There is a meme going on on about "five things people don't know about me." My friend Ethan tagged me last year (well, December 29th, 2006...that was last year, right?). I tried to appeal so that he would drop my name. It is not easy to think of five things that people don't know about me (if they are not known, then they were not meant to be known). But since my appeal failed, I have to reveal five, and only five, things about me.
Here we go:
1. When I was in primary school (what American would call elementary school), my brother took me to the town library in Moshi, Tanzania and had me registered. Before that day, I did not know that there are "buildings full of books" for people to read for free. I loved reading. After discovering the joy of being inside a library as opposed to being in a classroom (where the learning structure was very rigid, centralized, and there was canning, too), I stopped going to school. In other words, I dropped out of school. I would put on my school uniform every morning as if I was going to school and, without my mother's knowledge, I would go to the library, stay there until kids get out of school. I would then go home. And do the same the next day. And the next day. It continued for a while until one of my relatives told his mother, who told my mother. She took me to school the next day and guess what happened...I was canned really good in front of the whole class!
2. The second website I ever visited was a porn site...at a Tanzanian government Minister's house! The first was one was Hotmail (to set up my first email address). I guess this (what I saw on the porn site that day and later on) is what made me a neo-luddite for a while before becoming a semi neo-luddite. I left the camp completely after I met Dr. Rubbin Patterson and Dr. Abdul Alkalimat (ended up being the editorial assistant for the journal, Perspectives on Global Development and Technology, wrote a thesis on political use of ICTs in Tanzania and got addicted to blogging).
3. I have a first-hand experience of soccer and juju in Africa. Our neighborhood soccer team had a critical match with a team that we all feared. We decided to consult a famous traditional healer for help. He promised to help us win with his muti (at a fee, of course). Since I was the goalkeeper, most of the rituals were done on me! The results of the match? Do you really want to know? We got beaten badly! Until this day, whenever I meet him (the “healer”), we look at each other and smile! By the way, this was long, long time ago.
4. When I was going to college at the University of Dar Es Salaam, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, I had a sticker on my door, which said: the future president. It was not a joke. I plan on becoming the first dreadlocked president in the world. Gilberto Gil has beaten me already as the first dreadlocked minister in the world (as far as I know). And Gwisai Munyaradzi, probably the first dreadlocked Member of Parliament. So, I am heading for the presidency. And, excuse me while I "flash" my dreads at the Dis-United United Nations. The day I become the president might be the beginning of a new concept, open-source presidency! But the dreadlock part is not the main/primary motivation for my presidential ambition. I am saving this part until I officially launch my campaign. So, if you want to know or meet me, you better do it now before it is too late.
5. I am a disciple of Harry Houdini. The last time I pulled a trick was two days ago. I did to my son for the first time since he is now old enough to get it. I can make myself disappear in front of your eyes just like that!
I would like to know five things nobody knows from Jill, Preetam Rai, Sean Coon, Daudi, and Kameelah.
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