It’s about

DAMN

TIME!


How does being happy contribute to looking good?
I just think happiness is what makes you pretty. Period. Happy people are beautiful. They become like a mirror and they reflect that happiness. If somebody walks in the room and they're drop-dead gorgeous and sexy, it's really fun to look at. But if someone is giving of their spirit and they make you laugh and feel good, that's a whole other level of beauty.

Any beauty rules for dating?
The only fundamental rule for me is to just be yourself. Let your freak-flag fly, and if someone doesn't get you, move on.

Okaaay!

Tickets!

Tickets!

Right this way!

Name a movie that you have seen more than 10 times. The first movie that I can say that I definitely saw more than 10 times is The Wizard of Oz. I used to come home everyday after school and watch it. This was in 1991, so I was, like, 15. I lost interest when Kim Davis, future homecoming queen, included “collecting Wizard of Oz memorabilia” in her list of hobbies. For some reason, I really didn’t like her much; Oz lost it’s appea. Those fickle teenagers! Other 10 timers include: Little Shop of Horrors and Breakin’.

Name a movie that you've seen multiple times in the theater. It is rare for me to do this. The last one I can remember is Moulin Rouge I loved it so much when it came out, that I wanted all my friends and family to see it
.
Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a movie. Drew Barrymore.

Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a movie. It’s a tie between John Travolta and Tom Cruise.

Name a movie that you can and do quotes from. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. My sister used to have the entire film memorized.

Name a movie musical that you know all of the lyrics to all of the songs. All the lyrics? Hmm… Little Shop of Horrors, Rent, Reefer Madness. I love movie musicals! I wish I could live in one.

Name a movie that you have been known to sing along with. Rent. Ok, this one was made for television: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Once More With Feeling. I know it’s annoying, but I cannot help myself.

Name a movie that you would recommend everyone to see. I think Whale Rider is fantastic.

Name a movie that you own. Spice World

Name an actor that launched his/her entertainment career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops. Mandy Moore. She surprised me in A Walk to Remember, was fantastic in Saved, and I loved her recently in Because I Said So.

Have you ever seen a movie in a drive-in? If so, what? I remember seeing two films at a drive-in: Clash of the Titans and First Blood. I know I saw others, like some early 80s Clint Eastwood film, but I don’t remember their names.

Ever made out in a movie? Sadly, no. However, it’s on my ‘to do’ list.

Name a movie that you keep meaning to see but just haven’t yet gotten around to it. Psycho.

Ever walked out of a movie? No, but I intentionally fell asleep during American Pie II. I really didn’t want to be there. I went with a friend while on a visit to Miami. I hated it, but couldn’t leave her behind since I was staying at her place.

Name a movie that made you cry in the theater. Crying in movies is easier for me to do than crying at funerals. Strange, huh? Big Fish had me bawling.

What’s the last movie you saw in the theater? Dream Girls. Loved it! Loved Jennifer Hudson!!!

What’s your favorite/preferred genre of movie? I love musicals if they are done well.

What’s the first movie you remember seeing in the theater? It was eitherE.T. or Empire Strikes Back. I think.

What movie do you wish you had never seen? All of the Faces of Death. I made some stupid choices as a teen.

What is the weirdest movie you enjoyed? Donnie Darko. Still not sure if I get it.

What is the scariest movie you've seen? Jaws. I can’t ever be completely comfortable while at the beach. It’s a shame.

What is the funniest movie you've seen? This is the most difficult question for me. The most fun I’ve ever had in a theater while watching a film was at a showing of Drop Dead Gorgeous. I laughed so much I almost peed my pants. I’ve never sat in a theater where an audience laughed and enjoyed itself so much.

But I turned

around…

Amazingly, I'm still on my fitness kick. I've kept up a fairly regular running routine for the past few months. I'm averaging 10K a day, taking one or two days off a week. I miss it when I cannot run. Maybe I am finally getting addicted to something. Today was suppose to be an off, but I've been convinced by my friend, Kat, to go for a short run this afternoon.

