MY SUPER HERO IS HERE: THE CRANE'S DENIS ONYANGO!

Alright, hello there, firstly i must confess, this wasn't the blog content i had planned for today but there is that one thing that hits the ground and some sorta lava won't stop flowing out, THAT thing is Onyango's save from Wednesday night's #UGAZIM Match! ululululu, i'm still feeling the heat! If i have never believed in Superman, Spiderman or even the Genie from Aladdin, ........Mr Denis Onyango, the captain Uganda Cranes, African Player of the year, 'CAF Africa's Finest' ....is my world's super hero!

That Moment Was Everything!

Now that you know what i'm talking about, we can calm down and talk, haha. Normally you won't find me getting obsessed with football or sports in general but for exceptional cases like this, i couldn't help re-watching the video clip countless times and my excitement got hiked up with each view, you can't blame me for this! I take full responsibility for not using the 'sports language' though. Don't wanna say something i can't explain.

Needless to say are the funny yet emotional tweets that kept my mood at 89% and above,....this match kept my pulse up, like in a cool way. At this rate, the best compliment i can give bae till Sunday is; YOU ARE MY ONYANGO! THAT'S QUITE A SUPERNATURAL MOVE LIKE ONYANGO'S! Wuhuuuuu,....why isn't Onyango a therapist already??? That short clip can heal numerous hearts, for real.

For that matter, i will keep this video here just in case ANYONE ever tells me to "give up, it's out of hand, you can't save this situation",...hell no Denis Onyango has clear proof that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE if we keep our heart and mind to it!

This reminds me of the time, way back in my form one when i and seven other girls were to be punished by expulsion(reason withheld for security purposes). We were told to wait upon the decision of the board members and so two weeks till then, there was nothing we could do but sit and wait for our fate. However, in that trying time, one girl(who was even never our friend before) asked us to start reciting novenas(an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity in which prayers are repeated for nine consecutive days)so that our punishment could be lightened. Most of us didn't even know what that was all about but it being a catholic school, we had more to learn and for some reason, we just committed to that and somehow, to cut the long story short, we weren't expelled, only got a two weeks suspension.

Sunday Is My BD, What Do People Do In Their Mid Twenties?

One would wonder why Onyango(someone give me a dollar for each time i have mentioned this name please) would take a step back, risk his ligaments and tendons and rush to save a ball that we all had given up on. I believe it's all supernatural, an instinct (that i can't explain) coupled with that bit of adrenaline rush that pushes one to go extra at a case one is 99% not sure they will win. 

That's laying down everything else to save a situation and that's what our beloved goalkeeper did. If i could ever have a chance to meet him, i would ask nothing but "What was and is that moment like to you? What words, if there is, can describe what you felt at that moment?) I'm also hoping against hope for that day. Love you all my esteemed readers and catch you next Friday, don't forget to get your cranes' jerseys on because Sunday, we're doing it again, Egypt, here we come baby!

BODY SHAMING: MY TAKE

Do you have any insecurities concerning your body? Let's get 'real and personal'
Body shaming can be defined in various ways but the bottom line is; it's about making humiliating, critical and unpleasant comments about a person's physical appearance, as in size, height or weight. The pain of body shaming is usually inflicted  upon  'us' sometimes by the people we know or have met and maybe relate with and at times it's from total strangers.

MELANIN

Body shaming zeros down to a person or group of persons having their own standard of what beauty should be or conform to, and certainly imposing it on another person, which will never be "acculate" because every person is different. This is where the problem is, not every body will have an hour glass figure, supermodel weight, or a skin tone of a fairly tale princess. The fact that we are all different should be an indicator that we must learn to accommodate the different physiques of the people we meet and relate with in life.

Here are my personal encounters with this daring monster, I'm one of those slender beings weighing 44 kgs(97 lbs) and there is always pressure that comes with this. I have on many occasions met random people and to my disappointment, one will start off 'front-biting' me...(well not back-biting because i can overhear that shit! )..."gosh, she is so skinny"..."my goodness, those are some tiny legs she's got".... These are the kind ones. The rough fellas be like; "rya ku mele banange" meaning...eat some food. Some other rude guy once threw a comment: 'ehh, nyabo nga size yo sigiyina, kebera ko mu kid's section' meaning; madam, I don't have your size of clothes, why don't you go check in the kids' section? Haha... sometimes when I look back at such horrible people and comments, there is a part of me that goes ...how could anyone be that mean and inconsiderate!

I'm Unapologetically Me!

See, however much we can try to be who and what we are in the best versions, people will always find a crooked line along the contours: Katelyn Ohashi, one of the most amazing gymnasts of this era, who managed to make a perfect 10 score in January this year (hey, I love gymnastics so I know some of these things) is also a victim of body shaming and sadly  among the bullies were her very own coaches, that's ridiculous! Why would anybody focus on something less than the talented beautiful person she is! Now you know that the human race will never have enough to appreciate, unfortunately.
 Now, here is the thing, usually it's not what you say but how you say it that breaks or mends. Learning how well we can package our words and messages is key, don't be another burden to someone who is already battling excruciating pains of the heart, be nice, if you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all.

Katelyn Ohashi Makes Me Believe In MAGIC!

We all have a part of us that is still under construction, maybe we are trying to work on our self esteem, confidence or even self love but one human being pops into our lives and waters down everything that we have labored to sculpture  for long with just a phrase! How about we give each other room to grow and be the great people we dream of becoming minus looking down on other's physical appearance!

But at the end of the day, you don't need validation from other people for your worth, once you know who you are, whatever they say is pointless because these people don't feed you, neither do they pay your damn bills. Guess what, if you take a minute to observe these people(which you shouldn't waste time doing), 90 percent of them are not any better, if anything they are much wounded on the inside and worse still what else can they offer the world apart from finding a bin to lessen the trash engraved in their scars! I don't mean to be rough or say that you should play tit for tat, no, just know a person who invests in body shaming others has much less of everything, look up, adjust your crown and be the queen/king in that empire that you have fought hard to build. Opinions ain't facts, just let them fade off.

