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007|TIME FLIES

You know it is funny how time flies that it seems like everything just happened yesterday with hours turning in to days, days in to weeks, weeks in to months and finally months in to years. As I write this it is the 19th of January, 2021 definitely. It is not my typical day but instead one of those days you feel like you want to sit down and reconsider your life and all the choices in it. And it is crazy how one decision can change your life forever, all the plans you made slip away so now you accept a new reality. However in this life we don’t always get to choose. We make so many mistakes, screw up and keep telling ourselves that we’ll get better next time.

I am so excited but at the same time feeling ambivalent to jump in the second phase of life…I mean the twenties. This is because age comes with responsibility and maturity as people call it. Birthdays are very much important. I am so extra on mine especially when it comes to treating me. I even start saving up in advance before the D-Day to buy something I have always wanted. You might as well plan yours too. Pick your favorite restaurant, reserve yourself a table. Buy yourself something you have always wanted. Put on your best outfit, some make up on if you do and lastly do not forget to take lots of pictures for memories. With that said, surprise me with anything if you can.

Nineteen has taught me many lessons; most important of all putting God first over everything along with learning to choose love, peace and gratitude. It has also given me reasons to show up as me everyday and more than anything to breathe and enjoy life because life is happening now. ENJOY! ENJOY! ENJOY! My word for the year is INTENTIONALLY. Intentionally change your thought process and your tactics, intentionally work smart, intentionally risk starting up that business, intentionally choosing peace of mind and lastly intentionally not settling for less.

P.S: For those who do not know the date, it is on 28th January. Thank you in advance 😄. Have you thought about your word of the year?What is it?

❤️ &💡,

Shirley.

005|SUNDAY BEST😊Ft SWAHILI DISH RECIPE😋

Sunday best as we call it is one of those feel good days basically because it is not a typical day. Well…you can call me old school but that’s in my incase I am not sure if it is still so for others. Put your energy into this day by dressing in that pretty outfit and even put on some make up if you do. Pick a favorite restaurant, enjoy that desired meal or prepare a haute cuisine…put your phone aside, simply just take a day off. That said, here is a simple and easy recipe for preparing pilau to serve 3-4 people.

Swahili Beef Pilau

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati rice (highly recommended because of better results)
5 medium potatoes (peeled, washed and chopped well)
2 onions sliced
3 cardamon pods
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 sticks of cinnamon
5 cloves of crushed garlic
1 teaspoon whole cumin
1 kg beef, cubed
2 table spoons of oil
1 fresh crushed ginger
4 cups of hot water or broth
Salt to taste

Procedure

Boil the beef with ginger and potatoes as well..both aside. Save the broth so you can use it later.
In a separate pot or sufuria heat oil and fry onions till brown. Add garlic and spices on a low heat.
Add tomatoes, beef cubes and potatoes. Let it cook for about 5 minutes till tender.
Add rice and ensure you mix everything well then add your broth or and the 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
Add salt to taste and adjust seasoning, cover the pot and cook on medium heat.
When the rice is nearly dry, lower down the heat to very low and cover your pilau with a tight lid or an aluminium paper.
Garnish your Pilau with a banana, serve it hot with Kachumbari and pilipili ya mbirimbi or preferred stew on the side and a cold drink.

P.S : This post was scheduled for yesterday, I mean Sunday best🤭, however because of some reasons it is up today.

Sending you ❤️ and 💡,

Shirley.

004|Time Will Soon Make Us Strangers Again

We all start as strangers,but we forget that we rarely choose who ends up a stranger too.

Do you ever think what will happen when your life stops revolving around someone? It’s interesting to think about how people who used to be everything can turn into nothing again. Pretty much crazy how the strongest bonds end over the weakest shit. Well…Roses have thorns too.

Stop wasting your teenage years tryna find love, go shake some ass sis.

003|IT IS WELL

I’ve been trying to write something but I’ve just ended up deleting everything I come up with. So, here’s something, not a long read. Just a short story.

One of the most memorable days back in high school was when I was in my last year. That is the time when people (the society) expects the most from you but then there was me, who didn’t give a damn about anything. However much I didn’t play a major role in stage, drama club was where my heart belonged.

I schooled in the western part of Kenya where our school’s drama plays are know to be controversial. Well..up to this point, I guess you already know where I learnt. I didn’t understand why our director detested the police service which he termed as “the eagles” until when I saw it all happening.

Two years back, we staged a play “It is well”..twas about police brutality against innocent citizens. https://youtu.be/nA1FR9LHG6ob. “The eagles”ought to know that a human approach is essential when handling the civilians. We are not supposed to be treated, punished in a cruel, inhuman and degrading manner. But how we’ll they even know about this when 99% of them are allegedly “D” materials who ended up in a police force instead of a police service.

The very people meant to be protecting us are the ones killing us in the name of “provocation”. This hasn’t happened once or twice… Police and policing structures only protect the state, property and capital, not you and me. Reform is no longer an option. Abolish it all! Otherwise we are slowly planting seeds of enemity in our hearts between us the civilians and “the eagles”. The power they have is not meant to threaten, intimidate or take away innocent lives. We need peaceful co- existence and this can only be done when justice is served.

002|SHARING IS CARING

This is the time to embrace the act of caring. Sharing is caring and this is basic human decency. Check on your friends, colleagues, family members, neighbors and even your daily essential providers such as the mama mbogas and security guards at your home estate even if they haven’t checked on you. These are stressful times and caring shouldn’t be a competition.

Covid-19 pandemic is reminding us to be human. This virus is transmitted by human contact, an observable fact which explains to us that we are dependent of each other in good and bad times credence to the adage no man is an island. One of the measures that curbs the spread of the virus is social distancing in response to minimize contact which has led to a curfew in Kenya and a lockdown in some countries. This tells us that the actions of each and every person adds up and will determine whether the disease spreads or not.

When it is finally over, let us not forget the brighter side in making the world a better place to live in. And if not so, life will never be the same again, we’ll have to accept to live with it where a radical change of behavior is no longer optional.

001|NEW BEGINNINGS

Awakening is like a dream but not all dreams come true. It is much easier said than done and of course actions speak louder than words.We all dream to soar at greater heights, beyond the skies and beyond the limits. What if there are no roads leading to our dreams come true yet we still dream?, but is this really a dream or an illusion? Well, sometimes we let fate take its chance because however much long the dark nights take, destiny is inevitable.

Back are the days when we all were at one point children and you know..had these big dreams with the most common ones being those of to become surgeons, doctors, pilots, engineers and lawyers. As we grow up, often these big dreams begin to change in the long walk to a dream come true. Who or what is to blame? Should we put the blame on those who raised us? Ourselves? Or our befalling goals and ambitions? One thing Africanity holds dear is education. They say education is the key to success. I beg to disagree with the latter saying however this is based on different perspectives. Most parents advise their children to go to school, study hard and get a good job or so you can find a good company to work for, often as a cultural habit and the impact as they say “if you do not get good grades, you won’t get a good job” has a major effect.

Hi, hello there…My name is Shirley. The idealist. If you are reading this, it’s never too late. Today I choose to follow my dreams of becoming a good writer. Everything has a beginning and nothing starts easy. There is always some level of difficulty because even waking up in the morning requires some effort sometimes. I therefore decide to pen down my thoughts so write with me . New beginnings it is😊.