Minus Legs and Tutus

Minus Legs and Tutus

I succeeded in coaxing my sister and her family out of bed and out of the house by ten-till seven this morning; that’s even earlier than they wake up on school mornings. There was a 12km run I wanted to do this morning in the St. Marks area.

The run was fantastic. I finished with a personal best. The 7.45-mile run was much easier than I expected thanks to my Kampala-based training—where it’s hotter, hillier and higher altitude. If I’d done a run or two here before today, I really believe I would have finished in under an hour because I would have pushed myself a bit harder, but I took it easy for the first half of the run, maintaining my usual Kampala (hotter, hillier and higher altitude) pace. After the mid-way point, I turned it up a notch.

It was really nice having family there cheering for me when I finished. That was a first for me. It was also nice having someone to be the photographer (no need for self-photos today!!!). I’ve become a bit photo obsessed over the last few months.

On the way home, we took a detour to Wakulla Springs State Park. I’d not been there in years, and my nephew, Phoenix, had never been there. Today was a blue-skied, amazing-weather kind of day, so it was a perfect day to take the boat ride on the Wakulla River. The birds, turtles and alligators were out in abundance, parading about and terrifically posing for our photographs (obsessed, I am). One could not have asked for better colours.

A big surprise (or should I say two big surprises) was (were) waiting for us at the end of the boat ride, in the bowl of the spring: two enormous manatees were swimming about, also enjoying the beautiful weather of the day. I’d never seen a manatee in the wild, only at Epcot Center at Disney World way back when. The manatees gracefully glided through the water (think hippos in Disney’s Fantasia minus legs and tutus; oh, and also take away the ferociousness of hippos) on the side of the boat, and then under the observation platform. It was truly a magical moment.

It’s moments like unexpectedly encountering manatees where I didn’t even know they migrated that make me smile and inspire in me anticipation for what will happen next... Let's keep it positive!

Election

Election

The 18^th February 2011 is/was election day in Uganda. A lot of change (in pretty peaceful ways) have been taking place across the African continent over the past several weeks. I don’t know (but I can make a pretty educated guess) what will happen in Uganda or what change will take place, but I do know that it is getting ripe for a change. One of my friends’ facebook status this morning read: I voted for change and I am damn proud of it.

I really wanted to witness the presidential election in Uganda this year. I missed the 2006 election by a few months because I was working in American Samoa at the time. This year, I am once again missing the election because of a family emergency that required me to return to Florida. I’ve been kept pretty busy since I arrived on Wednesday night. The visit has been fruitful thus far, and I’m feeling a bit more optimistic about the situation at hand. Even with all of the distractions, my mind keeps going back to Uganda and all my friends and people I care about there.

I am registered to vote in Liberty County, Florida. My voter’s registration card indicates my polling station (if I’m ever in Liberty County during an election ever again) is next to Lake Mystic Grocery. Well, Lake Mystic Grocery is now defunct, and I’ve heard that the polling station recently changed venue, but the building that used to house the polling station is still there next to the building that used to house the local grocery store.

A pretty simple building, but it’s where I had one of my first lessons in democracy as a small child. I remember going there with my father sometime in the early 80s for him to cast his vote. Voting was a responsibility that my father greatly valued, and he tried to instil it’s importance in his children. On more than one occasion he took me into the voting booth with him to witness his choices. The first time I was able to vote after my 18th birthday had to be done by absentee ballot because I was at university at the time. He delivered my ballot to me, and while he insisted that I vote according to my conscience and values, he could not resist giving me some kind, “fatherly” guidance regarding the candidates.

Conversation was never livelier with my father than it was when it involved politics. The man was exceptionally opinionated when it came to politics, and he was always glad to share with you what he thought—even in a den of rattlesnakes. He definitely planted the seed for interest in politics. I do find my opinions to be quite strong, but I’d rather not argue about them. My tolerance for others’ points of view is improving; however, hardcore conservative ideas drive me up the wall (thanks, Dad) about as much a political apathy. I’m not quite as vocal with my opinions as he was… but I do often find myself in rattlesnake dens.

While anyone familiar with Ugandan “democracy” and politics can predict that outcome of the election, I want to express my admiration for those who went out and voted, actively working towards that change they dream to see.

