Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Kwaku Doe - Inflation Hits

Yep, Kwaku will now not accept my measly Gp50.

I haven't really interacted with Kwaku Doe in a while. A couple of days ago, I was the passenger in a friend's car and when we got to his spot, I saw it as an opportunity to have a conversation with him. I looked inside the car and found some coins. I put together Gp50, dropped the rest of the coins in the car (he actually saw me do that) and handed my bait to Kwaku. Guess what? He goes like it's not enough and he can't do anything with Gp50. When I look at him open mouthed, he goes like "awwww madam, you know me and my situation. we have been talking a lot. this 50 pesewas is not enough".

My friend gives me a you-gotta-be-kidding-me look and I silently hand over the rest of the coins to Kwaku Doe. By the time all that was done, the traffic light had turned green and we had to go.

All I got to say is Kwaku needs a job. The begging can't possibly sustain him cos all I got to give him is Gp50 (even that one kwraa, it is a lot to give someone that has done absolutely no work for you).

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Everyone has a Secret

Yep, we all sure do have at least one secret. That thing you did that you don't want anyone to find out about. It's funny though cos God does see all and chances are someone helped you do a cover up so that someone does know. Or maybe something you did with someone that you don't want to come out, but the someone you did the something with knows. Ok, are you as confused about all I've written as much as I am? Sorry, not my intention, but if you think about it, everything I just wrote does make sense, at least small :P

So, what's your secret? Wanna share? How about you fess up now before someone reveals it? Or will you take your chances and hope to take it to your grave? Even then, you realise it just might still come out even when you dead. Filla is still filla whether or not the person it is about is still breathing or not.

I was thinking though, how about we all write our secrets in a book and keep that book locked up somewhere (maybe in a safety deposit box in a bank or something). That book of secrets can only be read when the owner of the book (writer of their own secrets) is dead. And how about the reading be done at the funeral out loud to all present (let's see how many donations will be made and how many tears will flow then). Maybe people will be a lil more forgiving since the person with the secrets is dead.

Just my mind in overdrive though. But I know if my secrets should be revealed especially to those that would be hurt the most, I'd rather I wasn't there.



Roverman Productions in partnership with Joy FM and Graphic Showbiz presents "Everyone has a Secret", a play written and directed by Uncle Ebo Whyte.

Why will a man have an accident and hide the true details of the accident?
Why will his wife wish him out of her life and perfectly pretend she loves him?
Why will a man try to disrupt the marriage ceremony of his friend?
Why will a man chicken out of his own wedding the morning of the ceremony?

"The price for cheating is just too high"... (tell me about it)

"Everyone has a Secret" tells an intriguing story about a group of friends who gather to have a nice holiday. Things don't quite go as planned as they all end up facing their darkest secrets. The ones no one dares talk about except...

Venue: National Theatre
Date: 1st and 2nd December, 2012
Time: 1st show 4pm, 2nd show 8pm
Rate: GH¢40.00

Tickets are available at Shell Shops at Airport, Achimota, Sakaman and Tema Community 11, Baatsona Total, Frankies Osu and Accra Mall, Joy FM, JaneAnn Supermarket and Pills and Tabs.

Main Sponsor - MTN

So tell me, what's your secret? (maybe I won't tell anyone)

Friday, October 26, 2012

Adventures in a Foreign Land - Almost Feels Like Home

Overcrowded neighbourhoods, dilapidated buildings, overflowing garbage bins with an indescribable stench, artificially created footpaths where there once might have been a well manicured lawn, cluttered balconies and groups of people sitting outside watching your every move with overly suspicious stares. Did I just get off a bus or did I just walk out of an aeroplane? I know I just got off a bus so why do I feel like I'm home? Last time I checked, home was over 6,000 miles away.

A walk through Central Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba had me wondering if I was back in Ghana or if I was still in Canada. Something had to be terribly wrong. No part of Canada is suppossed to remotely remind me of where I came from, or so I thought. What even baffled me more was, everywhere I turned, I just kept seeing other Africans like myself and a few other minority groups including a group I had come to learn about during my stay in the country, Aboriginals. I would almost have fit right in if I didn't feel like and wasn't being treated like a stray.

All I had wanted was to get to know my new environment as much as I could in the short time I had. Last thing I'd expected was to find a bit of my country in this country, especially since I had only been exposed to the plush neighbourhoods I had expected to see. As a matter of fact, I lived in one such neighbourhood. Of course, I termed these neighbourhoods plush by my standards.

As I got on a bus to ride out and head on back to the plush neighbourhood with a bougie name (Royalwood) I lived in, I couldn't help but hope all the people back home who would do just about anything to get out and seek greener pastures in the West could see what I'd just seen. Sad thing is I was one of those people. Worse yet, even though my neighbourhood in Accra was not as plush as the neighbourhood I lived in in Winnipeg, it was so much better than this place I'd just left.

Moral: (yeah, there always is one) there's no place like home :D

This is so not Gh



Tuesday, October 09, 2012

I So Totally Miss Kwaku Doe :o(

It's been ages since I last blogged about Kwaku Doe. Why? Cos I don't use the same route to work no more. I hardly ever see him. If I do see him, then it's cos I'm headed home and he's on the other side of the road :o(

I do get to see him on Sundays sometimes but we hardly get to talk. I remember there was this Sunday, I was just at his spot and there was this physically challenged man begging. Kwaku was also making his rounds but the other guy was a step ahead of him. Now, I knew the traffic light was just about to go green so I was a bit impatient when the other guy got to me first. I couldn't wait for him to leave but I dint have enough money on me to give him and Kwaku, and there was a lot of questions I wanted to ask Kwaku. I waved the physically challenged guy away and Kwaku saw it and I guess he concluded I was not in a giving mood. Urgh! I was pissed at the other guy then I felt bad for being pissed at him.

Anyways, something happened last Sunday that I dint quite get. A couple of Sundays ago I asked Kwaku how long he'd been begging and he said he'd been at it for about four years. Then last Sunday I asked what he'd been doing before he started begging and he says that's all he's been doing like forever. I'm starting to think he prolly dint understand my question. I should have spoken a local language or something. He must not have understood the English I spoke or he couldn't express himself well in English. Whichever ways, I'll get another shot maybe next Sunday.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

I Remember You

On this day, I remember you.
You would have been 29 today but you dint quite live to see 22. You left this world 5 days to your 22nd birthday. I want to say more but my eyes are just welling up.

I still remember you, not just on this day but all the time. I miss you terribly.

RIP.

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Heaven Has No Rage Like Love To Hatred Turned...

How many of us know where the phrase "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" originated from? How many of us know it's a paraphrase? The full phrase is actually "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned". This was a line in a 1697 English Play, The Mourning Bride by William Congreve. Yay! We learnt something new today. Enough with the literary history. But seriously, when one hates someone they used to love, it is so much more intense than hating someone one didn't particularly have any feelings for. That reminds me of another phrase "a thin line between love and hate". Oh yeah, how thin that line is.

That said, did you get to watch "Don't Mess with a Woman" last weekend? If you dint, shame on you. If you don't even know what that is, more shame on you. Naturally, I'm a nice person so I'll share. "Don't Mess with a Woman" is the latest play by Uncle Ebo Whyte and if you missed it last weekend, you can still catch it this weekend. It'll be showing again at the National Theatre on the 8th and 9th of September, 2012. 1st show 4pm, 2nd show 8pm on each day. Tickets go for GH¢40 and are available at Shell Shops at Airport, Achimota, Sakaman and Tema Community 11, Baatsona Total, Frankies at Accra Mall and Osu and Joy FM.

Nothing stops you from watching again if you already did though. Seriously, I could watch the play 100,000 times and not get tired and still laugh as hard as I did the very first time I watched it. Why won't I? With people sending testicles, singing and dancing bridegrooms and Indian jujumen, trust me, you can't help but laugh.

As with every Uncle Ebo Whyte play, there are of course some important lessons to be learnt. Come watch and find out the lengths to which an angry woman will go, to get her revenge on her boyfriend and bestfriend.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

It Bothers Me!

I don't know why it does but there's this billboard I see every morning on my way to work and it so gets to me (for some reason).

