HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hello everyone. HAPPY NEW YEAR AND PROSPEROUS YEAR AHEAD.

It's still not new year in America just about an hour to midnight. But I know it is already new year in Naija, so I can't wait to start blogging for the new year.

This year has finally come with it lovely surprises and I am sure blessings for everyone.

Now this new year I have decided to do something really different. Originally when I started this blog I didn't really know what I would be posting about. I just thought I would post my random musings but as the time went by I realized that I could do more.

I have a passion for investments, motivational stories and female empowerment. I am of the opinion that females should do more in society especially in Africa. I would spend this year researching about strong women in the world. Women who have made impacts in the world, in their communities and in their families. Women who have conquered their fears and achieved their goals, despite all the obstacles.

I will also drop tips on business. As you all know I just started my handbag line (even though its not out yet I am in the process). This year I would also take you through my handbag making journey.

Yes my random musings would be included in my post, just to spice up the blog. Don't want the blog to be too technical. It should have a little flexibility.

Now said: my goals are numerous..loll... Not so but I have vowed to be a better person. Would post at least 3 times a week. Write as often as I can no matter how little and make sure I am committed to making my life, my family and my surroundings better.

Do take care of yourselves and have a lovey day.

Once again happy new year. I am sure we would all have fun together.

Ciao.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Hello everyone Christmas is finally here. MERRY CHRISTMAS y'all. Looking back, I want to say thank you for your support, your comments, your advises, your strength and just being there for me.THANK YOU.

Okay working on things I will like to accomplish in 2012.. yep I did this, in the beginning of 2011:

On my list I didn't achieve all that I set out to, but I am proud of myself and I will not give up.

I said I was going to have at least one of my books accepted by a publisher and published. Well its 5 more days to the end of this year, doesn't seem that its happening this year...Oh well moving it to 2012.....

I said I was going to learn how to make bags: this I did. Precisely September 29Th I started learning how to make bags (even though I haven't released my collection yet), I am ready to paint the town red next year...loll.

I still have a lot of goals for 2012, by the grace of God I will achieve every bit of it.

Do take care and have a lovely Christmas and a prosperous new year.

N/B: this is the last post for the year dearies. Coming back next year with better stories, stronger motivations, inspiring pictures, lots of laugh etc..

Ciao....

DIET FAILED

Hello guys I have been lazy that's y I haven't posted in a while... loll.

Saying welcome to my new followers. Thank you guys, you made my day.

Anyways my diet has failed: as my sister in law and her son came over and she has just been cooking up some delicious dishes. Even though I have succeeded in loosing one pound, I have learnt that when u are going on a diet, its nicer to be off people who aren't on a diet. Its easier to be motivated with people on the same page.

Anyways hope you'll getting ready for the christmas celebration...

I have decided to wear a green top and a white jeans.. I am also thinking of adding some red shoes to the outfit. Trying the color blocking stuff. I hope I don't look like a clown. Will check it out before I leave the house..loll.

Anyways take care of yourself and merry christmas you'll.

Ciao

DIET BEGINS

Hello dears. Whats up?

Okay like my last post said I was going to go on a diet.

Anyways I have started my diet.

Yesterday in the morning I took Special K with low fat milk for breakfast.

For lunch I got pottage beans cooked with a teaspoon of palm oil. You could have seen the way I looked at the food. It looked disgusting. I had to close my eyes to eat it up, even though it was very nice.

No fizzy drinks water all the way, and I hate water with a passion, but it is good for the body..sighs.

In between snacks was my greatest problem. When I had the cravings I had to either take watermelon, tangerine or oranges: no biscuits..no chocolates, no fizzy drinks, no bread etc..very hard I must confess. I am not a fruit person at all, even though the watermelon was to die for.

I must say its just my first day and I am lamenting.

I hope I will be able to do this for a week or two weeks.

Anyways from my little experience loosing weight ins't easy at all. Thumbs up to my friends who are on a diet.

Also I don't know why all the good food aren't on the top of the food menu.Why???

Anyways in my research I stumbled upon this guy who is a fitness expert. In his quest to find out how easy or hard it is to loose weight he decided to add weight. He took 6 months to add weight. From his pictures, I must say this: it is so easy to put on weight. Its like the thing just creeps in... Check out this website and let me know what you think.

do take care and have a lovely day.

http://whatsthaword.com/2011/10/trainer-gains-70-pounds-to-prove-a-point

DIET

Hello everyone..

Whats up?

Loved the comments and encouragements I got from my last post. Thank you guys you always make my day.

To my new followers WELCOME guys. I promise you...you will love the secretlilies's journey.

Anyways today I thought I should share this with you' ll.

I have been talking a lot about weight gain and weight lose and all.

I used to be 55kg for a very long time. When I mean long time I mean pretty long.

I will drink 5 bottles of coca cola a day and I still didn't add weight.

Anyways in the past 3 years I have slowly gained some extra 5 kilos. Now I am 60kg... sobbing, meaning I have moved from a British size 6 to a British size 8.

anyways I said I wanted to lose weight and they all want to crucify me. Please don't just hear me out....loll..

I have talked to a lot of people and they keep telling me that it's very difficult to loose wight and it can't work. A lot say big girls can't go down to a British size 8 etc.

Because of this I have decided to put myself on a diet and see what it takes. Don't worry I will not starve to death. I will only make sure I loose 5 kilos. So the aim going back to 55.....

