Wambui Bahati's Blog, page 5

Marching ‘Against’ vs Marching ‘For’

Waiting for the march to start, May 25, 2013

Yesterday, I marched in the “March Against Monsanto” here in New York City.

Many of my ‘growing up years’ in Greensboro, North Carolina during the 1950’s and 1960’s were about marching and demonstrations for civil rights. However, over the past years, I think really hard about whether I want to participate in a demonstration, rally or march.

I’m not eager to participate in events that I have little control over. I know what the agenda is supposed to be. I know what my agenda is. But in large groups of people, even though they show up, I cannot be sure that everyone else shares the same common goal and similar means of attaining it.

However, needless for me to say, pure food is high on my list of priorities in my life. I don’t want people or corporations messing with my food! I know that when someone is allowed to manipulate our food — control our food — they are manipulating and controlling our health and our lives. I wanted to show my support. I went. I’m glad I did. I applaud all those who worked diligently to make this world-wide event a success.

Before I went, I had a talk with myself. I told myself that although this is called the “March Against Monsanto”. I am not marching ‘against’ anything. I want to march ‘for’ something. I get it — that the name Monsanto had to be prominent. I get that people need to know who this corporation is and what they are about.

However, in my heart, I will not and did not march ‘against’ them. I will not make them the star of my march. I marched ‘for’ me and the people I love. I was marching ‘for’ our right to eat what and how we choose to eat.

Mother Teresa said she would not march against the Vietnam War. She said she would, however, march for peace. I understand this. Fighting ‘for’ something feels a lot more empowering and uplifting than fighting — pushing — struggling — ‘against’ something. Fighting or standing ‘for’ something is also a lot less stressful.

Should someone attack me? I will fight ‘for’ my life — ‘for’ my right to live and ‘for’ my freedom.

Some of My First Jobs

Video Below:

Every now and then I’ll be somewhere — at a store, in a restaurant, or just walking around the city and I’ll see something or someone that reminds me of a job I used to have. Of course, some jobs I liked more than others. My acting jobs — those were great jobs!! My dream jobs!! I LOVE performing!

Right now, however, I’m thinking about some of my first jobs. I’m also thinking about some of those jobs I took in between the theater gigs when my kids were little and money was tight. [With the exception of that BurgerKing thing -- I don't talk about that in this video. But, I'll get to that in a later one.]

With the exception of that BurgerKing thing, I learned to enjoy every job I had. I learned to play a mind game where no matter what job I had or where I worked; I acted as if the company belonged to me. No I never told this to the person who the company actually belong to.

However, thinking like this helped me feel good about being there and I took pride in what I did. I must say that every job I’ve ever had, I always treated the client or customers the way I wanted to be treated. I saw my jobs as just practice for when I would be doing my own thing.

In this video I’m talking about some of my first jobs because . . . just because.

Ukulele and Fitness Fun

Video Below:

My daughters and I made this silly video. I decided to share it here. Enjoy!

I think it is an art form. However, I don’t think a genre has been created for it, yet.

Me and My Daughters

I would like for you to meet two awesome young women — my daughters!

Marie Zuma Classes

NY Uke Fest 2013 — May 30, 31, June 1 and 2!

A Talk About Food

I am not a doctor. However, I do know that what we put in and on our bodies do affect how we feel, how we think, and how we look.

Maybelle’s After-Hours Disco Bar and Grill

I’m talkin’ ’bout Maybelle’s after hours disco bar and grill.

The ribs are succulent.

The pig feet are divine.

With any order you get your choice of free beer or wine.

Just go straight down Washington Street,

Cross over Martin Luther King,

Right behind Tabernacle Church

Maybelle’s can be seen.

Now down at Maybelle’s they got their own fashion rules.

Listen up girls and I’ll tell you what to do.

Now the ladies mostly sport a fashion wig or at least some type of weave.

The women wear tight-fitting skirts that stop well above the knee.

Get yourself some spiked high heels—or some platforms will do.

Lord, the men at Maybelle’s will be all over you.

Now guys, at Maybelle’s, wearing a suit is what you want to do.

