23.1.10

Who is to blame?

Recently I found out about the escapades of yet another cheating boyfriend and I got really frustrated, not just because he was cheating constantly (daily) and his girlfriend thought she had the best of boyfriends but because it seems that one cannot find one honest and faithful man anymore. In this new generation of ours, you cannot find one good African man, unlike before when there were at least a few good men. Now, it seems that the young eligible guys of this generation made a pact never to be faithful. No girl dating or married to a man of the 21st century can boast of having a man who has never cheated or whom she is not suspecting of cheating, except of course if the relationship is just three days old.(and that would only be because the man does not own a blackberry). It is so appalling that there is not one faithful male in the world today. Of course, there are different degrees and levels of cheating but I say, call a spade a spade; cheating is cheating.
From utter disgust and frustration, I decided to find out what it was that made the men so out of control in that instead of getting better over the ages, they get worse. My first thought was the all so common excuse; “It’s in their D.N.A”. If cheating flows in their blood streams, how come there are different degrees and why is it that SOME men of the previous generations were able to sustain faithfulness? I also tried to pin it on the “End times” or the fact that the ratio of women to men in the world is 100: 1 but none of these reasons, as reasonable as they might be, really satisfied my curiousity. So I decided that the only way I could come to a passable conclusion was to first analyze the situation of cheating men in our society today; why they cheat but most of all, how come they get away with it on a platter?
Having ignited my thoughts, I chose to analyze the relationship I just found out about. For this guy, not only is he cheating but he is also so confident that his girlfriend can never find out and even if she did, would never believe it. His tactic? Same as every other guy, tell her the situation of things with these girls but conveniently leaving out the fact that he is sleeping with them so that even if the girl finds out something about a girl, she pays no special attention because she had heard about that girl before from her ‘faithful’ partner. The thing, however, is that women have these intrinsic instincts concerning their men but they deliberately ignore it, either to promote trust or peace of mind.
It has been said that there are basic signs to identifying a cheating man but the truth is that there are no basic signs, just instincts that tug at the woman’s mind and lets her know something is up. But most times, she ignores it. This therefore means that the men are not as sleek and coded as they think they are. It just means that the women let them get away with it either on purpose or through blind trust which is basically stupid ignorance. So, if the men are not always successful in totally hiding their evil deeds, then why do they eventually get away with cheating? Even when they are caught, they still do get away with it. But just why do men get away with these things-because the women allow them! Which is why the rate of cheating men is directly equivalent to the rate of increase in desperate and ignorant, dependent women in the society.
As much as we hurt from the antics of our men, we women are the only reasons they continue to cheat. Tell a girlfriend that her boyfriend is cheating on her; she either stops talking to you or stays with the boyfriend even after confrontation. Even when caught red-handed, the man still manages to convince the willing girlfriend to stay. In the case of marriage, the woman is told by her family (women) that she has to bear the brunt in order to keep her family and children intact. It is considered natural to go through these things and excuses are even made for the husband, sometimes the woman is blamed for pushing her husband out of the house to another woman’s arms for solace and comfort. Whereas, in the same marriage, a woman is immediately chastised and thrown out if she cheats. The man conveniently forgets his children and family name and those same women who encouraged the wife to stay are quick to scold her, forgetting that she probably lacked some much needed attention from her husband. It is considered absurd if a woman complains of little sex or attention from her husband. In Africa, when a woman cheats, she has committed an abomination and is castigated but when a man cheats, he has fully come into manhood and is given a pat on the back.
Another side to the story is that of the girls with whom the man cheats. These are the girls who know that the men they are with have partners but still go ahead either just because they do not care or because due to some insane obsession, they hope for a divorce or breakup. In this scenario, the women are to be blamed again. Women have placed men on such high pedestals that they backstab and hurt themselves in order to get them. Drop a man this minute, no matter how ugly, poor, disrespectful or abusive he is and about two hundred girls are ready to take him just as he is. So how exactly is he supposed to learn from his mistakes? It is almost like the world is now a jungle full of desperate women that have to fight and kill themselves over the few men left in the wild. And for what exactly, Just to have a new surname? (Because quite frankly, I am yet to find a guy who is actually worth it)
You find women holding on to the men they have, just because “going to another man is like moving from frying pan to fire”, “ they are all the same, so why not hold on to the one you have managed to tame”, and the oh so famous “ the devil you know is better than the angel you do not know”. See, my problem with that theory is this, known or unknown, an angel beats the devil any day, light will always overshadow darkness either the source of the light is known or not.
So ladies, this is it. We are the cause of our own problems. We settle for less, allow these men continue with their antics and then come back to cry. Men are like babies, they want to do what you tell them not to and until they get a serious beating or get hurt, they will not stop. So, its either you “beat” that man that cheats on you or at least make sure he regrets it or continue to live in silence and backstabbing and make more monsters in the guise of the male specie.
I would have said if you can’t beat them join them but in the end, the men are more strict and would send you away the moment you cheat. But if we must suffer with these cheats, then we should be allowed to kiss a few other men at the very least and if you are married, well, there are other ways to tame your man. And for those girls out there with the sole purpose of grabbing other women’s men, my advice is if you can not get a man of your own, then become a lesbian.
But on a more serious note, my advice goes thus: we have heard the likes of Beyonce with “if I were a boy” , Ciara and a lot more women, Ladies, it is time to clean those tears, make your points known, stand your grounds and ironically, Be a Man! And as harsh as this may seem, trust your instincts, not your man!

