Plankton's Good Eye

So I was watching an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants a couple of weeks ago, and it got me thinking (the way I randomly do!).
As always Plankton was trying to steal the Krabby Patty formula and he was failing miserably. His wife Karen (who is a computer by the way) puts it to him that he fails because he only has one eye. She said he needed a new perspective on things in order to succeed. So Plankton dubiously acquires a tear sample from SpongeBob and grafts himself a new eye. Of course the usual Bikini bottom chaos then ensues and I'm laughing until my abs hurt (and that Ladies, is why I have abs of steel!)....
The fact that I can only see with one of my eyes has nothing to do with how introspective I got. I'm more of SpongeBob than plankton in this story (and not in an absorbent and porous kind of way!). So plankton has his new eye and he goes off on his mission. Before he knows it, everything is in such vivid colour! The grass is so much greener, people are smiling (and so is the sun!) and there are flowers and rainbows everywhere! It's kind of a psychedelic hippie dream. But, I digress! My point is, I have a really positive outlook on things. I'm always thinking to myself, if people only saw things from my point of view, the world would be a much better place. Of course the Justin Biebers and Pitbulls of this world would be sent to the gallows if I had things my way!
I have no deep well of strength or inspiration. I'm not the most spiritual of people, and I have not been through the harshest conditions to merit this opinion. But I do believe I have a better outlook on things than most people. I've noticed a number of people like to dwell on little faults, failings and lacks when they could be focusing more on the good in their lives. People are so quick to diagnose themselves as depressed or pick out one of the many disorders these doctors and shrinks churn out on the daily. Of course a number of people do have valid reasons and mental health issues, but others could easily climb out of that hole. Check your pulse and start from there. You are ALIVE dammit! Go get drunk! Smoke a doobie for all I care, just go on living! One of my favorite quotes comes from a Beanie Sigel song (he probably heard it from someone else too). He said, "A poor man cried that he had no shoes, 'till he met a man with no feet..". No matter how bad we may think we have it, there is usually someone who has it far worse.

I come from a country where art is not as appreciated as it should be. So many talented people live such a frugal and hermit-like life because not enough attention is paid to the arts. When you say you're an artist where I come from, people automatically assume you create paintings of village setups and 'Africa'. If you dare think outside the box and draw or paint something different; even less attention will be paid to your creations. Your art will not be considered 'African'. But what is 'African'? I live in Africa and I am African. Shouldn't then anything I create be African? I'm not a visual artist, but I like to believe I create literary art (or at least that I aspire to reach those heights). I've met so many amazing people this past year. They are all on their own quests and adventures and I've been trying to find ways to work with a number of them. To share my vision with them and graft their own SpongeBob eyes onto mine so that we can steal the metaphorical Krabby Patty formula. Things would be so much better here if more people saw how the arts could help the people. If people looked at things from a different perspective.

2012 was a good year for me. The blog did well and things could only get better for the brand and person that is Benny Blow. A made a lot of new 'friends', some of whom I have not met yet but still appreciate nonetheless. Shout out time! I don't know some people's real names, so I'll use twitter handles (I kill a lot of my time there!). Shout outs to my good buddies Dabz, Lo, Jarell, Yosa aka G-man, Chipulu, Munana, Mwamba aka @The7thSyn, Genteel, B.K, Suwi, Mwewa...uuumm my brothers Bale, Womba, Pampa, Reggie.... my sisters Mukuni, Kuni, Muwe, Mwape, Wazi, Fwe-Fwe..... Shout outs to Nosiku, Besa and Hannah... Shouts to Hama, can't wait till you come home! Shout out @IAmLukeyJerome, @Kannabanana, @LShameless, @applechews aka Alice, @seven thirty_, @dodiayazmin, @C_Hillz, @Talk_2_The_Star, @Koko_Mera aka Koko Beans, @probitygem, @fadedfollies, @SuggestibleDave, @Dope_G (he got me like 5 billion followers with one retweet!), @Iam_Thugga,@Talented_Mr_Lee......... Realised I bit off more than I could chew with this shout out thing lol! But I'll do my best! Shout outs to Neema (your twitter handle is difficult to type! :p), Taleka, Chembo and Munshya (My two Chiropractors! ALWAYS have my back!).... Shout outs to Janet (Munshya shut up! :p), Karen, Gabby...Chikondi... (I'm still coming to Malawi one day!) .Uuum, shout outs to the EZM team, Lillian, Ongani, Musonda, Chomba and my favourite Night Owl Tukiya. Shouts to her sister Sekayi...... Uuuum, shout outs to Amanda Panda,.... Shout out to my Safintra crew Leroy, Nyuma, and Tehila (I'm sorry I had to leave and try take over the world)....and Shingi! But that other guy can E.A.D with syphilis on the tip! Shouts to Milan Sichinga, Luka Mwango and Aunt Ellen Banda Aaku (you were such an inspiration)....Can't forget Sampa and Bwalya......... Shout out to my hommies Ricky (thanks for sharing my posts), Khayalami, Bechani, Chuma....Shout outs to Frank Balara and Mister Martin Powell... shouts to Chola (Stay in touch chikamba!), Chipo, Erik and Madalitso.....If I left out anybody, PLEASE forgive me! That's the problem with these things! Thanks for visiting my blog and hope you hit the share buttons below each post!

I had to delete a whole paragraph because I think I may have opened up to you strangers a little to much! I still love you though!  But in summary, I am moving on. I held on to a memory that may remain just that now...You can't hold on to something when it clearly slipped away from you...I have a world to conquer. Someone has to make it O.K for us pyjama wearing semi evil geniuses to just sit at home and warm couches! I am going to see things from a different angle. I am going to use my good eye. I hope you do too...
#GetWitItOrBlow