FrendshipPLUS 12,946 Comments

Scrap the Dating Fan-fair for a Genuine Connection


Dating, Mating, Texting, Sexing, Sexting, Meat marketing…It’s Wednesday night, you’re waiting for the Qonjit you met at that swanky jazz spot on Friday Night to call you back – she seemed into the music but way more into you.. I mean, you were exchanging smoldering looks over that candle while you argued about the origin of jazz and the African roots that seeped in from beats in Blues and Gospel and the Latin beats that also happen to have some African flavor and on and on with the rumble & thump of that jazz bass, low and deep…
On the flip side – in a parallel plane, 2 Saturday nights ago she got stuck with the friend of a friend who seemed to drop interesting insights about the business scene in Addis, ideas that had sunk into her mind as they caused her to pause and reflect, even squint a little bit. But then her friend’s birthday party turned upbeat & as the music came on it wasn’t just his ideas that were sinking into different parts of her; causing her to pause and repel; this time in unpleasant ways. And so it goes — daram paramp pam... the parade of days in Modern day dating. Last month you were fawning over “never gonna call you” and over-analyzing your “Ms/Mr Unavailable,” and in a few weeks you’re the one narrowing your eyes as someone asks you for a dinner as you wonder “will I be leading her/him on if…” . Continue reading ‘FrendshipPLUS’

my Favorite Things 6,703 Comments

Oprah has her favorite things shows, and it’s amazing. I have a few favorite things now that I think about it.  But want inspired me to write today after a long absence is the new IPAD 2.

Here is my list in no particular order.

  1. Roku Player : you can connect it to any TV and get your Netflix, Amazon Videos and HULUY directly through Wi-Fi connection.  It has a remote and just needs power.
  2. Chivas Regal : Long before its popularity in the US, I was a fan thanks to my big brother. It’s the best blended scotch out there.  It grew 61% in the last 8 years. Continue reading ‘my Favorite Things’
Mama Africa Songs 528 Comments

This is a new one I really loved. But I do remember the one below from the 90′s. Although there are a lot of African Mother songs. Most of them terrible. Continue reading ‘Mama Africa Songs’

Abesha Curls 3,928 Comments

I thought this was an interesting post on hair stuff. Source

Mitmitta Musika 401 Comments

As winter was fast approaching, I made it a point I needed to travel somewhere warm this year. I was not going to get stuck in another “snowmaggedon”. You’d figure that after all of these years living abroad, I’d get used to the cold or learn to appreciate it. So i decide to make my way back home, Ethiopia. When travelling, I make a very short and concise list of things to do. Everything that happens in between is sheer luck or happenstance.

I was on a mission to meet this guy known as DJ Mitmitta. It was on my to-do list. I was trying to make use of every minute, second of my days that I missed out on asking about this man. One chilly night, I decide to go a jazz bar with a friend. In between sets I hear this great mix of ethio jazz and I ask my friend who the DJ is, low and behold : DJ Mitmitta. DJ Mitmitta, also known as Kidus, owns a music shop in aware called Mitmitta Musika. Did I forget to mention that this man is norwegian and speaks amharic that will make you question yours? Yes. So now, I’m confused that I am communicating with this norwegian guy in amharic and his knowledge about ethiopian music is rather impressive, for someone who’s only lived in Ethiopia 3-4 years. I digress.

I stumbled up on Dj Mitmittas’  tumblr blog, thanks to a friend, and ever since then I made it a point to find this man. After playing phone tag and missed appointments (addis style), I finally made it to his music shop. As soon as I walk in, I see famed masinko player Idriss Hassan playing a tune and few members from the band Le Tigre Des Platanes walking out from the back room. Continue reading ‘Mitmitta Musika’