How to write about Africa

Culled from : http://www.granta.com/Archive/92/How-to-Write-about-Africa/Page-1


How to Write About Africa

Always use the word ‘Africa’ or ‘Darkness’ or ‘Safari’ in your title. Subtitles may include the words ‘Zanzibar’, ‘Masai’, ‘Zulu’, ‘Zambezi’, ‘Congo’, ‘Nile’, ‘Big’, ‘Sky’, ‘Shadow’, ‘Drum’, ‘Sun’ or ‘Bygone’. Also useful are words such as ‘Guerrillas’, ‘Timeless’, ‘Primordial’ and ‘Tribal’. Note that ‘People’ means Africans who are not black, while ‘The People’ means black Africans.

Never have a picture of a well-adjusted African on the cover of your book, or in it, unless that African has won the Nobel Prize. An AK-47, prominent ribs, naked breasts: use these. If you must include an African, make sure you get one in Masai or Zulu or Dogon dress.

In your text, treat Africa as if it were one country. It is hot and dusty with rolling grasslands and huge herds of animals and tall, thin people who are starving. Or it is hot and steamy with very short people who eat primates. Don’t get bogged down with precise descriptions. Africa is big: fifty-four countries, 900 million people who are too busy starving and dying and warring and emigrating to read your book. The continent is full of deserts, jungles, highlands, savannahs and many other things, but your reader doesn’t care about all that, so keep your descriptions romantic and evocative and unparticular.

Make sure you show how Africans have music and rhythm deep in their souls, and eat things no other humans eat. Do not mention rice and beef and wheat; monkey-brain is an African's cuisine of choice, along with goat, snake, worms and grubs and all manner of game meat. Make sure you show that you are able to eat such food without flinching, and describe how you learn to enjoy it—because you care.


Taboo subjects: ordinary domestic scenes, love between Africans (unless a death is involved), references to African writers or intellectuals, mention of school-going children who are not suffering from yaws or Ebola fever or female genital mutilation.

Throughout the book, adopt a sotto voice, in conspiracy with the reader, and a sad I-expected-so-much tone. Establish early on that your liberalism is impeccable, and mention near the beginning how much you love Africa, how you fell in love with the place and can’t live without her. Africa is the only continent you can love—take advantage of this. If you are a man, thrust yourself into her warm virgin forests. If you are a woman, treat Africa as a man who wears a bush jacket and disappears off into the sunset. Africa is to be pitied, worshipped or dominated. Whichever angle you take, be sure to leave the strong impression that without your intervention and your important book, Africa is doomed.

Your African characters may include naked warriors, loyal servants, diviners and seers, ancient wise men living in hermitic splendour. Or corrupt politicians, inept polygamous travel-guides, and prostitutes you have slept with. The Loyal Servant always behaves like a seven-year-old and needs a firm hand; he is scared of snakes, good with children, and always involving you in his complex domestic dramas. The Ancient Wise Man always comes from a noble tribe (not the money-grubbing tribes like the Gikuyu, the Igbo or the Shona). He has rheumy eyes and is close to the Earth. The Modern African is a fat man who steals and works in the visa office, refusing to give work permits to qualified Westerners who really care about Africa. He is an enemy of development, always using his government job to make it difficult for pragmatic and good-hearted expats to set up NGOs or Legal Conservation Areas. Or he is an Oxford-educated intellectual turned serial-killing politician in a Savile Row suit. He is a cannibal who likes Cristal champagne, and his mother is a rich witch-doctor who really runs the country.

Among your characters you must always include The Starving African, who wanders the refugee camp nearly naked, and waits for the benevolence of the West. Her children have flies on their eyelids and pot bellies, and her breasts are flat and empty. She must look utterly helpless. She can have no past, no history; such diversions ruin the dramatic moment. Moans are good. She must never say anything about herself in the dialogue except to speak of her (unspeakable) suffering. Also be sure to include a warm and motherly woman who has a rolling laugh and who is concerned for your well-being. Just call her Mama. Her children are all delinquent. These characters should buzz around your main hero, making him look good. Your hero can teach them, bathe them, feed them; he carries lots of babies and has seen Death. Your hero is you (if reportage), or a beautiful, tragic international celebrity/aristocrat who now cares for animals (if fiction).

Bad Western characters may include children of Tory cabinet ministers, Afrikaners, employees of the World Bank. When talking about exploitation by foreigners mention the Chinese and Indian traders. Blame the West for Africa's situation. But do not be too specific.

Broad brushstrokes throughout are good. Avoid having the African characters laugh, or struggle to educate their kids, or just make do in mundane circumstances. Have them illuminate something about Europe or America in Africa. African characters should be colourful, exotic, larger than life—but empty inside, with no dialogue, no conflicts or resolutions in their stories, no depth or quirks to confuse the cause.

Describe, in detail, naked breasts (young, old, conservative, recently raped, big, small) or mutilated genitals, or enhanced genitals. Or any kind of genitals. And dead bodies. Or, better, naked dead bodies. And especially rotting naked dead bodies. Remember, any work you submit in which people look filthy and miserable will be referred to as the ‘real Africa’, and you want that on your dust jacket. Do not feel queasy about this: you are trying to help them to get aid from the West. The biggest taboo in writing about Africa is to describe or show dead or suffering white people.

Animals, on the other hand, must be treated as well rounded, complex characters. They speak (or grunt while tossing their manes proudly) and have names, ambitions and desires. They also have family values: see how lions teach their children? Elephants are caring, and are good feminists or dignified patriarchs. So are gorillas. Never, ever say anything negative about an elephant or a gorilla. Elephants may attack people’s property, destroy their crops, and even kill them. Always take the side of the elephant. Big cats have public-school accents. Hyenas are fair game and have vaguely Middle Eastern accents. Any short Africans who live in the jungle or desert may be portrayed with good humour (unless they are in conflict with an elephant or chimpanzee or gorilla, in which case they are pure evil).

After celebrity activists and aid workers, conservationists are Africa’s most important people. Do not offend them. You need them to invite you to their 30,000-acre game ranch or ‘conservation area’, and this is the only way you will get to interview the celebrity activist. Often a book cover with a heroic-looking conservationist on it works magic for sales. Anybody white, tanned and wearing khaki who once had a pet antelope or a farm is a conservationist, one who is preserving Africa’s rich heritage. When interviewing him or her, do not ask how much funding they have; do not ask how much money they make off their game. Never ask how much they pay their employees.