After he who will not be named walked off with my previous iPod Shuffle, the music player I loved because I could plug it directly into a USB port, I placed an order for one of the new ones. My friend Kristina brought it to Uganda for me a couple of months ago. It's orange, and engraved on the back is one of my favorite quotes (by the way if from the film Flashdance): If you give up your dream, you die. It's from one of the many melodramatic moments in the movie; nevertheless, it motivates me. Keepin' it real. While I was out for a run the other day, Deborah Cox's amazing hit from 1998, Nobody's Suppose to Be Here(remix) came on. The original song spent fourteen weeks at #1 on the top R&B 100 charts for the USA, as well as eight consecutive weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. I loved it, and the remix is one of the best dance songs to come out, ever. I love Deb's, "No, no, na, no, nobody's," towards the end of the song. If you do not own a version of this song or, even worse, have never heard it, go to iTunes or somewhere and download it today, you won't regret it. Everytime I hear this song, I see images of warm up for Women's basketball games at FSU. Good times.


I've playfully called 2007 the year for no love for me. Maybe I should also give it the moniker: The year I get my body ready for givin' some good, good lovin'. Physically, I feel so good. It is emotionally that I sometimes feel unhealthy and wonder if I should seek some kind of treatment.

I placed my heart under lock and key
to take some time and take care of me.

Not disappointed

I went to see Dream Girls last week (I orginally wrote, "yesterday", but I've not had internet access in a while.) at the Cineplex (Yes, it just got here.), and I must admit that I’ve jumped on the Jennifer Hudson bandwagon. Wow! What a performance! The girl can sing. Not only that: she can act. I was touched by her portrayal of Effie. She made me laugh; she made me cry; she made me want to jump up and cheer. Then, she made me want to do it all over again. I guess one of the few things Jennifer does not do well is move gracefully. Maybe she was acting, and it was her character, but during the performance sequences, she stomped around and it looked to me like she was about to fall of her heels.

I was only moderately interested in seeing this film based on the 1981 Broadway musical which is inspired by the story of the Supremes and other legends of R&B until the buzz about Hudson’s performance, and then I read that she was an American Idol reject. (God help the outcasts.) I had to see the film after that. Besides, not too many good films make it to Kampala. Not too many films make it to Kampala (period). For the longest time there were only two screens. Now there are four!

I went to the 11:00am show of Dream Girls and had a private screening. For some reason, I thought there was someone else in the theater with me with whom I was sharing the experience. I knew that after the show we’d turn to each other, look into each other’s eyes, give a knowing smile, and we’d just get it. When the lights came on, I was alone in the theater.

I’ll be dreamin’


Why isn’t V in any films lately?
I really used to love her.

Best news this

year:


My digital camera

is not dead!

Question:
How long does it take for a digital camera that was left to soak in a tub of soapy water for the duration of an episode of Will & Grace to dry out and function like a digital camera that was never left to soak in a tub of soapy water for the duration of an episode of Will & Grace?

Answer:
18 day, apparently.

After two and a half weeks, I guess the interior of the camera finally dried out completely, and the circuits were not fried. The camera began to function and take photos about a week ago, but the screen in back did not work. I could still used to regular view-finder to take snapshots, but I never knew what the camera was set on, and I was unable to make any adjustments; the screen was necessary for that. On Tuesday, during a three-day field trip with my kids, the screen just decided to come on, and it has been on ever since. Two and a half weeks after putting the camera in the laundry, it is working as well as ever. I can vouch for Canon: They make a durable camera. Maybe I should send them a letter detailing my experience.


On the final night of the field trip, about $200 dollars was stolen from our trip money (possibly the security guard, cooking or cleaning staff) while we slept. Otherwise, we had an amazing time at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. Luckily, we’d already paid for everything we needed: food, accommodation, transportation and fees. Unfortunately, the remaining money was going to be left as a donation to the Centre to assist with the care of the abducted, harmed, abandoned or orphaned animals.


