Look what I found!

I was watching a movie when I heard the song dont keep heaven busy and I really loved it. I decided to look for it and ended up finding the duo that make up the band Johnny swim. I never finished the movie and spent the rest of the day watching their music videos and I think I have fallen in like with the duo. I sweater gawd I don't even remember the title of the movie I was watching. Yes, their music was that good.

Johnnyswim band is made up of husband and wife (Amanda Sudano and Abner Ramirez.)

Aren't they just adorable?

They have  so much chemistry and it's a delight watching the two perform. Watching their interviews, you feel their love and dedication to their love and music. It's contagious, leaves you feeling all warm inside.

My favourite songs are Adelina, Bonsoir, Heartbeats, Dont keep heaven, Diamonds.

Please segue over to their videos and tell me what you think.

P.S. Amanda is the daughter of the legendary "Donna Summer". (Remember her song hot stuff?).  As beautiful as her mama.

When in doubt, wear black!

I remember when I was young I watched the above Grease video and I loved how John Travolta and his love interest were dressed in all black. The way Travolta was gyrating his hips... ayayayai! Then that part where they are in the shake shack thingy...  rrrrr! It got me thinking all sorts of stuff. Forget the stripper pole I needs me a shake shack in the boudoir. I have a hundred and one things I could do in it. 

Stop it Vicky! *slaps self*

Fast forward to the early nineties rapper Ja rule and singer Ashanti did a similar scene in their song mesmerize- I think. Ashanti looked so good in her shiny black thingy- couldn’t stop watching the video. Did you watch the same on glee? Perfect I tell you. And what do they all have in common? They are all in black. And you wanna know why? Because black is timeless guys! Whitney Houston's - I'm your baby tonight. She is wearing black and looking yummy as hell. Oh! Beyonce’s Countdown music video was awesome. Did you see her in black dancing like a marionette! Loved it! If only my child- bearing hips would fit in those black tights I would walk all day like that. Or not!

Just like Lisa Raye love's wearing all white and Janelle Monae be rocking black and white all day, I love my black. Most of my clothes are black. My bed sheets are black- my covers are black. When my mother saw them, she was mortified. She claims that why she ain't got no gran babies because I be scaring away all potential suitors with black bedding. Nothing about black spells sexy she says. But I beg to differ. Black is sexy. Let nobody tell you different. I wanted to buy black sofa sets but my sister claims it would make my house look dull. Poppycock, if you ask me. The only thing stopping me from wearing black now is that I work in a hot town in Homa bay county. The sweltering heat makes wearing black impossible and makes my black T-shirts fade at the back.

You can never go wrong with black. Everyone should have a black something in his or her closet. Black is no longer a preserve for funerals and formal events. Black should therefore not be viewed as depressing.  Black really is beautiful. 

Heck! I should print out T-shirts with this slogan. 

Then maybe I'll get y'all to love wearing black.

 If you haven't started already.

I was shocked to discover that there are so many colours out there and I have a hard time telling them apart. You got cobalt, navy blue, mauve,beige, crimson, tangerine, coral, turquoise, neon etc. But black is universal. Everyone around the world probably owns some piece of clothing in black. You can wear black with everything. You can even wear black on black! How awesome is that? 

Black is slimming. When you wear black, you look smaller and taller too. Black is timeless. It was cool back then and it is still cool to date. Black is not easily stained. What with me being clumsy and all. Black is just black. There is no light black or dark black. If you send someone to buy you something in black chances of them of f-ing it up are pretty slim. Anytime someone is selling me anything I always gotta ask” do you have it in black?” drives my friends bats. So next time you are going out and you don’t know what to wear. Wear black. You will thank me later!

If loving him is wrong, then I don't ever wanna be right

There I was with my teacher friends in this kiosk and a Lil Wayne song happened to come on the radio. I love me some Lil Wayne, always have. I can even remember the first song I heard  where he featured in " soldier" with Destiny child and I was hooked. I think I have listened to all his songs. There is just something so cool about him except of course the fact that he seems to have lotsa baby mamas. But who cares doe, he makes frigging good music. I especially love how he plays around with words, the puns and all...

