So much to blog about this time, i hope i can remember it all. I can across this post:
Disappearing Me Softly and it touched me so. And to find out that this man was currently a professor at Carleton University in Ottawa (Ottawa U's little brother university hehehe....), I was so proud of what he wrote. In my final year in university I decided to take an Intro to Feminism course. The course was very interesting as we talked about everything from hegemony to gender and minority discrimination, etc. However I noticed that within the discourse of feminism African women were conspicuously absent, and even more so African women were completely "disappeared". Because of my own history and my familiarity of African Feminism in particular, I kept on trying to challenge the class's thoughts on what exactly is Feminism but to no avail and I was outnumbered to say the least! My only way of fighting back was my final thesis paper for the class in which I decided to explore African Feminism in particular. My professor just didn't get it. Even after including works from African Women, she just could not understand. There was a particular phrase that I highlighted which was that african women were never interested in bra burning, afterall traditionally, they've always worked outside of the home, trading etc. African women were fighting another battle, who do the children belong too? My husband's property is my property not his extended family's? Widowhood....Education...........Alas, these struggles where never relevant to Western Feminism so they just chose to ignore it, "disappear" it. Very sad.........
NEXT UP
I'm just reading this stuff on new york times -
"Blacks are Inferior" and I can tell you i'm no more prouder to be African than I am at this moment. I first had a discussion like this believe it or not with an AFRICAN person, more or less a Nigerian man. He really and truly believed that white people, or people of European descent must be more intelligent than Africans in Science, Management and Leadership. His whole thing was that different races have different gifts so African were gifted in music, dance, arts while the chinese are gifted in technology, engineering, maths, while European people are gifted in Strategic thinking and the sciences. He said to me that why is it that it is the Europeans that were curious and wanted to explore the world? Why didn't Africans invade and colonize Europe? Not only that, but we welcomed and HELPED these guys when they landed on our shores. Even though I disagreed with him, I never could come up with an argument that would absolve all his questions, so I just shook my head and told him, "you know you're wrong right?" I wasn't sure how exactly to prove to him that he was suffering from "kolomentality" but I knew he must have been.
I wanted to read the above article with an open mind. Could there really be scientific evidence about all of this? Was it being repressed because of the social consequences? The researcher inside of me is thinking of all the possible biases that can go into any such scientific studies i.e, if you don't allot for all the environmental/developmental influences how can you come to such a conclusion? Also, if a Nigerian person for example, came to the "scientific" conclusion that "Oyinbos" were mugus because of the many evidences of them falling for 419 pranks, or that they can go to the market and pay N1000 for something that an African would pay N50 for, would that research be valid? or is this particular argument relevant at all? I think my final conclusion is that it all depends on who's deciding what intelligence is?
LASTLY
The Future Nigeria Awards season is on again! As many of you may know, I was graciously nominated for an award last year in the "Professional of the Year" category. Though I didn't win (Modupe Adefeso of YDNX won.......but she's outta town *hint*hint*) it was such an honor and I had such a FABULOUS time with FABULOUS people. So...........let's do it again this year! I think i'm promising myself I won't nominate myself (since i'm still thinking that's weird?) but I will enjoin, PLEAD, BEG, ASK NICELY..............all you wonderful readers of my blog to take a minute of your time and NOMINATE! NOMINATE! NOMINATE! me at the future nigeria website: www.thefuturenigeria.com
GOD WILL BUTTER ALL YOUR BREADS. AMEN.
All the Beautiful People
Hello Hello Hello!!!!!!
It's been a long time
Shouldn'ta left you
Without a dope beat to step to...
Yes, i'm a dork, and you know what? it's okay! lol! what's up beautiful people (or person, depending on who's still reading my blog lol) My god, it's been a while since i've blogged. At first there was nothing new to blog about and then all of a sudden i became very busy at work, at home, in relationships, everything just happening at once. Things have let up a little so i'm stealing the time while my boss is in a meeting to run through a post mad quick!
While on break though, i've been pondering on what i call the Beautiful Peeps of Lagos. It seems like there's like an underground clique of guys and dolls that know each other and apparently are the people to know. You see them everywhere and they are behind all the happenings and control everything (that is, everything that young people could be interested in cuz let's not play dangote and otedola control EVERYTHING, hehehe) and they all also know themselves so don't make the mistake of thinking you can just fool anyone. How did I come across all this? I'm a facebook addict. YES, my name is Lola and I'm a facebook-a-holic (Sade if you're reading, you definitely are the chairperson of this group!) I think the Beautiful Peeps clique of Lagos all meet and organize themselves on facebook. Before Blogger used to be the shit amongst this crowd but now it's FACEBOOK! I wonder if there are Beautiful Peeps cliques clustered all around Lagos or this is it? It's such an incestuous place, this Lagos.......
Oh, if anyone has their Sundays free around 3pm or 6pm, why not take the time and visit Terra Kulture for the Theatre at Terra series produced by Wole Oguntokun, or our dear LasPapi. A society that pays attention to the development of the arts is a society cares about its people and its culture. Also, lets support our drama and theatre community in Lagos, it gives an avenue for our youth to express themselves and their creativity. So hope to see you there!
It's been a long time
Shouldn'ta left you
Without a dope beat to step to...
Yes, i'm a dork, and you know what? it's okay! lol! what's up beautiful people (or person, depending on who's still reading my blog lol) My god, it's been a while since i've blogged. At first there was nothing new to blog about and then all of a sudden i became very busy at work, at home, in relationships, everything just happening at once. Things have let up a little so i'm stealing the time while my boss is in a meeting to run through a post mad quick!
While on break though, i've been pondering on what i call the Beautiful Peeps of Lagos. It seems like there's like an underground clique of guys and dolls that know each other and apparently are the people to know. You see them everywhere and they are behind all the happenings and control everything (that is, everything that young people could be interested in cuz let's not play dangote and otedola control EVERYTHING, hehehe) and they all also know themselves so don't make the mistake of thinking you can just fool anyone. How did I come across all this? I'm a facebook addict. YES, my name is Lola and I'm a facebook-a-holic (Sade if you're reading, you definitely are the chairperson of this group!) I think the Beautiful Peeps clique of Lagos all meet and organize themselves on facebook. Before Blogger used to be the shit amongst this crowd but now it's FACEBOOK! I wonder if there are Beautiful Peeps cliques clustered all around Lagos or this is it? It's such an incestuous place, this Lagos.......
Oh, if anyone has their Sundays free around 3pm or 6pm, why not take the time and visit Terra Kulture for the Theatre at Terra series produced by Wole Oguntokun, or our dear LasPapi. A society that pays attention to the development of the arts is a society cares about its people and its culture. Also, lets support our drama and theatre community in Lagos, it gives an avenue for our youth to express themselves and their creativity. So hope to see you there!
Oh the Randomness....
There's actually someone saved on my phone as Bastard. No we're not fighting or anything but there's nothing that seems more appropriate for me to call him but that, lol. If i'm scrolling down and thinking of calling him, just seeing that, reminds me to back the F off, or if caller id shows him calling, i know not to get carried away by any of it...........lol. I think if he knew he'd actually be quiet upset he's in my phone as bastard, hehehe.
*******
I saw Lola Omotayo in an industry mag, as part of an ad for the agency she works for. I couldn't believe that she's actually dating Peter of P-Square, one would think their world seems quite far apart. I wonder how they met and started to actually date, as opposed to just flirting. That's like me interacting with DBanj as part of work (i wish, lol!) and then just hitting it off. I wonder what her colleagues would have said and if they talked behind her back! I hear she's a hot cookie though, as in, she's quite good at her job, so kudos to her!
********
A contestant on the Gulder Ultimate Search show recently died during taping in a drowning accident. Nigerian Breweries which makes Gulder has recently given the family N20 million naira as part of compensation. However what I don't get is that the show is still going ahead with the reality show. I'm not sure this would have happened in America. It's interesting though as i'm wondering what the boy's mother must be thinking through all of this...she lost her only son and now here's this bags load full of money, i'm sure unfathomable money for her. Knowing Nigerians and suspicion, would she spend it? would she wish it all away for the presence of her son? Would she have moments of secretly relishing the money?
********
The record industry in Nigeria is growing indeed however is it sustainable? An artist whom you would have paid N5mil previously, they would have come in for negotiations, you guys would laugh and joke and get to know each other and build a relationship with the company, but now...........record companies come in as artist managements and charge N10mil and play hard to catch on the phone. Business is not always about the bottomline, especially in this business. I know we now have savvy people who spent the better parts of their lives in New York, Paris, London, watching P.Diddy and trying to learn everything from his moves, but not all those things are readily adapted here, the ages of the industries are too different. In the beginning back in those places, building relationships was key. We've lost that.......i hope it works out sha, but for i'm starting to see that rather than spend N10 mil on ONE artist, marketing dollars is better spent elsewhere.
******
WOMAN: officer please i own the car, my son was just driving it.
LAGOS POLICEMAN: ok, madam so what do you want me to do?
WOMAN: officer, please release him
LAGOS POLICEMAN: (irate) so now you're telling me what to do?!?!?
true story.
****************
Ok, toodles! I know this is random ish, but i tried to warn y'all beforehand!!!
*******
I saw Lola Omotayo in an industry mag, as part of an ad for the agency she works for. I couldn't believe that she's actually dating Peter of P-Square, one would think their world seems quite far apart. I wonder how they met and started to actually date, as opposed to just flirting. That's like me interacting with DBanj as part of work (i wish, lol!) and then just hitting it off. I wonder what her colleagues would have said and if they talked behind her back! I hear she's a hot cookie though, as in, she's quite good at her job, so kudos to her!
********
A contestant on the Gulder Ultimate Search show recently died during taping in a drowning accident. Nigerian Breweries which makes Gulder has recently given the family N20 million naira as part of compensation. However what I don't get is that the show is still going ahead with the reality show. I'm not sure this would have happened in America. It's interesting though as i'm wondering what the boy's mother must be thinking through all of this...she lost her only son and now here's this bags load full of money, i'm sure unfathomable money for her. Knowing Nigerians and suspicion, would she spend it? would she wish it all away for the presence of her son? Would she have moments of secretly relishing the money?