Readers will be put off if you don’t mention the light in Africa. And sunsets, the African sunset is a must. It is always big and red. There is always a big sky. Wide empty spaces and game are critical—Africa is the Land of Wide Empty Spaces. When writing about the plight of flora and fauna, make sure you mention that Africa is overpopulated. When your main character is in a desert or jungle living with indigenous peoples (anybody short) it is okay to mention that Africa has been severely depopulated by Aids and War (use caps).

You’ll also need a nightclub called Tropicana, where mercenaries, evil nouveau riche Africans and prostitutes and guerrillas and expats hang out.

Always end your book with Nelson Mandela saying something about rainbows or renaissances. Because you care. ■
...............................................................................................................................................................

Two words- 'So true'.

- Cathy

When did people become sooooo boring??

where did all the creativity go? I'm constantly meeting teenagers who think in the same way!!! And their idea of fun is going clubbing and getting drunk (snoreeeees*) what happened to that zest for life, that hunger for change and variety. When will I hear someone say to me, 'Chidubem lets save up and go on a tour of the Sistine chapel in Rome?' or "let's get tickets to a showing of les miserables".......has life become so insignificant that we actively refuse to find meaning?

There's something magical about being able to find solace in the solemnity of of nature.......pen in hand and a note pad...writing down your thoughts as you feel the warm autumn breeze. Even having the time to notice the budding of young daffodils at the onset of spring...and being wise enough to marvel at their unresigned beauty. I dont know but there is a decline in worldly appreciation, and people seem to have coined this earthly term 'yolo'...funny thing is they dont even know its meaning. It is indeed because life is too short that we need to seize it and not simply lose our purpose to its abundant distractions.


And when I have my kids I will get them to look life the way I did at a young age. In Abraham Lincoln's letter to his son's teacher he says, 'Teach him if you can the wonders of books, but also give time to ponder the extreme mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hill.'
 

Duby.

For routine dulls the edge of originality

Cathy and I are at the stage where we are getting our ears wet trying to pave the pathways to success. To put it in common terms, we have rounded up our university applications and are working towards our exams in the summer. Naturally we both want to get into the very best of British universities (WE DESERVE TO!). The thing is that at times like this I begin to question the definition of success and what it means to be accomplished in the eyes of others. Surely, Mark Zuckerberg would not have had the inspiration to invent a lucrative social network such as Facebook, if he had not taken time from life to sit back and be creative....to dream. This is  in much the same way Einstein became the father of modern physics (having established the general Theory of Relativity and developed Newtonian mechanics) after battling with ninth grade algebra. The definition of success is broader than the criteria is judged by and even when we fall short the chances are that we can still achieve so much more.


I have never actually believed that any one person can determine  intelligence or potential using even the most accurate of measurements....but when you see someone who is destined to be unique it always shines through. We live in a world where people get so lost in the need to meet the requirements of society that ironically they fail to achieve as much as they can. And sometimes I fear that in all the efforts, the late nights, the extensive reading and the chasing of perfect grades, I might forget who I am an what I set out to do. Life is a marathon in much the same way, academic qualifications are simply a means to an end and that is something we should never forget. What really matters are the dreams that keep us awake.....the goals we want so much to achieve that the mere thought of failure makes us edgy....and sometimes even the changes we need to make in society to ensure that  our smiles would one day be complete.

These are really the reasons I want to become a human rights lawyer; The 14 year old Pakistani activist ( Malala Yousafzai) who was shot by the Taliban for protesting against their atrocities, the Bangladeshi family that lost all their money to government fraud, the working class woman in America who should have been raised to the position of company director 5 years ago but wont....simply because she is a woman, and here in Nigeria the millions of poor people in the Niger delta that suffer everyday with little or no means of survival  because their needs have been ignored by the state.

It is true that even a strict education can dull the sharpness of our creativity and render the strength  of our imagination void. And with time and experience you would find that it takes a lot more than good brains to get ahead in the world but a striking personality, a stubborn determination and an even sturdier heart.

Duby

What it means to be a Princess

Bonjour mes beaux gens!

I know once again, it  has been months since I  wrote you all. Too much work= too little time and inspiration.

However, I've been reading in a lot of articles lately, and hearing from some friends too, how a lot of guys are tired of girls who act like princess, and expect guys to treat them that way. They criticize children's fairy tales  and Disney princess's for giving women the wrong attitudes.

So here's my take on things. To start  off, I believe there is a huge misconception of what it means to act 'like a princess'.

For me being a princess, isn't about having a sense of entitlement, being perfect, or expecting the perfect guy to come up out of no where and sweep you off your feet.
Rather, what I've learnt from princess movies and magical fairy tales, is more than that. I've learnt that being a princess means seeing the good in all people you meet, and treating everyone with the utmost importance. It means carrying yourself with grace and a sense that you are special and a gift to everyone you meet. Everyone gets a gracious smile- friend or foe. It's having the beauty within shine through and complement the beauty without.


In terms of love, a true princess doesn't have some presumption about who that person is. Think Cinderella, Bella, Sleeping beauty, and snow white- their princes came unexpectedly, and they loved them freely 'following their heart'. A true princess won't mess with the guy she meets, and because she genuinely treats all people well, everyone has a chance. But the truth is, in the end she knows that the right one will show through. And that doesn't necessarily mean some alpha male. It means the guy who sees through her- sees her soul- ,wants to see the world through her unique eyes. Someone who truly loves her- because she knows what she's worth.

Being a princess is speaking kind words, living with ease and seeing situations with optimism. It's about having hope, and  feeling at peace with yourself, God, and others around you. Feeling free and light.

Fairy tales were apart of my past, and I still listen to some of my favourite soundtracks for inspiration and as a reminder of the princess I am, the princess we can all be. When I get older, I'll read these fairy tales to my children- teach them to see the world with magic and fantasy, as well as with reality.

 

I'll raise them to be princes and princesses- to be the best version of themselves always.

Cathy

sunrise and writers ; the classics

So im listening to romeo and juliet act 1 and i think to myself 'surely Shakespeare is the wisest man that ever walked the earth!' What strikes me again and again is Romeo's words when he describes the hurt he feels because he loves Rosaline and she does not love him back.

1. Romeo

   Alas, that Love, whose view is muffled still, (165)
   Should without eyes see pathways to his will!
   Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here?
   Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all.
   Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love.
   Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, (170)
   O anything of nothing first create!
   O heavy lightness, serious vanity,
   Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
   Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health,
   Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! (175)
   This love feel I, that feel no love in this.
   Dost thou not laugh?