I got ice in my veins, blood in my eyes
Hate in my heart, love in my mind
I seen nights full of pain, days of the same
You keep the sunshine, save me the rain

And I search but never find, hurt but never cry
I work and forever try but I'm cursed, so never mind
And it's worse but better times seem further and beyond
The top gets higher the more that I climb

(Drop the world)

Some of his lyrics can make you blush...

'Cause her form puts me in a trance
I transform smaller and she puts me in her pants
Swizz-Swizz on the beat, Chris move ya feet
And Weezy transform a good girl to a freak

(Transform ya)

Out of habit (you know seeing as I have this music video in the house) I started singing my ginene off. I could remember "Dufflebag boy" video and it brought back memories. There is this part where this mami is cooking for whats-his-face in her underwear. I decided to do the same some time back  me being impressionable nshit and got burnt where the sun dont shine. lol

I was caught up in singing that I didn't see the others watching. Now when I got to the part...

...Need a hoe break a hoe never nuthin new to us
Turnin hoes to house wives never been cool with us...

They darn near lost their minds.

(Then it so happened that it was a Saturday and the Sabbath thingy had begun. This is a a serious thing here since its predominantly SDA.  While the rest of Kenya is engaging in debauchery and making bad decision they'll regret later - over here we are ushering the holy day. Its so hard to do the walk of shame here, if the guilt don't kill you the hot naked sun will get you)

Talmabout how as an educator I should lead by example and not listen to these misogynistic songs. I think the feminist was too disappointed but the ratchet part of me was like O.O? My love for Lil Wayne is bullet proof owada. Ain't nobody got time for reality check.

 

Is like he is looking into my soul

I know some day Imma have to give him up. But before I do let me infect you with some of  Lil Wayne finest songs...

1. Make it Rain feat Fat Joe
2. Motivation feat Kelly Rowland
3. Gimme that feat Chris Brown
4. Leather so soft
5. Duffel bag boy
6. Lock you down feat Maya
7. Sweetest girl feat Wycliffe Jean
8. Loyal feat Chris Brown
9. Drop the world
10. I need a soldier feat Destiny's child
11. How to love


You are welcome!

These men are too fine!

I swear this men came perfect straight from the Lord's factory floor. It should be illegal to be this handsome...
oh! if only polyandry were legal! I would take them all to my mama.lol

Denzel Washington
I've watched all his movies from John Q, training Day, Unstoppable, The book of Eli, Preacher's wife, De Javu to Safe House... and I still think he rocks after all these years!



Idris Elba
First saw him in the Tv series Luther, then later in Obsession, Takers, Daddy's little girls (I can remember that scene where they were playing Sam Cooke's song Change is gonna come- I cried buckets) Thor,  Ghost Rider

Mehcad Brooks
I first saw him in Desperate housewives, then Trueblood, Alcatraz, Necessary Roughness etc It's all in his voice people, he gives me goose bumps y'all!

Mehcad Brooks

Aldis Hodge
I first saw him in the Tv series Leverage, then Friday night Lights and guest appearances in CSI and Castle series and loved him even more. Isn't he just so fine....
 

Aldis Hodge

Blair Underwood
I first saw him in Set it off and he set my heart on fire. Then there are others like Madea's family reunion, Dirty Sexy Money, City of Angels, sex and the city, The event.etc Also in that music video- whose name escapes me now- by joe Thomas. Like fine wine he gets better with time...

 
Hounsou Djimon
The movie that I can think of is Blood Diamonds, Amistad, ER, Soul Food, Beauty Shop, Alias.etc
This boy is fiiinnnneee!

Rockmond Dunbar
You saw him in Prison break, Terriers, Soul food, Girlfriends, CSI:Miami and boy did he kick ass!!!

D.B. Woodside
Single Ladies, CSI, Castle, Lie to me, Hawthorne, 24, greys Anatomy, Lie to me among others. It doesn't hurt that he is easy on the eye too *wink*

Andre3000
He inspired this blog. Need I say more?

Laz Alonso
I saw him in Breakout kings and I fell in like. Then there was also Fast Furious, Jumping the broom, Just Wright, Avatar, Without a trace etc He has the most beautiful hands I have ever seen. He can lay hands on me anytime *am not talking about prayers here*

Taye Diggs 
Did you watch Kevin Hill and  Day break?, Did you watch Brown Sugar, How Stella got her groove back, Best man, Chicago? Then you know why I think he rocks!

