The aforementioned woman is named Kelly, and she's fast becoming one of the coolest people I've ever met....and I only just met her about 6 months ago! She'd been a friend and newspaper design colleague of my Zanzi-buddy Ron for years when we finally met in, of all places, Nairobi.
Anyway, once again it's like the Universe knew to send her my way. Kelly spent 3 years doing newspaper consulting in Mexico City, so she knows what it's like to live and work outside the US in, er, "challenging circumstances." She's also a food and wine connoisseur, so I considered it a major coup to introduce her to the feta cheese and coriander samosas at one of my favorite Nairobi restaurants, and to have my own insane fetish for them affirmed. But here's the best thing...Kelly will be coming back to Nairobi frequently over the next year for projects, and is more than willing to ferry stuff over for me! Health and beauty products galore, a French coffee press, whatever I have a craving for, she's more than happy to be my "mule" because she knows what it's like to long for those little slices of home!
But the best thing about Kelly is something I mentioned a few posts ago...she's as dangerously fun as me and Ron! When I try to boil it down, I guess I've always been drawn to people who retain a measure of youthful joie de vivre no matter how old they are. It's always been fairly easy for me to be immature and resistant to the shackles of responsible adulthood because I never married or had children, or owned property, or run a business, or spent a lot of time doing anything that required sober, measured concentration and commitment.
So it's always a kick for me to meet people who HAVE done those things successfully and who STILL are a hoot to hang out with! People who don't walk around with big neon signs on their foreheads that blare, "I am A BIG FRAKKIN' DEAL, AND YOU NEED TO TAKE ME EVEN MORE SERIOUSLY THAN I TAKE MYSELF."
People like that give me a ginormously honkin' buttache, and I usually avoid them like the plague unless absolutely necessary. And then I wind up mocking them behind their backs and soon as is remotely convenient. Kelly and Ron are like that, too, which makes it really cool to hang out with them. And that worldview REALLY came in handy last Friday night, when we were both having dinner with this...
But wait, I'm not going to go there. We both decided that episode brought a short burst of chaotic energy into our lives that is best left unexplored. Kelly even had travel plans for a side trip to South Africa completely derailed after that ill-fated rendezvous. I secretly feared I would be obliterated by a matatu or something, but the negative energy soon passed.
In fact, today is Kelly's birthday, and she's at home with the Love of Her Life and their 3 year old cherub, and this photo reminds me to stay focused on the good stuff, too. And to remember to laugh as much as possible. For example, Ron came up with this nickname for us:
"Blonde Ambition and Dark Desires." Ron is one sick puppy, but at least he's funny. And as long as you can laugh, you're ahead of the game.
Happy Birthday, Kelly! See you next time you're in Nairobi! That is, if you're still willing to come back...
:-)
No comments:
Post a Comment