Party Etiquette

Last week saw the end of the first 2011 semester. This final week means a lot to students, with these meanings ranging from “finally done with this course” to “I ain’t taking that lecturer again”. It’s also the time when the most memorable of parties are held. The feeling of not working the next day is euphoric and everyone loves it. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that it’s irreplaceable though. So a couple of my friends and I got together to hold a party. I'm not rich...yet. The best way for me to do this was to pool resources, so we did. Invites were dished out and the venue was set for the raiding. It was the second time we held that party so we knew what to expect…..or did we? I’ve been to a number of parties and what still shocks me is neither people’s questionable fashion nor their +1(s). It’s;

1. Timing

There IS such a thing as coming late. I kept receiving calls from people at 0100hrs, asking whether the party was still on. The last time I checked, house parties start at 2200hrs (give or take an hour). Some people call 2 hrs into the party to announce their journey to the party. Don't we all know at least one such person? What’s acceptable is coming fashionably late. Infact, it’s highly advisable if one is looking to stand out at a party. You’ll also have to dress the part. Every party has that hype moment and I try not missing them. Pole pole sio mwendo

 

2. Endowment

If you’ve been invited to a party, GO WITH A GIFT IN HAND. They come in many forms. It can be a bottle of alcohol or a chaser (non-alcoholics). Your +1 is NOT an endowment. Some people make exceptions where that +1 is someone very hard to come by. Doesn’t mean it’s acceptable though. It’s insulting to the host if you’ve been invited to the party, show up empty handed and be the first to criticize the event. It’s rude and you should to be kicked out!!

 

3. Dress-code

Everyone has a right to dress as they please, provided it’s acceptable to everyone. Some arrive fashionably late with a gift in hand, but a hitch in their attire kills it. I'm no fashionisto and I’ve fallen victim to this a number of times, but it something I’m working on. Some people however, insist on dressing in curtains and PJs. Most house parties will see you sleep for about 4hrs at the venue before everyone heads back to their homes. Come dressed in curtains and they won't be drawn :-)

I had a great time last Saturday. The cramp twins (Frank & Tony) livened up the place, Njomz kept the drinks flowing, music was at par with NEEMA law, a good way all-in-all to bring the semester to an end. Did I mention that I spent Kshs.700 that night? Kshs.300 went to buying fruits and Kshs.400 into the pool of alcohol. Ever tried mixing fruits with alcohol? :-)

Morning Fuel

Fuel, fuel, fuel. The most basic of needs without which we wouldn’t be able to survive. This morning fuel I’m referring to isn’t the Kshs.102 unleaded dose cars use. I’m referring to food. #sincewebeinghonest food is the main reason I wake up in the morning. It’s my innate alarm clock. It certainly works better than my phone or any alarm device I’ve ever had. It’s ruthless to say the least, but it leaves me ecstatic when I tend to it.

As mentioned a few days back, I’m accounting for my expenditure. This time round, my weekly income was spent on breakfast. It was that time of the month; you know…..when all term papers & assignments are due. So I found myself rushing to school earlier than usual to start/finish my work. I decided to buy bread. I like how it comes with a free sachet of coffee, right at the bottom, but that’s another story. Didn’t know how much it cost so I paid with a Kshs.50 note and got back two really big 5 bobs. These coins were mint in 1994, I checked. Back then, I would have paid Kshs.20 and had a blast. Now I have to part with twice that amount and a half empty stomach!! Tea is needed to compliment this and even then, it’s not filling. So I set out to find the next best alternative.

Option 1: Noodles

This could possibly be the best man-made creation since lingerie. It’s simple, effective and comes in varieties. I found that a pack of 5 costs Kshs.90 and it completely falls within my budgets range. It comes with a sachet of flavoring, which means my breakfasts can differ in taste for the same price.  I can have prawn, beef, shrimp, chicken, pork or vegan flavors at will. It’s definitely not as dry as bread and I have it all to myself. It takes all of 10 minutes to prepare from scratch. No 5-star meal can beat the simple delight of noodles made right. None!!

