“Phone. Ringing. Do. Do. Do. Do.” “Phone. Ringing. Do. Do. Do. Do.” Slipping my MacBook to the side, I reluctantly grab my phone, while my precocious robot, Créateur, keeps drawing my attention to it. Everyone’s into solar power now, and driverless electric cars are all the rage. It’s like everyone has one. Plus, there’s something akin to flying motorbikes—sleek electric super-cycles cruising through these enclosed spaces that resemble walkways but are wider. Cities are bigger and brighter; colors are shinier and flashier. Everything moves fast, internet speeds are super-duper, they call it ‘10G,’ and drones are the main delivery method, with ‘Droneports’ and drone air routes popping up everywhere. By now, you’ve probably guessed it. We’re in the year 2030. However, while the 2010s were dominated by smartphones, the 2030s are all about robots and AI. Everyone has one. Mine’s called Créateur. And let me tell you, she’s really creative. Not that I blame her; she’s my exact replica. My only problem is she’s nosy. As the phone rings again, I sense her gearing up to repeat “Phone. Rin…” I press the ‘sleep’ button in irritation, and the whole place goes quiet. Sneaky. Next thing, she’ll be sharing my conversations with her robot friends at the robot garage. “Hello,” “Hello, this is... from the NYSE administration. We’re delighted to invite The Birthday Journal to ring the opening bell at the Exchange on Friday, February 18th, 2033” Reality check. “Hello?” Is this a dream? No, it’s not! I’m already doing cartwheels in my imagination, shouting “whoooo!” and “wheeee!” and “yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay,” and pumping my hands up in the air, and doing a little wiggle dance I learned years back when I was part of a cheerleading team. But in reality, I put on this really nice voice and tell the woman at the end of the line how delighted I am to accept the invitation. When the call ends, I quickly call my business mentor and coach, feeling even giddier with excitement. Joanna Sam is all “congratulations!” and “oohs” and “aaahs,” and she’s giving me pointers, which I’m grabbing a pen to quickly jot down. This is no small achievement. We’ve worked so hard these past ten years! How exciting to have become an internationally acclaimed Personal Development and Lifestyle magazine, proudly displayed alongside the ‘Cosmopolitans’ and the ‘Elles’ in international bookstores worldwide. How thrilling to be featured in international airports all over the world, for which we are ranked fifty-first this year. This was my dream when I started ten years ago in my little home study, with a skeleton staff of three, Brenda, Selassie, and Agnes. How amazed, honored, and thankful we are to all our business partners and investors —the Tutus and the Arthurs—who continue to support and invest in us, and who continue to walk this journey with us. Thankful to Cynthia Honny, Maria Kyiamah, and Lina Sowah, our pioneer investors who believed in our vision. We are super grateful for all our clients and the countless stories we’ve covered over the last decade. It’s been an amazing journey of growth, creativity, and passion. What a beautiful birthday and faith anniversary gift. It’s a true blessing. We’ve indeed come this far by grace and by faith. As I start making calls to share the good news with everyone, I spy Créateur sitting motionlessly in her chair. “Hey, this is just the kind of news I want to be bandied around,” I whisper to myself and press the ‘wake’ and ‘record’ buttons. ROBOTS & RECOGNITION December 1, 2032 Prampram Notification 66 The Birthday Journal
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