I Love u My African Weather My Sweet Sunshine

Dealing with body shaming can be pretty hard but it has to start from within. When we are young, we don't even know how we have "protruding tummies, big boobs, tiny thighs" and all those things that people keep rubbing in our face, its all brought to our attention by other people so learning your body and loving it will save you a great deal of suffering. Also, accepting compliments is a huge part of overcoming this, don't reject a genuine compliment, it could be all you need to reboot
 your mindset and move on! I love you guys and i feel for all those who have been body shamed in all kinds of ways, refuel and keep on moving. Till next Friday, DON'T LET ANYONE RAIN ON YOUR PARADE, NOT NOW, NOT EVER!

A DAY IN MY LIFE; BUSY AF!

It's one thing to wake to a rainy morning but a whole other thing having to move, do work around Kampala in the heavy down pours -especially when using public means.

Giving You Me

 Before you start to mind about the tight traffic that comes with this weather, there are other serious stuff that you have to consider, like getting more cash in to your bag because you are most likely bound to pay double for the usual fares! Maybe you are wondering why this is so but if you studied a bit of economics, you know the relationship between demand and supply.
These taxi drivers know very well that even if one was to move from City Square to let's say DTB Kampala road, they will definitely have to use a taxi, no body dares to walk in rain, the heavy flows, cars splashing dirty water straight to your nice black trousers,...or even the wind blowing off your sorry umbrella! It's a hustle.

Completely real....raw,...

While I sat in this old rugged taxi, well I didn't have an option, the drizzle drops that hit me as I walked out of the stationery was such a subtle warning like "hey, the showers that are coming down are still charging and warming up, jump into whichever damn taxi that comes by" and so I did. I had hardly settled in when light fog covered off all the wind shields, and boom, the heavy rain was here. I was moving from Ntinda to Kampala which should take me at least 50 minutes so I decided to get my phone and write something for you guys.

 A minute into the writing, this lady comes in and she has to sit next to me, that's usual, no problem, the heck is she has some woolen cardigan on and it's dripping wet! We are four people in a row so she has to squeeze in, the end product is, my whole left side is wet! I tried pushing a bit to the right but damn, she then makes herself comfortable since I'm the tiny one. I was being sandwiched by two people, the wet and cold, the dry and unbothered! I definitely got out with a jacket that had a faint smell of a cloth that was locked up half dry in a suitcase for days. That was just quarter of my day's travel.

 At 11:07 am, I hopped into another taxi to Entebbe, the rain had calmed down a bit, we only had little droplets hitting the glass and trickling downwards to form various "riverlets"(word from Patie's Dictionary) which I observed with bored eyes. My "seatmates" were fine this time, everyone minding their business and I had enough space to type on my phone without elbowing no body. Plus, I always cross my tiny legs while seated(it gives me a sense of relaxation and security), whatever that may seem to you! It's always a bustle making it from "kaja" that stuffy pavement(You have people doing whatever is humanly possible to entice you to buy a trouser at 10-15k, another taxi conductor is calling you all kinds of 'relative names' directing you to his taxi, a business man whistling in your ears to clear way for the heavy luggage weighing on his broad shoulders and some random lady raising her hand up to sell ice cream in a ramshackled bucket) to ShopRite clock tower junction. If you have not experienced this, you are either  damn rich ✌️(you never take a taxi to Ebbs) or you don't know nothing, absolutely nothing about life happening down town. You need to see some of these things to appreciate what you have, there is all kinds of business and hustling down these Kampala corridors.

Okay folks, it's 11:28 and we have just made it to Entebbe road, now you know what I'm talking about, traffic! See, I'm seated in here, and will be for more than an hour. Sometimes I find my mind wandering off to various issues and by the time I get to my destination, I'm completely off topic. Like "Oh, to which office I'm I supposed to deliver these documents, Public Affairs or Communications department?" Haha, I hope that doesn't sound like a disillusion, but yes, it happens so I have to 'reset' before I get to the check point. That's the nature of my job, I love it but it embarrasses me sometimes, (that's a story for another day)

I Love Me Some Cool Sights!

When my work at CAA was done, I left for Kampala, the rain was no more and the clouds were clearing up a bit. Long journey it is when you are "taxi-ing"(That's my term, never use it out there) because you don't control any thing, the stop overs and all that, even when the driver wants to take a "pee-break", he might as well use some more minuets to say hello to his "kyana" while you guys wait up!
 Just when I thought my day was getting done, my boss called me and asked me to meet another client, this was at 4:45pm. So I got outta the taxi and got a 'boda b' so I can show up before 5pm.( You will hardly find anybody in office beyond this time or if you are lucky enough to, they will be in the 'chilaxing' mode😉) and you might not get served to your satisfaction. I hit the 'deadline' and managed to accomplish that task too. Gosh....

I call up my boss and notify him about the results and guess what, this is what he had to say,"so are you taking a taxi? In my heart I was like okay, it's 5 something and traffic is tight like crazy, I need to get home not go back office! He insists thus," I know there is traffic, just get a 'boda b' so you have everything filed at office today." I swallowed hard and said," Alright, I will."

More Of My Shots For You!

So apparently, my day had like another quarter to go and it's 5:57pm. I get going, all the way to Kiwatule (if you are not used to these places or know nothing about Kampala-Uganda, it's hard to understand what i'm talking about) Long story short, I did what was needed and at 7:14pm, I'm in this fair taxi heading home with an exhausted body but lively mind. While the flickering lights of the trail of cars in front of me dazzle my eyes, I get my hands to use and try to complete the article so my adorable readers can have it by Friday noon.

The sky is a mixture of sky blue and hues of grey, the atmosphere is cool and darkness is setting in. There are two, three ..ohh, five stars in sight, and I have an hour till I get home. Love y'all, this is a typical busy day in my work life, I hope you enjoy and maybe somehow relate to it. Catch you next Friday, till then, be safe and take care of yourselves.