Spanish Moss

Spanish Moss

This is the first time I’ve been back in Florida during the winter since 2002. While it’s not as cold as I remember February to be (feels similar to a cool Kisoro Christmas), it is browner. The trees are brown; the grass is brown (think Uganda in the dry season, sans the layer of red dust); nothing’s in bloom. It’s a beautiful time of year, just not the type of beauty that usually comes to mind when one thinks of Florida.

One of the beautiful features, the simple pleasures of the South that I enjoy seeing when I’m home is the Spanish moss hanging from the branches of the trees. It’s neither Spanish (indigenous to the southeastern US), nor is it a moss (it’s an epiphyte—remember that word—and absorbs nutrients and moisture from the air and it is from the Bromeliaceae family—the same family as the pineapple!). Take sometime to ponder/discuss that one. The Spanish moss dangling from the leafless pecan and oak trees is both winsome and haunting.

Winsome and haunting is a combination of words I could use to describe many aspects and/or situations related to home. I never find beauty to be more evocative than when I am back in Northwest Florida.

For the next 12 days, I will be in the Panhandle area. My goal is to chronicle this visit in both photo and word. My challenge is to only use one photo per post to summarise and capture the essence of the day.

There are pieces to be picked up. Maybe some will be put back together. It’s also likely that a bit will fall apart as well.

Downtown

Downtown

I need to improve my ability to count. Granted, this trip has been a bit last minute, and I only got my travel itinerary four days before my departure. But four days is plenty enough time to figure out that the difference between 8 and 14 is 6… not 4. Perhaps with all of unpleasant surprises that have been sprung on me over the past few weeks, it was my sub-conscious working up to a pretty damn nice one.

When I checked the departures board at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam just before 8.00am on Wednesday, I could not find my connecting flight to Atlanta. Why? The board displayed departing flights up to 1.30pm. I was certain that my layover was only four hours; however, my flight was not listed among those around midday. I took out my boarding pass to confirm the actual time of the flight, and it was not until 14.35. SURPISE! Really? Did I really have six and a half hours to kill before my next flight. SURPISE! “No,” I told myself. “This cannot be right.” I’d calculated my layover as soon as I got my travel details because I’d wanted to do something I’d never done before: leave the airport and explore Amsterdam. But from all accounts, four hours was not enough time—especially if I’d never been to Amsterdam before and was not used to going through immigration, going downtown, getting back to the airport and through security and immigration. But six and a half hours is a horse of a different colour, indeed. SURPRISE!

Since I did not want to spend the little time I had to experience Amsterdam for the first time lost and aimlessly wondering streets on a cold morning in Holland, I opted to go with the more convenient option of booking a tour at the tourism booth (named Lovers) that was just down the corridor from the Swatch stand with the purple Swatch that immediately caught my eye and cried out, “Buy me!” Schiphol is probably the most convenient and user-friendly airport I’ve passed through. Within a space of only a few squared meters, you can buy a purple Swatch, visit a free museum with works by master artists, get breakfast and book a boat tour of Amsterdam.

The train ticket to Central Station was included with the price of the boat tour, and finding my way to the embarking point was easy enough. Luckily, many Dutch speak English. When I stepped out of the train station, I beheld an amazing sight!

I have never in my life seen so many bicycles. Bicycles everywhere. Zooming past me. Being pushed on the path behind me. Chained anywhere there was free space… and even where there wasn’t. To borrow a word from Zanzibar Bill: AMAZING.

The boat tour of the canals that traverse the city was just the right choice for me. For one thing, the boat was warm. Definitely a plus when arriving from an equatorial climate without truly appropriate clothing for cold weather. For another, I did not have to think. All I needed to do was sit back, relax and enjoy. It was a pretty cloudy and damp morning, so not the most picturesque, but I think I still managed to get a few good photos. Overall, I had a great time, and it was so stress free. I was even able to stop at a coffee shop for a scrumpdiddilyumptious mocha and cranberry scone before heading back to the airport in plenty of time for my flight.

Deciding on gifts to buy for my nieces and nephew at duty free was the most stressful aspect of my Amsterdam/Schiphol experience.

Surprise! Surprise!

