OF HIP SIZE AND SUCCESS!!

A random read (OK, perhaps not so random- I was perusing a medical journal I recently subscribed to) had me run into this;

Smart women grow curvy hips! University of Pittsburg and University of California studied about 16,000 women and reported the following: curvy hips indicate smart women who will deliver intelligent children.Women should have fat in their hips, rather than their waist, because hip fat is usually high on omega-3 fatty acids omega-3 fatty acids (fat that develop the brain), while waist fat is high on omega-6 fats that do not develop the brain.
 
Interesting fact, eh?

More interestingly, I came up with a brief list of famous intelligent women with, well, hips to show for it:-)
I have a lot of nice things to say about most of them but for this post we'll just stick to links, brief bio. and photos!

Disclaimer: Please note that the list is not based on any study and this does not mean that these other body shapes(below)------> are less endowed with grey matter!! Its a fun post..read, hit the gym<if you're not on the list *sic*> and move on! ..,and guys, now you have extra criterion for your choice of mates. Please pick your mates accordingly..hehehe!

DIAMOND BODY SHAPE

INVERTED TRIANGLE

OVAL BODY SHAPE

Over to the list which includes some curvy intelligent women in Africa(apart from Mae West<1893-1980> who JUST had to be one the list continent notwithstanding- you gotta love her!!)
 
Mae West (Iconic actress. Most quoted woman and one of the most unapologetic I've read about.)

Omotola-Jalade Ekeinde(Nigerian Actress..gotta love the way she dresses those curves, btw)

Dambisa Moyo (International economist- Zambia)

Folorunsho Alakija (Richest Woman in Africa)

Saran Kaban Jones (Clean water advocate and social entrepreneur from Liberia)



At the bottom of the food chain but slowly and surely rising is yours truly, Roselyn Kn(Vanity Becomes Me)

..,BUT,

 






Ps..Did you know that the French have an association that fights for the rights of curvy women?? Hehe. ..,and do feel free to add to the list:-)

Xoxo,

Kazini Daily!

Photos: Google Images.

DERAILED WRITING??!

Does anyone else ail from this @derailed writing??

A few days ago, a lovely friend of mine wrote to me asking what happened to my job search as my recent posts have mostly been 'random musings'. We have never met but she's a faithful blog reader from Singapore. Thanks for the concern Ana- I will give a detailed update on that soon but a commentary is due on her question.

****

My people, I've done a terrible job taking you through the throes of my job search, huh? Abject apologies.

Almost a year later, a mere 28posts which translates to a blogging rate of 2 posts a month! Are there dungeons where flogging of lazy bloggers takes place?

All in all, I have my reasons(don't I always..a few are just plain excuses!)

First, blogging is not easy especially not when you're doing it from such a personal front. You can never be too sure what is too much or too little. We laud the brave likes of Ese 'Simpleton' Walters(my friends statement, not mine) who have no qualms airing laundry at the neighbours!
The content you put on the internet will forever be there to haunt you(this is what everybody says) so lets go with, the internet has a way of indelibly etching information. We try to be different!
For example my failed attempt at hitting on Nicholas Sarkozy who till now I can't really explain why I find him so appealing(Ok, not quite but examples elude me so lets go with that..his life's story/scandals interest me, though).
Say I meet a French employer who loathes Sarkozy to the nerves of his pinky's. He interviews me. Likes me. Then asks one of his internet witches to run an internet search on 'Roselyn KN'. Alas! My Facebook page comes up. He discovers the little shrine I have dedicated to this man. ..,and with it my attraction to Nicholas(notice how we are already on a first name basis) and gbam!**insert french word for 'we do not hire traitors'**. ..,and there goes my chance to move to the love capital of the world!

No.2; I love to read. I recently got back into the habit of reading hardcover books..a book/month. However, most of my reading is done from my phone! When I started 'Kazini Daily', I discovered the wealth of information that is other peoples blogs! I met Pearl Osibu, a meticulous writer who blogs about flies and frogs(i.e. Anything and everything in the wittiest way). Then came 'NaijaHusband' who(with his wife in tow) blogs about their marital glam and gloom. The lovely Stella who can work a pencil skirt like it came attached to her frame. Seun, the kindest soul ever who combines  her love of fashion with that of her maker(God)..and many many many others!!!!
Can you see how distracted I got meeting all these lovely people and extending my philanthropic writing itinerary to reading their (I must say) very interesting blogs?

No.3; Then there's the stress that comes with a job search. It interferes with many realms of your life especially the social bit.
You cannot really hang out as much as you'd like to especially if you're surviving on a shoe string budget.
Thus, some friends have to go(..or be avoided/suspended..whatever you may call it) with your job search. If like me you are from the boondocks(..a dusty village somewhere in the RiftValley in my case) and have to occasionally travel to the city to be on the ground for your job search, being a third party at a friends or relatives home can be something else.
If you so much as cough in a way to suggest you might soon fall ill, the owners of the home give you the side eye(who the hell came up with this phrase..literally makes no sense to me..yet I just used it!) and there's the unspoken conversation of  'I hope you have medical insurance in case that's pneumonia!'
Or say the cold season beckons and for one reason or the other, you are home more days in the week than usual. Food reserves begin to decline. Na wa for you oooooo!

