STORIES FROM MY HEART

I am sitting at Java, Yaya Centre, enjoying a hot mug of Lemon Ginger and honey, and a little spoil of mushroom chips, I am wondering If I really should be eating chips when I have engaged my mind lately with getting to work out in 2010. It’s the 30th of December 2009 and I am supposed to be in Kitale, the little town in the Rift Valley where I grew up; to Usher in the new year with family; but I am not at the farm, I just got back to Nairobi this morning: It feels like the new year already, It feels like I am about to leap into a new phase of life, exploring new heights, that usually I would have ignored. ..Yes, I am not talking about it. Anyway, 2009 has been breathtaking. Just when I felt like I knew almost all a 30 year old woman has to know, a whole new world opened up, with all its uncertainties, it became the year I actually truly began to mature, gracefully at that! I have learned to love life, live it to the fullest, and to appreciate that happiness is priceless. Being young ...

Just got back from the Illuvial Pink Nokia Launch, sitting infront of my TV wondering if I should be catching up on my beauty sleep after a day of stock market reviews and quite an interesting chat with Seni Adetu, Group Manging Director of East Africa Breweries, which comes on this weekend on East Africa Business Report. Anyway. 18:00 hrs, and a bit glammed up later I found my way to 101 Manyani East, the Aromatics spa. I've got good memeories of a hot stone massage there, and was looking forward to being at the spa again. There's something about a relaxing place that keeps you wanting to go back, even though hot stones were not to feature this time around. The illuvial Pink, is where Nairobi's Socialites, Media Beauties, and (some)Celebrities were tonight. A cosmopolitan cocktail served as the welcome drink and the very feminine ambience in Fushia's and black got the mood going. Homeboys were on the decks and Ms Kui Kalinga Ndavi (who I dont like very much after she...

I turned 30 this year, I didn’t know whether to celebrate it or just take it as another feather in my (wisdom) cap. I didn’t throw a party, actually never had a party on my birthday after my 21st, when my first love Musya threw me the most amazing surprise party ever, with Black forest cake and family and all- back then it was a big thing, I wasn’t expecting it, and he always treated me extra special, so I knew he would buy me a gift or so, but that party is probably the only birthday of mine that I will never forget. Its 9 years later, and one would think I should be quite at ease with that. I have no worries talking about my age, and I love doing the guess game, and darn if you if you say anything older than 25:-) I have never been 30 years old before:-). And I am not the kind of person that plans much. I prefer some of my issues handled by experts, so they do the planning. My future finances are in order, I have policies that will take care of my child’s education, I have a life cov...

My after work life has become rather predictable lately, other people would probably call it boring, but since I am the author of this blog, it shall stay as I say. Predictable. Great, so we are on the same page. I leave work between 1730hrs and 1800 hrs. If it’s not a Tuesday, when I go for my Mizizi class, then I go home, do my 20 minute jog, some extra minutes of simple exercises, play with Imani, that’s my 3 yr old daughter, make dinner, which we have early, at around 1930hrs before she goes to bed at 2000hrs. That’s when my “me time” begins. If it’s Monday it’s desperate housewives on Series, then Quest means business on CNN, then off to bed, to read, write, think, regret, make plans, dream, sleep, or count the sheep in my mind as I search for sleep. Other times, mostly Friday’s I catch up with a friend over a drink, usually quite predictable one too, it would be either Lizz, Monique, Shep, K.A, Wanja, or my Bestest boy-mate, Kent. Tonight; Tuesday, my Mizizi class ended late a...

DAY 2- NDOLA 9.00 am, had an interview with the PS in the CopperBelt Province, after that I met the fastest Chinese man on the planet, we went to his smelter after getting assistance from the PS. Was great fun talking to both gentlemen about how the Zambian Government has taken on attracting investors via incentives..and one stop shop for investors, much like Susan Kikwai's Kenya Investment Authority, but perhaps one that works faster. My Point: Between the time Kenya Airways wrote a request letter to set up shop in Ndola, and the first flight, was 3 months. we say doing Business in Africa is diffcult, lets also paint the true picture, that some governments are working faster tha others at it, and realise the importance of ease of doing business. Kenya apparently dropped in it's ease according to the World Bank and IFC report for 2010, I hope we can learn from the likes of Zambia just how much we can encourage much needed foreign capital inflows into our economy. This and oth...

Right now..under intense pressure, it's a bit slow, i must deliver for jobo..and some things are not working as I had planned! Anyway, Kenya Airways landed in Ndola, the copper belt of Zambia, and I was on the inaugural flight. The launch was quite succesful, from start to finish of this plan took 60 days. KQ gave the Zambian govt the plan, and in three months, Ndola becomes Kenya airways 44th Route. commendable to the Zambian Govt! Now that's why red tape must go..hope other govts learn from this one! While here I will be looking at the impact of this on trade relations, opportunities here for investors, speak with some (Kenyans - East Africans) here on ease of doing business, barriers to entry, etc.. Catch up on CNBC Africa this week! Ok..day Number one done. Will drop a line tomorrow. Lets hope it will be a faster day! Cheers peoples!

I recently an old book from a street vendor I like to buy from at the corner of Alliance Francais in Nairobi. The title caught my eye, besides the Larry King’s profile picture back in the day with full black (brunette) hair and skin that could have known botox. Future Talk: Conversations about tomorrow with Today's most Provocative personalities. The book was published about 10 years ago, and the powerful conversations got me going. Last night I read Larry's interview with Microsoft’s Bill Gates. It was done online and they talked about the future of the Internet. What I love most about Larry King is his ability to converse on TV as if it is a discussion over coffee, without the glare and jitters that come with camera's lights and showbiz countdowns. I wished I was a fly on the wall as Bill Gates typed his responses to Larry’s pretty normal questions; they usually are what you and I would probably be thinking of, without having to sound too smart. Some of the q...