Adewale Akinnuoye
Remember the Tv series Lost, Lip service and Oz, and the movies Unstoppable and Thor. Well Adewale definitely gave a memorable performance. Isn't he fine too?

and you all know how i feel about men in suits.lol!

Anthony Mackie
I saw him in The Adjustment Bureau, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Man on a ledge and I fell in like. That ka gap kwa meno...wolololo...

LL cool J
I could tell you why i like him so much, but I'd rather show you...

 
Mahershala Ali
He has a very long name which is derived from the bible but mostly he goes by Mahershala Ali. I saw him in the Tv series 4400 acting like a doting father and me likey very much! Also Alcatraz, Lie to me, Law and Order, Crossing Jordan and featured in one of the episodes in CSI too,

Nelly
I never cared much for packs..that is until I met rapper Nelly. Even after all these years he has not let himself go. Just feast your eyes on this eye candy

Orlando Jones
I first saw him in the movie Double Take and he done warmed the cockles of my heart. It's been long since I last saw his works.

Boris Kodjoe
If you do not love this guy please kill yourself coz this dude rocks! Plus he is fine to boot! Remember the tv series Soul Food, Undercovers, The confidant, Surrogates

Shemar Moore
Remember Diary of a mad black woman. The Tv series Criminal Minds?

James Lesure
Remember For Your Love and Men at Work?

Hill Harper
He rocked in CSI; New York, For Colored Girls,

Common
I love the way he raps, acts (the movie- Just Wright) and looks especially how he shaves all his hair. He is one of the best dressed rappers I know. A little birdie told me he has written a book with his mama aawww!!!!. Yes, I love everything about this fine man. see...

Michael Ealy
Remember For Colored Girls, Common Law, The Good Wife, Takers, Think like a man. But it was when he featured in the music video Halo by Beyonce that made me love him more. I dunno if it was the lighting or what but his blue eyes were so beautiful I almost cried. And I swear I saw his halo when I blinked.lol. But I have to admit the TV series Sleeper Cell kind of scared me because of the running theme in the whole series. As usual Michael did it justice.

Boy can this man wear a suit!

I so love Andrea3000- you don't understand

It's been a year since I started blogging and people still ask me how I came up with the blog name. I already said it here some time in the past but I guess there is no harm in repeating it again. I kinda stole it from one of my favourite rappee's name-  Andrea 3000. I have loved Andrea 3000 since forever.

The first time I 'met" him was when I was watching the group outkast perform "Hey Yah" and I knew he was the shit. I know this is an unusual thing to say but I used to envy his luxurious soft hair. He inspired me to finally go and get a perm so that my hair could flow like that.

I loved him even more when he sang "Ms Jackson" to apologize to Erykah Badu's mum when their relationship didn't work. If you listen to the song you can hear him dedicate it to baby's mamas' mama. Although Erykah's mum is called Kolleeen Wright, it was dedicated to her. They have a child with Erykah called Seven Soirious (don't ask). How many men do you know who will apologize to a lady's mama when they do something wrong? Yes, very few.

Anyways the song above is one of my favourite break up song featuring Andrea3000. For radio they use the word love instead of pu**y. So do not worry, you can actually request it without blushing.lol.

I love me some Cee-Lo Green

Now the first time I heard about Ceelo Green (real name Thomas Decarlo Callaway) was when he featured in the B.E.P song like that. And true to its name I really liked that.lol. The next time was when he sang crazy with his Dj friend Danger Mouse (real name Brian Joseph Burton) and I immediately fell in like. The song received a lot of airplay especially in Kenya which is cool considering how unique and different it was (still is). Then I heard  the song F*ck you (edited to Forget You for radio airplay) and I became a true loyal fan. Ceelo Greene completes me! A little birdie told me the song was to be initially done by Bruno Mars but it somehow ended in his hands ... and boy did he do it justice.

And any guy who can pull off pink is fine by me.  

Ladies doesn't he look pretty in pink???

Then he done did a concert and featured an all female band and the feminist in me leapt in joy and I fell in love all over again. This man rocks! They dont make them like this anymore. This ninja sings like he means it. In this video he even tells the audience F U and everyine is screaming their lungs out in joy. Like when James brown used to make even non-African Americans(can I say that?) scream," I'm black and proud". But dont just take my word for it, have a listen to the song below. Your welcome!

