Judge, Jury and Executioner

You know, I have been watching a couple of videos this morning. Most of them are old news and some of them do, in fact, impact a lot of us directly. There is a similar patter that I seem to be seeing in all of them and before I move on to happier topics, I feel the serious need to address them. The theme for today is prejudice.

Fact is, we have all been prejudiced at one point in our lives. You have thought that, oh, this kind of person is always like this or that gender, that race, that religion of person always has and always will act like this, that or the other. Sometimes it's ugly, sometimes it comes in unfounded compliments and other times it's just wrong.

I will begin with gender violence. It is wrong and it needs to stop. Last year, in Kenya, people went up in arms (finally) over women being stripped. "My Dress, My Choice" has been a running theme for years now and it only comes up when FINALLY there is some proof to the rumour. Not only do some people justify this with horrible statements like "Men are visual creatures" and "She should have dressed properly" but people have sort of accepted this for fact. Here are the facts I have to give on the matter:

1. Men ARE visual creatures but they also have brains and an entire history of experiences that should teach them otherwise.

2. Stripping is wrong. Full stop.

This tirade is a little late, but hey, better late than never.

I want to now continue with another video I saw about a man who was arrested for waiting for his children in a public area. He was consequently yelled at by two cops, even as his children rushed over, confirming his story, and the cops would not let down. Another is of a man who has been arrested over and over again for going to work. Cops have apparently been arresting him multiple times the moment he steps into the store to work and while he works too. This has been so upsetting that his boss is actually filing a suit against the cops in question. I haven't followed up on either of these stories yet, but it's really getting my goat.

Finally, I want to talk a bit about sexuality. It has come up, and I've been asked, as a Psychologist, imagine you have a homosexual client. What would you do? This has also been asked in the context of me being a Christian but my answer is the same.

Yes I am a Christian and I don't like the whole idea of homosexuality. The truth, however, is that it is there and if my client is one of them, there is nothing I can do about it. I have to be professional and treat the problem that the client has come with, not the problem I think they have. What they have decided to do with their life is up to them. I can only go so far with my message, even as a Christian, and this is not one of those times or places.

My major problem with this aspect is believing that one can become judge, jury and executioner all in one, despite the fact that you are JUST human. If a woman has dressed inappropriately, it is NOT reason enough to then divest her of all her clothing in the name of moral vengeance. If a man is standing outside a premises, he probably has every right to be there and he should be asked before he is arrested unnecessarily. If a person needs help, no matter what their religion, sexual preference, race, gender etc, who are you to pronounce judgement of them INSTEAD of giving help?

There are a lot of aspects to this, I know. There is a lot behind these incidents, I get it. Still, I believe, the only one who has the right to play judge, jury and executioner is God, not because He is the only one allowed to be prejudiced. No. It is because He knows ALL of His children. What He chooses to do with them is up to Him and not me.

Even if you don't believe in God and religion, there is the basic principle of "Innocent until proven guilty." It still applies. Here's what I think; I think many of us lose a precious opportunity to get to know someone that will impact our lives in a great way. I think prejudice closes all the doors on opportunity to impact the world. I believe that if we set aside those prejudiced beliefs for just one moment, all of us would have something to be proud of in the end.

Think about it.

Bunny Out (:3

Brave Kitty :3

Hey everyone.

So I got some sad news last week. Our cat, Teddy, had come home in really bad shape. Then when he was taken to the vet, we were given the even worse news that he may have to be put down. I can't put into words how I felt when I heard.

Teddy is three years old and has been friend and playmate to all of us since he came home as a cute and feisty kitten. It wasn't the happiest of moments for any of us really. Despite the sombreness of the situation, somehow asking my friends to help us in prayer for our dear beloved kitty made them laugh. Not. Cool. :(

What gives me a lot of hope is the fact that he is still alive today and he pulled through quite well. His face is deformed and his jaw was broken and so had to be put back in place, but he's going to be fine as long as his infection gets under control.

We went to see him today and, dirty as he was, he was still happy to see us. He even purred (something he saves for special occasions) to say how happy he was to see us.

