'Buenas Noches' video by G.No

Buenas Noches, the music video from my friend G.No in France is now available.
G.No has stayed busy doing radio and online interviews as well as shows in support of his new album 'From Paris 2 Louisville' . The video, which he directed himself was filmed in the city of Paris.

Click video poster below to view video

Design & concept: akiey5Gallery

Please click here for a larger, clearer view of poster.

G.No's album is now available and will ship to you in a matter of days. I received my signed copy in the mail and I'm playing it on repeat! Buenas Noches and Dame are some of my most favorite tracks from the album.
Stay tuned and interact with G.NO at:
myspace.com/gnolatinbird
gardelino.com
twitter.com/G_No

MJB: Forever No More

Forever No More is our latest musical production featuring a poem composed and recorded by the soulful Queen of Hip hop Soul, Mary J Blige. Produced at akiey5media it's a musical tribute to Mary J who's among the artistes to be featured in a late 2009 Poetry & Spoken Word project.

Click front cover below to listen to the track.

Design & concept: akiey5Gallery

Popularly referred to as MJB, Mary J has for years used her musical gifts to inspire, uplift and touch the lives of many worldwide. To date she has released 8 successful albums and performed on 8 thrilling tours. She has acted on TV & film, garnered numerous awards and still keeps on working hard like she just got started.

Please click here for large view of the poem on the back cover.

In producing the music for Forever No More, I opened the track with American jazz piano keys and closed out the production with trumpets & horns typical of traditional Swahili wedding parades. That and everything in between is yours to enjoy!

Interview with G.No, creator of Latin and Blues

Here's an interview with G.No (a.k.a The Latin Bird), our Paris-based friend & multi talented singer, songwriter, producer, author and Web designer. Considered one of Europe's finest rising stars, G.No speaks and sings in four languages and is credited with creating the new 'Latin and Blues' music genre that is fast gaining popularity. G.No's new album From Paris 2 Louisville is now available. Stay updated with G.No's projects via his Myspace, Facebook, Youtube and on Gardelino.com.

Click album cover to visit G.No's myspace & preview the new album.

* Your new album "From Paris 2 Louisville" just came out, what inspired the title and the general style or direction of the songs?
The title of the album came naturally to me since I recorded the songs between Paris, France where I was born and Louisville, Kentucky where I met Smoke E.Digglera, former singer of the R&B band Playa who also worked with the legendary Jodeci. This album is the story of a musical meeting: I'm bringing Mediterranean roots and US producers like Smoke bring true R&B music. This new mix is called "Latin & Blues". There are 15 tracks dealing with fiesta, love, sex and I've also got 2 songs speaking of my origins and life in Paris.

* Your fans really like your first album "Evazion", most people play it without skipping any song. What inspired the album and how was the writing and recording?
Thanks! I recorded this album 5 years ago using Pro Tools and my 2 guitarists. I recorded it in a room at my home. I had to release something because I was getting impatient waiting for a major contract that wasn't coming. This album is far from perfect but I did it all on my own. I was young but I truly sang every song with my heart.
One thing with acoustic music is that it never grows old. "Damelo" and "Mon ami mon frère" are my favorites. Back then, I never thought I would one day sing with my R&B idols. I didn't want to sing regular R&B anymore because I didn't want to appear as a European R&B copy. Although I didn't sell very many copies of the "Evazion" CD, the wonderful exposure I got on Myspace helped me meet Smoke. "Senorita Sensual" was the track that appealed to him so much that he decided to work with me.

* You've always been very creative, what new stuff should your fans expect in "From Paris 2 Louisville"?
Something really new from the producers of songs by Aaliyah, Ginuwine, and Missy Elliott just to name a few. They will also get music with an international flava and of course songs in international languages.
I'm the 1st European singer to have the true "Jodeci/Playa" sound yet I'm not trying to copy Black American R&B artists. I'm singing my way in Spanish, Italian and French. And for the fans and lovers of Playa, I've done a remake of "Cheers 2 U" with a rapper from Florida named Cutty Lue.

* You signed with Smoke from Playa, a legend in the R&B world. How does your French and American creativity help you both?
Our meeting in Louisville was crazy. It was a fun and magical experience. We were drinking, recording and singing all night. Judging from the over 500,000 visits we got on YouTube I can say that people felt it connected to the music. You can see the whole story on the DVD "FROM PARIS 2 LOUISVILLE" which can be bought on my Myspace at myspace.com/gnolatinbird.
I went to Louisville feeling very shy because I was afraid to sing in front of a highly talented vocalist like Smoke but he helped me improve my skills and I learned a lot just from watching him.

* What do you like most about singing and performing?
Self-expression. I need music in my life. I'm not singing just to be famous but to truly share from my heart.

* Who are some of your musical influences?
Dino Conner of the R&B group H-Town. He was 'the voice' to me. Devante Swing, Playa (R.I.P Static Major), George Michael and Yves Montand, a French singer.

* When did you record your very first song; how was the experience?
I remember it was in '94! I was like "damn my voice sounds good!" hehe!!, I had a New Jack Swing trio in France and we were into Boyz II Men, Shai and such like groups.

* What was your first ever major TV or radio appearance and how did you feel about it?
I remember my 1st big TV appearance because it was last year on a major French TV channel. I was interviewed, I sang live and I loved it. I'm looking forward to more exposure. I'm convinced that artists have to show real concern for social issues and I first need more exposure for that.

* What motivated you to create the new genre you call "Latin & Blues"?
It came naturally since it's a mix of my origins and the kind of music I like. My father is Italian, mother is Spanish, and me, I am French. Since I really like music...in fact, I love Rhythm & Blues so much I had to merge all these ingredients and create a new style called "Latin & Blues". It just felt right that with this mix of cultural roots and my love for this wonderful music, I be the creator of Latin & Blues.

* What things, people or ideas inspire your songs?
My everyday life and thoughts inspire me the most. I'm a quiet, mellow person but with this album there is a lot inspired by clubbing and being in love. You will see my many other inspirations and creative side in future albums.

* If you could perform live with any musician from any part of the world, who would that be?
I would love to share a live show with Babyface as a guitarist and Alicia Keys on the piano! I can't help smiling just thinking about that!! That girl gives so much emotion when she sings, it's incredible! Music should only be like this. I'm not attracted simply by style and glamor. That's why I prefer to sing with my acoustic band than with too many dancers and TV tracks.

* If you could collaborate on a record with any musician, dead or alive, who would that be?
To sing with Smoke and have production by the guys who did Aaliyah's "Rock The Boat" for example used to just be a dream yet it is happening. Right now I am connecting with a lot of R&B stars but I think that making duets is my favorite thing in this music business.

* You have a huge following on Myspace, Facebook, YouTube and even on your website www.gardelino.com , how important is the Internet to you as an artiste?
Without the Internet this album would never havve happened. How could I have met Playa while living in Paris?? There wouldn't be exposure on TV, Radio, or shows for me. I'm not the son of a rich guy so the Internet is a blessing.
My new task as an artist is also that of an e-marketer: I gotta target my potential fans and meet people in the industry, all through my Mac! You know, TV and radio create "virtual stars", now the same happens through the Internet and hopefully there are bigger things coming for me and all the independent artists.

* Recently you filmed the video for your new song "Buenas Noches", which is a real favourite with your fans. Please describe the experience of having videos for your songs.
The only thing I was missing as an artist was actual music videos. I started the video making experience while in Venezuela last summer with my cameraman Kassius. We did 2 videos there and since I live in Paris I had to do another one in this beautiful city. I directed the videos and I love doing it and I appy my creativity because without a big budget you gotta think of original ideas to lead your project. The video for Buenas Noches is a good example.

* Where do you see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years?
I've dedicated my time to focus on making my music. If people are touched by my music I will be able to live off of it, tour and work for other artists. I see myself as an entertainer and writer - things that I already do. I just need more exposure now and believe me, the Internet is so good because people can better understand your entire vision. For me it's Libertad or muerte, I don't see the point of living without sharing my art.

Interview by akiey.

http://akiey.blogspot.com/ * http://myspace.com/akiey5

Mr. Forty-Four Is Ready!

It's a new chapter we're all writing now. Gone are the days of living under the constant confusion and delusion of the Bush dictatorship. We knew we would survive those terrible 8 years & now it's a new era and a new movement for a world that works together. Obama & Biden already have their sleeves rolled up and are working on that Change, let's do the same.

PS: Nearly a year & a half since my last post. Been busy doing this & that. May come around post some more some time later...may be...

It Wasn't Impossible -free track

It Wasn't Impossible is a giveaway track from our upcoming blend album set for a July/Aug '07 release. Go here for more details.

This is a cinematic production resulting from reworking Shaggy's 'It Wasn't Me' mega hit then morphing it into our newly reworked instrumental version of Kanye West's 'Impossible' (the theme song he produced for the movie 'Mission Impossible III').
Click cover to hear & download a free copy of "It Wasn't Impossible"

Cover design: akiey5Gallery

I'm inviting 'out of the box' creative thinkers to work with on a bunch of projects. Our 3 imprints are capable of handling numerous design & production projects to satisfy your multimedia needs. Get in touch for best rates & samples of recently completed works.

Obama: Speech Music

Reposted Feb 23:
On Feb 10, Barack H. Obama, the Democratic Senator from Illinois stood on the steps of the old Illinois Capitol in Springfield and gave a 21 min landmark discourse that culminated in the much anticipated official declaration of his run for US president in 2008.
Obama's values, worldview and principles have long struck a chord with many among us clamoring for sound, fair and responsible leadership on the homefront and one that places diplomacy at the core of it's international policy. For this reason akiey5media/The Niteshift immortalizes his speech in this original music production aptly titled "The Candidate" in honor of this great son of the 2 USAs: United States of America, and... Ugenya Siaya Alego.

Plz click cover below to listen to Obama's Speech Song
Cover design: akiey5Gallery

NB: Feel free to share this Obama Speech Music, The Niteshift will convert the track to fit your mp3 player, iPod, PSP and car/home stereo on request.

Credits:
All lead (speech) vocals : Barack Obama
All instrumentals & mastering: akiey

White House backdrop photo: akiey5Gallery files
Barack Obama image source: here (original has both Barack & Michelle)

I Have A Dream-remixed

Every Second Monday of January: Time to celebrate the birthday, works, life, sacrifices & contributions of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In honour of this great son of the US, Citizen of The World, Civil Rights Leader & 1964 Nobel Peace Prize Winner I share with you this musical rendition of his acclaimed 1963 "I Have A Dream" speech whose instrumentals and arrangement yours truly arranged & produced at dawn on Friday Jan 12, 2007 for the akiey5media/The Niteshift imprints.

To hear the 'Dream' part of the speech only, plz click image below to visit our e-home & click track one 'I Have A Dream' on the mp3 player.

Photo Courtesy 'Time' Magazine. Cover Design: akiey5Gallery
To hear the entire speech (highly recommended) plz click here.

Feel free to request a downloadable mp3 and WMA version of this production for your non-commercial use. Will convert to fit your iPod, mp3 player, PSP, car & home stereo etc.
PS: Martin Luther 'The King' Jr would have turned 78 today. Let's celebrate and reflect on the teachings, values & principles of the Civil Rights Movement and search within & around us to see how (un)well we Keep The Dream Alive.

