How to hit that elusive highnote.

Today i'll be talking about singing because i am a performing artiste on Kiptabut Inde Chebarbar Show. I have actually missed blogging for a while now and as thus... here i am.

Well, there's not much i can say about this on my very first blogpost. However, when I am singing, i prefer to go with it and figure it all out with repetition and my gut feeling (I am a Pisces and i own it. So far, my gut has done me loads of good).

Which may not be very helpful to everyone, as i so realized, so I am going to give you a few pointers some of which you may, or may not have heard before. Yeah? Okay, good, now here we go.

Before Singing
First things first:
Singing can be strenuous,  so i suggest you do the following before you carry out singing.

Relax.
It's you having fun. You aren't doing it before hundreds of thousands of people yet. And if you are, you should note i have said yet. I usually relax by dancing, and thereafter taking a nice warm shower. Yes, you should avoid cold showers. Your body should be warm so that you don't end up catching a form of flu or something. I also noticed that letting water warm the throat from the outside during a shower helps the vocal box relax.
Dress up warmly too so that your body stops shivering. This can also affect your singing. Don't forget to wear a nice warm scarf around your throat after showering.

Drink something.
Yes, drink something and it should not be too cold or too hot. Very hot drinks can damage your throat and very cold drinks can give you health complications. Rememeber, your vocal chords are a part of your body. If it is too cold, or too hot, either way they get affected.

Avoid caffeine/caffeinated drinks.
Caffeine has been known to make your vocal chords drier than they should be. Drinks that have sugar make you thirsty, and dairy products increase the amount of mucus at the voice box. Water is your safest bet, though if you insist on tea or coffee or milk or citric drinks you have to chase them down with water. The water should be good at room temperature. Take any of the drinks 3 hours prior to your warm-ups.

Avoid cold beverages or drinks
I shall repeat: AVOID COLD DRINKS. Doesn't matter if you are sweating buckets. Yeah?



Preparations
When you have diligently followed the instructions given above, you are now ready to move to stage two. Here, we do the most important exercises that will determine how you sound during your kick-ass performance. Stay with me now. Yeah?

Breathing Patterns
Learn to breathe deeply, and hold the air before slowly releasing it. People who swim are very ideal at holding their breath. Singing is all about how you employ your breath, not how good your vocals are, or how wide your vocal range is. Breathing also helps burn calories. You should try it.
When you feel like your chest is tight, then you are doing it right )I just rhymed! Woohoo!).

Vocal warm-up
A good warm-up goes from 5 to 10 minutes. It consists of, for me at least, mouth exercise, neck exercise, jaw massage, vocal exercise and facial relaxation. Start with the musical ladder, going from the lower "do" to the higher "do" more than once. Some people then follow this up with using piano and other instruments to match pitch (can't stop thinking of Pitch Perfect now). I just recently did that and i could hit a lot of high notes... probably achieved my falsetto on that same day...!
The ladder goes from "do... reh...mi...fa...so...la...ti..do" and for me, i alternate it with "la...la...la...la...la...la...la...la..." and finish that off with singing "mamamia, mamamia, mamammia, mamamia, mamaaa-mia" acccording to the musical ladder key.

A good warm up then proceeds to do "a...e...i...o...u" repeatedly then continuously relaxing and tensing various facial muscles. Whenever you feel like you are straining, stop, and take some water or massage your throat. Be patient, rest, then do it again. Warm-up is all about easing your voice for the singing ahead. If you push too hard, you will end up with a damaged vocal box.

Remember to breath during warm-up.

Let It Go
If you are uncomfortable practicing in front of [people, then you can as well do it in a corner. Close your eyes and rehearse to your heart's content.



Performance
A good performance is only possible due to:
-good rehearsal
-good warm-up
-good health
-confidence
-concentration on task at hand
-good acting
-good diction

There is a lot of literature that i have found online on how to give a good performance. Well... i'd start with a lot of practice... and a few other things. They include:
-committment
-song choice
-vocal health
-confidence
-relatability
-love
-acting
-cardio
-breathing
-physical health
-mental health
-emotional state
-spiritual health

Join me next time to discuss how to perform and totally give the show of your life Every. Single. Time.

Thank you, and have a lovely time.
~Zainab




 

Calming Down

Everything has felt like a whirlwind till recently. 

Yeah... I know... Some may think what i am talking about is studying... or also a love life, but no, you got it wrong. Almost right, but quite not...

