Feb 20, 2015

VIRTUOUS BLOGGING



When I started the blog, I was creating a platform to add my voice to what was happening in the world, mostly in terms of style. I loved to tell stories about my look and style but then I began to have feelings that for many people in the business of fashion/style blogging it had become a game of likes, comments and popularity. So I took some time off, just as soon as I had got my momentum on, from the blog for a while so I could find myself and discover what I wanted to present to the handful of people who by then read the blog. This was one of the major reasons why the blog often went for long periods without new content. But I am happy now because every day I keep learning about myself and the feeling of having a strong sense of want has been nurtured in me quite well now so I am able to make choices I feel are what my heart desires. One of these choices has been my resolution to move to my country home in Machakos because this will allow me the peace of mind I so need right now to build on my persona as a writer. I have decided to include more of my personal life journeys to the blog, something that will demand that I am ruthlessly honest with myself and with you guys; putting my fears, bravado out there. I have discovered when I decided to take things to a whole new personal level that my writing has been easy because I talk about honest things that are happening in my life so technically I don’t need much thinking as I just pen down stuff about me. I realize as well that when you are genuine about stuff, everything comes off so effortlessly, and experience says people connect with you to the extent you connect with yourself.
I appreciate how the blogosphere in the country has made major steps with many good writers and bloggers coming through at incredible speed. It’s nice to have different perspectives to a story whether it’s in fashion, entrepreneurship, politics so on, and I think this is where writers of most sites have done well; but honestly I have seen very few writers who have the alternative voice. In our social media age it’s very easy to become a clone of somebody else by whether it’s a choice of wanting to be part of a current story or it’s a total lack of self or a genuine journey towards finding yourself or whether it’s the popular desire to indulge in the game of likes. So you don’t really see alternative thinking very much, whether it’s in our passionate politics, or popular fashion and style or whatever the case is, you don’t really get to see that a lot. A lot of concepts are given to us by the more developed areas of the planet as they have a more digital upbringing than most of us but important isn’t where you got your inspiration from important is what you decide to do with your inspiration. There happens to be a thin line between being inspired and being a copy. All our ideas stem from something or somewhere but what we choose to do with the idea should exude some good amount of originality. This part perhaps is where most people find difficult to work around. For me for example when I was starting out in writing (I still I’m working on my craft) I had very strong influence from people I admire and respect both in the print and digital space of writing who admittedly had an incredible effect on my style of writing. I later, and slowly, after beginning to discover myself, started to chart my own way of doing things. I feel, for anyone who is coming up, whatever your craft is, you will need to emulate your prototype and while at that you should slowly and quickly simultaneously grow your own feet to walk on your own. I am looking forward to sharing more and being sincere with both myself and you guys in my posts henceforth.

Feb 10, 2015

HERE’S TO NEW BEGINNINGS



For months now I have been obsessing over writing my own book. In an attempt towards this direction, I have scribed the initial words which I consider to be the first chapter of the book. I do not know what I am getting myself into in the long run, but anyone who is in love with words and convinced that they can learn a bit about putting the words properly into a sentence and taking their love into a whole new level like myself should once in a while indulge in fantasies about having a book by themselves in a shelf. My love for writing has grown tremendously over the past two years after I discovered myself through www.neibazfashion.com but it’s strange for me and anybody who has known me personally because during most of my childhood and early adult life I was a really reserved person and usually decided to keep most things to myself. This is a different experience for me because in writing, especially in personal writing like in autobiographies or simply daily posts on personal encounters like I do on the blog, it’s always about being honest about yourself and rendering your vulnerabilities out to the world. So now in a strategic bid to console my fragile writing soul, I have promised to bring my ‘book’ to light only until when I turn 35.
Away from my writing fantasies, I am planning my long-awaited relocation to my home up country soon during this month of February. This is a happy moment for me because I can finally take a break from the hustle bustle type of environment in urban life. Again, almost in equal measures to the former excitement, I feel horrible because I have to leave most of my good friends behind. But some decisions we have to make not because they are the most pleasing, but because they are necessary in elevating our lives to new levels. In these moments, we struggle with internal battles within our hearts; one part confiding in the comfort of our current life and the other anxious about making a break into a new dispensation. My trip- Machakos en route -on the 11th feels a lot like this battle. I feel bad to have to leave behind my good neighbors and friends I have made in many years, and again I cannot wait to get outside of my comfort zone and embrace a new outfit for my life; meet new friends, make new neighbors. I am making this decision not because I like leaving my good friends, but because it’s a necessary move for my personal growth. Moreover moving into a new area is a good thing for my friends who would want to come visiting as they will constantly have a good excuse to get outside town and come down to the country side away for a day or two far from the city’s tall buildings, traffic snarls and hustle urban environment. As I prepare to make this lifetime trip, where sky gazing, bird watching and culture soaking tops my to-do list, I will not be entirely detached from town as I will periodically need to come to the capital for various work appointments before I am able to build full capacity to work from home, times which I am able to grab a quick sip with friends. Another thing I am excited about is that going into the country side will improve on my exercise routine since the terrain is naturally characterized by hills. I am also able to write more because my dream writing environment encompasses trees, fresh air and the sound of gently flowing water in a river, which I am able to access easily from our farm as a small seasoned tributary passes nearby so really for me relocating to my rural home has many wins. I hope to post on the blog more often and share with you guys life from a different perspective.