The billboard advertises a religious conference and it's got the pictures of the speakers (all of them pastors). Two of them have posed with a hand each in a fist and showing a ring. Matter of fact, when I see the billboard, all I see is the rings (I don't even know what the conference is about and when it's gon be held cos I just see rings) and it bothers me. Is it some pastoral ring or something? (I just might be that clueless).

What's up with the rings (and they are huge too)?

Monday, August 20, 2012

Don't Mess with a Woman


In partnership with Joy FM, Roverman Productions Presents "Don't Mess with a Woman", a play written and directed by Uncle Ebo Whyte.

What do you do when your best friend steals your man? For Naa, that is a simple matter - just steal her wedding. And how do you steal a woman's wedding? This is the story told with wit and humour in "Don't Mess with a Woman", the latest play by Uncle Ebo Whyte.

"I don't think a woman knows herself anymore when she is pushed to the wall" - Naa in "Don't Mess with a Woman".

"Revenge is sweet but in the long run, it is empty and very expensive" - Odame in "Don't Mess with a Woman".

Venue: National Theatre
Date: 1st and 2nd September, 2012
Time: 1st show 4pm, 2nd show 8pm
Rate: GH¢40

Tickets available at Shell Shops at Airport, Achimota, Sakaman and Tema Community11, Baatsona Total, Frankies at Osu and Accra Mall and Joy FM.

Main sponsor - MTN, everywhere you go.
Other sponsors - Blue Rose Limited, Onga, Alvaro, Merchant Bank and BF Soap.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Adventures in a Foreign Land - The Blizzard!!!

As usual, I woke up, took a shower, got dressed, had breakfast, got my coat, mitts, muffler etc. and headed on out. I open the front door and oh my goodness! (I dint even get to fully take in what I was saying "oh my goodness!" to cos I had to attempt to shut the door with lightening speed). My goodness! the gust of wind that blew in when I opened the door eh, hm, if I hadn't been holding on to the door, I'd prolly have been blown onto the ground. I literally had to fight against the wind to shut the door (seriously).

Ei! I had never seen that much snow in one place before. Everywhere was just white and the snow in the driveway was like waist deep (I am not exaggerating. I should prolly add that I used my height to arrive at that estimation).

Obviously, it dint make much sense to go out in that weather besides, it was a 20 minute walk to the bus stop (I couldn't imagine doing that walk in that weather). But hey, I had to get to work and it was just about 20 minutes to the time the bus I needed to board to get downtown, would arrive at the bus stop. I did contemplate waiting for the lady I lived with to show up from work, which would be in a couple of minutes (she was on night shift). At least then, I'd get a ride to the bus stop. Decisions, decisions. And I had to make that decision chop chop (time was running out).

Eventually, my Gh friend (I lived with her too) advised that we brave the weather and head for the bus stop (made sense. afterall, in that weather, we had no idea when the lady would get home or if she'd be willing to go out again).

So, on we went, trudging through snow that was knee deep (knee deep for the both of us) and yep, I had my first fall right after the driveway :( Turns out it was gon be the first of many falls {the wind just kept blowing me onto the ground snow, (seriously). Don't know if I am that light or the wind was just that strong, or a combination of both :| }

Hmmmmm... the 20 minute walk turned out to be an hour and a half walk :o The wind was just too strong (I guess that's why it's called a blizzard), I kept falling onto the ground snow (I even gave up after a while and just sat down for a bit) plus it was very difficult to walk fast or walk at all in snow that was knee deep. The roads were being ploughed but the sidewalks weren't :(

Obviously, we missed the bus and all we could do was sit at the bus stop, which wasn't even sheltered and contemplate whether we should go back home or attempt to walk to another bus stop. We were out of breath and the thought of walking any further wasn't appealing at all. Worse yet, we were literally freezing at this bus stop. We had to make a decision and act on it fast (walking dint even keep us warm). It was just too cold and if we sat at that stop any longer, I'm sure all that would be left of us would be ice sculptures :o

And then, Halleluyah! We spotted the lady we lived with driving towards us. Apparently, she'd seen us on her way home, made a turn around and came to get us. The heat in her car was just such a relief (I have never been that happy to feel heat. Well, I could count a couple of other times I was but this one tops all those other times). She dropped us off at another bus stop, which was thankfully sheltered (at least we got some heat) and where we could easily get another bus headed downtown.

We got to work eventually though we were awfully late but hey, who was checking? We'd just survived our very first blizzard (my bum was real sore afterwards though. the snow cushioned a bit but not completely).

Moral? Your friends don't always have the best advice. Bad weather isn't really always just an excuse not to be at work. If it's a blizzard, abeg, stay at home (even if you have a car).

It is refreshing to blog about something other than food :D

Monday, July 23, 2012

Adventures in a Foreign Land - Poutine

What is poutine? Poutine is a French Canadian dish, made with french fries (chips), topped with brown gravy and curd cheese. Sometimes additional ingredients are added e.g. beef, pork, lamb, lobster, shrimp, caviar (I do have a story on "my first caviar", but this is getting too food related), but basically it's french fries, gravy and cheese. Does sound kinda yucky huh? (yeah, that was my first thought when I heard what went into it). This is what poutine looks like.
Poutine - looks yummy?
I remember there was this time I went out with a friend, I ordered a burger and he ordered poutine. I just kept looking (more like staring) at him as he ate and I actually asked if he was enjoying what he was eating. He just gave me this totally incredulous look and was like "of course".

Sometime after that, some Ghanaian friends invited myself and my Gh work colleague out to lunch (of course this time we went very prepared to pay even though they are guys and Ghanaian). We get to the restaurant, look through the menu and we both order poutine while the guys ordered something that sounded familiar (I think one got french fries and lamb or something and the other got rice). I really would have ordered a burger but I wanted to know what poutine tasted like. The food arrives and guess what? I couldn't eat it (neither could my Gh friend). Eventually, she gave up and joined the guys to eat their "familiar" food, but I was determined to eat what I had ordered (and all I kept saying to myself was "where's the MEAT?").

At the end, the guys paid for lunch, I dint enjoy my lunch and I so wished I'd just ordered something else.

Moral: (is there even a moral to this? yeah, I think I can find one) it's good to try out new stuff but you won't always enjoy all the new stuff you try (condition your mind to that) & don't try out new food on an empty stomach (you just might end up regretting big time and just eating what's in front of you just cos it's food) plus it doesn't hurt to give up (sometimes). I seriously wished I'd given up and joined the others to eat the "familiar" food (the guys would have understood. they really dint get why we ordered what we did and they kept trying to get us to change our minds. I'm sure in their heads it was all "I told you so", but they were nice enough not to voice that out). Matter of fact, I dint join them cos I was just fronting (acting all like I was enjoying it when I wasn't). It doesn't hurt to admit when you are wrong (afterall, you human).

I hear poutine is actually real good depending on where you get it at. It might have tasted better if I'd got it at say Burger King or A&W (I had it at a university restaurant).

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Adventures in a Foreign Land - The Sushi Date

Where I’m from (at least what I’m used to where I’m from), usually, when someone invites you out to lunch or dinner (basically to do something that involves the spending of money), unless otherwise stated, the person (or people) that did the inviting pay for that something.

I’d never had sushi (the thought of raw fish still sends something up and down my spine) before so of course I was curious about it. Imagine my excitement (ummmmm... I think) when two of my work colleagues invited myself and another Gh gal out for lunch, and we were gon have sushi (Yay!). This invitation came a week before the lunch date (I guess you could call it that) so we had a whole week to contemplate how this date was gon go. I was of the opinion that we should go prepared to pay for our food especially since the invitation came from females (besides I’d heard that even with guys over there, you’d still have to settle your own bill). My Gh work colleague however was of the opinion that since we were “sitting our somewhere”, and these ladies felt we should try sushi (it is after all more than just raw fish. I always thought it was all about fish that was raw), then they would have to pay (I really don't know where this idea came from ooo... it was more of gals gals going to get lunch or something. why did we expect them to pay for us?). Of course you can’t blame her cos we were barely surviving on the money we made plus jeez! just about all of it went into paying bills (yuck!). We dint exactly have enough to spare on food we’d never tasted before and we weren’t even sure if we’d have to go look for some fufu to swallow afterwards in order for this sushi to digest. Besides, we always brought lunch from home (much cheaper).

