Kla Lingo (Part 3)

For the past three weeks I have been attempting to break down and share some of the commonly used words and phrases that pop up in and around Kampala. While there are hundreds of words that I managed to pen down, I was only able to share a few owing to the limitation in terms of word count and blog length. In this final installment of the Kampala Lingo series, we revisit the lingo while carrying on from where we left off last week.

Part 3 (Q – Z)

Q – Qwela Band

Qwela is a Ugandan band with a very unique afro-fusion flavour of music. The word Qwela means ‘pure’ in Rukiga- one of Uganda’s ethnic languages. Anyone who has listened to and seen these guys perform will testify to the fact that they take this music making thing a bit more serious than most. They are in the habit of making music that is described as ‘unique’, ‘strange’ and often times described as ‘complicated’ and ‘elitist’. Their music has however struck a chord with a group of Ugandans who are keen to drink from the fountain of pure music; the ones who will part with an arm and a leg to listen to authentic music.

The truth!

Other Q words / phrases – Quick fix, Quiet mode sex, Quality bums.

R – Rolex

There are very few things that are more popular, more beloved and more depictive of the lifestyle of people in Kampala than the Rolex. Relatively few people in Kampala own Rolex watches so you can take your mind away from the expensive and obscenely expensive watch. What we are referring to here is a delicious dish. A Rolex is a meal made up of an omelette rolled into a chapatti, usually accompanied with Cabbages, onions and tomatoes among other little ingredients. This meal, together with its close cousin the kikomando (chapatti and Beans), are the dominant meals enjoyed by low income earning banaKampala. Occasionally these meals make their way to the menus of top class restaurants because of their popularity and thus cease to be low-income-people dishes.

An award winning meal

Other R words / phrases – Ruhanga Wangye!, Rakai, Round game, Rrruuu, Royal beauty.

S – Ssebagala

There are very many people who go by this name but there is one who instantly comes to mind at the mention of this name in Kampala. Nasser Ntege Ssebagala is probably one of the most accomplished mobilisers this nation has ever seen. He single handedly rallied nearly the entire city to believe that he was the perfect person for mayor only to learn later that he could not communicate in perfect English. People who have listened to his press conferences and interviews in English have had to visit their doctors because of cracked ribs. His grasp of the English language is dangerously hilarious and just so damn amusing. His press conferences usually garner the largest crowds because of the humour and ability to make the most serious matters as light hearted as possible. Ssebagala is also the true definition of a hustler; very enterprising and strategic in his dealings.

The man himself

Other S words / phrases – Straka, Small Pin Charger, Ssenga Nantume, Sipi Falls, Ssabasajja Magulunyondo, Stress.

T – Tugabane

The word ‘Tugabane’ is a word in Luganda that means ‘let us share’. The fact that Ugandans are generous people is one that can be seen not only in their day-to-day lives but even in the workings of certain companies. A certain telecom company (Airtel Uganda) has curved out a campaign where users are able to share data amongst themselves. Anyone who is a data whore has now started to switch over to the said network not just to benefit from the ‘Airtel Tugabane’ concept but also to experience what is said to be one of the fastest internet connectivity networks in Uganda. The Airtel Tugabane campaign has made people start using the word ‘Tugabane’ to refer to any situation that involves sharing.

Not too sure if the guys would also kugabana the woman …

Other words – Tuliwano Tutuuse, Thirst trap, Tirinyi, Twakowa, Tonkuba nakuyo

U – Uglish

Uglish is a language spoken exclusively in Uganda, born of the confusion between understanding proper English and breaking it down so the average not-so-highly educated Ugandan can relate. Many of the words and phrases in the Uglish dictionary can easily be understood by anyone who has worked or lived in central Uganda for a while. The beauty about this language is that it is very descriptive, quite hilarious and above all – it is unofically official. Some of the words and phrases one will encounter in this beautiful dialect include dating a pensioner, woman with Warrez, launching rockets, eating money, well done, falling in cups, and so on and so forth. Actually many of the words used in the 3 blog series are adapted form the Uglish dictionary.

Uglish : A Dictionary of Ugandan English by Bernard Sabiiti

Other U words / phrases – Universal Education, Uncle Money, U-Report, Urban Legend, Ugly by unanimous decision.