BIG PAUSE

Happy New Year y’all! It is a new year and for me, a new chapter in my life has begun. How? My convocation was some days ago which I am now officially be fit to be called a graduate.
“What next?” While my whole family was planning my graduation party, this was one of the many questions that were going through my head. When I was a lot younger, I remember my parents being told that I was growing up too fast and that it would affect me later in life. At an age where others were in primary 4 or 5, I was in J. S 1. I finished secondary school at an age where my mates where in S.S 1. I was doing really well in school and I thought those people where chatting bullocks but now looking at the way things are, I am just beginning to think that maybe, just maybe they were right. Okay so I finished last year and my convocation is in a few days time. I am actually really through with school, my first degree at least. The funny thing is that in Secondary School, I was looking forward to the end of my 6 years but this time, I just wanted one more year to at least clear my head and decide what to do with my life. But unfortunately, I have no extra year, so basically, I am done and with good grades I might add. For the past four years, all the problems that came my way were easy to cross because I just buried myself in my studies. Not like I had no social life whatsoever, its just that it was nice to have something important to do when the world just seemed not to be able to stop throwing all those lemons. It was good to know that even though the weekend was bad and some things happened that made me feel bad about myself over the weekend, I could go to class on Monday, where things went just fine and I could regain my confidence in being able to do something right. Truth is, school was an escape route for me. When my family was being lead stars of fuji house of commotion and my boyfriend was being a jerk and my friends were being annoying, there was always a Logic or Marxist course that made me feel better. School was the only form of stability in my life. It was nothing like the continuous ups and downs of my relationship or subsequent fights with my friends or the disintegration of my family, or rocky status of my finance. It was different. My grades never failed, the lecturers never changed, the courses although different had a certain similarity to them. Basically, my classes were my therapy.
And now, all so soon, it is coming to an end. No place to run to when I needed to get away from parents or run from, away from friends. No freedom for night crawling, party hopping, “sleep overs”. In a matter of weeks, my four years reached a climax and still like the first day I entered the gates of the campus, my future was bleak and blurry. I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. And all I wanted was one more year to be able to make something of my mumbled up mind but that wasn’t to happen. And on my final paper, I was both elated and demoralized. I felt like a child who, although had the maddest fun at the party, was being locked out for coming home late. Suddenly, after what seemed like a long time, four years ago, I felt like I had been thrown out in the cold and with not as much as a jacket.
I always thought that by the end of my University life, my life would be ordered. I had always thought that I would simply follow a sort of laid- out path created by the University. But now, I feel like I am being forced to grow up and make my own path. And to try the idea of living each day as it comes can not work because life is moving ahead and as the saying goes “time waits for no one.” My uncle asked me the other day what I planned to do now that I had graduated, and I had no tangible answer. The first thing I know is that I want to be rich and independent, (of course), the other thing is I want to write. But does writing make any thing in this country? I am not a novel writer or a script writer, or I don’t think I am, so how do I make it writing? I don’t even know if I want to work in an official office, like formal office or a more laid-back office? I am too interested in a lot of things that I do not have any particular specification.
Well at least there is youth service in February, right? Wrong!!! Apparently I have to wait till June for that. So now I have roughly six months to do something productive with myself. People, I need help!!! What do I do with myself? AARRGGHHH!!!!! It is actually true, education is not everything and it is not the beginning or end of your life. Sometimes, even, it can be quite useless in the path which one’s life would follow.

