I AM BACK

Aww just looked at my last post and it's dated January 4th,  I should be doing more.
Anyways I think I am really getting a hang of motherhood and loving it, so more posts to come. My daughter who is 5 months, is now on a schedule. She now sleeps all through the night between 10 to 12 hours and that is pure heaven. By 7 p.m she is feed properly, note: once a baby is well feed she will sleep like a log of wood". So she eats, is changed for the night, a little play time and in less than an hour and a half she is asleep, till the next morning. This gives Temi and I time to gist, catch up on the day, then if I can I squeeze in a little reading and writing. Like they say little by little one will accomplish all one has set out to.


About my weight journey, its coming out well, my tummy is still big, but let's see what will happen in the coming months.

About the eating right, I think we are doing good in that department, no fizzy drinks in the house, even though I must say that sometimes I just want to buy some bottles of coca cola and just drink it...ahhh refreshing....

I joined a writers challenge in the month of January we were suppose to write between 500 to 2000 words everyday for the whole month. hmmm I must say that was one of the hardest things to do, I wrote up to 17k words, would have loved to write more than that maybe the 30k range but oh well, I am happy that I have been able to do this.

Now: what do I want for this blog: like I said I will try my best to post motivational articles, things that interest me, my products and hope that I will get some sales for them. I have a few gifts I will like to give out, I hope it gets out of my house before Val's day..


NOTE:  I think I have talked to much...was just telling my friend that I think I have fallen into the category of to much talk and no action... now action is the key...


Happy new year once again, Sweet dreams.

Happy New Year

Wow happy new year everybody. I am so grateful seeing this new year. There are a lot of interesting things I have planned out for this year and hopefully I will be able to achieve everyone of it. Now notice I didn't say "New years resolution..lol but they are still my goals and I look forward to achieving everyone of it.

1. Every year I make up my mind that I will get at least one of my books published and finally join the published authors of our time...this has not been an easy feet at all, even though I know deep down maybe I haven't really wanted it so bad, so I have decided to work with a professional editor and have a good edit of my book, if it means denying myself a lot of things I will have to do that, after all they say the end justifies the means. After this I will send my books to every publisher I can think of, if I am not accepted then I have decided that I will go the self publishing route been reading alot about E-publishing.

2.I have finally over come my fear of failing and following my dreams about hand crafts. So from time to time I will be posting my products on my blog for sale and I hope that I will make sales as well. Do not have the money for a website now, so for the mean time I will depend on social media, Facebook, word of mouths, my blog and small trunk shows.

3. I made up my mind that even though I haven't achieved all that I set out to do, I am still so grateful for what God has done in my life and is still doing. So in other to show my gratitude, from time to time I will be giving away free gifts ranging from books to any of my beautiful products. So stay tune and keep coming back to my blog cos you never know when it may be your lucky day.

4. I just started this writers challenge on the 2nd of this month, where we all have to write between 500 to 2000 words everyday and post our progress weekly till the end of January. Now I must say this is so easy but very difficult at the same time, but I must say I have been able to keep it up and like the way its been going. If I am able to do this, then I would have developed the habit of writing everyday no matter how little. Now if you write 2k words a day in the space of 30 days you will have written about 60k words by the end of the month, now that is a novel... so will keep you updated on everything.

5. Temi and I have decided to be more pro active on eating healthy and cutting down on the carbs and fizzy drinks. Eat a lot more fruits and veggies and exercise at least three times a week. Mind you I am still on my mission to loose my baby fat, so lets see how it goes.

6. Reading my bible and praying more often. For me I don't do anything without acknowledging the fact that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

7. As a writer I must be a reader as well, so reading doesn't go out of my to do list. Falling in love more and more with e-readers. more convenient and can be carried everywhere.


Finally I will not beat myself up if I cannot achieve any of these things above, but I promise to do my best and look back and give myself a pat on the back.

I hope we all have interesting plans for the new year and I look forward to learning a lot from you all.

