We have gotten ourselves out the rut and gotten things rolling. Life is moving forward. In this busy world we live in we need to come up with easier ways on how to deal with monotony… how do you prevent yourself from getting back to another routine?
We’re going to share with you what I believe has worked for me this far.
+1 Be extremely ambitious
Very obvious it seems but not really. We need to find something that challenges us. Something that requires you to set goals. “Unrealistic goals” they call them.
I need to be able to read ‘A Feast for Crows‘ by the end of the week. As an example.
Why? How can you came up with innovative ideas if your goals remain constant?
+2 Make a list of interesting things you can do
There is a lot happening. Your boss, friend and family want a slice of your 24 hours. Remember those are your 24 hours. So make a funny list of what you would want to accomplish for yourself. Not necessarily changing your life; but putting a smile on your face…
So many people are so sensitive about their weight. Gaining weight is probably one of the scariest things for most people, including me. That fear makes people go to extreme lengths to cut weight or regularly work out to lose whatever weight they gain. Not all people will manage to reach their target when they begin their weight loss journey.
Although we all want to have the perfect body shape, which most ladies feel is the model figure, we can’t all achieve that. Most people are plus size and proud about it. It is true that most if not all people, consciously or unconsciously criticize plus size people. It is mean to say negative things about people’s body size, mock them or even go to the extent of publicly humiliating them.
Recently the big story on social media was about this guy named Sean who was publicly humiliated by an unknown person who took a photo of him dancing at a party and tweeted: “Spotted this specimen trying to dance the other week. He stopped when he saw us laughing”
That was definitely so mean. What makes me happy is that so many people including celebrities stood up for him, rebuking the man who posted the picture of Sean and tweeted about him calling him a specimen. Every person is a wonderful creature and no one has the right to call another a ‘specimen’ just because he/she is plus size.
I do pity the guy who mocked Sean because all things said and done, Sean got the last laugh. Cassandra Fairbanks and over 1000 of her friends invited Sean to a dance party in Los Angeles. The party turned out to be one of the largest dance parties in the world as so many celebrities attended it to share the day with Sean as a way to stop body shaming.
In Kenya, programs such as Slim Possible have been created to aid overweight individuals to cut down their weight. Such initiatives prove that weight is just but a number, it can be lost and gained at any time and one can be in charge of her/his body. I’m a religious follower of Slim Possible as it inspires me a lot and makes me appreciate myself more. All of us should appreciate ourselves, take charge of ourselves and make proper decisions about our bodies.
Being chic and stylish is possible for all body sizes too no wonder designers like Michael Kors use models of all ages and sizes. Ladies and gentlemen don’t be embarrassed or put off because of your body shape and size, embrace it and be proud of it and do not let what people say about your body be your focus, naah, stand up for yourself and show them that you are a belle or a beau no matter what they say. Ladies emulate women like Kelly Clarkson, she ain’t scared to flaunt those new curves and added pounds stylishly though everyone thinks she should lose some weight.
We are at war! It is not the best option, but for the moment it’s the only option. Every day we wake up with goals and small victories. All these accumulate to mountains of success; however, we are at war!
With love from Jebet @ bazulibemhlaba.wordpress.com
I’m gonna share with you on how you can spread the love and move on to more successes.
Conflict is the clash of incompatible goals. The origin of the conflict arises from the differing attitudes, behaviour and value of ideals of the parties. Conflict may escalate to a war. But is it just?
So what’s a just war? This is the philosophy behind declaration of and conduct in war. So a war is only just if it is fought for altruistic causes. It is meant to set the wrongs done right.
Let’s get a bit technical. There are two concepts: right to just war and conduct during the war. The right to just war deals with the final decision to do the right thing according to you. And conduct in war involves sustaining equality and fairness in war.
So how do you use this?
1. Patch things up:
The other day, two brothers (X and Y) went to blows after they realised that they have a thing for a particular flower among men. This is a common event in life. And sometimes is hard to find the one. Unfortunately, they had to fight to decide who would become the ‘plucker’.