It's touching to think that although he went missing for a few days before he came back, he actually came back!!!

None of our pets, when they go missing, have ever really pulled such a stunt and I'm proud of him. He fought for life and he came back home so he could get help and now he's doing just fine. There's still that pesky infection to get rid of. It keeps recurring and there is still a chance that it might kill him but dear teddy is still alive and kicking and that's something.

I dedicate this blog therefore, to my brave little kitty (below) and I hope that you will join me in wishing him a quick recovery so he can come back home.

Bunny Out! (:3

Babies!

I just watched this really awesome documentary depicting the lives of four vastly different babies from extremely different backgrounds.
Being the wannabe mum I am, I was squealing through most of it because the babies are just so very cute!

The documentary shows the kids'lives from birth to their first steps and so shows not only the differences that we as human beings have, but our similarities too. It was a little exciting for me to hear each of the babies say "mama" or learn to stand on unsteady feet and then fall again....

There is something undeniably heart-warming about babies. Sure they require work and dedication and 24 hour love and attention, but there seems to be so much more joy in motherhood and knowing that this tiny little person is all mine and I will help them make something of themselves.

It was amazing that though these kids are all in so very different environments with extremely (almost) varying cultures, they still went through the exact same stages at around the same time. They all began to crawl, to speak, to eat solids and even to stand at around the same time. Amazing, isn't it, how we're wired just right to suit our purpose in life.

No matter where we are, where we come from, who our families are or what our society looks like, all mothers (who do love their kids) love their children with the same kind of love and are fully devoted to the cause of motherhood. We all took that first step and now the marathons we run, the essays (or blogs) we write, the messages we send, the conversations we share and the knowledge we hold dear, we take more or less for granted.

Even more so are the people around us. We are separated by such trivial things as country boundaries or continental location or skin or hair colour. Beyond that, beyond the cultures, the societal norms, the physical features, the geographical boundaries and so on, we are all simply just human and we should appreciate each and every one of us for that fact. It's the differences that make us such a wonderful world, no?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all see the world as babies do? They are so innocent and sweet. If they meet another baby, they don't care if it is black or white, male or female, comes from a rich or poor family. They just found a playmate! Wouldn't that be so epic?

For me, this documentary has just made me appreciate my parents all the more for raising me and I am actually looking forward to having a little one of my own one day *wistful sigh*

Bunny Out (:3

The Folks

How do you know that your parents love you?
I mean, really. I have fights with mine all the time and let's face it, they drive me up seven walls sometimes. But somehow, I still know that all those fights will get better in the end so, how do you really know?
I think, number one is the fact that if you steal a little of their change for your own selfish gains (not that I've ever done this but my siblings do a lot) and your parents still keep their money in the very same place. They might tell you off for it, because hey, the economy is a hell-rider on a black stallion and baying for blood so they kinda need it.
Second is the fact that no matter what you do, if they see you in trouble, they want to help you out of it. You know those stupid things you do that your parents don't know about (a secret boyfriend perhaps?) and then everything goes wrong and your poor mum and/or dad have to bail you out emotionally, physically etc. Boy have I had my fair share of these. Yet still they're willing to either teach me a lesson or help me out anyway because they care that much.
Another way is by the little things they do. It seems like they have to (and in cases like mine, by law they must!) but really they don't. Your dad didn't have to get you that expensive tablet or x-box. Your mum didn't have to slave over a hot stove for your dinner. Your parents didn't have to buy you nice things for your birthday or for Christmas. By just providing the bare essentials, they could have saved a lot of money and time and probably have been much richer than they are now.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that they're better off without you, God knows they wouldn't be. What I mean is that by giving you nice things and standing up for you when the whole world is looking down on you is not a necessary thing. There are so many kids out there who want that love of a parent and yet, I'm busily hating mine and scheming against them - not that I do.
Next time dad needs a cup of tea, why not get up and do it? Next time mum comes home tired, how about letting her sit while you get dinner ready?
It may not seem like very much, but you have no idea how happy it makes them.
So kids, go easy on your folks, huh?
Bunny out! (:3