********
The record industry in Nigeria is growing indeed however is it sustainable? An artist whom you would have paid N5mil previously, they would have come in for negotiations, you guys would laugh and joke and get to know each other and build a relationship with the company, but now...........record companies come in as artist managements and charge N10mil and play hard to catch on the phone. Business is not always about the bottomline, especially in this business. I know we now have savvy people who spent the better parts of their lives in New York, Paris, London, watching P.Diddy and trying to learn everything from his moves, but not all those things are readily adapted here, the ages of the industries are too different. In the beginning back in those places, building relationships was key. We've lost that.......i hope it works out sha, but for i'm starting to see that rather than spend N10 mil on ONE artist, marketing dollars is better spent elsewhere.
******
WOMAN: officer please i own the car, my son was just driving it.
LAGOS POLICEMAN: ok, madam so what do you want me to do?
WOMAN: officer, please release him
LAGOS POLICEMAN: (irate) so now you're telling me what to do?!?!?
true story.
****************
Ok, toodles! I know this is random ish, but i tried to warn y'all beforehand!!!
Indecent Dressing & An Ode to Abuja
No.......the two topics surprisingly are not related! Let me start with the first one. I'm sure many of you in blog world now know that Lagos is under siege fanatics and fascists. In fact maybe I should do a post later on the parallels of Nigerian culture today and fascism, but that'd be another time. The topic of the day is the supposed "law" that was given to police officers to enforce which is that they are to arrest people for indecent dressing and thugs. Now they say they are trying to get rid of prostitutes and armed robbers, but we all know better. Which kind of law is enforced without parameters and without communication to the citizenry that it affects? What this means is that any police officer is allowed to subjectively decide what dressing is decent and indecent. From my experiences (which i will highlight) and those of others (Funmi Iyanda) it is really my conclusion that these guys harass women based simply on whether they get a hard on or not. The hard-on test.
I can't even begin to state how angry and upset this whole thing makes me because really the depth of it is beyond words. But really, I have to confess that i'm not surprised. We live in a society where everyday women are undervalued and maltreated and we say nothing so how can we be surprised that something like this should happen? A society where a widow gets kicked out of house and home after her husband dies with nothing, or is "inherited" by her in-laws, a society where women are always subservient to the men around them, a society where women are told they are nothing without marriage, without children, a society where there's really no such thing as spousal abuse, a society where women do not have a voice. These are everyday things and we say nothing so now it has come to this. Women are harassed for wearing pants in Lagos. For wearing a tank top in Lagos. for showing their collarbone in Lagos. For just being. I'm waiting to see if we all will still do nothing. Martin Luther King Jr. said something, he said "Injustice against one man is injustice against all mankind" (or something like that). Basically it means whenever we sit, men and women, and say well it's not me so I'm not going to do anything, one day it will come and meet us at our doorsteps.
Last week I was harassed TWICE on the same day by police men on the streets of Lagos. I was wearing a pantsuit with two layers under the jacket. The first incident was right in front of my office. I was waiting for a taxi and two KAI officers (Kick Against Indiscipline) started shouting at me that they were going to arrest me. Me thinking it CANNOT be me they're talking to, turned to look back. The guy now yells YES YOU, I'M GOING TO ARREST YOU, ALL OF YOU PEOPLE. So I just gave him a look and looked away, but still I was fuming. The second incident was myself coming from the island to the mainland at 9:30pm. The police officer at the road block stops the car and tells the driver to park.
HE: where are you coming from
ME: my friend's house
HE: at this time of the night?
ME: yes, is there a problem there?
HE: don't you know it's too late for you to be out?
ME: really? is there a law against that? is there a curfew in Lagos?
HE: get out of the car
ME: i'm not getting out of anything
HE: where do you work?
ME: (name) plc
HE: where's your id card?
ME: (showed it to him thankfully i had it with me)
HE: why are you out at this time walking around like you own yourself
ME: (laughing increduosly) please abeg who owns me?
HE: you should not be out at this time, don't you know you're a woman, if you were a man yes, but a woman, it's not right.
ME: (sensing that this man's problems are too numerous to start on right now) thank you very much enh? can i go now?
He finally let me go but I couldn't believe that I lived in this country right at that minute. I'm more convinced than ever that it is people's minds and perceptions that we need to change and it's a big battle that we can no longer put off. Everyone should be playing their part lest the problem gets bigger. Us young men and women, we should be at the forefront of this battle.
Now to Abuja
One of my earliest posts, I wrote about how I love abuja, and truly I do. I was in abuja over the weekend for the wedding of a friend and I fell in love with the city all over again. Any one that has a job in Abuja open, abeg hook a sister up! That city is beautiful and quiet and peaceful.
Back to Abuja Airport :o(
Myself and Timi (Winner of West African Idols)
Interestingly one can say Abuja is more conservative than Lagos is but people are not getting harassed in Abuja. When they were rounding up prostitutes in Abuja they went to the spots they usually are and actually rounded them up from there not harassing innocent women who are going about their own business. Funnily, at Abuja airport a woman comes up to me and says that she really appreciates the way I dressed and she thanks me for not exposing myself. My people, i was wearing a short (above the knee) string halter neck dress but with a small cute bolero type thingy. In Lagos I would have been arrested for indecent dressing i'm sure - just to confirm that the lagos fascists are crackers!
I can't even begin to state how angry and upset this whole thing makes me because really the depth of it is beyond words. But really, I have to confess that i'm not surprised. We live in a society where everyday women are undervalued and maltreated and we say nothing so how can we be surprised that something like this should happen? A society where a widow gets kicked out of house and home after her husband dies with nothing, or is "inherited" by her in-laws, a society where women are always subservient to the men around them, a society where women are told they are nothing without marriage, without children, a society where there's really no such thing as spousal abuse, a society where women do not have a voice. These are everyday things and we say nothing so now it has come to this. Women are harassed for wearing pants in Lagos. For wearing a tank top in Lagos. for showing their collarbone in Lagos. For just being. I'm waiting to see if we all will still do nothing. Martin Luther King Jr. said something, he said "Injustice against one man is injustice against all mankind" (or something like that). Basically it means whenever we sit, men and women, and say well it's not me so I'm not going to do anything, one day it will come and meet us at our doorsteps.
Last week I was harassed TWICE on the same day by police men on the streets of Lagos. I was wearing a pantsuit with two layers under the jacket. The first incident was right in front of my office. I was waiting for a taxi and two KAI officers (Kick Against Indiscipline) started shouting at me that they were going to arrest me. Me thinking it CANNOT be me they're talking to, turned to look back. The guy now yells YES YOU, I'M GOING TO ARREST YOU, ALL OF YOU PEOPLE. So I just gave him a look and looked away, but still I was fuming. The second incident was myself coming from the island to the mainland at 9:30pm. The police officer at the road block stops the car and tells the driver to park.
HE: where are you coming from
ME: my friend's house
HE: at this time of the night?
ME: yes, is there a problem there?
HE: don't you know it's too late for you to be out?
ME: really? is there a law against that? is there a curfew in Lagos?
HE: get out of the car
ME: i'm not getting out of anything
HE: where do you work?
ME: (name) plc
HE: where's your id card?
ME: (showed it to him thankfully i had it with me)
HE: why are you out at this time walking around like you own yourself
ME: (laughing increduosly) please abeg who owns me?
HE: you should not be out at this time, don't you know you're a woman, if you were a man yes, but a woman, it's not right.
ME: (sensing that this man's problems are too numerous to start on right now) thank you very much enh? can i go now?
He finally let me go but I couldn't believe that I lived in this country right at that minute. I'm more convinced than ever that it is people's minds and perceptions that we need to change and it's a big battle that we can no longer put off. Everyone should be playing their part lest the problem gets bigger. Us young men and women, we should be at the forefront of this battle.
Now to Abuja
One of my earliest posts, I wrote about how I love abuja, and truly I do. I was in abuja over the weekend for the wedding of a friend and I fell in love with the city all over again. Any one that has a job in Abuja open, abeg hook a sister up! That city is beautiful and quiet and peaceful.
Back to Abuja Airport :o(
Myself and Timi (Winner of West African Idols)
Interestingly one can say Abuja is more conservative than Lagos is but people are not getting harassed in Abuja. When they were rounding up prostitutes in Abuja they went to the spots they usually are and actually rounded them up from there not harassing innocent women who are going about their own business. Funnily, at Abuja airport a woman comes up to me and says that she really appreciates the way I dressed and she thanks me for not exposing myself. My people, i was wearing a short (above the knee) string halter neck dress but with a small cute bolero type thingy. In Lagos I would have been arrested for indecent dressing i'm sure - just to confirm that the lagos fascists are crackers!
Big Brother How I Love Thee
big brother
big brother
how i love thee
no more waiting for grey's
jacob's cross can have its slot
no more flipping from channel o
to mtv base for 2005 punk'd
big brother
big brother
how i do love thee
Ok, ok, I never caught the Big Brother Nigeria (BBN) thing cuz quite frankly it was wack. West African Idols didn't take my fancy either as it equally was wack, topped up by the beefy, sweaty, no camera presence personality of Mike Magic (or whatever). Don't even get me started on Deal or No Deal Nigeria as watching John Fasanu actually makes my ear bleed and induces suicidal tendencies. But yesterday, yesterday, I broke down and finally watched Big Brother Africa (BBA) more because I had actually applied for the sucker and didn't get picked so was wondering who in the world would make better tv (that babe is too boring jo!). Yes, you can actually read that again, I applied, ehn ehn so what? lol. There's a part of me that gets irresistably drawn to these crazy stunts, I mean how many people in the world can say they were a BB housemate?
Anyway, I'm loving the thing sha. The people (see Bella's post) are just plain ridiculous. There's something fascinating about watching all kinds of personalities interact, especially from different countries too! I think my fav's are Kwaku from Ghana and Max (from wherever!) since they're the sexiest, lol. It was funny to me how from the get, the Tatiana girl from Angola just fashied her so-called boyfriend. Kai! And i'm sure she's trying to make the short man her bitch, mark my words! One thing that shocked me though since i never watched any of the BBs was the shower scene!!!!! as in, seriously oh, they were showing tatas everywhere, i couldn't believe that they do this. I don't think the one in America does that oh! I was shocked, just absolutely shocked ke?!? as in cameras in the shower showing everything oh, no be like say dem get blind screens oh? hmmm...when everyone was shouting shower hour, shower hour, that's how i was thinking that wetin dey there sef? until i saw with my korokoro eyes....
Anyhoo....keep shining sha...in other news...
Do You Think We Have Slaves?