I think I previously blogged about developing a fear of heights. I was never afraid of going higher in my younger years, but now going up makes me quite uneasy and nauseated. I’ve always been pretty good at facing my fears and not letting them control me and keep me from doing things that I really want to do. At Zika Forest, along Entebbe Road, there is a tower that visitors can climb to get a view above the canopy of trees. I HAD TO GO UP IT. I just had to. I trembled ands sweat my way up the rungs of the steel ladder to the top platform of the tower. My friend, Kat, instructed as I went up, “Always make sure that you always have three parts of your body in contact with the ladder: two hands, one foot; or two feet, one hand.” I felt so weak when I got to the top, and the sway of the tower did not make me feel any more comfortable. I never stood on the top platform; sitting was good enough for me. The important thing was that I made to the top. The view from the top was spectacular!





triumph

On a Clear Day…
As promised, I have the makings of an amazing blog posting from my trip to Hoima a week and a half ago. Hoima is a district in Western Uganda; it borders on Lake Albert and the Democratic Republic of Congo on the west. From the cliffs at the lake shore, you can see across to the Blue Mountains of Congo on a clear day: breathtaking. On a hazy day, you see haze. I did not make it to the lake during my visit, so I’m not sure why I’m taking about it. I went to visit the village I called home for three year, Bulindi. I wrote about most of my weekend adventure in a previous post, and I do not want to be redundant, so most of this post will be the photos I took during my journey. (In the Disaster Strikes Back post, I described my digital camera ordeal. No, it is still not working. I was, however, able to salvage the photos saved on the disk.)


Cooking with kerosene is something that I do not miss. Carrying the gas can to the petrol station was SO much fun, as was the the stench of the fluid you had to carry with you on your journey back to the village.


I enjoy cooking, and I got pretty good at making tasty food with next to nothing. In the dry season, the only vegetables that can be found in the village (and then if you are lucky) are tomatoes and onions. Man, I love rain.


Can you see my two little visitors peering through the window?


Bujumbura Catholic Cathedral.


Innocent and I, could we be any happier? He's such a good kid. See his Puerto Rico shirt. Melissa and I tried to turn him into are real Boriqua. Like I know anything about that. But the shirt looked nice.


In Hoima, just outside of town, travelling a dusty road on a motorbike. In Peace Corps, there were not allowed. In fact, I hear that one of the current volunteers is about to be or was just sent home for being spotted on the back of a motorcycle when visiting Kampala. Boda-bodas (as they are called locally) can be very convenient, but they multiply the traffic problem in the city, and drivers are too wreckless making them a dangerous option. You can see my green shirt in the mirror's reflection in the bottom of the photo. Yes, I'm daring.

Being in the village is not excuse for neglecting personal hygiene.


A common mode of transportation upcountry.


On the road again. This was my machine for three year. Not this exact one, but one like it. The Hero bike is H-E-A-V-Y and a piece of crap until you replace all the orginal pieces with spares, then it becomes and indestructable machine that can carry unimaginable loads: firewood, car batteries, goats, pigs. I made a wind chime from the old parts of my Hero. 30-60km per day on one of these beasts gives one really great legs.


Sittin' on top of the world. We used to joke about phone reception in the village and say that the only place to get network was standing on top of a termite mound with your arms extended. Sadly, that is not far from the truth. In one location, a clever entrepreneur built a high stand (almost like a deer stand) and charged a fee for you to climb it to use your phone. It was the only place to receive a bar of network, so he came out a winner.

A simple kind of life.

No Caterpillars

ALLOWED

in the Swimming

Pool



Yesterday was a great day. I spent the entire morning cleaning house and washing bedsheets and clothes. To you, that might not sound like much, but I think it's swell. I love walking barefoot on a freshly mopped floor and the clean scent of bedsheets that have dried in the sun. Cleaning house always brings me joy. Maybe it is quickly visible results of my efforts that bring great satisfaction, and reducing the clutter around seems to exponentially reduce my stress.

After a quick lunch, I called up two of my closest friends for an afternoon at the swimming pool. (Did I mention I'm on a health kick these day? Inspired by Fergie: I be up in the gym just workin' on my fitness. I, too, ain't sleazy.) It was perfect pool weather: hot sun and blue skies. There was a new pool on the other side of town that I was convinced I needed to check out, and by the time we arrived there, our group had grown from three to five members. The place was packed with families. This squashed my hope of swimming laps, but it was a great time, nonetheless. It was beautiful to be at the pool on such a beautiful day with all the beautiful families and friends having a lovely time. I felt a happy energy I have not felt in a while.

