Naomi to World: Still not dead
Oof. It's been a while. On the plus side, I have a million stories, and the reason I haven't been updating is because I've been too busy doing the things that lead to the having of a million stories.
On the down side, I'm exhausted, and I miss updating here.
I've got a long post ruminating in my head, but I haven't written it yet, and it's going to have to wait until certain other things get sorted out (ooh, mysterious. Don't you hate it when bloggers do that? I do. I used to read a blog of this girl in Seattle, who was in the midst of some big thing, but she couldn't talk about it online. Which, fine, don't talk about it. But instead she would constantly refer to how stressful her TOP SECRET PLANS were. In the end, I gave up and stopped reading).
So, because this post will not be interesting, I will instead be brief.
Things that currently make me happy:
-- I have wireless internet at home.
-- My ATM card works.
-- It's Friday, which means I got to eat Laax (millet porridge with yoghurt. Delicious).
-- The amazingly delicious mangoes that are currently in season.
-- My friends, here and where you are, who are, in a word, the coolest.
-- I have a running buddy, and starting next week, may have a weekly running group.
-- Two phrases in Wolof: Graoul and Amul probleme. Both mean the same thing, "no problem" and both are a fun melange of French and Wolof. Graoul, from French "C'est pas grave". In Wolof, to negate something, you add -ul. So graoul is grave + -ul. Amul probleme is simpler. Am is have, ul is negative, and probleme, well, that's easy.
-- The fact that I'm finally starting to understand a little Wolof, if people speak to me really. slowly. In really. short. phrases. And repeat themselves two or three times. That's progress, baby.
-- Of approximately five ideas that I have pitched to various editors since I became a freelance journalist, four were accepted, and I'm still waiting for a verdict on number 5. That's a hell of a track record.
Things that currently make me unhappy:
-- Dakar is in the midst of an electricity crisis, which means that I have power approximately never. Which, by the way, renders the wireless internet far less useful. It also means that it's fairly hard to get work done, and impossible to keep milk fresh, and I don't even want to think about what it's doing to business owners in the area. How exactly do you run a cyber cafe if there's no electricity between 8 am and 7 pm, which is fairly average for my neighborhood currently? How do you run a grocery store?
-- Tonight I have power, but I don't have water. Sigh.
-- Between last Friday and Wednesday night, I slept about 15 hours, total. Including naps. Because of various reasons, mostly work related. Plus I had (have) a raging cold. Plus my period. I thought I was going to die. I kind of wished I could.
-- Of the four articles I have written, none have yet seen print (or internet, in one case). Most will, eventually, get published. I think. But until they do, this doesn't feel real.
-- There is absolutely no money in this. Will explain more later.
Eh, voila. What's up with y'all?
On the down side, I'm exhausted, and I miss updating here.
I've got a long post ruminating in my head, but I haven't written it yet, and it's going to have to wait until certain other things get sorted out (ooh, mysterious. Don't you hate it when bloggers do that? I do. I used to read a blog of this girl in Seattle, who was in the midst of some big thing, but she couldn't talk about it online. Which, fine, don't talk about it. But instead she would constantly refer to how stressful her TOP SECRET PLANS were. In the end, I gave up and stopped reading).
So, because this post will not be interesting, I will instead be brief.
Things that currently make me happy:
-- I have wireless internet at home.
-- My ATM card works.
-- It's Friday, which means I got to eat Laax (millet porridge with yoghurt. Delicious).
-- The amazingly delicious mangoes that are currently in season.
-- My friends, here and where you are, who are, in a word, the coolest.
-- I have a running buddy, and starting next week, may have a weekly running group.
-- Two phrases in Wolof: Graoul and Amul probleme. Both mean the same thing, "no problem" and both are a fun melange of French and Wolof. Graoul, from French "C'est pas grave". In Wolof, to negate something, you add -ul. So graoul is grave + -ul. Amul probleme is simpler. Am is have, ul is negative, and probleme, well, that's easy.
-- The fact that I'm finally starting to understand a little Wolof, if people speak to me really. slowly. In really. short. phrases. And repeat themselves two or three times. That's progress, baby.
-- Of approximately five ideas that I have pitched to various editors since I became a freelance journalist, four were accepted, and I'm still waiting for a verdict on number 5. That's a hell of a track record.
Things that currently make me unhappy:
-- Dakar is in the midst of an electricity crisis, which means that I have power approximately never. Which, by the way, renders the wireless internet far less useful. It also means that it's fairly hard to get work done, and impossible to keep milk fresh, and I don't even want to think about what it's doing to business owners in the area. How exactly do you run a cyber cafe if there's no electricity between 8 am and 7 pm, which is fairly average for my neighborhood currently? How do you run a grocery store?
-- Tonight I have power, but I don't have water. Sigh.
-- Between last Friday and Wednesday night, I slept about 15 hours, total. Including naps. Because of various reasons, mostly work related. Plus I had (have) a raging cold. Plus my period. I thought I was going to die. I kind of wished I could.
-- Of the four articles I have written, none have yet seen print (or internet, in one case). Most will, eventually, get published. I think. But until they do, this doesn't feel real.
-- There is absolutely no money in this. Will explain more later.
Eh, voila. What's up with y'all?
posted by Noames at 5:02 PM
6 Comments:
Yea for you with four stories pending. That is a good average. They better pay!
No water? No electricity? Boy I'm spoiled. I think I'll go turn off my lights.
sounds like, overall, things are going well. $$$ or not, its an experience, right?!?!
soooo glad you updated, i've been getting kinda worried! fyi.. a friend of mine is going to africa with peace corps so i sent her your blog link.. she may be commenting/contacting you for info. her name is bethany. keep an eye out.
can't wait to read the blog you've got in your head!! dont keep us in suspense too long and take care!
oh. and i just bought a bike. and i think i'm going to do a half ironman in august. but i've yet to ACTUALLY commit to it. or post about it on my blog.. look. you get all the breaking news! ;)
Hi. Long time reader, first time poster. So glad to see you are back. Inspired to name my blog in your style; hope that's okay and not considered stealing. :)
Welcome back - it's good to see that you're still out there. Even if the pay is lousy, if you collect good experiences, they too have value! (Perhaps for the book you'll write in 7 years.)
I only eat laax on Fridays because I'm too lazy to make it for myself. Or really, because I haven't figured out where to buy the millet (although I have a feeling I could probably buy it at the boutique that is literally outside my door. So maybe lazy is the right answer).
Every Friday, the maids (that sounds weird... the big house? the others? my housemates?) make a huge batch for some street kids, who may or may not be street kids (sometimes I don't always understand the explanations people give). And because I love it, they give me some too.
Anon, glad you like the blog, and feel free to steal my ideas. As long as you don't get paid for them. Because I need that money. :) Good luck with your half!
Thank you! I'm definitely not getting any money, but I am getting addicted to running.
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