P.S. did I forget to add my interest in fashion as well and that I am going to revamp my blog? I haven't added that I will do all this while taking care of my daughter and my family. Now this mama is going to be a very busy mama, no time for frivolities.....LOL

Take care of yourself and have a happy new year.

CHINUA ACHEBE'S "THERE WAS A COUNTRY"

I know all of us are still in a celebration mood, including me. I had actually thought that I will be off writing and blogging till next year but like bees drawn to the honey comb so is a writer drawn to writing.
Anyways one of my Christmas presents from my darling Temi was Chinua Achebe's new novel "There Was A Country". Now people who know me, know that even though I am an avid reader its only recently I started reading a lot of novels by Nigerian authors, even though I read "CHIKE AND THE RIVER, THINGS FALL APART", I still wasn't an avid reader of Achebe's works.

I don't know if I can say this of a renowned author, but I will anyway: as a writer Achebe has greatly improved. This is how I see his writing now: it's as though he writes for a wider audience. It's as though he writes for the readers in China as well as readers in America at the same time. He can take an Ibo proverb and describe it using America/British terms. I am greatly impressed as I hope that this novel becomes a bestseller topping a lot of the big authors in writing history. I have also learnt that Chinmamanda Adiche writes a lot like Achebe.. Very Impressive.

Although I am not through with the book I am learning a lot about Nigerian history and the events that took place before I was born. It saddens me to think that history has been removed from all our secondary schools. I think that history should be compulsory in all secondary schools in Nigeria up until A'  levels, instead of maths or English. Oh well that's a topic for another day.

I also think that all the minor ethnic groups in Nigeria should start developing works of fiction laced with our rich history and culture granting our Nigerian/African all over the world the opportunity to know about African folklore's, myths, history, culture like they do about the Greek mythology.

Before I go I will leave you with some excerpts of the book that I have found very intriguing:

Page 93:

"I received my scholarship to study medicine at Ibadan. I wanted to be in the arts but felt the pressure to choose medicine instead. After a year of work I changed to English, history and theology, but by so doing I lost the bursary and was left with the prospect of paying tuition"

(Now for me this is determination. It is sad that parents still pressure their children to study courses they don't really have a flare for. Someone asked this question on face book: if you had the opportunity to be 18 again what will you do all over, a lot of people talked about following their dreams and not studying what daddy or mummy wanted them to study).

Page 95:

"After graduation I did not have to worry about where I would go next. The system was so well organized that as we left university most of us were instantly absorbed into the civil service, academia, business or industry. We trusted-I did, anyway-the country and its rulers to provide this preparatory education and then a job to serve my nation. I was not disappointed".

(hmmm this cannot be said about the Nigeria of today as it is so difficult getting a job right out of university. What happened? And how can this be fixed? Topic for another day)


Anyways as I read along or maybe in any of my post I will try and post little excerpts from his book.
I must go now as I have to still be in the celebration mode, not with a laptop on top of my laps and jamming away.

Merry Christmas folks and a Happy new year. 

A Note From A Parent

My promise to my children as long as I live I am your parent first, your friend second. I will stalk you, flip out on you, lecture you, drive you insane, be your worst nightmare and hunt you down like a blood hound, when needed because I LOVE YOU!!!!! When you understand that I will know you are a responsible adult. You will NEVER find someone who loves, prays, cares and worries about you more than I do! If you don't hate me once in your life- I am not dong my job properly.



I saw this letter from a parent and I thought I should share it. Really food for thought for me...


RIP to the kids that died...its so pathetic....

Everybody is talking about guns laws and all, but for me I think it starts from the beginning. Once you become a parent you have to give it your all, like the note says till they understand, then you know they are adults. I don't subscribe to the African mentality of having a lot of children. its not worth it!!!!!

Anyways Merry Christmas everybody, I hope we all enjoy the holidays and thank God for just keeping us alive.

Ciao.