I have been fasting (If you follow me on IG and Twitter, you do know that) while clearing with various departments at school. Honestly speaking, i couldn't help shedding a few tears when i thought that this was the end. I would not see my classmates again in a classroom setting. The next time we would meet after graduation would be outside and we would be eating in a restaurant or something.

Not that that is the only place we could meet. Maybe if i took up some more activities, i would run into them at airports and NGO meetings.

Clearing is like a dark cloud hanging above my head. Not only do we have to be sad, but we also have to chase after people. Right now, the accountants' office in school is experiencing a system fail that is slowing so many things down. 

Eh... and it made me get in trouble with my parents because i have been so busy clearing that i forgot to apply for Electives. I just sent in the application letter early this morning and was asked to return next week. Honestly speaking... if this Friday does not work out... i will kill someone.

I still need to run a few errands. I am so tired. :-( 

Lemme just end this here. Good day to you too

Lyrics-Flashlight

Today is Lyrics Day! As such, i am going to be posting the lyrics to the immensely popular 'Flashlight' because i got a job with Kiptabut Comedy and I am hoping to be a regular feature. All that is left is to tell my momma and poppa. Hoping they give me the green light... 

'thinking out loud' is playing downstairs. Hihihihihih!

Okay, here are the lyrics of 'Flashlight' 

LYRICS-'FLASHLIGHT'
When tomorrow comes, I'll be on my own
Feeling frightened of, the things that i don't know. 
When tomorrow comes,
tomorrow comes,
tomoorrow comes.
And though the road is long, 
I look up to the sky, 
and in the dark i found, i stop and i won't fly
then i song along,
i sing along,
then i sing along.

I got all i need when i got you and i,
i look around me and see a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight,
you're getting me, getting me through the night.
Can't stop my heart when you're shining in my eyes
i can't lie, it's a sweet life.
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight.
You're getting me, getting me through the night.
Cause you're my flashlight,
you're my flashlight,
you're my flashlight.

i see the shadows long, beneath the mountain top
i am not afraid, when the rain won't stop,
'cause you light the way, 
you light the way,
you light the way.

I got all i need when i got you and i 
ilook around me and see a sweet life,
i'm stuck in the dark, but you're my flashlight,
you're getting me, 
getting me, 
through the night.
Can't stop my heart when you're shining in my eyes,
i can't  lie, it's a sweet life.
i'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
you're getting me,
getting me throught the night.

light, light, light
you're my flashlight, light light.
you're my flashlight, light, light
 you're my flashlight. 

I got all i need when i got you and i
i look around me and see a sweet life,
i'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight
you're getting me, 
getting me
through the night.
can't stop my heart when you're shining in my eyes,
i can't lie, it's a sweet life.
i'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight,
you're getting me, 
getting me
through the night.

'cause you're my flashlight
you're my flashlight
you're my flashlight.
flashlight,
you're my flshlight,
you're my flashlight.

you're my flashlight, light, light
you're my flashlight, light , light,
oh yeah.
you're my flashlight.
 
 
*&*&*&*&

ENJOY!!!


 
 

 

 
i ook up to the sky

What Ramadhan Is To Me

By now, you all know my various health conditions like the Lord's Prayer... or Surah Fatiha, seeing that it is Ramadhan. For others, you know it as well as the chant of your favourite song, Sautisol or not.

Why would i start a Blog post with that reference? I am glad you asked Muffin.

Well, anytime I try to Fast, my stomach gets other ideas. It starts to ache. Not because it is hungry, but because it believes it can control my life the way it wants to. Yes, that does not make any sense to you right now. Well, i skip a lot of lunches, and my stomach aches once or twice. However, when i try to fast, it aches every time. Then i get gassy, and my stomach bulges, and it gets so painful... et cetera et cetera.

My stomach is such a spoilt brat during the normal months of the year, but on Ramadhan, she becomes an angel. Literally. It stays quiet and i never hear even one peep from her, unless maybe she is grumbling from me drinking dirty water, or contaminated food and drink during Iftar.

I am one of the muslimahs who are learning as they go. I am not perfect, as everyone in this world isn't either. There are a lot of things i admit i do not know, but i know a lot too, so... yes. Ramadhan happens to be one of those things i know about, and i am not afraid of expressing how i feel about it.

*&*&*&*&

When i was younger, my mother encouraged me to learn how to pray the Islamic way. The rakats and the sujud and what not. I learnt un under a month. I was around nine or ten then. I then started to wear the hijab too. I started to fast soon after. It was harder then though. I couldn't make it past 2:00pm without feeling the urge to eat. My parents understood, and helped me build up my tolerance.

