You are not alone
Greetings
The thing about being an introvert and being taught that one should be independent and self-sufficient, never having to depend on anyone else, is that things can become difficult to get done. Your weaknesses and inadequacies become very visible, if not to the world, but to yourself. Despite knowing this, I have generally pursued my personal projects on my own which means when there is an obstacle - whether it is time, energy or resource related - it can potentially derail the entire thing. And then I spend time apologising for it. And giving up on it.
After just over six months, I finally published a new episode of the Listen To Your Footsteps podcast with Tumi ‘Stogie T’ Molekane as my guest. In the conversation, he talked about the communities he was part of and how that helped him on his journey.
“…it's a different kind of like grace when you are able to sit with a close knit group of friends who are wholly invested in you becoming a better writer…. the most invaluable thing is having community because you can't do it alone.”
It hit home for me because the reason why the podcast is actually back up and running is because a friend has come onboard to help with producing it and handling the admin which is where I was falling short.
One of my favourite actors is Jeffrey Wright and I still have the DVD of the film Basquiat which he starred in. It was through that film that I was introduced to the art (and, of course, life) of Jean-Michel Basquiat. I recently came across and watched Downtown 81, a film in which Basquiat played the lead.
I always start my year on the front foot when it comes to reading. My 9th book for the year is last night a dj saved my life: the history of the disc jockey by Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton.
Brewster also has a dope site DJ History with articles, mixes and podcast episode on DJ culture. Something for all the senses.
The other day I wrote on how my view of ‘working’ has evolved over the years and how I shifted from building a career to building a life in Embracing a Non-Liner Life.
Recently, in the news, there was an announcement that the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) will be loaning looted Asante artefacts back to Manhyia Palace Museum in Ghana. This is mindboggling to me. In African Art in Western Museums: It’s Patrimony Not Heritage, Charlotte Joy writes “Thus, the way in which African objects are held and displayed in Western museums can tell us a lot about the legacy of colonialism and the West’s ambivalent relationship towards its former colonies.”
As a motorcycle enthusiast, I try to experience as many different motorcycles as possible and write about them in my Wanted Online column. I have previously written about electric motorcycles, questioning whether they will have a place on the continent, especially in cities like Johannesburg. I finally got to the ride a truly electric motorcycle, the Vmoto Super Socco TC Max.
While I am a fan of the Black Panther movies, and the different comic book series, I have always find it a bit amusing that Wakanda which, for many, serves as inspiration for a vision of a future Africa, was actually created by two middle-aged white American men, namely Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Black Panther, Wakanda Forever and the problem with Hollywood – an African perspective touches on some of my concerns with it.
That’s it for today. Please share, subscribe and/or comment.
Also, check out my podcast and book Listen To Your Footsteps.
Easy
Kojo
Quite diverse this time around, big bro. Held by a thread of self-discovery and motivation. I would not have believed Wakanda was written by the good "Umlungus", until I read from you. We need to share an apt opinion with films of such magnitude, in our lifetime, hopefully. I am still a station wagon junky and collector. I do not want that station wagon feeling of family and driving to an unknown destination with family to die. I do always respect your boldness in expressing how you feel. It's a gift.