Is he wearing a skirt?

Having a baby should be the happiest moment in any mother’s life. Unfortunately this is not always the case for all births. Sometimes due to some genetical anomaly or negligent medical care you end up with a child with special needs. This of course means that as a parent you will have to make changes in your life to accommodate their special needs. This will not only affect the child and mother but the rest of the family as well in more ways than one. In some cases the family will have to go through counseling in order to cope. It is especially hard on the family when other people around them are not as supportive as they need them to be. You have some people even accuse the parents of doing something wrong to deserve a special child. I have been watching the TV series Touch and there is this part where the character (played by actor Kiefer Sutherland, you will remember him from 24) is out with his special child and someone tells him that he should put his child in a cage because he doesn’t behave like other normal children do and they end up fighting.

You also have to be more patient as these special children won’t be able to meet all the developmental milestone on time with some needing assistance for the rest of their lives. There is nothing as painful as having a child who won’t look you in the eye when you are speaking with them or say “I love you” back. They do not even have social skills and cannot relate to other people as normal people do. But the best thing parents can do is just take it one day at a time and slowly learn how to cope. I must also appreciate teachers who handle the kids with special needs for the work they do. I have taught able bodied kids and gotten really frustrated so I don’t want to imagine what these special teachers go through. I remember one teacher telling me how in her class a student one day just stood up and walked to the front of the class and went for number two then went back to her seat like nothing just happened. It was her first time and she almost gave up. But with counseling and patience she has learnt to cope.

Before I learnt about my kid sister’s special needs I used to be very ignorant of just how hard it is for these people to live their lives. The things I take for granted like getting dressed up in the morning take some of them ages to do. The society we lived in previously never had systems in place to take care of people with special needs. I remembered one time when my sister almost got expelled from one of the Kenyan schools because they just didn’t know how to cope with her special needs.

For years people with special needs in the past were not cared for as there were considered a bad omen. Some are placed on the streets to beg and work jobs which no one else will do for low pay. Many parents even used to hide their special children in the house due to shame and fear of judgement. I once went to this woman’s house and the child was too pale as she had never been let out to get some sun which is very essential for to bones. By taking these kids to school and joining support groups you get to learn so much about the condition. This helps you to cope better with the condition and get support from other parents with special children. The child will also get to learn skills such as playing with other children and feeding themselves.

One woman in our hood confessed to me how when she finally agreed to take her special daughter to school she was impressed at how much she improved. I also learn that the teenage girls with special needs usually get injections to stop menstruation and contraceptives. Although I saw a feature on Citizen TV and it turns out some doctors have taken the liberty of giving ladies with special needs Tubal ligation surgeries without their consent. I’m not really sure how parents with daughters who have special needs can approach this subject of contraception. You can’t really ask the children because some of them do not know the gravity of the responsibility that comes with being sexually active. Sometimes as a parent you cannot really protect them 100% especially since there are so many “predators” out there with some of them living among us.  There’s this one lady I used to know who had a mentally challenged child who got pregnant and could not express herself. Up to now nobody knows who could have done such a thing. In my village there used to be this mentally challenged woman who used to get pregnant every year. This is a new for low, raping a handicapped woman (or any other woman for that matter) is just wrong. Now I don’t know how parents are supposed to approach this because these special children are very vulnerable to abuse as they cant talk or defend themselves. I don’t blame the parents for trying to protect them, maybe the relevant authorities can tell us when being a caring parent crosses the line to abusing of rights.

Right now I’m happy that this is slowly changing as whenever I go to offices in town I meet at least one or two people with special needs. Some buildings in town including the city council toilets have amenities that are user friendly especially for people with special needs. When I apply for jobs I see some recruiters calling on people with disabilities to apply too. On K24 a few days they had a feature on a hospital in some town in Kenya where the entire staff learned sign language to communicate with patients who are deaf. It really touched me that they took time to do it. In future I hope I will manage to get time to learn sign language too.

Celebrities in Kenya have also taken up to speaking out and supporting awareness causes that cater for these special people. You all remember daddy Owen’s Mbona song and Nonini’s video encouraging people to respect people with Albinism. Daddy Owen even went to the extent of talking about the problem he has had with his eyes which I think was very brave. Talk about talking the talk and walking the walk!

