BOREDOM

[NGONGE]

Today was a good day. It was one of those rare days when everything goes so smoothly it makes you wonder where the trouble is going to come from. I woke up before the alarm. I didn’t have to look for the towels when I went to have a shower. I managed to get the bus the minute I reached the bus stop, and best of all I managed to get a seat on the train! I was so happy with this petty treat that I kept smiling at all the people sitting opposite me. Some smiled back, some looked right through me and others tried to avoid my gaze nervously. I started wondering about each one of them. How many grandchildren did the old men opposite me have? Was he ever married? What if he was gay? He smiled back at me as I had that thought. I panicked, didn’t want to encourage him and moved my eyes to the woman sitting next to him. She was blonde, had a pretty face and amazing blue eyes. I couldn’t stop myself. I kept staring at her. She stared back. A naughty thought crossed my mind. I decided not to look away. Let her look away first. I’m going to make her blush. She didn’t look away. I started searching her eyes for a sign. Wonder what she’s thinking of right now! She probably was thinking the same thing. I found myself getting lost in those lovely blue eyes. She was sitting too far away for me to see my reflection in her eyes. I looked at her left eye. The pupil looked like a tiny island in a sea of blue. I started thinking of poems and songs about someone drowning in the eyes of his beloved. Now I know what they meant by that. It made great sense to me. I sighed. She blinked. I panicked. Did she read my thoughts? I don’t love her. I don’t even know her. I lost the competition. I lowered my gaze. I quickly stole one last glance. She had what looked like a triumphant smile on her face. She could read my mind after all! I didn’t want to play anymore. I looked at the woman sitting next to her. She was wearing glasses. She didn’t look back. She was reading a book: A suitable Boy. I felt sorry for her. The book was a thousand pages long but the ending was not worth the effort. I looked away quickly before I could blurt out my thoughts. The eye woman was still staring at me. I looked down at my feet nervously. There was some sort of white dot on my shiny black shoe! I wondered what that was, how did it get there? It looked like saliva. Somebody spat on my shoe? I felt embarrassed. Tried to cross my legs clumsily. I failed. That woman was still staring at me. How rude. I wished I had a bag or newspaper to hide my spit covered shoe with. I had two more stops to go. Six full minutes of embarrassment! I closed my eyes and pretended that I wasn’t on a train. I pretended that I was in the cinema. The seats were comfortable. The atmosphere was cool. I don’t know if it was the thought of comfortable seats in a dark room that did it but when I opened my eyes next, I had missed my stop (and the four after that too).

[Jumatatu]

Originally posted by Mutakalim:

I have analysed the posts of our esteemed brother, but I have failed to find any "subtelties"; I have analysed the posts of our esteemed brother, but I have failed to discern any "esoteric" meaning; I have analysed the posts of our esteemed brother, but I have failed to find any "meaning".

This brings into mind the difference between native authors and non native authors of the English language. While the former will simplyfy his work inorder his readers to understand his narrative the latter will do the opposite in attempt to show his grasp of the language.

"subtelties", "esoteric", "meaning" of these three the last one I think would have said it all.

 

As for the thread Mutakalim it is not intended to be intellectually nourishing but rather on the contrary a satire.

[Curly]

Jumatatu, here's a suggestion as to why our Nomad Mutakalim chose to use those words.

 

At school I was always taught to avoid repetition when writing maybe this is the case with Mutakalim.

 

Just a thought! :confused:

 

I also think that Mutakalim is helping the rest of us by introducing new words to us. I choose to see it as a contribution to out little society rather than him singing his own praises!

[NGONGE]

^^^Oh! Oh! I missed that one. Let me try to explain the obvious to the brother. I’ll do my own bit of scrutinising now. Heh.

 

I really do not apprehend and/or comprehend, for the life of me, as to the possible reasons, if there be any, behind the intitiating of threads of this nature.

Don’t apprehend, comprehend or call a friend, saaxib. All you had to do is READ the title.

 

I have analysed the posts of our esteemed brother, but I have failed to find any "subtelties"; I have analysed the posts of our esteemed brother, but I have failed to discern any "esoteric" meaning; I have analysed the posts of our esteemed brother, but I have failed to find any "meaning".

You sound even more bored than I am, saaxib. Take a leaf from my book and publish your analysis.

 

This is perchance a "idle" attempt at humour. Well, I am trying very hard to laugh.

Shall we get into a philosophical discussion about laughter? No, no need for a discussion. Lets keep it simple, if you find it funny laugh away, if you don’t, then, erm, don’t. Trying and laughter should never be mixed or the whole thing would look false.

 

P.S. Someone has to restore the waning "mental equilibrium" of this thread.

Never fear, saaxib. I’m back to restore whatever needs restoring. I made it my duty to remind all the analy retentive people in SOL of the importance of the simple things in life. We can all build great houses of cards and act the pseudo-intellectual but most don’t bother because there aren’t any points to be scored here. As someone on another forum once said, “ It’s a discussion forum, it’s not a degree in being a show-ofâ€. Having said that, I reserve the right to show of as and when it pleases me. This is not because I’m competing with anyone on here, far from it, people. I’m only doing this to kick-start your thoughts and persuade you to follow suit with something that’s originally yours, not to cut and paste other people’s words. For I’m the beacon that will light up your imaginations, unfurl your sails and fill them with the wind of creativity. Don’t be afraid, don’t be embarrassed or worry about feeling silly. Experiment, bring your ideas to the fore and talk rubbish if you have to. You’re anonymous, nobody knows you here and you need not prove yourself to anyone. If you find it hard to let go of your natural introversion, don’t worry; I do personal coaching sessions too. We’ll have you talking rubbish in no time.

