tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-311996182024-03-08T05:54:34.464+03:00araalinuga: what was I thinking?Ramblings of things that catch my ever-shifting attention. Well written? Only by accident. Deep thoughts that will enlighten and inspire? I hope not. A candid, yet often superficial, glimpse of the churning information in my mind? Possibly.Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.comBlogger319125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-16296057656389381742012-01-17T22:26:00.002+03:002012-01-17T22:28:42.266+03:00MLK Day (belated)<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">MLK Day (belated)</span></b></div>
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How could I forget?<br />
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Perhaps it's because I'm out of the classroom. Otherwise, I'd have had students dreaming and writing their dreams for a better tomorrow and making their dream books out of cut-out card-backed photo-copied colouring sheets of Martin's head.<br />
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Instead, I forgot. So, I went to YouTube this morning, downloaded the "I have a dream" speech and made everyone in the admin office listen to it with me. When Dr. King began with, "I am happy to join with you today..." our business manager asked, "Is that Mitt Romney?"<br />
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In an effort to promote a greater understanding/appreciation of the ideals Dr. MLK promoted, I sent the following email to the teaching staff: <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>This week's PSHE theme is 'Accepting differences/Inclusion'. I invite you to take a little time and watch the YouTube video below; it is of Martin Luther King, Jr's "I have a dream" speech. </i></span> </blockquote>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/smEqnnklfYs" width="420"></iframe>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>You may choose to have your students watch it (years 5 and 6) and discuss the ideas of integration and equality. With younger children, the "I have a dream" statements (towards the end of the speech) can be a jumping off point where the children can talk about their dreams for a better--more inclusive--world.</i></span></blockquote>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also came across my current favourite MLK quote: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically... Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">Training for the Paris Marathon is coming along wonderfully. Yesterday I had my first enjoyable run! At the end I wanted to keep on going. Wisely, I didn't. You know, too much of a good thing. The biggest challenge I'm facing now in booking a flight. I've literally got to finish the run then hop on a plane back to Uganda. School starts back the following day (16th April). The school has generously granted me that day off, but many of the airlines that go between Entebbe and Paris either do not fly back on the 15th or they leave too early for me to make the flight after the run. And the ones that do... well, I'm trying to work out my best option. This weekend it will be done. Hopefully.</span></span></div>
</div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-24998640570933961942012-01-14T16:26:00.000+03:002012-01-15T16:33:59.597+03:00Finally done with It<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Finally done with <i>It</i></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The year is 1990 and we are all terrified in the back TV room at Robbi D.'s when Pennywise proclaims: I'll kill you all. After regaining our wits and courage, "I'll kill you all!" became a sort-of catch phrase for us tweens and teens. Similar to Bill and company, twenty-plus years later, I was summoned back for another round with <i>It</i>; this time in book form. And today I finally conquered--all 1104 pages of <i>It</i>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To answer those gnawing questions (Timothy, why now? Why this book?) I'll quote myself as quoted by Beatrice Lamwaka in the <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201112190113.html"><i>Books They Read</i> article of the 17th December edition of the <i>Saturday Monitor</i></a>:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I watched the movie while I was a child and the movie was horrifying. The movie meant a lot to me and my friends when we were young so in a way, I am reminiscing my childhood. I haven't read Stephen King in 15 years.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I agree with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stephen-King/dp/0451169514/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326631611&sr=8-1">the brief review on amazon.com</a> that 'King's depiction of youngsters is extraordinarily accurate and sympathetic. But there is enough material in this epic for several novels and stories, and the excessive length and numerous interrelated flashbacks eventually become wearying and annoying', except, I'm not sure if I ever found anything <i>annoying</i>. Truth be told, I had no idea how long the book was when I began it--one of the benefits of a Kindle--and after much reading and little progress in the percentage area, I had to use the internet the look up the quantity of pages. Truth also be told, that I occasionally took breaks from reading<i> It, </i>most humoursly to read <i>The Santa Land Diaries</i> in the Semien Mountains. Maybe, like Richie, I needed the dose of humour to conquer <i>It</i>--all 1104 pages of <i>It</i>. (I also just downloaded the 1990 miniseries, so a movie night is on the horizon. Join me?)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYucDaJLhAMbfVC_VEFxswldk919CF3i3mguhZ4tLHbjFl30bSWNAb1Rwms_9YEaKxUTbZWgozHNLE5sJPGOZMoH1Hn6e6RE6xt_OKnp2nfLZS38NCQu2J9SKzAg7eArlgQio3zw/s1600/IT.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYucDaJLhAMbfVC_VEFxswldk919CF3i3mguhZ4tLHbjFl30bSWNAb1Rwms_9YEaKxUTbZWgozHNLE5sJPGOZMoH1Hn6e6RE6xt_OKnp2nfLZS38NCQu2J9SKzAg7eArlgQio3zw/s320/IT.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Perhaps now I'll give <i>Understanding Girls with AD/HA</i> another go. I even put Rushdie on the back burner during my affair with Mr. King. Hmmm... I wonder who I'll be taking to bed tonight.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-57054175955746956162012-01-12T23:02:00.004+03:002012-01-12T23:06:04.252+03:00I did not hate myself 98% of the distance<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>I did not hate myself 98% of the distance</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's was the first run that I did not hate myself 98% of the distance. That's a good thing, I guess. Hopefully, I'm getting over the hump, and my runs will become fun and inspiring once again. I realise I've not mentioned the distance of any of my runs so far. That is in part due to the fact that the wristband broke on my GPS watch, and I'm procrastinating instead of getting it repaired. It's also due in part to the fact that I'm quite embarrassed by the short distances of my runs. I think by next week, I'm be more on track and, therefore, a bit more open about my mileage.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kampala is hot these days. Really hot. So hot that friends are sending my messages admitting fears of melting. So hot that teachers are requesting amendments to the school's dress code to allow shorts. True to form, I did a little research, and this is what I found out about keeping cool in hot climates </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(click on the links to read the full source article).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.onebag.com/travel-clothes.html">Taming Temperature</a></span></span></div>
<ul class="MailOutline"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<li>Loose, light (in both colour and weight), long-sleeved shirts will keep you cooler than T-shirts. And, in most climatic conditions, cooler than other short- (and non-) sleeved tops as well.</li>
<li>In very hot weather, though, most of the heat that your body is trying to eliminate has been absorbed from its surroundings. Light-coloured garments that cover your skin will dramatically curtail that absorption, greatly reducing the heat that must be dissipated.</li>
<li>Sure, lots of people in New Orleans wear short-sleeved shirts; people often wear what they believe will keep them cooler, rather than what actually will. But I was in New Delhi, where the temperature was 115°F (46°C) when I first wrote these paragraphs, and the great majority of local residents were wearing long-sleeved clothing.</li>
<li>In order to promote the circulation of air necessary to the evaporation of perspiration, hot-weather clothing should additionally be both loose-fitting and porous (air-permeable). How porous? Enough so that air can pass through it without serious restriction. Here's a simple test. Make an "O" with your mouth about the size of a typical beverage bottle (1" / 2.5cm), and stretch a piece of the fabric in question over it. If you can breathe comfortably through your mouth (not your nose), the cloth is sufficiently porous for decent evaporation; otherwise, it isn't.</li>
