Monday, January 09, 2006

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':

21 Comments:

Blogger Spidey/Tato said...

DAMN its with great pleasure that am the first one to wish you a happy BLOGVERSARY...am sure you realise what a milestone it is. Keep it up!

HA i knew mshairi had a gap in her teeth...heh heh heh

keep us entertained for pleanty more years

1/09/2006 9:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congratulations, akiey, querido, azizi:) Well done and looking forward to reading more from you in the years to come!

You mean I have won? Seriously, wow!Let me think a little on the photo and then get back to you, sawa?

Wewe Nick - wacha uchokozi. Mimi sii Blue: hahahha

1/09/2006 9:47 AM  
Blogger Msanii_XL said...

My man...Happy BLOGIVERSARY

1/09/2006 9:58 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yipee! Happy Blog Akieyversary photoman!!!!

It just seems like yesterday when you started the whoe blog thing and introduced some of us to this madness LOL!!

Have a fab day and take photos while you are it. Enjoyed reading evey post and loved every photo Akiey!!

1/09/2006 11:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Haaaaapppy Maarifasary (shamelessly taking D Orville's lead) bro/sweet/blogger/dude. I is gladeth to knoweth ur blog and your asseth.
(Yes, I is back.. tihihi .. and I visited your Donhood and ate your Donfood (glad it isnt a G (pun intended) instead of an N, eh?)

And I won (insert appropriate kadhalikas here);)

Thanks man, I will be hitting you with requests - and I have loadsa pics for ya.. (walking away dancing at her first day back present..)

1/09/2006 2:11 PM  
Blogger Farmgal said...

when you started blogging did you think you'd be blogging a year down the line?
Did you know that you would make friends with such beautifulpeople?
Happy one year!

1/09/2006 3:26 PM  
Blogger Prousette said...

Happy blogversary and many happy returns!!

1/10/2006 2:23 AM  
Blogger akiey said...

Nick, Yep, you got here 1st & thanks bro #3 for the wishes. I am aware of the kind of milestone it is, esp after running 2 parallel blogs for a year, it's a feat in itself:)
Looking forward to more blog years.
-Ok, you've got started on mshairi now await her wrath, we just may see you running faster than Moses Tanui,lol!

mshairi, It's great to have you back on blog:)! Shukran for the wishes aziza, my longevity (can I call it that already?LOL!) is in great part been because of super-kool people like you.

Yes, you're a definite winner tena bila kupingwa querida,lol! so do get back to me with the photo request when you're ready.
-Am so LOL! @ 'Wewe Nick - wacha uchokozi....hahahha' seems your nephew is asking for a blog curfew now,hihi!

Msanii_XL, Mob thanks musicman extraordinaire! Will come pack at your site to spin some good hits to party the week away.

Cali Mami Poi, Thank you lots and will make sure I keep spreading the joys:)

Diane "D.Dot" Orville, I bow down in thanks my friend & looking forward to your upcoming orviversary, mediagal,lol!
Yeah, time's gone by very fast & am glad you've enjoyed the experience too (now get your new site working,plz!). New photos coming up soonest. Check your comment box.

She won, Guess won yeaay! Glad to see you back & thanks for the Maarifasary wishes,LOL! You and "D.Dot" need your brains checked or to be thrown in the looney bin....don't we all belong there? Looking forward to your Guessaversary coming up soon too.
I see you enjoyed trip to the Donhood, munching on the Donfood (hihi, no G but N there, Wouf!Wouf!!LOL!) & talking to DonDada:))!
Do a winner's jiggy dance & think up a photo request you winning blogher. Thanks in advance for the pics, you'll be making my day. I better start making room for them.

FarmGal, Thanks the wishes my good friend. Will be entirely honest with you:
When I started, I never for a minute took blogging lightly (despite my endless funny/silly comments all over the blogsphere). I sensed a bigger purpose in this & I knew/thought I'd be blogging for another 5 years & more. However, if I ever, for any reason stop blogging today I hope you & everybody else enjoyed my being around here as much as I did:)

I least expected to bond so well with such an amazing crowd. You've become my 2nd family & for that I love you all. Everybody's been great to interact with & the good souls in them keep showing with every click of the mouse:)
The following I say with conviction bcoz I've seen & dealt with many of you
-Beautiful people? Ofcourse, beautiful both in & out(character, looks, intelligence, caring, etc) and not be shallow but describing a Kenyan chick as beautiful is a misnomer since you're all fine little cuties. The guys as you can tell are all gentlemen in their own right so Beauty & the Gents all around:)) Thanks for asking FarmG, now check your inbox msichana, got a little something for you:)

Prousette, Merci beaucoup mon amie. I appreciate your stopping by. Looking forward to more interesting posts from you too:)

1/10/2006 5:24 AM  
Blogger k.i.d.a.d.a said...

