SETTLING FOR LESS IN A RELATIONSHIP?

Hello everybody, how are y'all doing? It's the last Friday of August and baby, we're riding the hell outta this year. Meanwhile, i was away last weekend- the reason you didn't have a post, i had gone to check on my darling mother and i must say it was all nice. I hope you are all well and progressing! Thanks for dropping by again, ...forever grateful!

I thought we would talk about one of the most complex issues on earth- RELATIONSHIPS. Now, i'm not somewhere close to an expert in this but i just thought i would share what i want someone out there to know, for i have seen it happen and affect us especially the ladies. This is in no way meant to offend our male counterparts, (we love underneath it all), i'm only 'just saying'. First off, maybe you could do a background check on your current status, whether you are dating, married or even planning to start 'seeing someone'.

IMBALANCE IN DECISION MAKING
Have you had or are you in a relationship where you can't even decide on where you are going to have dinner, dress someway, have a schedule for activities of your own... do you report to your partner about you sending your sister 2k airtime ...and so forth, you need to sit down and evaluate this whole thing. By the time we decide to be in a relationship/ partnership/ situationship, whatever it is for your case, we are old enough to have a life of our own, a part of which we want to design and manage the way we want. Once you have no rights to do this anymore, darling, get back to the drawing board and find your bearings. One head cannot be the overall in everything!

ONE WAY CONSTRUCTION
Okay, i used the word construction for a reason, if you are the one making the first deposit for your savings and eventually the other person never comes through with theirs, there is an issue. If you are the one concerned about running the house entirely, calling the plumber, buying groceries, paying kids' school dues, clearing bills while your other half only comes to the kitchen table for a glass of juice, honnie, do some maths and gauge a way forward. It should be two way, imagine a building raised to the 4th floor on one side and still on the basement level the other side- it will fall in any minute. Don't wait for your own blocks to bury you! Are we together??

ARE YOU HAPPY?
There is nothing that takes away life like an unhappy relationship, i have been there, trust me there is nothing like getting used to nursing a heartache. The pain is fresh every morning when you wake up, the thought of how your partner yelled at you in front of your friends constantly plays vividly in your mind. When your kids ask you why "daddy doesn't buy ice cream like my friend's dad," it feels bad and however much you want to protect your babies from the truth, you can't deny the fact that it eats you up each day.
Do you look at couples holding hands, laughing together, being happy even with less and you recall your boyfriend/hubby only smiles at you when he wants "some"? What exactly then, are you longing for in this so called relationship? Personally, i would say, prioritize your happiness and well being because at the end of the day, not everyone we meet is meant to hurt us, stop sticking in unhappy love stories because you are afraid of people bad mouthing you, calling you loose....it doesn't matter, the pain is felt by you and only you can redeem yourself to a better place.

How we moving on with the year, HAPPY

SOCIAL LIMITATIONS
I know a man whose wife never attends a party, a social meeting or even visit friends and relatives, the reason is..."she will learn bad stuff, manners from those people, i don't want her getting involved with those sluts," so says the man. Now seriously, is that life? Money can buy you all the good things on earth, earn you some reputation but it never hugs you when your world is crumbling down, neither does it smile with you when your days are bright. Life is so much more than just this damn man or woman who is tying you to his sitting room. FREE YOUR MIND AND SELF FROM THOSE AWKWARD, STUPID BONDAGES.

STOP BUILDING EMPIRES ON TRUST
Let's get this straight. You meet someone, like them, love them, trust them and start to save up money for developing yourselves, ON TRUST....buy land, build houses, make investments, ON TRUST...get loans start new projects, ON TRUST? Open kid's accounts, insurance, ON TRUST? Fuck your trust, if you don't have anything solid and legal to show for all this, you own nothing! Learn to make paperwork and involve legal terms and conditions in all those agreements because once you have a case before court let's say a divorce(God forbid) you don't pull out your dear heart and present it before the judge, telling them you trusted your partner and you co-own this and that, it must have a title or deed and your name, signature and whatever else may fit. If need be, get a copy of your tongue print there, for there is none like yours,..haha.