14.10.09

OUT WITH THE NEW AND BACK TO THE OLD

So my mother and I were talking the other day about life in general. Now my mother and I have one of those rare mother-daughter relationships were we share anything and everything- and I do mean anything. So this day we were gossiping about one of her friends who had problems with her husband. Somehow though we shifted base to another really interesting topic which piqued my interest and I thought to share and as usual ask my questions.
Now this friend of my mothers had a family friend staying over in her house. The girl whose name would remain unspoken, just finished from the University. Normally, for someone staying in another person’s house, it is expected of her to at least take some chores in the house upon herself. However, this girl does absolutely nothing in the house. Her basic daily routine is to wake up, stay in bed for another hour using her blackberry. Then she dresses up beautifully, eats food that has been made by the woman and goes out. Fed up with the girl’s behaviour, the woman came complaining to my mother. And in usual motherly fashion, the talk of how girls of nowadays behave began. Soon enough, my mother went from gossip to the “mother-daughter” talk of how to behave in your husband’s house.
This talk was different as it was not particularly a lecture. She however raised some really disturbing questions in my head. Is our generation really in trouble? Are the women being raised now more superficial than ever? Would this become problems for us in the future and even more so what would happen to our children if we do not possess the proper morals with which to train them? The scary thing is that while our mothers may be seen as nags and as much as they bug us now, they are actually very correct.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that all girls of our generation are not domesticated. But the rate at which the number of girls that are quite useless at the home front increases is ALARMING. And its not just being a good cook or being good at washing and cleaning, even though that is all part of it, but it also includes the little things that make us African and good mothers and wives. It is just hard to find a woman who is the total embodiment of a good African woman, mother and wife. You know how your mother can make your father do something he did not want to? How you ran to mummy to ask daddy for money or if you could go out because you know he would not ordinarily give in? Or how it was only your mother that could calm your father down when he was angry at you? Or even some odd things like lying for him? Did you ever wonder how your mother could be so calm when your father is acting so irrational? Or how she could entertain so many impromptu guests?
Are we slowly loosing our femininity in the fight for feminism? Has the Western life taken away our ability to pay attention to details and keep a home? In the conscious effort to look good for our husbands and boyfriends, have we unconsciously ignored them and allowed for their roaming eyes. In the search for equality, have we lost the essence of womanhood and “Africanness” in us? It seems as technology improves, we slowly loose the abilities our mothers possess. For example, how many girls of nowadays can make pounded yam? I do not mean poundo yam. Or how many can grind pepper using the traditional stone?
I have nothing against Westernization or civilization. It has definitely made our lives easier. But then is civilization taking just as much from our original persons as it is improving our daily lives? And why is it that as much as we women change down generations, the men still have the same attributes? In fact all civilization has done is sharpen their skills in cheating. Now we have the Blackberries and Iphones that allow your man flirt and chat with other girls while sitting right next to you or laying beside you.
As always, I just want you to take a moment and think. What will become of us women?

8.10.09

Hanging out

Tonight, I stepped out for a bit and just happened to pass a beer parlor. Like so many of its kind, it was packed full. Full of guys that is and it just made me wonder about a few things that I thought I should share. Please note, this is not meant to be a wow-off- the-top post. It is just me thinking out loud. Remember this is life as it happens and thoughts as they come to me.
As usual, I ask a question. first, what is it that draws young guys who are, by the way, our future leaders, to common beer parlors? Now, a lot if not all boys from the age of 15 upwards are found in one beer parlor or another at least once a week. Notice how I say boys because I do not think responsible people should indulge in such nonsense and only responsible people can be called men. Sad thing is most guys I know are famous beer parlor goers. Is it some sort of initiation into "manhood"? If you haven't gone to a beer parlor, you are not yet a man? And if you do not go at least once a week, you are not having fun? Oh, then throw in a weekly bout of clubbing and you are the coolest?