Ok, so it was the day of the date (really, I don’t know what else to call it), one of the ladies drove us to the sushi bar and we left the “inviters” (doubt if that’s a word) to order. Oh my goodness! The food was actually really good. I loved it (at least I loved their selection). Of course I dint waste time trying to use the chop sticks (why bother when there was a fork?) And yeah, I did stink at using chop sticks (why would anyone want to eat with sticks anyways? that of course is a topic for another day).

Sushi done, waitress brings the bill and these ladies take out their cell phones to do the math :o Yep, they split the bill four ways L (these people paa... If I'd known, I'd have eaten more. the food was served on a tray and everyone just ate as much as they could).

Me, I came prepared papa. Matter of fact, I came over-prepared. I paid for myself and even had enough left to sort my Gh friend out (obviously, the money she had on her couldn't cater for her portion of the bill).

Moral of the story: there's nothing like over-preparation (seriously), your assumptions aren't always the truth (when in doubt, seek clarification) and it doesn't really hurt to try new stuff regardless of how weird they seem (who would have thought raw fish tasted good? some of it dint taste so hot though. with those ones, I dint eat too much, but if I'd known I was paying for them, I'd have eaten more papa). And finally, your friends don't always have the best advice (I have another story to illustrate this point. imagine if I'd also showed up with little or no cash).

P.S. my next adventure also has to do with food but it so does not mean I'm all about food (just a coincidence).
P.S.S. I tried Thai food some time eeeh and it was nice papa. This one I dint pay for. Was brought in for lunch during a board meeting at work (how I ate). There's this one with coconut juice in it... mmmmhmmm...


Thursday, July 05, 2012

The Other Day I Should Never Have Forgotten...

After my experience the previous semester, I made it a point to leave home 3 hours to the start of each paper, have enough money on me, and make that decision to pick a taxi when it was about 2 hours to the start of a paper, and of course to read all instructions and information on any question paper before answering questions (there's a reason why all that information is printed on the paper).

So it's the next semester, examination time and time for the psychology (the other course I took in Humanities) paper. I get to campus with 2 hours to spare before the start of the paper. I decide to read through material I had on the course and after an hour, I get everything ready.
Pen - check
Pencil - check
Eraser - check
Ruler - check
Correction Pen - check (some of the stuff, I dint really need but I brought them along anyways)
ID card - ???
ID card - ??? (where is my ID card?)
Oh my goodness! I decided to switch handbags that morning and my ID card dint make it during the switch. It was an hour to the start of the paper and obviously impossible for me to go home and make it back in time for the paper. What was I to do?

I decided to make for the exam room and hoped and prayed the invigilators wouldn't hustle me about not having the university ID card. At the entrance, there was this very hard to ignore notice that said students without ID cards would not be allowed to write the exams, but I decided to not see. I went in, found my seat and got comfortable. At this point, it was about 25mins to the start of the paper. At about 10mins to the start of the paper, I asked one of the invigilators if I would be allowed to write the paper since I dint have my ID card with me. He asked if I couldn't read notices :(

The invigilator told me I could get a provisonal ID card at the Registry and thankfully, my exam venue was the Great Hall which really is close to the Registry. I made that decision to go get myself a provisional ID card there and then, cos I knew there was no way I would be allowed to take the paper without an ID card, plus once I see the questions, I wouldn't be allowed to go out unless I was dying or needed to go to the washroom (for some reason they always made us start the paper befor checking for ID cards).

I run as fast as my legs could carry me (without tearing a hamstring of course) and headed on to the Registry and oh my! then it hit me that I just might miss that paper. There was this crowd of people there (apparently I wasn't the only one that needed a provisional ID card that morning). I started psyching myself up to take the course the next year but the thought of all the stress I'd been through that semester (standing during lectures cos the class dint get divided in two like the sociology class and there was just too many of us) just pushed me to the front of the crowd only to find out that the office we were supposed to go into for the provisional ID card was locked.

Turns out one of the staff (he wasn't even a staff. he was a national service personnel) locked the door and came out periodically to take down the names of those standing outside in order to search the computer for their information. I waited for like 10mins and then finally this guy opens the door and comes out. I had my name already written down so I hand the sheet to him, others do same and he heads back inside (of course locking the door behind him). He did come out eventually with printed versions of the information the Registry had on us (that was supposed to be the provisional ID card). I really should have been excited cos I had the provisional ID card, right? WRONG! This was the point where the guy announces that the provisional ID card has to be signed by someone who wasn't even in. Matter of fact, he dint know when she was gon arrive. The guy then goes back in and shuts the door (seriously? I could have murdered him at this point :| ). After another 15mins (the paper had already started), this rather kind gentleman shows up, asks us (the crowd) what we doing there, we explain to him and he makes the mistake of announcing that he can sign for the lady. At this point, the crowd starts heckling him and the huge guys start shoving the small people (myself included) out of the way to make it to the front. The kind getleman makes it into the office and everyone else follows him in. The national service guy, with the help of some staff shove us all right back out and lock the door.

I felt like crying :( Ei! what was I going to do? The paper had been going on for like 20mins. Hmmmm... The kind gentleman really was a kind gentleman cos he unlocked the door after a while and asked us to come in, in an orderly manner (seriously?). Quite a number of the students had their exam venues far from the Registry and they had all started panicking. Most of the girls were crying. I was on the verge of tears but refused to cry (and my exam venue was even quite close). At this point, it was more of survival of the fittest and it sure dint look like I was amongst the fittest.

I looked at my watch, it was 25mins since the paper started, and I knew I had to do something. I wiggled my way to the front of the queue (more like the front of the horde of people) and I wasn't bothered who or what touched which part of my body (trust me, guys were touching places they shouldn't have even been looking at). Finally, I was at the front. The kind gentleman looked up to hand someone their endorsed sheet of paper (ummmm... I mean provisional ID card) and that was when I flashed one of my killer smiles (you'd have to see to judge for yourself :D ). He looked directly at me and asked for my provisional ID card. I handed it over to him, he signed and gave back to me. I said thank you and that's when the tears started flowing. I managed to flash him another killer smile and then I took off.

It was exactly 30mins since the paper started and I run even faster than I did the first time to the exam hall (again, no hamstring injury). I think I forgot to mention I synchronised my watch to the clock in the exam room when I was in there earlier, so I was pretty sure of the time. I made it into the exam room and headed for my seat (thankfully, I knew where it was since I'd been there already). I sat down and an invigilator handed my a question paper. Of course I read all the fine print on it before I started tackling the questions.

Everything was going smoothly (or so I thought) until I heard something like an argument behind me. It was the head invigilator arguing with one of the students. The invigilator was asking this male student to walk out since he saw him walk in 30mins after the paper had started. The student kept insisting that he walked in right when it was 30mins after the start of the paper so technically, he hadn't broken the rules, but the head invigilator would have none of that. The student finally accepted and got up (in my head I was like, thank goodness at least now I can have some peace of mind to think and answer my questions in peace). Not even in my wildest imaginations could I have come up with what happened next.

This student, instead of walking out of the door, made his way towards me. He points at me and says to the head invigilator that he walked in the same time I did so then I should be sent out of the exam room as well. He further added that he was even at the Registry with me getting a provisional ID card and we both left just about the same time (I have never really ever felt like murdering someone ever in my life the way I felt like murdering this guy. honestly, if I had had a gun, I'm sure I'd still be doing time in prison for his murder). I was writing at this point and there and then, my hands started shaking, and all I was writing started to look like a language that wasn't English. I was still writing because I was trying to appear nonchalant. I dint say a word. The student just kept going on and on about how I should be sent out of the exam room, the head invigilator just told him, since he, the invigilator did not see me enter, then he can't send me out. The student would however not let down. This whole thing went on for like 15mins until the head invigilator got some of the other male invigilators to forcibly remove the guy. I don't believe I have breathed in that hard since.

Results came out the next semester and I had an A in the psychology paper (whew!). All I can say is God is still in the miracle business.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Day I Should Never Have Forgotten...

There's days we tell ourselves we'll never forget, cos those days might have had some sort of impact on us. Well, I forgot one such day (I really don't know how I did). It wasn't until last week, when I watched a video of retired British athlete, Derek Redmond in the 1992 olympics that I remembered (you know, the 400m semi-final where he tore his hamstring, could have lay down on the ground in pain, but decided to finish the race anyways, and his dad came down to help him). Honestly, watching that video got me teary eyed (I have watched it before, but I still get that way whenever I see it).