<li>All of this holds true for the lower part of your body as well. <b>Long pants/skirts/dresses of an appropriate fabric will keep you cooler than shorts of any length.</b></li>
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<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-191204/20-hot-tips-stay-cool.html" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">20 hot tips to stay cool</span></a></h1>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heat is trapped by synthetic fibres, but cotton absorbs perspiration and its evaporation causes you to feel cooler. [So do linen!] </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eat spicy food. Although this may be the last thing you fancy in hot weather, curries and chillies can stimulate heat receptors in the mouth, enhance circulation and cause sweating, which cools the body down.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eat small meals and eat more often. The larger the meal, the more metabolic heat your body creates breaking down the food. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increase metabolic heat.</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://quiettracer.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-keep-yourself-cool-in-hot-summer">How to cool yourself without air conditioning</a></span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wet your wrists and other pulse points with cold water. Use a piece of ice wrapped in a face cloth, to continue after the coolness wears off. Constantly cooling off the wrists will also cool off the body. Never use just ice; make sure it is wrapped in a towel or something similar. Studies show that this will reduce your core body temperature by as much as 3 °F (1.5 ºC). The relief is almost immediate, and will last for up to one hour!</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">Drink water, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">even if you are not thirsty!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> You </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">must</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> replace fluids lost in perspiration to prevent </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">dehydration</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">. Oral re-hydration may be accomplished by drinking an electrolyte-balanced beverage. The electrolytes help to make sure you don't lose vital minerals through sweating. Adding ice will also help cool you off. Avoid lemonade, iced tea, and other sugary drinks (see the Tips below). Ice does not actually help you cool off if it is in water you will drink. Cool water does, but the colder the water the more energy your body spends making it body temperature so that it can use it.</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Try a few minty products to cool your skin: slather on lotion with peppermint (avoid your face and eyes); shower with peppermint soap; use a minty foot soak. Mint refreshes the skin and leaves a nice cooling sensation.</span></span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Personally, I love the heat, and I love to sweat. I like imagine that the sweat pouring from my body during a good, long run is actually melted fat escaping my bulging belly, arms, thighs, back, etc.</span></span></div>
</div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-88021934531025485652012-01-11T22:48:00.001+03:002012-01-11T23:04:51.258+03:00Today's Plod<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Today's Plod</b></span></div>
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I plodded along with marathon training today and got a run in this afternoon. The stress release from such a run was much needed after today's failed attempt at a simple bank transaction. Oh, Stanbic Bank, you are a mighty special institution! </div>
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My running style lately truly feels more like plodding; I feel so tired, exhausted even after rest. I'm having such a difficult time getting into this running thing again. I hope I snap out of it soon. While on my afternoon plod, I noticed this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NUz56QHcvatHDdy7UYV2ITL1j7BhMFKx6xA8NbyV3M0CmSRBp8ww016bPex_4YqwcxFZIEmB9d4-2dxS30j14T1RM89HZGwyJ9PIHAxvDRuzFwhPQTJGirAaR0XGFDn0cuzIzQ/s1600/Photo0429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NUz56QHcvatHDdy7UYV2ITL1j7BhMFKx6xA8NbyV3M0CmSRBp8ww016bPex_4YqwcxFZIEmB9d4-2dxS30j14T1RM89HZGwyJ9PIHAxvDRuzFwhPQTJGirAaR0XGFDn0cuzIzQ/s400/Photo0429.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div>
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madman creative. Wow! Now that <i>is</i> creative (assuming it is an ad agency as I strongly suspect it is). I've never seen <i>Mad Men</i> on Bravo, but I don't live on Mars, so I know that it is immensely popular. So if the creator of this agency proves to be a creative as its name suggests, then I cannot wait so see ads like these hit the billboards:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIBURyufZmv9AdhKQFHfHMZo5CzWfQgaUJD98OTbIkgT8dLFBLDFQwzMarcQhOcNhx6RzLWtOmdKowz5TkKK1nxfOg2dqiQdApdHUgvwr54dH7ASlzAmK7f-BAMZyQBoAZR_xFA/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-01-11+at+22.24.23.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIBURyufZmv9AdhKQFHfHMZo5CzWfQgaUJD98OTbIkgT8dLFBLDFQwzMarcQhOcNhx6RzLWtOmdKowz5TkKK1nxfOg2dqiQdApdHUgvwr54dH7ASlzAmK7f-BAMZyQBoAZR_xFA/s400/Screen+shot+2012-01-11+at+22.24.23.png" width="256" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE__xWQzxyOEwanCf13qVDy0vzhnc66U_2EbcgPqXogYF07rom1pJ21u09vaQLwWqDnWPbWsiodoWj7q7PyuoXdyizaxDa2Yn9jR-ZYFvVeyqxMm8K8oTKHJydWeqQV2IqF22owg/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-01-11+at+22.19.05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE__xWQzxyOEwanCf13qVDy0vzhnc66U_2EbcgPqXogYF07rom1pJ21u09vaQLwWqDnWPbWsiodoWj7q7PyuoXdyizaxDa2Yn9jR-ZYFvVeyqxMm8K8oTKHJydWeqQV2IqF22owg/s400/Screen+shot+2012-01-11+at+22.19.05.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Oh, and I think today I committed myself to buying a new sofa. Blame it on the runner's high.</div>
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Right.</div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-9856803580342612142012-01-10T22:23:00.001+03:002012-01-10T22:23:22.545+03:00In the BARTH room?<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">In the BARTH room?</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWiym9EJ-XMGtsYbya11UBei14Cpxq08zCKLUFHlpfjShwy4W8r0xwHA59VOGZzgJ4dl_v261ogMz-ggrynkHdZVEnBHvY1gZSnnvxim0kccXd5sEXuO9APcqluUYPEuDJAMdJQ/s1600/IMG_5034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWiym9EJ-XMGtsYbya11UBei14Cpxq08zCKLUFHlpfjShwy4W8r0xwHA59VOGZzgJ4dl_v261ogMz-ggrynkHdZVEnBHvY1gZSnnvxim0kccXd5sEXuO9APcqluUYPEuDJAMdJQ/s400/IMG_5034.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yes, that's where <a href="http://www.barthsburgery.com/">Barth</a> lives on.<br />
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Marathon training update: there was no running for me today; I took a rest day. I hung out at Fas Fas, still trying to finish It.</div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-7852143305080418042012-01-10T00:29:00.001+03:002012-01-10T00:30:42.267+03:00How could I forget this one?<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">How could I forget this one?</span></b></div>
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MFK: Are you serious? Do we really have to hike through this herd of baboons?<br />
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Guide: No, they are not baboons. Baboon is a negative name. They are mountain monkeys.<br />
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MFK: Ok. Is there no other way? Why are we hiking through this herd of <i>mountain monkeys</i>? Do we really have to?<br />
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Guide: Yes.<br />
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MFK: Why?<br />
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Guide: <b>Because it's nature.</b><br />
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Timothy: Here, puppy, puppy, puppy!<br />
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Today marked one week since I began running again (theoretically training for the Paris Marathon). I'm not sure how far I ran, and since it was on the hash, I will not even try to map my run online--too many check backs and running through sewage ditches. It was a fun/good run. However, it is quite humbling to know how fit I was at the end of October and how unfit I am at the beginning January. Stamina: where did it all go? Tomorrow might be a swimming day. I'll be back on the streets on Wednesday.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4JIxmHBUwxl3bHrStvFS06Go_l97KUtNs2Nb24n4ZUeFmxVEMIPYdjuXVjGgksHCpqcsoYV09VvAmicridQjqgzFRr6M8SQHjBjRbF7Npfk7NCBJ4e3OmDbE2yXXqhsAEsGWFQ/s1600/IMG_5812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4JIxmHBUwxl3bHrStvFS06Go_l97KUtNs2Nb24n4ZUeFmxVEMIPYdjuXVjGgksHCpqcsoYV09VvAmicridQjqgzFRr6M8SQHjBjRbF7Npfk7NCBJ4e3OmDbE2yXXqhsAEsGWFQ/s200/IMG_5812.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-36085779729412220672012-01-08T11:52:00.002+03:002012-01-08T12:01:30.787+03:00not laziness<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">not laziness</span></b></div>
