Facing Grim: Gream Stays Afloat

Revivification

Savvy mentioned in twitter (yes I got hooked too and thats where I have been making noise) that I have abandoned (that’s a strong word you used lady!) my blog. Well yeah, this place feels cold. I won’t go into finer details on reasons because they are many. I have a number of drafts in my soon to be formatted HD but I can’t seem to trace them all. Too much stash I found in that 80GB from hentai to some old old old jazz singles (yes I do that too not just hardcore underground hip hop) collection.

Birthday Boyz

Gream’s birthday slides past like any other day. I was however surprised that I share the day with a very brilliant writer. He suggests we meet and see who is the oldest. Then 3 days after, 6^th July, this other equally brilliant writer shares a birthday with this thought provoking one.  I also noted ¹/₃ of my alter ego’s friends on Facebook are July fellaz!

What’s cutting?

This year, has been tough in the business. Reduced corporate spending on asset finance has seen my line of hustle take a beating. The company has experienced tough times as result and factors like (IMHO), poor management. For example taking a huge ass loan (10M!) to buy Safaricom shares during the IPO in anticipation of a quick kill on the onset of trading in the NSE was a bad bad idea. Well, we all know shares are not doing very well and the loans have to be repaid. Due to this and a myriad of other problems, the company has cut on both unnecessary and necessary spending. An example of this; the line of business we are in banks heavily on print media advertising and major ad once a fortnight is the worst you should do, coupled with daily line or two in the classified , for you to scoop a market far and wide. With 3 adverts in a year, and classified far in between, we are left to do with walk-ins, come back customers and referrals. This has hurt the business, the heads and hurts harder, the foot soldiers. I am one of the foot soldiers.

Bucket list

I have observed all these and taken precautions. Though the situation isn’t greamy yet, precautions have to be taken. I have cut down on expenses too though I haven’t subjugated my nephew to what economikriser here did to us years ago. My bucket list of things to, and not to do, looks like this…

The Big Screen at Home

What used to be a movie or two (depending on time & movie) a week has come down to movies mainly on the couch with a glass of juice, a mug of coffee or tea and at times a reasonable amounts of kahawa or cane liqueur.  My face was too kawaida at the theatres that they knew my favorite seat and I even got to know David, a projector guy with Nu-Metro. David, thank you for the complimentary tickets. Now you know for sure I haven’t been there for sometime because I notice they have re-branded to Silverbird. I have also reduced airtime at Alliance Française. Yeah, I catch plays now and then though cutting down on this feels like a mistake.

The Shining

I hate to polish shoes. I have a post about that and will put it up sometime down the line. That said, for years, say 3-4, I never polished my shoes. I am, or I used to be those guys you find seated on those stools getting their shoes fixed. The Classic Shoe Shiners at NHIF in Community or Nakumatt Lifestyle and the lone Kiwi guy at The Junction (this is where I catch  or used to catch my flicks) must be wondering where I disappeared to. I used to warm those stools atleast three times a week and this is an expense I have done away with.

Screw the local & other joints

Another stool I haven’t been warming much is that at the bar. I haven’t been out much lately. Though I suspect this will be watered down at the beginning of the European leagues football action. Yes I do that too, and I shout hoarse when a beautiful goal is scored. Though I didn’t on the night of Champion’s league Final in May. Now you know where my allegiance lies. I have found myself out on very few occasions and ones that I had to be there because friends want me there. Now you know why I wont be telling tales like this one

Rationing Candle lights

When I walk to any of the coffee joints I frequent, there is a waiter or a waitress who knows I like him mine extra hot, strong, with milk (I correct them when they asks “white or black?” it’s with milk damit! Nothing like white coffee!) That way I can have it with little or no sugar and the flavor is timam. My house coffee with a plain croissant habit has been cut down from daily vice to once a week at worst or with a friend. My twice a week visit to mama Oliech’s joint has come down too. I bet you didn’t know I love fish that much. Though I don’t like the fish fillet served in most of the upmarket restaurants. It’s never as fress as that at Olieches. Dinners at those Chinese, Indian or Ethiopian restaurants have also been cut down and it’s a huge saving I must say.

Screw Tao

I have cut down on going to town unnecessarily. Town has been for wedding committee meetings (though I have skipped a number), a fortnightly haircut. Office errands to town haven’t been thrown my way much lately. Going to town is a hustle. Time spent in traffic and when you get there, there is a random lunch or an unplanned dinner, coffee, tea, or one for the road (which is never one!), unbudgeted for purchases, fare spent or fuel guzzled. This has seen me get home earlier than usual, a lot saved and a well rested me to boot.

Matatus I didn’t say they bad vs Self Drives

Hitching a matatu has been fulfilling. Even with a ride available for use, mine or the company’s, I am avoiding the use one of one. You fuel; you fix any other problems in it. But am not ready to shoulder the cost of replacing the suspension and bushes and fixing any other problems a 1991 Celica available for use is having. I used it for a day and it almost had me overturning in it because of a problem with the front left axle. Then someone puts pressure on my behind to sell it. I can’t sell the car in that shape, friend, fix it first. Don’t expect me to then you disappear after it’s put in order. There is also a 1987 Lancer available with a loud exhaust just like the Celica but this one is nasty! She gave me hell of a night in the rain during the champion’s league final.  A post about that night lies somewhere in the HD. Don’t even mention the fuel she gobbles. She is up for sale too.

