her car was about to be repossessed ....out of kindness and love, Anne loaned her 2,000 Dollars to help. Fast forward two years  later, Her friend still hasn't paid her a single dime and is now acting like she doesn't owe Anne anything. This really took a toll on their friendship. Anyways 2 weeks ago, it was Anne's Fiancee's birthday and she made reservations at Blue Mesa grill  in Addison, Tx and she had invited 30 guests. I was not able to go so I just sent a gift. While at Blue Mesa..they ran into Anne's friend..she was there with her boyfriend as well and two other friends. This friend of hers got overly upset over the fact that she was not invited to the birthday dinner and what not. Lots of words were exchanged and the situation escalated into a heated argument and in the midst of all these people and Anne's boyfriend....this chic yelled "AT LEAST I DIDN'T CHEAT ON MY BOYFRIEND".

Anne's fiancee got really mad...which he had every right to and Men are not like women where they will calm down, re-think and forgive. Men have their ego and so this man dumped Anne in front of Everybody and walked off. Mark you, they were living together so now Anne was left homeless and 2,000 dollars poorer.
NOW I am not in any way condoning what Anne did...cheating is wrong period...she should have told her boyfriend and maybe things would be different...BUT this chic had NO business airing out her best friend's secret in public. That's Betrayal.  Many females are really catty and just have no idea about the norm of friendship. I'm not saying every female out there is like this...but when someone actually takes the time to trust in you and confide in you then you better respect that. No one is perfect. If you have a problem with me just tell me in person instead of publicly humiliating and assassinating my integrity. This led me to formulate the top 3 tips you should use to determine who is a friend, acquaintance, associate or simply a no-use dirty rat :

1. Surround yourself with people who have the same mindset and values as you do. They don't have to have the same exact goals as you but having lots of things in common is a plus. Friends are supposed to be our checks and balances . If you have a friend who just agrees with everything you do and doesn't take the time to  correct you when they think you are  going on the wrong path then that's just an idiot with no opinion. If such people were a website; they would be a waste of skin.com. Beware of people who talk behind your back. These are the Judas Iscariot of today.

2. Rank your friends....this sounds like am discriminating but I'm honestly not. This ranking system helps you decide who to confide in and who to keep as an associate. Never tell your secrets to just anybody..they will destroy you.

3. The best way to determine a true friend is to watch how they argue....if someone uses an argument as a perfect opportunity to publicly assasinate your character and dispense everything you have told them then thats the devil...they are not worthy of even your attention. stay away from these people. You can party with them and have a good time but the line gets drawn there. I wouldn't even trust them with my pet.

Be really careful who you call your "friends". Its ok to get rid of toxic good for nothing people in your life. Friendship is a two way street. If at any point you feel like you are the only person trying to contribute to the value of friendship then just stop, and move on.
That's all I have for now. More blog posts coming your way.

NAMASTE!

Life thus far........

I'm sure you guys have been wondering what planet I moved to...Yeah I seriously need to step up my blogging game. Its not laziness...its just I  have so much going on in my life right now...its just riduculous! Anywho...I sure hope each and everyone of you has been well.

The most burning question I have been getting is "what have you been up to?"

I can't really tell you everything I've been up to but there's been lots of self-discovery, growth, ups, downs...the list goes on.....

1.I have some really exciting stuff...but no I won't share it at the moment so yeah...BUMMER

2.Lately my family has been talking to me about marriage.....touchy subject to me...But anyways, hey am 24, and they just think am approaching that age where I should be in a "serious" exclusive relationship....I will stop at that.

3.There is a HIGH possibility I will be changing majors....I've done some serious soul searching and I might just do it! Nothing drastic....still a health science major but just a different field...Cows never choose to be hamburgers, hence sometimes Life's situations just can't be avoided....

4. I Think I've ran out of middle fingers to show the devil...That monster never knows went to stop...

5.A fitness regimen would do wonders for my thick frame right now...

6.There is a high possibility I might start another blog...geared mostly towards beauty, fashion, health, women issues, and my new "passion"...details coming soon...

7.Quick shout out to Ben and Wanjira (in kenya) ...congrats on your engagement.....NOw when All my highschool friends are getting married, engaged and having babies....Time for me to do we call wake the fudge up!

8.When friends magically change for the worst and just act like they better than you, or you have to kiss their behind..then its time to let go....Shout out to all these people..I don't kiss a$$...its best we part...DEUCES!

9.Tommorow's blog will blow your mind...

10. Stay safe..its about to freeze up in here...come tuesday some of ya'll will be skiing and sledding to work! stay warm by ALL means....Whatever that means to you.

NAMASTE.

Ice Breaker

Oh my word! I just feel like I abadoned this blog nah.! I should not be doing this O...Hey chineke...I have a pretty good reason though! So Let me just apologize to my readers for keeping you in the dark! Abeg...Forgive me oh!

On a more serious note...I have lots of juicy, juicy, juicy blogs coming up!  Some might be a bit controversial but to such is Life.

#BigShoutOut to my REAL friends...keyword here being REAL....Chei...you guys are my Life O. Thank you JISOS for putting these people in my life..I seriously LOVE you all.

Stay safe!!