Something's been bothering me lately and I wondered what other's take on it would be. Let me give you a scenario:
1. Someone strolls into the office in the morning carrying his newspaper under his arm, his minion walks behind him, carrying the man's laptop bag.
2. One small boy comes to meet his oga in the office but sits around for hours outside before the oga comes in and then when he calls the small boy from across the compound, he sends him to go wash his cup, or walk to the next building to fetch a paper or something.
Now my thing is, for number 1, why can't you carry your own damn laptop bag from your car to your desk? all of 5min walk?
are these people slaves? seriously...
big brother
how i love thee
no more waiting for grey's
jacob's cross can have its slot
no more flipping from channel o
to mtv base for 2005 punk'd
big brother
big brother
how i do love thee
Ok, ok, I never caught the Big Brother Nigeria (BBN) thing cuz quite frankly it was wack. West African Idols didn't take my fancy either as it equally was wack, topped up by the beefy, sweaty, no camera presence personality of Mike Magic (or whatever). Don't even get me started on Deal or No Deal Nigeria as watching John Fasanu actually makes my ear bleed and induces suicidal tendencies. But yesterday, yesterday, I broke down and finally watched Big Brother Africa (BBA) more because I had actually applied for the sucker and didn't get picked so was wondering who in the world would make better tv (that babe is too boring jo!). Yes, you can actually read that again, I applied, ehn ehn so what? lol. There's a part of me that gets irresistably drawn to these crazy stunts, I mean how many people in the world can say they were a BB housemate?
Anyway, I'm loving the thing sha. The people (see Bella's post) are just plain ridiculous. There's something fascinating about watching all kinds of personalities interact, especially from different countries too! I think my fav's are Kwaku from Ghana and Max (from wherever!) since they're the sexiest, lol. It was funny to me how from the get, the Tatiana girl from Angola just fashied her so-called boyfriend. Kai! And i'm sure she's trying to make the short man her bitch, mark my words! One thing that shocked me though since i never watched any of the BBs was the shower scene!!!!! as in, seriously oh, they were showing tatas everywhere, i couldn't believe that they do this. I don't think the one in America does that oh! I was shocked, just absolutely shocked ke?!? as in cameras in the shower showing everything oh, no be like say dem get blind screens oh? hmmm...when everyone was shouting shower hour, shower hour, that's how i was thinking that wetin dey there sef? until i saw with my korokoro eyes....
Anyhoo....keep shining sha...in other news...
Do You Think We Have Slaves?
Something's been bothering me lately and I wondered what other's take on it would be. Let me give you a scenario:
1. Someone strolls into the office in the morning carrying his newspaper under his arm, his minion walks behind him, carrying the man's laptop bag.
2. One small boy comes to meet his oga in the office but sits around for hours outside before the oga comes in and then when he calls the small boy from across the compound, he sends him to go wash his cup, or walk to the next building to fetch a paper or something.
Now my thing is, for number 1, why can't you carry your own damn laptop bag from your car to your desk? all of 5min walk?
are these people slaves? seriously...
True Love Scans
Just a quick one (largely for the benefit of my sis!), here's the evidence of my True Love affair. The first one is the "interview" if you will, the second is the apology that's running in this month's issue, the third is the contents page of this month's issue that has a little baby pic of me in it.
No, i'm not vain at all! LOL.
No, i'm not vain at all! LOL.
By Fire By Force...LOL
Wow, what a week (or two weeks) I’ve had! Since I’ve returned from my vacation I noticed that many things just weren’t right. Something was off, with work, with my friends, with everything, it was just all off! I was so confused and conflicted. I was even thinking that maybe things were this bad before but I just didn’t see it cuz I was so anxious for a break, to visit my friends and family. But I knew really that that wasn’t it. Some things were different. People were reacting to me differently. So just intuitively I stepped up my prayers. Since I didn’t know what it was and I don’t think I’ve been acting differently, I just started to really pray to God to protect me first of all, to open my eyes to see these things that ordinarily you wouldn’t see, to give me the mind the correct any wrongdoings on my part, and to stand up for me where I can’t stand up for myself. In my heart I just kept praying that God should reveal the source of all these things that I thought strange. People that I cared about and held quite close to me where just behaving strangely towards me u know.
Not to go into too much details cuz you know this IS the internet, but let’s just say God answers prayers. Not everyone is who you think they are, and we all just have to be very vigilant. Some people will laugh in your face but in their hearts they are harboring envy, greed, hate, and whatever else you may have, talking behind your back, fueling idle gossip about you. And others still are harboring so much insecurity and let downs from their past and want you to carry it all on your own head so they won’t have to deal with it personally. Anybody who brings negativity into your life or who diminishes your worth or dismisses your person, abeg, their presence in your life needs to be re-evaluated.
I thank God that I’m in a place in my life now where I am grounded enough in who I am that these things don’t affect me in the way they would have in the past. I just brush it off and keep moving. I’m glad that I’m rooted in great family and friends.
What a week indeed! Like I said on my facebook, I’m really too gangsta for all this ish……if you don’t know u berra ASK SOMEBODY
PS - Several Intereting News Items
I read of a very interesting development in this entire "Oyo politics" saga. For those that don't know i'll give you a much collapsed version, basically, there's an old man in Oyo Chief Adedibu who is the ultimate godfather, and strongman of politics in Oyo. He is as we can guess PDP. Now there've been all kinds of story about intense thuggery, control of the State Senate (he's said to be behind the less than a day trial and impeachment of Governor Ladoja), stealing of ballot boxes, etc. He's son-in-law and I think nephew "won" a political position in the last elections. Anyway, the new Olubadan of Ibadan issued a directive yesterday that forbids anybody in his council to participate in politics. Basically he said you're either a traditional ruler/chief or your a politician, you can't be both or you loose your title. Which means people like Chief Adedibu have to decide what they want to be, answerable to only one mandate, and stop corrupting the system. I applaud this kind of progessive thinking by the Olubadan of Ibadan. Maybe now our historical systems of chiefdom et al can be restored instead of being bought or used as a pun for getting contracts.
The second news item of course is the burning issue of NYSC deployment for 2007. Apparently NYSC authorities have said that there's not enough budget for 2007 for all graduates so they are only mobilizing about 2/3 of all eligible graduates, leaving about 70,000 students hanging until next year. Now in Nigeria as we all know, you can't work until you've done you're NYSC so i'm just wondering for example, what these 70,000 f-ing people are supposed to do for the next f-ing YEAR! For example, LASU said it has over 2000 grads eligible, but NYSC has only allocated 800 spots for them the other 1200 peeps have to go F themselves. Now tell me these NYSC people have a clue.....
Thirdly, this Yar'adua thing is serious oh! He summoned the NYSC dude to Aso Rock sharp sharp, he apparently is committed to building Lagos as it is "the economic nerve centre of Nigeria", he reversed the sale of refineries, he's reviewing the allocation of oil blocks, most of his ministerial appointees are college educated!!! Don't let me down Yardy!
Whew! ok i'm done...
Not to go into too much details cuz you know this IS the internet, but let’s just say God answers prayers. Not everyone is who you think they are, and we all just have to be very vigilant. Some people will laugh in your face but in their hearts they are harboring envy, greed, hate, and whatever else you may have, talking behind your back, fueling idle gossip about you. And others still are harboring so much insecurity and let downs from their past and want you to carry it all on your own head so they won’t have to deal with it personally. Anybody who brings negativity into your life or who diminishes your worth or dismisses your person, abeg, their presence in your life needs to be re-evaluated.
I thank God that I’m in a place in my life now where I am grounded enough in who I am that these things don’t affect me in the way they would have in the past. I just brush it off and keep moving. I’m glad that I’m rooted in great family and friends.
What a week indeed! Like I said on my facebook, I’m really too gangsta for all this ish……if you don’t know u berra ASK SOMEBODY
PS - Several Intereting News Items
I read of a very interesting development in this entire "Oyo politics" saga. For those that don't know i'll give you a much collapsed version, basically, there's an old man in Oyo Chief Adedibu who is the ultimate godfather, and strongman of politics in Oyo. He is as we can guess PDP. Now there've been all kinds of story about intense thuggery, control of the State Senate (he's said to be behind the less than a day trial and impeachment of Governor Ladoja), stealing of ballot boxes, etc. He's son-in-law and I think nephew "won" a political position in the last elections. Anyway, the new Olubadan of Ibadan issued a directive yesterday that forbids anybody in his council to participate in politics. Basically he said you're either a traditional ruler/chief or your a politician, you can't be both or you loose your title. Which means people like Chief Adedibu have to decide what they want to be, answerable to only one mandate, and stop corrupting the system. I applaud this kind of progessive thinking by the Olubadan of Ibadan. Maybe now our historical systems of chiefdom et al can be restored instead of being bought or used as a pun for getting contracts.
The second news item of course is the burning issue of NYSC deployment for 2007. Apparently NYSC authorities have said that there's not enough budget for 2007 for all graduates so they are only mobilizing about 2/3 of all eligible graduates, leaving about 70,000 students hanging until next year. Now in Nigeria as we all know, you can't work until you've done you're NYSC so i'm just wondering for example, what these 70,000 f-ing people are supposed to do for the next f-ing YEAR! For example, LASU said it has over 2000 grads eligible, but NYSC has only allocated 800 spots for them the other 1200 peeps have to go F themselves. Now tell me these NYSC people have a clue.....
Thirdly, this Yar'adua thing is serious oh! He summoned the NYSC dude to Aso Rock sharp sharp, he apparently is committed to building Lagos as it is "the economic nerve centre of Nigeria", he reversed the sale of refineries, he's reviewing the allocation of oil blocks, most of his ministerial appointees are college educated!!! Don't let me down Yardy!
Whew! ok i'm done...
This Food is for White People
Hello my distinguished fellow bloggers, bloggees, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls...I wrote a mail today that goes thus:
"I don't think it is right to tell me that this kind of food is only for the whites in modern day Nigeria"
As I sat writing the letter, I was thinking that never in my life did i think I was going to write such a letter, and worse, to have it all be about food! But alas, here I am. Here's the place my company has put me. For some reason food in the cafe is divided into two levels. First level is beans and plaintain, semo and okoro etc, - mass produced, like jail cell food (u know, think serving gruel in a jail), and then there's the second level which is fried brown rice with szechuan chicken, spaghetti and marinara sauce etc - served with fresh vegetables, etc. First level drinks ice block water (think ice block sold to keep soft drinks warm), second level gets bottled water. Current policy is..................First level is apparently for black people (i.e Nigerians - as long as ur name is Buki, ChiChi or Halima, u're in first level regardless of if your father is Bill Clinton), Second level is apparently for white people. They actually told me this. My thing is if I go to England what will the oyinbo give me to chop? eba and efo? or sandwhich and salad? They certainly won't tell me this food is for black people!
