Office meant to be a home away from home.

People having different dressing styles in this new place where I work. Some bosses come to office dressed in shorts, others cowboy hats, tight jeans and short dresses and skirts, most shades even when its raining cats and dogs. But you try dressing in one of these styles, you will get a an invitation to the Conduct and Disciplinary Unit for interrogation. Even if its meant to be a home away from home, its best to have it inot a respectable home away from home. What do you think? 

Sat in office thinking of how best I can use this mamaJz especially for my children at home. I think I will use it to keep my children informed and updated on certain issues. Issues like how to handle annoying people, how to remain composed when deep inside you need to shout out loud, and so many other hows and whys.

I do hope it works out.       

Its 2012, approximately four years since I last published on my own site! Time can really run...Hullo everybody and welcome back. Let's go back to reading our posts. Karibu

Business or Economy?

I had a terrible experience with one friend who wanted to travel to Kilimanjaro for the weekend but her travel agents had erroneously booked her into Economy instead of the usual first class/business class that she normally travels. Kilimanjaro is about 1 hour's flight from Entebbe right?


The Good Samaritan I am, I offered to drop her off at the airport. Upon reaching the airport, I asked her whether she had her ticket, passport and all the necessary baggage she needed for this trip and she confirmed she had everything.


I asked her to check her ticket before we got to the check-in counter, when she gave a small exclamation....!

She had been booked in Economy class.

"I cannot travel economy, I just can't!" she insisted.

"Well at least you will all get to Kili.." I told her "Just for this once travel economy then you can sort out your return on the way back. After all, it's hardly an hour's flight and there's not much of a big deal" I continued.

"I am entitled to a business class seat and so I have to get one today... someone is going to pay for this," she replied

Personally I found nothing wrong with her taking the economy class seat/ticket and enjoying her one hour flight to Kilimanjaro. As a matter of fact, the flight itself was not so full so if she can sweet talk the Purser on board the aircraft to upgrade her to business that would also help.

Alas, my dear friend did not share the same thoughts and insisted on a business class seat. I could only see a spoilt brat in her. I quickly said my goodbyes and drove off.

Thinking about it, when it comes to going to Heaven to meet the Big One, will she have the choice of a business class seat?

By the pool, at the beach

It is very relaxing when you spend a Sunday afternoon at the beach and take in all the scenery from all sides. Well, I had taken ages without going to the beach, so this weekend I decided to give myself and family a treat.

There were scenes and "scenes"there were. Anyway, for one who has been to "outside countries" you can just take in the different scenery and get on with basking in the African sun taking a ice cold Smirnoff red (yap, I graduated from a Krest Bitter lemon to this new found quencher). Otherwise you would be left gaping after every bikini clad body that passed.

But what really got my attention, on one side of the pool area was this well endowed African woman in a bikini. All was eye catching apart from the flat tummy. From the full cup boobs held in two flimsy cups of a bustier, was a behind that was well ENDOWED (.....I nearly had to put blindfolds on some of the male swimmers lest they drowned), clad in a micro bikini. The funny thing was that she knew the attention she was getting and did not stop running around the pool, waving and jumping like a small kid.

On the male side, like that was not enough we had these friends from the Orient dressed in swim trunks.....Yes!!!! Trunks are the right attire for men not shorts" I wanted to scream. They kept walking around the big pool. Whoa! one would exclaim when seeing them with shades and all feeling mzuri for themselves glancing at the big pool and sizing it like Pros. I was dismayed later when the poor chaps ended up practising how to float from the baby pool alongside my daughter, while displacing my son and his friends.

Then last but not least were my fellow country men - big bellies, knock knees and all dressed in shorts only leaving the chests bare for all to see. Go! go! go! I almost whispered to myself, yeah let's show them that we also know how to dress for the beach and swim. One hefty guy tried a dive into the pool, ended up splashing water all over the place. Ouch! it must have hurt. What with water soaking me and spoiling my basking I called it a day. It was enough scenery for the day.

Valentine's today

Sitting at my deskt I take a glimpse out of my office window and I can't help but see this young smartly dressed man carrying a basket of flowers and cards to either his valentine or someone else's valentine (If he is the courier)

Yes, It's valentine's day and people have all the right to make a big fuss of this lovers' day.