MY GIRLS' PHOTOGRAPHY TRAINING EXPERIENCE

Hello esteemed reader, good morning, good afternoon depending on your time zone! Bonjour, Ni hao, Hola, Anyoung, Habari, Guten Tag.....gosh, i'm learning languages so i can reach out to y'all!  I hope you are having a wonderful time. It brings me joy when I have to communicate with you guys,...like I am checking on some friends whom I have been away from. Truth is I really do appreciate you being here and checking out this yet another post. I post every Friday.

Let's Do This!

This week I had a great opportunity to attend a three day Girls Photography Training organised by Mrs Amina Mohamed the CEO  www.triplefphototours.com. I must say my experience as regards this event was awesome and quite adventurous! Also, being an all girls thing, with exception of three male guides, it brought back that ancient spark of my days in high school.(I went to a single girls school for four years). It also reminded me of the many things that girls do when they are just being girls. The cliques, the untimely craving for eats, the complaints about a tiny hill climb, and more so, the silly stories around the "men messing us up." It all was a 'pretty little thing' to adore.

"My 'Floss' Skills are better than yours," Mrs Amina(right) takes on the challenge with Grace(left)

I set off on a chilly Tuesday morning to the famous "Kasubi Tombs" area from where we would be picked by one of the organizers to the venue to commence the training. I was expectant because i had waited for this day since April... haha, we all get that bit of anxiety sometimes, don't we? While I waited at the gate, a few more girls arrived too. I quickly "checked them out" to see whom I would then make friends with(i didn't know no body) for the three days or even after. Trust me I know how to tell whom to rhyme with in an instant.
 So I got a one Joyce, some Kenyan beauty and later on met a friend of Joyce's, Yvonne, who's Kenyan too. These two were my companions throughout the training, which is fantastic because I tend to be much of a loner and people usually mistake that for being unfriendly. So to be on the safer side, I always mingle up with a few that I can. Cheers to the introverts....

Joyce, a friend i made on arrival.

The training was absolutely enriching and fun too. Apart from having to revisit my knowledge about the aperture, shutter speed, ISO and the like(the lecture I ditched a thousand times at campus), the practical part was okay. I'm glad I now know a thing or two about how to take which shot for what purpose and also narrate a story behind it all.

Amina was kind enough to bring along some "goodies" to share with us from the "Days For Girls Waterloo Ontario Canada Team" an organisation dedicated to enlightening a girl child(and women too) about menstrual hygiene management and breaking barriers to self esteem brought about by the same.   ...This is or used to be the norm in many cultures around the world; When you visit an area that's beyond your locality, you take some gifts to the people and vice versa. However, the practice has died down considering the the "Me and myself" mindset so if anyone still has an ounce of "I can share this with someone" minus expecting something in return, that person is 👌👌 and that's what I think humanity should be!
 https://www.facebook.com/mississaugadfg/, https://www.facebook.com/dfgwloo/
Via these links, you can read the devastating stories about how a girl child struggles with the stigma that comes with their menstrual cycles, its heartbreaking! Thanks to Days for Girls, we now know better,  speak for those who have no voice. Stop stigmatizing this whole thing, we can't undo it!!

This being more of a photography thing, let's have more of the shots than the talk, shall we? Note: One of the pictures down below is a bit gross but for the sake of our environment, i couldn't help bringing it up!

 Beautiful and Calm!

Look at that 'reflection of the water in the water,' shot by yours truly, ME!

Can't we save these trenches? Stop dumping garbage in there!

The poor drainage system and waste disposal in our slums hurts my feelings...for nature.

"As we go on, We remember"...Those final hugs.

                                                                   

LET'S TALK; ORAL ISSUES, WISDOM TEETH

Hello everybody,.....its a good day here, i hope you are having a nice time wherever you are reading this from. How is the going? As for me, My oral situation as you can tell from the title is driving me to do more research than is comfortable for me haha... Quick Question: Do you know the reason why Wisdom Teeth are called so? If you do, good for you, if you don't, i got you. Just keep up with me right here!

Behind The Smile Lays My Bad 3rd Molars.

Wisdom Teeth are termed so because "they appear/erupt at a later time in life when one is believed to be wiser."

Now, you are probably wondering why on earth i would sit down and write about Wisdom teeth. But hey, i have a reason and the reason is, my wisdom teeth are giving me more trouble than my Maths assignments ever did. Apparently, i'm at the verge of having my two "third molars" removed, yeah 2 because the other 2 are gone already, hallelujah! We will get into detail but first i have some fun facts about teeth and the mouth as a whole, good for your soul. (Note: These are from sources on the internet, not my own research)

Tooth enamel is the strongest substance in the human body.(Oh really,...might be true, i have seen a couple of humans opening bottle crowns with their teeth, which is a 'genius' act but stupid practice)
Like finger prints, every one's tongue print is different.(Okay, for y'all suspecting your mates to have been kissed by someone, invest in finding out whose tongue prints will be found on their neck, haha)
An elephant grinds its molars and grows new ones. This happens 6 times in a lifetime.(Holy cow, why would this be so? Like this fattie fattie wakes up on a random morning and decides to accompany their vegetable breakfast with a molar, at that their own freaking molar! Okay elephant, what else do you want on your menu, your Teeny-tiny tail??)
An average woman smiles 62 times a day while an average man smiles about 8 times.(Well, no comment. Leave a comment down below about this fact)

Back to business: In July 2017, after a long time of buying painkillers, and changing my mouth wash for an improvement that never came, i decided to have two of my wisdom teeth extracted. Called my cousin who is dentist and scheduled an appointment, got myself together for the pain that i expected(i have had two extractions prior) and walked into that small room with dazzling light, a sort of operation chair(not table this time) and a simple table where the scary equipment lay that would later have a fun moment exploring and terrorizing my little mouth.