<br />
Ok. Many distractions. Much to do. Priorities out of sync. Whatever.<br />
<br />
A friend scolded me for not chronicling my marathon training experience for the Nairobi Marathon--which I completed on 30th October 2011. A missed opportunity? Perhaps. Well, I'm registered for the Paris Marathon, which will take place on the 15 April 2012, and I <i>think</i> I officially began my training program this week. After taking a complete running break for the entire month of December to give my knees a much needed break (not laziness, I!), I've tried to get myself back in the streets this week. I successfully managed to do this three times; I successfully managed to talk myself out of a run only once. Overall, not too bad. The biggest triumph was getting my rear out of bed and out on a run this morning. True, it was a very short run, but, hey, where were you? <br />
<br />
I have a tendency to start blog projects and <a href="http://araalinuga.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-quit.html">stop before completion</a>. Let's just see how this one goes.<br />
<br />
Paris.<br />
<br />
15th April.<br />
<br />
2012.<br />
<br />
<br />
On the topic of missed opportunities: Oops! I <i>almost</i> did it again. For two weeks in December, I took a trip with three FABULOUS friends to Ethiopia. Somewhere along the way, <a href="http://www.todaysletters.com/2012/01/fist-pump-friday.html">I found the need to channel my inner cheerleader</a>? For a humourous account and lovely photos of our Abyssinian hijinks, read <a href="http://robynsafricanadventures.blogspot.com/">Robyn's blog</a>. She's definitely on it better than I am these days. I'll simply say that I have never visited a more beautiful place on this planet than Ethiopia; this was the most special holiday I've taken to date. And I'll leave you with my three favourite quotes that I overheard during our northern trek.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>"You should pay the people and get them out of the park," said the Norwegian man to who I interpreted to be his Ethiopian tour guide.</li>
<li>"I liked that we did not see many people during our tour. I guess that means you should keep the population low. Yeah, that would be good," said the Norwegian man's wife to who I interpreted to be his Ethiopian tour guide.</li>
<li>"Sit down! Girl, this is not a matatu!" said Kelly to the young woman who stood up to get her bag from the overhead compartment as the plane was touching down in Entebbe. The plane had not even slowed down to taxi into the terminal.</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62PfYIOzHk5ElxDb2ZAU3hCiLdkk6l6qjg-92sQJGoEsId2B7kb4kMBuzBcDdrIoDuL-5mboag_vopzoxkZF3HBiYKIEkuPD1ZJ4ytDe2aHjLQ7Q0IiY9JZ304G6gFQTUuLr-BQ/s1600/IMG_6153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62PfYIOzHk5ElxDb2ZAU3hCiLdkk6l6qjg-92sQJGoEsId2B7kb4kMBuzBcDdrIoDuL-5mboag_vopzoxkZF3HBiYKIEkuPD1ZJ4ytDe2aHjLQ7Q0IiY9JZ304G6gFQTUuLr-BQ/s200/IMG_6153.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-58858192396546884372011-10-24T21:20:00.001+03:002011-10-24T21:20:18.777+03:00Easy. Breezy. Beautiful.<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Easy. Breezy. Beautiful.</span></b></div>
<br />
I've always had a thing for cover girls, and Cover Girl cover girls have really done it for me in the past. My two favourites being<br />
<br />
Drew Barrymore<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Y4H3g5y1Wzc" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<br />
and Niki Taylor,<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FI3_vCTHbKU" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<br />
in that order.<br />
<br />
Ok, so Drew's stint as Cover Girl is still in the present, but isn't she lip perfection personified?<br />
<br />
This month, October 2011, I add one more cover girl to my list of favourites: Becca Schwartz.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZQwHvxgciJqAVBXkYj6xZXFAubXtx7T9rOsZuhbuiEBIEsbFTd0vnM3SYyfaOgyt9E9Aox3mm2ntsJlFqKXg0wfxja81pQJDfNizxTMMrlrL1_BtSvMw4o6R1cLAlTQcN_K2dQ/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-10-24+at+20.40.52.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZQwHvxgciJqAVBXkYj6xZXFAubXtx7T9rOsZuhbuiEBIEsbFTd0vnM3SYyfaOgyt9E9Aox3mm2ntsJlFqKXg0wfxja81pQJDfNizxTMMrlrL1_BtSvMw4o6R1cLAlTQcN_K2dQ/s320/Screen+shot+2011-10-24+at+20.40.52.png" width="228" /></a></div>
<br />
Oh, WorkZine, you just became exponentially more welcomed in my inbox each month. Thanks to this exposure, I'm sure Becca will attract quite a bit of attention, and she might have difficulty selecting only one guy among the many who will want to be her suitor. Well, lucky for us, Becca has put thought into polyandry.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<b>Imagine the law made it mandatory for you to marry four husbands and each had to be from a different country, which countries would you choose from and why? </b></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>US - being American, I’ve found that it’s usually Americans who share the values and beliefs of mine that matter. Plus my mother has informed me that if I have her grandchildren and keep them somewhere in Africa, I will be dead to her - this way, my American husband could keep the grandchildren in the US, close to Jaja.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>Senegal - It’ll give me a chance to work on my French and Wolof skills and (assuming I also get citizenship in Senegal with the marriage) free travel within ECOWAS - important for business. When I lived in Senegal, I was proposed to at least 3 times per week so it may be good to actually take one of these guys up on it someday. To be clear, it wasn’t really that I’m all that, it was that I may hold the key to a magic visa/green card for them. Also, Senegalese men tend to be quite tall and handsome.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>Sweden - I’ve got the dark and handsome with the Senegalese fellow so I’ll even it out with light and handsome from Sweden, you know the model type. Plus the EU passport will come in handy.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>Uganda - I’ve lived here too long not to include one of you guys. I guess maybe you’ve grown on me :)</i></blockquote>
<br />
Isn't it so cute, the way she is able to speak using emoticons? Not only is she cute, guys, but she can probably out sing all of us in a<i> Rent</i> sing-a-long, <b><i>and</i></b> she's an expert in solar power marketing. She can light up your life.<br />
<br />
Easy.<br />
<br />
Breezy.<br />
<br />
Beautiful.<br />
<br />
Cover girl!<br />
<br />
That's enough about Becca ( I gush, I gush). I want to give a bit more credit to WorkZine. I began receiving it around edition 28 (Becca's issue is 37). I really like the concept and the platform they give to writers (seasoned and those learning the ropes, yet have something to say). Check out their website: <a href="http://www.theworkzine.com/">www.theworkzine.com</a>. You can also listen to a <a href="http://soundcloud.com/mulinyamulinya/workzine#">podcast</a> of an interview with the managing editor of WorkZine, Abid Were.Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-7169498582015406972011-10-23T22:05:00.000+03:002011-10-23T22:05:20.188+03:00...the best dressed rebel in history.<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">...the best dressed rebel in history.</span></b></div>
<br />
(Insert nominee's name here)<br />
<br />
I'm just kidding.<br />
<br />
The Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon is one week away! Stacy and I have put in the training (she perhaps better than I), and it's hard to believe those four (plus) months of literally pounding the pavement have passed by so quickly. Back are the days when 21 kilometers constitutes a "short run". I wish I could say that gone are the days of extra flab on my stomach. It seems I've become leaner in almost every other region of my body except the stomach area. Lipo might be the only solution for that pesky area.<br />
<br />
I declare this week a week of rest and healthy eating... Let's see how long that lasts. I hope I'm more successful at this than living off of 300k for one month. I only have seven days to try and live right. <br />
<br />
I'm already sort of failing. My goal is a 9:30pm bedtime, and it's almost 9:45. To be fair, I am writing this blog post in my bed. Wearing only a pair of thin boxer shorts. (How's that for an image in you head?) So technically, I've achieved my goal for the day.<br />
<br />
This post <i>will </i>be short and sweet. <br />
<br />
There's just one more book quote I'd like to share, then it's lights out. Or maybe I'll squeeze in another few pages of <i>The Satanic Verses</i>.<br />
<br />
"You're going to be the best-dressed rebel in history," says Gale with a smile. (pg 43, <i>Mockingjay</i>, Suzanne Collins)<br />
<br />
I read all the Hunger Games books earlier this year. Please, believe the hype; it's a fantastic ride. Gale gives my favourite quote of the entire series in the third book, <i>Mockingjay</i>. I love the satire of our obsession with celebrity and style.<br />