Back to School

Well, it was my birthday yesterday and I feel a little older, but I'm glad I got to celebrate it with my friends. I'm a university student but I board a little far from home so I couldn't celebrate it with them, but I got their messages and I feel the love. It's nice to have someone remember you, you know? I'm in a pretty good mood :)
More on that later.
I have just had to sit through a three hour class that was thankfully cut short by our merciful lecturer. I finally fell asleep at 2.45 in the morning and had to wake up almost exactly five hours later. Five hours sleep plus three hours in class do not a good combination make, I'll tell you that.
It was my fault, I'll admit. I ruined my biological clock over the holidays and stayed up the whole night then slept in the morning. I forgot to reset my clock for school I guess, but I should be fine in a week or so. Still, I'm diving head first into school activities. In the first week, not much should happen, but already I have a group assignment and a partner and I have a two and a half hour meeting I have to attend (yikes!) this evening. At least it won't be boring... I hope.
Still, after a very long holiday (3 months of holiday per year, and all at once, is a dream for me) I am glad to be back in school. It gives me a purpose and a reason to be lazy. When you're lazy without work, you're just plain lazy. When you're lazy but have work to do, it's called resting :D
My friends are also pretty cool so I can't wait to see the drama and the laughs that we'll share this semester. I don't even feel like I'm in school (of course this is if we omit the three hour classes)!
Back to school and in a good mood... best combo ever! I will miss home eventually since being lazy there is more comfortable, but I think I'll do just fine. Anyone else have a back-to-school experience or maybe about to have one? I left my little brother on his holiday but with the end of my birthday month comes the beginning of a new school term.
So far, mine rocks and I hope yours does too!
Bunny Out! (:3

The Big Question!

As long as the human race has known, there has been a need to find a mate for life. I personally think this is a very big step in one's life. I can only imagine what it's like when you get to the point in your marriage where one word becomes a whole entire joke that has the two of you laughing in fits while your kids, and possibly grand kids, wonder if you're getting senile. (Kudos to the couple that's been married for 62 years!)

What brought on this blog, you may ask?

Well, I was browsing through some Youtube videos and I decided to click on this one that read "25 Awesome Wedding Proposals." I will admit that it was pretty epic. I don't know about you, but being the emotional female that I sometimes am, I actually started tearing by the time the proposals had counted down to the first one.

I don't think I've ever thought about it before, the whole proposal thing. I always skip ahead to picking up my husband's socks and having to deal with a veritable army of hellions who will give me a splitting headache every ten minutes...

But that first part is pretty epic, you know?

The part where this one guy has decided that you are the one he has been looking for all his life and gets down on one knee to ask you that one question. I'm not a guy so I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that when it gets to that point in life, the guy is really determined to have you. It warms the heart, you know? It really feels good to be loved.

I have no clue what will happen on that day and I can pretty much tell that my time is almost coming. I'm now in my twenties and in the next ten years or so, most if not all my friends and peers will start taking that step forward. It's a bit scary when you get to this part of growing up, right? I mean, is this person right for me? What if I make a mistake and end up pulling a Britney Spears type divorce (55 hours - yikes! Not judging, but seriously now...)

It's normal I guess. Everyone has to go through that phase at least one time in their lives.

I will say this for my fears. My mother told me that if I wait to get everything "in order" before I get married, I will never take that step. I hope that by the time I get to that point, I will be ready... and I hope the lucky guy I do say yes to is ready. I'm a feisty one! ;)

Now, if I can just find myself a nice boyfriend >:) [evil laugh - I kid though... mostly]

Bunny Out! (:3

Styling it up!

I will probably get hate mail for this post, but hey, whatever rocks your boat :3

Okay, so I do watch the style network but this is a recent turn of events. Dad got us DSTV last year for Christmas and we've had a lot more variety in our viewing choices. One show I like is "How do I look" which is hosted by the very lovely Jeanie Mai.

I like this show especially because unlike the others, it doesn't just deal with one's outer look. It seeks to solve the inner problems leading up to that outer look and since that's up my alley, I have been learning a lot in line with my fashion choices and stuff.