In the old days we had no clue what the date February 14th was all about. But today! LO! all the fracas and circus of people actually dressing themselves up in red and all! One gets to think that people have nothing better to do than carry around red roses, spending lots of hard earned money in a day to impress a loved one. OkI understand if its in the western countries, well its agreeable for them to go through all the hype. But in Africa, where does Valentine fit in the African context, really?

However, here are some of the Valentine messages you would not want to get:

What a difference a year can make!

Yes it was almost around this time last year when I was seated in my small office space and my friend Apex was talking about this new thing called blogging. What the heck was that? I wondered, only to be introduced to the world of blogging and bloggers plus the BHH that I have always promised myself to go to but have never found the time.

Well I tried blogging and did not even know that I would make a year doing this exercise.

What else has happened since I started blogging? I have found a new hobby. I visit many other blogs and have a great laugh when everyone else is in a foul mood at the office. Apart from that, I have managed to move from my small office space to a bigger and better one that allows me to blog when I have finished the day's tasks. Like life has not been good enough, I was enrolled to do one of the courses that I have been dying to do in life.

Otherwise, we all make new year's resolutions and I really wonder whether all the way down at the end of the year we look back and pat ourselves on the back for having met them. For those of you who do, well good for you. Meanwhile, for the rest of us who don't, its indeed high time we wake up and get going. The world is not going to stop and wait for us. Look at the hands of the clock, the only way they move is forward and do not stop(unless of course the battery is down) but it continues moving forward even after it stops. It NEVER moves backwards.

Friends lets make this year a year to move forward in our lives. Make a difference this year. Lets challenge ourselves and conquer our fears this year. All said and done I am outta here!

"Happy" New Year 2008

The new year that is meant to be a happy one has started in this way:

First and foremost, our neighbours across the borders to the East, ended the year in style: Presidential Elections. News all around the world had it as Raila leads in Kenyan presidential polls. But it so happened overnight newspapers in town splash out Kibaki swearing in!!! He was sworn in the evening hours at a terrific speed, without any foreign officials witnessing. You could actually peek a sneer on his face in the press. No wonder Uncle O and his tribes mates are very mad! Very mad indeed.

Ok, like that is not enough, we Ugandans, who have nothing to do with the Kenyan polls are faced with fuel shortage. The price of a litre of petrol shot up to 10,000/= Ugshs. from 2,400 Ugshs. The reason for this is that the fuel tankers that ferry the fuel from the coastal area to Uganda were caught up in the elections in Kenya. So why the don't our Petrol stations reserve fuel for such times? They do! It is just the Ugandan cunning thoughts of getting quick money that make us do such silly things.

Personally, I recommend everyone to buy a Bicycle. Let it be the number one priority on this year's TO DO list. A bodaboda will not do coz they too use fuel. A bicycle will only need to be pumped from time to time.

As for myself, I finally buy myself a car...then what happens three days after I drive around the neighbourhood?? Some silly drunkard bashes into it. Couldn't he tell that it was a new car?

Otherwise I wish myself and the rest of the Bloggers a HAPPY New Year indeed.

Wazzup? Wassalapa?

IN whatever way you say I am FINE. I quit my previous daunting job, giving everyone a big shock of their lives and most especially my immediate boss.

Yes I have left the company after six years, four of which were ok and hectic and the two, very difficult for me... in terms of where you have someone watching your every move "witch hunting" as some people call it.

People, I have never been so much happier in my life. The current job?? I have no words! The only thing I can say is that the big man up there whose name starts with a G and ends with a D...has ears. It was heaven given, direct from GOD after all the sufferuing and humiliation I went through? Fellow bloggers, I was not even allowed to blog and check out your latest posts. But anyways here goes...

You will all see more of me in the Flashlight as well as visiting your blogs. For I am here to stay.

Prostitution in Hostels?

Are our children safe? If this is not curbed now, the situtaion will worsen. Heading might go like this: Hostels or brothels?

Trust

The time to trust is not just
when all is calm. The most
important time to trust is
through the raging storm.

Last days!

I feel like this might be my last year working for this company.

These remaining days are my last days.

I feel it in my bones, in the bone marrow and in my whole body.

I feel like am siting on this much dreaded room for these last few days and will be gone.

O how I cannot wait to leave. O how happy I will be.

Yes, indeed, Very very happy.

Have you ever felt as if there's someone choking you? Yet indeed it is not physical but imaginary?

Have you ever felt suffocated as long as you are working somewhere?

There's someone blocking your advancement or development in every possible way?

Even if you try your best and perform well, you never emerge the best employee of the month?

