When Someone Silently Snips Off a Year

Like a thief in the night. Photo/oyster.ignimgs.com

Some not-so-hostile strangers passed by last night and relieved us of some of our sentimental possessions, which needed replacing anyway. 

I float into this wakeful state of sleep, thanks to the vibration from my phone. Since I had a deadline to beat, I push my joints, sinews and tendons to not just get up but change and prepare to leave the house before 7.00 a.m. As I stagger into the sitting room, I first notice that the laptop isn’t where it was the previous night. Next thing I notice is that the door is ajar, curtain hem swaying in the morning breeze. Shouldn’t I have noticed the door first? Good question. We should discuss that over tea some time.

You know when that first drop of awareness first hits your mind? Then you shake it off and decide that being rational should serve you better at this point. That’s what I do. So, let’s think...

The guy I live with might have taken the laptop/gone for a jog early in the morning and not necessarily left the door open, but loose enough to swing open. I decide not to close it, either for dramatic effect or to allow everyone the joy of a memorable image, intact. I don’t know.

I cajole...no,not cajole. I forcefully nudge my mind to ignore the sight of missing instruments that lay there the night before and focus on the one thing our brand of burglars are unique for: The Meko Gas Cooker. I head to the kitchen. This is probably minute 3 since I woke up. My eyes sweep through the rest of the room, admiring the cushions (intact) as I head to the kitchen door. I reach it and there it is!

At this point I tell myself in a sage-like voice, hoarse from years of living (and probably drinking whisky)

‘It is time.’ 

My brain then scans through the most dramatic, brief, concise phrases that won’t cause panic but enough curiosity to make everyone else wake up.

‘Hey! You guys should come and see this...’ 

I’m not waiting. I’m still taking it all in. I realize the keyboard’s missing too. They step out of the room. I’m standing where the speakers, DVD player and external hard disc were. I watch them go through the motions even as I explain my discovery amid chuckles. That is how I deal immediately after anything. I’m not hysterical, just light. It will sink, for now there is no need to look distressed.

As the rest ponder, investigate and finally express their loss I’m thinking...6 hours ago this place looked almost exactly the same, with everything intact. I have a perfect image in my head of the house at 11 p.m. on Monday. 6 hours. Crap!

Oh, the headline? I, we have spent a year accumulating all that-laptop, what was/is on the laptop, guitars (3 of them), keyboard (birthday gift from mathe), meko (long story), external dvd drive, external hard disc, everything on my laptop (articles, second design of my mag, resources, photos, movies...life). A year that will have to be gathered up again, in scraps.

That is how my 2013 was snipped off from me.

2 years later, I've recovered-almost everything actually. My roommate Kevin too. Life is beautiful, innit?

A Lame Post

Hey,

I haven't gotten around to posting anything since...errr...January. Meeting a friend who tells you on how they want to sort of stop blogging when you're chastising yourself for not having posted in a while is not good motivation.

The thin line between dreams and reality. Photo/Dims Video Photography

Anyway, so I decided to go back to school. Most people never get the chance to study something simply for the sake of curiosity. Don't get me wrong. There is money going into this. However, the point is I am doing something I love. I am figuring out stuff I have always wanted to figure out. Will I end up a marketing executive/acrobat/manager/director/guru? Not necessarily. Will I feel good having an idea what consumer behaviour is all about? Mos' definitely.

Fred was around. Fascinating how he chats up the folks. He thinks highly of them. I find that fascinating as well. Kindly note that the word fascinating is a substitute for an amorphous feeling covering a wide spectrum of subfeelings that are yet to be sorted out in my brain. He enjoyed breakfast. Cool. I enjoyed watching them converse. I enjoy being in a room where I don't have to say a word to enjoy myself. I do not mean any of Churchill shows-raw,herbal or flavored. No. I mean I will one day (and many more after that first one) walk into a restaurant, sit at a vantage point, staring intermittently at a novel, with the sole purpose of watching human interaction. I think it is really cool.

The gig at Choices was good. I have come to learn that my criteria for a good gig sometimes (many) varies from that of the audience. Of course with different expectations come different experiences and after-tastes. I don't know why I added that after-taste part. I just thought it felt right. Anyway, was glad to see Joe Mwenda, Sharon, Orato, Liz Neke and Raquel there. True friends, they say, are made of such substance. Not like if you got them and mashed them up for a wonder drug for a fake friend it would make them...aki that was lame. Hata mimi nimekubali

Now it's too late to review/reflect on le gig, Lele Live! But there is this photo of Ian 'sketch' Arunga, Abigail Arunga and Magunga...aki it's a coincidence. The 'unga' is not intentional. You have to believe....anyway, that made me happy. For Lele Live the campaign included the Trend-with Larry madowo, Magunga's story and ads and finally a Facebook run that started off with individual band members' banners and a buildup that made me happy.

Day of event, my voice (thanks to practice two days to and the Way of the Cross at noon) took a walk after the second song. The rest was some brilliant winging it. Brilliant because the good Lord and honey made sure all my high notes were hit and sustained as required by ze music.

This was my best moment in the concert. The lady with the head wrap, our bassist's mother, got on stage to show us how one dances 'Dodo'. Photo/Quaint Photography

Let's see what we can do with all this. Was told today morning (it's past midnight, I know but work with me) that Fun played for 10 years before recognition. I don't want recognition as awesome as it is. I want the money that comes with it. The money that allows you to do what you love without having to look over your shoulder every time you get your payslip.

Goodnight

Psst!
Hisia Zangu, a bunch of seemingly snorty poets and writers meet every so often to, and this is the best part, tear at each other's material and pat newbies for their confidence in joining the circle. I lie. There is a poetry/writing workshop this Sunday. Come check out what guys will have submitted under the theme: Fire and Ice. If you click on the word click just before this one, you will end up at the event page where you will get more details.