Flinch
I finally went out again this weekend. After sequestering myself in Bugolobi for the past four weeks, I decided it was time to make contact with the greater-Kampala, and I ventured out to meet my friend, Jen, at Cheese Bar. She was there with some friends who happened to be people I also knew (but not well) and we had a merry ol’ time. I also ran into Wasswa, a great friend of mine. Weekends used to be ours; we were always together. However, the month of April was a trying time for the both of us, so we both laid low in our respective homes. It had been four weeks since I’d last seen him. It is amazing how just seeing someone can evoke strong emotions. I was so happy to see my dear friend; an instant smile was carved on my face, and it felt so good to get and give a hug.

I repeat: it is amazing how just seeing someone can evoke strong emotions. After a couple of wonderful hours reconnecting with old friends and getting better acquainted with new ones, I get word from a friend that an old friend had just entered the bar. I never saw the old friend (nor did I need or want to), but strong feelings of pain and anger began to bubble inside. Without much explanation, I (with a huge smile plastered on my face) said good-bye to everyone at my table and took the next taxi home.


Why?


So here I am one room away from where I know youre standing.
A well-intentioned man told me you just walked in.
This man knows not of how this information has affected me,
But he knows the colour of the car I just drove away in

What are you my kin? You touch me like you are my kin.
What are you my air? you affect me like you are my air.



Saturday morning, I woke up with the memory of the previous night. I was so frustrated with myself for allowing someone to have such an influence over me. How could only the knowledge of this person being in the vicinity of me cause me to abandon my friends, and a good night, and go home? I got out of bed, got dressed, grabbed my iPod and set off on a run. I had no idea where I was going. I just needed work off my frustration. I ended up putting in a good 15k-er around Kololo then stopped by the supermarket for some fresh doughnuts. I felt like I deserved them.

My former Peace Corps colleague and friend, Lynne, just got into town. She’s here for three weeks filming an instructional video for health care workers in Africa about counseling children who are HIV positive. It’s so great having her around. We met for dinner last night at Pavement Tandoori in Kisementi. The place smelled so good when we walked in. We were joined by a few other people, many we were meeting for the first time: friends of friends. It turned into a fantastic evening of great food and even better conversation. I’m looking forward to two more weeks of good times with Lynne.

Today was the 2007 European Union-Uganda Village, a celebration of cooperation and diversity, at the Kyadondo Rugby Club in Lugogo. I was a bit reluctant to make an appearance, but I’m so glad the pro-attendance voice in my head won out. It was a really nice event. Different tribes in Uganda as well as several European Union countries had tents showcasing their culture set up around an enormous central tent housing performances. There were performances of several traditional dances from various regions of Uganda and traditional music from across Europe. Different Ugandan artists also had booths set up. I bought a couple of works by Peter Otim, a renowned Ugandan Artist. I’ve been to his gallery once, and I liked his work. I met him today and decided to pick up a couple of his tiles. He was displaying a few of his etching, which I loved. I wish I could’ve picked up a couple of those, but I didn’t come with a wallet prepared for that expense. There was tons of food from Europe and Uganda. Unfortunately, I’d just eaten a big plate of fajitas from Café PAP; I couldn’t eat another bite.

My school also had a tent. (Yay!) I have to admit that it was the busiest one there. (Yay!) Most of the other tents were not geared towards young children, and ours was: drumming, races, face painting and coloring. I didn’t have to look hard to find it. I heard that terrific drumming almost immediately after walking through the event entrance. I really love my schools involvement in community events such as this. There is a core group of teachers that loves getting involved, and they are very talented at organizing activities that children love.


Give me a beat!

Here's an excerpt from the email I received from my mother today:

We are going tomorrow to buy me a new computer. This is his old one, we bought him a new one last month. It is a Gateway with the new Vista program. It has taken him almost a month to get it set up. So much won't transfer directly to Vista.

Him is her husband, Julian. He's a high-tech kind of guy, a real computer geek. If it took him that long to get his computer set up, Vista must really be f-ed up. She was not specific about the issues Julian had, but I know that Vista has been no joyride for many who've been unfortunate to get it. Can you imagine taking a whole month to set up you personal computer?