I had a talk with fuegocassey and she was telling me how there is a condition whereby people with epilepsy are sensitive to flashing lights, rapidly moving pictures etc as it triggers seizures. She was concerned that many institutions don’t know this and you find some lecturers giving presentations using projectors showing rapidly moving pictures. I have never heard of such a condition and I thought she was yanking my chain until I read an issue on the same in the Saturday magazine where a young man wrote to ask for information on this condition.

He narrated how it affected his life as he cant do simple things such as; go to the movies or watch any fast and furious clips on telly or online, going to the club with his boys is out of question because of the flickering lights, he cant drive especially at night and he has to go every where with his mother. His parents are too afraid to let him move out. The strange thing is that there are programs with flashing lights on our local tv stations and I’ve never seen them warn about the effect on those who are epileptic like the video below does and many other digital TV providers. Some stations even play this song and omit the disclaimer. I just worry how many epileptic people get seizures in Kenya every time they watch it and no one cares.

I leave you with this video. But pray, tell is Kanye wearing a leather kilt (skirt is such a bad word)

 Is he also wearing a kilt? Can someone please tell me whats going on here! Ok when did this become a fashion statement??? ghai!

...and oliech too....nooooooo....

whats going on here???? gawd!

The awesome Joss Stone

The first time I 'met' this girl was when I heard her song at a friends place and I fell in love.

I always have this game whereby when I hear a song for the very first time I try to imagine what the singer looks like. I actually thought that Joss was like an old big lady and was pleasantly surprised to find that she is a petite girl with a very big voice. Born Jocelyn Eve Stoker, Joss changed her name to protect her family from the media. She has been compared to Aretha Frankline, Janis Joplin and Dusty Springfield with her throaty vocal style. Every time I hear her songs I get multiple eargasms and goosies (goose bumps for some of you) all over my body.

All of her songs are awesome and she never disappoints. My favourite songs include Dirty man, You had me, Understand, Cry baby cry which she did with Santana and Sean Paul, Bruised but not broken and the song above put your hands on me which always gets me dancing all day. I love how she lives it all on stage when she performs. It is not just another musician working but I can tell she really loves singing. How she removes her shoes and jumps all over the stage bare foot (or on rims- like my friend likes to call it)makes me wanna dance till my clothes falls king David style.

Check out her website too jossstone.com and be edified!

tat ta lovely people. Enjoy the weekend and don't do what I wouldn't do. But if you do, name it after me will yah! *wink*

Somebody hook this sister up! Pretty please!!!!!!!

I had a very disturbing conversation with my little cousin. She asked me over the weekend if I know a singer called Popcorn so I go,

“There is a singer called popcorn?”

 “No it’s not popcorn”, she shrilled. “

Then she proceeds to spell it out for me,”its P-O-P-C-A-A-N!” And am thinking a musician named after one of my favourite snacks can’t be that bad. She even tried to show me a few dancing moves, but my body ain’t as supple as it used to be, so i decided to sit this one out. The fact that my cousin is very tall and lanky makes her dancing very amusing to watch. I’m always avuncular around young people; they very are amusing to engage with. Although sometimes they can make you feel old like my cousin does. Yesterday I discovered some white hairs on my head. Grandma says in our family we get white hair early. I can’t wait to have a full crown of white hair. I just hope I look as good as the designer Ann MCreath of Kiko Romeo does with hers.

Anyways I never loved reggae songs. I always thought it was for rebels filled with angst at how evil and way ward the world had become. Full of talks about Marcus Garvey, Haille Sellassie and the eschewing from the blue eyed man (that’s the name they have for Jesus) and the promise by oppressors of the pie in the sky after all the suffering they put them through here on earth. Always calling on Zion to rise up; and running away from somewhere or someone called Babylon. They also spoke funny ...I and I, the Bobo Ashanti, boomba clot (which am made to understand is a cloth used by menstruating women during the visit by the red robot.smh) and lots of other stuff I couldn’t understand. Don’t get me started on the use of cannabis (which they affectionately call Ganja) to cleanse the body, mind and soul and bring them some peace.

