Power

Lately I have been reading the book; 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. It is rumored to be the book that our former President and self proclaimed Professor of Politics loved to borrow heavily from.
I must say its one of the things that attracted me to reading it, I figured that there must be a secret to how farmer number one managed to be so powerful and rule us for 24 straight years.

Most politicians are said to have read it did i say i have no interest in politics and follow it to the letter.

Since am all so generous, but do i say, I will share some of the Laws I found interesting;

Law 2: Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies especially in work and business.
Be wary of friends  - they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. but hire a former enemy and he will be more royal than a friend, because he has more to prove.


Law 3: Conceal your intentions.
 Keep people off balance and in the dark by never revealing the purpose behind your actions. If they have no clue what you are up to, they cannot prepare a defense. Guide them far enough down the long path, envelop them in enough smoke, and by the time they realize your intention , it will be too late.

Law 4: Always say less than necessary.
 When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinx-like did i just drop a vocabulary. Powerful people impress and intimidate by Saying less, Kibaki must have read this. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.

Law 5. So much depends on reputation - guard it with your life.
Reputation is the cornerstone of power. Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win; once it slips, however, you are vulnerable , and will be attacked on all sides. Make your reputation unassailable. Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen. Meanwhile learn to destroy enemies by opening holes in their own reputations. Then stand aside and let public opinion hang them. hmmm no wonder the mud slinging in politics!!


Law 16. Use Absence to Increase respect and honour 
Too much circulation makes the price go down: The more you are seen and heard from, the more common you appear. If you are already established in a group. temporary withdrawal from it will make you more talked about, even more admired. You must learn when to leave. Create value through scarcity. this I know only too well


There are 43 more where these came from. I must admit the book is an interesting read and will help you figure what goes on in the mind of the powerful people you know.
My favourite law is Play a sucker to catch a sucker- seem dumber than your mark!!

Signing off...

Jaxon

At this point in my life

 I've done so many things wrong I don't know if I can do right
If you put your trust in me I hope I won't let you down
If you give me a chance I'll try

You see it's been a hard road the road I'm traveling on
And if I take your hand I might lead you down the path to ruin
I've had a hard life I'm just saying it so you'll understand
That right now, right now, I'm doing the best I can

At this point in my life
Although I've mostly walked in the shadows
I'm still searching for the light
Won't you put your faith in me
We both know that's what matters
If you give me a chance I'll try

You see I've been climbing stairs but mostly stumbling down
I've been reaching high always losing ground

I've conquered hills but I still have mountains to climb
And right now right now I'm doing the best I can

Before we take a step
Before we walk down that path
Before I make any promises
Before you have regrets
Before we talk commitment
Let me tell you of my past
All I've seen and all I've done
The things I'd like to forget

At this point in my life
I'd like to live as if only love mattered
As if redemption was in sight
As if the search to live honestly
Is all that anyone needs
No matter if you find it

You see when I've touched the sky
The earth's gravity has pulled me down
But now I've reconciled that in this world
Birds and angels get the wings to fly
If you can believe in this heart of mine
If you can give it a try
Then I'll reach inside and find and give you
All the sweetness that I have
At this point in my life

Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.

Row your boat

We all at one time in our childhood sang this song. Depending on where you were brought up, you either sang it ;

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

or

Drive, drive, drive your car

Gently down the street

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Life is but a treat.

Back then it was a just rhyme that we so much enjoyed. The words didn't make much sense then as they do now. I want to beleive that the composer had more in mind than just some girl/boy (am gender sensitive) rowing a boat down a stream.

Most of us have never been on a boat so i will use the car version to dissect the lyrics.

drive drive drive your car - simply put ...get moving or get on with life, live your life

gently down the street - be cautious, do it without harming/hurting others or the environment

Merrily merrily merrily merrily - note its repeated four times......so be happy, enjoy your life, be joyful

life is but a treat/dream -  we all have dreams and ambitions ....so chase your dreams, follow them

Its just a nursery rhyme but it carries a lot of meaning if you really think about it.

Signing off.....

Jaxon

A mothers Love.

Tommorrow is mother's day, a day to honour and thank God for our mothers. Personally I thank God every day for my mom. She's my guardian angel,a comforter and pillar of strength. Together with my dad, she has brought us up in the best way she could. Always sacrificing her needs to make sure that we never lacked in any way, always comforted us when all seemed gloom. I love you Mama.

I could go on and on about her but I hope this poem sums up what I feel about her.

Mom, you're a wonderful mother,
So gentle, yet so strong.
The many ways you show you care
Always make me feel I belong.

You're patient when I'm foolish;
You give guidance when I ask;
It seems you can do almost anything;
You're the master of every task.

You're a dependable source of comfort;
You're my cushion when I fall.
You help in times of trouble;
You support me whenever I call.

I love you more than you know;
You have my total respect.
If I had my choice of mothers,
You'd be the one I'd select!

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."

Signing off....

Jaxon

Snippets of my life

I am what you would call a closet writer. I have been writing since I learned how to, thanks to Mrs.Gachengo my elementary school teacher of English. She would make me stand in front of the class and read out my composition to all. I hated it  then but as time has gone by, am filled with nothing but appreciation for her.

I get inspiration from the things that surround me; music, art, neighbors and the random guy on the street. Whenever something is troubling me, I write it down, but not so directly.  A combination (remix) of lyrics from some of my favorite songs is the stuff that my writing is made of. Maybe if you follow me here u will realise what am talking about.

I grew up in Kagumo College(kagz) in Nyeri and am what my mates would refer to as a bushie. I don't remember who came up with that name but we took to it so fast and are proud of it. To be reffered to as a bushie you had to play basketball or at least show some interest in the sport. We grew up watching NBA and practising the moves on the court. At that time it never occurred to us that we were vertically challenged. Our
tallest player "Mrefu" was hardly six and a half feet tall! But all in all we were a force to reckon with in the region. Up to this date, if you mention "Rimshakers" to anyone who cares about basketball in Nyeri, you will be told of the legend.

In my hood almost every one had a nick name, mine was prezzo.Some of my friends still call me this despite my many attempts to "burry" it. The origin of that name is a story for another day but you can imagine reaction my when I am walking in town in the company of workmates and some chic approaches and goes like "sasa prezzo!" .

I had a great childhood as did all the bushies .......I am a bushie by birth and also the fact that my old folks still reside in kagz. As they say once a bushie, always a bushie!

Why Jacaranda Street??....Well, for starters, its a street in Kagz. Its most beautiful in November, around graduation time, with all the purple flowers adorning the canopied road.



Signing off..........

Jaxon