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE
In December 2011, an elderly couple Antonio, 99 years old and Rosa, 96 years old called it quits from their 77 years marriage with a divorce following an infidelity affair as confessed by Rosa. Why do i have to mention this? Well, imagine a 99 year old splitting with a wife he's spent 77 years of his  with....BUT WHY NOT? If splitting from her would earn him a good nights sleep, then so be it. Why then is it so hard for you to move on from a two years toxic relationship, are you waiting for a dagger to cut through your throat so you can denounce him or her on your death bed? Oh come on, is it really worth it? You can lose everything and start all over again, maybe recover part of it but when you lose yourself, there is absolutely nothing to fall back to. So if your partner and the whole relationship only drains life and happiness out of you, sis, bro, what on earth are you waiting for?

Lastly my beautiful people, DON'T ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE SOMEONE'S OPTION WHEN YOU CAN GLADLY BE SOMEONE ELSE'S PRIORITY! DON'T SETTLE FOR LESS WHEN YOU CAN RIGHTLY HAVE AND ARE ENTITLED TO MORE.
I love y'all and thanks for reading. I'm awaiting your comments, what do you think of this?

DEAR CORPORATE PEOPLE

Good Day everybody, ....its a Friday again and we are grooving to Patie Polly's Beats; let's talk about our Managing Directors, Executive Directors, Head of departments, everybody that has a desk, a work station, space that they run or manage, yes The Corporate People in the Corporate world. I personally have had endless encounters with these fellas, considering my kind  my job, it's definitely what i have to deal with each day.

Everybody would like to have an address at a job, responsibilities that will earn us a penny at the end of the month. Or so our childhood dreams were. When we get that appointment letter to our new job, we want to call for a celebration, when we get promoted to a bigger position, we just can't help it but smile even at dim mirrors. But what happens a few months after we have 'conquered' that little territory? Where do we forget our manners each morning when we come to work? What goes wrong with treating people like we used to before we became one of the 'big bosses'?

The worst and most bothering experience i have had is dealing with the "Lunch hour break" that lasts forever. Mid day, 1 pm, 2 pm,....are we still in this break? Its so annoying when you have to deal with most of these 'big bosses' whose break lasts a lifetime till 3:40 pm and by 4:20 pm "you may have to come back tomorrow" as their secretaries/assistants will say. Maybe i'm not in the know but as far as i remember, most of these companies and institutions have a label at the building entrances indicating their daily working hours, what then happens in these offices? I never find a note on the office door indicating a different schedule of work!

People do relax in the green lash but i had never done so till last week.

Last week i had to pick some documents from some 'big boss' which were really urgent. This person was aware of this, even though i didn't "make a formal appointment" to meet them. So as usual, I'm rushing against the clock, crossing from Bank of Baroda to Worker's  House like some thug being chased around so i can be able to catch this person before they "step out" of office. At exactly 12: 27 pm, i showed up to an empty chair and like i said, the assistant told me,"she is out for lunch, you may have to come back at around 2." I insisted and inquired if she could be reached via phone call, to which this assistant agreed only to hear the phone ring in one of the drawers! What??? These people don't even take their phones with them, they don't wanna accommodate any inconveniences while they go on with their business, Jesus save the queen....!


So, i stormed out of office, slammed the door behind me and stared at the long corridor covered with a nice maroon carpet, pondering about what i have to occupy myself with till 2 or even 3 pm. A subtle thought alerted me of window shopping at Boulevard, but then i couldn't loam around for two hours,....these shop attendants don't like you 'just checking out' their staff without even picking a thing, they start monitoring you on their cameras, just in case you are a thief! That plan was a dead one, i didn't know where to be thou,...can't stand in the middle of nowhere for that long.

Just so you know, i got them shoes off and relaxed!

Long story short, i ended up under a huge tree shade, "Awo nga ku City Square" never thought i would be one of the people i see there till i was comfortably sipping on a cold Novida, sold to me by this lady who kept pacing around "my space", momentarily raising her eyebrows at me, asking if i wanted something. It clocked 2:30 pm, i commuted back to worker's house only to be told,"You just missed her, she will be in office tomorrow by 9 am. I wasn't feeling fresh enough already, my deodorant was wearing away with each hour under the tree, and now i had to deal with another stream of sweat that couldn't help but steam my forehead anew.