Happy Birthday Dr. King!
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NB: If you have a great, clear voice please get in touch soonest. There's interesting gigs awaiting you at our Niteshift imprint.

Obie Trice-Sopranos-Msanii

Click cover to view video

Many thanks to Obie Trice for personally providing us "Cry Now" in June, some 2 months before his new album "Second Round's On Me" was released. The song "Cry Now" is a true to fact, confessional message depicting recent events in Obie's life, some of which made breaking news on both Tv & print media.
As long-time fans of Obie's work, the akiey5media/The Niteshift imprint made a studio video by carefully assembling different scenes from The Sopranos (HBO) series and digitally synchronized them with the song to bring to life the message in "Cry Now"...with a new twist that juxtaposes Toni Soprano's life in New Jersey with Obie's in Detroit.
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click banner to download BNTS Episode 6

Msanii_XL, the publisher of BNTS, whose loyal fans also know as the "music man extraordinaire" for his use of podcasting as a tool to make unique mixtapes offers 3 albums (yes, 3 whole albums with over 55 songs !!) for you to enjoy, to download and share...for free! as BNTS Episode 4, BNTS Episode 5* (broadcast on German Public Radio in Aug,06) & BNTS Episode 6.
He is no stranger to most of our readers for he's the first innovator we featured on our skyblog e-magazine. Msanii stands out from the crowd by fusing music from different continents, different genres and from both major and independent labels and broadcast it to a growing number of enlightened fans across the Diaspora who are now very familiar with trendsetters like Ukoo Flani MauMau, Shida Mingi, Jay Dilla (RIP), Lebo Mashile, Tumi and The Volume, Viktor Vaughn, K-Shaka, Infidel aka Seff (gifted lyricist who did the intro on BNTS 6 & appeared on BNTS 5)...the list is infinite.
BNTS Episode 4 BNTS Episode 5
Click album covers above & download "BNTS Epsiode 4" & "BNTS Epsiode 5"

Alright, now to try & update Tafsiri, been a while...

Things People Do

... while away from blogville and its environs include: burning the midnite oil balancing work (yes, I happen to 'work' at times,lol!), life and a bunch of audiovisual projects.
A couple positive changes have been made, several beneficial collaborations established and we're ready to get more stuff done. Have to keep working, praying hard & having fun while at it.

As we prepare a major comeback to blog, here's an invite to kick back & enjoy this slide show from yours truly. Peace!

Still Got It

I've been offline & off everthing else as I make this move to the new house in the new city whose metropolitan area I know like the back of my hand. Have worked here, gone clubbing here countless times, been in concert with greats from Damian Marley to UB40, to Slum Village and Annie Lennox.

Still settling in, most things still boxed up but that mojo? Not to worry, I got it with me & it never left...

Lemme reply all pending comments on both Maarifa & Tafsiri some time this weekend.

No Way, Jose!

If the pic looks familiar you're probably right. Click to find out...or just read along...

What bloggers block? Did I hear the word hiatus? hehe, No Way, Jose! The few KBWs with whom I'm in regular touch and are listed in my address book got hints of some stuff this blogger has been up to while away from blogville. A couple of days ago I moved some furniture around & renovated both Maarifa & Tafsiri, produced some kool new videos that I've already started hosting on both blogs... and there's more changes to come so make yourselves at home.

It's been an interesting few days. Yes, kept busy & still enjoyed the world's greatest sporting event thoroughly especially on the Spanish language channels where the amazingly animated commentators led by Fernando Fiore went Gooool! Gooool!! to mark every goal and just as I kooled off cheering I noticed TeeTee, who also caught the world cup bug was still excitedly bellowing the Latin American accented "G-o-o-o-o-o-o-l!!", sometimes making me think I'd missed another goal, lol!.

I rooted for France to the very end, even as Zidane had to walk away from what would have been one of his life's greatest achievements. Congrats Italia. You deserve the hard-fought win. Zidane, you rightfully earned The Golden Boot, Thierry & co....Vive Les Blues, Vive La France!

Ok good people, as we get back to normal programing I couldn't help laughing at/questioning some of these facts I found here:

• It is possible to lead a cow upstairs...but not downstairs. (Is that why the bulls chase folks down the streets in Pamplona, Spain?)
• Donkeys kill more people annually than plane crashes. (How come the population of Lamu isn't going down & they have more donkeys than planes in the city?)
• Turtles can breathe through their butts. (So, basically they can't distinguish a fart from exhaling?)
• Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrived immigrants. (So, how do they know their way around? Well, most New Yorkers get lost in the huge city so worry not)
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Finally... Is it just me or is that real deal guy sound way happier than most folks you and I know?, huh?

Block This Too!!

Just confirmed it! some things get done the way those pulling strings want them done around this here community...so get to shutting the door & hitting the locks on this one too, you know who you are, lol!

Don't know why I quickly opted to do a car pic for this 'packed' post but many kudos to sandman's post which probably indirectly stuck in my mind.

Legends, Icons & Revolutionaries

Finally came across this photo that for a long while I thought I had lost in my picture files.
Hard to believe that I've had it for over 4 years and I still can't find the source information. I thought I would have it as the first in a series of images I am working on that I labelled "Legends, Icons & Revolutionaries"
Am also planning on printing this image on a black or white t-shirt before the summer but I would first like to get the source right so that I could credit it both in print and on the web. I will greatly appreciate any input on this.
NB: I am currently working on "Legends, Icons & Revolutionaries II" . I'm thinking of putting 2 men & a woman on it. Any suggestions very much welcome!
119.20.051.26p

Friends Like These!?

Won't waste space saying what I already know about this madd friendship that has stood the test of time and by now wiped off the thin line between friendship and family ties.

"Dis-moi qui te hante et je te dirais qui tu es "

-Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are.

And whoever said this at 3.30am several moons ago needs to get their head checked:

"None of us would stoop so low as to harm and maim anyone that hurts one of us bcoz that would be too barbaric. It's best to cut them up & feed them to the dogs, stray dogs to be certain lol!

The 360 Guarantee

I don't own Kenya, I owe Kenya.
I am all that I am because of my experiences growing up and living in Jamhuri. Yes, born, bred and in most part equipped with life/work skills in this beautiful, diverse nation we call home. Land of smart thinking, smart acting and smart, fun/funny people blessed in plentiful ways.
Granted, it has been some time since I was last home and I miss it every day. Like many of my peers, I am bcoz I grew up in an environment where the child was raised by the entire community regardless of one's ethnic origin, social standing or worldview. We benefitted from a social support system which entitles you to hold onto and pursue your dreams despite the many hurdles standing in your way. This is the one place where I met happiness and peace of mind and made them my friends.
Growing up in a town (now a city) where leaving the front door unlocked all day was the tradition but locking yourself indoors 24/7 was considered mean-spirited and antisocial, we were taught that opening up your heart is a sure way to fill it with warmth and l'epice de la vie (spice of life/nakshi za maisha); that opening up your mind is the way to learn beyond books and maktabas and opening up your home is the key to limitless abundance of happiness, good fortune, growth of kin and kith, warding off misfortune, boredom and a cold, lonely existence.
I am aware that with time things change and so do some values but it is gratifying to know that many well-grounded principles still hold firm (despite the darned MPs mess!). These are lessons I still value and look forward to sharing.
Mimi ni Mkenya/ I am Kenyan and many things define me as such. There is no perfect person or society but I know fellow Kenyans at home & abroad to be very hardworking (and hard partying), enterprising people. When someone says "You Can't" it only gives us more fire to succeed and we turn around, smack them in the face with the "I just did and will do again!" (hehe, guilty aren't you?), yes, we run (yaaawn!) to win races and the millions in prizes that come with them but we don't run away from ourselves.
We laugh so hard and so often it hurts. We care so much till we hurt, we're more trustworthy than our lousy, kniving politicians that milk us dry as they live in sinful luxury...yet we let them be!? We stay up-to-do date with local as well as world affairs and find it quite normal to analyse happenings as far away as Kiribati, Fallujah, San Juan, Kumasi, Copenhagen or even Seoul while riding in the matt, waiting in line at Nakumatt, cycling over Nyali bridge, taking the tube to Victoria Station, in the Metro in DC's U.Street, on phone, email, blog, etc just becoz we're who we are...Kenyan.

Kenya accords me My 360 Guarantee of happiness and peace of mind for every 365 days in a year. Show me a place promising more than that and I'll let you know its other name is...Kenya.

Happy Madaraka Day!

Tuendelee Ama Wasnitch?

"The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life"
~William Faulkner
W. Faulkner may have been reading my mind at some point. Visual arts will always fascinate me and for that reason I better not stop this Akiey5 Experiment...same way that young, super-gifted black kid many called Jimmy didn't stop his Jimmy Hendrix Experience...yes, that very self-taught and mastered Experience that changed how we listen to & play music.

Here's a little taste of The AQ Experiment:



This is part of a continuing series of music video remixes I've worked on most recently. The Experiment brings together the song "Tuendelee" by Kenya's Kleptomaniax with the "Snitch" music video by Obie Trice & Akon to create what I called "Tuendelee Ama Wasnitch"(lol!) yeah, a blend of the two concepts as well.

Many thanks to the Musicman Extraoridinaire himself, MsaniiXL (I know you got greater things than this one coming bro!), as well as Spicebear, Irena, and Acolyte for trying out and giving feedback on different videos I've worked on to date.

Also, thanks to Gishungwa for contributing the Klepto track. For her effort she gets listed on the video credits towards the end among the likes of Obie Trice, Akon, Klepto, Eminem et al that akiey thanks for their part in the video/music. One day soon I will most appropriately honour said artistes as well. Enjoy!

Simple Yet Complex

NB: The UB40 concert post I promised is in the works, still making time to edit video & pics.

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Sometimes I Wonder...

When my time is up on this 3rd rock from the sun,
will I be remembered more as a digital artist or the trained professional that I am?
If, and since I devote as much attention to my art
as to my chosen profession, will my works of art impart
greater precedence over the works of my mind and heart?
Until then, I will strive to make simple of complex things
And complex of otherwise simple things.
Bcoz such is the principle of my art.
-akiey-

I've mentioned this to a couple of my readers:

Never in my life have I taken a 2 minute class in photography, photo editing, videography or filming. What I do here and on other print & digital media is but self-taught & God-given skills that now define me as the akiey that does this & that in the name of art.
As such, years from now, will anyone touched by my work,
artistic or professional regard akiey's time on God's green earth
to be as good as what...

Pele is to football as Samora Machel is to martyrdom?
Dr. Dre is to G-rap as Mother Teresa is to saintly?
Mental is to Kaybee as Aime Cesaire is to freedom?
Iman is to modeling as Mikhail Gorbachev is to Ruski?
Clinton is to admirable as Necessary Noise is to exceptional?
Kipchoge is to athletics as Larenz Tate is to versatility?
Mc Solaar is to rhythm as Fundi Frank is to fashion?
TeeTee is to akiey's ifey as Lebron James is to simply amazing?

Maybe, maybe not, but you're still reading & viewing

and am still clicking, filming, editing and thinking...

Until then, You may be remembered as...?

Cherry OH Baby!!

Orig pic sans my ticket here

I've had to put off this concert post mainly due to the tragic loss we suffered back home when we lost dignitaries on the peacekeeping mission to the northern region of Jamhuri. RIP all dear departed and my sympathies to their family, friends and all affected by the loss.