I was so great being at the pool with good fiends. Ugandans, like most people anywhere that swim, are much less modest when swimming, and the suits that most people were wearing exposed A LOT; there was very little left over for the imagination. One guy could've left his tight, little Speedo at home. I think it was two sizes too small, and everything was hanging out throughout the afternoon. He'd pull up the back to cover his ass, and the front would come down to expose his prize. Then he'd pull up the front only to show his crack. One of my friends was wearing a little spandex number, and when it was wet, it really hugged and prominently displayed what he had to offer. Another friend commented on this. Apparently one of the soft words used is Uganda to talk about the penis is caterpillar because that is what he called it in their local language. I did not understand it, so it had to be translated for me. He jokingly said to our well-endowed friend that caterpillars were not allowed in the pool. The pool attendants might come and ask us to leave; other swimmers might get scared.

We left the pool sometime after 6:00pm, went to a friend's house and watched Steel Magnolias. I've been quoting Oiuser a lot lately: I've been a bad mood for 40 years. The power went out when we were about to find out that Shelby had been drivin' nails in her arm. Uganda: gotta love it!



Good times with good friends are what weekends are all about. We pledged to make pool visits together a regular weekend occurrence. I know how well my pledges for regularity normally work out, but I'm hoping for a change.

Hot fun in the summertime!

Disaster
Strikes Back
I have a great blog entry in the making. I traveled to Hoima over the weekend with my friend, Tinka. When I was a Peace Corps Volunteer, I worked in Hoima for three years, and I never went out in the town; I lived in the village (Bulindi). This past Friday night was spent out on the town, and I saw a whole new world. After a surprisingly exciting night, Saturday was tranquilly spent in the village, and it was amazing. I left Bulindi about two years ago. I was surprised to have very young children come up to me and greet me by name. Some of my young friends were disappointed to learn that I'd not come back to stay. Village hospitality is very generous, and I ended up with more food than I could handle of Saturday: fresh peas, bananas, peanut paste and pineapples. I'm still a known figure within the tranportation circuit, and my clout got my friends and I seats on an overpacked vehicle. One guy even lost his spot to us. I felt bad for almost a second, but then I was just happy to be on my way back to town. I have a hard-earned reputation in that area. I worked my ass off with that community, and my efforts appear to be well appreciated. I also tried very hard to be respectful and appreciative of all. Hint: If you ever plan to live in rural Uganda, establish a respectful relationship with the taxi conductors and drivers. A friendly relationship has its benefits. You cannot trust them (they'll cheat you in a heartbeat), but establishing a mutual respect will definitely come in handy.

It's the dry season in Western Uganda, so dust was in the air. I came back to Kampala somewhat orange. My computer bag was quite dirty, so I decided to wash it immediatly after returning home. I removed all of the contents and left them on my coffee table, and I put the bag in the wash basin to soak. I settled down with my laptop and an episode of Will & Grace. I was feeling a little antsy and decide to make better use of my time by putting all the phots from my journey on my computer. I paused the show and went to get my camera and cables from the sitting room. I could not find my camera. F*CK! I forgot to remove it from the side pocket of my bag (sound familiar?), and it was soaking in the wash basin. Quickly, I fished it out and removed the battery, and it is laying out drying. My hope is that if I let it dry out completely, it will work when I switch it on again. My fear is that I've just ruined my digital camera and will not be able to afford another one for quite a while.

To make my post more interesting today, I answered a few questions to make a personality profile. I found it on Nicole's blog. I find it interesting how much can be learned about someone just by having him answer a few questions. Overall, I think the profile is accurate. So for those who are interested in getting to know me a little better (or think you already have a good idea of who I am) read on.

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have medium extroversion. You're not the life of the party, but you do show up for the party. Sometimes you are full of energy and open to new social experiences. But you also need to hibernate and enjoy your "down time." Conscientiousness: You have high conscientiousness. Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life. Most things in your life are organized and planned well. But you borderline on being a total perfectionist. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have medium neuroticism. You're generally cool and collected, but sometimes you do panic. Little worries or problems can consume you, draining your energy. Your life is pretty smooth, but there's a few emotional bumps you'd like to get rid of. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is high. In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas. You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits. A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The Five Factor Personality Test

So, I’m writing this entry form a room in a residence hall at Makerere Univeristy, Uganda’s largest and most well-know institute of higher education. It’s 9:00pm. I should be home by now, but it’s raining and really cold out. Yes, it is cold out.