But please don’t show up at Maybelle’s wearing brown, black or blue.

Yellow, purple and red are some colors that the men sport around.

Maybelle’s men may not have all their teeth but they are the hottest dressers and best lovers in town.

I’m talkin’ ’bout Maybelle’s after hours disco bar and grill.

The ribs are succulent.

The pig feet are divine.

With any order you get your choice of free beer or wine.

Just go straight down Washington Street,

Cross over Martin Luther King,

Right behind Tabernacle Church

Maybelle’s can be seen.

It is right next to Lee Roy’s Check Cash and Pawn and Loan.

Right across the street from where you pay to get your phone back on.

Now make sure you bring a handkerchief or napkin up in there.

You gon’ need it when you start to sweat cause Maybelle’s ain’t got no air.

Girls, make sure your sugar daddy has cashed his pay.

Cause Maybelle don’t take no credit cards and no checks — no way.

At least once a month if you are at Maybelle’s chillin’,

You gon’ have to go down to the courthouse to testify about a killin’.

The chalk outlines all over the floor add a flare to Maybelle’s design.

But other than a few shootins’ and stabbins’ Maybelle’s don’t have no crime.

I’m talkin’ ’bout Maybelle’s after hours disco bar and grill.

The ribs are succulent.

The pig feet are divine.

With any order you get your choice of free beer or wine.

Just go straight down Washington Street,

Cross over Martin Luther King,

Right behind Tabernacle Church

Maybelle’s can be seen.

Whatever you are into,

You can get into at Maybelle’s.

Whatever you groove to,

You can groove to it at Maybelle’s.

The DJ at Maybelle’s spins the funkiest blues.

That music will have you dancin’ right out of your shoes.

No heavy drugs are allowed in the spot

But you can smoke your cigarettes and maybe a little pot.

I’m talkin’ ’bout Maybelle’s after hours disco bar and grill.

The ribs are succulent.

The pig feet are divine.

With any order you get your choice of free beer or wine.

Just go straight down Washington Street,

Cross over Martin Luther King,

Right behind Tabernacle Church

Maybelle’s can be seen.

~ WB

Toddlers Eat Vegetables

INTERVIEWER:

So, how do you get your toddlers to eat vegetables?

ME:

I throw the vegetables on the floor and say, “Don’t touch that!”

~ WB

I Who Have No Electric Dishwasher

“I wish I could just throw all the dirty dishes away.”

Washing dishes?

A waste of time, I say.

I wish I could just throw all the dirty dishes away.

Washing dishes is not my thing.

Although what I eat from I want to be clean.

I didn’t write down washing dishes as one of my ‘dream life’ plans.

And the worst part about it is not the washing, but scrubbing those doggone pans.

I tried eating from paper plates

But the food didn’t taste too good.

My meals tasted like cheap TV dinners,

Nothing tasted like it should.

Once I tried throwing the dirty dishes away,

But buying new dishes all the time took all my pay.

I tried eating all of my meals out at places I could afford,

But after a week I gave that up,

With McDonald’s I got too bored.

I tried not eating anything at all—

That way my dishes would stay clean.

All I got was hungry and tired—

Not to mention irritable and mean.

I think I’ll have a lady come in just once a week or so,

Just to wash the dishes (and maybe mop the floor).

I’m just gonna have to hire me a maid to come in every now and then,

‘Cause I’ll be damned if I’m gonna keep washing these dishes over and over again.

~ WB

Balancing Act – the Musical (Link Below)

Before there was the book, You Don’t Know Crazy: My Life Before, During, After, About and Beyond Mental Illness, there was the one-woman musical show, Balancing Act.

The show was recorded live in New York City in 2004. For the next few weeks, if you so desire, you can watch Balancing Act – the Musical in its entirety, for free, just by clicking here.

Balancing Act – the Musical

Before there was the book, You Don’t Know Crazy: My Life Before, During, After, About and Beyond Mental Illness, there was the one-woman musical show, Balancing Act.

The show was recorded live in New York City in 2004. For the next few weeks, if you so desire, you can watch Balancing Act – the Musical in its entirety, for free, just by clicking here.