Look!! These Are The Stuff That You See And Develop Butterflies In The Stomach.

Early this year(2019) i wrote an article about what one needs to know concerning wisdom teeth. You can check it out via this link.
https://chimpreports.com/oral-health-what-you-need-to-know-about-wisdom-teeth/ That however was a little coverage since i'm not a dentist and haven't dealt so much with the case other than discovering that as my situation stands, my very own wisdom teeth have nothing like a role they play but only cause me trouble. I visited a dentist soon after they erupted and this is what he had to say,"its unfortunate that you are one of the people whose jawline isn't wide enough to accommodate the 3rd molars and so they are squeezed in, reason they are not in proper alignment. This is most likely going to cause you pain so its up to you to decide whether to get them out or let them be for now."


I didn't have much worry since they initially didn't act funny but after some few years, i started to notice that there was a sort of discoloration to which i thought,"Patie, you are not doing a good job, brush the damn teeth well." When i got cavities(on these shameless molars) i visited a dentist again and thus he explained,"Your third molars are in a complicated angle and however much you try, it's going to be hard to keep them clean, you should consider having them out." I then decided to get the two which were affected extracted. It's May 2019 and damn,.....i have to go back to the "chair" and get "clean."

Impacted Wisdom Teeth Appear In Different Angles. Mine lay in "partial eruption"

Good part is, my other dental sets are fine and have not showed any signs of 'defiance' so i feel good about that at least. The funny yet serious fact is, some people(a small percentage) happen to have a fourth set of molars(termed as Supernumerary teeth) as disclosed by Dr Gene McCormick who has practiced dentistry for over 40 years. "In my career, i have seen two cases where patients have had fourth molars-or two sets of wisdom teeth." He also went on to explain that "wisdom teeth can have even up to 5 roots." Or dear me, somebody hold my hand!

Now this ain't how i smile usually, just wanted to show off my "vampire" tooth, oh ,.i have a little diastema too.

So guys, maybe you dont have cavities, or Impacted wisdom teeth and your oral health is "crystal clear" haha,....but once in a while, you need to check with the dentist. Most of these dental issues don't occur overnight, its always an outburst of accumulating bits of unnoticeable problem build-ups. Stand warned, the pain of a tooth extraction is one that gives you nightmares long after the wound has healed even. Take care of your teeth like you would your diamonds.

I will catch YOU again soon, next Friday as we bring something else to the table. I love you all and have a fruitful week. GO GET YOUR TEETH CHECKED, THERE YOU HAVE WHERE TO START!

DECISION MAKING, MY STORY.

Good morning lovelies! I hope you are having a beautiful day.

Me looking at my decision like, YEAH!

Today we are getting more 'close and personal' because I am revealing something about me that would get you a cringy face for a split second. It's to do with decision making so stick with me and let's get right into it, shall we?

When I talk about decision making, I'm giving full coverage to even the smallest of choices that we make each day, in our daily operations and  the tough decisions such as career choices, relationships, taking business risks and all those life aspects that must be handled carefully, if we are to reap good from them.

One of the decisions I had to make amidst so much controversy was branching off to persue my dream course(journalism and mass communication) after my O'level studies. In most cases, (particularly here in Uganda), parents won't consider such a thing as their child not taking a "straight" education path to University. It's the norm and I don't have a problem with it at all. It's only when one doesn't perform well in their final high school exams that they will consider taking some random course(I know of many cases). Sometimes it's to do with money issues, parents will many a times be forced to make a shortcut for their children when their financial status is not stable enough to sustain the University or even A'Level study expenses. Institutions of learning are usually a bit cheaper and so an option for such situations.

For my case however, it was never about any of the above situations. I had passed with a good first grade(aggregate 25/8) and I was short-listed for admission in one of the schools of my choice for A'Level. Money wasn't an issue either(to God be the glory), and career guidance was something that was (vital and inevitable) ...we didn't like these talks especially when the program fell on a Saturday at my school(Maryhill High School, Mbarara). Thanks to these annoying discussions, I was able to have a ground to say "this is what I want" and stick to it. One time when Mr @EthanMussolini(one of the most respected inspirational speakers here) was the guest speaker, he mentioned 'taking different paths to achieving a common goal'.....I got that and I have never looked back.(Sending my love to all Maryhillians around the globe😍) You can follow and achieve your dream, even when you may not necessarily go through the same door that others have taken.

It was initially strange and kinda devastating for my parents but because I had a clear view of what I wanted and how I visualized my journey through it, they gave me a chance to lead my way and.....here I'm. I'm not where I want to be yet but I'm living a life with a purpose, I'm not complaining and I have never regretted my choice.

Workmates that become friends.

Many a times, we fail to make the right decisions one of the reasons being; Considering and putting into play how other people will feel about us and how they are likely to be affected by our choices. However, have you ever noticed that at the end of the day, we get back to saying: "If it wasn't for the sake of making my parents happy, I would be a better person in my career,...if only I had put myself and vision in the central arena, I would have achieved this or that....longing to please my partner is the reason I didn't take that training that could be of great help now.....lots and lots of stuff!

 We often give up our zeal and enthusiasm to do something amazing for our selves because we are busy thinking about how others will perceive our decision. But eventually, you will realize that these people don't actually care much about the lives we are living now and worse still, some have moved on from "those times" and we only have US! So what was the point in doing all this for everyone else but YOU?

I don't mean to sound selfish but I believe that if the people around us(family, friends, workmates, employers,..name it) love and care about us, they would be understanding enough to accept the little or big decisions that we make for our own good. Not focus on how they will benefit or not from the outcomes of our choices! How about you, what's your take on this issue?

That decision that you are about to make, is something you will appreciate in future. The interesting part is, when we make a choice with a pure mind, leave alone the advise that we need of course considering the depth of the matter, we go all in and hesitate to waiver on the journey that we embark on, because we are certain that whatever it is, we will be great at the end of it all. If we don't get exactly what we imagined, at least we will have learnt much about that field and we can always do better and better.