News of the loss reached me on the same day I was to start editing video & downloading the many photos I took at the concert. No way could I talk of a fun time with friends and mourn at the same time. The time out & no video playing here was Maarifa's tribute.

Yes, Good People, I finally got to meet & greet with the one-of-a-kind UB40 and their equally Irie opening act Elan from Cali by way of Morocco. The concert was at the amazing House of Blues in Cleveland. It's an understatement to say all this was a dream come true. Will give detailed info with pics, video etc in a new post as soon as am done working out a few details with video & photo sequence.

I will get back to you ALL by tomorrow, I too need to have my hands full of dessert for now!

Am An Addict

There comes a time when one makes known their indulgences, compulsive pastimes or even: "addictions". I have a couple I've developed and nurtured (or have they been nurturing me?) since I was a kid.

I love reading. Will read anything & everything from that slip of paper swaying in the wind before it finds a spot on the sidewalk, to biographies in the library. Will read countless emails & IMs from fam and friends, online press releases, installation manuals, blogs, even those 60,000 word professional documents I work with...you name it, regardless of the languages it's written in, trust I will read it, internalise and analyse it...("urrrgh, who brought in this sorry nerd!"...murmur the bored AA-Addicted Anonymous attendees)

For nearly a year and a half now I've been getting my daily, nerdy fix from Wikipedia, that fast-growing online super warehouse of knowledge. I fully revel in it & indulge as if reading will be banned tomorrow. You will find me everyday browsing through articles on music, art, politics, history...kamilisha sentensi kwa jibu linalofaa.LOL!

I lose myself so much in Wikipedia it virtually becomes Akieypedia, with me, bloodshot, wide-eyed & info-thirsty looking around like a deal-catcher seeeking the latest arrivals at Nairobi's Gikomba market, a videogamer looking around for the latest Madden Games, like a damsel on 5th Avenue frantically seeking Vera Wang's latest robes, or feeling great like a loving, young Digo couple holding hands on their way home after selecting fresh fish at Likoni Ferry's Soko ya Samaki...and I mos def feel hyped like a mixtape DJ ruffling through crates of music LPs searching for that one beat that will change the music scene...

Today I take a break from Akieypedia mania, allow you to sit on that couch and wonder to myself: what's your addiction...?!

Absolute Indisputable Truth

If there's any one lesson anyone in the Diaspora should carry with them every waking moment....

Strive to make your own money with the knowledge & skills you have acquired right from Jamhuri so you're not treated like the shit anyone would want to make you believe you are.

Class dismissed....


PS: This is my only major entry without a pic & hopefully my very last blogger post. Sayonara, Kwaheri, Baadaye....

If Blogs Spoke

If your blog had a voice, what would it say to/about you?
- If Maarifa & Tafsiri spoke they'd tell me:
a) Stop treating us like step-children, we bring you happiness so update us regularly (Rhaahaha, yeah right!)
b) Will you stop toying with the idea of quitting blogging because the more you think of it the more real it becomes every day!?
c) When we grow up we'd like to become ..err...magazines, maybe satellite radio stations, digital Tv & movie networks and also help write your memoires by complementing the junk you've been writing in your diaries since you were 12 years old, or...whatever the heck your insomniac self pushes us to be since you seem to decide everything big head,lol!
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We're having a party and we will be dancing under the light until yawn* at our other home. To get an all access pass to the event please click on the photo below or follow the link below it.
** The two and a half people who visit & comment on this blog regularly would tell you that when akiey says party until dawn he means "to party until the sun comes up" whereas by Partying Until Yawn he actually means "Partying Until Another Year Comes Up",LOL

party till yawn

Ok, now time to get back to what we used to call life & also prepping a couple pics for friends' upcoming projects:)

Checking Body Parts

-Best viewed l-a-a-r-ge-

First off, I send out a big this to Blogger for being such a pain when I repeatedly tried to perform the most basic operations on their system. No wonder I've been planning to move my entire blog-related stuff to another site. Wapumbavu sana hawa madogi wa Blogger!
Lately I've had 101 photo design ideas struggling to pop out of my head & onto paper, website, print media etc faster than I can handle. For that reason I decided to draw on the creative juices by taking 3 ideas at a time, lol!
The above montage is one in a series I am developing as a tribute to some good fam & friends whose photos I recently came across on 2 CDs I thought I'd long-llost & were buried in the town's garbage dumps somewhere. The newly found CDs contain about 800 photos of people, places & things I caught on lens over the past 2 yrs & all this has now inspired an extra twenteen ideas ontop of the 101 I have doing the chakacha inside my thick head.
Currently, I am checking out body parts of people am close with, as well as those of blogpals who gave me the green light to use their pics (why the raised eyebrows, it's art!lol!), avatars & other blog 'things' for an upcoming composite photo meant to make fun of a situation that happened in my host country late last year but it's something we all can relate to since it was broadcast worldwide.
There' s still some room on the photo I am working on, so let me know on email, IM or phone if you'd like to be featured on it...Have no fear, won't make you look bad, if anything, you know my motto I Can Make U Famous.
Artists, like everyone else also do have a funny side. This caught my eye last nite. Enjoy:
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An artist working on a nude portrait got very tired after a busy month. He had become very weary from this non-stop effort he decided to take it easy for the day. Since his model had already shown up he suggested they merely have a glass of wine and talk .
They talked for a few hours getting to know each other better. Then as they were sipping their claret the artist heard a car arriving outside. He jumped up and said "Oh no! It's my wife! Quick take off your clothes!"

Blogversary and Winners

On this day a year ago, Maarifa the weblog came into being. The reasons & drive behind this have long been obvious to all of my loyal readers composed of close friends (some I've known for nearly 20yrs), family, the wonderful KBW family, my buddies from other web-related affiliations that I am actively engaged in, a couple professional clients and ofcourse not to forget the Web surfers who stumble upon my bloghome.
It has been a very interesting and satisfying 12 months thanks to your regular visits, generous comments & appreciation for the digital photographic art I share with you, sharing your opinion on all my rumblings, your genuine concern when I go/went AWOL (many thanks everybody in KBW!) ... and ofcourse everytime you made me feel welcome in your blog homes cannot go unnoticed.
There's absolutely no way I could overlook the many good things that this interaction, mainly through KBW/NYD/FLM/Afrikblog has brought my way. I am glad to have met an amazing lot of highly talented, funny, caring and creative-minded friends. Many I meet on blogruns, about two dozen also on email, IM and regular calls across states and/or continents. Some of you I've known for countless years [sema mamboz good chica Irena, my kin & kith: Naj, Farouk, Maleeha & Izzo!:)], some I've met several times & with many others shared unedited(LOL!) photos of fun/crazy stuff we get into so we've basically 'seen' each other & we can now attach faces and voices to blogs!
All this has fueled the engines behind the growth of both Maarifa (and its affiliate bilingual site: Tafsiri which in turn marks its 1st anniversary in 3 weeks) and akiey the blogger and for that I say a very big Thank You! For sticking around & enjoying the ride with me:)!

NB: I would quickly run out of space & wearout my fingerprints trying to elaborate why I like some blogs & bloggers, so here's a quick glimpse of my top blogs and my most fav lined up over there.
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To celebrate this day, I share with you the 3 winners of the two (long overdue) posts that had everyone trying to figure about The Mvita Don's modus operandi and the food this blogger made & shared with friends. Thanks everybody for participating in this brainstorm activty:)
and so..... the winners are:

I made this collage of the 3 Maasai girls from 3 diff pics to honour the often taken for granted cultural magnificence of the Maasai culture and to congratulate the 3 ladies below that got the answers right. KBW guys didn't seem to fare too well so I look forward to you doing better next time guys!

The Chops For Days Post on Tafsiri:
The winner: Mshairi, my 1st blogfriend whose intelligence, brilliance and down-to-earth good nature (I know many out there would agree with me) gives one that deja vu feeling of having known her in another lifetime. She gave the dish one quick look & without hesitating figured it was octopus stew gravy that was on made & shared that evening. Let me know what kind of photo edit you'd like done. Muchas gracias querida!

The Mvita Don Post: to the two winners go a photo of their choice so see me in my chambers please:)

1st winner: Guess, that avid blogger who had no inside info but one that relied on her photographic memory and used her "skewed brain... that...can read upside down, right to left, right to left upside down" to easily and accurately figure out about 95% of Don Mvita's MO as well as his tools of trade & 'hits'. Congrats!

2nd winner: K.i.d.a.d.a, the shy, yet risktaking, creative writer of a blogger who knows people that know this blogger better than she'd want to admit (total balaa!) also blew the competition thanks to her probing skills, arm-twisting & info extracting tacticts. Only flaw was a small mistep in the tools of trade but she got it very right with the 'hits':

Chilling with MJB...

As I go about responding to the Mvita Don post, my b-day post and my Chops for Days post on Tafsiri too, am all jazzed up for The Breakthrough, the new release by the Queen of HipHop-Soul Mary J. Blige (Dec 20, 2005). This montage and the other 5 in the series I made last weekend [flash that smile if I sent you any of them in the past few days:)], is a tribute to MJB for her ongoing contribution to good, soulful music. I intentionally inserted the mid pic as a reminder that am working on meeting the requests from the Mvita Don post.

PS: *I am announcing the winner(s) of the Mvita Don post, in the next post. Gotta do that. Lately, I've been swamped in work-- loots of work; but work, life, more work & more life is not an excuse*

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-Screenshot of the new joint. Click pic to be redirected there-

I am pleased to announce that I'm opening doors to my new home over here. Please feel free to drop by for some munchies, music, videos, audio & all the good stuff. All 3 joints will be running at the same time & same tempo so kick off your shoes & let's have loads of fun!

PS: I am not abandoning Maarifa or Tafsiri, No way!! New joint will be home to more pics, and stuff surrounding this blogger's other interests.

PSA-Public Service Announcement: I'm sure by now you've noticed that about 90% of my posts have 3-word titles à la : Chilling with MJB..., It's My Birthday!, After This Interruption, Pride and Joy, If Bob Visited, Akiey Con Fuego! It Wasn't Me , just to name a few. This happens for a reason or three but it sure brings to mind a good friend whose 3 names have 6 letters each to make a triple sixx!, lol! tsk, tsk!

It's My Birthday!

The Entire KBW means the Blog to me & please don't feel left out because some fast folks got wind of this sooner & decided to surprise me. Hugz 2 U all!