<br />
Seriously, though, a great book club discussion could be guided by the question: Who is the best dressed rebel in history?<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcySwqEFP3IvGdY-14d-fnbhE1qtWtGi7s57pBWiMV1Ru4EEMtYtZz9XTDlsLvekzJkrDwFUCthrTo143THNCKbSXUJNqzdU7bqIFSjEtHNimLIwYP7-XEljVHPIKtPxypbkL3A/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcySwqEFP3IvGdY-14d-fnbhE1qtWtGi7s57pBWiMV1Ru4EEMtYtZz9XTDlsLvekzJkrDwFUCthrTo143THNCKbSXUJNqzdU7bqIFSjEtHNimLIwYP7-XEljVHPIKtPxypbkL3A/s200/images.jpeg" width="131" /></a></div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-68206027074541295182011-10-21T15:54:00.004+03:002011-10-21T16:04:07.285+03:00But no one ever asked mammy how she felt about it.<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">But no one ever asked mammy </span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">how she felt about it.</span></b></div>
<br />
I recently finished reading <i>The Help</i> by Kathryn Stockett. The verdict: I liked it. However, I wasn't sure I would. It came highly recommended by Sybil. However, <a href="http://www.mochamomma.com/2011/06/07/the-helped/">I read one person's opinion</a> that referred to one of the main characters, Skeeter, as "weak... when she finally started dating" and I didn't think I could handle a southern-belle version of Bella Swan. Well, Sybil's recommendation and the hype surrounding the film version won out, and I downloaded the book. <br />
<br />
I finished reading <i>The Help</i> more than a week ago, and I planned to blog about it, but I never got around to it. This morning, I was lying in bed finishing up the second season of <i>Glee</i>, watching the prom episode, and the result of Kurt Hummel winning prom queen provided the catalyst for me to finally write this post. <br />
<br />
So Kurt was declared prom queen, and he fled the auditorium/gymnasium/wherever the prom was held in tears, pursued by his boyfriend, Blaine. And this is what Kurt had to say: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">"We thought that because no one was teasing us or beating us up that no one cared. Like some kind of progress had been made. But it's still the same ... All that hate, they were just afraid to say it out loud, so they did it by secret ballot."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Liberation Serif', serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> </span>It's a very touching scene of the show, and I recommend you head over to <a href="http://jezebel.com/5800658/glee--prom-queen-race-ends-with-a-slap-in-the-face">Jezebel</a><a href="http://jezebel.com/5800658/glee--prom-queen-race-ends-with-a-slap-in-the-face">.com</a> right now and watch it.<br />
<br />
This scene with Kurt and his resulting sobs to Blaine made me think a statement that Mae Mobley makes to Aibileen on page 392 of <i>The Help</i>: "Miss Taylor says kids that are colored can't go to my school cause they're not smart enough." This remark from a fictional child in 1964 to the woman who cared for her struck me like that proverbial ton of bricks. 1964. In Mississippi. I grew up in Florida, graduated from high school in 1994 (30 years after <i>The Help</i> is set), and remember being told very similar statements, in Sunday school of all places, as late as the early 1990s (a harsh reality to face, such bullshit was still institutionally passed on in America... how many years after the Civil Rights movement?). Reading Mae Mobley's words in 2011 brought back a wave of memories I had repressed of the racist indoctrination I received growing up. (By the way, the Sunday school teacher who pompously expounded on my intellectual superiority base on the lack of melanin in my skin, had a black dog named Ni**er and sons who trick-or-treated dressed as Klansmen in white robes. Such fond memories of my home town!) And being a fairly sensitive person, I really needed to discuss the feelings that were triggered by this. I was surprised by my current naivete and a little shocked that the the same lies that were used to teach racism to children in the 1960s was still being used to teach racism to children in the 1990s. My assumption is that the lies are still being propagated to children today. (How's that for optimism?) Since Sybil is the one who recommended to book to me in the first place, I went to her with my thoughts and emotions (I hate using that word). And she said to me, "It just goes to show you that despite all the progress we claim to have made, shit ain't changed."<br />
<br />
Like Kurt said, "We thought that because no one was teasing us or beating us up that no one cared. Like some kind of progress had been made. But it's still the same."<br />
<br />
The same. Yeah, the hatred still abounds.<br />
<br />
Below is a quote from one of today's online discussions about the recent death of Gaddafi and the reactions/comments of people from around the globe.<br />
<br />
"Well, at least now i know that arab africans are called 'sand niggers'...oh, how developed is the west!"<br />
<br />
Was that a vocabulary lesson she really needed to have?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It gets depressing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrrk8ZK69jsIoC2sokLfftiKNCn_zZUkZ3zqoV2Qa3UzsfGiLakaZ2j3XJ-3vH6h-f9i6OTzc4dydEnFsJsoBm8fW6x67kWhMCTXndwSZmQUg5-3KycLgfaU8XoBAD8qT8r3y6g/s1600/the-help1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrrk8ZK69jsIoC2sokLfftiKNCn_zZUkZ3zqoV2Qa3UzsfGiLakaZ2j3XJ-3vH6h-f9i6OTzc4dydEnFsJsoBm8fW6x67kWhMCTXndwSZmQUg5-3KycLgfaU8XoBAD8qT8r3y6g/s200/the-help1.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Nobody likes to see a crazy lady with an axe in her hand.</i></div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-62808563387417104652011-10-20T16:55:00.002+03:002011-10-20T16:58:53.425+03:00Pink Cupcakes and Black Bosco<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Pink Cupcakes and Black Bosco</span></b></div>
<br />
Last weekend was better than I could have planned. The 32 kilometer run that turned into 28 km instead still left me buzzing with endorphins for the rest of the day. Becca was, as usual, a pleasure to meet for dinner. Sunday's pink cupcakes bake and delivery left me with a smile and reaffirmed that I have amazing women in my life. (Keep squeezing your boobies, girls! Not just in October.) Sunday evening I reconnected with an old friend, and that truly brought me happiness. As Angela stated it earlier that day, "It's hard to find amazing people, but somehow we do. And it's like a miracle every time!" <br />
<br />
Another small joy that contributed to the culmination of a fabulous weekend was reclining back in my comfy-chair under a throw blanket and reading <i>The Ballad of Black Bosco</i> by Ernest Bazanye. I mentioned Ernest on my blog once <a href="http://It's hard to find amazing people, but somehow we do. And it's like a litte miracle every time!">in a post back in 2007</a>. Keeping up with <a href="http://bazanye.com/">his blog address</a> can become your new pastime. But his writing and brilliant social commentary are the treasures at the end of the wild goose chase. <br />
<br />
<i>The Ballad of Black Bosco </i>is a pretty impressive novella; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ballad-Of-Black-Bosco-By-Ernest-Bazanye/200367076694409?sk=wall">it even has it's own facebook page!</a> According to which, it is about "two Kampala boys. One becomes famous, the other becomes rich." Bazanye describes the process of not finding a publisher in true Bazanye wit on his blog: <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
What does a novelist do when he or she (he in this case) finds himself in a country where neither Penguin, Random House, Barnes nor Noble ever set foot? Does he fly to America? But he wasn’t given a visa. So does he then not write the novel. That’s what I did. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Or that’s what I thought. Until the idle typing I had been doing in between bits of actual work at office began to take the shape of a real story and not a blog post, so I just went ahead and wrote it. I had a novel there. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
So, what does a novelist do when he has a novel and Random House, Penguin, Barnes and Noble still haven’t called? He lets the novel gather dust on a C-Drive somewhere.<br />
Actually, I wrote this so long ago, the computer I typed it on is actually junk now. It was in 2007 those prehistoric ends. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
So what does a novelist do when he finds it on a backup CD and thinks, hey, someone might enjoy reading this? </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://bazanye.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/theballadofblackbosco-docx.pdf">He puts it up online </a>and says, well, if you want to read it, please take a look. It’s funny. You might like it.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Like it, I did. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I even highlighted some quotes that left me LOLing and ROFLMAO using my new, nifty Kindle:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>"I knew that voice. I had to turn the radio up really really loud for that woman I recall. I remember I had to switch from the BBC to Capital FM to drown her out, and ended up having to listen to Celine Dion for an hour."</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>"Al fresco means it is outdoors but there are no flies."</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>"Doc asked the hooker on his lap to move her hairweave out of his face for a minute so that he could make his point that it was wicked and vile."</li>