When Oprah Winfrey was asked what she will do if her show doesn't do well as projected, this is what she had to say. " The show will do well and if it doesn't, I will do well. Because I'm not defined by a show." So my dear one, don't let anything or anyone limit your adventure in or exposure to making a decision. Go right ahead and chose to start on that project today, take that school program, arrange for that tour, approach that person you fear and face every situation with utmost vigor and bravery.

See you again after you have faced and conquered that fear of making a decision🤝 Next Friday!! Have the best of the week and don't be a block in someone's way of making a choice, give them that extra push they need to make "A choice of their life." ✌️✌️

A DEDICATION TO ALL THE LOVELY MOTHERS!

Hello and welcome back to the blog guys.

TGIF

 I hope all is well and you are in line to having a part of your new year's resolutions covered,...hey it's mid May already! Gosh, how time zooms. It seems like yesterday when i was out at church waiting for the fireworks to spark, get my blessing and boom, dive right into 2019. Here we are taking on day by day and reaching for the utmost satisfaction in all we set our hands on. How far have you gone with yours?

Well, a little throw back, last Sunday was Mother's Day and up to now, i still feel the fresh breathe of that undying love and affection that people displayed to their mothers, aunties, step mothers, wives and the dad's (who happen to be both!) My mother and i talked and we had a share of the day's laughter. I must say, a mother's love is indescribable! Cheers to all the mothers reading this, i wish nothing but the best for you. You are reason we wake up with hope and security around us, even when the demons of hatred, jealousy, loss , failure, loneliness.....haunt us as we go out to face the world, one thing for sure is: When you open the door to us and give us that re-assuring embrace, we are safer than we will ever be, even when we are guarded by the most fierce armies.

Where Are All The Slender Beings @?

When i was younger, i didn't comprehend why our mother was kinda hard on us(my two brothers and i) why she stopped us from playing with some kids, why she had to force us to take our de-worming tabs(we hated that part so much), why she forced us to take afternoon naps, why she punished me when i fought with my little brother(haha,...i remember this day vividly) all that. But now that i'm old and know better, i clearly see the millions of reasons why she did what she did, the way she did. All she wanted was to protect us from the harsh weather of the world while our skin wasn't hard enough to take it yet. I know now, more than everybody else, that our mother gave up everything  for us, signed up her entire life to making us happy people, responsible and kind. This brings me to tears because i now understand that "She laid down for the good of us, what she had the right to claim for herself." I love you mother, my heart breaks easily and safely when your hands are down here to patch it up together and fix it once more!
I dedicate this quote ↑(by yours truly, myself) to all the mothers who have nursed their children's broken hearts and filled up the empty holes left in the hearts by whoever and whatever.

I owe the best decisions I have ever made to my mother's guidance and the mere fact that our mothers have seen us and felt us right from the first kick, they know even more than we will learn about ourselves. A worrier is a woman, the strength that shoulders every burden with lips that utter no complaint, the hands that are forever warm to welcome a child even when they have been the worst of nightmares! How insatiable is a mother's longing for her child!

For some reason, when we are growing up, we feel like our mothers are getting way too nosy and meddling in our business but have you ever encountered a tough situation and you wish your mum could get nosy and be part of what you are going through? I have woken up some days and wished my mum could read my thoughts without me having to narrate my ordeal. What do I have, that I don't owe to my mother? Little or nothing at all!⥞  (Another One)

The Lighting Though,.....Not Good

Alright guys, I hope we all can somehow relate to this "Dedication to all mothers." I have shared some lines with my mother, I hope u can share with yours too. If you are a mother right here,.. receive my heart felt hugs, hands down, you are our heroes. Let's all remind our mothers of how much they mean to us and how we are forever indebted to them for each sacrifice they have made for us to be the persons we have become. Let's love them unconditionally  each day, it's the least we can pay them anyway. And to the departed souls, let's make them proud, i know they will looking down at us, smiling!

I love you all so much like I have known you since ...... because you are the reason why I wake up and scribble something in my diary every day to eventually share with y'all on a Friday morning.  Thanks for dropping by, catch you next Friday. Lovely weekend!

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DEALING WITH LOSS, PERSONAL LESSONS

Hello, welcome back to Patie Polly's Take. I'm glad you are here. Hope you are well and progressing, ....and that's my wish for  y'all.

Got my edges popping for a Friday.

 Very often, our lives are full of uncertainties. Today this, tomorrow that, it's shinning bright one minute and the other it's a thick blanket of dark clouds. What's unfortunate or fortunate is that we often don't have any control over these happenings, the satisfying occurrences and the disheartening mishaps alike. Sometimes we encounter both the tragic and comic in one film setting and we don't know how to feel,....we are just in between, balancing on a knife-edge where we can fall off over to the "not good" or back to something "soft and snuggly"

I bet we all have had that moment when we have to face the harsh reality of dealing with loss. Somehow somewhere, we have lost our loved ones, relationships that we have invested in for a long time or even days (doesn't make a big difference), a job that we have dedicated ourselves to or even that 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to fulfill our dreams or attain that life we have always yearned for. Whatever the cause and magnitude of the loss maybe, at the end of the day when we fall back into our beds, we feel it, right in our gut like a forming ulcer, with a raging fire consuming our entire being. Wishing it could all be a twisted dream that we can wake up from. That's human and we can't run away from it, however, we all need to learn to handle the pain in a way that won't destroy and break us down.

When you are trying to get that "serious" shot!

Let it hurt, Let it bleed, Let it Heal and let it go!
On many occasions, when we fail to meet the requirements to join a university of our dreams, when we call it quits from a 2, 3 or 25 year relationship, when we fail to make it to the finals(which would probably shine the brightest light on our talent/career), a good percentage of us as a human race will be or feel utterly shattered, hopeless, weak, incapable and lost in a cruel wild world. We identify with that wounded fish in a rowdy ocean where we become a clear target and a heavenly grail for the sharks to attack and feast on. With each scratch, we bleed so bad, send subtle signals to our predators to make no haste in devouring our mortal bodies. Once the dagger-like teeth of the monstrous sharks cut into our muscle, we can't put up a fight but only surrender to the enemy and we are no more. We allow sadness to scrape our nerves and soften our spirit for the final kill.

