The Great 'Great' Gatsby-Reviewed by Beverley N N

When I was about seven or eight years old, my English teacher, after reading to us 'Charlotte's Web,' gently tossed the novel onto her desk, after which she told us,

"Every time I finish a good book, I toss it onto the table."

After I read 'The Great Gatsby,' I gently closed my laptop and leaned back with a smile of contentment. I had just read what has been arguably categorised as one of the world's 100 greatest novels, by Scott Fitzgerald. The themes in this endearing novel did not confound me. Instead, I felt pity and understanding for the characters and the 'Greats.'

'The Great Gatsby,' is available for free download, and as you read it, you will marvel at how our minds can reduce our greatest works to common misadventures and tragedies.

Nick Carraway, a World War 1 veteran and Yale University alumnus, is the voice of this novel, caught in the middle of swirling worlds of the rich and wealthy, caught in the middle of their dreams and lofty ambitions and also their duplicity. He observes how the heart, once unchecked, can lead to a spiralling of events, and eventual tragedy.

The affairs between Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson, and Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, are central to this novel. These people who belong to the upper class of the fictional communities of East Egg and West Egg in New York and its nearby surroundings, are not immune to the salacious lives common to man.

Their downfall is exactly that. Instead of living above reproach, they succumbed to their lustful desires and met tragedies that could have been prevented.

They lost their appeal and sense of mystery once they became common and basic. Jay Gatz, who transformed himself through big dreams and hard work, becoming Jay Gatsby, with the American dream before him, could not contain his desires for Daisy Buchanan, a married woman.

Daisy's husband, Tom, likewise, lived out his own affairs. Amidst these were the lavish  parties, luxurious lifestyles and extended displays of wealth amongst the upper class. This was unsustainable, because of the secrets and lies, the gossip and deception and eventually the facade came to a halt.

Published in 1925, this novel captures the inner thoughts of men and women, the systems meant to create illusions of happiness and the drawbacks of depression.

It also rides on the American dream, which is real as much as it is an illusion. It rides on idealism of friendship, all of which still exist today.

A must-read.

Reviewed by Beverley N N

Bev

I remember holding onto the Three Thousand Shillings, my first ever prize money, and smiling from ear to ear.

I was in senior one and had just won the school dancing competition. I held onto those green notes with pride, a symbol of my tenacity and ability.

Julia Majugo, who bore another name at the time, handed that money to me and said with a smile, "Congratulations." She was the Entertainment prefect.

I was Janet Jackson and Vanilla Ice. I was indestructible.

Three Thousand shillings at the time could buy three packs of crispy Bon Appetit chips. It was a lot of money for a young teenage dancer. Dancers of those days who were raised by Turbo and Paula Abdul were not that fussy.

All we needed was a floorboard to do our back spins and a pair of high tops for the running man.

My exercise routines comprise a lot of dancing.

We should never let go of what made us stand out as children. That talent that gave us a spark should always remain. If you loved art and were good at it, then as an adult, you should draw, paint or take part in an artistic hobby and if you don't, then there is a vital part of your life that is missing.

You know that there is something missing and yet you are unable to articulate it. It is art.

You may be a world class neuro surgeon, or the most reliable mechanic or salesperson and yet feel incomplete. That is because you have let go of the childhood hobbies or talents that gave you a spark.

It is not for nothing that you were called a dolphin when you were younger. Go back and swim. You don't need to compete but just dive back into the water and relive that unparalleled aquagasm.

It will not matter where I am thrust in the world. I will always write. I will always find time to dance and I will swim.

I'm Grateful to Doris Ndizeye

I closed my eyes for 3 seconds and in that momentary silence, wrapped in a pink kitenge laying on my boat shaped mattress, I knew that Doris Ndizeye was the best choice for emcee. This was for the July launch of 'Feeling,' the poetry book celebrating iconic Ugandan women, published by the Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation.

Beverley, Flavia and Doris (L-R)

I enjoy planning events. I do. I enjoy sitting with the organisers and walking through the venue weeks prior to the event. I relish asking the kitchen staff what meals they plan to prepare for the guests and taking photos with th head chef. I like listening to the General Manager of a hotel as he persuades me to bring my husband for a discounted weekend in the well furnished suites.

Planning events is like whispering into the future and imparting blessings on every guest.

When I am an emcee, I am also an assistant events coordinator. I need to breathe the same air, listening to the same conversations and walk where the event planners have walked, so that I am able to nuzzle the event with a well prepared emceeing experience. It's not just talking and directing people to the next point on the agends. It is an experience.

I invited Doris Ndizeye to host the launch of 'Feeling,' the highly anticipated poetry anthology celebrating iconic Ugandan women.