</ul>
<br />
And my personal favouite highlight:<br />
<ul>
<li>"Why do we need Ugandans to sound like Americans? The market for American accents has alredy been cornered. By Americans."</li>
</ul>
<br />
Bazanye's masterful skill at writing in that horrible Ugandan-style-fake-American accent led me to wonder if he were guilty of penning the finger-nails-down-a-chalk-board irritating script for that ad from our-logo-is-the-colour-piss-after-several-days-of-not-drinking-water-and-you're-super-dehydrated-after-a-night-of-binge-drinking telecom company.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<br /></div>
My favourite quotes may not make much sense right now, and that is because they are out of context. I know. So take advantage of the <a href="http://bazanye.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/theballadofblackbosco-docx.pdf">free download of <i>The Ballad of Black Bosco</i></a> and have a laughter-filled read over the weekend. And as our friends over at <a href="http://www.theworkzine.com/">The WorkZine</a> say, "After you download and read, please go [to] the Facebook page of <i>Black Bosco</i> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ballad-Of-Black-Bosco-By-Ernest-Bazanye/200367076694409?sk=wall">here</a> and tell the writer to not make you laugh like that again."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_372752837"></span><span id="goog_372752838"></span><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpTJBZUlgpNAy2nmTkGE7JkC69KwgPL4sySxplDxAf1hcicoPqDOM9mgGNj30bV8_ked6P1y37CbrHSb-hNpfm0PqlZ2dik1Q8_V0RkKEQIMiKRnPyL8P-UqLFabTqg6fMWl7Dw/s200/timthumb.php.jpeg" width="140" /></div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-22273928580500055982011-09-20T17:45:00.001+03:002011-09-20T17:47:37.575+03:00Musing Over Moon Over Manifest<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Musing Over Moon Over Manifest</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Or if you like acronyms: MOMOM.)</div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQJfb5ifx0hdTO7G7LO20NnAXQ1xJDpybApdHXuhmrA70z0Dfh5P3cHKYjvKvB_mCa1YWFQU26WY30_nJyZAinRakCzSuZcrVYPpIltigEsujQpljYsAVFX0dFxjVwYYqVT4y9Q/s1600/MOM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQJfb5ifx0hdTO7G7LO20NnAXQ1xJDpybApdHXuhmrA70z0Dfh5P3cHKYjvKvB_mCa1YWFQU26WY30_nJyZAinRakCzSuZcrVYPpIltigEsujQpljYsAVFX0dFxjVwYYqVT4y9Q/s200/MOM.jpg" width="132" /></a>I took advantage of the two days I've had to take off from work thanks to my viral friend, influenza (kind of a pretty name, don't you think?) and finished reading Moon Over Manifest. When I started the book, I wasn't sure I'd like it. Depression era and the Midwest do not make my favourite setting for a story. The Wizard of Oz was bearable because Dorothy Gale wasn't in Kansas anymore.<br />
<br />
<br />
Well, I'm glad I read it. There's a reason it won the Newberry Medal and was a New York Times Bestseller. Some of the best writing is on page 144:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
...I thought I knew a thing or two about people. Even had my list of universals. But I wondered. Maybe the world wasn't made of universals that could be summed up in neat little packages. Maybe there were just people. People who were tired and hurt and lonely and kind in their own way and their own time...</blockquote>
<blockquote>
...I admired how Ruthanne knew what I did not. That Lettie hadn't had her fill of gingersnaps. With six kids in their family, she had more than likely given up her own cookie and traded something for an extra one to share with us... </blockquote>
<blockquote>
...If there is such a think as universal--and I wasn't ready to throw all of mine out the window--it's that there is power in a story. And if someone pays you such a kindness as to make up a tale so you'll enjoy a gingersnap, you go along with that story and enjoy every last bite. </blockquote>
<br />
Moon Over Manifest was a story within a story that detailed the making of a story. Yes, that's right. You'll need to read the book to get what I'm lousily trying to explain.<br />
<br />
<u><b>The makings of a good story, as described in MOM </b></u><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>To write a good story, one must watch and listen </li>
<li>When she tells a story, she's sort of removed from them. She's the storyteller. </li>
<li>Telling a story ain't hard... All you need is a beginning, middle and end. </li>
<li>As much as I had a need to hear her story, she had a need to tell it. It was as if the story was the only ablm that provided any comfort. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Two more quotes I have to throw in for good measure:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Sometimes, when folks move on, it's hard to look back. It's not their fault."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"The Baptist church, normally home to only the purest of Manifest citizens--meaning the ones who had parents and grandparents and even great-grandparents born in this country--was suddenly filled with strangers. Each held his or her own jar or jug of either Velma T.'s elixir or Shady's whiskey."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Reading Moon over Manifest was a real treat. Abilene Tucker is part Tom Sawer, part Jean Louise "Scout" Finch and altogether a very memorable character. Part of the ending was perhaps sweeter than I would have liked, but there was a twist I did not expect. And yes, I did have tears in my eyes as I approached page 342.</div>
Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-71071770366031766292011-09-12T22:27:00.000+03:002011-09-12T22:40:38.112+03:00Spewing Words Like Spray Paint from a Can<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Spewing Words Like Spray Paint from a Can</span></b></div>
<br />
"Blogging's not writing. It's graffiti with punctuation."<br />
<br />
I saw Soderbergh's latest film, <i><a href="http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/09/09/movies/contagion-steven-soderberghs-plague-paranoia-review.html">Contagion</a></i>, yesterday afternoon. It's been described as a 'cold' film, and that's probably why I enjoyed it so much. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<br /></div>
Now, going to a public toilet to urinate after watching <i>Contagion</i>, I did not enjoy that experience quite as much. The friend I went to see the film with would not use his bare hand to open the door to the restroom; he used a handkerchief shield. Über cautious? Or just plain smart?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1ruL1RycY93AviBiinglcBzoq9bZPQQC4EqFZT2qVIY63wamLM83k0AeTr4RsYNaEDtE3oq6cYgmc2OSzm0U1SBcPTKJvy0nW7WIfPs6-uuBRXKZ2F9EjN1DrHcEIns7a-lsUQ/s1600/new-poster-for-steven-soderbergh-s-contagion-64487-470-75.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1ruL1RycY93AviBiinglcBzoq9bZPQQC4EqFZT2qVIY63wamLM83k0AeTr4RsYNaEDtE3oq6cYgmc2OSzm0U1SBcPTKJvy0nW7WIfPs6-uuBRXKZ2F9EjN1DrHcEIns7a-lsUQ/s320/new-poster-for-steven-soderbergh-s-contagion-64487-470-75.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-30781854139911026572011-09-10T22:30:00.000+03:002011-09-11T08:52:37.155+03:00I quit.<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">I quit.</span></b></div>
<br />
After only nine days of my intended-to-be-month-long experiment. I quit. I don't know how they do it. I do now know how Ugandan school teachers live on their salary in the current economic atmosphere where inflation is 21.4 percent. Even being generous, not including rent or house cleaning services in my budget, I found out I cannot make it on only 300,000 Uganda shillings per month, not in Kampala. Sure people do it, but life should be more than just survival, and as I mentioned before, there is a BIG difference between filling one's belly and being properly nourished.<br />
<br />
And properly nourished I've not been. That was a hard reality for me to face on Thursday evening when I was on my evening run (of only 6.4km), and I found it almost too difficult to complete. Skipping meals does not facilitate marathon training. As I realised how spent I was and unhealthy I was becoming, I considered pressing on, like the guy in <i>Supersize Me </i>when he discovered the severity of the health risks that sprung up during his McDonald's experiment. Then I came to my senses. It's just not worth it. Yes, it's easy to assume that I live high on the hog and that's why I failed. Assume what you like, but even James Mwase, the chairperson of UNATU, Jinja branch says that <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201107250561.html">a teacher's salary cannot buy them maize flour for 15 days. </a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<br />