It was like the scene in Assassin’s Creed where Conor finally killed his opponent. He was bleeding and waiting for the welcoming voices of the beyond. In this case, the brothers we on their last breath when each exerted their final blow on the other… and just like that the flower was claimed by the village idiot/genius. Poor development of that story…
Anyway, X had these attitude that the Y always claimed the freshest fruit for themselves. And the fact that Y could not see the love he had for the flower meant he was selfish. The best thing to do was to rid the world of such selfishness.
Well, for us to deal with any conflict one has to be tolerant of others and resolute to modify ones attitudes.
2. What is the conflict about
I am a victim of this one.
I can have a whole argument about why the sun sets in the east, when the discussion was how I can’t bake.
Get to know what exactly the issue is. So that the dialogue makes sense for the both of yous! (Grammar Nazis?)
3. Get your tools ready, we have a house to rebuild…
When all is said and tears shed. The reconstruction must begin. Get you plan sorted out… between the two of yous! (Am I pissing you off yet?)
Ask for advice from a professional. Not your ex. Even if he is the only professional you know…
Keep talking to make sure that the plan made is effective and sustainable. And we can learn to love again…
Those of you who have watched the series of Avatar will probably relate to this article so much better, but if you have not, it’s OK, I will explain from scratch. 🙂
via trendvee.com
Everyone has an invisible energy system called chakras. The word chakra means energy disc, vortex or wheel.
There are seven energy stations positioned from the base of your spine to the top of your head. It is therefore important to understand the nature of our energy system and how to support yourself in maintaining vital life-force energy, otherwise known as “chi” in Chinese.
This invisible energy system flows energy on pathways or meridians and the meridians have multiple pressure points that are means of working with the energy to keep it flowing which is actually the basis of acupressure, acupuncture and reflexology.
When your energy is leaking, weak, or frozen you feel depleted, heavy and even stuck! When you are energy-depleted and challenged, it is more difficult to manage your emotions, think positive thoughts, stay healthy and attract harmony into your life.
Well guys, it’s this simple:
I know this is not something Africans take particular interest to but it does help.
You could take time out and visualize. Here, you visualize a premeditated scenario and outcome, and infusing this outcome with emotions, you can program your subconscious mind to achieve otherwise impossible feats.
You could also heal your chakras by meditation. People use meditation to enter an alternate state of mind for enhanced relaxation, clarity, healing, and intuition and to unblock each of their 7 Chakras from the level of the subconscious.
You could also heal your chakras by a method that is actually becoming quite popular in Africa which is YOGA, yes; simple yoga which is not only tones of fun, but also energizes your lymph system, lowers your blood pressure, and elegantly connects your body with your energetic and spiritual nature.
There are also other ways to heal your chakras like rapid eye technology and crystal healing but I see no purpose of going further into those since let’s face it, you may never get to use them. Or probably you will… let us know…
You don’t have to spiral into depression and a feeling of self-helplessness, the power to your happiness and well-being lies with you. Work at healing a chakra a time and it will help you see how beautiful life actually is, and I speak from personal experience.
Though I do have to warn you, not all chakras are easy to open. For some, you will need to first accept you have a problem and it will require you to face your fears and take risks head-on because it’s like a battle with yourself but really, it’s not that hard to tame that mammoth in your head.
Those of you who have been sick at some point (especially with terminal illnesses), know how critical it is to stay positive because if you fill your head with negativity, you deteriorate really fast so keeping your chakras open helps in the healing. And some of you, who feel ill, may just be experiencing issues with your chakras which are closed or weak so your subconscious mind portrays it as illness.
This is a different point of view to wellness but bottom line is, stay positive and love yourself.
But chose to not dance where I should, because such a thing, a thing of beauty, cannot be left to obligation.
Obligation.
I cannot abide to duty, lest my soul tear itself from my very psyche and choose to roam.
Lest it choose to latch itself on to another. A more daring spirit. That, I cannot suffer.
I am beauty for I am freedom. I am both because I chose to be one.
I chose the latter because the former would only have me conform to a pre-conceived form. Already existing, I could not then be liberated to choose my own form.
Now repeat after me:
I am neither free nor am I beautiful. For I chose to let the words of this passage define my own being. I am not yet liberated.
A word of caution: Master sarcasm, or sarcasm will master you. 😉
We so really get a chance to glimpse at the future. With innovation being so slight, one must wonder the possibility of motion microscopy.