Facilitation

Facilitation

Unfortunately, I'm not known to be the most patience or tolerant person (remember, I recently posted about working on my patience)--just ask the produce guy at Uchumi who recently had lemons hurled in his direction when he tried to get me to use an additional plastic bag. How environmentally unfriendly is that? I'm still working on my patience. No miracles yet. Baby steps.

I have my ideas of what is right and wrong, a pretty strong sense of justice. Well, "someone I know" found himself in a situation today where he needed to travel for emergency purposes. Here's the catch. His work permit expired about 12 days ago, and his passport had been in immigration since the 4th February. He had to get his passport out to catch his flight today. His special pass had been processed, yet one person's signature was still needed for it to be valid. To get that done can take up to three days. He was told that with a little "facilitation" it could be done pretty much immediately. Here's where he found himself in a moral dilemma. To pay or not to pay? However, because of the nature of the trip he needed to take, the "facilitation" fee was a non-issue.

But was he not feeding the filthy beast of corruption?

Despite my intolerance of actions I do not consider just, I choose not to judge "my friend" too harshly on this occasion because, frankly, he's got enough on his plate to deal with at the moment.

See, baby steps.

Trust and Devotion

Trust and Devotion

No matter how shitty your day was, Patti Labelle taking the ABC song to church with the Sesame Street Muppets will always make it better.



Thanks, Sibyl, for sharing. Thanks, Leo, for coming by. When you live so far away from your family, your friends become your family. I know you've got my back, and you know I've got yours.

Friendship is thicker than blood.

Endorphins, Patience and Optimism

Endorphins, Patience and Optimism

I am becoming a real social dud. It's very bitter-sweet for me. I'm getting back into running mode, and that means adios to the late nights on the weekend because there is an early run waiting for me in the morning. I kind of like it, though. As much as I hate getting up to run in the mornings, there is something very satisfying about a good, long run in the morning... Endorphins. However, I really miss people.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. And like it or not, celebrate it or not, you cannot help but reflect on that special person that is (or is not in many cases) in your life. It can make you smile, or it can make you feel really sad. As Grace Adler put it, "...this whole day, it's like an evil conspiracy created by the greeting card people and the flower people and the candy people. Well, not the candy people, they do God's work. :-)"

I was chatting with a friend in DC earlier today, and he asked me about my Valentine's Day plans. My response was I did not have any. I asked him about his plans. His response was he did not have any, but there was still time yet. Love the optimism. Well, my optimism today left me with a bland meat loaf. (I'd rather not elaborate on that one. I'm sensitive about food fiascos.)

But there is still time. I've been learning to be patient. Let me work on my optimism as well.

Camp

Camp

On Friday night, I went out with my crew to the Cineplex to see Burlesque. It finally arrived in Kampala, and as any true-blooded admirer of camp, I was over the moon to see the Cher/Christina Aguilera driven flick. It did not let down.

The script was rubbish (as any great campy film's script is). But the stars really shined and never more than in the musical stage numbers. This means a lot coming from me, one of the harshest critics of singer-turned-actors I know: Ms. Xtina's acting was not bad. I'd probably classify it as pretty good. Maybe I was expecting horrible, so my surprise at her decent performance was quite great. I mean, you really would not believe it was her big screen debut.

Mentioning the script, I cannot miss pointing out the best line of the show. In fact, it is probably one of my favourite lines ever delivered in campy cinematic history (yes, that means a lot). It is definitely the best line Cher has ever delivered, even better than, "Snap out of it!"

I have more important things to worry about than you pouring tequila on your cheerios.

I could have died. Died. H. I. Larious.

This line was directed to Kristen Bell's Nikki. Kristen Bell is an amazing actress who I think was under utilised in this film. I would loved to have seen her get more stage time, with actual singing.

I jumped out of my seat more while watching Burlesque than I did while watching Black Swan. It was not the amazing stage musical numbers that triggered such an enthusiastic response. It was the rat the climbed up my leg and entered my bag of popcorn that caused me to look like a mad man in the cinema and leap up and run to the far end of the aisle. If anyone has pull with the management of Cineplex, please convince them to fumigate. Otherwise, bring rat traps with you to the cinema at Garden City.

Ms. Headley

Ms. Headley

Ms. Heather Headley has been on my mind today. I Wish I Wasn't from her This Is Who I Am album is on repeat on itunes. The woman's voice is smooth. Love, love, love her. However, if you only know Heather as an R&B singer, then you only know a small component of this extraordinarily talented woman.