So what am I talking about? No, I never tore a hamstring. Matter of fact, I doubt if I could do a 400m walk (just kidding :D )

In the 2nd year of my undergraduate programme at UG, I took a course in humanities (sociology). I was a science student (small class sizes) so it was a shock for me joining the arts students (huge class sizes). I made it through the first semester and then it was time for me to justify my inclusion (I've always wanted to use that phrase. I meant, it was time for exams). At the time, I was a non-resident student living in Dansoman. It is quite a distance from Dansoman to Legon (we dint have the George Walker Bush Motorway a.k.a. N1 at the time) so I made sure I left home 2 hours before the start of each paper. It had worked well for me since the exams started, and then it was time for the sociology paper. I left home and stood at my junction like I always did. I waited and waited and waited and waited, but all the buses (tro-tro) that came by were full (I guess no one was getting off between the station and my junction). After 40mins of waiting at my junction, I decided to pick a bus from my junction to the station where the buses loaded. I get there and there's a queue which I joined. Fortunately for me (or so I thought) a bus came right away and started loading. Just when it got to my turn, the bus was full and the mate (bus conductor) wouldn't let me take his seat. I wasn't too bothered (I probably should have been) cos at least I was first in line.

It was an hour to the start of the paper and I was still standing at the front of the queue, no bus in sight. I waited 5 more minutes and then I knew I had to do something. I could pick a taxi but then I dint have enough money to pay for it. Aha! Yep, I had a light bulb moment. My grandma also lived in Dansoman and I could go to her house and ask her for money to pay for the taxi.

I picked a taxi and gave the driver directions to my grandma's house. It was at this point that I started to panic. What if she wasn't home? It was 50mins to the start of the paper and it wouldn't take less than an hour to get to Legon (that would even be on an extremely good day).

Finally! Something actually went my way that day. My grandma was home and when I explained what was going on, she seemed even more panicky than I was (if that was even possible). She gave me the money for the taxi and I jumped right back into the cab and asked the driver to step on it. Told him to use all the short cuts he knew and get me as fast as possible to Legon. Unfortunately, it seemed all the short cuts the driver knew were the most traffic laden routes that day. I once saw this quote (I guess it was a joke) somewhere that said "a short cut is the longest route between two points", well, on that day, that quote made so much sense.

Eventually, I make it to the examination hall and it was 29mins after the start of the paper. The university rule says no student will be let into the exam hall 30mins after the paper has started. So yes, I did sprint from the taxi to the exam hall, but no, I dint tear a hamstring.

From that point, things seemed to go pretty good for me. Just when I entered the exam hall from the back entrance, one of the invigilators quickly ushered me to a seat close to the back. The norm was to look for your index number and sit at the table where your index number was written, but that would have wasted more time plus if the head invigilator had seen me, I'm sure I would have been kicked out of the exam hall cos though my watch said it was exactly 30mins after the start of the paper, the clock in the exam hall actually showed the paper had been going on for about 35mins.

This kind invigilator quickly got me a question paper and an answer booklet and I got right into it. But oh my. It was as though I hadn't studied at all. All the questions looked foreign and I knew I had not seen most of the stuff on the question paper before. At first I just thought it was nerves but I concluded the examiner was just a wicked person cos I knew I had studied hard for that paper. I tried to answer as many questions as I could but I knew most of the stuff I wrote dint even make any sense at all. For a second, I thought it would have even been better if I hadn't bothered to show up. At least then, I wouldn't be graded for a paper I was obviously going to fail.

After what seemed like forever, (time just seems to come to a stand still when you have a question paper in front of you that you can't even answer. Made me wonder where that "stand still time" was when I was running late for the paper) yh, so after what seemed like forever, the head invigilator announced "Group A you have 1 hour left and Group B you have 30mins left". OMG! I could have kicked myself at that point. Of course the questions looked foreign. That's cos I was answering Group A's question paper though I was in Group B. The sociology class was so large that we had been divided into two groups. Those whose index number ended with an odd number were in Group A while those of us whose index number ended with an even number were in Group B.

Each group had been taught by a different lecturer during the semester and we had constantly debated on whether or not we would answer different questions. That made a whole lot of sense since what one lecturer taught was totally different from what the other taught (I always wondered about that since it was supposed to be the same course. "What's the point then", I always asked myself). Cos I was late and in a hurry to just get into it, I dint take time to read the top of the question paper, which clearly said Group A. I just read the instructions on how many questions to answer. The lecturers also thought it wise not to officially announce to us that each group would be answering different questions prior to the start of the exams (I guess they figured we were literate enough to read Group A and Group B on the question papers. Besides I'm sure the invigilators asked each student what group they were in before handing them a question paper).

With 30mins left, I motioned for the kind invigilator (who was still for some reason but fortunately hovering) and told him I was in Group B. He was so apologetic and couldn't stop saying sorry (I actually almost felt bad for him. I tried not to be too mad at him. After all, he did me a favour by allowing me in).

So I spent 30mins on a one and a half hour paper and I honestly dint know I could write that fast. I wrote so fast and my handwriting was so bad that I couldn't even read what I'd written, and though I always made it a point to read through whenever I wrote a paper, I barely had enough time to answer the questions, forget the reading through bit. I submitted my answer booklet knowing it would take a miracle to get me anywhere near the pass mark.

This post has got real long already so let me wrap up. I won't go into the moral of this piece. I'll just let whoever reads it pick something from it on their own. All I can say is, I forgot just how much of a fighter I was (yeah, was).

The results came out the next semester and I was one of the few that had an A. Miracles do happen :)

Monday, June 18, 2012

Kwaku Doe - Napping

I don't really write much (at all) about Kwaku Doe these days cos I use a different route to work. I pass by him on my way home though but I can't interact with him cos of the direction I approach him from.

So of course I was thrilled on Saturday when I had to go out and I went by his spot. Imagine my disappointment when I dint spot him. I actually had my motivator ready, together with a bunch of questions I wanted to ask him, but seems I went by at the wrong time. I did see him eventually but he was lying comfortably (he looked like he was) on the sidewalk with a cement block as his pillow. I almost motioned for him to come, but then again I doubt if he'd have been thrilled to have had his afternoon nap disrupted because of a GH¢0.50 coin.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Keeping My Cool!

More like fighting myself to keep my cool.

I haven't had electricity for the past five (5) days. Thought I was living in the capital city of Gh. Dansoman isn't really a bougie neigbourhood but at least it's cool. I so feel like I'm living in the dark ages (literally). People in my hood just seem to be giving up cos I realised yesterday that two more houses had gone and got themselves generators. Maybe I should just shut up and get myself one.

According to ECG, (of course I called their customer service line) there's a blast transformer in my area and they've been working at replacing it (for the past 5 days) *rollingmyeyes*

Whenever I feel like losing it, (I so have a reason to right about now. My wash and wear clothes are finished. How do I go to work tomorrow?) I remember this picture I saw on someone's profile on foursquare (another social network, I think) and then I keep calm.

How true...
I was so upset yesterday, I dint care if I was gon boil yam or rice, and then I saw this sticker at the back of a taxi. Oh my goodness! I haven't laughed that hard since "Trials of the Ghanaian" ;)

hahahahahaha...

Thursday, June 07, 2012

Is The Ghanaian A Chameleon?

YES!!!
How else would you explain how the same Ghanaian who is able to function so well in the Ghanaian system, moves to a foreign country, functions just as well (maybe even better) over there, moves back to Ghana and seeminly forgets how he/she was functioning outside, and just falls back into the Ghanaian way of doing things?

Yep, the Ghanaian has to be a chameleon, changing its colour to suit whichever environment. Where and how did I arrive at this analogy (sounds brilliant huh)? Well... it's not mine. I picked it up last weekend from "Trials of the Ghanaian". A play written and directed by Uncle Ebo Whyte. Seriously, if you missed it last weekend, all I can say is, "HOW COULD YOU???" *angrylook*

I honestly do not remember the last time I laughed so hard. Who would have thought it possible to have so much fun and walk away knowing there was a message in there. But seriously, it makes sense that ECG workers take their kids to work and it is them that play with the switches. Why then do the lights go on and off in Gh without a care to the fact that people own electrical appliances that can get damaged?