I was supposed to meet one of the kids I sponsor for secondary school and discuss his educational future. Secondary education is not free in Uganda. Access to quality education is not easy in Uganda, but it is especially complicated when you are from a rural village, your relatives are poor, and you are an orphan. I’ve been assisting Geoffrey for over four years now. He just completed his ‘O’ level, and he wants to continue with his ‘A’ level. As I was saying, I was supposed to meet him in town, near the university campus, but he did not show up, and I could not reach him by phone.

When my meeting did not take place, I called my friend, Tinka, and he took me over to the university campus where they are having some kind of bazaar. I’ve been on the Makerere campus a few times, but never at night and never to a student function. I was pleasantly surprised at how much it resembled any student function on every other university campuse I’ve visited. Of course, there were Ugandan twists (stands with roasted goat’s meat and others selling hair extensions), but it was like I’d walked back into my days at the university. I LOVE UNIVERSITY LIFE. I look forward to being a student again just to be on a campus and feel the energy that thrives in such an environment. When will that day be? Who knows?

Who knows?

So I'm a part of a running club that meets every Monday evening at 6:00pm for a run and dinner afterwards, the Kampala Hash House Harriers. They call themselves a "drinking club with a running problem." Going out on the hash is something I look forward to every week. There is no specific location for a run, the starting point changes each week, and I get to see parts of Kampala that I would probably never venture into otherwise. Some weeks we jog through the most elite areas with high walls and uninviting gates. Other weeks we are making paths through the slums, dodging small children and women cooking on their charcoal stoves. It's good fun, and we provide free entertainment for the local residents who often get a kick out of seeing a group of people running through their neighborhoods. Some of the hash locations are a little bit off the beaten track, and finding the venue is half of the fun.

I've been doing the runs since September of 2006. My friend and co-teacher, Kat, introduced me to the group, and I'm so glad she did. It has been an excellent way for me to meet new people in a new city. I've also gotten myself back into shape and shed at least 10 pounds since I came back to Uganda.

I actually look forward to Mondays.

On! On!

THE BOOK MEME!
1. Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror? I cannot say I’m into any of these genres. I especially hate when sci-fi and fantasy are woven together like Terry Brooks’ books.
2. Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback? I like ‘em all. I’m in a hardback phase right now. I have to get all my favorite books in hardback. If a book is just fluff and read for leisure, then paperback is my preference.
3. Amazon or Brick and Mortar? I visit Amazon.com at least once daily.
4. Barnes & Noble or Borders? None of them in my part of the world. Kampala has a GREAT bookstore, Aristoc. You can find me there on any given Saturday.
5. Hitchhiker or Discworld? Never read either. Don’t be disappointed.
6. Bookmark or Dogear? Dogears belong on dogs, not on books. If you want to end a friendship, bend a page in a book you borrow from me.
7. Magazine: Asimov’s Science Fiction or Fantasy & Science Fiction? I will probably never read any of these publications.
8. Alphabetize by author, Alphabetize by title, or random? I really do this. I’ve separated all of my fiction and non-fiction books, and they are alphabetized by author and then by title.
9. Keep, Throw Away or Sell? I keep most of the books I read. However, a good book must be shared. I lend out and give away.
10. Keep dust-jacket or toss it? Toss out a dust jacket? Never.
11. Read with dustjacket or remove it? If I’m taking a book to read at the beach, the dustjacket will be removed. Otherwise, it usually stays on.
12. Short story or novel? Novels. I find it hard to get into short stories. An exception is David Sedaris. I love his books.
13. Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket? I love Harry Potter. I’ve read at least four of the Lemony Snicket books, and I plan to finish the series, but they are not as interesting to me. I had a very difficult time getting through A Bad Beginning. I did not like the writer’s style.
14. Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks? I usually try to make it to the end of a chapter, but that is not always possible. Sometimes sleep wins.
15. "It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time?" Once upon a time… At this point a fairy tale is just what I need.
16. Buy or Borrow? The library I have access to is very limited, exclusively children’s books. If I want something more mature, I must by it.
17. Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse? I usually go on recommendations. However, I pick up quite a few just from browsing at the bookstore or online. I read book reviews and always read about I book that I tell myself I must buy, but I never do.
18. Lewis or Tolkien? Is there any comparison? Tolkein’s books are superior. However, neither author writes in a genre that I prefer, so I’ve not read much of either of them. I read all of the Chronicles of Narnia. (I’ve taught The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.) I’ve also read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy a couple of times. I tried to read the Chronicles of Narnia again, but Lewis’s writing style frustrates me. I just cannot force myself to read his books.
19. Collection (short stories by the same author) or Anthology (short stories by different authors)? Collection. I mentioned Sedaris earlier.
20. Tidy ending or Cliffhanger? I like things to get wrapped up neatly; however, a good Cliffhanger can keep a conversation going until the next installment.
21. Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading? I’m more of a nighttime reader. Of course, I read at other times of the day if I’m able or the mood hits me, but I usually take a book down to the local coffee shop and relax in the evenings (especially when the power is off in my neighborhood.)
22. Standalone or Series? Is the series good? If the series tends to drag on, I’ll get bored and stop.
23. New or used? I like new books. Hate bent spines.
24. Favorite book of which nobody else has heard? The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. I discovered it at Aristoc last year. I really loved it.
25. Top 5 favorite genre books of all time? I’m not sure what is meant by genre book, so I’ll list my top 5 books of all time.
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban by J.K. Rowling
• The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alexy Haley
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
26. Favorite genre series? I cannot think of a series that I would say is my favorite. I mentioned before that I love Harry Potter. It is one of the few series that I’ve read all the books (so far).
27. Currently Reading? Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer.