 

** Takes a step back and looks at the thread **

 

 

** Smiles contentedly at the restoration of the mental equilibrium **

[Jumatatu]

Originally posted by Curly_Sue:

I also think that Mutakalim is helping the rest of us by introducing new words to us. I choose to see it as a contribution to out little society rather than him singing his own praises!

Curly_Sue is back with a bang....

W/B Sue with a big hug

[MaLikah]

Hehhee...

 

you crack me up NGONGE. this is the first thread i've read in ages and its eerie how you're very first post explained to the T how i'm feelin right now..I feel better just knowing I'm not alone out there lol.

 

p.s-you eva find out if that spit on your shoes

[Reality Check]

Let's get back to reality shall we.

 

Ngonge, seems like u lead the life of a bachelor, and here I thought you just had a newborn?

 

Must be confusing u with someone else :confused:

 

 

:cool:

[NGONGE]

^^^ Do I give you that impression? Do you find it attractive? Are you willing to wait for twenty years or so?

 

 

If you answered YES to the above questions then CONGRATULATIONS , dear. You have won a top of the range Toshiba dishwasher and a chance for your name to be entered into the NGONGE MEGA DRAW !

[Reality Check]

^ Sorry to burst your bubble, Ngonge. But I'm sure MaLiKah wants to get in on the draw

[NGONGE]

I don’t believe it! A Somali person refusing the offer of a free dishwasher? Ala maxaa la kibray!

 

[Reality Check]

^Well, you can still give me the dishwasher if you want.

[Gediid]

Originally posted by Mutakalim:

I really do not apprehend and/or comprehend, for the life of me, as to the possible reasons, if there be any, behind the intitiating of threads of this nature.

 

I have analysed the posts of our esteemed brother, but I have failed to find any "subtelties"; I have analysed the posts of our esteemed brother, but I have failed to discern any "esoteric" meaning; I have analysed the posts of our esteemed brother, but I have failed to find any "meaning".

 

This is perchance a "idle" attempt at humour. Well, I am trying very hard to laugh. :rolleyes:

 

P.S. Someone has to restore the waning "mental equilibrium" of this thread.

You have totally spoiled it for us Muta.I now have to read your post(a waste of energy on my part) to get to Ngonge's.

[Jumatatu]

Originally posted by NGONGE:

I don’t believe it! A Somali person refusing the offer of a free dishwasher? Ala maxaa la kibray!

So what now then a free lottery with a dishwasher price anyone who reads your posts...?

Ngonge waxaan ku warsadey saxiib wayahaan wax sadaqo ah ma bixisey?

[Mutakalim]

Jumatatu:- That the difference between native authors of a language and non-native authors is one of comprehensibility is unfounded, and as such, untrue. Should one review and peruse, meticilously, the corpus of available english literature, then one shall find a complexity of languague in both native and non-native writers (William Faulkner is a native english writer; however, his writing is the cause of many a linguistic obfuscation while Ernest Hemingway, another native writer, is very simple to read.)

 

There is a reason why I wrote "subtelties", "esoteric" and "meaning"(all are pertinent mind you). Why not just say "meaning". For example, instead of writing it is "heinous", "ungodly", "abonimable", this is "war". Why not just say that it is "war". Know you the "poetic device" employed therein? Do apprise me if you know.

 

Curly Sue you wrote

At school I was always taught to avoid repetition when writing maybe this is the case with Mutakalim.

 

It is not repetition per se that is frowned upon in academia but "indiscrimnate" repetition. Indeed, "unpurposive" repetition has been, tradionally, considered a cardinal "sin" in english literature. On the other hand, purposive or "calculated" repetition is a oft-employed device of poetic speech. Poetic devices are employed in prose to induce the self-same effect of the poetic pieces.

 

The repetition of a phrase in poetry may have an incantatory effect as in the opening lines of T. S. Eliot's "Ash-Wednesday":

 

Because I do not hope to turn again

Because I do not hope

Because I do not hope to turn.

 

To use a cliche, "last but not least" Ngnone:

 

As the rabble say, "I gave you the benefit of the doubt". Whilst I perused your writing, (perhaps I should call it "free-writing") I was under the impression ("delusion" would be the appropriate diction here) that your seemingly aimless and futile pieces were, in fact, "genuine insights" to the human psyche, all the while, expressed in a simple and unconvoluted manner.

 

For the "quintillionth" time, this (i.e. my posts) is not an ostentacious gesture of reproval; this is not an grandiloquent langugage enveloped in a "caustic" cover; this is not an attempt to "score points" (*note the repetition).

 

The charge is thus: the baro group are guilty of posting incognitive propostions (i.e. the color of 9 is blue) while you are guilty of posting material with little, as Chomsky would say, "fruit value". Your statements are similar in breadth and depth to: "Fish only live in water" and "You should breathe regularly". This, my venerated freind, serves no "fruitful" purpose.

[nuune]

posted by Mutakallim

 

The charge is thus:

the baro group are guilty of posting incognitive propostions (i.e. the color of 9 is blue)

while you are guilty of posting material with little, as Chomsky would say, "fruit value". Your statements are similar in breadth and depth to: "Fish only live in water" and "You should breathe regularly". This, my venerated freind, serves no "fruitful" purpose.

 

heey wali ma naga laa laadaana sidii fiidmeer qurac ku tiirsan ayadoo foolaneeso camaleeti, see camal sxbkiis isku shiix nin weyn aa tahayee maxa saan dhan, dhibkaan maxa waaye bisinka