I had quite a number of "aha!" moments watching the play (I would never in a million years have likened the Ghanaian to a chameleon). I honestly can relate to that analogy (even just within Ghana). You know how things work different in the private sector as opposed to the public sector in Gh? So, I found myself in the private sector (obviously working efficiently) and then I moved to the public sector (I dint say things don't work efficiently there ooo). In such a situation, a string of things could happen, possibly in succession. You will get on people's nerves cos you like work too much. People will overburden you with all the work cos they know you will do it. You will adjust (change your colour) and be just like everybody else. I am not proud to say that I am at the last phase now :(

If you are in Ghana and missed the play last weekend, don't berate yourself too much cos guess what? It's showing again this weekend. Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th June, 2012 at 4pm and 8pm. Tickets go for GH¢40 and can be bought at Roverman Productions, Joy FM, Airport Shell, Koala, Frankies (I think) and there's other places too that I can't remember *embarrasedlook* but yeah, ask around. And if you already watched it, we can all watch it again cos I'm sure watching it this weekend :D


Come and see and experience customer service Gh style, kids of ECG workers playing with the electricity switches, University graduates who learnt by rote, passed their exams with flying colours and can't function on the outside (the government of the republic of Ghana is a monarchy... hahahahahaha...) etc. Trust me, you will laugh saaaa...

Monday, June 04, 2012

Adventures in a Foreign Land - The Slurpee

My new friend told me I couldn't leave without trying a slurpee. This was somewhere at the end of Summer. Sounded like a good idea especially since I was all for trying anything I hadn't had before (I guess it's normal when you find yourself in a different place for the first time). Summer rolled to an end and then Fall and then it was Winter. I still hadn't had a slurpee (matter of fact, I dint even know what it was. it could have been an exotic dish for all I knew though the name dint exactly sound exotic). For everyone else that's as clueless as I was when I first heard it, a slurpee is a flavoured frozen drink kinda slushy (ice that's melting). There's another (it really is the same) called a slushie. There's this shop on the oxford street in Gh that sells it but it's quite recent (at least it wasn't there a couple of years ago) and I haven't tried it.

Winter's almost over, I'm about to leave, I'm packing my stuff, I still haven't tried a slurpee and my stuff won't fit into my suitcase (last thing I wanted to do was show up at the airport with excess luggage). One thing I learnt, which I obviously dint learn in Gh was to keep receipts of all purchases I made. Why? Cos depending on the item, I could return it to the shop and take my money back, within a certain period of time (now, how cool is that? :D ). So, my stuff wouldn't fit and fortunately, I'd bought quite a number of things the previous week that I dint mind returning (at least I'd get my money back).

I picked a number of stuff I bought from the same shop so I wouldn't be moving round from shop to shop (it was almost Spring but it was freezing out there) and headed on out. I get to the shop, return the stuff, take my money and head on out to catch a bus back home. I was a couple of minutes early (had like 15mins). Wasn't sure if I should head back into the shop cos it was pretty cold and it wasn't a heated bus stop. And then I had a light bulb moment (brilliant idea). I had spotted a 7-eleven shop not too far from the bus stop (about 4mins away) and since I'd still not had my slurpee, I decided to go try it out (I had the time besides, what did I have to lose?).

I get to the 7-eleven shop, pick a large slurpee cup and fill it up with a mixture of different flavours. I'm sure I spent too much time trying to decide on which flavours to go with cos when I got out, I spotted the bus I was supposed to be going home with driving off. Oh my goodness! It was a weekend and the next bus would come by in like an hour and a half. I couldn't wait that long. Besides, I had to repack and I dint have that many days left. I knew there was another bus stop about 10mins away so, I walked that way hoping a bus would come by that would be headed my way.

Slurpee in hand, I begun my 10 minute walk. Now, it was about 25 degrees below zero, it wasn't snowing but there was thick snow on the ground (for some reason they don't plough the snow from the sidewalks on weekends). So yeah, I kinda understood the stares I was getting from other paedestrians and occupants of vehicles that passed by me. The stares did get worse when I got on the bus. Yep, I caught a bus just when I got to the other bus stop. It wasn't exactly going in my direction, but it was headed to the bus terminal at the mall. There, I knew I'd definitely get another bus that would take me closer to home (at least the shelters at the terminal were heated).

I waited like 15mins at the bus terminal and I finally got a bus that was going towards my neighbourhood. That was good news in itself but there was a catch. The bus did drop me close to my house alright. But I had to do a twenty minute walk to get home. I lived in this neighbourhood where everybody (the grown ups) had a car. Buses did operate in my neighbourhood, but that would be early mornings and late afternoons where students were either going to or coming back from school. The buses dint operate on weekends (no school). To go out on a weekend, I'm either hitching a ride with someone or I'm doing a twenty minute walk to catch a bus.

By the time I got home, my slurpee was frozen solid (wasn't slushy anymore). I did have a bit of it on my way (walking, in the bus and at the bus stop), but I had to stop cos it'd got too solid for the straw to be of any use, plus I started concentrating on keeping my fingers warm. They were near frozen even through my mitts. I placed my slurpee in front of the heater in my room until it melted a bit, and then, in the warmth of my room, I was able to really enjoy my slurpee.

The moral of this long winding story: Never give up on what you believe in regardless of how crazy it may seem even to yourself (would have really helped if I'd had a car though. I still can't believe I put my fingers through that torture).

P.S. my estimation of the number of minutes it takes to walk from one point to another really is about how fast my legs can carry me.
May the souls of all the lives lost in the plane crashes in Gh & Nigeria over the weekend rest in peace.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Fender Bender - Seatbelt to the Rescue!

Sounds dramatic enough? Good. I'll make a swell Gh journalist :D

I never thought the day would come where I'd be promoting the use of seatbelts. Yep, that day is today. I'm not much of a seatbelt wearer but lately I wear mine religiously, why? (ummmm... why am I asking a question I'm gon answer myself?) Cos I got tired of parting with my money anytime a cop stopped me cos I dint have it on. Plus I'm pretty tired of hiding and trying to avoid cops (as though I were a criminal). It's worked well thus far. My money's being saved up for more Kwaku Doe interogations and I'm not into hide and seek no more. Basically, I feel free.

Now, I have another story to tell. Wearing my seatbelt saved my life (well, that is kinda exaggerated, but it sort of did). I'm driving home from work one day and I have a passenger (one of my work colleagues). I of course have my seatbelt on but she doesn't. I'm not particularly bothered cos I know the cops are not going to hustle me if my passenger doesn't have their seatbelt on (pretty selfish huh?). I have sat in cars where the driver insisted I put on my seatbelt, but like I said earlier, I'm not much of a seatbelt person and I know seatbelts weren't invented for the reasons why I even put mine on.

Ok, so we are headed home and then we get to this roundabout. Like I was taught in driving school, I give way to traffic on my left, but most of the cars on my left were just going straight (i.e. to my right) and the cars there were kinda backed up. I on the other hand was going round the roundabout and the cars weren't backed up there. Of course, being Gh, the cars to my left wouldn't stop so those of us going round could move. It was more like "if I can't go, then you won't go too. besides, I have the right of way". Finally, there was an opening, so I made for it as fast as I could before the car on my left moved to block me. The car to my right moved forward fast and in my haste, I dint see he had come to an abrupt stop. Alas I drove right into him. I hit his bumper real hard (I think). I say I think because I honestly don't think it was that hard and neither did the driver of the car I hit (I'll get to him in a bit) but my passenger thought otherwise.

"Oh Jesus, oh Jesus, Dentaa, oh Jesus, Dentaa, Oh my God" - this was coming from my passenger. And I'm thinking, why is this woman over reacting? I turn to tell her to stop being so melodramatic only to find half her body on the floor of the car and the other half sprawled on the dashboard (seriously, I am not being melodramtic). That was when I understood all the drama coming from her. Me, I was where I was supposed to be, in my seat supported by my seatbelt. Since I was the culprit, I found a spot, parked and waited dreading how much I was going to spend fixing the guy's car. Actually, it wasn't damaged. No dent, just a bit of his paint job came off. I'm parked thinking the other car's going to park so we can decide on what to do but no, the guy just drives off. And guess what? He was talking on his cell phone the whole time, (no headset. he had the phone to his ear) but at least he too had his seatbelt on.