Old romance

is just an old illusion.

Too bad I can’t just chop it up and feed it to a man-eating plant from outer space that I keep in the basement. That would be too easy. Who wouldn’t want one? They’d be ‘bigger than hula hoops’.


The guy sure looks like plant food to me!

The guy sure looks like plant food to me!

The guy sure looks like plant food to me!

A-B-Cs

of Me

A- Available or Single? Oh, so sadly so.
B- Best Friend? In theory or for reals? I’m working on it. Trust issues. I hate being ditched when the weather is no longer fair.
C- Cake or Pie? I like cake.
D- Drink of Choice? Water. Nice and cold.
E- Essential Item? Toothbrush. They don’t call me ‘yuck mouth’ for a reason.
F- Favorite Color? Green.
G- Gummi Bears or Worms? Not a bit Gummi fan; however, I prefer bears.
H- Hometown? White City, FL: as sad as it is.
I- Indulgence? Chips (French Fries).
J- January or February? January. It’s all about new beginnings and not train-wreck love affairs. Two of the greatest women living were born in January: my grandmothers, Tressie and Inez. Love ‘em. I was also born on the 4th.
K- Kids and Names? GOOD LORD!
L- Life is incomplete without…? Me.
M- Marriage Date? Are you kidding me? If it existed, my mother would be sooooooo happy.
N- Number of Siblings? Five.
O- Oranges or Apples? Apples, definitely. Oranges are too much work. I don’t like eating around seeds.
P- Phobias/Fears? Spiders. I think I’m afraid heights. Me. Of all people. Why?
Q- Favorite Quote? “If you give up your dream, you die” from Flashdance.
R- Reasons to smile? A witty remark from a good friend.
S- Season? Summer. I, like some, like it H-O-T.
T- Tag 3 people? I don't tag. It’s so annoying.
U- Unknown Fact About Me? I working on making myself more of a mystery. Intrigue will hopefully make me more attractive to that special someone. This means I am trying to withhold unknown facts about me. You’ll have to get to know me well to discover them.
V- Vegetable You Hate? Brussel Sprouts.
W- Worst Habit? Chewing my nails. I getting better at avoiding fingers to mouth. Tired of parasites.
X- Xrays You’ve Had? Other than teeth x-rays? I can only think of my wrist and arm.
Y- Your Favorite Foods? I love eggplants. I love good food. For this reason, I end up cooking a lot. I only eat out when I cannot prepare a certain dish so well or it is just too much trouble to prepare.
Z- Zodiac? Capricorn.