V – Votability

As 2016 comes close, there are several questions being asked of people and by people. For those who are new to the Ugandan scene, 2016 will be election year. Presidential and MP elections will take place and it is expected that there will untold euphoria. However, prior to that, the Electoral Commission has launched an exercise to enable people verify whether or not they are eligible for voting. Each person has been asked to go check their ‘votability’ to ensure that they can run for office and/or can be allowed to vote. When the deadline for this process ends, there will be no additions or subtractions to the voters register and one will not be able to cast a vote or be elected into any office.

Go check your Votability TODAY!

Other V words / phrases – Vision 2040, Vumiliiya, Virgin, Vuvuzela, Village excitement

W –What about!

‘What about’ is a statement. True, the English language will have several problems with this ‘statement’ but Ugandans are perfectly okay with it. It is a statement that was famously coined by a one Oulanyah Columbus who somewhat curved out a career out of sheer stupidity, accentuation and silly mannerisms. Over time, this statement has come to be used as a form of exclamation or shock. For instance if Lionel Messi or Stephen Curry pulled a never-seen-before move with the ball, someone can easily scream “What About!” and achieve nearly the same effect as someone who says “Wow”, or “Woah”, or even ‘Fuck! That’s insane!”

Goodness! What about!
Other W words / phrases – Wale Wale, Wilson Bugembe, William Street, Water logged woman,

X – Xenophobia

No, there is no xenophobia in Kampala or Uganda for that matter. Xenophobia is however a word that has since gained popularity because of the unfortunate events in South Africa. While the situation in South Africa can best be described as unfortunate and totally inhumane, the reference in Kampala is slightly humorous. If you walk into a bar and you do not buy someone a drink, they can easily say you are xenophobic. If you undermine someone’s girlfriend in any way, you can be said to be xenophobic. If someone follows you on Twitter and you refuse to follow back, a xenophobic title may be thrown your way. Basically if you prefer one black person over another, you will easily find yourself being referred to as a xenophobic person. The humour in this reference does however have its limits as some people will look at you with utter disdain the moment you are referred to as xenophobic while others will laugh out loud; literally.

Women and their xenophobic ways …

Other x words / phrases – Xenson, Xabu Girls.

Y – Youngin

Depending on the circumstances, the word youngin is used to mean different things. In some instances, it refers to anyone who is younger than you or just your offspring. In other instances, it refers to someone who has little or no experience in certain areas for instance love, sex, sports, politics or any other field that requires expertise. The use of the word youngin is occasionally derogatory and can be meant to give the impression that one still has a long way to go before they can master a specific skill set. It however can be used in general terms to refer to anyone younger than you.

David and Victoria Beckham with their youngins

Other Y words / phrases – Yoweri, Yapping, YOLO, Yellow Bus, Yoono, Yiya.

Z – Zari

Apart from Desire Luzinda, Bad Black and Judith Heard, Zari is one of most talked about socialites in Ugandan circles. She is one of the socialites dedicated to living the good life and making sure everyone around her does not miss a single bit of it. She recently coupled with Tanzanian music star Diamond for what is taunted to be the biggest socialite couple in East Africa. She is probably most famous for her All-White Parties at a popular nightspot in Kampala. Occasionally she will be seen sending inspirational Tweets or posting tongue dropping pics of her gorgeous and light skinned self on instagram. There was explosive talk about a ‘dry’ video of her cat (sic) that made rounds on social media but that is not something that I am very keen to get into; the video I mean.

Lawd Gawd!

Other Z words / phrases – Zungululu, Zunga.

And thus, our 3 part series comes to an end.

“Meow” means “woof” in cat.” ― George Carlin

Bernard
a.k.a Beewol
The Talkative Rocker
Follow @beewol on Twitter

Kla Lingo (Part 2)

I will begin this blog post by stating a rather useless fact; I hate TV series. Save for one or two old series, I generally do not like being left in suspense and I sure as hell do not like to leave things hanging on unfinished. That being said, this Blog post happens to be the 2^nd in a three-part series of blog posts about the lingo in Kampala.