There's a lot more the salary cannot buy. At the point of quitting, my flat was without:<br />
<ul>
<li>fresh vegetables;</li>
<li>eggs;</li>
<li>laundry soap. (A friend recently questioned the frequency in which the drivers employed by her agency washed their clothes, pointing out their odoriferous state. I asked how much the drivers were paid. She wasn't sure but speculated around 400,000 UGX per month. I replied, "Exactly." If she wanted better smelling drivers, their earnings would either have to be altered or the soap could be provided to them. When you can barely feed your family, fragrant laundry soap is not a priority.) </li>
</ul>
<div>
Basically, I was out of the basics. Nothing fancy.<br />
<br />
Other things that really cannot be afforded on the current salary are newspapers and books. I strongly believe that keeping up with what's going on in the world and sharing it with my students is a very important role I have as a teacher; therefore, access to this information is crucial. <i>Reading culture, reading culture, reading culture</i>. I've heard this term thrown around in Uganda since I arrived in 2002. How are teachers going to recommend or get children excited to read books they've never read, seen, heard of? How are people going to find time to read if they are too busy battling starvation and just trying to survive?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201107250561.html">It has been said that</a> an increase to the teachers' salary would be 'subversive to national development'. It's also said that an increase of less than 50 percent can heavily impact the economy. We're talking about an increase or salary of less than 300,000 UGX (just under $100 US) each month. <a href="http://thinkafricapress.com/uganda/ugandan-mp-pay-rise-unlikely-impress-voters">Is it really the teachers' salaries that are subversive to national development and heavily impacting the economy?</a> Come on. <br />
<br />
Quality education comes with several price tags, and one of the greatest investments a school, district, nation has to make to deliver a quality education is in its teachers. </div>
Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-12117625384952302102011-09-07T21:53:00.000+03:002011-09-07T22:14:03.003+03:00Dogooding<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Dogooding</span></b></div>
<br />
Under the headling: <i><a href="http://newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/764309">Teachers Divided Over Strike</a></i> was this photo<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmt86iodQFlsvM0CXicw606xuigWyYVJSGHXrZI2EMr3kOrECGDrGXNO5xRIxL-6zvFRosPkWxMvUClQ3rEpOYClssK7F5YwuGvymh6XKs2pZQJRZQ8kSlQOrVo-xDkeQMHtB8g/s1600/American+Scab+in+Uganda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmt86iodQFlsvM0CXicw606xuigWyYVJSGHXrZI2EMr3kOrECGDrGXNO5xRIxL-6zvFRosPkWxMvUClQ3rEpOYClssK7F5YwuGvymh6XKs2pZQJRZQ8kSlQOrVo-xDkeQMHtB8g/s400/American+Scab+in+Uganda.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
with the caption, "An American volunteer helping to teach pupils... on Monday."<br />
<br />
I still hope this is a stock photo with an incorrect caption. In case you're unaware, teachers have been on strike, demanding a salary increase. To sensationalise it, the media are reporting that teachers are demanding a 100 percent pay raise, emphasising the <i>100 percent</i>. The reality is, considering what they currently earn (273,000 UGX per month before taxes), even after doubling their salary, it will still be very low; they're actually not asking for much, especially when you consider that some people working in public office earn 15,000,000 UGX or more each month. 100 percent of very little is still very little.<br />
<br />
It would really make my blood boil to know that this volunteer whose 'intentions were so pure', instead of relieving poverty, is actually tightening its grip by undermining teachers' efforts to earn a livable salary in Uganda.<br />
<br />
Call it what you like. I call it a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strikebreaker">scab</a>.<br />
<br />
Whose needs are being met? The children's to learn? The woman's to feel she's doing good? The teachers' to be able to eat and support their families?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tEp7tBaIa6o" width="480"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Where are Jack "Cowboy" Kelly and David Jacobs when you need 'em?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_59pP_Xcw0g" width="480"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
...that we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A summary of today's expenses:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
3,000 UGX for lunch</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Total: 3,000 UGX</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Remaining with 199,700 UGX</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Tip for those low on cash flow: keep busy at work. The more you work, the better you can ignore hunger and the less time you'll have to go somewhere you'll be tempted to spend money.</div>
Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-59286177344609341542011-09-06T20:34:00.000+03:002011-09-07T20:35:17.981+03:00Pre-8pm Crash<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Pre-8pm Crash</span></b></div>
<br />
So, I'm reading this fantastic book, <i>Moon Over Manifest</i>. Problem is, I'm suffering from exhaustion. 8:00pm, and I'm out like a light. The plus side: I spend no money.<br />
<br />
A summary of today's expenses: <br />
<br />
3,000 UGX for lunch<br />
<br />
Total: 3,000 UGX<br />
<br />
Remaining with 202,700 UGX<br />
<br />
Tip for those low on cash flow: go to bed early. Boring? Yes. Inexpensive? You bet your ass.Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-29187829035145928682011-09-06T00:26:00.001+03:002011-09-06T00:26:07.403+03:00Back on Track<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Back on Track</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Well, sort of.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
A summary of today's expenses:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
3,000 UGX for lunch</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
5,900 UGX for dishwashing soap</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Total: 8,900 UGX</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Remaining with 205,700 UGX</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Tip for those low on cash flow: birthday parties are manageable with loans from friends.</div>
Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-13942002040384273332011-09-04T23:31:00.002+03:002011-09-04T23:48:47.610+03:00Expensive Diversions<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Expensive Diversions</span></b></div>
<br />
I never really realised how expensive my running pastime was until I restricted myself to a very limited budget. I run. I'm training for a marathon. I assumed that after covering the biggest training expense, the shoes, running would be pretty cheap. <br />
<br />
One word: hydration. <br />
<br />
I blew 9,700 shillings today on rehydration/refueling alone. Then there was the expense of getting from the ending point of my 21km run back home. I did public transport, took a taxi, and that cost me an additional 1,000. So just over 10,000 shillings, my maximum daily budget, was spent before midday today. <br />
<br />
This really got me thinking. If I'm spending this much money on simply keeping myself healthily hydrated, how is the average teacher in Uganda able to keep a healthy diet? There is a BIG difference between filling one's belly and being properly nourished. <br />
<br />
In only the four days I've been conducting this experiment, I've caught myself cutting back on or skipping meals entirely in order to keep my daily expenses low. I'm discovering that it is exceptionally difficult, if not next to impossible, to eat adequately on the salary that the teachers are currently earning. <br />
<br />
So, it's been reported in the paper that <a href="http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=7&newsCategoryId=123&newsId=764225">"the government, beginning tomorrow, will use its head teachers to roll-call all its teacher"</a> and that absent teacher are to be punished. But who's going to roll-call the head teachers? From my own experience, I'd expect it to be more likely to not encounter a head teacher at school than there be absent teachers. I worked at a school where the deputy head teacher pretty much only showed up on the first day of school and never appeared again, yet he still drew his salary every month. There was another school I worked with where the head mistress missed 13 out of 20 school days, repeatedly. I won't deny absenteeism of teachers also being a problem. However, many times when I'd discover the whereabouts of teachers who was not at school, I'd find them digging in a garden. Hmmm... I wonder why?<br />
<br />
I must be honest and confess that I splurged tonight. My friend, Barbarah, is in town from Malawi. I've not seen her in over a year. Another friend from Uganda who lives in the US is also in town, so we all got together at Katja's Kitchen in Bugolobi. How could we not, right? Yeah, my budget for the next week is ruined. I spent 25,000 on my meal and drinks. Yikes!<br />