   Romeo

   Why, such is love’s transgression.
   Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast, (180)
   Which thou wilt propagate to have it pressed
   With more of thine. This love that thou hast shown
   Doth add more grief to too much of mine own.
   Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs:
   Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes; (185)
   Being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears.
   What is it else? A madness most discreet,
   A choking gall, and a preserving sweet.Farewell, my coz.

   
   

   To be, or not to be, that is the question:
   Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
   The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
   Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,
   And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep
   No more;

   
   

   literature is beautiful!!

   
   

   duby

It's almost ready!

Two words: Cathy's Anthology

Two words: Order Now!

Two words: Thank You!

Of Monsters and Men- the coolest band from Iceland!

How can you listen to this song, and not be exited about finding your significant other?

Cathy

Dear Little Cathy

Hi Guys!

It's been a while, huh. Gosh- I've been really swamped with work and stuff....but who cares?

Anyway, so today I saw this picture and it really struck me: What would I tell Little Cathy if I could go back in time. Well I'm still trying to get back into the blogging form...so bear with me as I list some things I'd like little me to know:

1) Don't get so stressed out over little things: Like seriously Cathy- you're actually smart, kind, and pretty- you don't need to beat yourself over every piece of homework set, or every test you fail. I know it's hard for you to ignore other people's feelings but try not to let their bad moods bring you down. And stop second- guessing you're looks- it's obvious you'll turn out ok( that is, after you pass that awkward stage around 10-12 when your ears and nose are really big- just givin' you a heads up!)

2) Fruit- Get into the habit of eating fruit, because it really pays off when you get older. Now you have 3 rotting apples on your desk from attempting to force yourself to eat them- congratulations.

3) Don't feel bad about the teasing of you're height or dance skills- you actually ended up being pretty good at it- boo yah, sister and family who made fun of you! And as for you're height- well, it's a blessing and a curse.

4) Force your parents to have taught you the essentials by the age of 10:
- your native language
- a foreign language
- to play a musical instrument- preferably piano or guitar.
Because if not, you are going to end up feeling pretty inadequate when you get into an international school for geniuses, with 7year-old 'grade 8' pianists and friends who have mastered 4 different languages.

5) Ballet!: You really should tone-down the tom-boy thing you'll have going for most of your childhood- it will be so much fun if  you join your sister in ballet, and a lot cooler than what you're doing now- which is prancing around the house on you're tip-toes like a prat.

6) Quick one here: In the summer of '09 you will be trusted with an envelope containing a certain sum of money in a foreign currency- DO NOT, i repeat, NOT, leave it on your lap in the car, fall asleep, then wake up and jump out of the car without looking.

7) Keep in touch: You live a life where you're constantly travelling, experencing new cultures, meeting new people and leaving old ones behind. Take full advantage of this, and also stay in contact with those awesome friends- some of them are the best people you'll ever meet!

8) Filming: Get into the habit of taking videos, and get a videocam early too- you're going to be obsessing a lot over the cool ideas you'd like to bring to life, but just don't know how.

9) Guys: Hmmm....sorry Cathy- I guess I'm still just no good at them, eh? Which is probably where I should start from: get a guy best friend or rather keep the guy best friend that you will meet on the first day of kindergarten in a certain East-African country. That would probably really solve alot of the dilemmas you currently face in understanding the cold, dangerous darklands of the teenage-boy psyche. It may also lead to you guys....well- I'll just let you find out that one ;)

10) Popularity: Just want you to know that you did the right thing by staying true to yourself. It may not always look the most appealing side to take, but it's totally worth it in the end.

11) Family: Hold on to your family like nothing else. I mean it! You love them now, and always will, but remembering just how much you love them when your constantly bickering with them, at that young age little kids do, would really save a lot of potential hurt. Also you must stick with your siblings like 'stickyglue' and defend them no matter who or what tries to blur your vision.
Remember, like 'Brother's Garcias' ( you love that show ps It'll be taken off air soon so don't get too attached) ' Doro para familia'  (or something like that).

Everything for the family.

Cathy

living lemonade 101: Day 22- Sparkling nail polish

Ahh....nothing says summer like candy-coloured school-girl glittery nail polish!

Especially now that summer's slowly passing, and fading to an end.

Let's fight off any prospective winter blue, with candy floss and star bright hues!

'Cos nothing says I'm lovin' it
like living life lemonade!

Cathy

War; A soldier in defeat

Saw the clouds floating in their sheets 

Saw the sun loathing in its heat

The sound of guns, the drum roll beats

The people around me still, too scared to speak 

A sudden panic filled me amidst the silence

My attacker's stare was cold and his dark eyes so violent

we were two soldiers in opposal yet one man against another

I saw a smile creep up against his cheeks

Stared at the bloody palms; an gory tale of past brutality

The price of bravery is not cheap; the pain it brings runs still deep

My killer placed the heavy metal to my heartbeat

By convention we call it a gun, a war man's weapon-but to me just a valiant tool for the weak.

The first bullet was to be the last because I had perished many times before this confrontation

Dying repeatedly in the subtle agony of my disappointment

For here I was at the face of despair and worse than anything I was dowsed with worry 

The tear drop fell slowly and my last thoughts were;

courage is a myth, for at the last all we feel is fear.

Duby .

Hearts and Pieces; now or forever

We are two lovers sitting in the darkness of our thoughts and listening to the music of our heartbeats, There in lies a baritone to our worries and the uncertainties we hold deep down- producing a keen type of sadness. one thinks ' when will I see her again? The other- will I ever know happiness after he's gone? The night sky provides a beautiful scenery for us to gaze at and reminisce about the things long gone- the insatiable kisses, the warm hugs, the broad smiles- each with its own mystery.

You are million miles in your thoughts, and yet I am here with you looking up at the constellations and making a thousand wishes just as I know you are doing right now. Sometimes we get so caught up in our greed for better things that we forget the best things that have already happened to us. I miss you already because I know you wont always be here. I want to run away from the definite sadness that will follow your departure, but I also want to watch you leave, and remember  how you looked at me as you faded away and the tears that clouded my eyes as I smiled bravely, hoping this wasn't a real goodbye.

I have learnt to measure distance, not by the space that separates us, but by the disparity between our emotions- the difference in how we feel(for there is no correlation between distance and love....only time). If you are also in some far away place thinking about me as well, and loving me to shreds then we are not apart in any way. But if even for once you think about me and you don't feel the same spark, the skip of a heart beat...a sudden gasp of pain then my dear, we are indeed distant in the ways that matter. I looked up at the northern star and made one last wish before I walked away. That night a thousand pieces of my heart had been cast into nothingness, just waiting for you to find one bit and mould it to yours. You might be there, while I am here, but tonight we are together.