Class Six found me in Boarding School and when Ramadhan came around, I fasted, for the very first time. I managed to do almost half of the days before my stomach condition ate into a few other days. With every year, my tolerance grew. Eventually, i was managing close to 30 days, until i reached puberty and the days started to decrease.

Ramadhan had always been a bit of a hustle for me when i was away from home, because back in the day, i lived in a school that had unbendable dining hall rules. You could not sneak out food, or miss meals. You could not come late to the dining hall. As thus, Ramadhan was a time of plenty of juice and bread. During high school and primary, all the times Ramadhan came around were the 3rd term months. You all know how dry third term is.

There was a time i went to the school field at Games Time and lay down on the grass and everyone around me (girls) were asking me if i was okay. Was i? I really was, there was just the exhaustion, what with regular classes and crazy teachers sending us around class. I found myself feeling so exhausted and didn't even register it when my muslim brother came up and gave me some dates.

I never really knew much about Ramadhan in 2004. All i knew was that i wasn't supposed to salivate. So, i made a very (disgusting) decision to spit anytime i had saliva in my mouth. Eh, that was torturous (and stupid) but i can't be blamed. I was still learning, and i was12 years old. Yeah, not angry at myself for that. I am actually smiling as i think back at it. That year, my matron tried to help me by keeping food for me to eat at Suhur but i found myself relying a lot more on juice and biscuits.

*&*&*&*&

I am not narrating all this to make you feel sorry for me. My aim is to make you understand that Ramdhan has commonly been misunderstood. Most people think that for muslims, it is the one time of the year we eat extravagantly and make tasty food. And don't go to work.

Ramadhan is, I agree, a tiring month. I have felt it, and i have somehow found my exhaustion irritating. However, i love fasting during Ramadhan, especially because of late, I am always at home. We eat Suhur together, while watching Al Jazeera and talk world politics (or listen, because i listen more than i talk) and then we all spend time together. For me, Ramadhan is a family affair, and it will never change. Inshallah, when i am married, and with kids, i will think back fondly to how the Ramadhan experience was for me.

In my house, we try our level best to eat healthy, and Ramadhan is no different. The fresh dark green succulent veggies we grow in the farm provide a steady nourishment, along with milk, and sometimes eggs. We still make ugali, probably in much smaller portions, and sometimes we have beans and chapati because beans are protein and is much needed to provide energy when the carbohydrates are over. Tea is a common phenomenon, seeing as we are Luhyas, born and raised.

During special occasions, we might make some samosas, but that is only because we are sure that none of us will be sick afterwards. Yes, we have to be careful what we eat, so we monitor our diet during Ramadhan.

Some might say that we are doing it to lose weight, from the diet plan above. I would say, it is a benefit that comes with fasting. Losing weight should be done healthily though. We wouldn't want some of us being unable to concentrate because our blood sugar is too low. Hypoglycemia is not a desirable thing.

*&*&*&*&

What have i been doing this Ramadhan then?

Well, first, I have been trying to be more tolerant, patient and understanding. i have also tried to connect with the muslims at my school, seeing as i have been a little behind in the happenings around me. I have managed to maintain a healthy diet... or a semblance of it. Yes, do not judge. I am a young person who has cravings because my hormones are a little on the wild side. Have i helped? Hmm... i don't know... maybe?

For me, i never realize i am helping. Plus if i am, then i should keep it to myself.

I don't have answers to a lot of questions, but even i am trying to find stuff out. What i have, i hold dear. Ramadhan is the one time when every good deed done is rewarded by a higher magnification than what is normal. As thus, people study the Qur'an extensively and pray more so than they do. It is a Holy month for the muslims, and should be regarded as such by everyone.

Ramadhan Bareek to all of you.  

This is Why I hate Presentations...

i penned this in the morning. I was too nervous at the time. It is still untitled, but the title above can do just fine.

Sitting in my chair, shaking like a leaf
so nervous i can hardly breathe.
Will i meet the high expectations
or make myself mortally mortal...
wait, i am mortal.

Beautiful presenters, beautiful presentations
panicking politely while projecting pretense
composure
waiting for closure
while penning this poetic message.

Watching, the presentations
thinking, will i make me mama proud
shaking, so hard i feel it in my veins.
Hiding, hoping i am not too loud,
fighting, these temptations...