DEAR CORPORATE PEOPLE, STOP TOSSING US AROUND, CANCELLING APPOINTMENTS WITH NO PRIOR COMMUNICATION AND BEING TOO LAZY TO PICK A STAMP FROM YOUR MATE WHO IS IN THE ADJACENT OFFICE THEREFORE MAKING US WAIT 15 MINUTES TILL YOU MAKE A CALL FOR THE SAME. WE TOO, HAVE BOSSES WAITING FOR THEM DAMN DOCUMENTS, THANK YOU.

HERE ARE THE WINNERS, Y'ALL READY?

Another Friday, Another Blog and some winning too. Good morning esteemed readers, i hope you are having a great time. Thank you for being here once again and congratulations to all the winners. I couldn't have come this far without your support, its only right that i give back to you, ins't it?

Here we go.

So without further ado, lets get straight to the day's main activity, haha,...sounds like some school sports day.

In the previous blog, i mentioned that i will be rewarding six people. Three of the winners are those who have been consistent with the blog and the other three had queries to answer. One person has got their airtime already, She was the first to read and comment on the post ASAP. Two questions are not answered yet ie: My all time favorite boyband and the song whose lyrics i mentioned in the post, the second slot was for the first person to subscribe to the blog. So just in case you ain't among the winners down below, you still have a chance to win 1000ushs worth of airtime.

After a thorough analysis, here are the people who came out fit for the first, second and third positions. They have read, commented and have been consistent with the blog from the start. NOTE: Commenting in my inbox, WhatsApp is so much appreciated but for this very campaign, it doesn't count. Only comments on the patiepolly.blogspot.com will win you a prize. Some of your emails don't show identity, they only appear as unknown, this can be rectified in your email settings, you can choose to "enable access to your profile" so it shows your email address or user name, thanks. Otherwise i can't locate you guys,...but i do appreciate you so much, more than you think.

The 5k airtime goes to @HopeB, 4K goes to @Merilyn, 3K goes to @Elisha and @According to Nduhu(these two came in a tie). @SharonK won instant airtime and received it already. Congratulations to you guys, you will have your airtime by the end of the day. Next giveaways will be tangibles so y'all have chances to win. Keep Keeping Up With PATIE POLLY'S TAKE For 'Season Two Rewards' which is due December this very year. Love you guys and take care of your selves. 

Let's catch up: Patie Polly(FaceBook) @PatiePolly (Instagram &Twitter) 

IT'S APPRECIATION/ GIVEAWAY TIME- I'M REWARDING YOU GUYS

A good morning beautiful people, it's shinning bright and sweet here in Kampala, i hope you are having some ray daggers of the sun mounting your walls somewhere. It's truly a beautiful day, i hope it brings you happiness and breakthrough. Okay, enough of the greetings.

So, it's been four successful months since PATIE POLLY'S TAKE rolled the curtains sideways and commenced on an adventure that i must say has been exciting and educating. Thank you guys for always dropping by the blog, leaving a comment and not to say, ask me on Friday morning, "where is the link?" It gives me satisfaction when you guys write back and tell me you relate to the blogs, you have learnt something and you enjoy reading my stuff. I do appreciate all of you for your time, love and the 5 minutes sacrifice you make to read and make my dreams a reality.

The 15 blog posts, since the 5th of April 2019, have created an interface for me and you to laugh, learn and share minds. My audience from allover the universe, and more so here in Uganda has taught one thing, TO START NOW, DO IT NOW. I never knew i would get here, thought maybe the reading culture has died down for many people, but no, YOU,my esteemed readers have given me much more than that.

For all the above reasons, i will be rewarding three people who have been consistent with the reading, commenting and giving the blog a good vibe. I will be giving out airtime worth 5,000 ugx to the first person, 4,000 ugx to the second and 3,000 to the third winner, next week on Friday. And i will give out 1,000 ugx airtime to the first person who reads and comments on this very post, INSTANTLY. As we progress, we will have more of the tangible give-aways like t-shirts branded patie polly's take so be on the look out for these gifts.

If u are using a phone, here is how u subscribe, go to web version.

Meanwhile, you can also subscribe from the homepage so you get to be on my mailing list. The first person to subscribe today also gets 1,000 ugx worth of airtime on whichever network. Giving back to you my audience was one of the driving forces that kept me on the lookout for more content because honestly who wouldn't want some 5k for freaky Friday data? I'm here for you, just like you are always here for me too. So get it guys, let's have some fun and LIVE WHILE WE'RE YOUNG( so goes some lyrics from my all time favorite boy band). Oh, whoever comments down below the name of the song and the band gets themselves 1,000 ugx airtime.