You know the rules well and perform to your level best but your boss still criticises your output and informs you how your salary can be divided into four to pay the interns?

O how great our Lord is! O how Happy will I be when the day finally comes.

Have your ever felt belittled in front of fellow staff for a small thing like coming late?

Or ridiculed for even suggesting something for the good of all staff?

However hard one works nor however SMART one works, our boss is always "right".

You, the employee, have no right to stand up against him.

Well, people! I am ready to face this nitwit-of-a-boss-of-mine or anyone trying to form his backup. Funny I do not know where am getting all this strength and confidence.

I am going to give him a piece of my mind and leave a mark or name before I leave. He will realize that you don't just come to Uganda and abuse people. Ugandans may be timid and cowards, but there are few who are the exception, like me.

By the way where can I get a handbag made of Iron but looks like leather?

Today's Thought

Be thankful for what you have,

not sad about what you don't have.

Competition is really HEALTHY

Once upon a time I bought a Celtel line at $200 and had to pay Service fee $100 which was a total $300. It hurts me so to think that I once misplaced my celtel number and had to cough another $200 for the same line.

Today, it’s a totally different story. What, with HITS and Warid about to launch? Telecommunication has never been better for the consumer.

Passing through the park I was surprised to hear a vendor call out:

MTN line ya nkumi mbiri ne airtime wako wa lukimi.
MTN Line at 2000 shillings and includes 1000/= worth airtime.


Well, look at DSTV. Thank God for small favours. Wham!!! In comes GTV. Imagine I can now watch my favorite movies at almost half of what DSTV is charging us. Even if the DSTV advert says 70 channels to watch - please ask yourself, surely after a stressful day at the office, the last thing you want to do is watch 70 channels before bedtime - the fact is that you do not need all the 70 channels! Period.

Well, the most you need per night may be one movie or two maximum. Competition has forced DSTV management to introduce new packages like Family/Compact bouquets but always ask yourself are the channels in the bouquet what you like or is this another advertising enticing gimmick.

As if things got even better, I hear there’s Pearl TV coming up. WHAT A Third Pay TV coming up?? Yes, this time owned by our own brothers. You know what that means.

Have you noticed the housing estates that are coming up? Forget the French cut roof tops it is now organized housing estates. It is only God who knows how many of us can afford the likes of the Kensington Houses. Someone out there please come up with something less expensive. The Akright ones are good but a friend of mine called them modern Mizigos. She just put me off.

Well as a consumer it means better quality services and better options. What say ‘all?

Stress

Stress: is defined by the Oxford Learner's dictionary as

Mental pressure: pressure or worry caused by the problems in someone's life.
Physical pressure: put on something than can damage it or make it lose shape
Ilness: Illness caused by diffuclt physical conditions.

Of course there are other definitions but for the purpose of my post I will stick to these definitions.

We, as adults go through alot from the time we wake up in the morning, at work, and back home in the evening. There are times/days when everything goes wrong;when whatever we do goes wrong, and whatever happens to us is trouble. Then the nights never seem to end. Because of this world's demands we encounter some situations that pull us down. These happenings however can impact on us negatively.

We all go through stress or get stressed one way or another. Thus, it makes it vital to try and avoid such issues that stress us or even people who will always enjoy stressing others, personally I call them "sadists". Their joy is to see someone else stressed or in a terrible situation. The onus is thus on us the individuals to weigh options laid out infront of us, to think logically on ways of how to curb stress or avoid it all together.

Our brothers and sisters from the West have psychiatrists to whom they pour out their hearts'problems, get advice on how to sort themselves out from them. This way, they relieve their tension and even stress. They also have places or relaxation spas where they go and relax for a period of time, then return to the real world, fresh and bursting with renewed energy, to continue from where they left off.


In Africa, Uganda, we may not have these facilities. If they are there we can not afford them, thus we will need to seek other means of releasing that stress so that it does not impact on our daily lives, work, family and others, negatively.

One way is to select one friend whom you trust and talk to them. Personally, I think having someone to confide in, mothers, sisters, best friend or a confidant will help us curb stress. It relieves the tension cause you are sharing it with someone else.

Secondly, get a spot where you can either sit or lie down and relax for sometime without interruption. It can be a room, a favourite corner or part of the house, garden and take in life's beautiful things. This can be turned into a habit such that when your family members see you in 'your spot' they know that you must be left alone to relax. Let it be a sign that you need your personal space and time to reflect.

