Morgan Freeman, hero

Watching Morgan Freeman in the many flicks that he’s been in in the recent decade, I wonder what it was like to watch the younger version of him. Somehow, I can’t imagine him with a full head of black hair! Some of the greatest flicks I have seen have had this talented genius in them. I’m speaking of The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, Chain Reaction, Kiss the Girls, Along Came a Spider, Bruce Almighty...This dude rocks.

But this guy’s talent seems to have come to the fore after he hit the grey hair years. Or maybe, he was in some great flicks before and then he feel off the face of the earth. Either way, I think he deserved that Oscar last year. He is one of the few people who really deserve to be on that famed Hollywood A List.

Morgan Freeman has a unique intelligence that is his and his alone. He makes you want to believe that after all the fear that is all around us, threatening our existence, there is a light at the end and that we shall survive somehow. Like a well traveled uncle who’s come back after years traveling the world. When he talks, everyone wants to listen because this here is a lesson in how to live life.

The unassuming tone that he never changes might be criticised as boring. But only people like Joyce Meyer can be tagged as boring because of their monotone. For Freeman, this is an asset. If he tried to speak in a higher tone or even changed his accent; lose that Southern drawl, then he wouldn’t be Morgan Freeman. Probably, such a flick would bomb and the world wouldn’t know why.

He can even be classified as one of the arrogant greats. Think Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry with that big gun and cool snarl. Think Ford with that innocent, inquisitive lift of the eyebrow as he runs from an angry Tommy Lee Jones. All these guys are arrogant bastards but that’s why we love them.

Freeman is the only guy who could bring out the wise ex-con in Shawshank and he is the only one who could truly bring out the cut-man in Million Dollar Baby. The way his voice dictates the mood as he narrates is spectacular. His is the voice of reason; you can’t go on screaming or scratching your ears or swinging your foot or chewing gum when he starts talking. It is the calm after the storm and you know you need wisdom when there’s been a storm.

Some ague that last year’s Oscar was just one of those consolation thingies they give out to guys they think are about to die. I say, that’s bull. That doesnt fly because he has been nominated and he's won some stuff in his career. This old man takes a bad movie and makes it a blockbuster. That’s the power of experience.

Only that I have not seen his earlier works when he was younger. Probably, back then, he was rash and loud and he was just another wannabe black man trying to make it big in Hollywood.

Move your ratty ass, blind Mickey

I found a huge rat in my place. I didn’t know there were such huge beasts around. Of course when I saw the tiny little thingys, I fooled myself that they were the big ones. I didn’t want to admit that there was a possibility that they were the babies and their padre had probably gone out to the bar to drink mandule.

The sucker I found must have been the father. And he was staggering all over the place with alcohol on his breath. I didn’t have to smell his breath to know that he was drunk. Heck, I saw him in the morning and he was staring at me defiantly. I locked up and went to hunt for my family. When I came back he was still there, flexing his muscles.

A visit to Utopia

Sometimes, it’s better for one to go out and see for themselves what they have heard, instead of taking it for granted. Many times, being true to our natures and refusing to believe, no matter what we are told, jut because the tellers are, for some reason our foes, works against us.

When you read about the beauty of the Budhagali Falls from all these fawning chroniclers, you could get the impression that you won’t like it, just because it was liked by these blue blistering barnacles, to use Captain Haddock’s phrase.

After a long time, I decided to actually go over and see for myself what the big deal was about the falls. After all, if the government decides to go through with its plans of destroying this piece of divine art, I shall have only myself to blame.

The road to the falls is pure torture. If you are going to the place, place don’t forget to take your car (ha ha) and if you are in your car, don’t forget the wheels. The dust is unforgiving, as you come nearer to the falls. Before long, you realize that the funny looking creatures on bodabodas are actually people with red dust all over their faces and clothes. The eye lashes and eye brows will probably make you want to laugh but you wont be able to because a glance in the mirror of whatever vehicle you are traveling in will confirm to you that you are not any different from the riders.

But once you get to the site, all is suddenly forgiven. At that point, just as you descend into the bowl that holds the most beautiful sight you ever saw, you start thinking of nice colours and happy things and how it doesn’t matter that Cynthia doesn’t want to play with you. Its pure bliss just looking at the great rapids as they hurl themselves onto the rocks and then rise up as if with steam.

The sound is heard from some distance away but you will probably be thinking of other things. The sound is not something you will attach to the beauty of the falls. It roars and sings and tells its own tale. That for centuries, this has been its home and it is not yet tired of being here. That as the sun’s rays hit down on the surface of the water, as the birds fly low and look for any stupid fishes that could be swimming in these mighty waters, this place will stand defiant against the future. It is a sound that cannot be described as a dirge. This is praise and worship.

As I looked at the rushing waves, I sat in the sun and didn’t care that it was too hot. I sat there and let my mind wander. I thought happy thoughts; of my friends, my family, who are my enemy at the moment, for reasons even I can’t explain to myself, the future of this country and yes, the future of Budhagali.

It’s amazing what we shall do for money. Even when it has been said that there are alternatives to what the government is trying to get out of the falls, there are those who are obstinate. They want to see the beauty of this place destroyed. It’s a sad day for those who think on this issue. Because seeing the joy of the people who have come from far just to see the famous attraction, it is almost obscene to think that someone could actually want to take this away.

The hours shall always fly when you are enjoying yourself. Sitting in the comfortable lounge chairs and just listening to nature as it sings to the dancers who have been dancing the whole day, to entertain us the tourists, it is almost cruel when the date says, “Its time to go.” Yet it’s true, we have to go. Tomorrow is another day. It’s a new year, a new beginning.

Maybe there is going to be sorrow. Maybe there will be tears in this year. Whatever happens, we should always remember that there are places in this our country that are going to bring out the best in us. Places that we must enjoy while we still can, because once the powers that be get wind of them, they will probably want to build a hotel there.

See this

say, what's with all this noise? there are things that would want to be known as those that go bump in the night but they are over rated. who's afraid of Virginia Wolf, anyway?

For the love of the state

Right now, if you are an African, it is wise not to be one from Uganda. While there is too much drama going on on the political front, maybe its safer if you watch from the distance. Like from Rwanda or …but wait, didn’t someone say Rwanda is just a province of Ug? That means when the shit hits the fan, there’s going to be as many faces smelling in Ug as there are in Rwanda. Maybe, one should watch from The Cape of Good Hope.

The president has been implicated in yet another scam. Buying off judges, trying to influence their judgment and relegating his biggest rival to the abyss of forgetfulness. Well, when a guy who sees himself as a revolutionary who should be followed wherever he goes turns into the guy whose morals you want to question, things are not exactly rosy.Of course we don’t know if these stories hold any water. For fairness’ sake, lets assume the dude is innocent and just the victim of a calculated attack from his enemies.

When Napoleon wanted to get France to do what he wanted, he strangled all the guys who thought they were smart. That translates into all those who think that freedom is free. The intelligentsia of the day disappeared and the little conqueror had a ball trampling all over Europe.

That eventually, it is these same smart guys who brought him down is beside the point. Napoleon’s time was up anyway and there was little he could acquire by the time he was banished to St. Helena.

So you want to stick your tongue out at Kagu? Think again. If you want to go down that road, you have to be ready to give up everything. Because it will come at a high price believe me. That dude, wont bend over just like that, gafula.