Good

in the

sack.



It had been so long since I'd done it that I almost didn't remember what to do. Luckily, it's like riding a bicycle, and once I got started, the technique came back to me, I gained momentum and finished quite well--not as quickly as I thought I would.

1986

5th grade was so simple. Bon Jovi played our anthems. We did not get the meanings exactly, but just knowing the words to the songs improved our social ranking.

1986 was the year I first developed my crush on Erin. My heart was broken; she fell for my brother, then my brother's friend. Erin and I remained good friends throughout our teens.

Twenty-one years later: My heart has once again been broken, and I'm trying to move on. There is a new crush. I hope this one is as much fun as 1986. I feel like a 10-year-old boy again.

Where's Erin?
I'd love to chat

Did I

mention

that the 4th

January


was my

birthday?

Day
of the
Dead


Ok, this is the abridged version of my entry. There once existed a clever and witty version, but it was deleted by someone fooling around with my computer. I don’t remember all that I wrote, nor do I have the energy to go through all that I’d expressed before. I got it out one. It’s out; it’s gone.

I got an email from Nicole not too long ago (however, it has been a while because Nicole has been absent from the net for quite some time) requesting that I post more photos of Uganda and (get this) of me. Well, let’s do this!




I took a day trip last week and went to Kasubi Tombs—former palace, now final resting place for four of the Buganda Kingdom’s past bakabaka (kings). I’d been meaning to get by there for years, but I never got around to it.

It’s quite an interesting place. The tour was not perfect; my tour guide had an aversion to answering questions and a few references to You whites and You people were made. The structure of the building itself is interesting. The brochure referred to it as “a masterpiece of human creativity”. I don’t know if I’d go that far. (Have me over for dinner one evening, and we’ll have a discussion on creativity in Uganda.) It’s practical and not unlike most structures built in Uganda at that time. What is unique is that it has been so well maintained over the years. Go to the tombs in Hoima if you want to see what I’m talking about.



I took my friend Charles to the tombs with me. He’s a Muganda and has lived in Kampala for most of his life, but he’d never visited Kasubi before. I got a kick out of our brilliant tour guide talking to and treating Charles as if he were a foreign tourist.



Is this burning an enternal flame? Why yes, yes it is. The Baganda keep a fire burning as long as the present kabaka is living. When he dies, the flame will be extinguished and a new flame will be lit when a new king ascends the throne.

When we go back to town, we went to lunch at a Lebanese restaurant called, of all things, Cowboys’. It used to be Al Tarboush, but I guess the new owners wanted to go with a more Western-sounding name. You can’t get more western than Cowboys’. The new menu also had some interesting items listed:


Ok, so it’s just a typo, but the Hommos + meat... Well I'm just saying... Depending on your taste... Like it or not, in another place, one might have other expectations than chickpeas and lamb.

And seated just outside the restaurant, directly in front of my table as I’m enjoying my abundant meal is a harsh reminder of reality.



Hummus

Hoummos

Homous

(Take your pick)



+ me(at)

Addiction.


Nothing about my lifestyle indicates an addictive personality. I’m never interested in anything long enough to let it consume me or interfere with normal goings-on in my life—whatever they might be. I’ve attempted to pick up some new habits like sudoku, early morning jogs and weekly self-inflicted manis and pedis. I’m good for a while, but the new ideas soon fall by the wayside. I cannot stick to one genre of literature, there is no particular type of food that I will claim to “love” without crossing my fingers behind my back and there is no form of entertainment that I cannot live without. However, addiction terrifies me. (I think) I have an irrational fear of becoming addicted to something, so sub-consciously I do not allow myself to get too attached to anything like Diet Coke, a particular body lotion, tandoori chicken (which I’ve been out to eat three times in the last week), or that dynamite person who deserves more.