Another way to curb stress, is to THINK POSITIVE all the time. Hey, if you look at it, the situation could have been worse or taken to the worst. Think positive, encouraging uplifting thoughts and the negative will soon disappear.

Thought for the day

I thought I could share today's thought with my fellow bloggers.

When you're tempted to feel frustrated with the idiosyncrasies of others, first sit down and tally up your own. Then detrermine if you can let something pass. If it needs addressing, look for constructive ways to approach the matter.

What say y'all?

CHOGM Preps

Travelling on our roads may be a nightmare as some of the portholes are unbearable. Dear bloggers forget the portholes but look further up above the roads to the greenery surrounding this fertile country.. it is just so beautiful. Thanks to CHOGM that the company working round the clock making sure to see that our long awaited visitors enjoy a beautiful scenery. It must be expensive hiring so many people to dig, plant, and manage all the plants, grass and edge building on the roads especially Entebbe Road and Kampala roads.

As a suggestion I think it would be best to place local Ugandans responsible for their areas especially those in Kampala and living along Entebbe road to do this job. This way the local communities would be active in beautifying,painting, cleaning and clearing their areas as well as taking part in the development of their community. The monies disbursed for this purpose would trickle down to the communities involved and not the company currently doing the job. This way after CHOGM, the communities will continue the process and keep the country in general, beautiful(Does this make sense?).

Of course issues of non uniformity would arise but these could be curbed by standardising the designs, what plants, trees to grow where and how and so on. I really do not think that billions of shillings are really necessary to do all the work, if only the local communities are also put in the plans or decision making. Maybe with the issue of time definitely lots of money will be used to complete the work, of course by one company.

Personally I find it unfair that the locals are left behind and the only participation they are involved in is to ensure that they have IDs ahead of CHOGM. Really???!

Today's Inspirational quote

Where there is LOVE,

there is a touch of the divine.

Make time for Love in your life.

Weight loss therapy

Yap I have finally made up my mind and am going for a weight loss programme...Forget Atkins, Weight watchers and all those detailed programmes of how much food you should eat and what kind of food. This one is one of its own. Watch this space.

It (the programme) was suggested to me by a colleague who says it works wonders. Sisters out there, watch this space for updates. I cannot mention my actual weight right now, but it is way above average. Obese? No! But if am not careful I may be heading there. My catwalk has changed to wobbly wobbly instead of the actual strutting, thus I believe this proggie will put me back in shape.

It is a simple dose. Three tablespoons are enough of it. But, there is always a but, I need to remain at home for 2 days for the sake of going to the "Jill". Yap dios(sp). It does not sound healthy but it simply drains the fat from the body.I hear. But it's up to the person going through the programme to decide how much weight to lose. I am a little bit skeptical but will inform you after the programme.

So here goes, wish me luck.

Ladies, stand by for feedback.

Interview panick

The first week of August was meant to be my happiest.

Here I was I finally got this long awaited call for an interview of my dream job. I have always wanted to volunteer and become a public information officer. So I received this CALL, prep'd myself for the interview, I was right and ready to face the panel. It did not matter what kind of people I was going to face (what difference did it make? We are all humane and human beings,right?) black, white, yellow I was READY. Not with the searching and homework on my CV. Like a girl Guide am always prepared and for this one I was indeed prepared. The job needed a sensible, flexible person with the skills to handle stress and large crowds.

Come D day, I was shaking, like Jerry in the corner trapped by Tom. I panicked and panicking is all I did. I thought maybe I should stick to the comfort of my current job. Well, d-time(interview time) I walked in, shoulders high, looking so serious like there was no denying me this job. Papers, certs and all, in one folder in my right hand, handbag on the shoulders.

Question time to talk about myself, I blundered, blundered, blundered.

Language skills? I was asked by one of the panelists.

I mentioned I did not know any of the languages in the area concerned but I understand a language of the neighbouring area and I am fluent in Swahili.

Weaknesses? Oh my should have heard me...won't embarass myself here but I blundered...mbu ".....prefer to be left alone to cool off when upset???" I didn't even mention how I am working round my weaknesses. I give up for my sakes. I honestly give up.

Anyways, I left satisfied that I had tried to impress both technically and physically but... knew from the people waiting to enter, there was at least one who struck me as the right candidate. The dude looked confident, no mistaking that he was from the required area, composed, knew what he wanted and looked like the job itself. What the heck? I still got called in for an interview. I now need to work on the panicking bit...