Always wear your seatbelt (where it's available) whether you are drving the car or just a passenger. Drivers, insist your passengers put on their seatbelts (for thier own sakes). Gh cops, hustle drivers when their passengers don't have their seatbelts on. Don't talk and drive especially on a cell phone (even if you have a headset on. It can be distracting).

I checked the front of my car and it was fine. No dent, no nothing. Just a bit of the other car's paint job stuck on my car. And now I'm praying he doesn't read my blog and find out I'm the lady that run into him (just in case he got home and decided I should pay for his bumper to be sprayed).

Thursday, May 17, 2012

11 Things You Might Not Know About Me...

I was tagged by Didi in the 11's game and now, I'm going to try to stick to the rules.

Rules...
i. Post the rules.
ii. You must post 11 things about yourself.
iii. Answer the questions that your tagger posted for you.
iv. Create 11 questions, then choose 11 people and tag them to answer your questions.
v. Remember to let them know you tagged them, no tag backs.
vi. Let the tagger know when you answer their questions.

11 things about me...

1. I am a very reserved person (yeah, that's actually true).
2. I like talking plenty (how do I combine 1 & 2 you ask? See  3).
3. I spend lots of time in front of the mirror talking. Helps me know myself better and resolve unresolved arguments with others (in front of the mirror, I win all those arguments).
4. I love music but I can't possibly tell you what my favourite genre is cos I end up liking different songs of different genres.
5. My favourite song changes just about every month or week or day or hour or minute (might be a new track or an old one, depending on when I first heard it).
6. I don't have a favourite food but when I like a particular food, I can have it morning, afternoon, evening. Right now I'm liking noodles. Just trying to figure a breakfast version (I should try making indomie with sugar and milk and see how that goes).
7. Of course there's a catch to 6. When I get tired of the food I like so much, nothing will ever make me eat it again (indomie, your days are numbered).
8.I like answering questions and responding to enquiries and correcting erroneous thoughts about something I did or dint do. Unfortunately, my boss doesn't see it that way. He thinks I like talking back.
9. I'm not much of a golden mean (that's the smartest thing I've said yet. Has to do with Aristotle) person. That means when my boss says I like talking back, then even if he accuses me of homcide, I'll nod my head and say nothing. It's difficult finding a midpoint. I'm usually one of two extremes.
10. I have a killer smile and pretty eyes (seriously).
11. Right now I'm wondering why this couldn't have been 10 things about myself. I've run out of stuff to talk about. Besides, 11 is a weird number. #justsaying

Answers to Didi's questions

1. Do you have any pets? *sob sob* since my last pet dog died (it was the 3rd pet dog I've had. The first 2 died too), I've decided it's too much for me plus I'll just spare the world of dogs from my wonderful ownership.
2. If you were an animal in the wild, what animal would you be and why? Wild? If I was a domestic animal, I'd be a dog so when I die and go to doggy heaven, I'd ask my former pets if I did anything wrong that made them die. In the wild, I'd be a cheetah so I'd be the fastest animal cos I'm not much of a fast human. At least I should be fast if I'm an animal.
3. Do you agree when I say religion is doing more harm than good? hmmmmm... Really, I think it's the extremists.
4. What's your favourite song? Right now I'm loving "what doesn't kill you (stronger)" by Kelly Clarkson. Of course that could change in the next minute.
5. Do you think non-christians are going to hell? Ei! Do you really want me to answer that? What if I'm not Christian myself, eh?
6. Do you forgive easily? Oh yeah, and then I go sit in front of my mirror and analyse the situation again and then I decide whether the offender deserved the forgiveness. But to their face, I forgave them.
7. If you had to go to the moon and take just one thing with you, what would it be? I would take a laptop or a smart phone so I could blog about my experience.
8. Would you agree when I say God needs the devil just to create a balance? Wouldn't really know about that. Been watching this series, "Charmed" lately. It's about witches, and they talk about cosmic order of things and how bad has to exist for good to exist and how the two need to coexist etc. Honestly, I just watch it cos it's interesting not cos I believe in any of that. If the devil dint exist though, who would people blame when they do bad stuff or when bad stuff happens to them? lol #justsaying
9. Do you love gadgets? Oh definitely. Sad thing is I'm not exactly technologically savvy.
10. What's your favourite colour? Blue (first straight answer I've given).
11. Is there anything you have always wanted to tell me? (ok, so you caught me off guard there) ummmmm... So after reading all I had to say about me and the answers I gave to your questions, what do you think about me? (I hope "anything I want to tell you" includes questions cos I just asked you one).

My questions...

1. What is your honest opinion about my blog?
2. If there was one thing you could change about the way I write, what would it be?
3. Is there any experience you've had that you would so love to relive?
4. If there was one thing you could change about yourself, what would it be?
5. Thus far, do you have any regrets in the life you've lived? Elaborate (sounds like an exam question).
6. What's your favourite food?
7. Do you have the ability and capacity to prepare your favourite food?
8. Can you sing?
9. Do you like your boss?
10. In your honest opinion, do you think the world would be a much better place without bosses?
11. Do you think an 11th question is necessary?

11 Taggees...

1. Docia
2. George Sebastian
3. Enyonam
4. Think-About-It
5. Humyborari
6. Nana Okyerebea
7. MissPf
8. GRIP
9. Priscy
10. HoneyDame
11. Hawa Kombian


Wednesday, May 09, 2012

What Would You Do?

I went to visit a friend yesterday after work and something happened that I'm still trying to wrap my mind around. It's been almost a day and I'm still stunned.

A lady was standing in the middle of the street beating a boy not more than 5 years old (found out later the boy's her son). I honestly thought she was going to beat the boy to death. I had to step in (surprising, since I'm a "mind your own business" kinda person) and then I found out why she was beating the boy and then I actually wanted her to beat him some more. I know, I know, that sounds cruel but lemme tell you why.

The lady had walked in on her son with another neighbourhood boy who'd be about 7 years old. (Guess y'all wondering what she'd walked in on them doing. I'm stalling mostly cos I'm trying to find a politically correct way of saying what I'm about to say but since there doesn't seem to be one, I'll just say it like it was). The 7 year old boy had the penis (dick) of the lady's son (5 year old boy) in his mouth (for once in my life, I was tongue tied and I wanted to join in the beating. matter of fact, I wanted to add the 7 year old boy to the beating). Turns out that was the second time the lady had walked in on her son with the other boy in that situation.

I have a whole lot to say about this but lemme ask, if either of them was your son what would you do? (do take note of their ages).



Tuesday, May 08, 2012

I Feel Cut Off :(

My BIS (blackberry internet service) expired at the end of April. I would have renewed it right away like I always do but I was actually enjoying the peace and quiet of not receiving pings on my BBM, having to reply them and explain why it took me so long to reply (some people just don't get that I got a job and I'm making a concious effort not to ping and drive) and of course I got to save my money too :D

Thing is, aside BBM, I got email, facebook and twitter on the go on my phone, not forgetting whatsapp. Of course I could always check my email, facebook (I hardly go there anymore, really don't know why) on a computer as well as twitter. It just seems like so much more work. Accessing all that on my phone made life so much easier. Right now, when you see me with my cell phone, it's cos I'm making or receiving a phone call, sending or reading a text message (wasn't that what cell phones were originally made for anyways?) or playing a game (seriously). Talk about going back to the basics!

Bottom line is, I FEEL CUT OFF! (and bored of course). I wouldn't mind reading some totally annoying BC right about now on my BBM. Regardless, I don't feel addicted to my phone (which addict ever admitted ever feeling addicted to whatever?).

I remember this study I once read about where students in a college in the States were made to go a day without media (cell phone, computer, television, ipod etc.) and blog about their eperience at the end of the day. Most reported going through withdrawal symptoms (seriously) and not only were they unwilling to live without media, they were functionally unable to. Makes me wonder what my grandma (matter of fact, my mom) used to do growing up. At least I still got my cell phone eventhough I don't have internet access on it.

Despite feeling cut off, I am kinda getting used to the silence (aka peace of mind). I just don't want it to be permanent. Does Kwaku Doe have a cell phone? And if he does, what functions does it have? (I just had to go there).