Duby.

sunrise and writers; Phil Collins(father to son)

One of the wisest lyricists/artistes/philosophers speaks about life and love in an ode to his son. Enjoy.

The Book of Love P1

This one's for everyone- the lovers, the beloved, those who have lost it, and those yet to find it.

Many thanks to Scrubs Episode Finale for playing it.(love that show).
Post coming later!

-Cathy

Here and beyond; A sailor's tale

I felt my hands go numb as I looked into the vast beyond

The tremble in my pulse quickened as I gazed into the acres of blue

I was a sailor sought out for great lands and far adventures

To me the sea was a dream, the waves a wicked nightmare

I looked out to the boats that sailed past; tiny bubbles in the mighty bath that was the ocean

There was a certain stillness in the vibrant air; A calm touch to the wildness around me

The wind kissed my cheek when I dared to lean out to feel magical breeze of the sea

I had never seen anything as magnetic as the force of the tides that propelled the ship forward 

And my hands rested on the bridge in ample comfort as I sailed into the beautiful darkness

As I looked on I saw a shadow

Tales of magnificent vessels were oft belittled in their simplicity

For few had seen one as elegant as this; held by a rigid sail and adorned with a pirate's mascot

That was what stared across from me as in steered forward.

 My intensity of my gaze did surpass the flamboyance of its wake

And within I felt a longing like never before to reach into  the vastness and claim this new found treasure; A wish as unfathomable as a ship without a crew.

Duby

sunrise and writers; waiting for eternity

In a near empty open cafe somewhere down town I sit. And as I look out the glazed window, I observe the tourists and athletes that walk by. Everyone excited about the olympic games that were soon to start, everyone happy in the spirit of summer. As i watch a young couple at the far end of the cafe glance towards my direction, I wonder if they can hear the pounding  in my heart as I contemplate a certain sadness that would soon be mine- for when the clock strikes 6 it would be exactly a year since Tom had kissed me goodbye in this very cafe.....on this very spot. I look down on the fine wood I am sitting on, remembering how my heart had shattered into a thousand fragments, as I had watched him walk out the open doors and disappear into the crowd outside- having unknowingly taken my life and soul with him and forever leaving me with vivid memories of a past we spent....and the glimpse of a future that could have been ours.

Everything around me screamed his name, everything from the cold cup of coffee in my hand,which had been made exactly how he had liked his, to the subtle scent of the cologne that I could still smell on his sweater that I had on. even the way the man on the opposite table smiled at the waitress, reminded me of him- always a charmer, forever a gentleman. In many ways the the cold coffee in my hand was warmer that the chill in my spine and the pain in my heart. I still love you, I thought to myself. even after everything I still love you and I would race time if that is what it took to see you again.but I also new that this was impossible; a dream of a wish that was inconceivable- and a past that was irredeemable. 

The strangers around me whistle past and I feel the still hot summer kiss my cheeks, as if in an effort to provide comfort and restore the warmth to my soul. But they only succeed in making me more aware of my sadness and this new loneliness that was both alien and invasive. just then the clock strikes six and I involuntarily turn back to stare at the entrance, half expecting to see Tom himself strolling towards me, letting me know that it had never happened and he had never left. With a mixture of disappointment and grief, the tears slide down slowly but surely and i reach for the hem of my sleeves as if to serve as a brake to the tears. But now it has dawned on me....Tom is gone forever.

Duby.

Fast Car

For a long time now, I have wondered how best to say this. Somehow I know I'll never get it right. Presently, you are a thousand miles away, and I'm struggling to keep things sane over here. There must be a million things on your mind right now, but if you have the time, here's this.

Sometimes we get lost in where we are now, and forget just how far we've come- good or bad. Where it all began.  Today I did  the same thing that I've always done. I cleaned the house, pressed his shirts,  washed the baby. It was while she fed that I heard it play on the radio. The first bars I couldn't mistake, so I gasped, nearly dropping her. I sat still in shock for the rest of the song, clutching her to my chest, ignoring the kettle hissing, the phone ringing, the world moving.

Now I am in the attic scribbling this late into the night. I spent the rest of the day searching amongst my old stuff for that CD. When I found it,  I couldn't believe my luck. It's playing now on repeat...it's helping me do this.

There is so much I never said to you, and for that I'm sorry.

When you came to town, I was angry and tired...always tired. So it was simple: I was awful to you. And then you came to town full of the shine of the city, all talk of bigger things and hope. I hated you for it, but it confused me why you were here in the first place. So I entertained your endless questions, and all your stories.

But I soon started to notice how those awkward silences became more comfortable, and that your eyes shone differently when you were out late with me. The day you  kissed me, I remember thinking 'this can't be right- you are so different from me!'.

It was another year later that I realised we were just two shades of the same colour.

You lost your mother, I never knew my father. This town was the only other home you and your dad had ever known. And without her, there just wasn't enough to keep you both in the city. 

In your eyes I saw the eyes of somebody I could trust. I never expected to fall in so deep. We both knew we needed to leave this place at once, or live and die this way.

It fascinated you, how I could conjure up these fantasies of how we would leave, and where we would go. Not knowing I only had them because of you; because with you, I felt like I could be someone.You had a car, and I had a little cash from the extra shifts I took at work.
That morning you asked me to come with you across the border, I couldn't believe you even though I knew how serious you were being. I wanted to do it, believe me, I did. I was ready. I had been ever since you mentioned it the first night we drove out of  town. 

Yes, it was as we drove, the radio played this song, and it was ours and we were in love.

Cathy

The mystery of music

Music is so powerful, like a thousand thoughts and emotions fighting for your attention. its almost like you are coming closer to something you only imagined, and yet it is still so far away. Only few can conceive the depth of written work, of composed tunes. men like Ludwig Van Beethoven and Sebastian Bach could only scratch the surface- and yet see how deep they went. look how much talent they exhibited.

When I hear a good song, it is almost like someone just whispered a secret in my ear and ran away just as quick- there is a lust to hear more, and yet you can never hear enough. You sill long absorb enough of the words to put you at rest.  In many ways music is the language of the soul- the part of us that none can stab or kill. That is why it has to be heartfelt and only few can be fortunate enough to produce it.

Contemporary artistes have made some progress in this respect- cold play's 'viva la vida' is a legend in many ways ranging from the beautiful beats (piano) to the articulate words which would  mean different things to many people. The phrase 'viva la vida' literally means 'death and all his friends' but it is a many flavoured song- each taste leaving the trace of a mystery to be solved.