All these can be a bit much and a little distraction helps hence the choice to pen the things random.
Comprende??

Ok, time out. Expect a detailed post on my progress sooner than later !!

xoxo,
Kazini Daily!

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE..,

I'm seated in my living room listening to 'Michael Telo' and his boyish
charms singing away to 'Ai eu se te pego'(Portuguese)..a soon to be 'future' classic in its own right .

I can sing to it word for word..meaning in tow.
However, I cannot speak Portuguese to save my life.

Language connects people.
A few weeks ago, Mr. O and I were having a
bonding session at the Eko. Laughing the night away like the
happy-go-lucky duo we are! Guy seated from across the counter offered
to buy us a bottle of champagne. We walked over to say thank you.
Discovered he was French. Mr. O can speak French better than he can
swallow 'egusi' and gbam! Instant connection.

Yours truly was, for 4.5minutes, left hanging only managing to catch
smutterings of the conversation.

                                              

People connect better when they speak as one, literally. English is
great but it just won't cut the mustard anymore.
.
Knowing a second language provides cognitive benefits, such as better
brain function and decreased risk of Alzheimer’s not forgetting to
mention that it gives you a competitive edge in various markets.

So, what languages do we need to be conversant with to give us an edge
in the professional world?
I sought to find out and came across this list. Its
comprehensiveness or lack thereof all depends, methinks, on your
global location.
In Africa, the most notable
languages according to me are Swahili in the East, Arabic to the
North, Portuguese to the South and French in West/Central Africa.
Depending on how you intend to position yourself, knowledge of any of
these four(or all of them) languages will give you great advantage, do
some good to your networking capacity and probably your bank account.

The list:

• In the ranking the 10th language is Italian.

Italian language is very useful in some professional fields.In the USA with Italian knowledge you can get higher payment (+4%)

Hundreds of the world's largest companies have their headquarters in Italy, but the government agencies, international relations, science is also useful.

• The 9th language is American Sign Language

It's useful for learning and interpretation but a series of companies in search of attention to look for people who know sign language and they can fulfill  Americans Disabilities Act requirements.

• The 8th language is Russian

it consists mainly of a large number of native speakers (170 million) and 120 million who speak as a second language. Also 4% higher salaries available who speak Russian.

• The 7th language is German

 Also 4% higher salaries available.In Europe the most of people speak this language and behind this is the largest economics power.In USA 700 000 people are employed in German companies.

• The 6th language is Spanish

Every second American learning Spanish as a foreign language.Also 1,7% higher salaries available in USA.

• The 5th language is Swahili

It's useful in politics and the FBI's most wanted language.

In East Africa its very useful language, education, business, the military, and of course the FBI ...

• The 4th language is Arabic

Which is extremely popular in recent years, increased by 157% enrollment courses.However less people can learn succesfully.Many scholarships available, or can be learned for free.In every business can be useful, especially in Africa and the Middle East speaking.The Arabic language is the most difficult language in the list , although only in the ninth place.

They don't mark the vowels so it's very difficult.There are a lot of dialect but everybody understand The Modern Standard Arabic.

• The 3rd language is French

You can earn more money  2,7%, but can be used all over the world, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean islands.

• The 2nd language is Japanese

Especially in the technology industry and in business. Japan is the second largest economy in the world.

The Japanese appears on the list of most difficult language, even in fourth place.

The difficulty is that there are three "alphabet" t need to learn, but the grammar is not too complicated, and there are few exceptions. In the most difficult of agglutinative (agglutinative) structures acquisition, strong language and etiquette are difficulties.

• The 1st language is Chinese

World economy country.Many people learn but few succeed.Up to 4% increase in pay is also available.

China leads the list of the most difficult languages, There are two place occupied the Mandarin and the Cantonese.Both of the versions, highlight the differences between dialects.The mandarins at least 2500 "spoken and written punctuation" to learn the Cantonese's extensive everyday vocabulary case of difficulty!

What's your take on language and the business world? What languages
are you well versed in and how have they helped you get ahead? Do you speak any of the 10 listed? :-)

Let me know!

Xoxo
Kazini Daily

Of Kenyan Maids and Nigerian Order..,

I thought I'd be ranting about Nigerian women today but that soup is still cooking as my new vet-er (Mr. O, one of my more brutally honest friends who I'll introduce at some point in time) didn't think I was giving them as much credit(..And Nigerian women love credit- credit cards).

Onwards onwards..Talking of cooks and other staff that are standard in a Nigerian household(driver, vet, gardener, laundry guy, window cleaner, curtain drawer, gateman,  pool cleaner, dog walker, suya master, tailor, market woman for groceries, manicurist for madam, barber for oga..Ok, or not as my host’s staff list only goes up to the driver after the cook. However, trust you me, I'm sure there's a Nigerian guy with that host of staff in his home. Mike Adenuga fits the profile..Hello sirJ)
Today, we discuss Kenyan maids and Nigerian order! I have much bile for Kenyan maids since I came back!