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Updates...

Remember the drive through food joint that wasn't really a drive through? Guess what? The building has a banner hanging up front that says "Pharmacy Opening Soon" (I wonder if it'll be a drive through pharmacy :D). I really wanted to take a picture of that yesterday and then today, but I'm staying safe now. No picture taking while driving.

Saw another traffic camera around Mateheko, and guess what? The traffic light wasn't even working. Matter of fact, the traffic light wasn't working yesterday when I passed there (been using different routes to work. Trying to explore Accra a bit).

It's been about four days of Glo in Gh and guess what? There's still a swarm of people in front of the Gloworld shops. I checked out one of their shops before they even started work this morning, and there were all these people outside waiting for them to open. The network must be that good. I must get me some Glo before they decide their freebies should be paid for.

Yeah, I would also have loved to have had updates on Kwaku Doe but these new routes I'm using lately, take me in the opposite direction of his "office".

Monday, April 30, 2012

Aha! Glo Works Now!

I don't know that for a fact, (I'm not on the network) but that's what media reports say.
On my way to work this morning, for obvious reasons, I passed in front of the Glo office in my neighbourhood (Gloworld, I think it's called). I usually don't use that route, but I did today (and obviously, I got to work late). Wow! I dint regret. The inside was packed to capacity and a canopy had been mounted outside with chairs arranged. There too was packed to capacity.

It's great the enthusiasm with which Ghanaians are receiving this new mobile phone company. I just hope we don't end up regretting it. It appears Glo already has more subscribers than Expresso (that's interested subscribers who have registered a phone number with Glo).

Note: Biometric Voter ID Cards Not Accepted!

Saturday, a friend calls me up. She's got another cellular phone (what's up with Ghanaians and multiple cellular phones?) and she needs a sim card for it. I ask her if she's got the sim card and she says yes but she can't use it cos she wasn't able to register it. Apparently, she'd tried registering it but was told by the phone company that the new biometric voter id cards were not accepted, and she doesn't have any other form of national identification.

Not long after speaking to her, I went to the bank to deposit some money into a friend's account. There was this young lady in front of me wanting to cash a cheque. She gets to the teller and as identification, shows her new biometric voter id card. The teller tells her it's not accepted and this young lady tries to argue but obviously, it was pointless. She then exits the bank. I guess that was the only identification she had on her.

I just want to know why the biometric voter id cards are not an accepted form of identification yet and why aren't these people telling us why they are not accepted (there has to be a reason, right?). Cos my friend wasn't given a reason and this young lady in the bank was obviously not given one. Seriously, it just makes people get into unnecessary arguments *rollingeyes*.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

What A Shock!

I remember someone sent me an audio file a while ago. I honestly don't remember it too good. It was something about age of death in relation to obituary title. I really thought it was a joke (just Ghanaians at our creative best). So you can imagine my shock when I saw this at the back of a bus this morning.



49 is kinda young

Apparently, age at death determines the title of the obituary."What a Shock", "Gone Too Soon" etc. are used for people that died young while "Call to Glory", "Home Call" etc. are used for people that hit three score and ten before they kicked the bucket. There's actually an elaborate break down in the audio file but I must have not paid attention plus I deleted it :(

Monday, April 16, 2012

VGMA's - Who Are You Wearing?

I know a lot of people are talking about the just ended Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) for a whole lot of reasons but I just have to talk about the red carpet.

Now, that part of the show was hosted by KOD and Confidence of Aphrodisiac (hope this is how she spells it) Night Club and Big Brother Africa fame. My favourite part of all that was when the hosts asked the celebrities who they were wearing (I guess which fashion designer made their outfit and accessories). Some mentioned some designers we are all familiar with (such as Dior), others used the opportunity to announce the fact that they are about to launch their own clothing line and are wearing a design from that clothing line, some others also mentioned local designs such as KOD's 1957 collection and then there were those who gave shout outs to their seamstresses and tailors, which I thought was interesting.

My seamstress sews real good but I don't even know her name. Actually, she's my mum's seamstress and she sews for me sometimes. I wouldn't exactly say what she sews for me are her creations cos I look on one of those calender-like charts with pictures of people in nice clothes and I pick a style I like. Sometimes I describe to her a style I saw someone wear, which I like or I even draw something I came up with (that would make it my design right? and she sews (I'm sure a lot of Gh seamstresses and tailors work like that). In that case, that wouldn't make them the designer, right?

My all time favourite was when one of the hosts asked a musician who she was wearing and she went like "my own design. I went to a shop and bought it". Another one was "I don't even know, I just put something together from my wardrobe".

So, next GMA's, celebrities that plan on doing the whole red carpet thing should start saving up right about now, so they can afford to get themselves some Versace, D&G or Dior or even something from one of the fabulous local designers. But seriously, enough with the shout outs to seamstresses and tailors (they aren't designers). But really, is the whole red carpet thing necessary especially the "who are you wearing" bit or are we just copying blindly?

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Kwaku Doe - Rise to Fame :o)

Well, I did make him kinda popular by blogging about him (definitely rise to fame :D)

It's been a year since I started writing about Kwaku Doe. Yay! Happy Anniversary on this blog Kwabena Bonnah aka Kwaku Doe. I started out writing about him in the "Plight of a Hungry Man" series and then I moved on to the "Kwaku Doe" series. Do read up if you've missed any of them.

I saw him this morning and I can't believe it's been a year already. The guy has been begging consistently for a year (he's been at it for more but I just started writing about him a year ago). Begging must be quite lucrative for him then. I doubt if he's looking for a job.

What has changed about Kwaku Doe since I started writing about him? He's usually clean shaven these days with a neat hair cut. He's developed a love for wrist watches. He's got them in different colours (red, pink, blue and a silvery looking one). Plus he seems quite taken in with skinny jeans. I totally love his pink skinny jeans. I must say he does rock 'em real good :D

I don't get to interact much with him these days but trust me, more stories on the adventures of Kwaku Doe (sounds like a movie or title of a book or something) will be coming up.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Feel Free To Die If You're Not A Driver

I really don't get this and maybe someone can explain it to me. For some reason, Gh cops are so interested in drivers putting on their seatbelts when driving, so much so that they'd arrest drivers that don't have theirs on (I'd know. Yeah, I've been caught a couple of times for that offence). They don't bother when a passenger doesn't have it on. There've been instances where I've been stopped and asked to put on my seatbelt when I've had someone in my front seat who clearly didn't have one on. And trust me, a driver putting on a seatbelt does not in any way motivate passengers to put theirs on (at least not my passengers) and I know lots of cars don't have all their seatbelts intact especially commercial vehicles, but is that an excuse? How do these vehicles get passed as being road worthy?

So, I guess a driver with a seatbelt on can prevent an accident? Or passengers are not in any danger when a car crashes? Or passengers can just go ahead and die? Or passengers can just get out and walk away from a car that's not theirs while drivers would most likely grease the palm of a cop in order to keep their car?

I know there are countries where drivers are fined when they or any one of their passengers don't have a seatbelt on. What's happening in Gh? I wonder if Gh cops know they can also arrest or get more money from a driver whose passengers don't have their seatbelts on (imagine the prospects. unless that's not an offence in Gh). Seriously,  these cops got me so jealous of passengers. I don't particularly like wearing a seatbelt but I got to if I don't want to part with my hard earned cash (motivation if you ask me. now where's the motivation for passengers to put theirs on?).

Saturday, March 24, 2012

My Big Day!

Last two weeks I'd say was my happiest day thus far (waiting on my wedding day and the birth of my first child to outshine this one though :D). So, what happened two weeks ago? By the grace of God, I graduated from the University of Ghana with an MPhil in Communication Studies *whew!* (felt like I'd been waiting forever for that day to come). It wasn't an easy journey at all (total understatement). It was quite a tortuous journey but guess what? I wouldn't trade it in, not for all the tea in China (I always wanted to use an idiomatic expression :D).