The World Of Animation

Hello everyone. How are you? I hope you are all very well.
Anyways I just had a few minutes and decided to use the time. I have always been fascinated by animations and cartoons ever since I could remember. Always watched the Disney fairy tales like Cinderella, Tangled, Aladdin, Lion King, more recently Pixar's animation: Cars, Toy Story etc.  If I am asked today what are my favorite past times: apart from reading and traveling, I would say watching cartoons or animation, that is not to say that I don't also enjoy good movies, this I do. In fact I can't wait to see "Looper" and "Les Miserables".

But have you wondered why Africa doesn't have a good animation or cartoon company, one that depicts the rich African culture and lifestyle? I know when I was growing up, I read a lot of blue eyed princesses and watched a lot of green eyed mermaid stories and the likes. It never occurred to me that there could be fairytales that had princesses with brown eyes and dark skin/ebony or kinky/nappy hair. It never occurred to me that I could have dolls that were dark skinned with yarn braids instead of the long caucasian straight hair barbies. Now I am older I know better. I know I can get novels where the heroes look like Idris Elba or the heroine looks a lot like Haley Berry instead of Jessica Simpson. (If you know what I mean). Thanks to authors like Myne Whitman, Kiru Taye, Lara Daniels etc you can now read about dashing men who are actually tall dark and handsome.

But what about the animations and cartoons that our children watch? '
Do we have enough to let them know that Africans are here to stay. That it's not all about slavery, corruption, wars, poverty etc but also about love, fun, adventures, superheroes.

What about exploring our rich legends? After all the Greeks have been doing this for ages. In fact I am so in love with Chris Hemsworth, the star in THOR. (P.S. Please don't tell Temi this...LOL). Thor is the Greek god of thunder. If I am correct I know the Yorubas also has a god of thunder in their legends.

Okay we will say there is a lot of voodoo or juju in the African theme, but can't it be portrayed without the incantations, libations and human sacrifice?

Well I think it is time Africa stands up and start telling their story.

In an interview Kiru Taye said she wants to be an author who will tell the world a different story about Africa.

Yes we still struggle with poverty, corruption, wars, slavery, discrimination, women inequality, etc but we also fall in love and live in love. We also have superheroes and heroines, we also have beautiful myths and legends, beautiful fashion sense/statement and culture. We also have men of valor and integrity.
I have hope that one day we will get there.


I hope you all have a lovely day as today is the 12/12/12/ day, and this is also my brother's birthday as well. I love him so much as we are very close. Wishing him the best things in life.

Take care of yourselves I've got to go, as my time is up.

N/B: Google: Sporedust media/ A Nigerian animation company.

Ciao.

Happy New Month

I would have titled this post sites and sounds of Jamaica but I am not sure I will be able to upload the pictures. Anyways I will just try, and see what happens.

A little about Jamaica: it's very dear to my heart as it is a small island of about 3 million people, as you all know I come from a very small island, in Rivers state called Bonny. We aren't up to 3 million but its not so small. It's just the right size and very good for tourism.
Jamaica makes a lot of revenue from tourism. I wonder why we can't do that in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, even Lagos state is surrounded by water as well. hmmm very sad.
Sometimes I wish the oil will dry up so that we all go back to life without oil. I know this for a fact :the day Nigeria starts feeding itself as a country, Nigeria's development will sky rocket. Enough of all the sad talk lets move one to brighter things...

I wonder what it will be like on top of that mountain..Scary

I hope you can see the building on the hills..wish i can live there.

Alright I was able to upload the pix. I basically took the scenery.
Jamaica is a very hilly country and living on top of the mountains is like living in Beverly hills. It is even called Beverly hills

Can you imagine that Christmas is almost here? I am speechless as to how time flies. Well we just thank God for keeping us all through the year.

I want us to look back and tick of the things we have achieved so far this year. Please don't beat yourself if you feel you haven't achieved anything. Everything will fall into place in due time.

For me I have

1. grown better in my writing, even though I haven't published any books as I thought I would have....