Anyway....I'm having faith though since i've finally complained about it, it will change soon sha....
Secondly, let me take the time to apologize for not updating or anything else. The computer has been absolutely down for the last week. It's working sporadically now so i'm using the opportunity to try and get this in.
Week's been crazy though, going through all kinds of emotional rollercoasters that I think life is just trying to fuck with me just for laughs. I mean seriously shady ish happening that the probability of them happening beforehand was very very low. It could all be chunked up to coincidence but hmmm..........this is nigeria so i'm just extra prayerful now cuz u sha never know..............lol!
Anyway, if I can scan my interview from career file in true love I will do so and post it here asap. Found out that it's Lola Hassan from Virgin Nigeria's pic that included with my piece and mine may come out with her interview next month, if it does then i'll scan my pic along! stay fabulous y'all.
Ciao!
"I don't think it is right to tell me that this kind of food is only for the whites in modern day Nigeria"
As I sat writing the letter, I was thinking that never in my life did i think I was going to write such a letter, and worse, to have it all be about food! But alas, here I am. Here's the place my company has put me. For some reason food in the cafe is divided into two levels. First level is beans and plaintain, semo and okoro etc, - mass produced, like jail cell food (u know, think serving gruel in a jail), and then there's the second level which is fried brown rice with szechuan chicken, spaghetti and marinara sauce etc - served with fresh vegetables, etc. First level drinks ice block water (think ice block sold to keep soft drinks warm), second level gets bottled water. Current policy is..................First level is apparently for black people (i.e Nigerians - as long as ur name is Buki, ChiChi or Halima, u're in first level regardless of if your father is Bill Clinton), Second level is apparently for white people. They actually told me this. My thing is if I go to England what will the oyinbo give me to chop? eba and efo? or sandwhich and salad? They certainly won't tell me this food is for black people!
Anyway....I'm having faith though since i've finally complained about it, it will change soon sha....
Secondly, let me take the time to apologize for not updating or anything else. The computer has been absolutely down for the last week. It's working sporadically now so i'm using the opportunity to try and get this in.
Week's been crazy though, going through all kinds of emotional rollercoasters that I think life is just trying to fuck with me just for laughs. I mean seriously shady ish happening that the probability of them happening beforehand was very very low. It could all be chunked up to coincidence but hmmm..........this is nigeria so i'm just extra prayerful now cuz u sha never know..............lol!
Anyway, if I can scan my interview from career file in true love I will do so and post it here asap. Found out that it's Lola Hassan from Virgin Nigeria's pic that included with my piece and mine may come out with her interview next month, if it does then i'll scan my pic along! stay fabulous y'all.
Ciao!
Ok, so.........
So i haven't blogged like i said i was going to. So sue me! Vacation is finally over and i must say i'm tres triste :o( I can hardly believe that the time flew by so fast but alas, work beckons and i must heed its horn blaring signal. So let me just quickly give a synopsis of what's going on:
ThisDay Music Fest
Lots of people are going on this bad boy, i just don't think i'll be going sha. The line up sounds fantastic and all and seems they took care of the N100,000 paying, sitting in white picnic chairs in a crowded area problem that really didn't do it for me last year, but I don't know........What i'm really wanting is anyone who knows the deal on where Ne-Yo and John Legend will be either staying or partying so i can go stalk them.........yeah, there's no shame in my game oh! If i come back with a little yellow John Legend baby won't y'all come to my baby shower?!?! na so.....
Comments
I noticed recently that i've been slacking in responding to comments left on my blog. I apologize for that oh! I really just didn't notice that I had stopped responding so I'll make more of an effort now. Afterall I wanna thank y'all for stopping by no?
Final Showdown at Work
I've been blogging for some time now that there's so much going on at my workplace and there's some sort of restructuring that we were all waiting for? well, that took place the day before my vac. So now i have a new job title and all, still not sure what that means.......i don't think it's bad, in fact i quite like it and it's in line with what i actually consider myself to be but still, it's weird. I am also now in a new unit which I'm not so sure how it will function. All this i have to look forward to as the work week begins for me after my hiatus.....i have to say though that I have a new/ refreshed way of looking at all this stuff now. Don't sweat the small stuff, stay your ground, and show results!
Lagos v. Boston
So as my mom and I were heading to the airport, I start to lament about why oh why can't nigerians (lagosians) just act like civilized humans instead of wild animals? i mean, americans aren't better than nigerians, so how come they follow rules? how come they don't have 5 lanes of cars going in one direction on a road clearly demarcated as a two way, one lane each? it don't make no sense to me. Anyhoo, so my mom then suggests that maybe someone should direct a documentary and show it on CNN called "How Crazy People Live"............ I just burst out laughing at that!!! so any directors out there want to take the mantle?
What Are You Doing?
There's been someone in my life since I was 19. He's been my best friend and confidant for almost all that time. When I was younger he wanted to take our relationship to the next level and me being so young at the time, I was scared, afraid, and unfocused so I gave all kinds of excuses. Still I always thought we would somehow get married. How could we not? Anyhoo, dude tells me recently that he's thinking of proposing to his girlfriend. I don't know how to deal with this or how to handle it.... I know I made a mistake and he's the good guy that got away but I was young at the time....I think i'm gonna get drunk and cry uncontrollably the day he actually tells me he's engaged....
Great Loves
which leads me to this question.....I was having a conversation with someone recently and they mentioned that so and so person was the great love of another person's life and that got me thinking, even though i'm still young, do I really have someone I can consider the great love of my life? Certainly there are people that are quite significant in my life, but THE great love? It's a hard question but i'm not married so that gives me hope that perhaps my great love is still in the future! how about you, who's the great love (romantic love) of your life?
Whew! see what a few extra hours at an airport will do for you?
ThisDay Music Fest
Lots of people are going on this bad boy, i just don't think i'll be going sha. The line up sounds fantastic and all and seems they took care of the N100,000 paying, sitting in white picnic chairs in a crowded area problem that really didn't do it for me last year, but I don't know........What i'm really wanting is anyone who knows the deal on where Ne-Yo and John Legend will be either staying or partying so i can go stalk them.........yeah, there's no shame in my game oh! If i come back with a little yellow John Legend baby won't y'all come to my baby shower?!?! na so.....
Comments
I noticed recently that i've been slacking in responding to comments left on my blog. I apologize for that oh! I really just didn't notice that I had stopped responding so I'll make more of an effort now. Afterall I wanna thank y'all for stopping by no?
Final Showdown at Work
I've been blogging for some time now that there's so much going on at my workplace and there's some sort of restructuring that we were all waiting for? well, that took place the day before my vac. So now i have a new job title and all, still not sure what that means.......i don't think it's bad, in fact i quite like it and it's in line with what i actually consider myself to be but still, it's weird. I am also now in a new unit which I'm not so sure how it will function. All this i have to look forward to as the work week begins for me after my hiatus.....i have to say though that I have a new/ refreshed way of looking at all this stuff now. Don't sweat the small stuff, stay your ground, and show results!
Lagos v. Boston
So as my mom and I were heading to the airport, I start to lament about why oh why can't nigerians (lagosians) just act like civilized humans instead of wild animals? i mean, americans aren't better than nigerians, so how come they follow rules? how come they don't have 5 lanes of cars going in one direction on a road clearly demarcated as a two way, one lane each? it don't make no sense to me. Anyhoo, so my mom then suggests that maybe someone should direct a documentary and show it on CNN called "How Crazy People Live"............ I just burst out laughing at that!!! so any directors out there want to take the mantle?
What Are You Doing?
There's been someone in my life since I was 19. He's been my best friend and confidant for almost all that time. When I was younger he wanted to take our relationship to the next level and me being so young at the time, I was scared, afraid, and unfocused so I gave all kinds of excuses. Still I always thought we would somehow get married. How could we not? Anyhoo, dude tells me recently that he's thinking of proposing to his girlfriend. I don't know how to deal with this or how to handle it.... I know I made a mistake and he's the good guy that got away but I was young at the time....I think i'm gonna get drunk and cry uncontrollably the day he actually tells me he's engaged....
Great Loves
which leads me to this question.....I was having a conversation with someone recently and they mentioned that so and so person was the great love of another person's life and that got me thinking, even though i'm still young, do I really have someone I can consider the great love of my life? Certainly there are people that are quite significant in my life, but THE great love? It's a hard question but i'm not married so that gives me hope that perhaps my great love is still in the future! how about you, who's the great love (romantic love) of your life?
Whew! see what a few extra hours at an airport will do for you?
Seven Things Meme
1. I HATE cockroaches. with a passion. I don't understand and can never understand why God had to create those monstrous weird looking things. I mean think about it, they're like weird giant bugs, and some of them can fly! And it's like there's nothing I can do they just keep coming back. I can fumigate like a million times and everything will be fine but give it a couple of weeks those DAMN things are back. One day, i'll invent a permanent end to their existence, worldwide.
2. I've dated someone much older than me and i've dated someone younger than me. It's not like i'm one of those age ain't nothing but a number people but I'll get to meet someone and then their personality takes over and i'm thinking to myself, ok, so i'll miss out of experiencing this person. I don't know i just don't think that age (don't worry there are some limits!) is a good enough reason not to date someone you otherwise like.
3. Strangely, most of my cousins are male. I just realized that now. And they're all tall and imposing (think 6'1+). Whenever we all get together (which is not often enough) everyone's towering over me and speaking in very loud tones (we can be obnoxious trust me)and i feel quite....little. Even my little (ok, younger) brother who's like 6'2 and medium build is now looking like my older bro. I always find myself having to yell to make my point!
4. I don't think i've ever had a "proper" boyfriend. For one, i've never lived in the same city as anyone i'm dating so that kinda always puts a damper on things. Yes, i'm finally admitting this but i don't think i'm alone either. I think the serial "boyfrienders" are in the minority, u know the ones that you'll always see them with Tope or John, and they are so committed to the teeth. I've always dated but not really that boyfriend boyfriend thing. Interesting no?