We hear so many songs everyday that I believe if we put them together they tell a story about life. And this is why I say that music is the language of the soul- because it is how we humans communicate when words have failed us and passion overwhelms us.

Duby

The River Flows in You

Sun gleaming, and the wind whistling
gentle silence.

-And you there, making Love’s presence felt
listening intently, hearing no more than a whisper.

And then the notes strike you, and you seem to gasp.

Something amazing! Your eyes round tell
These notes so sweet, so complex, so utterly intricate waft breaking silence.

And then your eyes fall on the River;
You gasp again.

Like diamonds! No- Ten thousand stars instead.
Sparkling, dazzling, streaming gracefully to eternity seeming.

You turn to me again, opening your lips to say it all
which remains open, saying nothing.
Unaware that lay before me, three perfect beauties
-the melody, the River,
And the girl.

Yes, darling, my melodies inadequate to describe what’s true
And yes, darling, the River flows in you.

Cathy

Will things be the same next time we meet?

To begin this post, I'd like to start off with a song reference ( as I often do :) ).
In the words of Biffy Clyro's 'Many of horror' (song inserted below for the 'interested and lazy'):

When we collide we come together

If we don't we'll always be apart

I'll take a bruise; I know you're worth it

When you hit me hit me hard

So...

In many ways I find these lyrics profound, and in some ways, relevant to me. It's all about being in love with someone who is technically 'bad for you'. Although with this song, its more about an abusive relationship either emotionally, physically, etc, I can identify falling for someone when you know 'it' will never work out, and will inevitably end up hurting you ( get my drift now?) .

Often I find myself doing this, albeit on a far smaller scale, and to a lesser extent. And I won't call what I feel/felt 'love' per se, but attraction of varying intensities.

I was thinking of going into specifics initially, but have decided against it.
Presently, I feel this way for a few guys(really few okay!) at the same time- all of varying degrees, and subject to change at any point. Yes, I do think we can all feel this way about the opposite sex at times- feelings are really hard to deal with, especially when young.

And funny enough, with all of them I have the same problem. We're never around each other for too long. But when we're together its great and despite all the fluctuations there's still this level of permanency that I do like them that way. And I can't wait to see them, but life happens and I can't be near any of them. And with each of them is something unique about who they are, but also something so obviously 'wrong' about the relationship itself, that shouldn't work.

Yet I still find myself wishing it would.

Arrgh- I doubt I'm making much sense, so I guess I'll just end this with a quote that may or may not explain what I'm feeling...
 Actually this time I have a couple:

'I've learned that there are people that truly love you, but they just don't know how to show it'


'Late at night when all the world is sleeping, I stay up and think of you... and I wish on a star that somewhere you're thinking of me, too'




'I just wonder how many people never get the one they want, but end up with the one they're supposed to have.'

Anyone else in my boat?

Cathy.

Charlie Brown

What is light but rings of depth
What is happy that is borne of sadness
What is soulful but first touches the ears
What is cherished but first understood

What is important but can always be lost
What is visible but can go unnoticed
What is of now, that some place in the past

secrets and dreams might make us happy
fame and riches might be the difference
But amidst the joy and the smiles
when the mirth makes the moment alive
We will never be lost and we will never feel down

We all hope to live like Charlie Brown.

sunrise and writers

We seek happiness and we want to laugh

We move through life always trying to avoid the stings

We accept the reality but we reject the bitterness

We want to be wise but never let go of our youth

The lights shine bright

The world is at our feet

The moment is ready and the time is right

 Beauty is short lived but character is sweet

The time that will be spent, the memories we will relive

The words we shall speak, the questions we shall ask

The opinions we build on and the thoughts we cherish

The bold and the beautiful

There is something about poetry that is amazing. Every day we speak words that we never know the value of. when you mix and match two very dissimilar words both serving one purpose the moment is alive and the sound is as sweet as a thousand drums being played in symphony. But there is something about a writer that is concealed, you cannot write so much without thinking so deep. Still we might only ever get to write a millionth of what we think, And I guess that is why sometimes you do not need to have a complete  story...just a line that will lead the way to others.

When I write I am telling a secret that is still a secret because you can never fully comprehend in much the same way that you cannot ask a bird to describe its adventures. But you can still look up at the sky and marvel at its flight because that is what life is about; unanswered questions, unhindered thoughts, and wild hints that guide us through.

I will always encourage a person to write what they think rather than say it. That to me is the fundamental difference between a novel and speech. One is a moment, the other is eternity .And yet both are an outlet, built upon the same emotions and that same inspiration. It is just that the speech maker was brave while the writer was valiant....playing even his last piece if that is what he needed to protect his king and capture his opponent....willing to give all to keep one. Perfecting the house to the last brick.

Some write and some speak- some are bold and some are beautiful. some are old and some are wise  But we have the same intention; we carve the footsteps we want others to step in.

Duby.

hearts and pieces; le chat et le renard

hold me tight make my dreams come true
laugh with me make me come alive
say something new make my mind spark

tell me your dreams let this fairytale happen
lets be spontaneous  life is short
lets make a play of time nothing is sure

I dont understand fully, not nearly wise enough
some things you just do, you dont need to think
lips are subtle hearts are brittle
so kiss the former and love the other

People are complex, minds are weirder
everything is not easy, but this is simple
I am cunning you are curious
you are sweet, I am honey
We are free, we are young

If tomorrow the stars shine brighter the smile will be broader
If the sun shines on my face the memories would be merrier
Times  may change, bodies might age
I am here, you are there
But some things remain the same
You are a cat, I am a fox

one moment that eternity will not steal.

Duby.

hearts and pieces

The one who could not be saved

Here is a story about a boy and a girl. The girl had never loved; the boy was to be lost. It started out like any relationship in the 21^st century; first an invite (facebook) then a connection (Skype), and then a spark (love). Questions ran through her mind.  Is it possible that he might be the one to make it true? Can this be the love I have always feared…could I one day be strong enough to feel and lose?

I had never seen him before and yet he had seen me; sometime in the past as kids we had met and he was the one who remembered everything. For once her normally perfect memory failed her for she could not recall a face…could not even ascribe a name or personality. And yet she allowed herself to accept the fact that he was not a stranger, because she wanted him to be a friend. Many times in life we meet someone that makes us feel happy but only rarely do we meet someone that makes us feel true….someone that makes us feel special that we are who we are. Some would later on call them acquaintances, others would say they are friends…but as far as faith goes I like to refer to them as the ones ‘to be saved’.