I'll tell you now, I'm no size zero but people seem to have the inane need to keep pointing that out. Of course I didn't look in a mirror this last decade and I have no idea how big I am. Please tell me as insensitively as possible how my bum is so big it could crush a forklift (-.-)

I know there are jerks in this world and there are nice people too, but I'll tell you now, weight is ALWAYS a sore subject and it should not be brought up where possible. I'm not as big as all that but when you're made to feel like an elephant all the time, it does get to a certain level where you're not sure whether to hit the person talking upside the head or strip and let them get used to it...

Well, this show as well as Jeanie's advice on fashion has given me a new perspective on the way that I dress. Fashion does not belong only to the skinny and no more will I suffer under the plight of frumpy clothes and way too big dresses. I don't entirely understand why after you pass a certain size of body, the clothing options stand somewhere between tent and bed sheet. It;s rather insensitive to think we don't want to look good because we're not small. Well, the weight isn't just going to magically disappear so what do I wear until then? I mean, really...

Another site I like is the Girls With Curves website. Their tag line is "Sexy is not a Size."

I understand where they're coming from and the accompanying images will show you that indeed, sexy is not a size. I do believe that now and anyone who mentions my weight in a derogatory way (who is not my doctor or physical trainer - the latter of who I do not have anyway) is gonna get an earful from me!

Well, enough about my ranting. The point is that I'm more confident about myself and I can see how I can get more comfortable with who I am and what I have. I'm gonna show it off too! Look out world, I'm a big woman and I take up space so you'd better move aside! I'm coming to get ya!

Bunny Out (:3

One of those moments...

I do not know why I didn't post this before, but here you are. I already posted it on Facebook but I didn't seem to get a lot of views. We'll see what happens when I post it here. I want to share this story with you guys anyways so here we go!
I was in Rwanda working on a project for like two months since May (the blog is here - yes another one- http://see-rwanda.blogspot.com). Towards the end of my stay there, on the weekend before we were to leave, my friends and I walked out of the hostels we were staying at and crossed the road to wait for a bus or van. (I later learned, thanks to my very annoyed friend, that I had made them all miss a very empty bus and she was so not pleased with me - I tend to be pretty lazy sometimes and this was one of those times where it wasn't a good thing)
As we stood talking, we heard screaming in the distance.
Everyone had their opinion on what they were thinking, but we did collectively think that someone was in trouble. There was this guy on a motorbike coming towards us and the screams were coming from behind him although he seemed unfazed so I wondered what was going on. Even more puzzling was that the person behind him seemed smaller than him so it couldn't be a man. Perhaps it was a child in trouble?
Well, I'll tell you this. You don't go randomly screaming on the streets of Rwanda since you could be stopped by some cops to explain yourself. So I really thought this person was in trouble.
The bike and the screams, got closer and closer and eventually the bike passed by us. I kid you not, at the back of the bike, were two goats: one was screaming like a man and the other was bleating helplessly!
I was honestly having a rotten day until that one epic moment that joins screaming goat and unsuspecting bystander... :)
I was jazzed for the rest of the evening and even the seven or so hours that I did spend on my feet afterwards did not stop my pure excitement. I wish I had my camera on at that moment so I could have captured it and proven to you that this really happened.
As it is, all I have is my memory and the six or so witnesses who were with me that day. Makes you wonder though, what cosmic chances dictated that you should be in Rwanda, away from your friends and

The Life and times of a gamer girl...

This would be an awesome blog title, no? Just came up with it too!

So, the thing is, I love games. I play a lot of them on my computer and yes, I do kinda like the girly ones. Dress up isn't as fun as I thought it would be though...

What I do like which I believe is a unisex game is "The Sims."

Dad bought us the Sims deluxe edition which was supposed to come with the normal Sims game, Sims Hot Date and Sims Holiday, but we didn't get the last two. Either way, me and my bro and sis would spend hours on it and beg each other for a turn. One CD = war obviously.

What brought this on?