I was fortunate enough to have the privilege to see her perform the title role (which she originated on Broadway and for which she also won a Tony) of Aida in 2001 with Katrina (where are you, girl?). Amazing. I can't recall a stage actress's performance that touched me more--so much passion, so much emotion, and that voice.

Aida, if you are not familiar with it, is the story of a Nubian princess who is kidnapped and taken up the Nile to be a slave in Egypt. The music from the show is fantastic, even if it was written by Elton John. Enchantment Passing Through possesses some of my favourite lines in a song ever: If you don't like you fate, change it. You are your own master. There are no shackles on you. So don't expect any pity or understanding... Great for those days when you're feeling sorry for yourself.

Oh, Egypt! Today was a landmark day for you. You did change your fate. To borrow someone else's words: Vox pupuli, vox dei.

Controversy

Controversy

So Madonna taught me about controversy back in 1989 with her Like a Prayer video. I'm pretty sure I've blogged before about how I misunderstood the word, controversial. Not knowing what it meant, I bragged to my mother that Madonna's most controversial video ever was about to have its world premier on MTV. I thought she'd be impressed, but Susie was not impressed--not amused at all. (Not being Catholic and only 13 at the time, I didn't get the iconography. And coming from the rural South where I've had two friends who have had burning crosses lit in their yards on two occasions, I did not see anything extreme about that scene either.)

Well it seems almost everyone is pushing for controversy these days: it sells. Rihanna's video for S&M (sticks and stones may break my bones but chains and whips excite me) just came out this morning. I never really paid attention to the song, even though it is the first song on the Loud album. After reading that the video had been banned in 11 countries, I immediately went to youtube (who make you confirm that you're at least 18 years old before viewing the video) to watch it. It's very colourful and bright... it's a lot of bondage scene and blow-up dolls.



Speaking of controversy, 13 civil society activists in Uganda were arrested recently for distributing a statement condemning the 20 million shillings that were put into the bank accounts of 325 Members of Parliament. Through their campaign (called "Return Our Money"), they wanted others to take a stand against what they see as corruption and demand that the Members of Parliament return the 20 million shillings--which many people in the country and elsewhere view as a bribe.

Unfortunately, others (including some others who have power) saw their campaign as disruptive to the political campaigning and, therefore, illegal. However, Human Rights Watch don't see it that way: Ugandan police and Resident District Commissioners are intimidating civil society activists seeking to expose and condemn allegations of government corruption.

Over to Britneyland

Over to Britneyland

In case you've been away to Mars or something, let me inform you that Britney's video for her number 1 single, Hold It Against Me, will be released in 7 days. How exciting!

And if just knowing that the video is coming isn't exciting enough, team Britney has organised to give the world 14 daily teasers featuring snippets of the video shoot.

Behold number 6:

In case you missed the previous 5, you can find them all on Billboard.com.

There, my good deed for the day is done.

Midnight Run

Midnight Run

Thanks to the arrival of Nakumatt in Kampala, 24-hour shopping was introduced. Nakumatt is spreading across the city, and we now have our very own Nakumatt in Bugolobi, open 24 hours a day. While I respect a person's need to rest, and 'mom and pop' shops (a foundation of the economy that I truly believe play a vital role, yet every economy must evolve) must have a closing time, I sometimes need to make a few purchases 'after hours'.

My appreciation for 24-hour shopping really began in May of 2003 when an incompetent travel agent booked me to Panama City, Panama instead of Panama City, Florida from Uganda, and I almost missed my father's funeral. After hours of quasi-agony I arrived at the correct destination at 2:00am with no baggage, yet I had an important funeral to attend in a matter of hours.

Super Wal-Mart. Need I say more?

More recently, a busy day accompanied by a beautiful distraction occupied me before a trip upcountry on a one-week trip to Kidepo Valley National Park. Without Nakumatt and 24-hour shopping, I would not have gone hungry, but my snacks (including double-stuffed Oreos) would not have been as interesting.