11/22: the day I celebrate my birthday. Yes, a year older & hopefully wiser. Behind me lies a year full of stuff I'd love to remember for the rest of my life...as well as some sh*t I'd rather not, but that's life. A new year full of hope lies ahead, will take it as it comes & make something greater out of it.
Strange but every year since I was 16, my birthday has been the busiest of all days in November. There's got to be a reason behind it, I may know it when I turn 40...That's when life begins, right?LOL!
Today I'll be working around the clock to beat two deadlines for clients in two different time zones so I will officially celebrate my b-day tomorrow. Do feel free to join in the fun if you have my address(wink!), know my phone number, IM add, email or you'd like a blog meet up. If you happen to be around the block then you'll mos def run into me & T-Joy(ful), Matt & Wei getting into some crazy fun stuff. For everyone who kept asking, nagging, threatening & even blackmailing about unedited(?) pics of this blogger here's a peek into some of my fam & circle of friends I hang with on the regular. (Best viewed L-a-r-g-e)

Thank yous (in no particular order): Mom & Dad for bringing me into this world and for raising me right. My siblings represented by Dada Aisha(middle left column) for the early morning B-day greetings (N'nani kama wewe Dada?) T-Joy(ful) (middle right column): dearest babygal for having my back(love U to bits hon!) Thrity: for the beautiful e-card(kisses 4 U & hugs to Pervez for me). Poi: for being 1st KBW to get thru call at exactly midnite(how nice of u fellow scorpio?), Abeid in Cotonou: thanks for the card (glad u remembered), Farhiyya: calling while tired & sleepy (U blaze up Toronto!).Guess: for the early morning email & msgs & for shouting me out in public jana(thanks rub-a-dub babe!), Nick for IM wishes(bro #3, u rock!), Milo untouchable on IM (bro #2, mention them plz!) Adrian IM sting (fellow scorpios sting!LOL!), FarmGal on IM, (stay strong:)!), SpiceBear on IM(thanks in b/n doing papers!)

Thanks everybody for your patience while my computer was acting up. Now it's up & running like Paul Tergat. Back with replies to comments & yes, I have to meet two photo requests from last post. Coming up in next post, promise:)

That Other Side

EDIT: Hey good people, I know I've not done my regular blog runs lately bcoz of problems with my computer...can't stay online more than 5mins at a time:( I'm sorting out the problems & will be back in ONE day with replies to comments & ready for a new post. Thanks!

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That Other Side

-This post is 90% based on true events-

From time to time, the Mvita Don's modus operandi consists of deviating from the 'norm' such that when duty calls his personality changes to: no jeans, no cap; no tees, no slang; and definitely no bling or camera snaps.
The day starts earlier than usual with a prayer of thanks for a good night's rest (even if it was no more than 4hrs, ahem!), and hope for a better, rewarding day ahead. Quick shower followed by a quicker walk in-walk out of the wardrobe transforms last night's fun-seeking, casually dressed and easy going insomniac into today's more focused, formal looking, talking, walking & acting non-stop hustler.
Two to three urgent phone calls later confirm final details about the task ahead and add to the obvious "seriousness" of this "job". He has a light "pretend" breakfast as he again notices his state's own Robin Meade is all smiles as she reads global news on CNN Headline News-his favorite morning news station. Two minutes later, he's all ready.
A few quick but sure paces take him to the dimly-lit living room. By the coffee table he picks up the black attaché case containing his very important tools of trade-the tools of trade that he needs to ensure the 'job' gets done right. Tools he values so much fellow wise guys know the Mvita Don would die protecting them. It is common knowledge that such tools help define who he is & both friends & foes know not to mess with him when equipped with this arsenal that can determine the fate of many a man, woman and child.
Don Mvita, as others dare call him (but not to his face),knows he uses the arsenal to do good but you would know better depending on which side of the law or the street you are talking from.
A final walkthrough of his living quarters ensures all lights, doors, windows and appliances are shut & he grabs his keys as he checks the time on his wrist watch-the serious, leather strap kind he spares for such days- and out the door he goes into a world of contracts knowing today's outcome, which may be covered in the media would result in yet another urgent contract to take care of the current one. "What a life...!" he whispers to himself half smiling as he eases into the seat of the beige-gold sedan he owns but wants to give away to some anonymous single mother of 5 struggling with two jobs to put food on the table and clothe her kids. He does have a good side to him, he certainly does but there's work to do today so he remains focused.
Leaning back on the beige seat, he looks ahead as the quiet-engined machine slithers out of the parking lot. At the red light down the street, the car comes to a gentle stop. His eyes veer into the rear-view mirror and he immediately notices the obvious change. "Looking way too serious today" he says with a chuckle as he glances at the white sheet (displayed in pic) showing the increasing number of hits done, is he happy about that..?
The traffic light goes back to green, the sedan eases into the slow morning traffic and off he goes towards the rising sun...
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For now, the Mvita Don will make you an offer you can't refuse. He will grant you any reasonable photo request you make if you figure out:
a) where he is going & why b) what the valuable tools of trade are and c) what the 'hits' are
-To find out more about the Mvita Don, click on the image below.

PS: Replies to recent comments made on previous post coming up later in the day.

Pride and Joy

Recently, I got a terrible verbal whipping from some KB-Dub friends for going AWOL from my blogs & a few daring enough folks like Poi, Nick, Guess, Milo & K.i.d.a.d.a went as far as to suggest I was giving priority to my other online personas, or ripping the neighbour's jeans (not again!?), or that I was still topless in my white briefs like some Calvin Klein underwear model (thought we agreed I'll do that for the"akiey5" brand?), or better still that I've been shopping for a toy bullet proof jacket to face off Milo's toy gun(Rhaahaha!)....the list & jokes were endless but am glad everyone had fun... albeit at my expense:) .
Anyway, I've made my way back to Blogville with caliente (hott) posts coming over there this weekend. For now, as I revel in the surprise gifts from Mshairi (yes, she has a biig, kind heart. Thanks querida!), I shamelessly lay blame on all mentioned here & the folks I lined up in the above photo montage for giving me too much TLC, more than I could ever give my photos,LOL! They ensured I ate good, slept good & in return they engaged in some silly stuff just like we know how to:) Thanks all for being there in person & in spirit. Dada, Jr.Bob, N'dots, Tuma, Omari(RI..P), Zah, Doc you're one of a kind. T-Joy(ful), U are Awesome & thank you for everything, U know I mean it.
With all you fine folks at KBW & these wonderful people that are just a small part of my fam, I share Giacomo Leopardi's words:
"People are ridiculous only when they try or seem to be that which they are not"...I am glad we're all family, now let's keep having that ridiculous fun!!

If Bob Visited

I've spent 20 mins wondering & day dreaming about some "ifs". These are important & semi-important 'ifs' and "what ifs" concerning life, career, some choices I have as well as choices I' d like to have. "Ifs" about where I'd like to travel in the next few months, where I'd like to live starting next spring, 'ifs' about keeping some friends and 'ifs' about completely shutting out some used-to-be-friends.
I've considered 'ifs' about signing new contracts or sending them back unsigned & wondering 'if' I would do the same thing 'if' I was 21 again & doing the same things I love now. 'Ifs' about welcoming some people into my life & 'if' I'd still love them the same way when we get old...'if' I'll get old. There are 'ifs' about spending more time with family & closest friends & 'if' I should let them know that I could surprise them with a knock on that familiar home door. I can't deny some 'ifs' and 'what ifs' to do with finally turning some hobbies into breadearners and 'if' I'd be fully content with the decisions. Also, 'if' she a.k.t.u.a.l.l.y knows me like she said she does?
One biiig 'if' I've enjoyed wondering about is..."What if" I was to swing open the doors to my Gallery today, this week or this month and could invite any one or two persons to officially open it, who would I gladly have come do the honours & why?
'If' I could, I would invite the Honorable Robert Nesta Marley & my kid sis Tuma (love ya babe!). But again, 'what if' they were to choose to stand next to a pic of their choice as they gave a brief speech & they both chose the dual-personality framed pic of my parents' first born kid? "What if"?..and only "if"?
If you could invite any one or two people to do the honours for you, for anything, who would they be...?
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"Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality . Wake Up and Live!" - Bob Marley
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Akiey Con Fuego!

Okay, am back aqui con fuego! (here with fire!...Spanish & pronouced like the title above).Here we go with the answers to the questions you asked. I had to marshall my two personalities to accomplish this gratifying task of looking within to see what lies without. Tried to be honest as possible & held nothing back regardless of how well you may know me or even who else reads this blog. I hope what I reveal about myself gives you better insight into akiey & the real me (wink!) & as always your feedback is greatly appreciated. Lets do this!!
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Mshairi, Got here 1st & took me back in time:
a))) Who is the love of your life? None at the moment. We're still looking for each other & will love her like she deserves to be loved . You know I'll let you know when she finds me.?:)
b))) When did you first fall in love? At 15 yrs old. Same girl in Q3. We were young but could tell it wasn't puppy love. She made the 1st move, brave girl she was.
c))) When was your first kiss? I was 15.5 she was 15. Darn her dad would have banished us or better still "killed us dead", lol!

Freegal inquired:
a))) What was the last item you bought for your house/ apt / flat /room?
House/apartment: living room carpet Bedroom: small dvd player to play Cds on
b))) What is your current bedtime reading?
Wow,insomniacs shouldn't read in bed, wont sleep. Ok, at times XXL (Hey, that's not porn, click the link!!)
c))) Do you believe in life after death?Yes always have courtesy of my upbringing, faith & simple logic but for past 3 years been feeling I don't want to come back in the human form. This trip has been a trip, I would gladly come back as flowing water (a gentle stream, river or the deep blue ocean)

Milo probed:
a))) Remember those fairy-tale 3 wishes, what would be yours? I wish I had Jesus' 2 Powers as well (wish no.1 & 3):
1) Power to Heal, so Africa my baby, here I come!! 2) Be with family & loved ones whenever we need to 3) Ability to walk on water: love water sports but imagine walking across the Likoni ferry channel or Nyali bridge creek, daayyyum!
b))) How would you describe yourself in one word? R.E.L.I.A.B.L.E
Reliable* Encouraging* Loyal(underline that!) * Intelligent(somewhat)* Ambitious* Bold* Loving * Extra-stupido!!
c))) What do you want out of life?
Happiness, Peace of mind, Success equal to efforts, Loving family, 5 good loyal friends

Wangari asked:
a))) What is your greatest pet peeve?
Professional: someone taking my professionalism for granted while it's clear I put in 150 %!
Social: Liars, mean people, sexists, racists, very slow drivers ahead of me (urrrgh!), some cops (shitty pigs!),
b))) What pisses you most about women? General: Very pretty woman with a badd attitude. Particular: When in love & she plays mind games
c))) What gets you most about women? Good Women are God's finest, most-amazing creation. Love their caring, loving nature & how they notice the littlest things about people & things. (I hope I understood the last Q?)

Nick told me to say 'aaah' and examined:
a))) (You know I had to go there) u and irena: let it rip…
U know she said to zip my mouth but have known her for eons, prolly since Moses led the Exodus. Nick, Irena may tell u more in her "whisper song" to you, lol!.
b))) List like 3 of your greatest accomplishments or things ur mighty proud of
Acc: 1-Maintaining near-perfect r/ship with my entire family 2-Good education, while lie, I had endeless fun but also burst my arse in school 3-Being darn good at what I do professionally..hey, ask folks who send me projects:)!
Proud: 1- My self-taught skills eg photography & some languages, 2-Nephews & Niece 3-Regaining my faith every time I lost it. Not so easy but yeah..Takes faith to keep the faith I think?
c))) Greatest failure in life or disappointment?
Failure: Not sure I've failed at anything & no, am not kidding
Disappointment: Not able to physically be there for family at some crucial moments...not my fault though.

