2 Bashes and a Funeral

Don't look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things. Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging: "They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don't feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I can find another."

I think the above statement defines bash no 1, which was kind of interesting to see the true picture of my workmates under the influence. Male and female, young and old, senior and junior, the great equalizer of rank and creed was evident. It makes sense not to allow oneself to be carried away by festivities (especially a company bash), but honestly control is hard to find when tokens abound for free liquor.

Am I innocent of the charges? Hardly. I guess I understand why some workmates gave it a miss. While not taking such an opportunity to meet and interact with staff from different sections would be considered foolhardy, the other extreme does not paint a pretty picture. I won't go into details (such as clandestine operations between my pal and a certain Kenyan musician, or the husband coming to track down the high wife at 3 a.m.) but lessons are learnt.

Bash 2 was the nyamchom plot with the former campusmates. As usual, the dominant feature was the fight for bragging rights (more like insider info swap) between personnel from the two mobile companies. A surprise attendant was a former highschool mate who formed his own IT firm and had his new 3 series on show. Makes me wonder how high my horizon is set and how fast can I get to it. I still agree enterpreneurship is the way to the gold, but the path is laden with many shidas (which he confesses to), therefore must not set my sights on the flashy life. My plan to get the crew to form a consortium didn't materialize at the table (too busy doing the math as to how many kgs and who's paying for what) but I got to sell the pitch to 2 of them and they like the idea. I'll pull up my socks to get the rest of the crew on board before the year's end.

One of the guys floated an idea that involves a certain stockbroker trading 100k for someone and he gets 10% of profit that he'll generate on your account. I'm not sure how legal that is... Meanwhile a certain lady from Old Mutual has been on my case to invest in the Kenya Stable Fund, a unit trust that needs some 10k a month for 10 years to pay off mzuri. The figures are good (the fund has increased in value 3 fold since inception in Oct 04) but the charges are too much. The fund invests in 60% equity, 20% money market and 20% property. I'm still figuring I can make much more by investing in equities on my own, though I can't pull off big moves yet. I'm smarting from the BBK rise which I proposed to my sis before it happened, but couldn't come up with the cash on time!!!


The funeral was for a pal's dad. My pal was my greatest academic rival in primary. No 1 always (almost always - he stumbled at the finish line) and I've had great respect for him and got to meet his dad who was an engineer (just like me). He had great words of wisdom, the few times we interacted and it was a priveledge to know him. Sad that he died of illness long before his time.

The interesting thing was that the guy was a saint! I'd never been to a funeral service where all adjectives that equate to goodness were used on 1 guy. I mean the service went on and on with people saying stuff of how he inspired them, set up welfare and investment schemes for family, friends and church members, and executed dreams into reality (someone had given a dream to the choir he ran about singing in the Holy Land, and he made it happen, organizing the whole trip). I got all the encouragement I need to make sure that my life will emulate his efforts in making the lives of people around me better. That's what true wealth is all about. Rest in peace, Joe.

PS: Kudos to Braces who turned 19 jana (no longer my under 18) and LW who got admitted to the bar today. Madam Wakili, we'll celebrate in style this weekend.