Why wasn’t I able to have everything summed up in one blog post? Well, for starters, I am a wordy person and I will most likely use 38,407 words to explain to a woman why I cannot date her instead of simply using 5 or 6 words. So, yeah; I need more time to say even the simplest and smallest of things. Also, I am practicing my TV show writing skills and the last lesson I learnt is – never give them everything in one show.

So, here goes with the follow up to last week’s Kla lingo.

Part 2 (I – P)

I – International

In Uganda the word international has very little (and in some cases nothing at all) to do with being global or worldwide. The word international is a word that has now been added to the Ugandan dictionary as a preffix ( and sometimes a suffix). It is often added with another word to give the allure that something is of better quality or appeal for instance an international school with only locals as students, an international upcoming artist whose music is only listened to by his closest friends, an international girlfriend who has never gone across the border, an international phone that was manufactured in Katwe and an international hospital that is run by Ugandans, treats Ugandans and has no connection to the world outside except for the fact that the medicines used are imported. If you are looking to make your business seem legit, simply add the word international and you will be good to go. This, for instance, is an international Blog post.

Many of our International things are not as global as one would expect

Other I words / phrases: Imbalu, Iteso people, Illuminati, Ikong Joseph, Imagine by Peter Miles, Infrastructural Development that never happens.

J – Jamrock

There is a tiny little bar in Kampala that hosts a very popular Reggae night once every week. This Reggae night has over the years become something of a routine for a good number of Kampala dwellers and revellers. Several artists, both upcoming and already up there have been known to show face at this night either to promote their purportedly reggae music or to simply mix and mingle with the rather segmented crowd. One or two revellers might know the right words to certain reggae songs but the whole bar often explodes into a chorus of off-key and off-tune wails when their favourite songs are played. There is also a very popular pulling factor that this bar has; an-out-of-this-world happy hour coupled with overly friendly waiters and waitresses. I am a bigger rockhead than a rasta man but I pass there ever once in a while for some bashment.

And I sing who Jah bless, let no man curse …

Other J words / Phrases : Julianna, Just katono, Jennifer, Jennifer tuyambe, Jinja.

K – Kuliche / Kuriche

Depending on what part of the country you come from, you can pronounce this word in any way suitable. Basically the word being inferred here is the English word ‘Cliche’ which is a big time favourite of a one Tamale Mirundi. Anyone who has been in front of a TV or listened to a radio in the past several years has heard the voice of this man – Tamale Mirundi. This gentleman is the definition of a loud and inccesant chatter box with a whole lot of grossly misplaced intended to confuse and yet scare the listener / viewer. He is often alarmist, frequently subversive, occasionally diversionary and abnormally hilarious. His favourite word is ‘Kuriche’.

The originator of the word Kuriche

Other K Words : Katooto, Kasana, Kyabise, Kikomando, Kumbaya, Katogo

L – Lira Lira

This is one of the most potent drinks in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa. The drink is so potent in alcoholic content, so much that the geniuses who invented it figured that naming it twice would send the point home. Unfortunately, there has not yet been a proper process to package and export it, seeing as Uganda is well known for alcohol consumption. That being said, anyone who visits Northern Uganda or communities around the country that are inhabited by people from Northern Uganda will get the chance to taste this awesome drink. It has the ability to make one happy while giving them the most gruesome look all at once.

Peter Griffin and Homer Simpson have themselves endorsed Lira Lira

Other L words : Lungujja, Langi, Luzinda, Love affair, Laba lumonde, Luweero.

M – Make It Nasty

Once upon a time, there was a bunch of students from a very popular University who engaged in what has now come to be termed as a ‘ground breaking activity’. The details of this activity are referred to as ‘making it nasty’ because these students coined the phrase to refer to their activity. Today, whenever anyone is taking part in an activity of this nature, they will be referred to as ‘making it nasty’. To be able to make it nasty, one requires a willing female, a willing male and a video recording device. No more information shall be shared in this section seeing as this blogger recently learnt that under 18 children also read the blog. A combination of some of these words would be something like ‘Let us make it nasty in the mweruka mode’ – this simply means ‘Let us do the dirty silently’.

Ahem! Ahem!

Other M Words / phrases : Muyaye, Mwooyo, Mungato, Muvubuka, Mbale, Mweruka mode, model empya.