Then I “met” the Bob Marley, Lucky Dube, Morgan heritage, Gregory Isaacs, maxi priest and other awesome groups and my opinion changed. I love me some reggae music. They also have some fun songs about love and life plus what I believe they call conscious music. It is not always doom and gloom all the time. I think the reason why the Rastafarian culture which heavily influences reggae music appeals to many people is because of the passion in their voice and lyrics; enjoying life without being too pedantic about everything. My kid sister loves the reggae music and is drawn to the culture. She even has locks, isn’t fuegocassey so adorable???

I suspect she had dreams to gwan meet a Jamaican brother and get fi him some pickneys (me trying to copy the accent). I mean the way she be drooling over singer Konshens’ photo. My cousin insists that the name Konshens is a corruption of the word conscience but I think she is just making up stuff. There is apparently a difference between reggae, raga and riddims which of course I still don’t get but its awesome learning. I also find it difficult to understand their Pidgin English but thankfully my sister is always around to interpret. Besides the modern artists like Alaine, Cecile, Chris, martins, Denyque etc speak sing with very little pidgin in their lyrics.

My sister also tells me that if you have locks it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are Rastafarian. Like our Mau Mau veterans who fought for independence in the forest had them (I mean going to the barbers was the least of their worries when war for independence was at hand) I always assumed all the people who have locks subscribe to the Rastafarian culture, you know like my catholic friends have their spiky rings. One dreadlocked dude once told me they got it from the bible where it was said Samson had 7 locks which they interpreted as locks since you know it couldn’t have been matutas made by lovely Miss Delilah, right!

Personally I don’t own many reggae songs in my play list but I always go through fuegocassey's songs when she comes over. I love me some Alaine, Cecile, Brick and Lace, Allison Hinds, Denyque, Queen Africa, Chris martin, Gyptian, Sean Paul and the very handsome Konshens-he dresses so great with minimal bling/colours; wish some male Kenyan musicians would copy his style. I like Richie Spice too; I just wish he would smile more in his music videos. I think Chipmunk (strange name) is a good rapper and I so feel his lines. I love the black sugar song especially coz you always hear musicians sing for the mocha skin sisters but no one sings for us black sisters.yay! And the way he croons on how he needs more black sugar makes me gwan get on a red eye n do boom boom with the bwoy (my other lame ass attempt at mimicking the accent) I suck! But some of those songs waaaah! Are so libidinous... I tried listening to Busy Signals- read my lips and I couldn’t stop blushing. He was basically saying all the stuff he wants to do to some kitty. Dang! Ninja is not pulling any punches.LOL!

Below are some of my favourite songs:

1. Kings Queen – Richie Spice

2. Brown Skin – “

3. Grooving my girl-  “

4. Butterfly – Gyptian

5. She is royal- Tarrue Riley

6. Golden brown Skin – Peetah Morgan

7. You never find- Jah Cure

8. Ride or die- Cecile

9. When I come home – Morgan heritage

10. Black sugar- Ginja

11. Always on my mind- sean paul

12. Can’t get we out- Morgan heritage

13. Roll it girl- Allison Hinds

14. One in a million- Gramps morgan

15. Bye, bye, bye- Alaine

16. Turn me on- Kevin little

17. Love of a lifetime- Alaine

18. You got me- Morgan heritage

I know you are prolly wondering why am yapping on about reggae and stuff. Well Tarrus Railey is coming to Nairobi to perform at carnivore restaurant on August 11^th and I really, really, want to go see it live.

I love his goatee and glasses, makes him look like a wise old sage almost geekish.Don’t get me started on his little lisp...ooooh! Nyathino onyosa hahahah!

So am looking for sponsors. I have never gone to any Reggae concert and am dying to go to this one. Since now am fancy free and footloose I want to make sure before I die and become worm food, I attend a reggae concert, especially this one. Coz Tarrus Riley is just awesome like that.