It is human nature to explore the world we live in. we describe the world in many fields. But beyond the obvious, we have been able to expand our view of the world to the microscopic level. All thanks to Robert Hooke.
Now, Michael Rubinstein has taken it a bit further. He has developed a video-processing microscope that can detect the minute changes in colour, position and movement of objects in space.
Excitement can only be an understatement for a tech head like me. So let’s get right to it…
+1 Easy Diagnosis…
As blood passes under our skin, from and towards the heart, the colour of the skin changes. It changes ever so slightly that our eyes can barely notice. There is a pulse wave every second.
The amazing thing is the motion magnification that can capture this subtle changes to the effect that one can determine the heart rate. This technology is as accurate as the traditional methods of pulse monitoring.
So this makes me wonder…
Can I also detect changes in neural activity? Huntington’s disease is a genetic disease that causes involuntary and impaired body movements. This is just an example, but can you imagine the number of diseases that can be diagnosed with “video” microscopy.
What about other bodies?
What about machines, engines and electronics with moving parts? Definitely all these can be diagnosed… or troubleshot.
+2 He mentioned art…
So a student at Yale motion magnified stills and they came to life with small movements. That’s cool and all but…
Imagine if we magnified The Scream… and due to the small vibrations of the earth. What if he actually moves like a screamer?
I should patent this stuff…
+3 Surveillance
Now, for those of you that hate physics… am sorry. For those of you who are physics gurus… am sorry too.
Pressure is the force that is exerted on a surface area. The smaller the area the greater the pressure. The force itself increases with the pressure. Force has the ability to move things. And sure as hell didn’t they capitalize on that fact.
When we speak or sing. Our vocal cords change the pressure in the air by squishing the air molecules together and separating a few.
This change in pressures is called sound.
As I said the force can move things.
So what these geniuses from MIT came up with can revolutionize the way we think of safety and privacy.
Imagine you are in your room. Hiding away as you make that important and private call. You are probably whispering because even your room is not that secure.
There is a camera in your room… in your office anywhere. You are out of the view. Something else is in the view. However, the pen on the desk is still exposed.
The sound waves cause the vibration of the pen even if they are as slight as changes on the mountain.
Once magnified your whole conversation is for all to see and available to anyone with this technology.
You can only imagine the scenarios…
Let us know what you would love to know this in the comment box below. 🙂
Ladies, this is mostly your article 🙂 Yes… For so long it has been stereotyped that ladies are clueless in matters concerning technology, but in my case, it’s actually true.
My co-writer always makes fun of my ignorance but really, it is absolutely not my fault. To begin with, my phone is the frozen yoghurt or froyo generation (for those who don’t know what that is, it means my phone is an android 2.2: these phone generations are always named according to sweet foods) yet right now, phones have reached the lollipop generation (which is the android 5).
That means between my current phone and the latest phone released, there are 5 generations of phones that is, the gingerbread, honeycomb, ice cream sandwich, jelly bean and kit Kat before finally getting to lollipop. 😦 (If you don’t know what all those code names mean, do a little homework and Google 😉 )
Needless to say, my co-writer (<3) makes fun of my phone because it is so basic, we can call it an efficient phonebook and basic communications machine (like texting). Its storage is so little; I have to delete my photos every now and then to make enough space for incoming messages.
Well, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for me, my ignorance in technology makes me blind to the shortcomings of my phone and so we have been together for years.
Well, now to the point, today’s article was written with assistance from a good friend, Kevin. He is those guys you run to when all hope is lost for your “devices”. Like when your phone drowns in a bucket of water and all mechanics, even the guys at river road, say it is gone forever; Kev will always have a solution.
Basically, he always has the latest development in technology, so you can keep up with technology and I’m also learning 🙂
The Battle of Kingship
With the Mobile World Congress (MWC) fast approaching, a lot of attention is being drawn to the much awaited and anticipated flagship devices from Samsung and HTC.
This will be more like the Battle for the Damned, winners will take the seat and losers will choke with the dust. Of course, we expect more devices to be launched at the event but do they bring much flare like the big kings? No, but we’re sure there will be much pomp and color, enough to roll your eyes around and interlock your jaws.
