Use by October 2013

Me (in a deluded state) - Exotic is beautiful!

My Wise Friend (trying to make up for having introduced me to the Man With An Expiry Date) - Exotic is far away or comes with an expiry date...

Expiry dates on men, you've got to love the diversity of complications you get in London! 

If only they came with a label on their forehead "Use by October 2013". 

(On the back of the label it says:  Display a love of life and immoral western women until: see reverse).

Ideas

Dear 2011,

You are only 9 days old, and yet during your short life you have already taught me so much. Thanks for bringing me precious teachings every day:

1) If you're going to come to stay with me London but won't tell me the dates, you're probably not a great idea

2) If you're about to move to a different continent, you're probably not a great idea

3) If you already live in a different continent, you're probably not a good idea

4) If I work for/with you (even extremely indirectly), you're probably a bad idea

5) If you have a non-girlfriend you're reluctant to mention and you spent Christmas with, you're definitely a bad idea

6) If I've hooked up with your friend, you're probably a pretty bad idea

7) If we're in the same car/flat as your above mentioned friend, you're probably a really bad idea

8) If you are going to have an arranged marriage in a few years, you're definitely a really bad idea

9) If I've been ignoring you for the past 8 months, going to your leaving party is probably not a good idea (but curiosity is the engine behind everything, isn't it?)

I can hardly express my gratitude for all these teachings. But, if it's not too much trouble, dearest 2011, would you mind dropping some hints on what a good idea would look like?

Many thanks and kind regards,
Nuru (the African light that blinded me)

PS. They say Africa is the story of how we begin to remember

1, 2, 3...

New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions are overrated. As my father put it, on January 1st everyone's still a bit drunk, on the 2nd they're full of good resolutions and on the 3rd they've already forgotten them all. 

So my resolution is: have fun and make the best I have with what I've got. 

Here's what I've got:

It's January 3rd now and as far as men go this year has brought me one long lingering (4+ years) and perpetually inconclusive ("I love you (dearly)" "I want to marry you" 'I'm dating someone else' 'I'm living in a different continent', I've dropped of the Face of the Earth, but worry not, I will climb back on!) very good looking friend, currently living in a different country (but same continent) announcing his arrival in London in the next week, of course staying at my house, as visitor #584 in 3 years!

"It's Christmas so I wanted to tell you"

Everyone's watched Love Actually this year and really got in the holiday mood.. or at least this seems to be the theme of these holidays. M. and I got a total of 4 - two per head - (semi) unexpected (sort of) declarations of love that we're still not quite sure what to make of. I think we're leaning towards "ignore and carry on". Oh and we also got some sort of absentminded holiday greetings from The Guys we are obviously Not At All Into, becasue they are Such A Bad Idea.

Happy New Year Y'All! Wishes of travels and not missing too much all the places where you can't be at once!

End of year Lists & Love

I'm reading one of those cheesy girl power books I've always made fun of. It says to make a desire list and thank you notes- what you wish for and what you're grateful for. 

I can't miss the chance of making lists, so here goes! :)

Wish list: 

I want to sleep in a warm and clean bed with a comforter, in my house
See my parents and hug my brothers and talk to my grandmother

I want a kitty
A manicure

A hair cut

I want to live in Africa
And enjoy the London life

I want to fall in love, and I want it to be good and I want to not be scared

I want to ski and dance

I want to look good because I feel good

I want flip flop sun tan marks on my feet in December
and jewellry from around the world

I want good Italian food - and ugali and gallo pinto when I need those weirdly comforting foods
Snow in the Alps, and watch the snow fall outside of my London living room window
The African sun and Coca Cola in the winter

I want to keep loving my job

I want to be really tired from doing what I love
and I want to do the best I can with what I've got, with this life
Nice winter clothes- matching hat, scarf and gloves
Friends I can count on in 4 or 5 continents

I want to write and read and dream and be inspired

I want to learn and remember and believe and trust
Cook and take pictures
Exercise
Laugh

A lot of the things on my wish list are things I already have and am grateful for, so here's my thank you list:
I'm so grateful for my brothers and the love and understanding only siblings can give you
My parents and everything they've done to make me who I am
My grandmother's endless wisdom and support

I'm incredibly thankful M. and I crossed paths, unlikely as that was, and incredibly grateful for how close we have stayed over the years - and for the access to technology I always have and how we keep in touch in spite of time zones and intercontinental moves
I'm forever amazed and in eternally grateful disbelief for the chances of birth, so unlikely I can't even comprehend it
Friends, Family
Sun, Snow
Travel, Music
Everything I have seen and experienced and all the people I have met
Life Health Love
And having the time to think about how grateful I am for everything I have

Breaking News: Fall Off The Face Of The Earth Explained!

Ladies and Gentlemen, THE faller-off the face of the Earth, the founder of the movement, leader of the trend, mover of the crowds, mind behind it all, the first one who ever fell… climbed back on (thanks to Facebook, of course) and EXPLAINED the reasons behind his fall to my friend.

Thanks for showing us the light, we are forever grateful!

And the reason was… he thought she was too good for him [and therefore he went and dated a blonde sorority girl]. They say women don’t think logically and my very feminine lack of logic leaves me incapable of comprehending the logic behind this. Now (five years on) he felt the need to tell her she’s the best thing he’s ever seen. I completely agree, she’s the best thing I’ve ever seen – maybe I should have been avoiding and ignoring her too.

I find this massively flattering: it clearly means that every single guy who ever fell off the face of the Earth in my life thought I was way too good for him. Thanks for the ego-boost guys, but please stop feeding my ego the way you have been or I won’t be able to fit in this room!