As the founder of the Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation, my heart has scaled the emotional heigts of despair and experienced the elevated elations of  triumph. I have walked miles to deliver invitation cards and meet journalists and sat for hours with individuals in restaurants delivering proposals. 

I knew that Doris shared these values of preparation with me. How did I know? Because I trained her. I trust people whom I have trained and have been tested. 

Doris embodies thoroughness. She grasped her task with such alacrity that pleasantly surprised me at every turn. She asked questions, reached out to the individual poets, visited the venue and inquired about the guest list.

There are people who host events and 30 minutes to the occasion, start to bother the organisers with bothersome questions like, 'What is the theme of the occasion? or What is the name of the organisation in full?' And then they begin meddling with the sound team making personal requests for songs and rearranging the entertainment order. 

They will often ask for a heavy meal at this time as well, claiming their sugar levels need to be levelled so that they too can level up. We know these people. They always take organisers and organisations for granted and yet they keep getting away with it. 

Take control and hire someone who has been trained and tested, or enlist for training yourself.

I am grateful to Doris because a couple of years ago when she specificially reached out to me to be trained on effecting hosting of events, I was also able to carve out a niche curriculum for this purpose.

I am grateful to Doris because she over delivered.

Have a wonderful week, everyone.

Beverley N Nsengiyunva

Derek Garcia Rolle, DTM

When Derek Garcia Rolle, a businessman based in Nassau Bahamas, who also served as a Toastmaster, invited me to perform poetry three years ago in 2022, I thought, Yasssssss! Who wouldn't want to perform before a global audience

That was my calling.

What made it even more ideal was that it was at 2am EAT, while The Bahamas settled into their evening.

On a chilly morning before 2am on 14 February in 2022, I took a cold shower, dressed in red and black, and applied lipstick while adjusting my online camera for the Poetry Love Fest. 

I had met Derek before, during one of the Toastmasters online meetings and he took an interest to my poetry. Every year, Leading Voices Toastmasters Club, basedin Nassau Bahamas, where he served as their club President, has consistently led online poetry festivals with poets, musicians, storytellers and performers. 

With poets and performers mostly from The Bahamas and United States, I was always content seated amongst such global treasure. The sessions usually began with jazz and then the vibrant host would lead the programme, inviting guest after guest for their performance.

Sharing poetry amongst artists and speakers from all over the world is just a part of what makes my life worthwhile. Derek was part of that journey.

We had begun discussions on arranging for a much needed physical meeting. That will never happen in this land of the living.

May Derek's wife, children, relatives, friends and the Toastmasters community be comforted.

Bless!

Bev.

Can't Hurt Me, by David Goggins-A Book Review by Beverley

I first heard of David Goggins in 2020 during the lockdown, a period of great change for the entire world. What better time to learn about mastering self than during this unforgettable period.

What a building of excellence, David Goggins is. He is that skyscraper that lights up at night for everyone to witness and acknolwedge that great heights are indeed possible. His autobiogtaphy, 'Can't Hurt Me,' is one of the most important lessons on the body and mind.

This photo of mine was taken during the lockdown during my great physical transformation where I reached my weight goals. Let's go 2026.

David Goggins embodies what it means to be indefatigable and pursuant of  what is deemed impossible. There is no giant that he is afraid to conquer. Being overweight by over 100 lbs and living a rather ordinary, comfortable and forgettable life, he had an epiphany when during his extermination job, he encountered vermin and he couldn't imagine having to contend with that his entire life.

Further along in his autobiography, David Goggins enlightens the readers that the vermin in his life began as a boy, with a father who physically, emotionally and psychlogically abused and tormented his mother, younger brother and himself mercilessly.

This childhood trauma had a profound effect on who he became; a person who lost over 100lbs in just 3 months in order to qualify as a SEALS trainee. In order to accmplish this, he exercised for over 5 hours daily while reducing his calorie intake by at least 800 a day. The exercised included weight lifting, swimming, stationary bike and running.

This strenuous exercise shifted his mindset and built an unshakeable belief that everything we set our minds to, was possible.

Qualifying as a NAVY SEAL, the US Navy's elite special operations force, trained to operate in sea, air and land environments, is in itself a feat worth celebrating and yet for David, what he faced on the inside was excriciating both mentally and physically and only strengthened his resolve.

His struggles seemed to deepen with each physical conquest, and each time, he reshaped his thinking to learn the art of inner healing.

A book about mastery, forgiveness, physical possibilities and unlearning. A book about a man who emobidies his words. His social media are not a lie. He is that iron man who lives what he teaches. He is a man of integrity who has overcome everything he writes about.

Read his autobiography, ghost written by Adam Skolnick and discover how much unlived potential lies within you.

'Can't Hurt Me' was published by Lioncrest Publishing and is available on Amazon.

Reviewed by Beverley N Nsengiyunva