Nakeel like the Lil' Sis she is aliuliza hivi...
a))) What was your stupid question you asked the teacher the first day of school?
1st day of undergrad in Univ. "I don't understand, what do you mean like we learned last semester?" Prof: "I know, you're in the wrong class, these are 2nd year students not freshers"
b))) How do you foresee the future on your way?
Very tough Question Lil Sis but...at times very bleak but with God's grace I'll be running the 2 multi-media/language agencies I've been trying to get off the ground for some time.
c))) What was the best dream you ever had and wanted it to happen?
I dreamed of this back when I was 22: Am working from home (what's new about that!?) seated at the desk facing 3 large windows overlooking the Indian Ocean in S.Coast. By 2 big windows stood my teenage daughter & son chatting with their 2 teenage cousins (my nephew & niece) as they looked onto the sea, and seated on my desk peeking over my computer screen is 14 yr old daughter. Their mom's on her way back from work. One of us had to work away from home. I'd like that to happen.

Guess teasingly asked:
a))) I know the cure for insomnia, are you interested? Intererested in the cure or in U Guess? hehe! knowing you...should I be afraid, very afraid or have a silly smile? lol!
b))) When you told me I am special last night, did you mean it, and what did you mean by special ? Of course I did mean it. In all senses of the word. Just let your imagination fly...or better still just make a guess:)! Ok, hint #1: U r way smarter than u allow most folks to imagine
c))) Can I come back and ask more appropriate questions? Yes you can & I answered both appropriate & inappropriate ones somewhere at the bottom: )

Poi really had me thinking deep:
a))) If you were no more today what would your closest friends/family say about you?
Closest Family: "We love him & he loves us more"
Closest Friends: "He had too much energy & a bagful of ideas to fit into one lifetime. He's gone to get more done"
b))) What would you like them to say about you?
Closest Family: "He cares tirelessly" (note the present tense. In the family we use the present for all dear to us)
Closest Friends: "We ain't never had a friend like akiey"
c))) And why would they not say it? As in what I wouldn't want them to say?
-he failed, he gave up, he was afraid, he was too busy, was too far...

K.i.d.a.d.a held nothing back & dared me thus:
a))) What can a lady do to make you go like…uuuuweeeee!!…and not in pain?LOL! (please dissect my Q into 3 parts: Mentally, Physically & Emotionally)
Mentally: A good woman with brains is irresistible. If she can caress me mentally before she reaches out & touches me physically...If she makes love to me mentally, am hooked & all hers physically...hers until she runs out of clever ideas,lol!
Physically: Is comfortable in her own skin knowing that I love her regardless & isn't afraid/ashamed to tell me the 3 little words: "Gimme Some More!"
Emotionally: Connects with me, is loyal, supportive… the type I mentioned chez Guess, combines that with the other 2 points above & yeah...uuuuweeee!!

Irena laughed away & wondered:
a))) Are you ever going to wear locs again? You looked so so hot in them (...?)
I most probably will if I keep working for myself & am successful. Ahem, am flattered but c'mooon! I was just a little younger & looked better then, lol! But my kids will:)
b))) Have you ever forgiven me…?(will have to call me for me to finish that sentence) ha!ha!ha!? Indeed, you're forgiven my dear friend...but lemme grab the phone & find out if there's more to that sentence. Darn suspense is killing me like Nick wanting to know about irena & akiey,lol! Btw, will get you those Josh Groban concert tickets: )
c))) Promise you wont tell Nick anything about me and you? You got my word Irena, as you can see above I referred him back to ya! He has to get you to whisper the answer in his ear,lol!

Caroline said: "thanks for stopping by my blog...pics add an aura to a blog that is most needed …have an idea of the person u are posting to or reading about..."
Caroline since I have no answer to a Q from you, kindly pick any 3 Qs from these wonderful people and include them in an upcoming post? Thanx & c u again soon!

Blue Poet philosophised:
a))) Who do you feel you are?
This Q was so deep I had to sit back & question myself:
1- On a bad & shitty day: That darned fool that forced Egyptians into slavery to build those enormous pyramids & now life is paying me back...seriously!
2- On a very good day: A bagful of ideas walking on 2 legs & about to have a biiig positive impact on this world & knowing the only thing standing in my way is the right opportunity bcoz am ready, I've been ready!
3- Generally: One of God's "Work in Progress" & I hope He'll be content with the final product.
b))) Why do men at the coast turn to look at buibui clad women when all they see is a fleeting glimpse of the eyes? Hehe, Blue, 'the eyes are the windows to the soul'. Coastal men believe you can tell a whole lot about a woman from what is communicated through her eyes.
c))) If you were an alien which country would you make your own?
Africa of the 1500s to scare the hell out of those darned European & Arab slave catchers so they never, ever, laa hasha!, sahau kabisa! Try to take away the sons & daughters of this sacred land.

Guess & Marvin came around asked "appropriate" Qs & also issued a threat,lol!:
a))) I love Blue's Qs-especially no.3- can I come and be your alien nurse. I promised to wipe that gooey green stuff (on your profile pic) with loadsa TLC?
You bet! After all the arse whopping I'll give the slave catchers above I'll need an alien nurse, lol! Wipe the gooey stuff with loadsa..and how do u plan on doing that? Ok, my eyes are shut,hihi!
b))) Animals put us humans to shame. Discuss
-*Rats don't give a human's arse stressing about the future. They just live day by day.
-*No pun intended but during Tsunami, countless animals took to higher ground coz they interpreted nature' warning signs. Us humans have ignored our natural 6th sense & were caught unawares basking in the hot sun. Time we took better care of Mother Nature & listen to what momma (nature) says [Do I get a smiley face & star for this?]

Diane Orville stated hers are "fill in the blanks" thing & warned "dontcha play smart dude, I know you!":
a) Her cute lil black dress lying on the floor (thing) is sexy, my silver-platinum chain on a black T-shirt (thing) is sexier.
Salma Hayek in Frida (person) is sexy, Salma Hayek in real life (person) is sexier.
b) The celebrity that reminds me most of an ex- of mine is Chilli
c) If I could I would marry: Chilli or Tamala Jones (Get me Chilli's ##Diane?)

UARIDI placed an order:
a))) Can I please get the recipe for the fish in coconut ?
Sure Uaridi, check your inbox & bon appetit in advance. I hope your dinner whets their appetite & makes them do this! Lol!

Nick came around & teased:
a))) "When u held me last night and looked deep into my eyes and whispered oh so tenderly that I was special..." my my my Guess is that why we missed the nursing session yesterday.
Nick, hope you remember what she warned you about chez Milo: straight jackets 2 sizes smaller. Usiseme sikukwambia kijana!

Acolyte had me rolling on the floor with: a) If you had 24 hours to live 1) what would you do/ 2) where would you go? 3) Who would you screw?
Do: *Spend time with family & have loads of crazy fun. Kiss my momma & sisters, lil niece & aunt good bye, hug my pops, bro & nephews. *Beach picnic in S.Coast with siblings & closest friends as we dance to "Me Against The World". *Visit Kimberly Jones in the Philadelphia prison she got into this Sept 19th.
*Make a baby or two with the girl I loved last year but couldn't be with. (hope she reads this someday)
Go: *go take a shiit coz am not going to God with feaces in me(hahaha!) . *Jetskiing & scuba diving. *Wear shorts & cycle in the snow. *Climb Eiffel Tower & yell out "Meeeerde!!" in French. *Hang out with Chuck D , Nas, Damian & the other Marley kids, attend Mary J. Blige-Erykah Badu-Jill Scott concert.
Screw: *my g/friend or wifey( if I have one) and when done let her screw the hell out of me, Rhaahahaa!! If no wifey or g/friend will ask the following to give me some sans wasting time: Free (formerly of 106 & Park), or the girl I loved & affectionately called Chenille...
b) What is your most embarrassing moment? Have to think this over. Back 2 U in a day Acolyte.
c) What is your greatest achievement? 1) Knowing my strengths & weaknesses & knowing what to do with them. 2) Some self-taught skills that could generate a billion dollars (given the right opportunity) & change many people's lives for the better.
3) Finishing & finally posting this...phew!
4) Being a fully functioning, functional insomniac.

It Wasn't Me

It’s very encouraging to see that many of you fine people have been opening your ‘e-homes’ to & even visiting this little, bead-eyed kid sporting the long-sleeved white top with the greenish-blue overalls & the unmistakable over-sized Rasta hat:) To anyone observant enough, this here has been the poster child of Maarifa, my English blog. I hope that besides serving as my preferred avatar (Am with U Milo & Guess!) the photo also distinguished:
akiey, the Maarifa English blogger from
akiey5, Tafsiri's, bilingual blogger. If not, then I obviously failed miserably!
Now, to set the record straight for all who’ve kindly asked: how old I was in this pic, whether I was doing the helicopter (yes, Nick, am still LoL!), if I still wear the Rasta hats & whether that’s part of what led me to sport medium sized locs at some point in my life. For those who’ve seen my more recent pics & stated that I haven’t changed much around the…err, eyes & wavy eyebrows especially (?), the love for jeans etc,etc.

The good/bad news is No, It Wasn’t Me. Because I:
-have somewhat beady eyes but less intense than those in the pic
-do love them jeans & have several white shirts & tees
-am crazy about caps, collect them & have owned very many since I was 16 but…
-never owned a Rasta hat & I don’t remember wearing one esp when I had locs
-dance almost every single day even if it’s for 5mins but not sure I’ve done the helicopter
-had very similar physical features to this kid when I was little but I…
-do not have ear piercings & the child has studs in both ears
-did/do not have long hair & the child has shoulder-length braided hair
-had a nick name at this age which was/is akiey- (pronounced ‘akii’)
-do not know the kid’s nickname but I know that:
The kid’s first name has 5 letters & so does mine. The kid’s now 6yrs old & was 3 when pic was taken. We both love dancing, we do look alike, we last talked a week ago. Kid thinks am very rich, I know am not,lol! Kid thinks am very gifted, I know the kid’s one of my gifts. Kid knows about my love for photos but doesn’t know I used the pic as my blog photo…

Now, that I’ve cleared the air about my lovely niece representing me on blog for most of the year, allow me to draw inspiration from MJY’s wonderful Freestyle Friday post (I loved this Kui, great idea) & ask:

What 3 questions d'you have to ask akiey?

Feel free to ask any 3 about anything and I’ll try not to be vague in answering them. Thanks!
Note to self…I am setting myself up for some nasty bashing, hope I don't regret this!

Cut Above The rest

At least twice a month, usually on a Friday, I have friends over for dinner, a movie & whatever else in the name of fun that extends to the wee hours of the morning. With six other friends we got to do just that while on my recent break and the result is this photo ad whose theme I hope would speak for itself:)
It features my good friend & neighbour who I hope doesn’t hate me too much for what became of her pair of nice fitting jeans by the time dinner was over.
Background: She’s always kool, kalm & kollekted no matter what the situation. This is one girl that in mid-summer took off on a 5-day, out of state camping trip in the wilderness all by herself & came back to joyfully tell us how she loved it, quickly felt at ease despite the frightening sounds of the animals in their natural habitat, and how much she’s looking forward to heading back there & would love to take us all along.
One of the friends that didn’t laugh in my face but readily embraced my weird ideas of writing a foreign language script & shooting a 1hr documentary in the most unlikely of places & situations....and agreed to be one of the principle characters in it. Brief, this is that friend you get high with, no! not from weed or any of that trash but from the meeting of the minds. That very daring friend everybody needs.
I must have taken the daring side of hers too far when she nodded as I asked her to pass me the knife lying next to her on the coffee table, just next to that delightfully delicious tiramisu cake. What happened next was a typical case of cause & effect. You judge for yourselves & imagine the outcome of this incident :)!