Ok, so I believe a brief history leading up to last two weeks would be in order (like I said, brief). My undergraduate degree was in Home Science and in school, I did a couple of internships with diet therapy departments in hospitals and a nutrition unit of a research facility. My national service was even with the diet therapy department of a hospital in Ghana. Obviously, the next logical step would be to train as a dietitian. I should say that I hadn't seriously thought of doing grad school after my 1st degree, matter of fact, I was just too excited to be done with school. The thought of opening a book again just sent shivers up and down my spine. Seriously, reading a textbook wasn't exactly on my list of things to do any time soon *bowing my head in shame*

ummmmmm... so where was I? Yep, it made sense that I'd probably study dietetics in grad school (that's if I decided to go) but during my national service, I had one of those light bulb moments and I honestly couldn't see myself doing what I was doing and loving it for the rest of my life. I did some soul searching and that was when I realised, I love reading (seriously? *raised eyebrow*), writing (ummmm but totally lazy about it) and talking plenty (oh yeah, very true). I should probably add that I sometimes am people sometimes think I'm a smartass and that I thrive on sarcasm (I wonder where they'd get that idea from *incredulous look*). Ok, this brief history is getting kinda long and winding, so let's get to the end.

I thought of stuff I could do that'd involve me doing stuff I loved, and then I had another light bulb moment. Yep, I decided I should definitely do grad school and I should definitely study something communication related so, I got into the School of Communication Studies of UG (long process. I'd say my charming smile and even charming personality got me in) where I specialised in Public Relations and Advertising.

Now that the anything but brief history is over, let's get to the morale of the brief history (yeah, there's actually something to learn from all this).

  • No matter what, never settle.
  • Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, cos you just might find something more interesting and worthwhile.
  • Don't be afraid to take risks especially when you got people discouraging you (you have no idea the number of times I heard "what has Home Science got to do with Communication").
  • Do think outside the box (I always wondered what box people were referring to when they used this phrase. now I got you to wonder too :D)
  • Finally, even if it takes forever, the rainbow does come after the rain.
Now, that said, I'd like to say a huge huge thank you to the Almighty God for bringing me this far, and to everyone that had my back during this journey. My wonderful family for believing in me and seeing what others refused to see, and my lovely friends for understanding when I dint have time to hang out cos of that thesis that took forever to write. And to all those that dint believe in me and tried to discourage me, IN YOUR FACE! (I love you too though. your unbelief egged me on :D)

Yay! I made it *huge smile*

Blogger Anniversary!

Yay! I've been blogging for a year now *huge smile*. I actually started blogging on March 22, 2011 and I'm proud to say I've been at it since. There have been a few dry spells and unfulfilled promises of a post (that obviously never showed) but generally, I'd say I've made blogging a habit.

I'd like to say a huge thank you *big hug* to all my critics (followers). My blogging experience wouldn't have been the same without you and I have made lasting friendships too :D Much love to all of you *huge sloppy kiss* (on the cheek of course :| )

In my next year, I promise to limit the dry spells and eliminate the unfulfilled promises and oh, not forgetting Kwaku Doe (what should I even promise about him? get him off the street? get him a job?), let's just say I promise to be more forthcoming with the adventures of Kwaku Doe :D

Love you guys *sobbing hysterically*. Until my next post (which is minutes away. now that's a promise that'll be fulfilled), toodles...

Monday, March 19, 2012

What Does This Camera Do?

That title was totally inspired by Deedee. You remember Deedee from the cartoon Dexter's Lab? Remember how she'd creep up on Dexter and go like "what does this button do" but then she wouldn't wait for an answer but just go right ahead and press it anyways lol.

So, there's this traffic camera at the Ministries traffic light. Turns out it's been there for ages (I should explore my city more. A different route each day wouldn't be a bad idea).

This is a traffic camera right?
First time I saw it, I honestly was in awe cos I dint know we had traffic cameras in Ghana. So, as curious as Deedee always is, I asked myself, "what does this camera do?" Now, how was I gon find out? Yep, you got that right, I jumped the red light over there. This was somewhere in October last year. Why's it taken me this long to blog about it? Well, I just had to be sure nothing was gon happen (you know how finding people in Gh can be even when, especially when you got their street names and house numbers).

It's been 5 months and no cops have showed up at my front door. I guess it's safe to say I got away with that traffic offence, unless of course the camera is there for another purpose (maybe catch pick pockets or something).

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Ghanaians Are Creative Like That!

This has been a long time coming. I said I was gon do this post a coupla weeks ago but I never got round to doing it. I have so much on Kwaku Doe too but I don get to it and then I forget :(

We all know just how creative Ghanaians can be. Yep, we've all heard the gargantuan jokes about Woyome (I even saw a cartoon of a cat singing a song about Woyome). And oh, the just ended AFCON. All the taunts targeted at Asamoah Gyan. Yeah, someone even came up with D&G (originally Dolce & Gabana) Drogba and Gyan cos they both missed crucial penalties. I do marvel sometimes at some of these and they sure do crack me up =D (that is kinda mean cos most of these stuff just make fun of people and that really isn't cool but it's funny papa).

Sometime last year, I was riding home with a work colleague when we saw, somewhere around the Osu area, some pretty innovative guys. Now, we were going too fast to get a picture. Fortunately for us, we bumped into them again on a different day at a different spot, this time close to the Oxford street and this is what we got.

Go figure! Who said there are no jobs in Ghana?
Uh huh! Two guys with a truck, popcorn machine, generator and a sound system (oh my goodness! And the music was just banging). They seemed to be having a whole lot of fun. I sure do hope they making enough money to cover the costs of the popcorn machines and the generator. Talk about a mobile popcorn maker!

Not too long after that, I came across this picture on the front page of the Ghanaian Times.

Who said you can't dress up and roast yam by the roadside?

I know I'd rather buy from him than someone else selling the same thing (it's all about presentation). I really do hope it doesn't get too hot for him though. We all know just how we got summer all year round in Gh.

Whenever I see a car with some printed note stuck on the window or on the windshield, I just assume the car's for sale. How wrong I was this time around.

Talk about mobile advertisement!
At least we all know it won't cost anything to run this ad (assuming the ad is for the car owner).

The most interesting one, I came across last week was a guy riding a bicycle with this huge placard hanging on the front of it that said "for sale". Unfortunately, I couldn't get a picture. Cars moving too fast and I was trying to stay safe. I coulda almost kicked myself. I so wanted a picture of that :(

I'm seriously considering getting a picture taker to ride with me. Thing is, most of the action seems to happen at the driver's side of the car. Well, I guess my photographer can ride in the back, directly behind me :D

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Efua Dentaa Relief Fund

Warning!!! This is going to be a very long post. I got to make up. It's been ages since I've been here.

Quite a number of things have happened over the last week. There was valentine's day. I don't really care much for val's day. It just usually takes away the shine from my birthday. I don't believe I have ever received a val's day present and a bday present all in the same year ever. I usually get one and it's for both days or I just get a bday present. Why? Cos my birthday is the day after val's day. The only perk I can think of for having my birthday so close to val's day is that people will always remember my birthday. Well of course, there are always those moments when people call me on val's day or the day before to wish me a happy birthday (cos they know it's somewhere near val's day but they aren't too sure of the exact day). I'd say the one that really really did it was when one friend of mine called me up on val's day a couple of years ago and said, and I quote "happy belated birthday in advance". Seriously?

So, after val's day was my birthday. Yay! I'm a year older, wiser, smarter (I hope) and I am forever grateful for all my blessings. And then the day after my birthday, my house got broken into by burglars. Why some people choose not to work and break into the houses of those of us that work to make an honest living beats me. Why don't they just do what Kwaku Doe does and beg on the streets for money if they don't want to work. At least that could be considered as making an honest living. Yeah, so I am down, trying to get over that. I am still angry especially thinking of the stuff they took but at least it happened during the day while I was at work so then I wasn't around and I didn't get hurt. It seems that's the new trend in Ghana. Thieves breaking into your house during the day when there's no one at home instead of at night. At least that ways, no one gets hurt in that process. Anyways, yes, I am still accepting contributions to the "Efua Dentaa Relief Fund". Just let me know if and when you would want to contribute :D

This post has already got real lengthy (I am seriously considering breaking it up into 2 different posts). Yes, I will break it up into 2 and tackle the issue I wanted to from the get go in another post (ok, so that means I got to rename this one. Yep, I got just the right title).

The original post I wanted to put up will be up later this week (probably tomorrow).

Saved (Twice)

Sometime in 2018, I was heading to work when I heard this knocking sound. It was coming from my car but I couldn't tell which part of th...