Well, I am actually addicted to Assassin's Creed though I've only played it on my phone, but it is an awesome game. From all the reviews I've read, the phone version doesn't even compare to the PC version and that was the one I was going for since my birthday is coming up and everything.

Well, it turns out that in the whole city, there is only one more CD left and my birthday is still weeks away! Can you believe it? Well, there's not much I can do about that now. It's a little pricey too - more than my pocket money for a month!

Well, I can only pray at this point and hope that I get a copy. Downloading the torrent is taking way too long but I understand since it's more than 7GB in size...

Well, that's what caught my attention today and I thought I would randomly share it with whoever is really reading this blog at all. If you're a gamer, maybe you could give me a game to play too? Also, I'll give you a couple of games I really like. I have this app on my laptop from a site called WildTangent.com.

I looked through it and found some games made by 'Her Interactive' that I rather liked. Now don't kill me, okay? The games are all about solving mysteries as Nancy Drew.

When my cousin first showed this game to me, I wondered what it was about since it looked so interesting. Once I found out, I was hooked! I am currently playing a fourth game out of the possible twenty six! Imagine that! I know it doesn't sound like much but Nancy Drew has some really crazy adventures. I will say this for her, she does go through more than a human should.

I've killed her a couple of times (and come up with an awesome idea for a fanfiction story in the process) and met with a ghost, a werewolf in the making, a banshee and ghost dogs. All of them were pretty freaky so I'll warn you now. When you see the "Dare to play" label on the game, it really means dare to play. It's interactive and it's lots of fun and you get to choose what to make Nancy say or do from a first person perspective unlike The Sims. It's lots of fun so if you're not so easily scared, I will actually dare you to play it.

Before I conclude this seemingly endless ramble about games, I will mention one other game that I would love to have and that is "Rise of Nations" which is made by Big Huge Games. I played this a lot when I was younger, got my brother's nickname from there, conquered cities... I nearly conquered the world too until our comp decided otherwise.

Oh well, that't that for now. Bunny Out! (:3

So, I finally have more than a handful of views on my blog, YAY!

My next review is on manga, as usual. I'm a writer so I try to keep my readers entertained. If you want to read one of my stories (mostly fanfiction), you can search for the author Wamakai (that's me)

Click-Mania!

Hello All!

Chances are that if you are an internet junkie like me, you have joined a site that features what are called clickable pets. I have joined enough of these and they really are a lot of fun. Why do I like them? Beats me!

A clickable pet is a cyber pet that needs other people to see it and click it for it to grow into whatever creature it will. There are several I could name right off the bat (because I joined them all) which offer a variety in pets. The pets vary of course in breed, race, colour, type etc. It's really up to the site owners.

It starts with the egg. You can get these eggs from the site's "areas" or from the "abandoned" page (apparently every site has an abandoned page). The areas are where brand new eggs can be gotten for breeding. The abandoned page is where the eggs of the more heartless or greedy people go. The heartless exchange their eggs for better ones and leave the others to die. The greedy can't take care of more than a certain number of eggs so if you breed your creatures and an egg is produced, it will go straight to the "abandoned" area. (I've been a bit of both, I'll admit.)

Now, I have asked myself time and again what is so good about "growing" a number of pets from children to adults, keeping them on your page, getting another batch and beginning the process all over again. I honestly couldn't tell you what the big deal is, but it's pretty addictive.

The fun part comes in trading your pets. Other users who view your pets may notice one or two that suit their fancy. You can come to an agreement about which pets are valuable and can be traded with you or not. You can either trade one of your own for another or for money (which, let's face it, makes it all the more worth while) although this is in cyber money.

The forums also bring a sense of community. Sure you can do this on Facebook and Twitter too, but this is specific to your chosen site. There can be variations in topic, like with any other social site, of course...

I'm starting to sound like a geek, aren't I? :D

It just so happens that I am. Now, back to the topic. I am currently active on two clickable pet sites that might interest the one or two of you that share my passion for geekiness:
www.dragcave.net
www.silvadopts.com

On both sites, if anyone is interested in finding me, I am under the name "Wamakai." I hope to see you there! Until then though, I guess I'll have to see you later!