Taking It Off

It’s time. Time to call off the recess and get back into the building. Time to let nature take its course now that I am done thinking, planning, rethinking and re-planning.
It’s been a thought provoking and enlightening 2-3 week experience that's brought me a fair share of peace of mind now that the clouds have cleared somewhat. I know I gave it my best shot & dealt with the issues the best way I could. I know I may still need to go back to the drawing board but nothing warranting (hopefully) another blog hiatus.
As I breathe easy now I know I shouldn’t overlook those times it felt like walking through life while groping in the dark because braving them make me value the many moments when it feels so good that the here & now needs to be stretched out into the future. So, like many of life’s surprises, this ride has been both amazingly fun & a harrowing pain but… ¿ Así es la Vida, no?, C’est la vie, non?, Ndio maisha, au sio?, lol! Am just glad I took it for what it is & came out with not so many bruises.

So, now it’s official: Am Taking It Off

Am taking off my thinking cap for 2 reasons:
a) To salute all you wonderful KB-Dubs for reaching out to me via comments, emails, phone calls...yes, all you wonderful folks that didn't care whether you were at work, in the metro, was past your bed time or even whether it was inter-state or across continents.

Asante for: the assurance that nothing is ever dull between friends, e-hugs, the rib-splitting jokes, teasing me about my name (grin!), reminding me I can make that trip to the metro-area when am ready, those wonderfully edited photos with the positive thoughts [had your name signed on it:)], wishing me a great day despite your uncertain work & life schedules, making sure I crack a smile despite your laptop crashing when you needed it most, helping me see through the clouds & assuring me mountains can be moved, checking in on me while you got clients saying 'aaaah' , lol!! To each & everybody, blogger, flickrati, fellow insomniacs... Next to my family & closest friends ... Nani kama nyinyi?! .
Many thanks everybody. It means the world to me ... yeah, the real world, not just the blog world:) ! You're proof that behind your mysterious blog names & closely guarded real personas lie very genuine caring souls!
b) To allow (insert my real name if u know it) the thinker to take a break & resume his normal life & bring in akiey the doer to keep on blogging…
**PS: The name is ‘akiey’, pronounced ‘akii’ and written in lower case---"If you don't know, now you know":)

Kudos Wanjiru on coming back home, you know we were all waiting:) Next...Memoire

And...now that am back with the family..."Who the hell took my chair, & where the heck is my favourite black t-shirt!?"

Eyes Wide open

Eyes wide open
But I cannot see
Eyes wide open
But it’s just too cloudy
Eyes wide open
But I still cannot see
What lies around & in front of me?
My eyes wide open yet I cannot see.

-akiey-

I desperately need to take some time off to clear my head. Hopefully, I'll come back better focused & bring joy to my blog family. I love you all & will try not to stay away too long. Until then & until I can see clearly, I have to visualize what I can't see.

-akiey has left the building-

Such A Tease!

Ever had the desire to visit or go to a certain place often because you either love the place, the people, have family living there, or it's home but you live or work far away but the occasional visits aren't good enough? If so, then feel free to join me relocate some cities of choice.
-Thought I'd relocate Nairobi, the capital city at the heart of the country much closer to the coastal city of Lamu by the Indian Ocean. Now Nairobi & Lamu are just some 20 mins away by car from each other!
My other choice cities would be:
Mombasa, Manchester & Toronto so family could all see each other most often.
Paris, Kent(US), DC, London & surroundings so family & friends could hang out more often
Chicago, Mombasa & Watamu so my favorite cities could all be close
DC & Baghdad so the guy who started all this mess could feel the heat & realize the world still thinks his silly, ignorant, arrogant arse is messing the world up!
Move Australia & New Zealand closer to the rest of the world. The 2 places seem so far removed from everywhere!
...and you would relocate which cities & places so that.....?

And, how about getting lots of this white stuff 1st thing tomorrow morning?

Took this lying down at ground-level as a cold reminder of how much snow we get on average in my state. Taken: Jan 1st, 2005 @ 7.15am.

Hey, hey!! go easy on me people, I know I could get blog-slapped, e-kicked in the groin & even sanctioned from blogging & visting other blogs for a while but don't kill the messenger. It's just a reminder of what's around the corner!? (evil laugh here,lol!)
Ok, hope it's consolation to all at home experiencing the cold...it could be worse, so chin up :)
To all living north of the equator, make the most of this summer, enjoy the outdoors, soak in the sun to stock up on vitamin D.

PS: A good friend (ex-blogger) asked me to share this important info with all female blog friends of color: http://www.nappyhair.com/articles/columns/hair_connection_archive.htm

You Are What U Dream

My Dreams, Work and Life are often intertwined & this tends to show in my oftentimes crazy online personality (grin,grin!). The insomniac in me dreams mostly during my waking, walking, working, washing, writing, worrying... moments (read that again, and very fast!!).
I envy Nick who values good sleep & even analyzed his sleep routine with surgical precision (great post man!), and I smiled & teased when Farmgal confessed to her dreaming in HTML (child, you're a generation HTML,lol!)
Well, for many months now my sleep has been a blockbuster experience full of vivid colour & very sharp, high resolution visions in the form of the realest interactive dreams akin to the photos I work on. Take for example the other day when Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington) & his rookie partner Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) walk up to me & we have a slight misunderstanding as to why I had aimed & shot with my digital camera as they dispensed their dose of street justice. I tried to explain that am addicted to anything photography & photoworthy but Alonzo wouldn't hear any of that bullcrap...so true to his nature. I had tampered with his perfect street cleansing work & so he would school the naive & inexperienced Jake in the ways of undercover cop manouvres.
Alonzo pulls out his two huge hecklers [street for guns or gats, biscuits, etc] & I was to be the walking, breathing but soon bleeding teaching aid for this Training Day.
Thinking it's one of the many pranks his senior partner had pulled in the course of the day Jake begins to chuckle but he nearly chocked on his subdued laughter when Alonzo approached the fence separating us & had me talking to him through his nasty, big & ready guns. Jake tried to intervene but he was quickly shut down with one word & that piercing, dark look you all saw in the movie....wait a minute, if you saw it too, why the heck am I on the other side of the trigger!?

Seeing his threats weren't working on this punk, Alonzo persisted & Jake became afraid. What was I to do? I need to see another day to live, work, travel, dance to my fav song, be there for all my loved ones, spoil my niece & nephews, enjoy my insomnia, blog & blog some more, create images & dream some more...so without batting an eye I yelled: "Quit playin' Denzel, Hollywood ain't got nothin' on me! "...then I woke up (phew!) caught my breath & rebooted my computer for this post.

Out of Many Came One

-Plz click on photo for better view-

One of my many guilty pleasures is interacting with total strangers and taking photos of them…often with their approval. Since I also have an insane affinity for t-shirts that have well-designed iconic images on them, my camera recently worked overtime during a late night stroll with friends in town as we went to see a fireworks display.
I came across these kool chaps whose 5 different pics (taken in different parts of town) I put together into one because the Icons on their tees mean a lot to me & also as a reminder of all the crazy fun we had as they willingly agreed to pose for photos.
Left-to-Right, starting in the middle with the boy on the bike..
-This kid must have been 7 or 8yrs old when 2Pac died but he let me know he is one big fan. His tee has a photo of the Icon from the Gridlock'd movie which is one of my favorite screen performances by the late Amaru (T.I.P).
-Although he's not cracking a smile in the pic, this one's another wise-joke cracking youth that I let know I like the two Hip hop icons on his Tee & he quickly told his buddies to clear & make room as I took this must-have photo.
-Another kind youth that gladly let me take a pic of him rocking Ali The Greatest. This was way past midnite and he didn’t mind posing for the camera right in the middle of the thick, late night crowd. He kept telling funny stories as I clicked away:)
-My absolute favorite of all photos I took this night. This guy was the funniest I saw & I just had to let him know I was going to do a double take for the expression he had on his face:))
As Credd, a photo fanatic friend noted, “he's got that 'are you for real? expression going on” , very true since he was a little unsure of how to pose for this stranger asking for a photo-op so he acted funny as his girlfriend and buddies kept mocking him. I absolutely like the very rare kind of Ray Charles Tee he’s sporting. I just couldn’t let slip into the depths of the night crowd. Before I went on looking for more nice tees, I reminded him & the rest that I'll be emailing them this pic & also have it on my blog to which he asked: "Yo! Is it gonna make me famous?" My reply: "I Can Make U Famous!" Well, atleast out of many came one & he stole the limelight,lol!

Not Afraid

This post is inspired by this site's efforts to bring together people from all over the world in a photo sharing experience to stand together with Londoners and the UK as they get on the path to recovery. The many photos already submitted carry the message: We're Not Afraid, which is also aimed at the perpetrators of this senseless violence.
The site is currently reorganizing so they could cater for the over 400 pics in the queue. I'm sure the one I submitted yesterday 5pm is yet to posted so in turn ...
A reminder to all y'all cowards that In these cities, we have no fear & we shall not forget.
We will teach our young & old to stand strong & not live in fear of your plots & actions.

With pride we will spread the message everywhere possible. We'll walk, eat, drink, sleep & even dress to this principle:)

Your inhuman actions only serve to strengthen & bring us together right here, up there, yes..here & there, over here, in here & there, again here. Stay with me now, the list is longer than your evil grudges so go see hers, his, yep...hers, his & hers, and again his. Best believe if I left anyone out their's will be here faster than you can say damn!
--------
-A couple of close friends asked me to TLC their pics for the site and 2 agreed that I post their's on this blog (one coming up) & I just may make room for some more. Please let me know if you'd like to have a pic of your choice TLC'd to reflect the message for personal use or to post to that site :))

Photo used with permission from a long-lost blog friend. Words, captions & extras by the blogger.