Why should one leave his house or place of work to go to a rugged open spaced beer parlor? This sad habit that every member of the male specie seems to have inculcated is discussion for another day. More pressing thoughts are on hand.
I tried to come up with some of the reasons why these guys are so freaked about beer parlors that they must find one to go to wherever they find themselves. For some, it might be a way to let out some frustration after a long day. For others, it is something to do to culminate a day of doing absolutely nothing ( thanks to ASUU). Others call up their boys to meet at a parlor just to kill boredom. Let's not forget the oh so very annoying "I am waiting for the traffic to die down" routine. To satisfy my curiousity, I called up some guy friends of mine (and I have them "plentiful") and this was their general and common answer- they just want to hang out. Oh! That makes sense. It could not have been that it was just because they are hopeless drunks, if not they would just buy the drinks and take it at their homes, right? If it was all about hanging out then the beer parlor addiction figures, right? Good, problem solved. Yes?
NO!!! Why should guys have a place to hang out and just chill while we girls do not. No, this is not just another feminine move, this is real talk. There is a place that these drunks, sorry boys, can multitask- drink, gossip(they call it gisting but we all know that is where all the secrets come out) and let us not forget get girls and we girls are left at home wondering when our brothers, boyfriends, fathers will return home. Why can't girls have theirs? We also love hanging out now! In fact, as far as I know hanging out is more of a girl thing after all we are the known gossips and that IS what a hangout entails, at least 70 percent of the time.
Really, think about it! the beer parlor is majorly a male dominated area. From the classy joints like Vitto Cantina, Cubes to the average Anjiez to the road side, business centre like parlors like Savannah, Jojos and Ozias. What do we ladies have? Cinemas?! The guys are there too. Malls? You can't just chill, eat and "gist" for hours. The closest we can come to our own beer parlor is a Beauty parlor and even that isn't just the same because we do not get to just chill and hang out without having our gist being tapped or getting judged by other women.
Does this mean that we do not need to hang out or are we content with just chilling in our various homes and friend's houses?
All I am saying is: Ladies, it is time we created our own female-only joint or we invade the beer parlors!!! WE NEED OUR SPACE
Like I said earlier, I am just thinking out loud. Good night boys. mwah

View From Another Angle

So out of sheer joblessness and boredom, I began to take these quizzes that are never ending. Asides from being jobless and bored, I actually have an ulterior motive as to why I do take these tests. To put it simply, I just really want to know who I am, or at least what I am capable of.
Now I know there are some questions that only you can answer but do you ever just feel that you need a soothsayer to explain who you are and what your purpose in life is? I mean someone who just gets it right and tells you things that others and not even yourself would see. Parents would tell you how great you will become because let's face it, no parent wants to admit to their child that they just might not make it. (except of course when at the age of 25 you are still a couch potato, then they would scream about how you either need to get married or get a job). Truth is, parents never just get it.
Anyways, moving right along... Pastors tell you that your purpose in life is to serve God and win souls. And even after all this, you still feel like there is more you need to do with your life. I mean even the Bible says every man has a gift. But who exactly are you? how do people regard you? what would be said to be your strongest asset and best feature? To answer these questions, I often take these random quizzes and view horoscopes.
Amongst one of these many RANDOM quizzes was one which struck me as odd. This was so because while to some people, these might seem stupid and the answers might be considered bizzare, as in really how can you believe and accept answers to a stupid quiz that was set by a random person that does not even know who you are and what you are about? I actually get answers that are close to the truth or that I can relate with to some certain extent. But not today and not this quiz. The question- What makes you, you? My answer- confidence. Now while this might not seem bad and could actually be considered a good thing, I hated it.
Why? BECAUSE I have the lowest self esteem anybody could imagine. My mother is frustrated with me, my friends ignore me when I complain about myself, heck even my acquaintances know this about me. But then this quiz that knows nothing about me tells me that not only do I have confidence, it is this confidence that makes me, me. It is this confidence that sets me apart from others. Wow. Now normally, you would expect me to laugh at this and just ignore it but I actually decided to accept it.
I accepted it because for the first time, this was something or someone telling me I had enough confidence in me. Other people who know me have tried to build my confidence but this one said I had it already. It gingered me and suddenly out of nowhere this previously non-existent confidence sprung up in me. Now it may die before tomorrow but at least now I know that I do have confidence in myself. It may not be the well known and universally accepted confidence but that is just it. It is a certain kind of conifdence that distinguishes me from others. The type that gives me the will to work on myself and stop to look at myself the way others might look at me. The type of confidence, unlike others, which allows me change some things I might not like in myself. Now while I might need more work, I do accept that I am special and different and people can actually like me. Now this is something I never believed before
To conclude, this little piece of advise... have confidence in yourself but take time out to see yourself in the light which others see you. Things just might be different from that angle.
xoxo.