I promise I will be in my best behaviour and I swear I won’t throw my knickers on stage. I won’t flash my boobs at the performers on stage. Heck I will even dust and wear my old heels which have gathered dust at the back of the closet. I promise not take a toke of cannabis even if am offered one by what’s-his-face. I won’t even try to proposition you and will keep my hands to my self and my thoughts pure. You can even bring a friend to make sure nothing untoward happens. I don’t even need the VIP tickets, am willing to sit anywhere where I will see some of Tarrus Riley action. I take plastic, cheques, M-pesa etc whichever way I can gerrit. Beggars can’t be choosers now, can they? I’m not even afraid of the rumours that reggae fans are an acquired taste. I really want to go and I won’t be discouraged by the naysayers. Since am a teetotaller, I will even carry my own water or drink between my legs past the guard at the gate. I will do any thing...I will wash your car, laundry or dishes, baby sit for a week, you name it. I should have you know I never welch on any promises I make and will definitely keep my end of the deal.

I know you are wondering where my input in all this is. Well I need to get me a good weave and contacts. There is no way am going with my glasses. Anything for my Tarrus (yes we are on a first name basis now). I just wanna give him some of my vintage love. LOL! Nothing is too good for my Riley. Oh Riley don’t you just love the way his name rolls down the tongue easy?

Please somebody hook this sister up with the concert tickets! Pretty please! *fingers crossed*

Ps. you can throw in season 5 of true Blood. I can’t seem to get any bootlegs in this esto. Or am pushing it? Ok jaber Focus*slaps self* lets get the ticket first.

Tracy Chapman

When I was young, my dad love listening to music outside while he repaired his good ol’ Renault car in our old make shift garage. The car spent more time being repaired than on the road. I guess being under the hood gave him some peace or something. 

He would come into the house all gooey and reeking oil and stuff. I remember one time he removed the whole engine and placed it smack into the middle of living room and mama almost had a heart attack. So every time someone went to hit the light switch they dug their foot into the thingy and the pain hurt like a mofo. Being children with a short attention span we always forgot it was there and it was not unusual to hear someone shrieking like a banshee when they woke up in the middle in the night to drink water or something.

Now the music he listened to included Charlie pride, ABBA, Nina Masqueri(hope am spelling this right), Percy sledge, Michael Jackson, Dolly Parton, Don Williams, Tracy Chapman, Kenny Rogers, Kylie Minogue, Madonna etc. Out of all the musicians it was Tracy Chapman who really struck a chord in my heart and I suspect she cast the same spell on good ol’ dad too. We would wake up to Tracy Chapman before going to school to a point that I knew all her songs by heart. Although am pretty sure some of words as I knew them then were way off the mark. I used to wonder whether she was male or female seeing as the Cassette tapes cover had unflattering pictures of her. And her voice was kind of masculine like mine so it was hard to tell the difference.

Many musicians have “come into” my life and gone the same way they came in but Tracy Chapman is here to stay forever. I really get annoyed when people won’t just let her keep her private life private. Some of the discussions and attacks about her being gay are just cruel; with some bloggers writing that she dated American writer Alice Walker. I don’t really care what people say, all I know that she rocks and I hope my child(ren) will one day love her music too.

Her songs are so deep and poetic that sometimes I go to easylyrics.org just to read the words and get uplifted.  Her music is categorized mostly as of the alternative rock genre. It is through her music that I even became aware of instruments such as the cello, organ, ukulele, electric banjo, acoustic guitar and tambourine plus others that she has incorporated into her songs. Thanks to my brother who is a guitar player in our church I have learned to differentiate between guitars. He has tried to teach me how to play but my huge sausage fingers and impatience won’t let me concentrate.

It really sad that most people and local radio stations only know about FAST CAR, TALKIN’ BOUT REVOLUTION, BABY CAN I HOLD YOU, CROSS ROADS, GIVE ME ONE REASON and TELLING STORIES. While there are so much more awesome songs like BE CAREFUL OF MY HEART, I DID IT ALL, YOU’RE THE ONE, OPEN ARMS, ALMOST, TINMAN, SING FOR YOU, THIS POINT IN MY LIFE, BRIDGES, SMOKE AND ASHES, FOR MY LOVER, THIS TIME and MOUNTAIN O THINGS, SING FOR YOU, IF NOT NOW..., FOR YOU, FOR MY LOVER, FREEDOM NOW, SUBCITY, ALL THAT YOU HAVE IS YOUR SOUL, among others which are worth listening to. It is rare to find a musician whose songs in one album are all awesome hence my fascination with this beautiful woman.

