$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...

Janelle Monae

Good morning folks... hope we are all good. I for one I am happy as I celebrated my birthday two days ago..November 10th... 

Did I have a party? Nope.

Did I go out? Nope...

Did I get presents? My present from my husband is on the way. It has been ordered but it will take two weeks.. Can you imagine that?

 

I must say it was the most boring birthday I have ever had in my life, but you know what I loved every bit of it. Big ups to my family who even though they couldn't be with me, made sure they called to wish me a happy birthday.. Thumbs up to Temi, for my gift which will arrive in two weeks.lol, and making sure I heard his voice almost all through that day.. Thumbs up to Yosola who just laid there looking at me while I lamented about the boredom of that day. In all i am grateful to God for everything.

Now to the topic... usually I browse the Internet for something exciting to blog about, sometimes I am lucky sometimes I'm not. Anyways today I found this lovely musician Janelle Monae. I had never heard of her, nor her music, but I was impressed with what she had to say:

"When I started my music career, I was a maid. I used to clean houses. My mother was a proud janitor. My step father, who raised me like his own, worked at the post office and my father was a trash man. They all wore uniforms and that's why I stand here today, in my black and white, and I wear my uniform to honor them. 

This is a reminder that I have work to do. I have people to uplift. I have people to inspire. And today, I wear my uniform proudly as a cover girl. I didn't have to become perfect because I have learnt through out my journey that perfection is the enemy of greatness.

Embrace what makes you unique, even if it makes others uncomfortable". -Janelle Monae (courtesy Obvious Magazine). Interesting right?

N/B: Check out Obvious Magazine Its kinda cool....

Do listen to her song. I find it very different and unique.

Have a lovely day.

Ralph Lauren

Hi guys, I am digressing today from the motherhood journey... back to business.
I was browsing a few days ago and stumbled upon a huge donation by Ralph Lauren and I decided to look up the guy. I have always loved his brand but never read anything about him. Its a good thing I researched cos I liked what I found out about him...

Ralph Lifschitz born October 14, 1939, the youngest of 4 children, wanted to be a professional basketball player or an artist like his father. As a teenager Ralph changed his name to Lauren because he was teased in school since his last name had shit in it. In school Ralph was known for selling ties to his fellow classmates. When asked what he wanted to do in his Clinton year book he said he wanted to be a millionaire. He didn't attend fashion school, but he worked for Brook Brothers as a salesman. At age 26 Ralph designed a wide range of European-style neckties, and with a lot of determination, he eventually sold to Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's.

In 1971 less than five years, he opened a Polo boutique on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills making him the first American designer with a freestanding store. A hard worker the brand Polo grew into a very strong brand. Today his net worth $7.5billion dollars and he is the 122nd richest man in the world according to Forbes..

But you know everyone has his/her own obstacles to overcome, in 1986 Ralph was diagnosed with a brain tumor and underwent a surgery. His brush with death increased his determination to become bigger and stronger, and he has been able to that. Today the Polo brand is a very strong brand.

On June 11, 1997 Polo Ralph Lauren became a public company traded on the NewYork Stock Exchange under the symbol RL. By 2003, Polo has over 35 stores all over the United States.

Its amazing how someone can grow from grass to grace. what stood out for me was his ability to distinguish is style. At the time he started producing his ties, they weren't in vogue, people didn't wear ties like that, but he stuck with his designs and it paid off. Its funny even designer Calvin Klein said when he was a child in the Bronx, he would see Ralph and think, "who is this person? Who dresses like that?"

Note to self: when you have found what your hands can do, do it. Over look the obstacles on the way, at the end you will prevail.

Secondly always learn to give back to your community,  (if I didn't see the donation I may never have checked him out)

P.S. "Ralph is married and has three children. HIs daughter owns a candy store in New York.. (It is said to be one of the largest in the world). who knows I just might check it out some day.


Got to run. Do have a lovely day and thanks once again for your comments.

Ciao


ciao

My Motherhood Journey

Hi guys..congrats to Obama for winning.
Another 4 years: let's see what going to happen. I must say the man has some good strong will and determination.

Anyways Monday of this week my daughter became 7 weeks. I can't believe she's already 7weeks old. Wasn't it yesterday I gave birth to her?
Well as she grows older her pattern changes: now she is learning how to play and how to smile.
I can see the way she struggles to smile when I make faces at her. The thing I don't like, is the gas issue all babies have. She finds it difficult to pass gas and it always hurts. I hear they will get over it soon I can't wait.
With babies they have to learn every little thing: from how to talk to how to suckle to how to walk. Another thing I have noticed: my daughter has learnt to fight sleep. She wants to stay up more, so she fights the sleep. Who says you can fight nature I hope she realizes it soon.