N – No Change

There are a number of Ugandans who subscribe to the school of thought that asserts that ‘unless it is broken and shattered to pieces, do not attempt to fix it’. These Ugandans have dedicated their lives to fronting the ‘No Change’ campaign in the hope that the status quo shall remain unchanged. From the political point of view, the ‘No Change’ slogan is often used whenever an incumbent is standing for an electoral position that he is still occupying. It is very common among the peasants, uneducated and sycophants. It is also a statement used by traders when telling their customers that they have no smaller denominations of money.

We each sit where we feel comfortable

Other N words / phrases : Nagisi, Nye, Neera, Nebbi, Nubian, Ndombolo, Nantaba

O – Ondaba

Ondaba is a self empowering movement with experiences made in Uganda. It is a campaign set up to recognise the uniqueness that is Uganda. In essence, the word is a Luganda word that relates to being seen or noticed. The aim of this campaign is to have people and groups of people identify themselves as proud Ugandans through what they eat, how they dress, where they go, the things they own, the lives they lead and generally who they are. One is likely to bump into the hashtag #Ondaba on various social media platforms. It is simply an attempt by Ugandans to stand out and express pride in their country no matter how pathetic or hopeless the situation may seem.

Akapande mukalaba?

Other O Words / Phrases – Oyagala Cash, Oyorific, Open and close, Omara the Afande, Onfudde Muddu wo,

P – Potential

A few years ago, the duo of Radio and Weasel of Goodlyfe got together with Zambian singer General ozzy to make some music. The trio put their brains together and emerged with a song (Potential) that created some kind of cult following for Goodlyfe. The song ‘potential’ is about a woman having the potential to sweep a man off his feet. The word ‘potential’ went on to become a word that described anything that is worthy. You will now hear people say things like ‘that woman has potential’, ‘this phone has potential’, ‘that man’s car has potential’, or ‘the current Gov’t has lost its potential’.

Look at all this Komuntale Potential. Pity it went to waste.

Other P Words / Phrases – Porn, Pomili, President waffe, Pader, P

Next week we shall finally have Part 3 (of 3) of the Kla lingo. Until then, keep it together and once again, please do not be a victim of language barrier in Kampala.

“The limits of my language means the limits of my world.” ― Ludwig Wittgenstein

Bernard
a.k.a Beewol
The Talkative Rocker
Follow @beewol on Twitter

The Bbale Francis TV time-machine

Throughout my entire childhood, there are several people whose careers and persona had a great deal of impact in my life. Among all these, four individuals stand out as the constant reminders that I will forever miss the days when I was younger.

First was the pope because he came to Ugandan in the 90s and my parents seemed to worship the very ground he walked on. I adored everything they adored – the pope was one of them. We were dragged to church every single Sunday because Catholic parents were not about to let their children grow into religious weeds when there was a wall hanging of Pope John Paul II in the house.

The second person who made my childhood one heck of a wonderful experience was John James Rambo. The Lone Wolf was a great part of my childhood because he inspired some of the recklessness and adventure that my childhood was littered with. He single handedly made me want to grow big muscles, join the army and battle with insurgents while smeared in mud and sweat. I have not grown big muscles and I am not (yet) enrolled in the army but a good chunk of my childhood was focused on doing exactly that.

The third person whose life somewhat defined mine was French actor and former Manchester United captain Eric Cantona. The Frenchman was part of the reason I started supporting Manchester United in the early 90s. With his upturned collar, interesting goal celebrations and eccentricity on and off the pitch, this guy was my role model. In 1993 he helped Manchester United win the inaugural Premier League title by a sweet 10 points, making it the first time since 1967 that United was winning the English top division title.

The fourth person who made my childhood sparkle was renowned Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) newscaster Bbale Francis who unfortunately passed away on the morning of Thursday 2nd April at Mulago Cancer Institute after battling with cancer for quite a while. The veteran journalist can best be described as one of the most outstanding voices and faces of the Ugandan news scene for the past three decades or so. With perfect English, a unique accent, wonderful intonation and unmatched composure in front of the screen and microphone, Bbale Francis curved out a personality as the custodian of news in Uganda.