When she goes for her new computer tomorrow, I hope it's a Mac.

Thank Babbs:

Goddess of Gorgeous

How can you make my day, my week, quiet possibly my month? You give me a big, beautiful mirror. That’s exactly what my friend did for me today.


Only a day after learning that I’ve not had a mirror in my home since the middle of February, she called me this afternoon and told me to come pick up the large looking glass. Imagine, I’ve been dressing, getting ready for nights out and all without the aid of a mirror. I’ve been relying on instinct to know if everything was in place and looked good. I’m sure I’ve goofed up a few times, but overall, I think I’ve don’t pretty well. I always got nervous after shaving, worrying I’d cut myself somewhere and didn’t know it. How embarrassing to leave home with dried blood on one’s chin! I don’t have to worry about that anymore. Isn’t the frame lovely?

Power went off about 15 minutes ago. Boo! I’m trying to finish up that Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice book. I’ll probably end up at Katch the Sun, my favorite local coffee shop/bar/restaurant/art gallery/internet café, in a little while because they’ll have light. I hesitate to go down there because that equates to spending money. I can already hear the cake calling my name. They just changed management at Katch the Sun. I haven’t met the woman who runs the place now. I loved the woman who ran it before, and I’m really going to miss going down there and hanging out with her in the evenings.

I took the day off from running because I hurt my ankle a little yesterday, and I wanted to give it a rest. It feels much better, so I’m going to make an effort to drag my ass out of bed in the morning at 6:00. I’ve not had a mirror around since I began running so much again. You can bet that I’m going to look at myself in the buff after I run in the morning and admire any improvements.


Mirror Mirror hanging on the wall
You don't have to tell me who's the biggest fool of all.

Burrn

My original idea for today’s blog topic was taxi part underwear. It is one of my latest obsessions, but that posting will have to wait because on my way to the taxi park to do a little research, I got a little sidetracked. I saw a ripped advertisement for Blu 3’s new CD on a post by the road and was reminded that I needed to pick up a copy, so I jumped of the taxi I was on before reaching the park in order to pop into Music Land and grab a copy. I never made it to the taxi park after that because I was close to Ban Café; it’s aromatic tractor beam pulled me in. Have you ever tried their chocolate chip-cashew nut cookies? Well, you should. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Blu 3 is probably my favorite Ugandan group made up of three beautiful women: Lillian, Jackie and Cindy. Amazingly, they were put together in one of the Pop Stars contests about three years ago, and they’ve survived. I bought their first album, Hitaji, a couple of years ago, and it’s still on regular rotation on my iTunes. Every song on that album was a great pop confection, personal favorites include: Frisky, Hitaji, Tomalaako, Don’t Say, Fly Away and U Don’t Know. Basically, most of the album. I was hoping for nothing less from their sophomore album: Burrn.


The ads for Burrn describe it as “3 beautiful voices, 17 amazing songs, 1 sizzling album”. I agree. The dance songs (I <3 Katika) got me up and shaking it in my living room, and the ballads, including the mega hit in Uganda, Nsanyuka Nawe, are beautiful. The sound of this album is quite different from Hitaji, which a difficult accomplishment for any artist and highly unusual for Ugandan artists that often have a tendency to regurgitate past sounds for a guaranteed crowd pleaser (I’m not mentioning any names because maybe Chameleone might be suffering from chronic writer’s block.) Stemming from their first album and the track Hitaji, the girls have become masters of fusing English and Swahili. The Blu 3 girls took a more active role in writing songs for this album. A stand out on this album is Cindy’s creation, It’s My Life. It is in a similar vein as songs from Christina Aguilera’s Back to Basics, very old-old school, which is quiet a unique sound for a popular Ugandan artist. I love the piano. Actually, the track is very reminiscent of the remix to Baby One More Time that Britney performed at the 1999 European Video Music Awards. Plus, she sings about air time! Lovin’ it! My only complaint with the album is a general complaint that I have with most Luganda songs: the artificial, high-pitched, generic synthesized instruments. But hey, it’s what a large audience wants and enjoys. It sells. Maybe it’s just me. Steve Jean is one of Uganda’s best producers, and he’s crafted another fantastic album.

