"White men can't jump" - and other silly generalisations!

A couple of days ago, a friend of mine had an interesting status message about racism and the how tough it was to be 'black in a white man's world'. Now, I can relate to that to some degree, having lived in quite a white part of England myself. Most of the people I related with were very nice, but every now and then, there was the occasional racial drama, from the work place to social gatherings. I think what I found even more shocking was the fact that even among religious people, the issue of racism remains an issue. Unconsciously, people react to the stereotypes they have in their heads when they know a person comes from a part of the world - and these silly assumptions and generalisations can really drive you nuts.

A person who has chosen to embrace racism, tribalism or generalisation of any kind is someone who has decided to be irrational, illogical, and who has not developed mentally enough to UNDERSTAND that though there have been events and circumstances that indicate people may act in certain ways based on the social and ethno-geographic framework they are born into, human nature, is UNIQUE and DYNAMIC.

So people are SHOCKED to see Africans do not live in trees, that some Asians are tall, that some white folks CAN dance rhythmically, that not every Englishman brawls and drinks alcohol,

Dead Time!

After a very hectic day, I was sitting down right in front of my TV, trying to make my ancient PS 2 video game work. Yes, I play video games at my age!

So there I am on the floor, hitting the reset button, hoping that the prehistoric lenses on my video games would read my copy of Pro Evolution Soccer and just allow me indulge myself in a few hours of virtual reality, an apt reward to a stressful day.

Do you honestly think you will succeed?

I hear people talk a lot about success and the glamour that comes with it – the jets, women, travel, high-powered parties, influence, recognition… and I cannot help laughing sometimes.

The truth is most people are not ready for success.

Success, you see, is the exclusive preserve of the passionate loner. 

That is NOT true, many people will be quick to say, but people confuse the aftermath of success with the journey that gets one there.

From musicians like Michael Jackson or Kirk Franklin, to legendary sportsmen like Bruce Lee or Mohammed Ali, or world-renown entrepreneurs like Branson, Bill Gates or even teen tycoons like

Farrah Gray or Mark Zuckerberg, from studying them,  you realise that the throng of followers, fans, enthusiasts (from a business perspective) and investors, all came AFTER the ‘star’ had paid the price to be successful.

Success is about deciding to get ‘somewhere’, and achieving something that many have not, or do not have the strength to achieve, or attaining the uncommon – or even, the unseen.

That is why few are outstanding. Outstanding means you stand out.

To fly...

To be frank, I’ll give anything to be able to fly. 

Spread my arms and take off into the heaven. It would be a wonderful feeling to be looking down at cities and people and roads and little bodies of water. I will probably chase after a group of bird flying ahead in V-formation and then draw back to laugh excitedly about my new found ability.

I think what makes flying so appealing is that sense of freedom that it conjures, a removal of boundaries –no need for a visa or ticket to go from one region to the other, no queues to be stuck in as I wait to board the plane, only time becomes my obstacle as I move from one point to the other. That, in itself, opens up a million possibilities. I can almost be like Superman, without super strength, of course. But then, I can save a child from a fire, bring down the cat from a tree to the delight of an old lady, and deal with some annoying bullies that pester frightened kids in school.

But one cannot fly forever.

Overnight success

"Oh my God!!!" She cried.

I sat down in the back seat watching everyone become excited.

OK, let me go back in time to about an hour before 'now'.

I arrive at a business presentation that is all about certain products with unbelievable benefits and interesting financial prospects. The presentation is carried out by a lady who may not be a professional facilitator, to the trained eye, but she was someone who could talk authoritatively about this business...she had walked the walk.

After the usual power point slides, which had a lot of pictures to keep things really spicy, she goes around and shows a bonus cheque of sixteen million.

Okay, in most parts of the world, sixteen million in any currency is a substantial amount of money. (At this point, the author refrains from calling countries where sixteen million will probably buy you a pair of shoes)

"Oh my God!!" a lady next to me cries and you can almost imagine all the things she will BUY with that amount of money.

Baby for sale?

My baby is crying...AGAIN


So I am up in the middle of the night sulking in my corner, while my wife, who is actually mother Teresa's in disguise, is patting him, cooing him, dancing with him...

I am still sulking.

He has taken my space on the bed and even stole...the bosoms!

Ah!