So, let’s reel forward to what we expect from this opening. The Samsung Galaxy S6, of course from the Giant South Korean Company, will be there, with its pride, to showcase its pro-efficiency. But this won’t be easy with their other competitor who came with the aluminum fists with the likes of the HTC One and their M series which sent their brother back to the lab. The guys at Samsung were not pleased.
So they’re coming up with something new…
They say it will be a beast, made of metal and glass. They also say it will be dripping with technology that will blow most of their competitors out of the water. They’ve even released teaser videos to keep your mind locked on the game, hash tagging it TheNextGalaxy. This may be amusing to the fans especially if you like to watch molten metal flow and 2D of an image. But we expect it not to shock anyone like its predecessor as we look at it.
Via Samsung.com
The Samsung Galaxy S5, their current flagship device, showcased sometime last year on May during the end of the MWC show, didn’t come as people expected. It came with variants of colors, a faux leather battery case, brilliant screen estate and a silver band around the edges which may fool you to be metal. But this only tells half the story. As you see, with a phone coming up at a cost of over Ksh 65,000 on launch, you expect it to come on a premium feel. But running on plastic isn’t what you call premium. Another problem is, when the phone was aggressively and physically used, the metal band around the edges started to peel…it peels off easily than a banana, right, it’s heartbreaking especially if you paid the price.
Clocked around, we expect #TheNextGalaxy to clothe clean some of this problems.
Now, the HTC…they came with a magnificent design since the launch of the HTC One, and kept it better as they released more of its predecessor. Kind of makes me align them on table and lick them all to get the taste. More so, the double speaker grills on top and bottom of the phone combined with the boom and Dre sound technology…! Damn, makes me want to compensate the car stereos for it. But, with the reign of the HTC One M8 slowing on the dusk, its big brother is not far, in fact, very close. The HTC M9, Bigger and better than the bad-est they say. More aluminum on board, better camera on the back and a front camera that can tear your face off.
But not much has been said about these phones. Rumors are still churning in the mills, but until then, we’ll have to wait until we get them hands on.
Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?
― L.M. Montgomery
The sun rises the same each day. But never at the same time. Innovation and seeking ventures is the highlight of each entrepreneur. And their psychology is beyond the discussion here.
However, we would like to argue that everyone can be an entrepreneur without starting a business. Well, not really an entrepreneur in the strictest form, but rather in its risk management docket. It might seem farfetched but happier people are more likely better at risk management.
It is quite remarkable to think that happier people are those that choose, on a daily basis, to take on new activities. To rise differently.
Even though, I write all this I can’t be self-righteous and suggest that I do new activities each day. That I’m adventurous on a daily basis. I actually struggle with trying new things. Unfortunately, it is hard wired in my brain and stuff.
Moreover, studies have shown that our fear of new things is based on our need to distant ourselves from failure in whichever respect. Through history, all the new revolutionary ideas were embraced by generations that followed; for example, we can consider Galileo. We mentioned this in our jazz post that it is a trend to adopt the old and make it new.
So how can we try out new things with a new positive face? (I should have posted on a Monday)
1. Where am I?
A car has a handbrake that lets the car roll downhill if you release it. Similarly, habits have a particular trigger that sends us all on a behaviour.
So it’s up to us to identify the triggers to our habitual activities.
When do you drink excessively? After a long week at the office? After a big fight with the SO? Or with a particular group of buddies?
Same applies to habits of some benefit. We can develop patterns that give up space to develop ourselves. So when can I work out? After a long day at the office? Before? Or like me knew my brother comes from school?
This triggers remind you that something is to happen. But what about positive behaviour?
2. A cookie for a glass of water
It is 12 a.m. I should probably be a sleep. Allowing for my body to rejuvenate itself (I love this process, but not this venue). However, I’m awake staring at the large yoghurt pack and packet of Oreos. Yoghurt is healthy right? I’m hungry, right? No, not really. I have spent a lot of my time avoiding simple sugars from ice-creams, chocolate and pancakes… I’ve avoided this for weeks now.
I will not describe the embarrassment on my face after the clearing the oreos packets.
Well this is just how it happens. I strained my willpower. Unfortunately, my willpower ran out. And this happens naturally. Our willpower is like the fuel in your car. At some point it gets depleted.