My outlook reeks of a modern woman who probably (to those who don't know me) comes off as less bothered by traditions and such other things. What with my wardrobe ensembles dictated by fashion capitals whose streets I've not traversed..high waist skirts that call attention to my waist from miles away and polite three inch heels(presently preferred with metal caps at the tips- the Kardashians have it!) to give a little rhythm to my hips sway- basically mask my crab walking tendencies!
However, in my head and heart, therein lies a village girl still colonized by traditions top among which revolve around a deep profound respect for people around me especially elders. Somehow, I still manage to occasionally do the slight curtsey as I greet older folk or place my left hand on my right as I greet them. ..,and if my aunt Flo does not have me feeling cantankerous, I might even give the lady with the arched back my seat on the bus. OK, I usually give them the seat irregardless.
Nigeria appeals to me because the hierarchy between old folk and the young still holds water to a great degree. It’s not as diluted as much as in my own country.

I was referred to as 'ma' 'auntie' or madam Kenya'(which I hated of all terms conjured) by the staff at my host’s place. Initially, I cringed at this deep respect shown to me by people older than me but got used to it over time.
If you have experienced a Kenyan maid in a regular household, you will understand my predicament. Kenyan maids are something else. Maybe it’s because we pay them peanuts- the cheap kind at that- and have them double up as the dog walker, laundry woman, cook and if we manage to import a second hand Toyota from Japan, as the driver! We, Kenyans, are a frugal bunch. Nothing like 'chop my money' on this end. Which money? Whose money?! We love things that serve multi-purposes right down from printers that serve as photocopiers and scanners, to cows we can milk and 'wife' in the case of some Kiambu men as well as maids that can perform all duties not listed in the verbal agreements we forever forget to pen down and have our maids sign.

The help in Nigeria was not instructed on how to treat me as a guest of the family. It comes naturally to them. They understand hierarchies. Warm reception all the way.

Kenyan maid

Kenyan maids..hmm..*huge sigh* or as we Kenyans would say, ‘wacha tu!’.  My friends help has become so accustomed to my presence she now addresses me as Rosy! My sisters on the hand, when I hint out loud that I'm thirsty, looks at me as if wanting to suggest that the kitchen is still where I last left it as is the water dispenser! I can almost read her dirty little thoughts. Get me something to drink already!!!! She hates service! Most of them do, yet at the end of the day, they still bag the peanuts- albeit begrudgingly.

The Nigerian help(s) served me with so much grace I'm yet to get over it! I loved them.
 The table was laid out properly and breakfast was served in good time. They occasionally peeped to see if I was done with my food to come collect the dishes. If I was too tired to hold my knife and fork or  If the pepper in my food was too hot, somebody was standing by to fan my poor self, hand me water , hold my cutlery every time asking, ‘madam you don chew your food abi’!! If my outfit had a crease the iron didn’t capture, they  were on stand-by to request that I ‘OFF IT’ for ironing!! Ok, maybe I went a little overboard there but you get my flow, right??<..,but if you really push it with them, they might do just that.>

Kenyan maids! Huh! Wacha tu!! They are a pretentious bunch. Angels in the first week of employment.

They will rise before the crack of dawn to warm your bath, prepare your tea and butter your bread. They will play master chef going to the extent of preparing pilau with tea masala in the case of my friend Kami. Get you used to their antics and your kids in tow hooked to them. All this is part of their devious plan to get you hooked. Basically, bait. .., and when they have you and the kids hooked, they pull out! You come home from work to an untidy house. First excuse, headache. A few days later you’re already used to the state of the house as are your kids. (The rampant mention of kids here is because, most, if not all Kenyans who have a live-in help do it for their kids. Else, we do just fine sans these trouble makers). Thing is, you can’t let them go because the kids love them and you need them! Also, we’re a suspicious bunch, not wanting to expose our kids and property to too many prying eyes! SMH. That’s how they hold you hostage in your own home..with your own kids on their side! Enough said.

*SIGH*

My point:

The Kenyan help sees housework as a form of lesser employment even when the options they have are limited. Nigerian helps don’t (..,and if they do, they don’t play it out). They accept the situation as it is at the moment and if at all they have dreams beyond service in their master’s house, they give their best to that which they are presently doing as they pan out the grand plan for their exit to wherever it might lead them.

At the end of the day life is just that, life. We cannot escape the hierarchies that come with it. There will always be masters as there will be servants. Wherever you fall<.., and I’m not talking about maids silly!>, you need to figure out to know to which port you’re sailing so you can guide your mast in the direction of the right wind.

Two things:

i)                    ‘The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service’

ii)                  ‘Everybody can be great..because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love’(<---this I dedicate to my sisters help..get me a glass of water alreadyJ)

Ok. .., and perhaps a third, 'I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy!’

Enough said!!<I said this somewhere in this passage..repetition..aarrgghh>

Xoxo,

Kazini Daily