Trying to find a boy you like is like trying to guess which is the best book on a shelf by observation; at first we notice the fine edges and then we admire the title, but we still do not know what this book contains…still cannot be sure of its reliability as an interesting piece of work that would make our time and money worthwhile. And then we dare to read the writer’s review at the back. At first we lightly surf through the summary albeit a bit curious. And then we read it closely, this time paying more attention to hints about the book’s nature and uniqueness. In many ways this is what many would use to judge the book in finality. But with me, it is the comments of other notable figures at the bottom (such as newspaper bodies, famous authors, and outstanding media figures) that would eventually serve as my final basis of judgement….that would be the key to making my choice.

Like a book, every person has an outline. The fine edge of the book’s spine are what keep the book together in much the same way as our bodies are what enhouse us and make us functional. In the same way a book has designs to make it attractive so also do people have faces that will serve to set them apart from others and make them look more or less striking. The many pages of a book are like the many colours of our personality. You can act in so many ways and yet still be one character, one individual, one person, one heartbeat. In much the same way a book has so many themes but one distinct plot; one conclusive ending.

One can love a thousand times but never understand. Because like a rainbow love is a perfect beauty as it is a rare complexity. But you cannot touch a rainbow and you can never hold one down. Yet you believe that it is a rainbow because you can see it. You admire its existence though you cannot guarantee its longevity. Trying to comprehend love is almost as impossible as attempting to chase a rainbow.#

Duby

Beautiful Irony

Its amazing how in life we meet so many people whom we would never know. Billions of people walk the earth, the common ground  we share and yet we would never be able to know who are they are. We might see them but that is mostly as far as we would ever get because we are all sourjourners in this journey that is defined as life.

They all walked along the curb each in deep thought or subdued silence
Sometimes their shoulders brushed against the next, sometimes they felt the presence of another
The streets were rowdy yet there was a silence that no one could hear
The symphony of their  footsteps made a tune, sang a melody of purpose
They looked to the sun, they felt the brightness of day
But the light that shone from the faces and hearts of those around them was was more luminous
Yet it was unnoticed, no one could see it, any sense of what was around them was amiss

They say life is an interesting journey, they say it is a never ending pain
I say life is a beautiful irony, but also one we would never figure
for we walk the same footsteps of those that preceded us
And we create a light for those who would come after us
But as we search for light and hope all the necessities for our existence
Never once do we notice the others
Those that walk beside us, those that creep behind us
We are lost in this hurry
We all sourjourn in this quest we've defined as life

Duby.

Some thoughts

Oh the perils of being too young
But 'far-too-old!' to play and sleep

They drive us night and day
like herds of cattle, forced to read

'Look to your future 'ole girl', he'd hiss
'I wish, old man'- he'd never guess- 'and leave just all of this'

Because then I'm seated in First Class first
A night, a new country- for a new day

And round my neck, expensive glass
A doting man would wave my way

I'd speak of things that'd help the world
And strategies to change Her ways

And when I'd have them by the rope,
Like Ghandi, raise my hands in hope

For now though, I realise
This wooden desk will suffice

And these glamorous wooden dolls,
Will lend me a silent applause.

-Cathy

Going with the herd

Its amazing how nowadays being different is so absurd. Ive always felt that it was more of a challenge and possibly more normal to want to go against the 'mainstream'(As ironic as this is). And that way you can at least lay the foundation for a claim to be unique. As far as the rules of engagement go nothing says that we cannot make a complete sentence on a chat page without using slangs or shortening our words. (Not that I am detached from this accusation).

This is however a minute part of the problem or what I like to call a folly of the electronic age. People are more driven to gadgets and technology than they are to the people around them and there is a rapid loss of the understanding of what is important. As times keeping changing we keep redefining what we once called our 'values' and our 'beliefs' Its almost as if we do not want to be left out of the picture while also  trying to be the ones to capture the image. I guess what most people do not understand is that in order for you to hold onto yourself you have to let go of who you want others to see and concentrate on what you need to do to be who you want to be. We need to stop listening to mainstream music and maybe question what exactly it is in the lyrics that gets us, that makes us so attached. We need to ignore what fashion says we should wear and and maybe consider what kind of image we think defines our character.. ..A flowing gown or a pair of jeans? A cap or a hat? In regards to the issue of relationships maybe we should not focus so much on getting rid of the loneliness and embrace the people around us that make us happy. After all is said and done what is the point of life if we are not enthusiastic?

You only have only one shot at life so make it count. One day try to be leave the herd and form your own. Be your own shepherd.

Duby

Creative Corner: Magic Realism

Bonjour tout le monde!

 So I am currently obsessed with a unique literary style I recently learnt about called 'Magic Realism'. Basically, it is pushing the bounds of our human reality in the most realistic, logical and probable way possible. No hint of how absurd the concept may be. You can find out more about it online.

Anyway, I am so fascinated by this style because of its uniqueness and freedom of form- it basically embodies all I find cool about literature and living. Murakami's 'The Dancing Dwarf' was the first piece I read, and it inspired me a lot. With magic realism, it is as logical to be sipping tea mid-air while conversing with the president, as it is doing so on the ground- you just have to make it seem so. And the characters are detached and largely aware of the absurdity of this- so cool.

Therefore, my creative advice today is to have a go at Magic Realism. Don't stress about it a lot- just have a go and have fun with it. All your wildest dreams as expected and logical as water boiling.

The perfect background track for inspiration: Ra Ra Riot's cover- Suspended in Gaffa

Have fun writing, and 'Be Creative!'.

Cathy

P.S Here's my first attempt - a short intro to a story I might develop. What do you think- weird enough for you? ;)

‘Just beyond there’, the young elephant pointed at me, jerking his trunk for emphasis. His trunk was a peculiar shade of green today, much different from the sterling grey coat he must have dyed it last week- it was obvious he had a cold. 

‘Thank you- and by the way, a stronger dye would hide the colour easily’, I whispered before leaving.

The elephant blushed, but still mustered a polite smile. It made me feel a bit bad. Pehaps, I shouldn’t have mentioned it. I mean, it was a well-known fact that all elephants dyed their skin grey, but one of those things that no one really talked about- as distasteful as talks of apartheid or the holocaust. But I had thought this young chap may not have minded, since his trunk wasn’t actually the original pink at all- but a sickly green.

‘Well... goodbye then’, I murmered, shifting my feet awkwardly.