She is considered as a politically and socially active singer/song writer seen by how she speaks so much about injustices and issues affecting people in America and the rest of the world. She holds a B.A. Degree in Anthropology and African studies which I believe has helped her not only in critical thinking but also to be able to write eloquently on issues affecting people. This is why I think everyone should go go to school even if they pursue careers in entertainment as there are some skills that you get there that you won’t get anywhere else.

By the way do you know that she also did a couple of duets? The strangest combination, I think, was with Pavarotti for BABY CAN I HOLD YOU TONIGHT, check it out of YouTube and tell me what you think. Personally I enjoyed it immensely especially since I have never pictured her genre could mesh well with classical music.

A friend of mine recently asked me if am still in “Tracy Chapman phase” and my answer is, it’s not a phase but a genuine love, respect and appreciation for the music and contribution she has made.

Please listen to one of my favourite love songs above and tell me what you think!

PS- I scored the bridesmaid by Paul Howard

I have finished reading the second book.yay! This book had me at the title and I could not put it down. The suspense at the end left me wanting more too.  I read it in the toilet, in the matatu and even at the bank queue. It follows the style of “Huckleberry Finn” and “The Catcher in the Rye” whereby a young man is struggling to make a transition from being a boy into a man. The story follows the fictional character Ross journey as he prepares to marry his sweetheart Sorcha and struggles with making major decisions.

I always knew men were naughty but this book scared the shite out of me. You wouldn’t believe the mischief this husband-to-be and his best men are up to -sort of like in the movie “Hangover”. Like they have this thing where they sleep with many women and steal CD’s from their bedrooms. They call it the “Petty Pilfering championship” whereby the winner has to collect 50CD’s (they call it the P.P. collection) and choose one for the looser who is supposed to perform (karaoke) while standing in a bar.LOL

They actually judge women by the kind of music they listen to. Wow I didn’t know that some men do that! Sorcha, his girl friend even says she has been a little b*tchy lately which she blames on listening to a lot of Mary J. Blige OUCH! Ross reckons that the lady she stole from the Jessica Simpsons- in my skin CD has shite taste in music and shite taste in men. They can also tell the age of women by the kind of CD they listen to, like one of the best men stole “Elvis Presley gospel songs” from a 46 yr old woman hahaha. Apparently they do not discriminate. This gets Ross in trouble when one of the ladies he stole from put two and two together to blow their cover and goes onto rally up all the women to go to his house to collect their CD’s. It even gets funnier when one of the ladies slept with both Ross and his best man and she doesn’t know who stole which CD. Ross says it’s her fault for putting it out too much- WOIYE!

But at least a learnt of some artists whose music am not familiar with that I plan on checking out later and they include Michelle Shocked, Garth Brooks, The Nolans, Mary Chapin carpenter, Mark Owen, Danni Minogue, the lighthouse family,  and Ennio Morricone. See the great thing about books is that you learn from other cultures, talk about travelling around the world without a visa.

They pour liquor into the ATM machine; Ross even kills one of his lady friend’s pet and even try some spiritual stuff - am talking Ouija boards and communicating with the dead stuff. He tries to make a porno movie and even tries surfing yet he doesn’t even know how to swim and many dangerous stunts that readers should be advised not to try at home. On the advice of his girlfriend he gets on an Atkins diet and over indulges then ends up being unable to go for number two #icant.

The only issue I have with the book is that they use a lot of jargon that is familiar to the writer which one reviewer says only people from Dublin can understand. Like the word “Gaff” to mean house, million sheets for money, playing kool and the gang for being calm, scoops for liquor, seriously lost the plot for being crazy, top tens for breast and some acronyms like OTT, SP and PTS. 

They also break a lot of grammar rules that will drive the grammar nazis insane like writing words exactly how they pronounce it like goys for guys, porty for party, roysh for right, cor for car, orse for a**.I guess publishers are now flexible enough to allows some writers to be liberal with their language use. But the great thing is that one can easily infer from the story to get the meaning for words.

I would really recommend this book to any man who intends to get married and see what grooms go through during the planning of the wedding from bridezilla’s, getting money, proposing and letting go of the old bachelor life. I wish it could be adapted into a movie because it really is hilarious, I kept on laughing in the matatu that the passengers thought I had lost the plot (you know I had to use this here.lol)