Type in your email and follow instructions to submit.

Alright, love you guys, hope to interact more with the winners. Please leave your email once you answer any of these so i know how to contact you for your phone number. Or you can write down the number if u don't mind, let's win together. Catch you later lovelies, looking forward to next Friday to unveil the winners, good luck to y'all.

MY MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENTS

Hello beautiful people, it's been a minute, hiatus is done y'all, i'm back! Here for more exciting adventures and epic tales to tell. I'm here to make your weekend a better one with yet another episode of my personal experiences- EMBARRASSING MOMENTS, Here we go baby!

Team short-hair where are you @

Okay, i have had weird moments, like missing a stair step while people are watching, pushing in instead of pulling out a door, an open zipper in a taxi and many others but these have not been as ashaming as the ones waiting down below. See, i love to have a good laugh, it's good for my health and yours too. So without further ado, let's get down with it.

One of my work responsibilities is delivering invoices and other financial documents to our clients. This comes with lots of moving, meeting new people(both rude and calm) and also visiting various offices around the city. It's fun sometimes and not so good on some hapless days.

One of the most embarrassing "occasions" was when i went to REA Offices in Kamwokya and delivered documents that were supposed to be taken to Ministry Of Gender next to CPS. Gauging the difference in the distances between these two places, you may not 'get' me really. Here is the thing; When i presented the papers, a certain Diana was supposed to sign my return copy, to my disappointment, the only Diana that ever worked at that place was on leave. This got me confused, i insisted that i had talked to Diana prior my going there. I got all the people 'up and running' about trying to see if anybody else could sign them. Finally, i was ushered into some office that had four ladies in all corners. I handed one the order form and she looked at me like i had just murdered a human. Before i could get myself together from the evil look, she slammed the form on the table and said, "this is for Gender not REA, do you have a problem?" Every chair turned towards me, eight eyeballs focused at my sorry face and in an instant, everyone burst out in laughter.
Those five minutes in that damn office were like a lifetime of shame for me. My teary eyes surveyed the papers and right there, at the very top the client name read"MINISTRY OF GENDER."

I wanted to run away, but the door needed a finger print meaning i had to ask one of my scorners to help me. If i have never felt stupid, that day i felt the pangs of nostalgia for a kind heart to rescue me because each second added immensely to my sadness. The ground beneath me seemed to have ceased existing and suddenly i couldn't see clearly. At last, i made it out into the long corridor(or was it short) feeling like every person i met already knew how dumb i was. I thought i would never forgive myself for this mistake but time heals everything. That too got to pass.

I'm that short little being(or is it just the pic)

The most recent one happened in a very short time while my bosses called, whatsapped, and emailed me intermittently, call after call and in the heat of the moment, i panicked so much and lost my bearings. This was at Ministry of Health yesterday but one. I had important documents to submit, and just before i did, i got a call alerting me to wait a bit, check my email for attached documents that were to accompany the ones i already had. I get back to the gate, sign out so i can go to Wandegeya and do the needful. A minute later, another call asked me to go back inside, meet a person who would help me with that. I sign in again and while i headed for the reception, my data expired yet i had to download the e-doc so i can print. Gosh, i had to move out again, sign out and get airtime. I had borrowed some so while i hurried to load data, another call came in and i had to answer, my AT was then chopped. (HAHA, sending love to everyone who has experienced this before!) At this time, i could not concentrate at all. Long story short, i went back, waited at the second floor for someone to open but none ever came, so i went to first floor and accessed entrance, got the documents printed before a text came in asking me not to print one of the docs, WTF!

Guess what by the time i submitted, it was an hour of terrific adrenaline rush, sighs and deep breaths and forgetting office numbers therefore bumping into strange faces, saying sorry and begging for help from the wrong people. I felt really useless. At 5:13 pm, i was in bed licking milk and jazzing my bf how dumb i felt. He replied with a text that lightened up my mood; "Hey, relax. Don't beat yourself up, shit happens, remember your boyfriend walked through a glass wall before." This was all the laughter i needed, Thanks Ali.