Stand Strong

Life is not meant to be easy my child; but take courage: it can be delightful. -George Bernard Shaw
At least every 2 days I come across a photo or artwork whose appeal I find virtually impossible to resist. The original, unaltered pics from which I made this montage were no exception and I am very grateful to Mer i969, a fellow photo aficionado for allowing me to give these pics, which he called The Splash, that little extra TLC. Am also glad for his written consent to freely apply my interpretation of the two pics in the form of a sequential filmstrip, the accompanying words I keyed on the montage among other things & to share it with friends & family.
Something stuck in my mind on seeing the pics and especially lil’ gal’s reaction: Courage. The girl’s unfaltering courage is the perfect reminder that:
-“Courage is the most important of all virtues, because without it we can’t practice any other virtue with consistency”- Maya Angelou
- “Audacity augments courage; hesitation, fear ” – Publius Syrus
- “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear- not absence of fear” –Mark Twain
And to the little boy in red I would teasingly say:
- “Courage is the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought not be feared” – David Ben Guiron
- “A Coward dies a thousand deaths, a soldier dies but once” 2Pac
- “Whatever you are trying to avoid won’t go away until you confront it” –Anon
To everyone else: Stand Strong because:F.E.A.R = False Evidence Appearing Real, and...
Original pic: here

Birthday Tribute

On this day, June 16, 1971, a little baby boy was born to a Panther activist young girl named Afeni Shakur.
19 years later, the little boy, who growing up was close friends and school mates with the likes of Jada Pinkett-Smith, laid the foundation that cemented his iconic status as a thought-provoking multi-talented poet, lyricist, actor, activist, screenwriter, rapper, entertainer, revolutionary and an Oscar-nominated autobiographer.
From coast-to-coast, across all nations and transcending cultures, his image, message and voice is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable in the world. No other rapper dead or alive has received as much coverage and been studied at more universities. Few musicians dead or alive have been sampled as often or positively influenced so many budding and established musicians.
His fans span highly diverse socio-political, racial and economic strata and it should come as no surprise that the likes of the great Nikki Giovanni-the poet & activist, and Naughty By Nature’s Treach have tattoos honoring him, highly reputed professors like Michael Eric Dyson keep writing books and teaching about him, highly regarded and inspiring musical legends like Quincy Jones publish books & magazines about him, as well as these two long-time fans, carry on his legacy:


Today, as we light candles and ‘Pour Out a Little Liquor’ in observance of your day, I’m sure your wide & diverse circle of friends ranging from the UK’s Tim Roth & Thandie Newton, to your roaddogs Snoop Dogg & Dr.Dre, Jada Pinkett, Suge Knight, Treach, Scarface, The Immortal Outlawz, Method Man & Redman,Madonna, Mickey Rourke, Tony Danza, Jasmine Guy, to…the list is infinite…we say:
Thanks Tupac Amaru Shakur for touching our hearts, urging us to look within ourselves and our societies to make a change. As we do that we heed your words:
"Just think of all the people that you knew in the past
that passed on, they in heaven, found peace at last
Picture a place that they exist, together
There has to be a place better than this, in heaven
So right before I sleep, dear God, what I'm askin
Remember this face, save me a place, in thug's mansion "
**Your true fans don't say R.I.P, we say: T.I.P 2Pac**

The Joginder Connection

Thanks to encouragement from a blogger friend, I got the guts to post this fanatical tale.
As a little pre-nursery school kid, I was so much into the Safari Rally craze that I would sit for hours by the radio or in front of the Tv and attentively follow the rally updates. This was mostly around the time Joginder Singh was winning the annual rally like it was his homemade game or something. I don't know who, or what influenced me to get into this whole rally fanaticism but little as I was, I liked Joginder so much that every time he won, I would be happy for days on end. I bet anyone would be forgiven to think the rally legend was splitting his winnings with the silly boy that I was, lol!
Anyway, as I think back, the Kericho born “Flying Sikh” must have been a superhero of sorts to me (the way Amerikans have Superman, Batman, The Hulk, et al)& there was no way in my mind that Joginder could possibly lose. After all, he always came out the winner, so, he was the rally & the rally was him riiiight? Well, I learnt the truth the hard way.
Much later when I was a little grown, my parents told me that when Joginder finally lost (to Shekhar Mehta I think, don't remember too well when this was), I was in front of the Tv as usual and as soon as they broke the news that my hero had lost I wailed sooo hard, sooo long & sooo much you'd have thought I was bereaved! I was literally depressed for days! (no jokes!)& wouldn't want to go out & play, I refused to eat & worst of all I hated watching Tv for weeks on end. My dear parents weren't much help either, coz they had a ball as they teased me about it for weeks AND years.
I was barely out of nursery school when this happened but every time family or relatives mentioned ‘Joginder’ I thought they were out to tease me. It was both hard & silly but you know I never heard the last of it since the rally happened each year. I just couldn’t avoid being ridiculed. Up to the time I went to college, my mom (I love her to bits) would try & sneak in a Joginder joke that had everybody bursting with laughter, only this time I too found it very funny. Donnoh if that taught me to deal with losses or not but it sure left a mark on my childhood & gave me a reason to laugh at myself years later:)

A Peddlers' Paradise

Back in Form Two (9th/10th grade), a teacher we thought wasn't coming in for the mid-morning double lesson caught me and two other classmates scribbling & drawing some bizarre stuff on the class board while the rest of the class acted as harsh critiques. We were all good students but often fooled around in class & got away with all sorts of crazy things so long as it wasn’t too noisy to get the monitor in hot water.
Now, nothing wrong with the occasional "playing Mr or Miss X" and imitating the way they talked, after all, most teachers are often aware of this...they did it too back in the day when they were little, right?
This day was a little different in that Waleed, my homie on my right & Ibtisam ('sam), the honie on the left and I got too excited, lost our heads in the fun & we soon had lots of different colored chalk plastered all over us. We went nuts messing up the way our literature teacher talked…the different voices she used for the characters in the novels, her tone, pauses, the many rhetoric questions, how she praised & even chastised the class. The class lost their minds as everyone literally rolled on the floor laughing their arses off (rofltao!).
The 3 Musketeers that we were relished the moment so much we wanted it to last forever, but nope... in an instant we noticed all our drawing & monkey business wasn’t getting the same reaction as before. Turning to check on our audience, we realized that the lit teacher, monitor & the senior teacher were taking in all the madness while seated in our seats, ouch!!! All hell was surely about to break lose! Don't want parents coming to see the head only to get more madd at us!!
Fast >>>Forward:
The outcome wasn't as bad as we thought, no parents called (phew!) but we each had to buy a box of chalk and became the laughing stock of the class as we were denied any chance to go clean up all the chalk dust which made us look like clown-faced fools trying to pass for miners in S.Africa or the Ukraine,lol! I was humming Bob Marley's 'Pimper's Paradise' when we got caught. Our classmates turned that into "Peddler's Paradise" for the way we looked like some powder peddlers caught in the act:).
Now that I think about it, I was busy drafting logos & signing my nick name which later became my logo/brand name (wink!), Waleed, the artist was drawing an oil tanker in the high seas...now he's working for an oil company in the Qatari desert. Ibtisam was sketching scenes reminiscent of what we read in the school books...haven't made contact with her but I hope 'Sam is also putting her Peddlers' Paradise skills to good use:))

The Touch

Touch somebody, mhm,mhm, not so playfully...
but for all those times U needed them to steady up your courage,
and for all those moments that life's a challenge
that shook up their faith & confidence
and they came running to you for solace.
-akiey-

"Nishike, Tushikamane" -Swahili Saying
"All that you Touch, you Change. All that you Change, Changes You" -Octavia E. Butler

Turn It Into a Happy Home

"Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been taking any longer" --The Lion

After all is said and done, I feel like I need me some vacation. Six long months will do ... just so I can visit Mombasa's North & South Coasts for 5 months & then spend a month in either Bahia or at one of my dream places in Cuba. Wanna come along? Suggest a destination then pack a few Tshirts, 3 pairs of jeans, sun hat, swim suit/trunks, sandals, iPod (beg, borrow, steal but get one) & camera. Until then,....gotta turn this into a Happy Home>>>
PS: Just read this wonderful poem by Mshairi & realized that a trip to the Geerewol ceremony among the Woodabe in W. Africa won't be a bad idea either:) (updated May 25th,05)

NB: Tafsiri is now a bilingual blog thanks to all the love shown by fellow members of KBW. I appreciate u all. Ur welcome there as well. -akiey-

When U Blog with The Pope

Fellow bloggers and I have had several uplifting blog conversations with Pope Benedict XVI & I must say he's one avid blogger with a down-to-earth personality. He has an amazing sense of humor and the wit of the guy next door. He gives and takes advice and can even take up any challenge. A blogger friend & I discussed this & we both agreed that so long as this Pope doesn't forget & overstep the boundaries, he'll do fine online & not offend anyone:) For instance:
The Pope needed ideas on his new ride. I suggested an Escalade & to do smth Will Smith said, then I asked: "Would it offend you to call you Ben? Or you don't do the 1st name thing?" and his reply was: "I like the way you think. I need to check out Will Smith's video. Call me Joe." so, to me he's Pope Joe.
Be good & he comes around & blesses your blog with a comment or two. He even suggested on one of my posts that he could take on both fmr Pres. Moi & Garang in a wrestling match. Quite a strong, active Pope this Benedict, sorry, Joe is ! Some people ask him for money, others ask for blessings, you know the everyday stuff that a regular Pope does for regular people. This regular Pope also discusses regular stuff like which unique ringtone to get for his mobile, dealing with Mo' money problems etc.
So, The Vatican too far for you? International calls too expensive? Hey, Blog with the Pope at:
http://askthepope.blogspot.com/ and have fun!!

Steve Stoute's 10 SECRETS of SUCCESS

-Please click on image for better view of printed words-
Two weeks ago while doing my usual fun stuff: devouring a magazine cover-to-cover to catch up on music news, I came across a remarkable interview in the Vibe May 2005 edition (yes, the one with that controversial cover that I find quiet ok!). It featured the incredible Steve Stoute, whose 10 Secrets of Success mirror mine so much I share them with you in the above montage that I just finished designing.
I’ve known about Stoute, this ambitious, hardworking young guy for over 12 years and seen his career rise, fall, rise, fall again & now steady on as it keeps soaring beyond everyone’s expectations-something to which I can relate fully. I admire his courage & determination to keep going despite the odds; which I at times find myself doing-- helps me better understand the source of my personal mantra of “it’s not impossible if I haven’t tried it yet.”
-Here’s the complete interview as it appeared in Vibe. Many may remember him by the extensive work he's done succesfully managing the careers of Nas, Mary J. Blige, and Eve, guiding those of Enrique Iglesias, Dr. Dre, Mya & Eminem, working as a top record exec with several major labels, to his 1999 partnership with Peter Arnell to form PASS, the "Manhattan-based marketing and advertising firm that helped launch the insanely successful S. Carter Collection with Reebok," to his running Translation Consultation & Brand Imaging *, an ad agency that has a partnership with Universal Music.
To top it up, Stoute won the Power Broker of the Year honors at last year's annual VIBE Awards.
*That company name? what a coincidence!? Those who know me know what am getting at.

Worth a 1000 interpretations...?

Edit: RIP John Garang (Aug 1st '05), we're all very sad that you didn't live to see the fruits of your life-long, brave struggle to fight for the rights, freedom & dignity of Southern Sudan.
----------
A picture is worth a thousand words, and in some cases I think it's worth a gazillion interpretations. This is from tomorrow's (April 22, 2005) edition of The Standard newspaper.
-This got me thinking with my silly hat on...were they joking, trying a new club jig or about to arm wrestle, or ...they've both been hitting the gym & The G is testing out the flexed arm muscles of the M-O-to-tha-Izzle?? hmmmmm...somebody help me out?

**Click on image incase the print on the photo isn't too clear**

Definition of Friend(s)...what's your's??

Update: Due to the growing interest in this post both here and on email, I thought I would rework the title of this entry to allow room for all interested to feel free to contribute their definition(s) of what they consider friend(s). Many thanks in advance for the interest :)

I stumbled upon this guy's very interesting blog while searching for some unique writing online. I like the way he defines a friend & how he rightfully refers to those mofos that consider themselves his buddies. Check the very bottom part of his entry: http://nappydiatribe.blogspot.com/2005/03/like-father-like-son.html

When Ur crush rocks "ur stuff "

Original unaltered photo: www.udkow.com
You know you got it going on when you've got the one person you have a crazy crush on rocking a trucker hat with your name on it ,huh? Yep, Tweet, your "It's Me Again" is very soothing & headed to be a classic.
Well, guess I just let the cat out of the bag..., 3 yrs years of a never explained crush that only seems to get better with time...must be all that chocolate on her,lol! Much Love Tweet!