5. I don't eat red meat. No lamb or goatmeat or nothing. I actually used to be a vegetarian (pesco vegetarian i think, the ones that eat fish and animal by-products like eggs, milk, cheese). My roommates and best friends were all vegetarians so i just kinda picked up the diet and then u get to see that it's not that difficult really just know your diet and how to substitute essentials proteins etc. This was until i got home from college and my mom MADE ME start eating chicken. So now i eat poultry but I still can't eat red meat, most times it makes me want to puke plus my teeth are just not strong enough for it anymore.
6. I have lived and worked in 3 different countries on two different continents: USA, Canada, Nigeria; Africa and North America. I'm hoping to add an European country to that really soon, perhaps London, Paris, or Ireland. So any of you that lives in any of those countries want to holla and tell me what's up, i'd gladly take u up on that. I heard Ireland just got a black mayor no?
7. I'm a Quentin Tarantino FREAK. I'm a Kill Bill FREAK. As in, it's really serious oh! I was chatting to my friend once and in the background i heard just like two seconds of dialogue and i started to recite along and could paint the scene and what each person was doing. It was weird. LOL. And this is coming from someone who can never remember scenes and characters from any movie, i just never retain any of it. But give me O'Ren Ishii anytime!!! jeez that was a bad ass babe! "any other person got a fucking problem???" hehehe......
wow, this thing was actually hard to write and it took me like three days but i was determined LOL! so there u go.........i know i said i was gonna blog a lot while i've been on vac but it's just been crazy from here to there and tryna make sure i see everyone ha!
PS - to those who may have seen me in this new TRUE LOVE WA magazine, well, at least seen my name in the career file, i've been told it's not my pic! i know..........but i don't think i can deal with it until I get back. Chudeif you're reading this....abeg help me do something about this now abi? :o)
Ciao!
2. I've dated someone much older than me and i've dated someone younger than me. It's not like i'm one of those age ain't nothing but a number people but I'll get to meet someone and then their personality takes over and i'm thinking to myself, ok, so i'll miss out of experiencing this person. I don't know i just don't think that age (don't worry there are some limits!) is a good enough reason not to date someone you otherwise like.
3. Strangely, most of my cousins are male. I just realized that now. And they're all tall and imposing (think 6'1+). Whenever we all get together (which is not often enough) everyone's towering over me and speaking in very loud tones (we can be obnoxious trust me)and i feel quite....little. Even my little (ok, younger) brother who's like 6'2 and medium build is now looking like my older bro. I always find myself having to yell to make my point!
4. I don't think i've ever had a "proper" boyfriend. For one, i've never lived in the same city as anyone i'm dating so that kinda always puts a damper on things. Yes, i'm finally admitting this but i don't think i'm alone either. I think the serial "boyfrienders" are in the minority, u know the ones that you'll always see them with Tope or John, and they are so committed to the teeth. I've always dated but not really that boyfriend boyfriend thing. Interesting no?
5. I don't eat red meat. No lamb or goatmeat or nothing. I actually used to be a vegetarian (pesco vegetarian i think, the ones that eat fish and animal by-products like eggs, milk, cheese). My roommates and best friends were all vegetarians so i just kinda picked up the diet and then u get to see that it's not that difficult really just know your diet and how to substitute essentials proteins etc. This was until i got home from college and my mom MADE ME start eating chicken. So now i eat poultry but I still can't eat red meat, most times it makes me want to puke plus my teeth are just not strong enough for it anymore.
6. I have lived and worked in 3 different countries on two different continents: USA, Canada, Nigeria; Africa and North America. I'm hoping to add an European country to that really soon, perhaps London, Paris, or Ireland. So any of you that lives in any of those countries want to holla and tell me what's up, i'd gladly take u up on that. I heard Ireland just got a black mayor no?
7. I'm a Quentin Tarantino FREAK. I'm a Kill Bill FREAK. As in, it's really serious oh! I was chatting to my friend once and in the background i heard just like two seconds of dialogue and i started to recite along and could paint the scene and what each person was doing. It was weird. LOL. And this is coming from someone who can never remember scenes and characters from any movie, i just never retain any of it. But give me O'Ren Ishii anytime!!! jeez that was a bad ass babe! "any other person got a fucking problem???" hehehe......
wow, this thing was actually hard to write and it took me like three days but i was determined LOL! so there u go.........i know i said i was gonna blog a lot while i've been on vac but it's just been crazy from here to there and tryna make sure i see everyone ha!
PS - to those who may have seen me in this new TRUE LOVE WA magazine, well, at least seen my name in the career file, i've been told it's not my pic! i know..........but i don't think i can deal with it until I get back. Chudeif you're reading this....abeg help me do something about this now abi? :o)
Ciao!
En Route
hello ladies and gents! as some of you know i'm on vacation.....yay!!! Right now i' at schiphol airport in amsterdam paying outta my ass for some internet connection. can't find any network services that's for free but i just heard couple talking about it so if you know, please let me know cuz i'll be passing through here again on my trip back.
So yay!!! I'll be visiting home for the first time in a year and a half and i'm quite anxious i think. It feels like a dream to right now, i don't really know why sha. Like i've thought about it for so long now that i can't believe the day is here already, and the time couldn't be better. I wonder if the strike in nigeria is still on?!?! Cuz THANK GOD my trip was scheduled for this time cuz the thing was driving me nuts. i couldn't believe that a labor organization shut down the country for three days and counting! jeez.....weird ish. I guess i'll give it more time when i blog next as i'm gonna be doing on this trip since i got hi speed wireless at home and plenty of time. YAY again! Anyway, ya it feels weird to be going back. I'm curious to see how "nigerian/lagosian" i've become. I was on the plane with a Belgian (? is this what you call people from Belgium?!?!) anyway, he's been living in Nigeria (Port Harcourt for 3 years) and he was speaking mad pidgeon throughout the trip man. He was saying that he hopes when he gets to Belgium he doesn't starting saying "na wa o" and people would be looking at him weird! LOL. Totally got the guy. As the plane was taking off and my intense fear of flying was kicking in (i mean as bad as it gets, hyperventilating, frantic prayers punctuated with songs, and the occasional "oh jesus"....lol, trust me, it's bad!!!) anyway, i was getting mad scared so he like held my hand and kept on saying, "pele, pele".......if i wasn't busy thinkng of me loosing my life, i woulda just laughed!!! Anyway, good guy sha.
Ha....let me hurry off, seems like i got 15 more mins on this bad boy and i haven't checked out bella naija!
Ciao!
So yay!!! I'll be visiting home for the first time in a year and a half and i'm quite anxious i think. It feels like a dream to right now, i don't really know why sha. Like i've thought about it for so long now that i can't believe the day is here already, and the time couldn't be better. I wonder if the strike in nigeria is still on?!?! Cuz THANK GOD my trip was scheduled for this time cuz the thing was driving me nuts. i couldn't believe that a labor organization shut down the country for three days and counting! jeez.....weird ish. I guess i'll give it more time when i blog next as i'm gonna be doing on this trip since i got hi speed wireless at home and plenty of time. YAY again! Anyway, ya it feels weird to be going back. I'm curious to see how "nigerian/lagosian" i've become. I was on the plane with a Belgian (? is this what you call people from Belgium?!?!) anyway, he's been living in Nigeria (Port Harcourt for 3 years) and he was speaking mad pidgeon throughout the trip man. He was saying that he hopes when he gets to Belgium he doesn't starting saying "na wa o" and people would be looking at him weird! LOL. Totally got the guy. As the plane was taking off and my intense fear of flying was kicking in (i mean as bad as it gets, hyperventilating, frantic prayers punctuated with songs, and the occasional "oh jesus"....lol, trust me, it's bad!!!) anyway, i was getting mad scared so he like held my hand and kept on saying, "pele, pele".......if i wasn't busy thinkng of me loosing my life, i woulda just laughed!!! Anyway, good guy sha.
Ha....let me hurry off, seems like i got 15 more mins on this bad boy and i haven't checked out bella naija!
Ciao!
This is My City
I was dragged kicking and screaming to Ottawa. I had chosen University of Ottawa as my school of choice in Canada because it was completely bilingual and i thought, tres cool? tres francaise! This city will definitely count in the top five of beautiful cities for anyone once you've been there. Ottawa is the capital city of Canada and is a bilingual (French and English) city, as in completely bilingual. It is next door to Quebec and Hull, Quebec is still considered part of the National Capital Territory and is like 15min away. It is 4 hours from Toronto, 2 hours from Montreal and 1 hour from the American border. Ottawa is the second coldest capital in the world, behind Moscow!!! Oh, we also hate Toronto and anything to do with it. Let me introduce you:
Gotta love the mounties!!
At Night!
In Winter!
Architecture
Interior Parliament
Notre Dame Cathedral
Interior Parliament:
Several festivals go on in Ottawa. There's the Blues and Jazz Festival in Summer. That's where I knew that Lauryn Hill was definitely bonkers!!! I was walking back from work one evening and all I could hear was Ms. Hill's screetching and crying as she sang and i was like wtf?!?! Anyway, we also have the Tulip Festival in July which is when tulips are EVERYWHERE in the city. The festival is a gift from the Queen of Holland who stayed in Canada during the second world war so since then she donates hundreds of thousands of tulips to Ottawa.
Then there's Winterlude! Ottawa is mad cold so of course we celebrate everything cold and make snow and ice sculptures and skate around the Rideau Canal which is the longest skating rink in the world, and eat beaver tails!!!
What Do We Eat?
Ok, this is fun! An Ottawaen must like poutine. In fact as a Canadian you must at least KNOW poutine, but if it's not made by a frenchman or there isn't a french person around, RUN!!!
And how serious are we about our poutine?!?!
So what else must you eat if you happen to be in Ottawa? well a shawarma of course. and i'm not talking about those pita sandwiches that some people try and pass on like it's a real shawarma, no! it has to have hummus, and garlic sauce, and tunips, if your sharwarma doesn't look like this:
and the place doesn't have one of these:
you're not eating a real shawarma, sorry! I actually LOVE LOVE sharwarma plates, y'all should try it if you can:
There's also beavertails which is fried dough covered in brown sugar or powdered sugar, this here is plain although it can be topped with apple sauce or whatever you like.
Falun Dafa
for some reason, we love our falun dafa. what is falun dafa?!?! me sef i no know oh! na so i dey see people all over the place it's sha interesting...check it out
I just like this pic below cuz it's so Ottawa, so Canadian!!! to have a stop sign for crossing turtles, how absurd, i can't imagine that would fly in America, lol.