Rest In Peace Bbale Francis (September 25, 1954 – April 2, 2015)

He may have passed away, just as so many wonderful things from the 80s and 90s are no more but Bbale Francis represents a part of my life that I will always hold dear. He alone made sure that certain things remain etched in my mind. Whenever I remember him, I remember them; and whenever I remember them, I remember him.

The Black and White TV

While owning a TV in the early 90s was a reserve of not-so-many households, owning a colour TV set was the real mark of a successful family. In the mid 80s my dad purchased a large wooden-framed Black and White Phillips TV with the a rather hard knob for a tuner. For nearly a decade, this was the altar at which we worshiped the TV stars of the late 80s and early 90s. This was the prized possession on which we watched Pingu, Mr. Bean, Rambo on UTV and of course the Ten o’clock news with Bbale Francis. This was the magic box that introduced us to MCM Africa, Sanyu TV, CTV and Lighthouse TV. When we later acquired a colour TV set, there was a bit of daily excitement in the house as we would often place bets on which shirt, tie or coat colour Bbale Francis would wear for the news broadcast that night. The colour TV made us realise that Rambo actually wore green army pants and not grey – as suggested by the good old Phillips. The colour TV also brought with it several interesting things like the VHS player and the Terminator Video game which were game changers not just at home but also at school where we exchanged stores about what we owned in our homes.The glorious vintage 20 inch Black and White Philips TV

The ‘No-Tv’ rule

Every family has had to have the no-TV rule at certain times for the good of the young folk and students of the family. In my family, there was a rule – all children went to bed immediately after the 10 O’clock news, save for Sunday when we stayed up until after the news to watch the beloved ‘That’s Life Mwattu’. On Sunday, the TV was locked up until 2.30pm when it was time for Zoom Club on Sanyu TV. Basically, there was an unwritten timetable for TV viewing. On some unfortunate Sundays, our dad would have the TV taken to his bedroom from whence he would exclusively enjoy watching the TV with his wife while their children gathered in a collection of green eyed little jealous fellas a few bedrooms away. Such sadness! On such Sundays, we would gather in the children’s bedroom and direct our anger at the next school day; we’d complain about school, come up with nicknames for teachers and basically plan to ruin everyone else’s Monday. We would then quietly and sadly slide into our beds, fully aware that we would only have to learn of what happened between Nakawunde, Dick and Dr. Bbosa from narration at school. A narration by a useless and boastful child from a TV-owning family can be a pain. Instead of telling you what Mr. Lindo did, he would venture into explaining how a TV remote works and how it was the coolest thing after the then popular game boys. We really suffered!

Oh the harsh house rules!

The News! Eh! 

From when I was little, my parents used to ‘force’ us to watch the news. We would then unwillingly drink in all the news and unconsciously stay in the know of things that were happening around the world, without even wanting to. We obviously preferred more interesting things like re-watching Jungle Book, Lion King and Commando as well as watch the final program on TV before UTV shut down. Yes; once upon a time UTV aired between 5pm and midnight. After that, the National Anthem played and there was nothing! News was a boring prospect but somehow we had to deal with it if we wanted to be in good books with the old man. Along the way, we began to unconsciously get used to it and so whenever Bbale Francis’ voice bounced off the TV and echoed around the living room, we were ready to see what new things the president had gotten up to and which district was launching a new Farmers’ program or which Ministry had held a press conference to announce a new Government project. It was fun, it its own way. The change over form Black and white viewing to full colour viewing did little to change the nonchalance at bulletin time but it gave a little more colour to the whole thing.

Bbale Francis in jovial mood in an ad by a Telecom Company

For a person with a TV and Radio news career that stretched well over two decades, there is nothing that can be done to replace him. The one thing however that puts a smile on one’s face is that while Bbale Francis as a person may not be with us, his legacy still lives on. It lives on through the numerous young people he trained, taught, mentored and inspired to get infront of the camera and the microphone to read us the news.

Bbale Francis was for many years tasked with reading out names of people who the country looked at as heroes on National TV but I would like to confidently say that Bbale Francis is another of them; the heroes. He may not have wielded a gun, owned several millions in cash or commanded a celebrity like following but Bbale Francis was and is a hero to the bone!