So to milk as much from our willpower one has to realise that it does not hurt to take an Oreo per day, I recommend it. Actually, just like we cannot begin eating solid food immediately our first teeth appear. We have a weaning process. This allows us to get accustomed to the new environment.
So small rewards don’t hurt the process they accelerate it. So as I write this I am enjoying my glass of water than my box of cookies…
3. Train the O’ willpower
The army spends a lot of time training the cadets on the value of self-discipline. Training involves sacrifice.
This can be done easily by organising your goal in small operational objectives.
Imagine you have the goal to lose weight. Being specific 10kgs in 2 months. It cannot be done if the thought is 5kgs in the next month. Break it down to getting the workouts done before the end of the day.
Walk 10 minutes each day. Soon it will be 20 minutes at the end of the month you will be running for half an hour… Soon that weight will be shying off… 🙂
4. Repeat. Repeat? Was that the order?
Practice makes perfect. It takes 40 hours to gain a new skill. It can only come with time and repetition.
The degree of automaticity will increase exponentially with time.
No one can be a rally driver on the first go…
The sun rises the same each day. But never at the same time. So should you. You should rise with new ambitions every day with the same objectives. Anyway let us know what you think…
Yesterday, Nairobi celebrated its second jazz international festival courtesy of Safaricom. The people turned up in large masses but for most, it was really for the social buzz of it, not for the love of jazz. For this reason, I have decided to share my love and passion for this genre of music and hopefully, demonstrate that this is not a lullaby type of music but a beautiful culture, a fusion of instruments that give a perfect tune. Especially, jazz rap.
For well over a century now, jazz has been the chameleon of American music. It has incorporated elements from classical, Latin, world, funk and R&B. The very meaning of the word ‘jazz’ suggests that in order for it to be such, the music must swing, among other criteria. In some regards this could be true, but I would like to argue that jazz represents just a portion of the broader landscape of African-American music.
The use of categories and names of styles is unavoidable, but I feel that at times the process of labeling music restricts us as musicians, writers and listeners from recognizing the connections between sub-genres of music. I believe jazz means has a deeper meaning…
One act I would gladly give a standing ovation is Soweto Kinch. This young lad has blended jazz and hip-hop so well, it looks like they were made for each other. His free-style on the mic is so easy to the ears. Research further proves the connection between the two. Culturally, socially, and musically the two share more in common than some would acknowledge.
From the 1960s up to today, jazz and hip-hop continue to borrow and experiment with each other. They both contain elements of improvisation; in hip-hop, free styling and DJing represent this, while in jazz much of the exchange between musicians is improvised. So a big- up to Soweto Kinch for daring to venture where very few would, jazz rap.
In the late 80s, this beautiful subgenre was exploding with a message as diverse as the people on earth. Positivity and African-American improvement being some of the themes. It was a way of integrating the old with the new, as per Guru. 1
I believe the subgenre by itself gives us something to look forward to. It allows us to link what appears obsolete to what is mainstream. By doing so we move with the times and improve of the quality of the music.
So this means we can look for innovation in the past. Yes, even the analogue (I’m laughing harder than I should).
One thing was obvious from this jazz festival. Jazz is a strong way of expression of emotion. It especially conveys love so well. So if you are looking for romance, jazz is the way to go. It also brings people together so well with messages of peace, that we are all really just one people, for example Jonathan Butler mostly sings of unity past racial segregation.
Much love,
Steja.
Footnotes:
1. Williams J.A., 2010. The Journal of Musicology. Vol. 27. No. 4. 435 – 459.
We have gotten ourselves out the rut and gotten things rolling. Life is moving forward. In this busy world we live in we need to come up with easier ways on how to deal with monotony… how do you prevent yourself from getting back to another routine?
I do pity the guy who mocked Sean because all things said and done, Sean got the last laugh. Cassandra Fairbanks and over 1000 of her friends invited Sean to a dance party in Los Angeles. The party turned out to be one of the largest dance parties in the world as so many celebrities attended it to share the day with Sean as a way to stop body shaming.
It is quite remarkable to think that happier people are those that choose, on a daily basis, to take on 
Today Chronicles 