However, we can choose to deal with the tough situations with brave minds and courageous souls. If there is anything that waters us down most times its our own selves. Even before the exterior attacks reach us, before people tell us "we ain't good enough, ain't beautiful enough, ain't smart enough....", we have already professed to ourselves that we "can't move on without our partners, can't manage to get a new job,...even when the current is a dead-end one, can't take care of our people because we are grieving the ones we lost....blah blah"
We need to be our own "knights in shining armor", we have to be understanding, 'simple yet strong' like a palm tree at an ocean coast. The palm doesn't choose to be there, in bare sand...but because that's where God has placed it, it learns that the ocean winds are here to stay and so adopts to following the direction of wind, ..sways each day and breaks not. It endures the greatest storms because it has mastered the art of bending gracefully.

Its been quite dusty,..don't mind the shoes. 

Have you ever wondered why sometimes we have a 'season for problems'? Here is what i have come to learn, when we lose a friend or parent, our hearts are so heavy that we tend not care about anybody, even ourselves. We even neglect our responsibilities to which we must be answerable  eventually, like it or not. The more we ignore what we have, the more we lose touch with what makes us happy. We then start to realize that our friends and family are sad and mad at us because we are drowning our entire world in a pit which they are actually trying hard to enable us to jump over.
 Even when we are hurting, it's okay to cry and grieve but vital to be aware of  the surrounding, the people who love and care about us and most importantly not put aside the fact that we have a lot of stuff to be thankful for and appreciate. So long as we still have life, each day is yet another second chance to be better, more successful and live much stronger with the memories that we never can escape.

At the thin line of our breaking point lies the greatest will power,....the strength to make one more step to keep us afloat amidst the high tides. Always remember that.

I didn't want to sound like some grey bearded prophet in the old testament but just found myself using such examples. I hope you enjoy this easy read and pick out something to better your day. I'M OUT,....✌✌

ON THE OTHER SIDE

So, what's on the other side?

In a black and white world, true colors show.

It can be all kinds of things. From here, there and everywhere. Random stuff someone can talk about. For today, i thought i would just drop these 'thoughts' here.

Lately i have been thinking about me,....thinking about my colleagues,....i have less girlfriends but they are girly! I, on the other hand, am not really that. I can leave home and go for five hours, minus a bag or purse, a jacket or a scarf. My friends don't do that. They want to have a chap stick, some wet wipes, a little shawl(just in case the weather gets a bit chilly)....but we are in Uganda,....you won't freeze girlfriend!!!! Here are facts about Kampala-Uganda weather↩

In Kampala, you will wake up to heavy rains, grab your overcoat, that thick scarf and get your ankle boots on,...ready for the day...oh yes you are! Time check; 11 am,....i assure you, you will need an extra bag to carry your layering bits on the side. Its already too hot. So, i have decided to keep it minimal,...moderate or no layering at all. It will be warm enough soon anyway. It's not like i discourage people from being prepared, just keep it sane. The extra sweater in your hand will most probably be left in the taxi(for those who own no cars yet ..like me)....Not a prophet of doom,...just saying!

On the other side, let's talk EMOTIONS!
If there is one thing that God gifted me with, it's emotions.(not much of a big deal, is it?) But hey, sometimes they keep us human. Imagine if you would hurt someone so deeply and feel no tiny bit of remorse, we wouldn't be human enough. However, for extra cases like mine, you won't need to hurt no body, or be hurt to get your mood hyped or anger flaring up, no, I need just a song that has those damn touching, relatable lyrics to 'whitten my eyes'...they say when you cry, you cleanse the eyes, Oops!
One other thing that snatches my moods is,....seeing two people happy. Sounds stupid,.....but yessssss. Each time I see people hugging, smiling from their souls, comforting someone, or when I hold and Pat someone's hand, ...that moment, that split second is too much for me to handle. I just can't take in how my heart feels. It's beyond happiness, it's like that moment in a flying dream just before you fall off the cliff, unexplainable!

On February 14th, that was Valentine's day, I had a magical moment with 'This other person', the candles, the chocolate...and while we were grooving ever so stealthily, Shallow started playing. OMG, what was I supposed to do? Shallow has been my best song since like forever. This time we weren't really dancing, we were just moving, cluelessly! So, when I couldn't swallow the goodness anymore, here is the conversation.
Me: Hey, that's my best song.... I'm gonna cry.
Him: Please don't, don't spoil this.
Me: ..... Already tasting my own hot salty tears!

I'm off the deep end, watch as i dive in-Best song in my world

Okay, what's on the other side? With this world where we rarely know how long we will have our loved ones, later on our own selves, I choose to enjoy every little bit of a good time that the world avails to me, love like I have never been hurt, smile like I just won lottery,....so should you. If you wanna cry because what you feel is beyond sweetness, happiness...cry,...it's part of 'my daily skin care routine', hahahaha. If you wanna apologize to someone, do it right now, it's not worth it buying 'sorry' flowers for one that is long gone when you would have hugged this person and made up. If you want to tell someone how you love them, don't hesitate, they might actually be waiting for you to say it, they have been waiting for so long,..pop the damn question!

Alright lovelies, I wanted this short and 'out of order' ...who wants to follow rules anyway? Sometimes it's okay to break a few rules, take some risks and eat chocolate in bed after brushing your teeth(hey teeth be nice, just tonight, no cavities....me cautioning my oral staff), break monotony.

  Me after my guilty pleasure....candy in bed, after brushing my teeth.

 Don't limit your chances of living life. Don't let people promise you "tonight" without "tomorrow" too, you will be disappointed. Learn to live beyond the confines of your good job, nice car and and the pretty apartment you got. Life is much more than that.