Happy New Year!!

Happy Anniversary A.k.i.e.y...oh boy...been a year already??

Well, becoming a winner at the start of the year sure is mucho great!!! What else will unfold as the year progresses huh?? :)

Alright, back to business Akiey, shall we proceed now?? Ehemm....that magic has to go down pretty soon! Watch out now and this space too!!!

1/10/2006 8:34 AM  
Blogger walk said...

happy 1st

1/10/2006 1:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bravo! Et de milles de félicitations mec. C'est toi le gérant!
On attend te lire dans les prochaines années ne cesse pas à nous égayer, hein!? Merci pour ton aide en tout qu’a faire avec le Web.
Congratulations!

1/10/2006 4:20 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

AQ!

Thanks for supporting NYD with your content!

Happy big year ONE!

1/10/2006 5:22 PM  
Blogger Girl in the Meadow said...

Finally one year old. Looking forward.So all KBW won..Yippie

1/11/2006 1:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy one year blog b-day!We are now waiting for year two!Keep the sporadic posts coming!

1/11/2006 1:06 PM  
Blogger irena said...

Happy blogversary and many many more!!!

1/12/2006 2:32 PM  
Blogger Nakeel said...

Belated Blogversary #1 and Happy New Year..

1/13/2006 5:41 AM  
Blogger Shaggy said...

Also belated congratualtions are in order to you Sir and may your next year be all the more gratifying.

It's been a Blogadelic experience thus far. Thanks to folks like you and the rest of the crew.

1/13/2006 1:54 PM  
Blogger Stunuh Jay said...

Hiyah!
Happy Weblogversary!

1/14/2006 6:01 PM  
Blogger Whispering Inn said...

Sorry I am late, traffic was terrible, aaah my dog died, aaah I got lost on the way here.....at least I made it! Now Congratulations and many more happy returns!
Now where's the booze?!

1/15/2006 1:41 PM  
Blogger akiey said...

K.i.d.a.d.a, Happy New Year to you too & I hope it's brought you lots of good your way since you're one of 3 winners:) Yes, it's been a year & plus of this blogging experience. Thanks for joining in on the e-party, now if you could give us the sequel to your story at the Jazz Club....?

JoE, Thanks for the wishes & for stopping by!

Mitouffee, Comme d'habutude, je te remercie toi aussi pour tout ceci et cela chère copine. Ouh, c'est toujours moi le gérant? et toi on t'appelle comment là ?lol!? Je ne cesse plus, c'est à jamais cette fois-ci:)

Deno @V.I, Asante for the wishes & many thanks to you too for providing such a great updated service at NYD. You know something is good when people shout it out all the time, right?

Shiroh, Yes, a year old & growing both in & out and hoping for better things ahead. Yep, winners all over KBW:)

Acolyte, I welcome the 1st year wishes & you bet I'll try my best to stick around...despite my sporadic posts, can't help it sometimes. You know how it is ukiwa na shughuli kibao!

Irena, Thanks my dear friend. I look forward to the coming weeks & months:)

Lil Sis Nakeel, Nice to have you back from vacation. Hope all's fine on your side.Many thanks for the wishes, time sure does fly...now tell mom I'll be a little late for dinner:)

Brother Jero, I appreciate the wishes & the kudos BJ, don't forget good folks like you add life to the KBW experience as well. Looking forward to your 1st anniv as well.

Mtutumia, Feel no shame & you know showing up is the most important thing...and why would I mind if you come dressed in that 70s look our parents...Afro, sleek leather jackets, platties & a pick in the hair,lol!
Am glad you enjoy the photos I get to share. Karibu sana.
Now you know with friends like you the Mvita Don can't disappoint.

Stunuh Jay, Weblogversary came so fast I could hardly believe it myself..and ofcourse Tafsiri's just around the corner too. Thank you for the wishes.

Whispering Inn, LOL! Ok, ok, blog newbie, apology & lame excusese accepted. Now dry your tears, find a seat near any two KBWs you're kool with & make conversation as we cut the cake.
Hey, no booze here, there's kids in the house tonite & who knows what the likes of KBW bloggers might do when drunk? lol!!

1/19/2006 1:55 AM  
Blogger Adrian said...

a belated happy blogversary from me too!!

liking the maasai pics (though i may be biased...)

2/08/2006 7:37 PM  

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