Bunny Out! (:3

A Brand New World

Hey Everybody!

So, I finally figured out that I'm not really a blogger after all, but I will try to update this as much as possible. First off, Happy Easter! Happy egg-hunting and all that. Take care of that bunny,  its a tricky one! (does anyone get what the bunny is supposed to represent?! I get the egg thing but really, why the bunny? Bunnies don't even lay eggs!)

Now, on to my main topic of discussion... Anime and Manga! It's hard to find someone who hasn't heard the names Naruto or Bleach. In this era of computer games and the like in exchange for wholesome bonding games like rounders and shake, it is no wonder either. I discovered this little world like every 90's child did, on KTV, on Sky TV through Samurai X. This is the one that started it all.

Needless to say, some of us got pretty hooked on that new style of cartoon away from the norm of the American cartoons like Scooby Doo and the like. Now, almost ten years later, I have discovered that anime/ manga actually has a very large fan base, not only in my campus, but in the whole of Nairobi! It's a wonder this has not yet been exploited by the business world. Imagine the profits! Not only would the Manga and Anime go flying off the shelves, but so would the merchandise as well. Imagine the havoc that would be caused.

While that idea is busily forming in one of your lovely heads, I will now discuss the wondrous world of Anime with anyone who will care to read this far. There's one or two that have captured my attention, at the top of my list being One Piece.

The drawing is a little deviant from what one would expect from normal Manga artists, but once you get past it, the plot is amazing! It follows the story of one Monkey D. Luffy on his adventures through the seas searching for the one treasure that will ultimately make him the pirate king; One Piece.

When I first watched the anime, I really wondered what my room mate was thinking giving me this badly-drawn, boring cartoon to watch. She told me, however to get past at least 5 episodes and I braved it out. I am now very proud to say that I have watched at least 380 episodes and counting. (180 to go!)

I would recommend this to anyone searching for a good Manga to read or a good Anime to watch.

For those of you who are not very well versed in this section of cartoons or are starting out, you may need to know a few basics. The first step is actually finding them. Being in the great age of technology, it is not hard to find a free manga or anime site. If you can pay for the internet, go ahead and watch or read to your heart's content. My personal favourite site for Manga is Mangafox.com.
Once you sign up, you can bookmark, read and chat about as much Manga as you like!

Second is the categories. There are two main categories - those aimed at female audiences (shoujo) and those aimed at male audiences (shounen). There are those for older females (josei) and for older males (seinen) as well, but those are not as commonly known as the other two. Otherwise, one can have romances, action, drama, science fiction etc as you please.

These, I think, are the two main steps to the world of anime. I say, jump right in and join the rest of us! If you give it a try, you just might surprise yourself! Until the next great Anime discovery, Blue Bunny, over and out! (:3

Starting Out

Hello All!

So, my first critique will be on fan fiction.

I love fan fiction. It's the only way readers, watchers and general lovers of the hard work that directors, authors etc can show their appreciation to said professionals and still have the story go their own way. Creative genius is in abundance here (editors, publishers etc, be warned, it gets awesome there!)

Still, the whole point of the thing is to have fun. Pairings may vary depending on the fanfiction writer's imagination and alternate universes give then free will to manipuate it as they please. Of course there has to be a disclaimer or two there and blah blah blah to make sure the writers don't get sued, but it all actually works out. I've read quite a few and I am impressed!

Now, I'm not a professional or anything, but some of these stories do all their characters justice. Want to find out what I mean? Head on to www.fanfiction.net and see your favourite comic/book/anime/cartoon/movie characters in a way you never have before!

And if you have time, check out my own. They're under the author 'Wamakai'. Don't forget to let me know what you think about them!
(:3 Bunny Out!

Hey everyone! Bunny here...
No, I'm not an actual bunny, but I don't want to get into the details of that just now.
So, here's my revamped blog.
I hope I can keep this going!
Writers ho! I hope I can offer you some awesome links to books or book sites. I will also be dealing with new books and old, pros and cons etc...
So, keep in touch and we'll talk soon!