I'll caption the rest of the pics tomorrow if there's no strike! If there's strike then yay!!! no work pour moi. I think i'll blog about the strike on my next post.
Ciao!
Gotta love the mounties!!
At Night!
In Winter!
Architecture
Interior Parliament
Notre Dame Cathedral
Interior Parliament:
Several festivals go on in Ottawa. There's the Blues and Jazz Festival in Summer. That's where I knew that Lauryn Hill was definitely bonkers!!! I was walking back from work one evening and all I could hear was Ms. Hill's screetching and crying as she sang and i was like wtf?!?! Anyway, we also have the Tulip Festival in July which is when tulips are EVERYWHERE in the city. The festival is a gift from the Queen of Holland who stayed in Canada during the second world war so since then she donates hundreds of thousands of tulips to Ottawa.
Then there's Winterlude! Ottawa is mad cold so of course we celebrate everything cold and make snow and ice sculptures and skate around the Rideau Canal which is the longest skating rink in the world, and eat beaver tails!!!
What Do We Eat?
Ok, this is fun! An Ottawaen must like poutine. In fact as a Canadian you must at least KNOW poutine, but if it's not made by a frenchman or there isn't a french person around, RUN!!!
And how serious are we about our poutine?!?!
So what else must you eat if you happen to be in Ottawa? well a shawarma of course. and i'm not talking about those pita sandwiches that some people try and pass on like it's a real shawarma, no! it has to have hummus, and garlic sauce, and tunips, if your sharwarma doesn't look like this:
and the place doesn't have one of these:
you're not eating a real shawarma, sorry! I actually LOVE LOVE sharwarma plates, y'all should try it if you can:
There's also beavertails which is fried dough covered in brown sugar or powdered sugar, this here is plain although it can be topped with apple sauce or whatever you like.
Falun Dafa
for some reason, we love our falun dafa. what is falun dafa?!?! me sef i no know oh! na so i dey see people all over the place it's sha interesting...check it out
I just like this pic below cuz it's so Ottawa, so Canadian!!! to have a stop sign for crossing turtles, how absurd, i can't imagine that would fly in America, lol.
I'll caption the rest of the pics tomorrow if there's no strike! If there's strike then yay!!! no work pour moi. I think i'll blog about the strike on my next post.
Ciao!
My First Blogger Crush!!!
It was a quiet morning. The sun was out after a full day of dullness and downpour that was yesterday. I seriously didn't have high hopes for the day, just one of those "getting by" types you know. I decided on lazily checking up on blogs this friday. So off I go to Linda Ikeji's blog and i read her post about her very chauvinist sounding friend and i'm so incensed i decide to comment. In doing that I read one snazzy's comment and it sounded so well written and then i'm like "is this a naija guy?!?!?!".... Hmm, i said, let's see what this person's profile says. So I read and he says "just moved to nigeria from yanks and jand..." so i'm like, hmm....this should be interesting so I go...........
I was caught.
Funny
Relevant
Intelligent
Cheeky
Witty
Ahhhhhhhh..............I swoon. I've found my blog crush and his name is Snazzy
To those gbeboruns present, yes i do work, so shut up. That's all.
I was caught.
Funny
Relevant
Intelligent
Cheeky
Witty
Ahhhhhhhh..............I swoon. I've found my blog crush and his name is Snazzy
To those gbeboruns present, yes i do work, so shut up. That's all.
'Ol Time Killin'
Oh my!!! Today is just one of those days you know. Work has been trying these last couple of days as we go through some major restructuring. Those of you in the know, know what i'm talking about. I think if ever i'm in a company that starts to show these kinds of signs again, I will definitely bounce before you can say "jack robinson"!!! It's not easy.
All my Canada heads, my toronto heads, will appreciate this next video link. For those that don't know.........there's an artist called Kardinall Offishal. There's an artist called Jully Black. They are hip hop. They are Canadians. And yes, they are black. It takes a true canadian to really appreciate canadian hip hop, it's different and fresh. It's mostly not about bling and hos (check out Fabolous vid about nothing for reference). Some of you may remember Kardi from "Bakardi Slang" which was hot in the states for about a minute, he even made it unto 106 & Park in those days. Anyway, this song here is called "Ol Time Killin" and it's classic. I'm just feeling it today....
Go Chimamanda!!!
I'm very proud of Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie who has just won the Orange Prize for Literature. I'm sure she appreciates the 30,000 pounds prize that comes with it, that sure inspires me to write! But on a serious tip, the lady has accomplished something wonderful for herself and other young women out there who are inspired to put pen to paper and document their thoughts for the world. So my hats off to her! She should just share the money around now....Chimamanda, just plan small party for the boys (girls)!!! lol.
All my Canada heads, my toronto heads, will appreciate this next video link. For those that don't know.........there's an artist called Kardinall Offishal. There's an artist called Jully Black. They are hip hop. They are Canadians. And yes, they are black. It takes a true canadian to really appreciate canadian hip hop, it's different and fresh. It's mostly not about bling and hos (check out Fabolous vid about nothing for reference). Some of you may remember Kardi from "Bakardi Slang" which was hot in the states for about a minute, he even made it unto 106 & Park in those days. Anyway, this song here is called "Ol Time Killin" and it's classic. I'm just feeling it today....
Go Chimamanda!!!
I'm very proud of Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie who has just won the Orange Prize for Literature. I'm sure she appreciates the 30,000 pounds prize that comes with it, that sure inspires me to write! But on a serious tip, the lady has accomplished something wonderful for herself and other young women out there who are inspired to put pen to paper and document their thoughts for the world. So my hats off to her! She should just share the money around now....Chimamanda, just plan small party for the boys (girls)!!! lol.
Stolen Again!!
I'm stealing this from TMinx again....i think i may have done it before though but why not:
1.What time did you get up this morning? 6:15am
2. Diamonds or pearls? Hmm...this one is hard oh!!! Ok....i'll go for diamonds, but ONLY after i've had lots of pearls. or maybe i'll get pearls with a diamond pendant?!!? yea...i like that
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Probably Spiderman
4. What is your favorite TV show? Gilmore Girls, i can't miss that show
5. What did you have for breakfast? Toast....(i won't tell you from where...)
6. What is your middle name? Temitope. for some reason everyone at the company clinic has refused to call me Lola. i don't know why.
7. What is your favorite cuisine/meal? Well, I love Pad Thai.
8. What foods do you dislike? Indian, i should tell you of the last (absolute last) indian restaurant I went to and what i saw the chef doing....
9. Your favorite Potato chip? i don't eat these...
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Robin Thicke and B'Day (bootleg version with close to every damn good song beyonce ever made along with of course the songs of bday), Tuface Idibia
11. What kind of car do you drive? right...moving along.
12. Favorite sandwich? probably chicken hummus...or if shawarma counts
13. What characteristics do you despise? Unkind people, arrogance and self-centeredness
14. Favorite item of clothing? One of my ankara outfits for sure.
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Seychelles Island, or some Eastern European country.
16. What color is your bathroom? Pink....yup!
17. Favorite brand of clothing? BCBG, Banana Republic, Gap....those are the only ones I KNOW for sure i'd pick and just wear, no complaints.
18. Where would you want to retire? i've never thought of that before......uhm....canada or europe.
19. Favorite time of day? Morning
20. Where were you born? Lagos, Nigeria
21. Favorite sport(s) to watch? Football, u know, the one that counts......NFL!!! let the america bashing begin....
22. Who do you least expect to respond to this? It doesn't really matter now does it?
23. Person you expect to respond first? Ditto
24. What laundry scent do you use? Doesn't everyone use downy or bounty??? but no downy in Nigeria that i've found anyway....everything is persil.
25. Coke or Pepsi? I'm not a soft drinks person
26. Are you a morning person or night owl? Morning person
27. What size shoe do you wear? promise not to scream?!?! Size 11 American. and watever that is anywhere else.
28. Do you have pets? NOpe, used to have a cat called Lulu Chiquita
29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone? I'm nutty over someone/something/some project
30. What did you want to be when you were little? Bacteriologist and Pediatrician
31. Favorite Candy Bar? Kit Kat or Twixt
32. What is your best childhood memory? i don't know man....i just remember i was quite happy as a little child oh! once pre-puberty hit it was trouble.
33. What are the different jobs you have had in your life? Bingo Attendant, Plus Size Lingerie Sales Attendant, Receptionist, Market Researcher, Marketing Database Assistant, Marketing Information Manager
34. What color/type underwear are you? Something pink or yellow i'm sure
35.Nicknames: as if i would say.
36. Piercings ? One in each ear
37. Eye color? Brown
38. Ever been to Africa? duh, i live here...
39. Ever been toilet papering or rolling? I think so, probably at halloween.
40. Love someone so much it made you cry? Yes
41. Been in a car accident? Minor, baby ones...recently though a trailer and i mean a HUGE trailer grazed off the side of my friend's car and I was in it. I was soo scared but dude was chill.....that ish scared me!
42. Croutons or bacon bits? Ewww...i hate bacon! Croutons please...
43.Favorite day of the week? Wednesday! don't ask me why, i've just always liked it
44. Favorite restaurant? I'm assuming in Lagos right? Marco Polo. I also like Pattaya but give me Yellow Chili anytime, that's my second home :o)
45. Favorite flower? Sunflowers
46. Favorite ice cream? Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough or Mint Chocolate Chip
47. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Lol.......once so far!
48. What color is your bedroom carpet? Brown
49. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Again?!?!
50. Before this one, from whom did you get your last email? My last email was from AC Nielsen (drats!)
51. Which stores would you choose to max out your credit card? I don't have a credit card but.......H&M cuz i'll be able to buy plenty of cool stuff, Banana Republic just cuz i'm a banana republic whore.
52. What do you do most often when you are bored? Read, and i mean read everything....oh and also SUDOKU!!!
53. Bedtime? 10pm, if no light and i've got to turn off the generator, lol. otherwise depends on what's on tv.
54. Who are you most curious about their responses to this questionnaire? Blah...
55. Last person you went to dinner with? A friend
56. What are you listening to right now? Robin Thicke, Lost Without You. this song means a lot to me.
57. What is your favorite color? Forest Green
58. Lake, Ocean or river? Ocean...a la Beyonce and JayZ off the Amalfi Coast...
59. How many tattoos do you have? None. But i'm really thinking of it now, how come everyone I meet has one or two?!?! When I was younger I wanted the hieraglyphic sign for destiny in the crook of my back but now I think i want the playboy logo......LOL (how my priority has changed over the years!!!!)
60. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The egg of course! trust me, I can explain that.
1.What time did you get up this morning? 6:15am
2. Diamonds or pearls? Hmm...this one is hard oh!!! Ok....i'll go for diamonds, but ONLY after i've had lots of pearls. or maybe i'll get pearls with a diamond pendant?!!? yea...i like that
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Probably Spiderman
4. What is your favorite TV show? Gilmore Girls, i can't miss that show
5. What did you have for breakfast? Toast....(i won't tell you from where...)
6. What is your middle name? Temitope. for some reason everyone at the company clinic has refused to call me Lola. i don't know why.
7. What is your favorite cuisine/meal? Well, I love Pad Thai.
8. What foods do you dislike? Indian, i should tell you of the last (absolute last) indian restaurant I went to and what i saw the chef doing....
9. Your favorite Potato chip? i don't eat these...
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Robin Thicke and B'Day (bootleg version with close to every damn good song beyonce ever made along with of course the songs of bday), Tuface Idibia
11. What kind of car do you drive? right...moving along.
12. Favorite sandwich? probably chicken hummus...or if shawarma counts
13. What characteristics do you despise? Unkind people, arrogance and self-centeredness
14. Favorite item of clothing? One of my ankara outfits for sure.
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Seychelles Island, or some Eastern European country.
16. What color is your bathroom? Pink....yup!
17. Favorite brand of clothing? BCBG, Banana Republic, Gap....those are the only ones I KNOW for sure i'd pick and just wear, no complaints.
18. Where would you want to retire? i've never thought of that before......uhm....canada or europe.
19. Favorite time of day? Morning
20. Where were you born? Lagos, Nigeria
21. Favorite sport(s) to watch? Football, u know, the one that counts......NFL!!! let the america bashing begin....
22. Who do you least expect to respond to this? It doesn't really matter now does it?
23. Person you expect to respond first? Ditto
24. What laundry scent do you use? Doesn't everyone use downy or bounty??? but no downy in Nigeria that i've found anyway....everything is persil.
25. Coke or Pepsi? I'm not a soft drinks person
26. Are you a morning person or night owl? Morning person
27. What size shoe do you wear? promise not to scream?!?! Size 11 American. and watever that is anywhere else.
28. Do you have pets? NOpe, used to have a cat called Lulu Chiquita
29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone? I'm nutty over someone/something/some project
30. What did you want to be when you were little? Bacteriologist and Pediatrician
31. Favorite Candy Bar? Kit Kat or Twixt
32. What is your best childhood memory? i don't know man....i just remember i was quite happy as a little child oh! once pre-puberty hit it was trouble.
33. What are the different jobs you have had in your life? Bingo Attendant, Plus Size Lingerie Sales Attendant, Receptionist, Market Researcher, Marketing Database Assistant, Marketing Information Manager
34. What color/type underwear are you? Something pink or yellow i'm sure
35.Nicknames: as if i would say.
36. Piercings ? One in each ear
37. Eye color? Brown
38. Ever been to Africa? duh, i live here...
39. Ever been toilet papering or rolling? I think so, probably at halloween.
40. Love someone so much it made you cry? Yes
41. Been in a car accident? Minor, baby ones...recently though a trailer and i mean a HUGE trailer grazed off the side of my friend's car and I was in it. I was soo scared but dude was chill.....that ish scared me!
42. Croutons or bacon bits? Ewww...i hate bacon! Croutons please...
43.Favorite day of the week? Wednesday! don't ask me why, i've just always liked it
44. Favorite restaurant? I'm assuming in Lagos right? Marco Polo. I also like Pattaya but give me Yellow Chili anytime, that's my second home :o)
45. Favorite flower? Sunflowers
46. Favorite ice cream? Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough or Mint Chocolate Chip
47. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Lol.......once so far!
48. What color is your bedroom carpet? Brown
49. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Again?!?!
50. Before this one, from whom did you get your last email? My last email was from AC Nielsen (drats!)
51. Which stores would you choose to max out your credit card? I don't have a credit card but.......H&M cuz i'll be able to buy plenty of cool stuff, Banana Republic just cuz i'm a banana republic whore.
52. What do you do most often when you are bored? Read, and i mean read everything....oh and also SUDOKU!!!
53. Bedtime? 10pm, if no light and i've got to turn off the generator, lol. otherwise depends on what's on tv.
54. Who are you most curious about their responses to this questionnaire? Blah...
55. Last person you went to dinner with? A friend
56. What are you listening to right now? Robin Thicke, Lost Without You. this song means a lot to me.
57. What is your favorite color? Forest Green
58. Lake, Ocean or river? Ocean...a la Beyonce and JayZ off the Amalfi Coast...
59. How many tattoos do you have? None. But i'm really thinking of it now, how come everyone I meet has one or two?!?! When I was younger I wanted the hieraglyphic sign for destiny in the crook of my back but now I think i want the playboy logo......LOL (how my priority has changed over the years!!!!)
60. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The egg of course! trust me, I can explain that.
I Have So Much On My Mind
Jeez....so much is on my mind this morning I just had to come here and jot some down so I can at least get them off my chest.
The Funmi Iyanda Issue
Please will someone tell me what this woman has done to people to garner so much talk and opinion about her? in the negative way i mean? I can't seem to understand it. Truth be told, I missed the furor that was unleashed (apparently) on Bella Naija's blog but I remember seeing the pictures and just glossing over it. I saw that same dress in This Day style this weekend, and I remember just thinking, "wow, that dress is HOT". For me though, it's like highlighting one thing that bugs me to no end of this our society. I see it everyday, I hear it everyday and it's validated for me everytime I read it in print in our magazines and in our newspapers. Please I would like someone, anyone, to correct me if i'm wrong. This is just my summation, and if anyone sees it any other way, please point me in that direction because this is just not right! What am I talking about? The way women are viewed in this society. The way women are tagged and placed in one square box. The values we are teaching our girls, our daughters, the values that are the norm for women. Women are not to be outspoken, they are not to be expressive, they are not to be too intelligent (at least not more than the men around her), they are not to be too creative, they are dress modestly, speak modestly, do modestly, modest, modest modest.............AAAARGH!!!
Everytime I see it reinforced, I cringe a little but I just shut up and move on, but really inside of me I want to yell ITS NOT OK!!! Imagine a comment i read from the Minister of Women Affairs, it went something like this "No matter what I become, i'm still wife at home and serve my husband" My problem is not with her serving her husband, my problem is what her sentence is implying. Or I was at work and a colleague says "that's not right now, it's like saying a woman should stand in front of her husband". And i'm thinking what the hell? Or some recent comments on the Vagina Monologues show that was put on in Lagos and some women writing in with comments like "vaginas should not be discussed" blah blah blah. Maybe we should all still be calling it "chu-chus" or something equally stunted in growth. Some even complained that why would they call a show "vagina monologues" that the word vagina shouldn't be there...I mean are women really this repressed? I'm wondering how these women feel about being sexual beings when they can't even say vagina?
I think it's very imperative that we start encouraging our young girls to know themselves, to be proud of what and who they are, and to be expressive in a way that's true to themselves. We should teach them confidence and dignity. A professor said something to me once that will always guide me throughout my life, she said "true feminism is not burning bras and breaking ceilings, it's not even about being domestic or timid, it's about having the freedom and right to choose whatever balance of both is right for you". This rant is not about feminism in anyway but it's about the fact that jeez....we should teach other and accept from each other, that as women, we can choose to be WHATEVER WE WANNA BE, and it's ok.
whew...all this from Ms. Iyanda!
Money, Money, Money
This is another issue that has been just bugging me. It's been bugging me since even first year in college.
I have this shirt, it's actually my favorite shirt, and it reads, "I Love Rich Boys". Apart from the fact that people should just lighten up, i have to say I get a lot of comments about it. Comments, and side looks, once even at Tastee's Fried Chicken, I got a man who very disapprovingly shook his head at me. lol. But really what's the fuss? why are people so uptight and so untruthful about money? who cares?!?! I'm someone who really I've gone through all of the spectrums, I know people who are wealthy and in the end there was no benefit to them, they died poor, not moneywise, but life wise. But I also know people who are poor and although they are happy with their loved ones, they are dying of heart disease because they don't have a lot. So what's the fuss? We all die in the end and we don't stand in front of Peter with bling!
I know for me, I pray to be blessed. I'll work my butt off to make sure my family, current and future, don't live hand to mouth. I want them all to live comfortably, even luxuriously. I've seen poverty and no one can romanticize that. This is a goal I have for myself, regardless of who my partner may or may not be. If you're going to be in my life, you have to understand that I'm ambitious, that I want to be successful, hell, that I want to pay off my student loans at a go! lol. Amen. People say what about the guy with the bus pass! well, my answer is I can never be with someone whose ambition is, or who's happy with, his bus pass situation. Never. Ambition is sexy to me!
But seriously though, we all need to lighten up! It's okay to want to be rich. What's bad is if you're driven by money and shortsighted about it, if it rules your life and your principles, if you're mad for it, if it's the devil in your life.
Ok, yes, I talked about it, imagine that!
The Funmi Iyanda Issue
Please will someone tell me what this woman has done to people to garner so much talk and opinion about her? in the negative way i mean? I can't seem to understand it. Truth be told, I missed the furor that was unleashed (apparently) on Bella Naija's blog but I remember seeing the pictures and just glossing over it. I saw that same dress in This Day style this weekend, and I remember just thinking, "wow, that dress is HOT". For me though, it's like highlighting one thing that bugs me to no end of this our society. I see it everyday, I hear it everyday and it's validated for me everytime I read it in print in our magazines and in our newspapers. Please I would like someone, anyone, to correct me if i'm wrong. This is just my summation, and if anyone sees it any other way, please point me in that direction because this is just not right! What am I talking about? The way women are viewed in this society. The way women are tagged and placed in one square box. The values we are teaching our girls, our daughters, the values that are the norm for women. Women are not to be outspoken, they are not to be expressive, they are not to be too intelligent (at least not more than the men around her), they are not to be too creative, they are dress modestly, speak modestly, do modestly, modest, modest modest.............AAAARGH!!!