To duck out and never come back
sitting duck i will be

Four years worth of education
Can't go down the drain without my mention
in of my
intelligence
in matters like
these.

*&*&*&*&

I am so nervous... sorry... i have to go.

Free or Expensive

Early this month, I had to give up my post as Editor-in-chief of Ehsamu. I also had to give up hope of an ordinary COBES flitting past.

I am currently at my COBES station experiencing a lot of firsts. The handling of government officials, using a motorbike to work every morning, sharing a kitchen with men who cook and clean, trying not to stick around at the back during conversations, trying to keep my emotions in check... there are a lot of things I am trying which were never done, or which I have never had to regulate.

Everyone thinks that finishing school is a glamorous affair. For us, however, blood and guts get a literal translation. We handle so many gruesome details people foregone, omit, or ignore to keep the health of the community at large in optimum condition.

We have, me and my mates, been involved in a number of activities that have left us staring in shock at the audacity of some of the residents sometimes. They seem to forget that their health is their wealth. Their drains are clogged with paper bags, their round about populated by open defaecation and they don't seem bothered by the state of their town's dilapidated waste management systems.

It hangs above them like a hangman's noose. When the rain comes, people in Kitale town will be in a lot of trouble.

Yes, the extra experience is exactly what I paid for. Someone somewhere is enjoying my free labour as I collect data for them.

And someone somewhere thinks it is cheaper to dump their trash along the road. When the rain comes, they'll go to a hospital seeking medical help.

Hmmph!

Next

Wow... so school is over.

However, there is a lot that remains to be done.

Like writing an article for EHSAMU, or packing stuff for the next rung on the ladder: COBES

I am so tired. I just wanna sit down and watch some good-humored cartoons. Looking forward to going home just so that i can do that

Valentines: Not For Me

There was this photo going around on Whatsapp during Valentines... Muslim whatsapp groups posted it, and i am pretty sure it ended up on Facebook.

Earlier today (yes, today) one of my group mates asked me how mine went. (Yes, we are still doing that blasted research! Final stage though.) I told him it went okay. I didn't want to go into a long awkward story about how i found out that a guy who liked me ended up with a friend of mine.

Or sister.

I did not introduce them. Honestly, i didn't see this coming. That guy never told me a thing.

Then maybe, i don't need to know stuff like this. I am too flighty for romance. I can never have what i want when it comes to this department. If you have read both my blogs, by now you will understand why i don't even try anymore. I have decided to go with the flow. And while i am at it, i will start praying to God that he sends a decent man my way.

One other thing i learnt was, Somalis always end up with Somalis. It doesn't matter how sweet you are, how lovely, how pious you are. A full blooded Somali man would rather marry his cousin than marry you. If you are dating a Somali man and you haven't an ounce of SOmali blood in you, woman, walk. Walk and kepp walking. Don't ever look back. You will just get hurt.

Good advice, huh?

*&*&*&*&

Since i am on my final year, running my last few weeks or so in school, anytime i sit down with my classmates, wedding stories begin.

Marriage, babies, the lot.

Funny how no one has spoken about pampers... HMM...

Back to Valentines, there's this guy who has a baby face that i absolutely love. Downside: He is hanging out with too many girls. Okay, fine, so what if the ratio of girls to guys is 2:1 in campus, it still does not justify what he is doing.

Valentines has always been a single affair for me, so, no sweat.

I have currently lost my train of thought.

You can buy me diamond earrings 
then deny-ny-ny, ny-ny-ny, deny-ny
but i smell her on your collar
so goodbye-bye-bye, goodbye-bye

There is a problem though... I don't know why, but something's not right. I have lost my train of thought.

Goodbye-bye-bye-bye.

 

A Weekend Well Spent!

Hi, I am a girl who spends her weekends indoors.

This weekend however, turned out a little different.

I volunteered for a Rotary/Rotaract local project. It was a medical camp! My sister, who happens to be a member of Rotaract, called me up on Thursday while i was huffing and puffing like a steam train on Thursday Night while i made my way to my room at 7.00pm thereabouts. She wanted some Public Health advice on... JIGGERS!

I was so worried and frantic about the whole thing. I wasn't even sure i'd go. Till Friday evening when i decided, "what the hell?! I WILL go and see how it turns out."