I really want to experience a little bit of what people talk about "being on a diet".

I will like to find out if it is very difficult or if it is easy. I also will like to find out how long it will take me to loose just 5 kilos.

I start a diet on Monday and I will follow the diet judiciously by the grace of God.

As I post I will update you guys on my journey and if I can actually stick to the diet or be tempted to eating all the good food in the house. LOL

Another thing: I swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.

So the day I, maybe make a mistake I will let you all know.

Anyways do have a lovely day and enjoy the weekend.

Ciao

Difficult.. Is it Really?

Hi every one

What's up?

I have been thinking of what to post for the past two days now and I have come up blank.

I am usually one that has something to talk about but it doesn't seem to be coming today.

Anyways I will just start with my thoughts and my feelings:

Anybody that knows me, knows that I am an avid reader: "especially the romance genre". I love reading. I can stay up all night reading a good novel.

One of my favorite authors is Debbie Macomber. I have read a lot of her novels and she is really a very good writer. The catch is that she has been/ is currently #1 NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR.

I have been made to understand that before you get that kind of rating your books must have sold over 1 million copies: that's on a particular book. Now this lady has several of her books that have sold over a million copies. She is making a huge living from writing contrary to what people think. She has even had a lot of her books made into HALLMARK MOVIES...

I am so happy but sad at the same time.

Why is it that African writers almost do not get to the height of their writing careers?

Let me take Nigeria for example: how many of the publishers in Nigeria have actually come out to say that an author's book has sold over 1 million copies world wide?

Is it that we don't that have bestselling materials? No we do I am very sure of that.

I know we have Wole Soyinka and Chinue Achebe etc but we need more. We have a lot more. too numerous to mention....

Is it that they aren't given the same opportunity like their foreign counter parts? One can say so?

So what are our publishers doing to change this situation?

When I think of things like this I am very impressed with MYNE WHITMAN, Abimbola ESSIEN Nelson AND Lara Daniels. I must say I admire their spirit. They have impressed me and given me hope that a time will come where Nigerian writers will be bestselling authors all over the world.

Anyways don't forget that this is just my thoughts. Please let me know yours.

Have a lovely day and do take care of yourselves.. Hopefully I will have something new to post tomorrow..loll..

Thanks again for your comments.

Ciao

Education

Hi everyone.

I hope you are all okay, well rested and ready for the week.

For me I am and happy for various reasons.

Before I forget: " A big shout out to my new followers thank you so much for making secret lilies your home, and for the comments I love them.

Thank you.

I have been thinking about our educational system for a while now:

Men!!!! we have a long way to go.

I joined a friend to the art institute in Atlanta, and I was shocked at what I saw. This school is a school that's focused more on hands-on than book work/ reading. They do the general courses which is mandatory for every higher institution but they focus more on practicals than theory.

It got me thinking a lot of my mates, friends, parents, Nigerians, do not know what they actually want to be when they grow up. We almost all go into the university studying courses to please our parents or because society.

I have always said this if I have a university I will not offer courses like law, medicine, engineering etc. I will not have the traditional school. I will have courses like cartooning, game creation, interior design, drafting, agriculture, farming, etc.. I will like my students to be able to come to school and get a degree in whatever they want to do, not what their parents want

In Nigeria we look down on polytechnics or yaba tech, etc cos they aren't the traditional universities?

Even when the state governments or organizations offer scholarships to students, they offer the traditional courses. So if I am in the Arts I can only get a scholarship to study LAW nothing creative. Science: engineering etc and Medicine...

I have a friend who loves making-people up, but she will not go to a cosmetology school because her father will not pay her fees, so she is stuck with one science course and hoping that one day she will be able to fulfill her dream..

I pray and I wish that we will all fulfill our dreams.

At that school yesterday I felt like going to enroll and start all over again, this time spending 4 years doing what I like not what my parents want or what society feels is accepted..

I wish and I hope that we will all fulfill our dreams cos this life is short.

Do take care of yourself and have a lovely week ahead.

P.S. A big thank you to Atilola. She gave me some very good points for my book. I am sure I will dedicate the book to her when it is eventually finished and published.

Domestic Violence

Hello whats up?

Thank God its Friday.

Let the week just roll it in, we have lots of fun activities lined up.

Anyways a few days ago some neighbors called the cops and accused a lady of domestic violence. When the cops got to the house, they found the lady stabbing her daughter.

when the lady was asked to stop she refused so they had no choice but to gun the woman down. The sad fact about the story was that the daughter died from the stab wounds...

although they found her other child outside, who she had tossed out the window..

My question is that how can a mother be so heartless. If you tell me she spanked her child I would have said okay, that's a different story, but this isn't spanking at all, she took a knife and was stabbed her daughter repeatedly.

What got into her?

What was she thinking?

How could she do this?

In fact how did she get this way?

Such a sad story.

Like one of my friend's said on facebook: "she wishes she can just take a remote control and press the pause or stop button and all the evil news will stop coming. I feel like that too at times.

Anyways happy weekend and please make sure you go for the garage sales happening on saturday the 3rd of this month i.e. tomorrow at Bibi's cottage, Admiralty way, across from Tanalaziers, Lekki phase 1. 9.a.m-5pm. Proceeds will be used to rehabilitate rape victims etc.

Please do check the link below and tell me what you think.

Thank you and have a lovely weekend

http://lagosmums.com/2011/12/01/just-my-thoughts-naija-kids/