 I was halfway there, I spun round for one last glance at the kind young elephant- now thinking I should’ve apologised for crossing the line. But of course, the elephant had already left. Honestly, sometimes I don’t get it. If I had pink skin like the elephants' I’d parade it everywhere- so pretty. And why they thought grey was a much more enviable hue- I do not know. I guess that’s elephants for you- always obsessed with looking the ‘part’- whatever that is.

Advice for a brand-new Adult( on her 18th birthday!)

Dear friend,
(With a fitting cliched beginning:)
It seems like only yesterday I saw your first birthday (which was in fact your 12th as we'd only met at the beginning of secondary school). But oh how you've not really grown at all! You still argue when you know you're wrong, still do that weird twisty thing with your hair when you're tensed( which will invariably lead to aloepecia), and still love and embrace life with all the gusto and all the innocence of a new-born rock star!


Therefore,  with all the wisdom of a best-friend who is at least a year younger than you, I have composed this list:


1) Be Spontaneous: No better time than now to remind you of the best piece of advice, which just happens to be first given me by you. Now that you're getting old and greying, make sure to keep that in mind. No matter how bogged down you get with the drudgery of life- randomly stop and smell the roses, kiss that passing stranger(not really), and burst out in song when you feel like it. I'll try to be there to fill the awkward silence when you do so...


2)Go to Ireland: Galway girl can't wait forever! There really is something magical about there be it Northern Ireland or the 'real deal'. Maybe you can finally live that Holly-Gerry moment, huh?


3) Don't 'DO IT'- 
You know what I mean. Not that I question your chastity or anything, but in a world where values are changing fast, and even the rest of our friends are giving in- try to remember it's best to save it for your 'one and only'...

4) On that note Do 'Get a Boyfriend':
I'd say it's about time now, don't ya think? And I know, I know- it's not really your active choice not to have one. But try opening your eyes to those you least expect - without compromising standards.

5) Take more pictures, make more videos: Honestly there is nothing better than documenting your life, really? Even when there's absolutely nothing special to document. It will come in handy when you're bored one day.


6) Stop any remnant  'childishness': Now I am NOT calling you out or anything, before you kill me! I 'm just saying if ever you get the temptation to be mean to someone, complain ridiculously or get overly-jealous about something trivial- NIP IT IN THE BUD!

7) Keep the 'child-likeness': Be free, Be trusting, Be trustworthy. Enjoy sweets and gum drops, wear that bright pink whatever- you know......

8) Get back to the Classics: What happened to those old Hamlet quotes you'd recite each day? Any you haven't read, get to reading and impress/annoy me again :) 

9) Once you do get a Boyfriend- DON'T be boy-crazy: Please, please don't 'cos guess whose gonna have to deal with the annoying worries, pleasantries, and post-break up 'Oh-My-God-I-Thought-He-Was-Perfect tears'....

10) Start working on that 'Bucket  list'- Not in the sense that you're getting old/nearing death, but in the fact that these our things you've always wanted to do. Remember how we started drawing them up last summer?

11) But remember- life is a marathon, not a race- So the process of getting there, is just as important as the achievement itself. Take time to relish the daily routines...

12) Never forget to have the occassional 'I'm gonna stay in my pajamas today', 'I'm gonna have a lie-in' days- they are essential

13) Try to make a mark on the world or at least, in someone else's life: Do something- write a book, get to painting, get to charity- have something you'll be remembered for.

14) Listen more: More knowledge is gained from taking in, than spitting out.

15) Travel- You know that's one of the top things you said you have to do. No matter where you work or what you do, make sure you go somewhere exotic...

16) But when you do, keep in touch, ok? And not just with me, or your family, but with the friends I know you're already letting go of. Call them up sometime

17) Believe in Fairytales, and Magic: I do not know who this slightly cynical personna I am starting to see more of is, but i advise  you to screw her and her over-realism. What would the world be without ideals- whether they pan out or not? You are not Miss Harry Potter-Movie Watcher-Extraordinaire for nothing! I know you will find him- I'm sure you will- and you'll have that life you dreamed of so long.

18) Be true to You and to Him- And this time I don't mean a guy- I mean God. Don't forget who you are- a Christian African child. That come with so many implications and responsibilities to others, yourself and God. Don't let anyone make you feel less; don't be pressurized into anything- and keep hope, faith, and love alive.


I love you now; I'll love you always. I'll be here to make sure you follow through.

Your bestie;
Cathy.

On the Loss of Innocence and Being-too-Young

I remember how there was a time when I could never fathom the following:
How Black Americans in the time when racial aggression was at its worst could live in a neighborhood where daily their friends and family got beaten, shot, or lynched.
How people in Afghanistan could go on living in an area where each moment laid imminent death by the Taliban.
How could they carry out any semblance of normal living at such times, and in such areas?
Why wouldn't they just leave?

Now, when I read about how a girl was returning from the market on her way to dinner,  when suddenly a soldier raid rampages her neighbor hood, or how a man was driving home from work and was suddenly shot by a member of the KKK, my senses are not completely shocked at the complete contrast of the two happenings.
I understand perfectly how my country can be deemed a terrorist nation, facing internal war from a religious sect, and I can still go on living there with my family, and living a relatively normal life too- watching movies, going to Church, having parties.

I read daily that another Church had been bombed, another raid unleashed- and with the full knowledge that it could have just as easily been me, I wake up and do the same tomorrow.

Why it is this way- I do not really know.
But sometimes leaving just isn't an option- and not even in the physical sense you may think I mean.

Maybe it's because leaving just isn't the answer- but that's probably not really why.

But it doesn't just stop there- I myself have been a subject of a dreaded news take on a crises. It was horrible, I was shaken- but I'm still there and I still live.

What I have learnt is this: We can never just stop, we have to keep moving-to carry on.
And sometimes these things that happen really are greater than us, and all we can do is be moved, swept by the tide.

Harsh fact for someone whose barely lived.

I really am too young, to be feeling this old.

-Cathy

TO AN AWSOME FRIEND AT THE DAWN OF HER 18TH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!1
BONNE ANNIVERSAIRE!!!11

HAVE AN AMAZING DAY DEAR FRIEND AND CO-BLOGGER!
Even though I can't be there with you :(

All of you readers send her some love and blog advice. I will attempt to come up with a proper birthday post for Duby- our co-blogger!

Love you always DUBY!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Cathy

A Rant?

'Germans are stupid'

Ok, so I have this little stereotype stuck in my head. I know it's obviously wrong, and that it only holds true based on ad hominum logical fallacy. But I honestly don't care- at least, not now.