Love you all, catch you next Friday. It's a weekend, baby! Go catch up with your homegirls and homeboys,....there is where our stories begin.

MY HOBBIES AND 'FAVORITES'

Hello esteemed reader, (warm hugs for you if you are in Kampala-Uganda....we are having a chilly day) or even the rest of the world, a warm hug won't do you bad! 

Another Friday, Another blog, Another Snap Moment

I appreciate having you here again for yet another post, it means a whole lot to me. I hope you had a fantastic Easter holiday, relaxed more and you approached this week with utmost vigor. God has been good, we are still here, we still have Patie Polly's Take.

 So today, I thought I would bring you another part of the me, yeah, apart from waking up and going to work, how is my life when the noise has faded, the streets are calm and the leaves are rustling gently against the wind? Well, if you wanna get to know more about that, stick with me, let's dive right into it down below.

To commence the 'dialogue', here is a sneak peek of what gives me a bit or a whole lotta tranquility when the sun goes down or when work is the least thing to worry about.

-Music;  if there has ever been another power on Earth(apart from love...haha) that's beyond 'normal' human understanding, it's music! Well that's my opinion.....don't come after me to hold an argument, haha.

 Many a times we all get sad, excited or sometimes we don't know exactly how we feel but there is one thing that can define our mood and that's music. It's one thing to enter a room and find your buddy listening to "I WILL NEVER LOVE AGAIN" (Lady Gaga-a star is born) and another to burst into someone's kitchen and.... "THINKING ABOUT YOU" (Ciara) is on replay. For the former, get close and give them a reassuring pat on the shoulder and for the latter, ditch the heels and join the groove!! Now you know what I'm talking about, don't you?

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When it's a Monday and the music playing beside your dresser is "BITCH BETTER HAVE MY MONEY" (Rihanna) you're sure on the lively team that's going all in to reap the hell outta the week, the vibe is hyped up. On the other hand however, having THE LAZY SONG( Bruno Mars) hitting the waves as you reset your alarm from 7 to 7:30 am on Monday, these two moods are completely different. The later might as well call in sick at their work place,....These are my CONFESSIONS(Usher). Am I talking to somebody????

How about those specific lyrics that suit our situations? Have you ever listened to a song and when it's done you wanna say hallelujah? MERCY SAID NO(CeCe Winans), IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL(Philip Bliss)...Oh com'mon!! Sometimes we are not in that church mood or have taken some good months minus showing up at your fellowship hour but deep inside, when "YOU ARE THE AIR I BREATHE" randomly plays, It feels like you were baptized yesterday and your spirit has that spark that won't be dulled by any obstacle, are we together?

Okay, enough of the above, its official you now know music is a sweetheart to me. I listen to many genres, pop, rock, country, RnB, name it. My favorite boy band of all time is,...ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for the amazing heart-throbs of our time,...ONE DIRECTION👋👋👋 Give it up for Harry, Louis, Liam, Niall and our 'estranged' brother Zayn! Who misses theses guys like a problem? Who got their heart shattering in a million pieces when the band disbanded?  Well, a directioner like me is still a fan of each one of the former 1D guys. 

Night Changes, Up All Night, Strong, WMUB, Perfect, Best 'Songs' Ever.....gosh, i'm tearing up. I love their music.

My forever loves, One Direction

My favorite pop artist as of now is Tatiana Manaois,.....sing along with me; Helplessly, Like You, This Other Person, All This Time, and our new baby, Home!

How about my Homeland besties,...Julianna Kanyomozi is my legendary but Sheebah gives me all the vibes! Bobi Wine, is my 'bestest' against all odds, in whichever personality and everything beyond! Musically, politically, socially and swag wise, he takes the lead. Nkwagala Bitasangika(Sheebah Karungi) is a song I would listen to even if the sky was falling down. For Better For Worse(Bobi Wine) is another classic that won't fade away from my mind. In 2013, my roommates declared Juliana's Omutima Oguluma the room anthem. @Phiona @Racheàl @Sophie, I'm giving you a major throw back.

Alright, apart from music, my other major hobby is reading, novels make a third of the whole. Guess what, I enjoy reading a novel more than I do it's movie. Perfect example is the TWILIGHT SAGA series by Stephanie Mayer, i remember this one night during night prep in my form 2, i had just landed on the BREAKING DAWN novel, i had a Biology Practical exam the next day but while people were seated in discussion groups learning and mastering Bones, i was in my corner, head down reading the 3rd chapter of the novel, admiring Bella's courage......thats how far i can go for a good read! Don't ask how i performed in the practical paper,...all i know is, it wasn't good enough.

Veronica Roth's DIVERGENT series/novels is a story for another day. That Old Devil Moon, Storm breaker, A thousand Leagues Under The Sea, Jane Eyre, Little Women, Handmaid's Tale, American Gods, A walk To Remember, Wuthering Heights, A Hero To Keep, A Difficult Man, omg, the list is endless. Let me know in the comments if you relate to some of these books.

Cheers to Forever!
Bella: i know what you are
Edward: Say it(*2
Bella: A vampire
Edward: Are you not scared?
Bella: No!

Why do i feel like my list is getting exhausted? Well, movies are part of what i do when i get home but a only a few get me glued to the screen. Either there is a person i like among the cast or the movie has something like a love story and happy ending in it. One of my workmates is a huge fan of horror movies,.....that kinda stuff gives me sleepless nights. Jigsaw, Annabel's Creation.....that's not my league. I love easy going stuff like What Men Want, A star is born,(i love musicals so much) .....simple life. I remember when i was watching Bird Box, i had to close my eyes more often and wait for the thunderous sound to fade, oh dear me, i can't stand torment. What kind of movies do you like?

Other things that excite me are: Evening walks(while i chew on candy), DIY funny projects(paper cutting, sewing, home decor) i write to,....lots of stuff. I'm a loner naturally, reason you don't see stuff like partying, games,....Oh, play scrabble so much. Literally, that's me, my hobbies and favorites. 