I'm probably the world's worst procrastinator. In my mind there is always plenty of time remaining. Putting things off until the last minute is the way I roll. A request was made for dried pineapple tomorrow. 9:00pm: Yes, I said I'd go to the supermarket... but there's always more time. Midnight: I'm driving down to the Nakumatt. Still no need to rush.

Yes, I found the dried pineapple.

The soundtrack of this evening: Kanye West, Dark Fantasy

So Appalled: 'effing' ridiculous!

Cindy? Really?

Disgusting.

Elephant in the Room

Elephant in the Room

I'm just gonna come out and state the obvious: brain tumors suck. (Thanks Ms. McDermott for your lesson in bluntness and unabashedly pointing out the elephant in the room.)

Just as there are things that suck in the world (e.g. brain tumors), there are things that most definitely not.

For instance, the fair at Magic Moments in Mbuya last Saturday did not suck. (Thanks Ms. McDermott for being my hot date.) I mean, there was too much good stuff to keep stuffing my face with for it to even remotely suck. In fact, they even had large, soft pretzels--like the one's you buy off the streets of New York.

Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday most definitely does not suck. Because of the mixed reviews, I was tempted to not get it. However, Nicki's amazing contribution to Kanye's Monster sold me. Whoever gave this album a bad review was most definitely not a runner. Pink Friday is the best recent set of music to have on one's iPod on a long, hilly run, i.e. Kampala. Roman's Revenge can really get you up those hills!

I can't think of anything that sucks less than spending a sunny weekend afternoon poolside with amazing people. Join that with some magazines and French fries, and you really can forget about and escape from things that truly suck.

Julie Brown as Medusa once said: "No matter how hard you try, you can't make lemonade from a dead dog." Truer words never spoken. Equally true: "No matter how hard you try, you can't make lemonade from a brain tumor." They suck.

You can't treat your way out of this problem.

Unleash the Dragon (well sort of)

Unleash the Dragon (well sort of)

When I stood up from the bench after the Friday morning assembly at school, I felt something run up my leg under my jeans. My first instinct was to yell out at bit, but I repressed that urge and walked (more like limped) into the school, heading to the toilets, to release whatever beast was seeking the warmth of my body under my trouser leg.

When I reached the corridor for the staff toilets, the head of school hijacked me; she (a vegetarian) had her arms loaded with a tray of pre-formed hamburger patties--carrying them to a helper who would take them to her home in preparation for a staff social this evening. She urgently needed me to cover her class while she took care of the meat situation (remember: vegetarian). How could I say, no?

So I hobbled into the year 6 classroom with the little creature inching its way higher up my leg. By the time I got there, it was at the top of my knee cap. In my mind, I kept picturing a variety of fanged members of the animal kingdom that I did not want to inject venom or take a chunk out of my leg. In the year 6 classroom, I stood at the back of the room, only a few paces from the door and conducted our welcome and discussion from there. The less moving around the better. A few more steps around my knee cap.

It was a poetry lesson, so I had one of the students retrieve a book with Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky" in it and proceeded to read it and try to have a discussion with the class about nonsense words. My concentration was not there, and I can pretty much guarantee you that the students' focus was not with me or on the words I was saying. The creature in my pants was loving the knee cap region, and kept whiffling through the tulgey woods of my leg hairs.

After what I considered way too much time, the head of school came to relieve me and resume her class. I hobbled towards the toilets, and this time I made it. I quickly stripped off my jeans and there on my leg was... nothing. For a moment I thought maybe I had imagined it all and was losing my mind. I picked up my jeans from the floor, shook them and out fell a pinky-finger-sized gecko. Quickly it scurried across the floor, seeking refuge in the shadows. The sight of the little creature was a relief; I even had a quick chuckle (bathroom humour: drain the lizard; unleash the dragon, lot lizard...). The sight of the little creature was also a little anti-climatic. That's it? That's all it was? Imagine such a small, harmless animal accelerating one's heart rate such as it did mine.

It was just an animal seeking warmth from another's warm body on a cool morning. Nature.

Will It Work?

Will It Work?

Listening to the BBC on my way to work (yes, it's a sin that I drive to work when I can walk there in 15 minutes, but we're not hear to judge me today), two reports caught my attention. One was about supporters of Mubarak in Cairo having been paid the equivalent of $10 and one Viagra pill to stir up havoc at Tahrir Square. The other was about the government of Rwanda encouraging men to get a vasectomy as a means to control population growth in the small, densely populated country.