Home? Yeah, what about home?

Home front, a less filled fridge. A chicken or two less. Beef cut. Lots of beans and vegiez taking over. I am expecting power rationing (however much we are not liking it) to bring the bills down. Any more cutting would mean there will be no microwave & hot shower. Why am kidding on the hot shower part when I know very well I hate cold showers? Water has been used sparingly (cut shower time by half ie 15 mins) and the results looking positive. Water bill has been cut by atleast half though still high compared to my friends who are on kanjuz line because our flat and neighboring ones rely solely on a borehole owned by our landlord and other area lords. On saving water, the cisterns in use in most households use atleast 10 litres every time we flush the toilet! May be those building new dwellings should use modern ones that use at most 3 litres. I have seen a number of these and they it quite a saving. I thank God for the water part because I know what it feels to be on water ration I remember how year 2000 and 2003 was like.

Looking the part

I haven’t picked this CAT I’ve been salivating for in City Walk and neither has that denim I have seen at Ivory, another Enkarasha and another shop whose name I cant recall at Prestige Ngong Road been picked. I am keeping away until its safe to spend and feel guilty not. The shirts feel adequate, for now, and so do the trousers the shoes and ties which I haven’t been keen on lately. However my weekend or casual wear needs a serious make over.  Thank you, you who got me that beautiful stripped shirt .Ok, not that she reads this blog just counting a blessing.

What about the P1 dream?

My mulika mwizi slipped out of my pockets and disappeared but some how I was like good riddance! Because if it hadn’t, I wouldn’t have hit 1300 tweets in the three months I have been at it. I dint however replace it with this. Not just yet. Not just yet. Whatever is in use for now is not so bad after all however light and tiny it is. Besides, I have a feeling (delusional or not) of luck with Samsungs considering it’s the only model I have never lost without a neck, an arm twist, just a slip or a smooth pick-pocketing. Hope I just didn’t cook my goose by saying that.

The Award Goes to….

I guess the most satisfying of all cuts.  Emotional baggage. Not that I carry it around like a girl’s clutch though. I’ve been avoiding cursing a driver who cuts into my lane rudely. Ignoring that other driver that suddenly makes a turn without indicating, see, I have been telling myself, “hey buddy, you aint driving that one, concentrate in this one”, haven’t been in an ugly exchange with anyone, bamba-20s(Nziokxs) cut loose, phone book size reduced and honestly, its good riddance. Am less angry with life, and my heart feels lighter. I have had loads of laughs from crazy tweets to the few blogposts I have been able to read. I have also revived an old me that read a novel every week. Though this has been rearranged to include inspirational and any other book worth. Right now doing The Temple and The Lodge by Michael Baigent & Richard Leigh. And putting up this post cuts down on pressure to do one too.

Sunshine after the rain?

I got to the shore of the Feb money that you were itching to know what get rich quick it was. That add, the savings made have been put into some shares that I think will do well. But I cant be too wrong on this and again I consider shares a long term investment until the day I can buy do a million shares today, offload the next week. I want to believe 98 Degrees were right when they sung, “there is sunshine after the rain…….”

The Curtailing clique

Myself: Even as I do the cuts I have found myself slipping out of self designed path. For example, the other day I was in town to catch a hair cut and take advantage of a 50% off (it was their offer for a birthday boy) massage at my barber shop and decided to have a beer and ended up having three when I met a lady friend who I went to college with, with two other ladies. We left the bar together, me for home and them to where everyone seems to be going out lately. Westlands. They ended up propositioning me. Not for what you are thinking gadamit! It was a joint! A puff pass! I dint partake because it reminds me of a beating I got once from mama gream(and another post is gestated. This one will come to term; it will give you abit of gream’s history on indulgence)

The company: With the advertising down, being on commission and no retainer fee, and you have to do what you have to do, my colleague and I have been spending our own money to put classifieds. A line on Daily Nation, a single like goes for between KES 239 to 320 depending on the day. The Standard does KES 184 what nation used to charge three years ago. Though for you to be in the map Nation is the way to go. Though its not a guarantee at all that you will receive a call let alone a buyer!

Landlord: Even as times get tougher, most of friends say their rent is up by atleast 2k. I haven’t been spared too. Though the increase comes in September and this we were informed in May. When I become an investment guru, I want to own a couple of dwellings too.

Weddings: Am not walking down the isle. My friends are and I promise you its not easy being in all those committees (5 of them this year, so far two to go). I sit on one every Wednesday every two weeks for a wedding coming in November and every Thursday for another that comes at end of August. Brothers, sisters, don’t rush into such stuff. You put lots of pressure on your family and friends. If you have to rush, make it simple and not high end budget. Get those passport brokers. They also fix such necessities and at a tiny fee on request.

KPLC: I blame them for a blackout that gave my old TV a knockout it never recovered from on the night of the Confederations Cup. It was left with black screen with no picture but it had sound. I was told resuscitation couldn’t work and it therefore had to be replaced. An expense not budgeted for. All the same, I love the new one.

What’s in your cut list?

Playlist:

Sunshine to the rain – Anthony Hamilton Feat. Miri Ben Ari & Scarface

She was Just a Friend – Anthony Hamilton

The violin on those two songs just too tight