Once more, thank you for dropping by, comment, follow and subscribe so you can have more of this. If you like it, my pleasure, if you don't, you can always leave a suggestion on what you want to read next. Have yourself a good time and catch you again next Friday. 

WRETCHED FIRST LOVE

Welcome and welcome back to my blog guys, Happy Easter, Happy Holidays! Wherever you are, with family, at work or hanging out with colleagues and you who is snuggling your duvet scrolling through your social media feed, i appreciate you more than you think, thank you for dropping by Patie Polly's Take.

Thursday evening and its a 4 day weekend!

While Easter is a period of celebrating, rethinking our ways and drawing closer to our creator, it's particularly a time that reminds of some horrible experience i encountered some few years back, when i fell in love with a guy who was kinda gangster(still wonder even today how my brains were thinking). I met "B" during my second lecture in the journalism class as one of my best lecturers ever, Mr Bbale Francis(RIP) emphasized the importance of mastering the right intonation and pronunciation of words as a journalist. 

We had to take some few notes and just as i started, some one tapped my shoulder asking for a pen(now you know the kinda person i'm talking about, ....like who the hell comes to a lecture room without a pen?) I offered him one(i had some cute girly pens gifted to me by my mum-God bless her heart). Have you ever met someone who becomes your problem from day one but yet again grows into that person you can't resist? That was my first real lover(or so i thought), not a play-boy type but with lots of trouble befalling him every now and then. This is a guy who would be seated with you one minute and the other he is hunted by police! Never consistent with nothing, never having a thing. Hang out with the 'wrong' people(according to me) and chose boxing for a career which meant, giggling and chatting in the morning and by dusk, he has a swollen cheek or a bruised eye.

Love must be the most transcendent form of power that can elude any kind of chase, staying just as it is, confusing even the smartest people on the surface of the universe. I don't know how i put up with this kind of thing. I was never sure of the next minute nor hour, everything was always on a line. We really didn't have a middle ground, our emotions were either elated to the maximum or so down to negative infinity but i still loved him and in my perception, he loved back.

This Is Me Looking At My Audience, like wow.

Three months down the road, the Easter season came in and this was the deafening noise to the call of awakening from my fantasy but also the alpha of a long period of experiencing and nursing a heart-ache. Taking a break from school, i thought about nothing but having the best of times with "B". I told dad that i would not go home for the break because i was chasing something "really important at school"....sorry dad, i lied. Made plans, some of which were unknown to B because i wanted to be the master mind behind the world that i designed, for us!

On Friday evening(good Friday), B and i were at the balcony talking and having a good time when a phone-call came through that wrecked everything. A second after the call, he said to me,"Patie, i'm leaving. I have to join my uncle, he is dropping by the hostel to pick me up in an hours time."
"But ...you can't leave, we have plans, i arranged something,...don't take that...," i went on and on but i could not change a mind that was made up in a split second no matter how hard i tried.
My world seemed to have come to a sudden halt and the ground beneath my wobbly feet ceased to exist. I could feel a million daggers cutting right through my body and all i wanted to do was cling on to him as my soul screamed,"don't do this to me!" He didn't heed my plea, he unwound my arms off his torso, walked away through the lobby and disappeared to the stairs, just like i never had him, like i meant nothing to him, like what we had was nothing but just a sand castle that could not put up a fight against the raging storm.

I curled down, with hot tears cascading my cheeks, not sure of what i felt but one thing was clear to me then, i had longed for a heart that longed not for me. I built my world around one single person, deciding against all odds to love him even when i knew that he wasn't reliable. I sat down, staring into space and a few minutes later, i saw him cross the road(my hostel was at the roadside) in a white outfit, save for the black waist coat that hand firmly on his broad shoulders. A range rover spot pulled up and he sat, drove off from my site but crushed a thousand times in my heart. I had nothing left to fall back to, my friends had definitely left for their homes, it was three people left in the hostel, people that i didn't even know well.

Long story short, we didn't communicate for three weeks and he never returned till then. I grew thinner than i already was, cried myself to sleep for 21 straight days and had nothing to be happy about. The guilt of choosing a stranger over my family killed me each night as i lay lonely in my bed.

 It was one cold evening as i walked up the stairs to my room when someone called my name. My spirit was weighed down with sadness and hallucinations so i didn't respond, i was sick of answering stray voices in my head. This time though, i could hear some faint steps behind me and in an instant, his arms were around me. He was back.
He had less to explain to me(as usual) and i had less to ask, i had all the answers right in my gut. All i needed was to go away, never fall for this estranged loverboy. My mind was made up, he was never going to change and i wasn't ready to cross more oceans for someone who could not jump a huddle for me.I wasn't competing for the award of saint-hood. I let him go, one of the hardest decisions i have done in life. However much i was hurt, there is a part of me that still wanted him, needed him, loved him. That sounds really stupid, doesn't it? I'm just being candid with you guys.

 The journey of learning to accept the 'loss' and move on is never easy, when the memories play back and you want to smile but you can only afford a sigh, sometimes it feels like this is never going to stop but with time, most of the wounds heal. I became my own greatest love.I swore never to neglect myself, learn to forgive, to laugh, to adore me and most importantly to love again.

I loathe sad stories so i'm not about to leave you with a sad ending. Its 2019, and your homegirl is in love. In love with someone who proves to her each day that LOVE IS NOT LOVE WHICH ALTERS WHEN IT ALTERATION FINDS, NO, ITS AN EVER FIXED MARK. A-L-I ain't perfect but he has loved me despite my imperfections too. I don't fancy sleep anymore because finally REALITY IS SWEETER THAN THE DREAMS. Now That's Real Talk!

HAPPY EASTER ONCE MORE, ENJOY THE BREAK
HOPE YOU ENJOY THE BLOG, SPREAD LOVE
LOVE WINS AND GOD WINS

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