Option 2: Cereals

I lean towards crunchy oats and Weetabix, the latter being more budget friendly. It has been a favorite of mine since childhood and its taste has never changed. It’s a nutritious wholegrain cereal that’s high in fiber. For the price of Kshs.450, one can buy the 900g pack. It contains 48 biscuits and can last a month as follows: 24 days if eating 2 biscuits @ day or 1.5 months if eating 1 biscuit @ day. That’s about 65-130 calories oh yee healthy ones.  Add one banana to each sitting and you’ll be filled to the brim. It’s an all-time classic and it’s healthy.

I looked at it this way. Kshs.700 a month can get me either one 900g pack of Weetabix & milk to go with it (calcium is kind of important) or five 5-pack noodles & a tray of eggs (morning protein). Been taking a mix of these for the past two weeks and the results are AWESOME. My stomach gets its fill and I get to save money. Of course, I’m not lactose-intolerant and I don’t fart every time I eat boiled eggs….not that there’s anything wrong with yawning from your ass!!!

Previous breakfast budget: Kshs.1000

New breakfast budget: Kshs.700

SURVIVABILITY

Kenya can teach you a lot if you pay close attention. I'm putting up this blog because I need to account for my weekly spending. I'm not giving advice on how to spend/save that paper. I fall under the OPM group, one that relies on funding from sources other than self (if you're parents pay your school fees, wewe ni member pia). I'm hoping to show financial growth/stability over time by living within my means. That said, let me kick off with last weekend's clubbing.

Saturday happen to be a friend's birthday. It was to start at Sankara and find its way to Frankies lounge, along Ngong rd. The money I had was hardly sufficient. I had decided not to drink too much as I had had a few over the past 2 days. For the light-weight, one needs about Kshs.1500 to at least be able to cater for oneself (transport and alcohol included). I turned to my financier for help as I had only Kshs.450 on me. After much convincing, I got Kshs.500. It was certainly better than my previous amount. Getting a mat at 2230hrs heading into town is as rare as a 97 bob fueling station. I managed to find one though, and briskly made my way into Mwendas upon arrival.
Current balance: Kshs.900

One of my pals showed up a bit later with some grub...at Mwendas. Anyone who's drank alcohol knows you need a properly lined stomach BEFORE you indulge, and he did just that. Lucky for me, I took care of that while at home. We were getting late to the party and transport was going to be an issue. Our only options were to either spend Kshs.300 and make it to the party broke, or risk our lives for Kshs.40 mat at Railways. So we took a walk and somehow ended up at Dolce. We had seen a very familiar car parked outside the lounge. Turns out there's 2 doors to get by. Entrance 2 sees you part with Kshs.400 each *insert stroke*. Why would we do this you ask? All I can say is that the car held lots of potential for the both of us...pronounced: free ride.
Current balance: Kshs.500

Our venture wasn't as successful as planned. Luckily, two more friends showed up right outside the lounge. With more people available it became easier for us to take a cab to Frankies for a total of Kshs.300. The trip saw me part with a third of that total.
Current balance: Kshs.400

 This lounge can only be termed as revolutionary. Well spaced seating, open space plan, excellent lighting and free flow of OXYGEN make it a must visit. The crowd was lively, music was good and there was plenty of OXYGEN going round. It definitely left much to be desired. Sad to say, I didn't have much to spend that night. Didn't mean I couldn't have fun though. I danced a bit, socialized and even attempted cooling of a fight-in-the-making. Twas a good night all-in-all. My friends and I (7 people in total), took a cab home for a total of Kshs.1500, an advantage of car pooling might I add.You've got to learn how to bargain for cab drives and 'brokeness' is one hell of a motivator! The next morning saw me spend about Kshs.150 on transport from my friend's place in Thika to Kiambu. I bought a few edibles in the morning too.
Current balance: Kshs.50

Of course, I hadn't drink at all the previous night and was lucky enough to get a bottle of water to keep me hydrated. The poverty line for non-drinkers going it alone comes to about Kshs.1000 and Kshs.1500 for those that do. Over a period of one year, the totals come to Kshs.52000 and Kshs.78000 respectively. Evaluate your drinking. Is it a need or a want?