2. I have become a mother so that is a new job description added to my CV.  I have also learnt to appreciate the little pleasures of life: like merely sitting down to eat and savoring a perfectly good meal. I don't do that any more. I am always eating on the go, you never know when madam will be up demanding your attention with no questions asked..LOL.
3. I also have learnt to prioritize my time a lot more. I hardly waste it on just surfing the net, or gossiping I am on the go. Any little time I have I use it judiciously.
4. I still haven't started my business but I thank God for the ideas I have been writing down, cos it will become a reality soon.
5. My transition into a naturalista has become finally. I am not going back. So I have started researching and working on it. Men!!!!! I want my hair as long as the Jamaican Men's hair. You won't believe it they have longer hair than their women...Ironic right. I have started the regime of washing my hair, and conditioning bimonthly.
 Getting yarn braids soon, cos the styling of natural hair ain't easy, and I am running out of patience..

For all the other things I hope to have achieved this year and I haven't, I am not beating myself about it, cos I know I will achieve everything one day..


Enough about me, tell me what you have achieved so far. I will love to read about it.

P.S. "Myne whitman has started a new series on her blog...its very entertaining I think you should all check it out.

let me leave with this song, which i absolutely love.
Do have a wonderful weekend.

$800 A Month

Once again I am back.
What's cooking?
Will like to wish everyone in America a Happy Thanksgiving.
I think for the fact that we are alive and breathing, we should be thankful.
Okay so I meet this guy who is a cook for a diplomat in Jamaica, and he earns $800 a month( i.e. #128000, One hundred and twenty eight thousand Naira). Now the good thing about his job is that he doesn't get to spend the money in that he doesn't pay for accommodation, he doesn't pay for feeding and his family is back home in Nigeria.
Now my question is this what will I do if I had $800 to spend, and everything like feeding, electric bills, transportation, accommodation etc, is out of the equation? Will I save the money and after 4 years use it for a business or will I just be lounging like a big boy and become the village superhero?

For me I will do this:
Its a good thing his wife is working back home, so the wife will have to support the home for a while, since this is for our future. I will try to save at least $300, send $350 to $400 to my family back home every month, and deny myself frivolities for a while. Refrain from buying new clothes or shoes or whatever toys I will love to acquire.

Now if I save that constantly for a year I will have $3,600 i.e. #576,000 Naira in a year, now multiply that by 4 years ie  $14,400 ie #2,304,000, naira.

So let's say I include A.O.B, I save $13,000 instead of $14,400 in 4 years...
Can he not use that to do something?
I know one thing of my Ibo brothers will be able to flip that money over. In a matter of years they will be serious merchants, but they will also be willing to forgo a lot of the nice things in life in the beginning.

Somebody may say this is impossible but I ask you how many workers in Nigeria today, graduates and all can after paying their bills, have $800 to just do with as they please?

The sad thing is that as humans, when our income increases we quickly increase our wants and desires, we never really think of the future until it is too late. We want everyone to know that we have arrived. we want to wear the Gucci and the Prada when we haven't saved for the rainy day...

I won't say that it is bad to spoil oneself, in fact it is healthy for the system to be spoilt once in a while, but when it is constant it becomes a problem.

Now this cook doesn't like to eat in the house, he prefers eating out, forgetting that time waits for no man, 4years will soon be over and he may have nothing to show for it.hmm already spending...food takes a lot more money than we think.


Just my thoughts?
I will not shop at a high end supermarket when i haven't set my priorities right.
I will not have a blackberry phone when I am not even sure where my next meal will come.
I will not spend my time in the cyber cafe on face booking, when I know I can only use the Internet once in a while.
I will set my priorities straight and work towards achieving my goals...
These things will always be there.

Note to self: I think the problem with us Nigerians is that we bother more about what people will say. I have learnt that people will always talk, so just forget them and continue till you achieve you goal.


I leave you with this song, its a french song its by Celine Dion and Garou. Love, love love Garou's voice.. its a love song...since I am a romantic, I hope you will feel the vibe too...