Of a blogger's block and his random musings

So far I have lived up to the promise of doing only grammar and spell check edits to my blogs. I'm giving it to you raw and unprocessed, no pun intended.

Speaking of pun, I realized yesterday that my mouth is the single most culpable organ when it comes to the reputation I am trying to get away from. I tend to find puns (mostly sexual) in anything that a particular group of friends say. Its reflex, I cant help it. So, coupled with a few known encountered with such people, they think that's what's running in my mind all the time. Anyway, I will try not to care.

What to write about? I think a blogger's block may be imminent. Yes, it does happen. All bloggers seem to take a few weeks or months off from writing. The block may be as a result of external factors or it may be stifled creativity, the latter in my case.

In the recent interview for the position of the Chief Justice and his deputy, one panelist's questions stuck out like a sore thumb. Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi once asked an interviewee on public television whether her judgments which were written in simple English were as a result of a writing style or a personal (intellectual) limitation. And that's just one question. Most of his questions sounded like the quiet musings of a scorned literary genius with a personal vendetta. Most people say that this approach is erroneous but I disagree for two reasons.

First, if an interview is all about academic and technical qualification on the one hand and judicial reform agenda on the other, this could easily be sorted out by perusing the candidates CVs for the former and an essay question for the latter. I think the main reasons for an interview is to investigate the interpersonal touch of the candidate and their suitability in human interaction. So yes, put them on the spot. The position they want to occupy will have them questions for their decisions, approaches and even lifestyle. So lets have a sample of how they will take it, lets take a glimpse of their mettle.

Second and more relevant to me is the fact that the whole interview process was televised, live in some stations even. We all know TV is about entertainment and personally, I thought it thoroughly entertaining.....or at least I would have done so if I had the discipline to watch the darned news item. Counsel should start a show or something.

Kenyans love gossip. They hyperventilate in their search for juicy personal information. That's why a drug induced tantrum from a politician is of more concern to the nation than understanding the primary qualities that the State should be looking for in the head of the watchdog arm of government. I won't complain. Media is called the fourth arm of government and there is at least one parallel that I can draw between the media and the government proper. They say a people get the ruler (government) they deserve. It would seem that the people also get the kind of media (and content) that they want.

The old fashioned KBC approach of highlighting key state functions and development matters is irrelevant today. We want to know which politician was involved in a brawl, which minister is stealing our condoms, which take away french fries made a local celebrity runner commit suicide by jumping of his balcony on the first floor (?????), what kind of satire we can draw from the political happenings of the week, et cetera. Kenyans do love a juicy story. No wonder niger dramas have such a hold on the populace.

In keeping for their love for drama, wearing an earring and writing a thesis on gay and lesbian rights now means you're gay. I used to think that the classification was defined by sexual attraction. Why the protracted need to infer conclusions? Simple, we love a juicy story. Both sides of the divide are equally guilty, those opposed to the nominees and those in support of the nominees.

I'm guilty too. I wanted the President's nominee for Attorney General (one Dr. Githu Muigai) to get the post simply because he is the wittiest of the bunch. Just for the record, this is the guy who, while lecturing us for a constitutional law class, asked a question and receiving no volunteers to respond to it, proposed to revise the exam he had set for us and throw in some "barbed wire". Barbed wire? Something to stop the meek and hurt the persistent? Barbed wire. I need such entertainment in my news.

A local  marathon champion dies after jumping off the balcony of his house, said balcony located on the first floor. A witty acquaintance surmises that, as a marathon champion, resilience was part of all his endeavours. So who says he only jumped once? WITTY!!!!!!


As I said, I lack the inspiration to write. I have nothing to blog about this morning. So darn sad.

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