I couldn't find a written report to get additional information about what I heard about the Viagra in Egypt, so maybe it was just someone blowing off steam. The BBC does have a written report on it's website about the vasectomies. It is reported that, aside from condoms, any form of birth control is usually left to the woman, and that vasectomies are not common in Rwanda. In other words, these are two more things that Rwanda has in common with almost every (if not every) country in the world. Health officials in Rwanda would like to try and tag vasectomies along with with HIV prevention and medical-male circumcision--a whole new perspective of one stop shopping.

There is concern about how it's going to be accepted by the general population. I can see why. I remember having a conversation about vasectomies with my father many years ago. Now, he was a man who fathered six healthy children. He was also a firm believer in his Christian faith; thus, he believed in resurrection. His concern was that men who received vasectomies in this life were not promised that their vasa deferentia would be joined back together in the life-to-come. My question was, why would they need to be? but religious explanations do not need to make any sense because, "then it wouldn't be faith." Or something like that. Plus, going to get a hunk of skin lobbed off of one's penis (or any part of one's body) can never be a super-appealing idea to the one being lobbed. And to bundle a much more invasive procedure to one's genitalia, would most definitely raise a bit more concern. I would think.

That being said (see, I can discuss both sides), I think that any positive change comes with a bit of risk and some trial and error. It cannot be easy for a country the size of Rwanda to have a population of over 10 million people. I'm glad that the government recognises that and is making efforts to improve the quality of life for its current and future population.

Something peculiar caught my eye when I had to rush home just after lunch today to pick up my computer cord that I forgot to pack this morning. This is what I saw:

When I came home from work at 4.30, this is what I saw:

I stopped to ask what they were doing, and they said they were promoting UMEME's new pre-paid electricity plan, Yaka. "Behind a fence in a lot that people cannot access?"

"Yes."

"Are you talking to many people?"

"No."

Hmmm... I wonder why?

Affect

Affect

This post will be written in record time for me. Forgive any typos and/or other errors that potentially could abound. I snapped my computer cord today, so I'm running on minimal battery supply now. I'm pretty amazed at how long the battery has lasted today. Perhaps the fates are not against me as strongly as previously thought.

I'm pretty intrigued by how much one person can affect another person's life. I mean you can have these great things going on around you, and one person is capable of bringing you down. Or vice versa, when nothing is going your way, one person is capable of bringing you out of a tremendous funk. More interestingly, to me, is that the one person in each scenario, might just be the same person in your life. It all depends on mood and situation.

As independent as I strive to be, I try to have more control over who/what brings me up or gets me down. I want to intrinsically have more control of my mood. I'd like to think I've gotten better at it over time, but then it feels like I'm 17 again. (Sing it Annie!)

Appreciating

Appreciating

There are so many small things in this world that can bring us joy.

I had a fantastic run yesterday morning. It was only 13km, but I loved it and felt so well after. The breeze and cappuccino aroma on the outdoor terrace made the after-run breakfast of poached eggs and guacamole the perfect reward.

Facebook can be a very powerful marketing tool. As someone who can be very visually stimulated, photos of new works by artist friends on my computer screen when I log on can prove to be too much of a temptation to resist, especially when the art is fantastic. I convinced myself that I needed more beauty in my world (who doesn't?). Well, that itch was scratched around 2.00pm Sunday. This is what I brought home.

Really love it.

Sunday afternoon, even though it was a time of saying goodbye to a friend moving to Zimbabwe, provided a beautiful time to catch up with friends and get to know other quite remarkable people. Great food. Great people. Great conversation.

School was pretty damn good today as well; the maths activity I did with the year 6 class went over so well.

We thought it was going to rain this afternoon... but that would have been too perfect. Gotta leave some expectations for tomorrow.

A Sad Day

A Sad Day

In a place of so much beauty, there is still too much ugly.

Sad.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

January 27, 2011

Statement by the President on the Killing of David Kato

I am deeply saddened to learn of the murder of David Kato. In Uganda, David showed tremendous courage in speaking out against hate. He was a powerful advocate for fairness and freedom. The United States mourns his murder, and we recommit ourselves to David’s work.