Serving smiles all the way!

So, now you know that 'shit happens' ...haha. I'm eager to hear from you folks, have you ever got into an elevator and pressed the wrong button, ending up in a strange office? Have you tripped and fell literally over no obstacle at all? Let's share and spread the laughter.
Thanks for reading and catch you again next Friday as we bring more energy and positive vibes on board. Take care of your dear selves!

YOU GOTTA HUG SOMEBODY TODAY!

Hello, I hope you are having a wonderful day. How is everything you are setting your hands on? Have you had some "ME TIME" yet? If not, well you should! Sending you love and heartfelt hugs to usher you into this yet another weekend! You may wonder why I'm being this good good homegirl who wants to know why your smile ain't the usual( when you know people so we'll, you can tell there's tears behind the smiles),... 

Lately I have been working on greeting people not with just a hi but an extra "how are you, everything okay?" I have come to learn that many a times, we carry so much with us all day long and hardly find a confidant to pour out our hearts to. However, when someone sends you a text inquiring about your day, there is an 'inviting gesture' in it that eases it for you to say, "actually, I'm really not that well, I have a lot on my mind."

Some days, life gets really hard, work or school is kinda stressing, friends don't seem to be 'free' ..still held up somewhere, we barely have no body to share our inner feelings with. This is the reason you see angry, distressed people in a taxi, they will step on your baby toe(it being the last, haha) and won't even notice, or so say sorry because truly you are the least on their 'worry list'.

The same reason you will find a gloomy receptionist who will look at you like an intern dentist about to extract your tooth...( I don't know how to explain that look, you can try to imagine it) everyone is carrying a load somewhere, light or heavy, it's something that takes away their full concentration and being human, we are unable to present perfect faces or even speak with a little warmth.

What I'm I driving at? Let's all try to understand and accommodate one another, it's all that matters. This way we can avoid picking "not so good conversations" with the people we are serving or the ones serving us, let's keep it calm amidst that flaring temper that's about to explode our chests.

Give A Hug, Get A Hug, Its Two Way!

On Wednesday afternoon, I had quite a number of errands to run and somehow I was caught up in the rain around Bukoto, I stood the light showers(was on a boda b, good enough I had opted to put on a helmet). When I got to my first destination, I was a bit soaked up but still looked presentable(haha, whatever that may mean), to my amazement, this lady behind the counter asked me(after I had handed her some documents),"how did you make it here? It's been raining like hell. Are you okay?" I must say that was so thoughtful of her because truth is it was a hustle having to lift my feet (and legs as a whole) high like some woman of ninja warrior ..when we came across 'Kampala floods' haha, my left hand clutching at my bag and the right trying to clear off the mist that was forming on my helmet glass so I could see. I looked at her and smiled, (that smile that comes with a shrug) I then told her,"well, at least I don't have wet hair, the rest will be fine, it's just some spots on my jacket and trousers."  We giggled in unison and off I disappeared in to the elevator whose door opened as soon as I pressed he button.

My two other encounters of the day were a complete opposite of this and well, we won't go into that, I managed to do my job and keep it cool, it was towards 5pm anyway and I expect less from people who have sat behind the counter since morning, smiling with everyone. I get it, I really do. I don't complain,...but I see it all written on the face like " gosh, another customer to work on,....couldn't she come tomorrow...I already kept the file for incoming documents, jeez, go away! These are thoughts of many people on a day like Monday at 4:30-7:00pm...it's crazy.

 Personally, I don't like that email that creeps in when I'm literally logging outta everything, ...and it says, read through the document attached below, edit if needed and send back. I don't like that kinda email! The disappointment comes in when the doc is like eight pages so basically you have another hour to sit your ass down and work.🤔 

Lastly, i'm seated here, thinking,"how about we be gentle towards each other, communicate more humanly with the security guards at the entrance of these buildings and more so to the people we flex with at supermarket food counters(just when the chips tray is a spoon away from getting empty and you don't wanna wait) I think this would be better, we remain with our peace and spread peace! Till then, be mindful to ask if all is okay with your neighbor when they don't seem well, maybe a hug is all they need to get their day moving, ...it's priceless! 

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE SHALL HUG .....i'm off to hug somebody!

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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