nilichoandika

A queue, giant samosa, cake and headwrap

June 8th, 2017

It is one of those days for me. I am on my sixth cup of coffee.

I reported to work hoping for a much easier day. I had cleaned up my desk, made my list of tasks to be done, and I was looking forward to listening to Shakira’s new album, El Dorado as I designed a newsletter. I arrived at the office, turned on my machine and there it was….a list of emails. You know your plans are thrown out the window when you see you’ve got over five emails! However, that is not what inspired me to fetch my fourth cup of coffee. It was the fact that the lights went out when I had psyched myself to work on four new urgent tasks.

So, since it was right around lunch time, I made my way to Java and ordered a giant chicken samosa.

When you're all about that #giantsamosa from @javahouseafrica, no plate, don't care. pic.twitter.com/yPEuJqWzD4

— Archie Okeyo (@achokeyo) June 8, 2017

I also passed by Uchumi supermarket and bought two sharpeners and two blue pens because when I am stressed I buy stationery. It is always easier to divert my attention to writing instead of focusing it on what’s stressing me. Having to deal with so many tasks had me on edge, and on days like this, I wonder just how far off I am on what I considered to be my track. It is like envisioning a character to be a villain and he/she turns into the protagonist. It is like getting to town only for it to start drizzling and the touts start shouting an inflated price!

Now that I have safely arrived on my seventh cup of coffee, I can say that I have accomplished half of my tasks and cannot stress about what’s piling up on my to-do list. I can close my eyes for a minute, listening to some music, and sharpen a couple of pencils.
Levels

June 5th, 2017

Luke Marshall took this epic photo- I got it on stocksnap.io

Start on Monday,

Travel on Tuesday,

Weather a storm on Wednesday,

Thrive on Thursday,

Flirt on Friday,

Settle down on Saturday…so that come Sunday, your actions are like the words on the back cover of a book…tantalizing a reader to delve within so as to discover who you are.
June’s favorites

June 4th, 2017

I am glad that June‘s here because for some weird reason, I always seem to come up with better book ideas and plots in the month of June. At first I thought it was the change in weather and drinking lots of tea, but now I know there’s something about making it halfway through a year that inspires me to write.

It’s also been a while since I posted anything about my favorite things.

Started writing the next book, so these are my go to tools!

I love bright scarves, and these two would make my headwraps so awesome I’m freaking out!

New month, new books! Two down…three more to go.

Who knew that facial cream could break a bank! Had to get these to combat a nasty breakout…

What’s a girl without coconut oil? #lovelovelovecoconutoil

This is Vanilla month…we’ll see what next month carries.
Motivation

May 31st, 2017
Drifting

May 28th, 2017

When you lie down, think of what it was that you felt when you closed your eyes.

I heard you say, “drifting,” as though I was in Africa while you were in Antarctica.

You said we were not connected, and I thought of an electric grid that none has ever understood its complexities;neurons,synapses, memories,motor skills…I drew a Map of us, a map that was a blank as the look on your face when you finished talking.

“So, what do you have to say?”

I drew a map.

I am certain of it. I drew a very good map.

Tonight as I drift to sleep, I stare at my finger, I cannot seem to close my eyes for this piece of silver might disappear and I may just wake up to “Congratulations,” and that, my beloved, makes me want to have a deep conversation with my shadow at 2A.M.
A cup of tea along the highway

May 24th, 2017

I was in Turbo today which is roughly 34 kilometres from Eldoret town, and was making my way to Kipkaren- which is ideally 50 Kilometres.

So, there I was looking outside the window counting the endless acres of maize farms and wondering just how vast Uasin Gishu county is when we came to the junction of Eldoret and Kitale famously known as Maili-tisa (9 miles).

This is your simple hotel by the roadside, some place you walk in and get a hot cup of tea, or some warm food before you hit the road. It has no menu just a waitress who is glad you stopped by and immediately sets a cup before you and serves you hot milk tea!

Now, before you say hello, she starts by reciting the menu and then asks “Utatumia nini?”

Woe unto you if you say, “Dakika tano nifikirie” because that’s what I said…and before I could sip the tea before me, the team I was with were already washing their hands and digging into their ugali and beef stew!

I tried to get a better shot, but when you carry a compact DSLR chances are people would be drawn to what’s in your hands, and just when I thought I’d gotten a great shot…this tanker just pulled to a stop blocking more of the hotels, but you won’t miss them.

They look something awesome as this:

And when you drive towards Kipkaren, some 10 or so kilometres, you’ll get to see the Baraka Farm Shop where you can get some milk, and cheese sandwiches if you are into your dairy products 🙂
Sensation

May 23rd, 2017

I stumbled upon an idea. It jolted me out of bed at three in the morning, onto the tiled floor and back into bed safe under the warm duvet. Then I remember my hand gliding across the notepad, scribbles here and there, a rush towards the feeling that denied me sleep.

Once my heart found its pace, I sat back in bed and pulled the curtains to see what nature had in store for me at four in the morning.

I heard cats meowing.

I reached for the power button on the wall and switched off the lights and lay there staring at the net right above me. I wonder, am I the only one who hears mosquitoes even where they are not present? It is too cold for those creatures to disturb my sleep here and suddenly I miss Kisumu.

I miss hearing the quarrels and chants of drunkards from Obunga. I miss hearing the sound of loud unwanted music from every corner of estate pubs- and motorcycles as they cruise through.

I wrote a story about four women each at a turning point in their life. It felt like my awakening, something that reminded me about the power of sisterhood, and what it means to confide in a fellow woman and have them help you pull through tough situations.

When I stepped out of bed at seven in the morning, I reached out for that notepad and all that was there was a line, a phrase that could not even build the sensation that I felt in those few hours…and that’s what writing is, sometimes all it takes is that one sensation, the feeling that this could lead somewhere.
Out and about

May 22nd, 2017

To travel is to take a journey into yourself- Danny Kaye

I love flowers.

This was one sight of an upcoming storm to behold.
Ablaze

May 20th, 2017

I know how to light things up

You know…to blow things out of proportion.

How about that time when those women talked of an ungrateful son, and I thought of a prince and a kingdom?

How about when Grumpy said “okay,” and I thought we were done.

Or when he called twenty times and I did not answer, or apologize?

See, I know how to set emotions ablaze.

Take a pinch of doubt, sprinkle some unmet expectations, let it simmer in your mind for ten minutes then serve while hot.

Take an ounce of joy, you know the feeling of sheer bliss that emanates from a hug, kiss, or assurance, it often inspires you to sing or continuously update your Facebook status. Take this ounce of joy, let it boil for five minutes by scrolling through your IG feed for #baegoals and then have it cool…it is a dish best served with either a warm blanket or a box of tissues, you decide.

I know how to light things up, to set the world on fire with these little sets of dynamite called emotions, for once they are summoned, they rarely leave a party.

Darling, before I sat to type all this, I was ablaze, and nothing beats being in a new town- loving the people, the places, the night life but totally missing the weather you used to own as yours.

Greetings from Eldoret!
To be human

May 19th, 2017

stocksnap.io

We have all hurt someone tremendously, whether by intent or accident.

We have all loved someone tremendously, whether by intent or accident.

It is an intrinsic human trait, and a deep responsibility, I think, to be an organ and a blade.

But, learning to forgive ourselves and others, because we have not chosen wisely is what makes us most human.

We make horrible mistakes, it’s how we learn and it is inevitable.

Nayyirah Waheed