At home and around the world, LGBT persons continue to be subjected to unconscionable bullying, discrimination, and hate. In the weeks preceding David Kato’s murder in Uganda, five members of the LGBT community in Honduras were also murdered. It is essential that the Governments of Uganda and Honduras investigate these killings and hold the perpetrators accountable.

LGBT rights are not special rights; they are human rights. My Administration will continue to strongly support human rights and assistance work on behalf of LGBT persons abroad. We do this because we recognize the threat faced by leaders like David Kato, and we share their commitment to advancing freedom, fairness, and equality for all.

Exactly What I'm Trying to Avoid

Exactly What I'm Trying to Avoid

Make sure you catch me from my good side...

Pick one!


Need I say more?

Did I mention that Capital Shoppers in Nakawa has Oreo cookies?

21

21

Let's hope Adele's 21 album fairs better than another sophomore album (Ok, actually it was her third album, but it was only her second after gaining mainstream attention. If the Grammys can award best new artist awards to veteran artists using this justification, I can take a similar liberty on my blog) that emphasized the artist's age of 21 at the time:

Anyone remember the nasty braids Shanice was rockin' while promoting this album? Do you remember anything else about Shanice at that time? Any of the songs from this album?

I'm pretty sure Adele has as a better fate ahead of her. Check out this recent live performance of the lead single from 21, Rolling in the Deep.

I've not heard any of the other tracks from the album, but it is already receiving rave reviews from music critics in the UK. (I wish the same could be said for Duffy's sophomore album, Endlessly. I have it, and must say I agree with most critics. It's ok, with a few good songs, but not consistent.) Ian Wade of the BBC refers to 21 as "simply stunning" and "genuinely brilliant". MTV-UK say that Adele's 21 will be one of the essential albums of 2011 and give a track-by-track assessment of the album.

I'm waiting anxiously to add the album to my iTunes library. 19 is one of my current favourite albums. Perhaps the music of this Cockney Hannah Montana (nickname attributed to Alan Carr) will satiate my excitement for new albums of 2011 until Britney's new album comes out in March.

Speaking of Alan Carr, here is his hilarious interview with Adele. Highlight: her meeting Sarah Palin on the set of Saturday Night Live.

Beside obsess over Adele today, what did I do? Well, thanks for asking. I made goat stew. It turned out pretty well, I must say. I used this recipe from the food network, if you're interested.

Just Gettin' Back in the Habit

Just Gettin' Back in the Habit

In my last post, I compared blogging to going to the gym. And I stand by that assertion. I should know; I'm trying to get back into both this very week. Tough work. After a month of neither running or swimming, both activities have kicked my proverbial 'ass' while at the same time (I hope) reduced the size of the actual one. Getting back into the habit of typing up and sharing my most superficial, random-yet-entertaining-to-my-simple-mind thoughts has also be a 'proverbial ass'-kicker. But I'm building my stamina for both.

I've got to get out of my flat more. Social commentary does not come and knock on your door (or at least my door). So if I'm going to find something interesting to write about, I'm going to have to be a bit more social. Right now I'm stuck with commenting on me. I know, I know. I'm also not to thrilled with the topic either.

Thirty'effing'five was recently acknowledged and (because there's no stopping it) celebrated in KLA. Three amazing women, knowing my love for the work of some Ugandan artists, brought me an amazing gift: a painting by Nakibinge Anwar. Anwar is an acclaimed Ugandan artist, and he has been one of my favourite artists for years. I've wanted one of his paintings since the first time I saw his work. Now I have one.

I love the bright colours and textures of his paintings. His subjects and choices for canvases are also very creative.

I want another one.

And I know just where I'll hang it.

Be careful Kels.

Forever

Forever

Having not blogged, in like, forever, I've just got to post something. Maybe the I'll find the inspiration/motivation to blog again. What happened? A million-dollar question. Life. I guess. Blogging and going to the gym: two things that, as long as done regularly, become habit; however, as soon as you get off of routine (sometimes even for just one day), it's over. And it's so hard to begin again.

A lot of wonderful things have been happening, and I've left them un-digitally-documented. They are all written in my shorthand in my diary (yes, I still kick it old school), but hardbound books do not facilitate keyword searches.

In summary,

two photos:

and

and one new dropped single

Love me some Brit.