Ok, so I’ve gone on and on about artists and an album that many people reading this blog will probably never have the pleasure of listening to. Too bad for you. Just one more thought. The cover art reminds me of that of an album by a fantastic, defunct female trio in the States: Fire by Wild Orchid. Too bad, the album was never released, and Stacie Ferguson left the group, got addicted to Crystal Meth and later became Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas.




Taxi park underpants


Coming Soon!

17

Public holiday: no school. I got up at 6:00 to run 15K with Barbara, she's leaving for Vietnam at the end of the month, and I want to learn her running paths before goes. A little over 10K into it, we both got the runner's shits and had to find somewhere fast. Problem: It's was too early for most places to be open. Luckily, we were near a gas station with a public toilet. Problem 2: No toilet paper. You can tell who is a veteran runner because she carries spare TP in her pocket. I learn from the best.


Relationships have been occupying much of my thoughts lately. Sometimes I wish I were the kind of person who is fine alone and doesn’t mind how others are affected my actions. I try to pretend that I’m complete and social interactions are just bonuses. But that is complete rubbish. People are so important to me. I’m not the most social person, but being around people that I enjoy is a top priority to me. I changed career paths a few years ago, not because I did not enjoy the type of work I was doing, but because I didn’t enjoy the kind of people who were typically drawn to that type of work. However, people are so complicated that sometimes I wish I could be happy living a life of solitude. (I almost said, “I wish I could just move to some remote island and be a hermit.” Those who know me, know that I tried the island-thing once, and it didn’t work out for me; I was miserable.)

Lately I’ve felt as if I’ve traveled though a time warp and gone back about 14 years, back to high school: a miserable slice of my life. Teenagers can be so fickle; they’re trying to figure things out. Friendships are come and go. Anyway, there’s a person that I’ve been friends with since around November, a person I think is great and enjoy being around. We have never been BFFs, but we’d hang out occasionally, talk and have a great time. We always enjoyed seeing each other and always made it a point to have a conversation if we met while out. Then, out of nowhere, he began to avoid me. When we’d show up at the same party or other function, all I’d get would be a cold, “Hello,” and he’d move on. I just didn’t get it (still don’t). It was all very confusing. It totally felt like high school again, but we’re both 30-something.

This went on for well over a month. Well, a little over a week ago, we found ourselves at the same place at the same time again, and he came over to me and began chatting like we used to previously. I was a little taken aback, but happy that the icy treatment appeared to be ending. Kinda out of nowhere he says to me, “Kampala is not very big, and people like to talk a lot. You cannot let the things they say bother you or you will never leave you home again.” What! Where did that come from? And what did he mean by it? Is there some gossip going around about me that I’m not aware of? Is that why he wouldn’t talk to me for a month? It must be good then. I’d love to hear it. That’s my new mission: track down the rumor. Man, I hope it’s a good one. Maybe I get to be the school whore! I hope that’s my reputation. I’ve been the goodie-goodie my entire life. I found my brother’s myspace page a few weeks ago, and he blogged about me there and made a similar reference to me. I think he called me “perfect son” or something heinous like that. Being a whore would do wonders for my social life. Are we all a little stuck at 17?

After the strange conversation with my friend, I went home and put 17 Again by Eurythmics on repeat on my iTunes. That was totally how I was feeling.


I miss the friendship spoon.

Bugaboo


Destiny’s Child summed up my current feelings quite well when they sang, “When I first met you, you were cool, but it was game; you had me fooled.”

I’m fairly new to Kampala, here since July 2006. The dearest friends I made while in Uganda before have either left the country or are in Hoima District, which is about 3 hours away. I’m a pretty friendly person (this point might be arguable), and I enjoy the company of other people. I don’t want to pass up an opportunity to make a new friend. If we hit it off, then we’ll hang out. I can meet you today, and if you invite me to go out on the weekend, I’ll be there. No problem. However, I’m learning that there are some people out there that I’d be better off no knowing. After one fun night at Steak Out or Mateo’s, don’t start sending me text messages telling me we are now best friends. You don’t know me! I don’t know you! Aren’t we past the age of BFFs? We went out; we had fun. We could’ve continued with more fun nights out, but a person’s creepy, possessive actions can take me to the point where I don’t want to see that person again. Since I’ve begun stating the don’t dos for a successful friendship with me, let me make a list:

1) Don’t start sending me text messages after that first evening out telling me we are now best friends.
2) Don’t show up at my door at 7:00am just to say hello when you don’t live in my neighborhood.
3) Don’t continually send me text messages with pointless questions to be answered.
4) Don’t call me at random hours of the night asking to come over.
5) Don’t call me or text me with emergencies that turn out to be false to get me to call you or for you to come over to my place.
6) Don’t come to my house with gifts to prove how great a friend you are.
7) Don’t lie to me about situations in your life to gain my sympathy.
8) Don’t be rude to my other friends when you run into us while out.
9) Don’t show up at my door only seconds after I get home in the evening.
10) Don’t begin conversations with me by asking about people you’ve seen leaving my flat.

Destiny’s Child also sang, “No. No. No.”

This kind of behavior kind of freaks me out and makes me question a person's motives. Some of these actions are on the verge of stalking. I’m not at the point of feeling unsafe. I just feel quite annoyed, bugged, if you will.

You need to chill out with that mess
‘Cause you can’t keep havin’ me stressed.
‘Cause every time my phone rings
It seems to be you
And I’m prayin’ that it is someone else.

You a bugaboo, a bugaboo.

You buggin’ what? You buggin who? You buggin me. And don’t you see it ain’t cool?

Groove is in the

HEART

This is proving to be a very quiet weekend for me. I did the Kololo Run Friday afternoon with some people from school, 10K up and down Kololo Hill. I came home and passed out on the sofa around 8:30. I woke up around 10:30, took a shower and tried to watch an episode of Will & Grace on my laptop, but ended up dozing on the sofa again. I gave up and went to bed.

I was up before 7:00 Saturday morning. It was once again time for my monthly Saturday Bank Hop: going to three different banks downtown before they close at mid-day to take care of my monthly bills. It begins at Stanbic Bank, then I hop over to Standard Chartered Bank, and I finish off by the Parliament building at dfcu Bank(or as Kristen used to call it: da f*ck you bank).

I did begin a great book yesterday: Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation: The Definitive Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex. Don’t let the name put you off. It is quite an interesting read. The author, Olivia Judson, has taken a very complicated subject and written an excellent non-biologist-friendly book. Dr. Tatiana is a Dr. Ruth-type figure who responds to letters written to her by different creatures of the Earth, such as lions, fruit flies and fish. I’ve found myself laughing out loud at least four times since I began reading, and I’ve not even reached page 100.

I started to read the book at Katch the Sun around 5:30pm, and I did not leave the place until 11:50. (Yes, I was home by midnight. Another early night for me. However, I did stay up for a while after reaching home. I even did a load of clothes.) I wasn’t reading the entire time. After an hour or so, I was joined by my friend, Amelo. We ended up ordering dinner there. I had the roasted goat, muchomo, followed by the chocolate cake (so, so good!)

Sunday? More clothes to wash. Plus, there are floors to mop. I scrubbed to tub yesterday. I wanted to run, but my running partners stood me up... again. Maybe I’ll go for a jog tonight. There is a film festival in the city sponsored by the European Union. They are showing Life if Beautiful at 4:30 this afternoon. I think I’ll go there.

This has been a musical weekend for me. I’ve only had soundtracks playing on my iTunes: Fame, Wicked, Reefer Madness, Aida, Sideshow, and Ragtime. That movie meme I posted Friday really influenced my weekend. Drew Barrymore and musicals (some Broadway, not movie), a pretty good combination. Drew’s even done a few musicals: Babes in Toyland (with Keanu Reeves and a dubbed singing voice), Everyone Says I Love You (Can you believe I’ve never seen it?), Olive, the Other Reindeer (animated, made-for-television), and most recently, Music and Lyrics. I’ll decline to comment on her vocal ability.

My Weekends are not always this exciting. Sometimes I can even find myself in compromising situations.


Groovy!

Who knew an iPod and mini-speakers could be so much fun! !
X-TINA, you so dirrty,girrl!

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