7.10.09

JUST BASIC QUESTIONS OF WHAT A GOOD RELATIONSHIP SHOULD BE

What exactly is a good relationship? Is it one where there is no cheating, there is respect, the man holds you in high esteem, introduces you to everyone, takes you everywhere, calls every minute, tells you he loves you every time, praises you, makes you feel like you are the most beautiful or the best? Just how true are all those things? After all its just word of mouth, right?

When is it cheating? Is he cheating when he merely admires other girls, thinks of another girl secretly, fantasizes of someone else, have a cyber relationship or in this new age of technology, kisses once or twice here and there, smashes, or just goes all d way. When a gal receives calls from oda guys just for the fun of it, goes 2 d movies with another guy that's on her case, flirts around a bit? When is a partner worthy of being called a cheat? When it happens 1ce by mistake, when it happens only during fights or when it never stops? What den should ‘harmless’ flirting be called?

When does he respect u? When he apologizes every time or just doesn’t annoy you at all? When he doesn’t insult u at all (even if it’s a joke)? When he cheats but doesn’t let it affect ur relationship or when he tells d gals he constantly cheats with that u r No.1. When he sticks up for u amongst his friends. Is he disrespectful when he cuts the fone or tells u he just doesn’t want to talk to u without reasonable explanation or just cos he isn’t in the mood?

What is trust? How far can u go in the name of trust? Would u leave your partner with a sexy member of the opposite sex? Would u check each other’s fones, would u believe everything he/she says not caring if it’s a lie or not. U see calls from and to a particular person, would u just ignore it and keep quiet about it all in the name of ‘trust’.
Is a relationship good when u don’t fight at all, occasionally, or all the time? What if you don’t fight cos u hardly talk, or u fight a lot cos u talk a lot and are running out of things to say. Is it healthy to see others? Is it right for ur bf/gf 2 actually suggest it as a solution? Is it right when the man lies or the woman is forever nagging? What happens when the roles are changed?

What if she doesn’t nag but that’s just cos there is some one else she’d rather be with than nag? Aren’t you fooling urselves then? What if he is just a beautiful liar and you can never tell anyways.

Would a rel8nship be healthy just cos dey don’t cheat? Is love everything? I LOVE U; I LOVE U TOO, is dat enough? Is it wrong when u start to concentrate all ur energy on avoiding fights so much so that there is nothing much to say cos u seem to get on eachother's nerves with every statement.
They say there are a few good men, does that indirectly mean that u should stay in an unhappy relationship. All girls are cheats, “ko si omo mo”, does that mean u should put up with a bitch or a nag just cos the “devil u know is better than the angel u don’t”

What is an unhappy rel8nship? Just when is a rel8nship abusive? If ur man slaps u once cos u annoyed him after a year of dating, is dat abusive? If a woman hits a man, is it still abusive? Is it right when ur bf/gf would rather be with friends than u? What does it mean to take 1 4 granted?

What happens when both the bf/gf think they r each being taken for granted. Who then takes the blame? Should u just not blame n just ignore, how then do you avoid a repetition? Is dere a time talking just stops to help? Is it right when he is just always ready to show that he doesn’t need you?

Is it wrong to love a man that hurts you considering u can’t help urself? Are u stupid just cos u want ur happiness even if its just for a while so u take all the bullshit? Turn a blind eye to a cheating bf/gf? U figure, if u left u’d be sad but if u stayed at least u’d have a few happy moments. But won’t it all get better in time and soon enough? Just how soon is soon enough?

Why should u hurt for as long as a month or even more, is any one really worth all that especially if u had to part ways in the end.
Is it right that ur bf doesn’t get moved by ur tears and u “irritate” him when u beg? If one gal complains of a rude and disrespectful bf, another cries over a cheating husband, one is scared of an abusive bf while another is pissed at a selfish maga and yet another longs for a man that loves another, who exactly is in the worst situation?

If therapists say all these men should be dumped, then just what man would be left for marriage? And even if there a few good men, what happens to the bad ones and worse still, what happens to the women that are way more than the men (especially the good ones). Is it love that makes a relationship work or hard work? Just how much hard work is required to keep a relationship running?

When is hard work too much, when does it begin to take up all your energy? I mean, if there is a part of u dat still wants to make it work no matter how little or weak, doesn't that mean you still have some energy?

The question, people, is “when is it right and on what grounds should you make the decision of whether to go on or move on?”

PS: Please ignore my informality and use of short forms

30.9.09

beginner's class?

hey,
right now i do not have much to say but just hello>
today is not a very good one but its much too early to bombard u with my worries.
holla back