NB: Hit me up for details on the photo-op & of course Tis Von Dutch for the discerning fashionista:)

Intro Page: KenyaUnlimited site

Something amazing is in the offing starting today. The tireless efforts of Mentalacrobatics & his devoted team comprising Mama Junkyard, Maitha & Mshairi are bearing fruit with today's launch of KenyaUnlimited, an "online community aimed at and maintained by Kenyans and friends of Kenya."
Created behind closed doors in March 2005, this fresh-faced, multi-functional website is the new host for Kenyan blogs and is also a virtual meeting place for Kenyans and friends of Kenya back home & in the Diaspora. I look forward to meeting many of you over here.
Mentalacrobatics, that's a great layout & design you created. Maitha, I guess you also worked on the wonderful Swahili translation, I say "pongezi" (kudos) for a job well done-authentic & reads wonderfully.
For the teams' selfless efforts, I dedicate this blog entry to say "Hongera" (congrats) for a job well-done. Pamoja:)!

Intro 2 Gallery: Tribute 2 Afeni's Son

Finally completed Phase 2 & 3 of the gallery which now houses about 175 images in different themes & categories. Feels like it's been in the works too long but this sincere tribute is one of the most recent that I put in the collection. Created this in the home-studio with the larger-than-life 'Pac pic I developed off an image I had on a T-shirt.
Just a few final touch ups in & around the e-gallery before doors swing open in mid spring.
**better resolution on clicking image**

My nite ender & day starter on 107.9

What better way to end an insomniac 'all niter' than with the very funny, informative & entertaining Russ Parr Morning Show? :)

Ofcourse Mr.Russ is the engine behind the show & having done it for so many years (remember back when he hosted it with Olivia as the Russ Parr & Olivia Foxx Show?) he's really at home with all the issues ranging from current affairs, improvs, call ins, artiste interviews, etc, etc. He can be rib-splitting funny, yet outrightly serious depending on the issues-great flexibilty I believe. As for his doing 'The Chuck D', I think it's damn funny & amazing, don't quit it Russ!

The whole crew is the real deal & with the entry of the ever-funny Alfredas, who started off interning on the show back in the day, the show's gotten new life. I love the gal's sense of humor & slight accent esp when she reads the horoscopes with the "..and now Ar-iiiiies..", lol!
Super Kin with his up-to-date ' straight from the street report', Shaqwana with her 'word of the day' & her alter-ego Mei Lin's Chinese hair stylist stunts & of course Dj 6th Sense who has spices up the morning with a superb selection of upbeat music.
I particularly love "Hook 'em Up Wednesdays", Thursday's "Song Improv", and Friday's "The Wrong Song". We catch it on 107.9FM Mon-Sat, 6am-10am. Russ & Alfredas can also be viewed weeknites on TV1's "Get The Hook Up"

Learned Parisian Slang from him...

Put together this photo canvass comprising a couple album covers & photo ops as a ...
...Tribute to MC SOLAAR, the artiste from whom I learned Parisian slang (l'argot) some 15 yrs ago. I've been a die-hard fan of his very unique, rhythmic 'mega-flow' French rap & I've been taken in by his immensly diverse lyrical content, poetic prowess & word-play since he came onto the scene in 1990 with his banging single 'Bouge de là'. And more so when his début album 'Qui sème le vent, récolte le tempo' dropped in 1991 & woke everybody up to the rise, and rise of the Maestro of French-language/European rap.
With six (6) solid multi-platinum albums to his credit & a new one in the works Solaar has without a doubt, single-handedly been the most influential rapper-artiste not only in France but in the whole of Europe. One cannot talk about the origins, evolution & increasing impact of rap & conscious music for that matter in the European continent without giving proper credit to MC Solaar. [...more in the comments section]

Jill makes me Chill:)

New York City
Originally uploaded by Barrybar.

Aaah, I just had to blog this from the flikcr.com album of my highly gifted photo-enthousiast friend Patrick in NYC.

Anyone close to me knows I would stop at nothing to catch a Jill Scott show. Like my gal Mary J. Blige, her gift of music gives greater meaning to life.
Psst...my ex-g/friend still teases me about me getting those "Mary moments" nearly 12 years after Mary came onto the scene.,lol! Jill Scott is pure magic & she just knows how to make me chill out & 'see clearly':)

Street's Disciple:an online review

I satisfy my humongous appetite for books & music via amazon.com & I just remembered that I recently wrote an online review for Nas' most recent release on the amazon online store. Thought I'd repost it here for my own records.
The Great are haunted by their greatness, and if greatness were a demon then with this double disc "Street's Disciple", Nas has lyrically tamed, excorcized and artistically put under control the greatness that would otherwise have haunted his increasing legendary status as the 2nd Greatest ever MC (after Tupac Amaru Shakur.)
It's been 2 yrs since "God's Son", the awe-inspiring street chronicle that left many a fan gasping for more. True to his form, Olu Dara's son does not short change his fans and anyone with a keen ear and a reflecting conscience to absorb the many `kilo-jewels' of knowledge that Nasir drops in this double CD. [my review continues in the comment section:)]

My every day read.

Not yet a NY Times bestseller but it's always tops on my list,...lmao!
Anyway, this is a must read for me every day & the author/executive editor keeps updating this series with some pretty amazing (unpredictable) entries. I just wish I knew in advance what the next plot will be but guess that takes all the fun & suspense out of what should otherwise be a good read, huh?

Bent out of Shape!

"Bent out of Shape" is what I thought when I saw this messed up bike in the street. It's been laying here for I would say... the past 2 years & nobody seems to ever notice it. Actually, I doubt anybody stops to detect that the front tyre (tire) is so messed up it's 'tired' & very out of shape! I pass here a couple of times a week & it's only today that I took notice of the bike's state, lol!

Guess the moral of the story is...that's exactly what succumbing to life's stress can make of us as well, mhmm?

Winter Sunset...a real tease:)

The 'warmish' winter sun, peeking & teasing as it sets by the park along Kent's Route 59. You can imagine the place looks totally different in the spring & summer.
Guess I should come by here in a couple of months & take another sunset shot with all the trees heavily laden with leaves & all the grass swaying in the pleasant, gentle, evening breeze.

Is it Fo' Realz or Trickz?

What'z really going on here? ... Somebody looking through a glazz window ?... photoz gone crazy, or... just my eyez playin' trickz on me?! * Click image to find out :))!*

Summer time: streets, clubs & trains in Chicago.

We had spent close to an hour and a half looking for a parking spot for the two cars...the Chicago Bears were having a home game & that's a big thing in the city of Chicago. There was just so much going on in town with people all over and lots of cars everywhere. Honestly, you would be forgiven to think that everybody and their momma were in town for the game or for a hang out that day; so it was near impossible to find an empty spot to fit a car anywhere!

Together with 9 other friends we had driven a fast-paced four hours from Ypsilanti, MI in the two cars to the Windy City for a hang out and loads of fun but little did we know that we would also be taking an unwarranted night tour of the city after having partied the night away at a concert at The Wildhare, popularly referred to as...[story continues when you click the comment section. I did this to shorten it on this front page]...

"Dinner Rush" a French language review

This "Dinner Rush" movie poster courtesy of http://www.moviegoods.com/

Okay, please bear with me incase you don’t speak French but I just had to get this review for a movie I watched on Sunday done. It's a great English language movie & I encourage everyone to make time to watch it. I will rewrite this in English soon.
Felt I should do this review also as a tribute to this beautiful language that has opened so many doors for me; and to think that I have been speaking it for over 18 years... how fast time flies,lol!?
Anyway, Some things just sound much, much better when expressed in some tongues:) Here we go…
...

Dimanche dernier j’ai vu un très bon filme sur IFC (Independent Film Channel, 550 sur Direct Tv). “Dinner Rush”, le filme du cinéaste Bob Giraldi avec Danny Aiello, Edoardo Ballerini, Kirk Acevedo, Mike McGlone ,Vivian Wu (liste complète des personnages) est sans doute…chouette et un must!
Il s’agit de Louis (Danny Aiello), un propriétaire d’un bistrot élégant et classieux dans le quartier New Yorkais de TriBeCa, qui se fait taquiner par deux gangstars nommés Black et Blue. Ces deux derniers avaient fusillé son partenaire de business et ils ont maintenant comme but de lui arracher son business à cause des dettes issuant de leurs rapports financiers avec l’incontrolable fils Duncan, ici incarné par Kirk Acevedo...[clicquez "comments" pour en savoir davantage. Je fais cela pour ne pas remplir la page, merci!:)]

Native-American Pow-Wow

I met this very enthousiastic Native-American gentleman during the last Pow-Wow in Kent and we got to learn a lot from each other.
I edited this photo at around 11am today. The original photo I took was all clear, sharp & with a similar color spectrum but today I decided to play around with it & add a few touches here & there to create the impression of looking at him through a 'mirage' or a very powerful lens.
Click the photo for greater details.

Panoramic in Charlotte: "comic book" effect

Here is a photo I just finished working on to give it that feel of a comic book image.
This particular photo I took while visting Charlotte, N. Carolina with friends from Maryland (what's up A+ & Cl!?). At this moment I was inside the car at the intersection of 3rd Street and South Poplar Street. I've loved using and working with panoramic images long before my photography went digital. I should be working on a couple more shortly & I will have them up here very soon.
If you click on the photo you will get a bigger, better image on which you can view the 'comic book effect' I applied to give it that little extra touch. More to come shortly.

Free your mind:)!

Here is another photo I worked on to bring out the impression of it being a painting of sorts.
This I took by the lake located some five mins drive from home. I like coming here with friends in the summer. The place has a certain unique freshness to it all year round. I should be posting a winter photo with all the snow frozen on the lake.

dec 27th 3/3

I loved this photo so much I had to add it to my favorites section. Am glad the

owner got back to me with info on how she put this image together (from 3 photos!). N

o doubt P

hotoshop rocks. Me thinks I'll invest in it:)

Plz click on image for a better view...

dec 27th 3/3
Originally uploaded by sita puddin pie.

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Thailand: New Year's 2yrs ago

Thailand: New Year's 2yrs ago
Originally uploaded by akiey.

Wonderful photo I received from a good friend that lived & worked in Thailand for a couple of years...now based in Johannesburg, S.Africa.

Merci infiniment Isabelle, et passe mes souhaits à ta belle famille!
-akiey-

Time format..figured out?

It's 7.30 pm, Sunday Jan 9/'05:
I most probably figured out the problem I had with the posting time. I republished this blog after fixing the regional time zone settings to -5EST. For some silly reason it was stuck on -8hrs California/Vancouver time which I found to be a very big inconvenience since many posts would appear to be hours old when the're probably hotter than breaking news. Ok, now that tha's done (I better test it again b4 I get all excited), am about ready to send out an invite to all y'all to come blog with me. Laterz!

Trying to correct posting time

I have been trying out the different settings to see how this new blog tool works and all has been fine except for this time setting tool.
It seems to be one hour behind and that really pisses me off (urrgh!). I don't want you guys to have problems while posting so I will work on it for another 20mins. If it fails I'll just roll into bed.
Ok, here we go again!

First Post

Hi all,
This is the first trial post for this new blog I have just set up at blogspot.com. I hope we'll all get to meet here to share ideas, exchange views & experiences, photos, and...just to let loose and have lots of fun:)
Take care and hope to see you here often.
-akiey-