Until we meet again Bbale Francis. Fare thee well comrade.

We relish news of our heroes, forgetting that we are extraordinary to somebody too. – Helen Hayes

Bernard
a.k.a Beewol
The Talkative Rocker
Follow @beewol on Twitter

The 2015 Strategy

If you have not looked at your calendar, watched TV or been on social media for the past few weeks, you can be forgiven for thinking that we are still in 2014. You see, between last year and this year, not much has changed. Museveni is still the president of the Banana Republic, Justin Bieber still gets followers on Twitter and women still get monthly periods. Basically, everything is still the same. That being said, you must be brought to speed on a number of things.

It is a new year

First of all, we are now in a new year which for purposes of uniformity with the rest of the world we shall call the year 2015. Secondly, there are a number of people who did not make it past 2014 and so you my friend are one of the lucky few who did not die of Ebola, Terror attacks, suicide or sex deprivation. You are alive.

The other thing you need to know right now is that people all over the world are busy scribbling down what we like to call ‘New Year Resolutions’. These are basically plans and expectations you have for the New Year and they are usually inspired by a failed former year or a night of excessive drinking followed by truckloads of regret. Just like most people, I too have resolutions for this New Year and whether or not you are interested, I will share them.

I vow to watch what I write

It may seem like Uganda is a country blessed with massive freedom of speech and expression so much that almost everyone can own a blog, Twitter account, Facebook account and printing press and be able to spew all kinds of information. However, history has taught us that many people have ended up behind bars because of what they have written. Some have written letters that have had whole media houses shut down. Others have written Blog posts that have had them picked up by special unit operatives and others have written status updates on Facebook that have lost them jobs. Basically, the things we write impact a lot on our lives. For this reason, I am keen on watching what I write. Whether it is an innocent entry in my newly acquired 2015 journal or a text message to a friend in Australia or New Zealand, I will watch what I write. I don’t want to be the victim of some media house shut down.

Pick your words wisely

I will watch what I eat

I don’t have the biggest body so this might come off as somewhat unnecessary. However, I am very keen to watch what I eat this year. Last year, I ate some really messed up things. None of them had much effect on my weight as I have been and probably will remain a slim dude. They affected me in other ways other than those expected. For instance, a number of the things I ate sent me several miles in financial wilderness for reasons that I could have easily avoided. You see, when people want to meet up at an exotic restaurant in Kampala, the assumption is that each person will foot their bill; unless of course the entire event is being bankrolled by a certain sangoma who wants a close friend of yours. The lesson I learnt last year was that no matter how juicy the plot, I shall not show up and order anything unless I can comfortably pay for it. I don’t want to order for something that will leave me staring at my wallet in disbelief and utter shock. This probably means I will have to pay up my old bill with the Rolex guy near my place so we can start on a clean slate. It also means I will be visiting friends more and more to cut down on the food-buying expenses. Oh and it also means I will have to set up a timetable for when to eat what. One must not opt for expensive Javas food if one can get cheap food from Jass the food lady. Also, one must cut down the number of meals a day from two to one.

I don’t want surprises

Joining the MGTOW Movement

I hope my dad misplaces his glasses when he cues up this Blog Post for reading because this is not something I want him to read. I have never been married before and I hope it stays that way – at least for a while. The MGTOW (Men Going Their Own Way) movement is nothing political (so please Mr. Museveni, you can breathe a sigh of relief), and neither is it a religious movement (so no competition for you pastors, relax). MGTOW is basically a statement of self-ownership. It is a scenario where a man polishes, preserves and protects his own sovereignty holding it over and above everything else. It is the clear refusal of the bogus preconceptions, stereotypes and cultural definitions of what a “man” is. It is a mind frame where one does not look for validation or acceptance from the society or from social cues. A man does not bow, will not serve and refuses to kneel for those who treat him like he is some kind of item that is used and thrown away. This, my dear friends, is the cult I will be joining this year. Women, stay clear of this brother.