Saturday morning was spent in nervousness. I even forgot to have breakfast! We got to the camp before or at 10.00am, not sure which is which. The weather was so windy and sunny much later in the day... Anyway, i saw my sister looking all at home and i was like, "oh wow, i wish i wasn't this nervous." A guy walked up to me and asked me to lead the rest of the group into the pharmacy. i did as asked, only to get there and see these Indian ladies and gentlemen. One other thing i noticed was that they were all short... well, except for one.

That morning, i worked at arranging the bottles of medicine for the medical students. It was tiring but fun. You could make your own legit skyscraper if you wanted. Mine only had 3 floors. All of mine actually. We wee unpacking and arranging the medicines on the tables of a high school  laboratory.

When that was done, there was nothing much to do. Till i was asked to help pre-package pills in brown prescription envelopes. I worked till one cuddly looking guy came over and he mentioned 'jiggers' and i was all excited and ran out in search of them. Didn't find any, sadly.

We went to lunch much later on, driven by an air conditioned van because it was so dusty and windy and the driver did not want the van getting dusty. The host was very nice. He went around helping us wash our hands before the meal. Yes, he used a jug and poured the water above our hands. I was so happy! He was practicing what the club had preached once or twice... aye?

Lunch consisted chapati, beef, chicken, rice and a soda to quench thirst. I ate my chicken with a spoon. After that, i went back with the rest of the volunteers to do something.

When i got back, one of my campus mates asked me to join her at the window so that i could learn how to help distribute medicine. We worked together, and she taught me how to substitute some drugs for others when they were unavailable, or when the person had a health condition that did not allow them to take the prescribed drug. Or the substitute.

After a hard day's work, we closed the windows and left for a parade. We were with the members of the Rotary Club- Utumishi -from Nairobi. The President taught us how to pray while holding hands in the 'hard-soft-hard' manner. I found it really funny, the hard being the guys' rough and calloused hands, while the soft hands were women's.

We eventually got into the bus and left.

By the way, the camp was being sponsored by Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, St. Luke's Orthopaedic Hospital and Nairobi Utumishi Rotary Club.

*&*&*&*&

Sunday started off pretty weirdly, i must say. While i was fetching water from the bathroom on the first floor, i saw this guy leave a girl's room at half past six. Eh.

Then i ended up showering in a bathroom that someone had a long call in. That, my friend, was just GROSS!

Anyway, i had a lovely time. I waited a bit longer for the bus. My sister couldn't make it, but i did, and i helped set up the pharmacy for the last day of camp.

We got to Illula at around 10.00am thereabouts, and we already had our work cut out for us. The group i came with was somewhat new, and they had to divide themselves amongst the different stations. Eventually, i ended up with a lot of muslim guys... (I think they were trying to protect me, eheheheh!) and the patients started queuing up. While i was working beside the guys, I met this pharmacist whose name i forgot to ask. he had dimples, and he was so sweet and soft-spoken. i felt like he was sent there to make me smile.

He pointed out some mistakes i made while labeling the envelops, and i just laughed awkwardly. I know, i know, I am a sociophobe.

Anyway, i decided to start packaging while dispensing to help the 'pharmacists' and the pharmacist. It became like a sort of dance. One second you're near the window, the next you are dancing across the floor to pick up a drug... or two... or three.

The turn out was pretty big. The word had gotten out about free medicine.

I also apologized to this other guy i met yesterday. He knew me and i made him introduce himself and he was like, "we went to school together," and i was like, "i really can't remember you..." Yeah, i have an awful memory.

I told him that i was kind of shy, but i knew he looked familiar when i saw him. He was like, "why didn't you tell me?" and i was like, "I am not really good at being social."
Anyway, things went well. I helped count the prescriptions... the cute pharmacist helped me, and i am eternally grateful for that. Anyway, we closed up shop because the medicines were over, plus the Utumishi Club had to be back home before tomorrow. We helped pack and the Scouts helped to clean up.

Once again, i ended up being used almost like a leader by the Rotaract members to make my campus mates go in for some refreshments. I conveyed the message. It was just around 2.00pm by then.

After refreshments, i had a slight delay and ended up in the seats towards the back.. all alone. Luckily for me, my music was there.

I already miss working at the camp. :-( The guys from the Rotary Club and the Rotaract Club were very thankful to me for the help i gave while at the camp. I bowed but they didn't find it funny. I felt weird. Almost everyone does. Actually, it was a curtsy.

Their sense of humor is not mine. Hmmph!

To tell you the truth, i feel like growing up sometimes makes people not see the childlike part of everything.

I never wanna grow up! :'(

I have to go. Bye!