Anyways yesterday I let her cry for over thirty minutes....now I am not being mean, I was teaching her discipline. It's never to late to discipline one's child. She now likes to be carried all the time courtesy "her grandma"... When I get back and its only me at home with her, do you think I will have the time to carry her 24/7? No and it's not a good habit at that.

Note to self: all grandparents spoil their grandchildren.

During the months of being pregnant I studied a lot about kids who grow up abroad, like in Europe or America, I am talking about America now: "their children are a lot more disciplined than ours. They have their bed times even as early as 3 months. A mother said that she taught her 3 months old baby to start sleeping by 7 p.m and wake by 7 a.m. Her son is 2 years old now and he still does that. In fact now he takes himself to bed. She says with this she can be able to do a lot of things, ETC tidy the house, cook, relax, read as she is a student, be there for her husband and prepare for the next day.

Now I have a friend who complains every time that she doesn't get enough sleep and that she is always tired. When I suggested she develops a sleep pattern for her baby she screamed that it's not possible. How will she not be tired always, when even at 2 years her baby still sleeps by 1 a.m every day and wakes up in the night for Milo....

Note to self: babies can listen to you as early as 4 months... babies no matter how little know what they are doing, and they try to manipulate you.

Explain to me how my daughter knows the difference between someone's body and her bed. She can even tell the difference between her own court and the big bed, and she is what? 7 weeks.

Anyways my breastfeeding journey: my daughter cries a lot and it bothers me. I tried everything I could think of but it didn't work, until I started adding formula into the breast milk. I will pump and mix it with formula. This she loved and will eat to her satisfaction. I just discovered that my breast milk doesn't satisfy her as she is always hungry.

My plan was to do baby friendly till about 6 months, but this doesn't seem like it will happen. I have been chastised for giving my baby formula. In fact a lot of Nigerians have told me that my daughter will not know me and will not be close to me in future because I didn't breast feed her. (You all know this theory is so wrong), even though I have put that off, it still bothered me and I continued breastfeeding and she was constantly crying.

Now I will just transition gradually to formula, before I starve Yosola to death. LOL

Do have a lovely day

Long A'waited Wedding Anniversary Post

Hello everyone as you all know my time isn't mine any more, I have a madam that dictates what I do. lol, but I can't just stop my life right, so I have to device a pattern around her.

Anyways just to let you know that I have begun writing again officially. I can't promise regular updates on my blog but I will definitely try. I will also check your blogs out whenever I have time and leave comments if I can. (do bear with me).

Now back to the story: so on the 25th of October was my wedding anniversary. 4 years ago I walked down the aisle and said "I DO" to Mobolaji Ayodeji Kamson.

Have I enjoyed the marriage: yes I have.
Has it been smooth all the way: no, nothing is actually. Everything has it's ups and downs.
When I hear other ladies talk about their marriages and how they are just there for their kids, I have to say thank God.

Do I take Temi for granted: yes I do, and I must learn to stop that, cos he is a very special person and dear to my heart.

When I first got married I wanted to have kids right away, Temi was indifferent, but I wasn't, after all I had heard stories about Yoruba's being very nosy and always in some one's business. So like every new bride I was a little frightened.

By the second year we had a major set back, Temi had to leave the 9 to 5 rat race and join the "I have to own MY OWN business band wagon", I supported him, even though in my head I felt he must be crazy. As the months past, the word we are on a budget, became our slogan. Since we were on a budget my business had to be on a hold.

So every time someone asked me what I was doing I will try to change the topic.(Okay fine I should have gotten a job right)?
I did try to get a job, but for what I was looking for I didn't find. I wanted to be a radio personality and I still want to be (so if there is any availability, please just let me know, thank you).

By the end of the second year our car had packed up and we had to depend on one car, which wasn't really good. It looked very nice on the outside but had wahala on the inside, (if you know what I mean..)But you know: "what we stood together". I still hadn't stopped worrying about the babies not coming as planned.

Anyways to cut the long story short in this 4 years, being married, Temi and I have become closer. Looking at it now, I know that if Yosola had come immediately, we wouldn't have been able to build this bond we have now.

So as the phrase goes everything works out for good.

I start another phase of my life, first of all I am a wife, I am a mother, I am a writer and then I am an entrepreneur.

My daughter taking her time in coming taught me patience, a virtue I didn't have at all.

I have to go now.
I hope you like what you read..

P.S." contrary to the story I heard, my in laws aren't nosy....

Do take care of yourself and I hope you find love like I have.

Dinner on the 25th of October.
chei I still look chubby...anyways not to worry losing weight little by little....
Ciao