Women have been warned

Try to offend fewer people

I have often offended a bunch of people because of the things I do, the words I speak and some of the Blog posts I put up. Heck, I am sure some people are even offended by the mere fact that I am breathing. This year I plan to cut down the number of people I offend. If some of those I offended last year end up in body bags, so be it. What matter is that by the end of this year I should have a shorter list of people I offend. I read somewhere that the more successful one becomes, the more people they offend. Well, I am planning to reverse the trend and become more successful while offending fewer people. What fun is there in following in other people’s footsteps? I will be the first person to succeed while offending the fewest people.

The point is to try and make as many people happy as possible

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.” (Little Gidding – Four Quarters) –  T.S. Eliot

Bernard
a.k.a Beewol
The Talkative Rocker
Follow @beewol on Twitter

2014 Recollection

At the end of each year there are traditional things that every likes to do. Some love to review the year that was and hope for a better year that will be. Others just like to sort of ignore all the bad things that might have happened in the year ending and focus on the memorable things that happened in the year. At the end of last year I put up a Blog Post titled ‘Big Plans for 2014’ with a massive sense of anticipation and optimism. Of course I set the bar a little high but I somewhat am thankful that I did because this year I really did push myself to the limit.

I did away with the excuses

I have been blogging for a while now and I’d like to think that even if I am not the finest blogger out there I have a near addiction to the practice. This year I have been lucky to have the readership for my Blog increase and I have also had the chance to be able to encourage a few other people to join the Blogosphere.

As someone who traditionally updates this Blog Post on a weekly basis, I have been faced with a bunch of challenges that have nearly made me rethink my strategy. However, I have somewhat had to overcome these challenges with or without encouraging words from those around me. When you set out to do something and the people around you expect no less, it begins to become a responsibility that you willingly shoulder no matter what happens. There were instances this year when I thought I would skip posting on at least one or two weeks. There were moments when I felt like I should let the whole posting-every-week thing rest and probably post once in two weeks or even one a month. However, I did manage to hold onto my resolve and keep up the weekly posts; which in all honesty is no mean feat.

Here’s to me

This year, I have realised with extreme joy and profound encouragement that a number of people have taken to blogging. While I am one who loves updating my Blog every week, I also love to get lost in other people’s blogs. I love to read other people’s writings and this past year has seen me get lost more often than not. True, some Blog posts could do with some proofreading and others could do with fact checking but overall, the enthusiasm for Blogging in 2014 has been quite fantastic. It is a good thing to know that a number of Ugandans are sharing their experiences and opinions through Blogging. It warms my heart to see a number Ugandans take to Blogging because then it means we shall have more readers, I think.

Let’s all Blog; shall we? 

When I started out Blogging a few years back, I did it with the understanding that someday one or two people would take to Blogging too because of the inspiration they drew from my own experience. In 2014 a number of individuals intimated that they too had taken to Blogging because they always felt they had the talent but just needed some kind of pushing here and there. If my own consistency challenges and urges another person to regularly update their blog, I feel honoured and thankful that after all, my blogging is not going to waste.

This Blog might not be the most insightful, it may lack in humour and heck, it may occasionally be utterly meaningless but I am thankful because it gives me a sense of responsibility, duty and it makes me feel alive. Oftentimes, I am up to my neck in  duties and responsibilities where I work so much that Monday comes around and I can barely get a second for myself or the blog for that matter. Despite this, I have still been able to put up a blog every week without feeling aggreived. I have often had the dream that if a week passed by and I did not update this Blog, the world would stop spinning – not everyone else’s world; just mine. Many of the experiences I have had this year have somewhat ended up in this Blog Post either inferred or directly reported. While some people are addicted to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or keeping journals, I am addicted to Blogging. And for quite honestly I can confidently say that the addiction is not about to end anytime soon.

As already mentioned, my last blog post last year was titled ‘Big Plans for 2014’ and in that blog post I mentioned a few interesting things I had lined up for 2014. This time round, I have no big plans for 2015. However, I am sure that I will still be interested in staying alive, making a little more money and winning over a few more people to the Blogging world.

I shall therefore take this moment to wish everyone who has read this Blog this year a wonderful start to the new year and a blessed resolution-making January. I shall be looking forward to pushing the limits even further in 2015 and imprinting my name on the minds of anyone who reads this blog.

Happy 2015

Thank you for being such awesome readers.

Bernard
a.k.a Beewol
The Talkative Rocker
Follow @beewol on Twitter