Despite the status quo, I’m still afraid of getting hooked.


junk

Let me take a moment and recommend Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars. I loved this book. From page one, I had to find what was going to happen next. It is a retelling of the story of Alice in Wonderland, her true story. I’d been eying it for a while at Aristoc’s bookstore, but I finally took the plunge. It is not the type of book that I would normally choose, but, as you know from the above entry, I do not stick to one genre of books. It is in the same vein as Wicked by Gregory McGuire, but not targeted so much for an adult audience. (As a matter of fact, I went out and bought a copy of Wicked after finishing The Looking Glass Wars. I read it a few years ago, but LGW sparked my interest again.) I loved Frank Beddor’s book so much that I ordered three more copies of it from Amazon.com and sent them a Christmas gifts.

Thanks to Pink is the New Blog I picked up a copy of Eragon recently. The film was about to arrive in Kampala, so I decided to read it before going to the movie. Again, fantasy is a genre that I am reluctant of pick up. A friend recommended Terry Brooks to me once, I read a couple of his books and really did not care to read anymore. I’ll admit to liking The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but I’ve not read any others by Tolkien. Overall, I enjoyed Eragon; I mailed a copy of it to my brother in Florida who is a huge fantasy fan. I will probably end up getting Eldest,the second book in the trilogy, as well. However, I must say that the book annoyed me in many ways. I did not like the relationships between the characters. They griped at each other too much and too easily. The relationship between boy and dragon was also disturbing. Eragon telling Saphira, the dragon, that he loved her was just weird to me.

I went to see the film version yesterday. It has an amazing cast: John Malkovich, Rachel Weisz, Jeremy Irons and Djimon Hounsou. That was all that was amazing about the film. It jumped way too much and left too many gaps. Will there be a sequel? I have no idea how well this film did in the states.

At present, I have a thing for Sex and the City. I could not get into it when it was such a popular his for HBO. I just bought the first season on dvd, and I’m reading Candice Bushnell’s book. What does that say about me?



Blue.

Veronica Mars:

Keeping it Real

So the first half of the third season of Veronica Mars is over and, thanks to file sharing, I’ve been able enjoy the investigations our young sleuth here, in Uganda. To allay my sense of piracy guilt, I’ve put in an order for the first season of V on dvd, totally legit; people are getting paid. (Speaking of the fist season of Veronica Mars, I found a video store in downtown Kampala that actually has the entire first and second seasons of Veronica Mars on dvd for rent. I feel a New Year’s marathon blowin’ in the wind. After my catastrophic Christmas, I’m apprehensive. I know it sounds like a lame idea, but maybe ringin’ in the new year alone would be the wisest decision for me to make. But do I really possess that much wisdom?)

The rapist was revealed, but the first half of season three ended with several questions:

• Are Veronica and Logan dunzo?

• Will Wallace pass his engineering class?

• Who shot the dean?


Season three captivated my attention and left me with lingering questions throughout:

• When does Veronica find the time to put all those curls in her hair?

• Where did Parker get her wig? It looks just like real hair;

• When VM moved to The CW, did they get a larger production budget so they are now able to pay closer attention to details and have the make-up team working overtime extending the actors’ adolescence? There have been some major acne breakouts this season.


I’m really feeling Logan. I also suffered from body acne during my 20’s. Those on the back can be quite uncomfortable.


Ely’s pimples are a bit over done. They almost look like hives. Poor guy.

Flawless!

Christmas

in the KLA


It’s the 26th December, the day after Christmas, Boxing Day, a time to reflect on what the heck went on over the past few days. Well, I was in bed by 10:45 last night watching the Dixie Chick’s dvd Top of the World Tour: Live I borrowed from a friend yesterday. Last night was supposed to be a fun night out with friends, and it began that way, but it evolved into me being in a very bad mood (pissed off, if you will) and home alone. I have no interesting or humorous stories to share with you that would paint a picture of the events that lead up to a disappointing Christmas that would not make me look like a villain, so I’ll just tell you the best part of the past two days: making pizza with the Peace Corps Volunteers. I met many of the new PCVs at a house in Naguru; my friend Kristina invited them over. Kristina’s parents sent her a slab of German bacon for Christmas. (I know what you’re thinking: BACON: The best gift, EVER!) We chopped it up, fried it, topped a pizza with it and… Uhmmmm! Christmas night went downhill from there.

Kinda sucks.