Say something about 2013...

Heavily influenced by the love story and kind hearts the winners of the latest season of x-factor..I felt the beauty of what it was like being in love. Congrats. You guys deserve to be happy!

Prying myself off the office table, away from the keyboard and not pounding my head on deadlines and novel approach of anything fancy - I will be away on vacation starting next week. I deserve a rest. Sleep in heavenly peace.

A lot of new surprises I can see in the horizon

. I am not too sure what to make of it. Thinking conceitedly I would also say that God is playing tricks on me and I am not sure what to make of the options open to me.. Ultimately I am targetting to move abroad and isolate myself from domestic drama. More realistically, I have the choice of either a braindead repetitive workscope or a sunny beachside party workscope. Obviously - hands down the beachside party wins but hey hey life is not a free ticket to your dream job without a challenge or two. Anyways, February 2014 - the month where I turn 30 - thats probably when I will get to know which of the assignments I will be taking up.

But, say something about 2013? 

Millions of photographs and bookloads of achievements - be it myself or of others around me. The one thing that cancels off all the other alarm bells in 2013 was it will always be the year where the ghost haunted me the worst.

Thank you, for haunting. I made some new friends along the way, with shared interest and objectives in life. I lost a few friends too - although we may not admit it openly but we both know we are not as close as we used to be. 

Maybe I will move closer to the beach in 2014. We'll see.

Mika at 2

Hello hello, how time flies? Only a few blinks ago were you my tiny man. My mini me.  My cry baby of a bodyguard in making.

You are 2 now. You can mimic sounds and songs that are catchy - read : RHCP's Ethiopia is one of them. You sulk like a perfect princess no kidding I am seriously wondering if I do that in front of you? I opt to believe I do not.  

Cars trucks trains and cranes amaze you without fail, and I have a hard time keeping up what each of your verbal sounds mean. You refuse to repeat after me - even for a sip of sweet tea. Pointing and nodding is your chosen mode of communication.

You hate to brush ur teeth and boy u pee so much! My ultimate fear is that you grow up in the absence of a manly character around the house, afterall it is just you and me.

I got you a fire truck for your birthday, it isn't much really. Nothing I can get you that will be so great. Nothing beats memories, you will learn this when you get older, I hope..

Happy birthday my boy. I hope you will grow up to be the happiest boy ever.  

Pillow marks on my cheeks

And I lay at night, in my comfortable bed. The air conditioning humming, you heaving through breaths and in deep slumber..

What am I supposed to think about now, that you have gone? 

I realized I have stopped thinking about you. And my heart sort of stopped beating in wonder. Now it just beats. A beat.

Be on the right path, Kin. Everything has happened and is happening for a reason.

Talk about dirty laundry

One of the dumbest thing you can ask a married person is to read this article that seems to be readily accessible online 'how to know you're not going to marry the wrong person' like serious shit? A few of my friends have actually asked me to read it and tell them what I think. Sheesh. Maybe a few of you can tolerate that kind of re-assessment post the big decision. Maybe you were set in stone. 

Sure it would be nice to know if yes he is the one or no he isn't really the one. Would you still have listened? No because the heart wants what the heart wants. And because more than you know, He has already written everything, with a reason, a purpose. Not a single thing is done in vain. You KNOW better than that.

But I guess it is only fair - since I am still surrounded by people who are still searching, still wondering if they have found the one. I felt a need to dwell on this infamous question once more.. I guess I can say a few things that are - so far - proven to have helped me keep my feet on the ground.

Be with someone that needs not changing. You will only be disappointed when they do not change to the mould you have set out for them. You know what you like so stick to it. Common interests is a baseline requirement to make any relationship work.

Communication is key. I always hear this coming out of my mouth/keypad as I cleverly share my unlived wisdom to my friends. But seriously, you should always be able to talk about things with your partner. If he isn't going to take it well, then why the heck did you marry him for? 

Maybe some people feel there should be a border or a specified time or genre of tales that can be told to the spouse. I have personally tested the boundaries of such genres and am happy to say that if I feel like telling it, I shall. And if I believe telling the story is important to me, I shall as well. My happiness is the key to the happiness of my spouse, and child.

There is no point in keeping it all locked up. There is a point however to living in pairs, the way He planned it.

And lastly, people change. But not in any way you want or not want them to. Its just part of the equation that remains unknown and uncontrollable. Change is inevitable. The only way to deal with it is with a lot of faith and always touching base to make sure your partner has not strayed away too far.