A lot of times you go on hearing that we've come along way, and that Racism is a thing of the past- a non-subject really.But I am sadly certain that it's a thing that may never go away. And not because it can't, but because it's continually propagated- by both sides. And not in the tangible way it was before- that was the easy part. Now its subliminal it's in ideas, in comments, in charity- in matters you just can't pin point.

But that's not what I'm about to focus on- no lofty ideas for now.

I just have a case in point, is all.

As an African studying abroad, after previously not doing so: I came smack faced with it on a daily basis. But sometimes it becomes so open and obvious- but still in that way that remains so elusive.

1)A German boy  having watched me run a race( the only black person running) went up to another African girl and told her 'Congratulations on running':
a) This boy has been in my class the entire year
b) this boy is friends with the girl he mistook me for
c) There are only 4 black girls in our year(myself included)- and neither of us look alike
d) To further this- I am tall, thin, with a short curly hair style. The girl is Short, plump, with huge long braids

And I am just like:

2) We were at a UKCAT(Medicine test)  test preparation session when a black friend of mine came out on top in the decision analysis section. This section deals with encoding cryptic messages based on numbers representing disjointed groups of words.  A Girl( another German) made the following comment:
'It(her success) must be because that's how they talk where she comes from'

Once again:

Now I know this is ignorance.
And society today will tell me to 'chill out-obviously they don't mean it or can't you take a harmless joke?'

But you know what, society? No I *OBSCENITY* can't, because it doesn't matter whether they say this with the hatred of the KKK, or the stupidity of ...Bozo the clown! I don't care.
This, my friends, is the exact reason why racism will never end.
And until we learn to stop letting it go as a joke- this intangible elusive subliminal *Obscenity* we call racism like an annoying itch- will never leave.

And here is  the reasoning behind my claim, in the words of Aibileen Clark from The Help:

''- stop that moment from coming – and it come in every child's life – when they start to think that colored folks ain't as good as whites" 

-Cathy

On Helping People

Ola Friends!
Ok so this will be a very short post as there TONNES to read on the site I'll be redirecting you to- so hold on to your keyboards peeps!

So there's this charity I am apart of called Living Stories Foundation- and it is involved with the publishing of short stories of children living in harder conditions of life- poverty, abuse, trafficking etc. And here's the catch: the stories are ALL written by the children themselves!

The charity was founded and is run by high-school students themselves, which is just MIND-BLOWING!

It seeks to empower the children it helps. To not speak on behalf of the children it serves, as most children charities to do. Rather, to enable their own voices be heard. All funds generated from the sales of these short stories collections go back to helping the children themselves, and reaching out and aiding others in conditions similar to them.

However, it is a relatively new charity- and needs all our help to get it off the ground.

That's where you all can help:

1) Share this post with all your friends, family, and associates. Raising Awareness is one of the major goals of Living Stories Foundation (ie through its publications). They need all the publicity they can get!

2) Visit their site @ http://livingstoriesfoundation.blogspot.co.uk/ for more information on how to take an active part in realising their project.

3) Or contact them directly at:  livingstoriesfoundation@gmail.com to show your support for what they do, and for the effort the KIDS themselves put into writing those stories- it can't be easy.

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE!!

Love always,
CATHY.

I am soo excited about turning 18.....but i dont know how to celebrate

Dear Readers/followers,

I am sooo excited about turning 18!! (birthday is July 3rd) even though i dont know how i am going to celebrate or if my best friend(who's also my co blogger- cathy) will be around.But ive been to student forums to  read up on things that people do when they turn 18. I have to admit people are sooo funny and creative. My best options so far have been these ones:

1.   Go paintballing or orbing with your friends

2.   Go on a track day and drive supercars such as the Audi R8, Ferrari F360 and the Aston Martin

3.   Get your hair cut, nails done or just have a relaxing massage

4.   Go on a ghost hunt!

5.   Go on a Superbreak

6.   Go see your favourite comedian, band or artist in concert

7.   Visit Cadbury World and see how that delicious chocolate is made

8.   Go on a House Of Fraser personal shopping trip

9.   Treat yourself to a theatre package

10.  Do some skydiving or try your hand at some other extreme sports

11.  Find out what deals are on in your city today and over your birthday

12.  Have a Superbreak

13.  Go on a hot air balloon flight

14.  Get a group of mates and go Go Karting

15.  If you love football then why not go and see your favourite team play at home or away or go on a stadium tour.

16.  Treat yourself to a makeover with the girlies and drink complimentary Buckz Fizz whilst your there

17.  Have a birthday bowling session with your family and friends

18.  Go for a tour of your favourite football team's stadium

19.  Celebrate in a local nighclub with your friends

20.  Why not get a tattoo now that you are legally of age?

21.  Attempt visiting 18 bars/clubs/pubs for your 18th do

22.  Kiss 18 boys/girls (whatever tickles your fancy!)

23.  Go on a spa day or weekend

24.  Go ape!

25.  Look around for a wicked leisure centre with loads of slides to go to

26.  Watch the latest movie at your local cinema

27.  Organise the local paper to feature the persons birthday and photo in the special announcements section

28.  Go to a sushi restaurant

29.  Go to Nandos, Zizzi, Pizza Express etc for a nice but inexpensive meal

30.  Have a group hot tub with nibbles and drinks

31.  Have a game of golf against your friends

32.  Go to a casino.

33.  Go to your local Gala for a game of Bingo with your friends

34.  Go skydiving if you're feeling brave

35.  Go for a professional photoshoot with friends or family

36.  Go and see an IMAX film

37.  Go to the zoo

38.  Propose to the one you love with some great proposal ideas

39.  Go skiing or snowboarding

40.  Go swimming with dolphins

41.  Go travelling

42.  See a clairvoyant and get your future and/or past read

43.  Go to the seaside for the day

44.  Go on a all day bender with your mates

45.  Go out clubbing

46.  Go to a festival with a load of your mates

47.  Go to M and D's theme park in Scotland for the day

48.  Order an indian, a chinese or some sushi to eat with friends and family

49.  Go Glamping (Luxurious camping)

50.  go to an amusement park! ( Thorpe park!!)

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

 I must admit some of them are quite eccentric. But nothing is ever too odd if it will put a smile to your face.  I know not everyone takes birthdays seriously but ive such a perfect vision of my birthday since forever.....whether or not that will be the reality is a different case. Who knows what tomorrow brings? Girls just wanna have fun as cyndi lauper sang. wish me luck xx.

Duby