2011 has begun pretty well.

I'll keep you posted... I hope.

Pseudo-making it

Pseudo-making it

It is not a must that one breaks up to enjoy a good break-up song.

Back in 1995, I did not know the anger and pain of a break-up. During a past life, my abstinence extended to the radio as well so I was not hit by the emotional tidal wave of Alanis Morissette and You Oughta Know until after September of 1997. But from what I know, the song became a phenomenal international hit and an anthem to disgruntled ex-lovers across the globe. I, for one, began to wait for the day when I could tell someone who broke my heart, "When I scratch my nails down someone else's back I hope you feel it."

Can you feel it?

In June 2008, we got a new kind of break-up song from Ms. Morissette: Not As We.

(My hope was to embed the video to this song, but I was able to do that. It's beautiful and truly worth viewing. Follow this link.)

Unlike You Oughta Know, there is no anger radiating from this broken relationship; however, like You Oughta Know, the emotions come from pain. After the anger, still in the daze of pain and confusion--asking ourselves, "What happened?"-- we all must start over again. Alanis expresses all these feelings so beautifully through this song. It's from her Flavors of Entanglement album from 2008. It did not take two years after the song's release for me to discover it; I bought the album in June 2008 when it came out. Not As We was instantly one of my favourite tracks of the album. However, until last night, I'd never seen the video.

For various reasons, I've been in an Alanis mood lately. I ventured over to youtube last night when the internet decided to stop crawling at a snail's pace, and I did a search for Alanis's 1995 performance of All I Really Want on MTV's 120 Minutes (I just like her crazy facial expressions and the way her hands remain eerily stiff during that particular performance). Somehow that search also led me to the Not As We video. I was moved by the beauty of both the song and the video and felt that it must be shared.

It's no longer 1997; therefore, I'm a little bit older (and according to one recent acquaintance, the aging process is a bit accelerated for me: especially around the eyes). I cannot make the same claims of inexperience I could in 1995... Thank goodness!

Sweet Back-Loaded Puppet

Sweet Back-Loaded Puppet

Alanis Morissette is the soundtrack for this entry. I think, maybe, I should stop reading the newspaper. It might just get me in trouble one day; however, I needed something to occupy my time as I waited to get my hair cut this afternoon.

Politics. Not my favorite subject. At the risk of sounding too cliché, I'll state that opinions are like assholes: we all have one. And Mr. Awel Uwihanganye expressed his in today's New Vision. I have had the honor of meeting Mr. Uwihanganye on several occasions. He's a friend of friends. While he's entitled to his opinion and can believe in a "larger design... where US interests are primary", I'd just like to clarify that the time he "lived in North America long enough to know that the established Western democratic system has little interest in the stability and economic development of countries such as Uganda" was as a university student in CANADA!

Oh, Awel. I'll leave the rest of your propaganda alone for now. As I stated before, politics: not my favorite subject. But your taste for poorly-written articles leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

As Alanis sang: I see right through you. Apparently, others do too.

Sunday musing...

Sunday musing...

Taking an idea from a friend I conversed with at an art exhibition on Friday evening, after my Sunday morning jog, I bought newspapers (both the Vision and Monitor) and found an outdoor seat at Cafe Java to keep myself informed... as well as entertained.

H.E. Museveni had two statements attributed to him in two different articles that triggered audible responses from me. The two were:

• ... he was ready to personally take over the Karamoja command if the chiefs did not show seriousness;
• he also criticised the educated people for being corrupt and failing to appreciate the political agenda. (I cannot link this one because the online article does not include the statement, but apparently, it was taken from a 19th May article.)

Sadly, Cafe Java becomes too crowed to be enjoyed these days. It's great business for the owners, but for people like myself who'd prefer a more relaxed environment, the after-10am crowd on Sunday mornings is not desirable. After my fruit salad, I was out of there.

The rest of the day was spent doing as little as possible at home until my ritual at Zone 7. Good times.

As I type, I'm having a Spring Awakening moment. Fantastic music.

(Before Lea was Rachel, she was Wendla... she was also Shprintze, Little Girl and Cosette.) I've never seen Spring Awakening on stage, but it's definitely on my must see list... hopefully I'll be in an area where a tour is passing through.