<br />
A summary of today's expenses:<br />
<br />
9,700 UGX for hydration<br />
1,000 UGX towards transportation<br />
25,000 UGX for dinner splurge<br />
6,300 UGX for milk and tomatoes<br />
<br />
Total: 42,000 UGX<br />
<br />
Remaining with 214,600 UGX<br />
<br />
Tip for those low on cash flow: stay away from restaurants of any form.Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-55945683113062613942011-09-03T13:59:00.000+03:002011-09-04T00:06:41.607+03:00Day Three, with Failure in Sight<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Day Three, with Failure in Sight</span></b></div>
<br />
Day three of my little experiment has left me less-than optimistic about it's outcome. I'm pretty sure I'm going to fail to get through this month on the 300,000 shilling budget I gave myself, and that might be a good thing. I'm thinking that might be what I intended to prove in the first place. <br />
<br />
While staying on a tight budget is proving to be very difficult to me, my determination has led me to be a bit more creative with my Saturday activities. Staying at home would be too simple, and, let's face it, dull. So free activities I found myself doing today:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>visiting <a href="http://www.afriartgallery.org/">Afriart Gallery</a> and drooling over new works of art by <a href="http://ronexarts.com/">Ronex</a>;</li>
<li>visiting <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002726882366&sk=wall">Ivuka Arts</a> and narrowing down my search for an <a href="http://signatureartuganda.com/anwar.php">Anwar</a> painting to three;</li>
<li>and a book orgy at Isha's.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Babs has arrived in KLA and is as gorgeous and fabulous as ever.<br />
<br />
A summary of today's expenses:<br />
<br />
5,000 UGX for beverages with a friend<br />
20,000 UGX towards tranportation<br />
<br />
Total: 25,000<br />
<br />
Remaining with 256,600 UGX<br />
<br />
I'm going to end this post with a clip from Maurice's show last night.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/emryK9_cz18" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
<br />
I'm afraid I'm gonna need an angel to carry me through the rest of this month.<br />
<br />
Tip for those low on cash flow: adopt the mantra, Free is for me!Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-31575122810089985092011-09-02T13:30:00.000+03:002011-09-03T09:05:11.460+03:00Maurice's Night<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Maurice's Night</span></b></div>
<br />
Completely spent and exhausted after only two full days with the kids back at school, I went home to catch a quick <i>disco</i> nap before the Maurice Kirya concert at the Serena Hotel tonight. (No, I've not fallen off the 300k wagon; I've had my ticket to the show for weeks now.) Over the years, I've seen Maurice perform several times and in various venues. Maurice is a gifted live performer; his talent and the energy from his shows has not yet been captured in his recorded music. His has always been a fantastic show to catch, and tonight was no exception. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://madandcrazy.blogspot.com/">madandcrazy</a> did a live blog of the build up to the show and then the show itself. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaErXduxly0z_tb94UPfe91pwikVhrrd-10jVWogl7KKMbVrfsHAEkdHutmGW87J3hOgETp4eQ68_QouQQ_bFUPbbUpXf3V26eaxAUTO6EutVDDlf8WOmHKNTCDXB8N0NN4VSK4w/s1600/kiryalive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaErXduxly0z_tb94UPfe91pwikVhrrd-10jVWogl7KKMbVrfsHAEkdHutmGW87J3hOgETp4eQ68_QouQQ_bFUPbbUpXf3V26eaxAUTO6EutVDDlf8WOmHKNTCDXB8N0NN4VSK4w/s400/kiryalive.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
If you were not one of the fortunate ones who attended the show last night, head on over to <a href="http://madandcrazy.blogspot.com/2011/09/maurice-kirya-in-concert-at-serena-live.html">madandcrazy for a periodic breakdown of the evening</a>.<br />
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At one point in the show, Maurice channelled Chris Kattan's SNL Antonio Banderas. <br />
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Yes, when the performance hall was boiling, Maurice threatened to unbutton his jacked... and. then. he. did. <i>Too sexy! Too sexy!</i></div>
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I've also got to mention that when the bodas came on stage during the performance of, you guessed it, <i>Boda Boda</i>, I was taken to the arrival of Maureen Johnson to the 11th street lot during a live performance of <i>Rent </i>(at 5:30 in this clip).</div>
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<i>The only thing to do is jump over the moon</i>.</div>
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In order to continue with my experiment, I skipped any and all after-partying and came home.</div>
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A summary of today's expenses:</div>
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3,000 UGX for lunch</div>
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6,000 UGX for beverage at venue</div>
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Total: 9,000</div>
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Remaining with 281,600 UGX</div>
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Tip for those low on cash flow: make friends who know people. </div>
Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-7632567049402090002011-09-01T23:59:00.000+03:002011-09-01T23:59:05.279+03:001st September<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">1st September</span></b></div>
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3,000 UGX for lunch<br />
4,000 UGX for transportation<br />
2,400 UGX for water and milk<br />
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Total: 9,400 for the day.<br />
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Remaining with 290,600 UGX<br />
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Tip for those low on cash flow: learn where the free stuff is. I spent the evening at an art exhibition where there was an open bar and finger foods came around quite regularly.Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-83019235810278342942011-08-31T21:36:00.002+03:002011-08-31T22:40:26.238+03:00300K Challenge<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:180%;">300K Challenge</span></b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>I can blame this wild hair on expressive and modern dance revolutionary, Isadora Duncan. She's the one who said, "What one has not experienced, one will never understand in print." Perhaps some of the blame goes to <a href="http://www.alternativebreaks2011.org/">Break Away</a>. If they would have left that damn Benjamin Franklin beer quote on the ABCs' t-shirts back in 2001, Isadora's quote might never have come to my mind. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Ok, so <a href="http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1228164/-/bjssbpz/-/index.html">the plight of Ugandan school teachers has been getting a lot of press lately</a>. With the soaring cost of living, they are finding it hard to live on the meagre monthly pittance they receive, some as low as 273,000 Uganda shillings (approximately $98 US). Being an educator myself, and having worked closely with primary schools in Uganda as a Peace Corps Volunteer (2002-2005), the cause of Uganda's school teachers is near and dear to my heart. Sadly, even as a Peace Corps Volunteer working in rural Hoima more than 9 years ago, I received about 100,000 shillings more per month than what teachers are earning today. Even more sadly, inflation in Uganda is a bit OOC these days and is currently around 21.4 percent. Ouch.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I left volunteer life over six years ago, got me a bit more education and experience and now have a pretty good position at an amazing international school in Kampala. I'm not going to specifically reveal my current income status, but I will indicate that it is well over 20 times that of a teacher in a government funded UPE school in Uganda.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>So here's the challenge: live on 300,000 Uganda shillings in Kampala during the month of September. Why? I want to better understand what I read about in the <a href="http://www.monitor.co.ug/">Monitor</a>, what the teachers are going through. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I'm not so naive that I believe it will be the same thing. There's no way. My rent (already paid through November) is more than triple the school teacher's monthly salary. I refuse to un-employ my housekeeper just because Isadora Duncan inspires an experiential learning experiment, and there is no way I could pay her on 300,000k if that's what I really earned, so her salary is not included in that. However, all utility bills, food, transportation and entertainment will be.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>My goal is to blog each day about my experience and give a breakdown of my expenses. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Are you ready?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I'm not sure if I am.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>First a month a fasting, now a month on 300k. October better be decadent. </div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-16294447374923752092011-08-30T19:36:00.005+03:002011-08-30T21:58:55.091+03:00The President of Ramadan?<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:180%;">The President of Ramadan?</span></b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>So Ramadan has ended, and many people in Kampala (and the world) celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr today. One of my favourite activities to observe on this day are the Muslim families dressed in their flowing clothes walking together to prayers in the morning. The colour scheme includes a lot of black and white, but it is mingled with rainbows of colour with sparkly sequins thrown in for good measure.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Apparently, <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/regular-fasting-may-boost-heart-health/">there are some significant health benefits to fasting</a>, so I decided to get in on the fasting action during Ramadan this year. Plus, I was curious and just wanted to share the experience with some of my Muslim friends and colleagues, to know what they physically go through during the 29-30 days of this month. I was raised Mormon, and my family fasted the first weekend of every month, so fasting was nothing unfamiliar to me. What was unfamiliar to me was fasting for multiple, consecutive days. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>Oh, and have I mentioned that I'm training for the Nairobi Marathon in October? Fasting. Long-distance running. Not a great combination. And I'm not the wisest person, so I put them together anyway. When a friend of a friend heard about what I was doing, he insisted that I <b>could not</b> (not <i>should not</i>, but <i>could not</i>) fast and keep training. On that particular day, I was feeling very <i>Will & Grace</i>-ish and I asked, "Who made Ali the President of Ramadan?"</div><div>
<br /></div><div>My level of maturity astounds me sometimes.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Over the past month, I became obsessed with two activities: fasting and running. What was originally intended to be a one-day experiment turned into 20 days of the 29. I know, crazy, right?</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Luckily, for most of Ramadan, I was on holiday from work, so I could spend many hours lying on a bed, watching dvds. But all convenient things come to an end, and returning to work was a true test of my stubbornness, or will power; call it what you like. I honestly do not know where the energy came from. Obviously not from glucose.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Well, today marked the end of Ramadan and the beginning of a new month. Families went together and prayed. I went to a coffee shop and had a hamburger. Ok, later I was invited to a Muslim friend's home for 'pilawo'. I truly felt honoured as this was the first time I'd ever been invited to share in Eid-ul-Fitr festivities. One of my favourite parts of sharing food on the rooftop deck of his house: seeing the neighbour's cows eating out of an old bathtub.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsw3CaMZxdnQasb6aCWi5w2o7LQS4BJfeM2hJrx-9DE9qI5eqdI_q7QQLT7eLuAx_Onh_e-_f_2EjmvJtTL2W-oHJLD_P6mtMbWUn6lk2uQ7GAsD_J0fvuLNnTtuNusfyIkhPJw/s400/IMG_4406.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646720982479237922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;">
<br /></span></div><div>I think my heart's more likely to benefit from my regular running than from my sporadic fasting, but my time fasting (and being tired and a bit weak) did give me time to reflect on many areas of my life (some I'd intentional avoided reflecting upon in the past) and to also appreciate how fortunate I am to be able <b>to make the choice</b> to not eat a meal or two. I was hoping to be humbled and shed a bit of pride. Maybe I did, but I still find myself too easily provoked and ready to quarrel with security guards that want to scan me with a metal detector wand even when I'm in my skimpy running clothes. Where the hell am I gonna hide anything?</div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-82386567940844977382011-08-25T23:14:00.004+03:002011-08-25T23:55:22.586+03:00Stimulation<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:180%;">Stimulation</span></b></div><div>
<br /></div><div>I recently finished reading <i>The Girl Who Played With Fire</i> by Stieg Larsson.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I'll make my review in four words.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Best. Coffee. Advert. Ever.</div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuhyphenhyphen-zoCD_GFxzhTDRcbE0Cd6JltVPnbOz0D2bvyw4SkXQC-7UPpS9gyZz3vzrPntxP8KaPdPR8I07t450bRdOElYT57_a7DxMz6k98qWK_3Nj1Jj7pedvL8Uj3-pFg9tgMQ8GA/s400/Love+of+Latte.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644899226953931698" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 162px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">
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<br /></div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31199618.post-12675457078581843942011-08-17T17:07:00.003+03:002011-08-17T17:56:52.053+03:00...but not as sweet as<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:180%;">...but not as sweet as</span></b></div>
<br />Long before the Orlando set of <i>The All New Mickey Mouse Club </i>was graced by the divine presence of Ms. Britney Spears, there were DeeDee, Tiffini, Chase, Damon and Albert, who later evolved into The Party--Hollywood Records' premiere recording act. One of the singles (I think the third) from their debut album, <i>The Party</i>, was <i>Sugar Is Sweet</i>, as ballad as sugary sweet as its title suggests.<div>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KCSwBHfz7b4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
<br />The song compares the sweetness of sugar to the sweetness of honey, but we all know that pound for pound, honey is sweeter, literally and figuratively. Consider, when sugar cane is processed to produce sugar,
<br />
<br /><a href="http://www.honey-health.com/honey-8.shtml"><blockquote>"the organic acids, protein, nitrogen elements, fats, enzymes and vitamins are extracted or destroyed; on the other hand, hydrochloric, phosphoric and sulphuric acids, lime and other foreign substances are added. While honey is Nature's own sweet, untouched by human art, sugar is a concentrated, denatured and polluted substitute, a produce, as a rule, of sugar-cane, robbed by superheating of most of its natural and valuable constituents. Honey and other simple or natural sugars, like that in dates, figs, raisins, etc., are live physiological sugars which contain the germs of life, while industrial sugars are anti-physiological, dead or, as a matter of fact, murdered sweets."</blockquote></a>
<br />It's a mistake to lump sugar into the category of "food" because it has no nutritive value. In fact, the current misuse (shall I say abuse?) of sugar can be referred to as <b>a modern nutritional disaster</b>. While one might feel disappointed to not be able to plunk 4 spoons of sugar in his/her cup of tea, or a parent may whine and complain that his/her child will not drink milk or <i>whatever</i> without added sugar (I worked with a woman whose child refused to drink water!!! unless it was laced with juice or some sweetener), it is absolutely not necessary for one's survival. The reality is that too much sugar can make one's life a bit less pleasant. Diabetes, anyone?
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<br />I mention honey because it is a realistic substitute for sugar. <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2499465.stm">Bee keeping has been practised in Uganda for over 200 years</a>, and some pretty fantastic honey is produced; my favourite is from Kisoro. Not only does it have a higher nutritive value and anti-microbial qualities than sugar, frankly, it tastes better in a cup of tea. In addition to honey, Uganda is blessed with so many natural sugar alternatives, that lowering the cost of table sugar should not be enough motive to destroy old-growth forest.
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<br />As B put it yesterday:
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<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">"Cheaper sugar or save Mabira Forest? Let's save Mabira Forest!"</span></div>
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<br />Oh, and by the way, not only did The Party's DeeDee make an amazing Nessa in <span style="font-style:italic;">Wicked</span>,
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<br />she clock quite a few performances (to put it modestly) as Kim in <span style="font-style:italic;">Miss Saigon</span>.</div>Timothyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09629500382319217989noreply@blogger.com0