Everytime I see it reinforced, I cringe a little but I just shut up and move on, but really inside of me I want to yell ITS NOT OK!!! Imagine a comment i read from the Minister of Women Affairs, it went something like this "No matter what I become, i'm still wife at home and serve my husband" My problem is not with her serving her husband, my problem is what her sentence is implying. Or I was at work and a colleague says "that's not right now, it's like saying a woman should stand in front of her husband". And i'm thinking what the hell? Or some recent comments on the Vagina Monologues show that was put on in Lagos and some women writing in with comments like "vaginas should not be discussed" blah blah blah. Maybe we should all still be calling it "chu-chus" or something equally stunted in growth. Some even complained that why would they call a show "vagina monologues" that the word vagina shouldn't be there...I mean are women really this repressed? I'm wondering how these women feel about being sexual beings when they can't even say vagina?
I think it's very imperative that we start encouraging our young girls to know themselves, to be proud of what and who they are, and to be expressive in a way that's true to themselves. We should teach them confidence and dignity. A professor said something to me once that will always guide me throughout my life, she said "true feminism is not burning bras and breaking ceilings, it's not even about being domestic or timid, it's about having the freedom and right to choose whatever balance of both is right for you". This rant is not about feminism in anyway but it's about the fact that jeez....we should teach other and accept from each other, that as women, we can choose to be WHATEVER WE WANNA BE, and it's ok.
whew...all this from Ms. Iyanda!
Money, Money, Money
This is another issue that has been just bugging me. It's been bugging me since even first year in college.
I have this shirt, it's actually my favorite shirt, and it reads, "I Love Rich Boys". Apart from the fact that people should just lighten up, i have to say I get a lot of comments about it. Comments, and side looks, once even at Tastee's Fried Chicken, I got a man who very disapprovingly shook his head at me. lol. But really what's the fuss? why are people so uptight and so untruthful about money? who cares?!?! I'm someone who really I've gone through all of the spectrums, I know people who are wealthy and in the end there was no benefit to them, they died poor, not moneywise, but life wise. But I also know people who are poor and although they are happy with their loved ones, they are dying of heart disease because they don't have a lot. So what's the fuss? We all die in the end and we don't stand in front of Peter with bling!
I know for me, I pray to be blessed. I'll work my butt off to make sure my family, current and future, don't live hand to mouth. I want them all to live comfortably, even luxuriously. I've seen poverty and no one can romanticize that. This is a goal I have for myself, regardless of who my partner may or may not be. If you're going to be in my life, you have to understand that I'm ambitious, that I want to be successful, hell, that I want to pay off my student loans at a go! lol. Amen. People say what about the guy with the bus pass! well, my answer is I can never be with someone whose ambition is, or who's happy with, his bus pass situation. Never. Ambition is sexy to me!
But seriously though, we all need to lighten up! It's okay to want to be rich. What's bad is if you're driven by money and shortsighted about it, if it rules your life and your principles, if you're mad for it, if it's the devil in your life.
Ok, yes, I talked about it, imagine that!
I Dreamt of Chicken Caesar Salad!
No kidding. And it was one of those dreams that you are having so much fun and you don't want to wake up just yet and when your eyes finally open, you keep blinking them, wishing that reality IS the dream and the dream IS the reality, ya dig? LOL. I mean the thing just looked sooooo good! LOL. My friend was saying that I should ask someone to bring it down for me when they're coming but my question is wouldn't it be soggy?!?! I don't like soggy salad! And then I had this convo with another friend:
ME: i don't know, i think i need a vacation
HIM: where would u go?
ME: america now (duh!)
HIM: You know you can stay in lagos and have a splendid time
ME: u don't understand, i DREAMT of chicken caesar salad yesterday
HIM: what u need is a good meal!!!
LOL. i'm famous for not having food in my house (all you nija male readers/potential admirers, I can actually cook oh!). I just hate cooking for one, I hate food shopping in lagos, and i hate leftover food. so my dilemma is compounded, hence, no food in my house. my kitchen has water, juice, peanut butter, jam, rice krispies, and maybe bread on a good day. I'm sure you guys are starting to understand me now.
Since the day of the dream, I can't get my lunch routine in boston outta my head. I NEED me some signature salad from Cosi (romaine, red grapes, pistachio, gorgonzola cheese and some weird dressing...) but it's good!!! Somebody help me! Before anyone tries to point out (smarty pants!) that I can get caesar salad in Lagos, as easy as it sounds, i challenge the person to find me good caesar salad here, seeing is believing homie! you can hardly find good regular salad around these parts sef......
Ah.......ok, i'm through.
Some of y'all are probably mad at me now that you spent your time reading this stuff and it's only about chicken caesar salad!!! HAHAHA!!!
Dating As Fun!
When I was 19 I dated a guy we'll call Mark. Now for some reason, i'm not really sure of, Mark decided that the best way to woo me was to do these grand gestures, you know, impress me. Mark was an older man, he was a businessman, running his company and having several employees that depended on him. I wouldn't say Mark was wealthy, he was a bit on the fringe, you know, he could afford all these things but not in that nonchalant way really wealthy people do. Anyway, Mark was known for these romantic type gestures, at least grand for a 19 year old!!! LOL. The benefit of hindsight of course shows me it was all BS, lol. He'd come and pick me up under the pretenses of something really mundane and I'd end up walking into a fancy dinner at some cozy restaurant. There was a time we were going somewhere and he said he wanted to stop over at his hotel to pick up his outfit for his friend's bachelor's party only for me to walk into the room, there's a bottle of Dom Perignon chilling in a bucket by the window with a vase of beautiful red roses. Or when he was buying his new property, he took me there and we sat in the garden with some wine and just chatting into the night. See even though the relationship ended really badly (the only one of my exes that I don't speak to), those were things that always stayed with me because it was.....sweet. Coupled with the fact that the man just always told me I was beautiful and handled me with care, yada yada yada.
After Mark, was someone I'd call Oliseh. Now Oliseh had money to throw around so once again, I was out seeing things and doing things that really trips a young girl you know. Enter a store, a bar, anywhere really and clear the place out. I've only seen someone buy the bar out when I was with Oliseh. For some reason as well, Oliseh was out to impress and he did succeed in making me feel......special, i guess. But after Oliseh, things got back to normal and has been ever since. Now why am I remembering all this?!?! (to the koko of the matter...)
Had a fabulous, fabulous, date this past weekend that reminded me of those days that i thought were long gone. I mean there was a point yesterday after I got back that I was actually thinking to myself, did I just dream up this ish? I don't know what will end up of the date, don't know if we'd be together or nothing, but it's just really nice to know that there are still guys out there that know how to do the damn thing!
Anh...anh...how fun!
After Mark, was someone I'd call Oliseh. Now Oliseh had money to throw around so once again, I was out seeing things and doing things that really trips a young girl you know. Enter a store, a bar, anywhere really and clear the place out. I've only seen someone buy the bar out when I was with Oliseh. For some reason as well, Oliseh was out to impress and he did succeed in making me feel......special, i guess. But after Oliseh, things got back to normal and has been ever since. Now why am I remembering all this?!?! (to the koko of the matter...)
Had a fabulous, fabulous, date this past weekend that reminded me of those days that i thought were long gone. I mean there was a point yesterday after I got back that I was actually thinking to myself, did I just dream up this ish? I don't know what will end up of the date, don't know if we'd be together or nothing, but it's just really nice to know that there are still guys out there that know how to do the damn thing!
Anh...anh...how fun!
I've Got A New Attitude
Hello peeps! I'm back. So what's been going on with me lately? I'm a bit busy right now, trying to hustle and make that money. For some reason I always surround myself with these high achievers and then struggle trying to keep up. Not in that bad, "keeping up with the joneses" way, but in that way that you're trying to better yourself because the people you see around you are so inspiring.
One thing's for sure, it's time to make another drastic change. I've accepted that, i'm now just working out the logistics and doing a lot of praying about it. I have so many people around me that are doing so many good things, i really don't have any excuses to sit and wait around where i'm no longer fulfilled or happy. I'm actually excited about it. Oh which reminds me again here, PWEEEEEEEEEEEASE, if anyone knows Olaotan Towry-Coker of What's New magazine, please please, put us in touch with each other. I have some ideas I want to discuss with him. Also trying to get a particular project off ground so y'all should stay tuned! I've also realized that I love working out people's project with them, a sort of consulting. I really enjoy that naturally, so i've been talking with lots of young people, trying to help them, motivate them to realizing their dream. People should watch out oh! The young nigerians I know that are coming back to Lagos are really itching to do it BIG!
ok, what else? For Urhobo Girl who made a comment about who the boy i mentioned in the previous post was and what happened.........first, you like gist and party too much jo! second, what happens in ikoyi stays in ikoyi! hahaha!
Moving on, i've noticed people are writing more about their personal life on their blogs. Oh, I wish I could do the same. The thing is soo convoluted sef. One day is one thing, the other day it's something else. Those of you that read my blog often will know that I've spoken before about some "friend" of mine. I keep going back and forth with the same question, "why are we not together again?" The thing has passed me oh! If he's like, "ok, let's do this", me i'm like "nah, not on your life". when i say "ok, i'm sorta feeling this", he's like "nah, not happening". To tell the truth, I just think this is the right people (he & I) but the wrong time. Which really sucks....
One thing's for sure, it's time to make another drastic change. I've accepted that, i'm now just working out the logistics and doing a lot of praying about it. I have so many people around me that are doing so many good things, i really don't have any excuses to sit and wait around where i'm no longer fulfilled or happy. I'm actually excited about it. Oh which reminds me again here, PWEEEEEEEEEEEASE, if anyone knows Olaotan Towry-Coker of What's New magazine, please please, put us in touch with each other. I have some ideas I want to discuss with him. Also trying to get a particular project off ground so y'all should stay tuned! I've also realized that I love working out people's project with them, a sort of consulting. I really enjoy that naturally, so i've been talking with lots of young people, trying to help them, motivate them to realizing their dream. People should watch out oh! The young nigerians I know that are coming back to Lagos are really itching to do it BIG!
ok, what else? For Urhobo Girl who made a comment about who the boy i mentioned in the previous post was and what happened.........first, you like gist and party too much jo! second, what happens in ikoyi stays in ikoyi! hahaha!
Moving on, i've noticed people are writing more about their personal life on their blogs. Oh, I wish I could do the same. The thing is soo convoluted sef. One day is one thing, the other day it's something else. Those of you that read my blog often will know that I've spoken before about some "friend" of mine. I keep going back and forth with the same question, "why are we not together again?" The thing has passed me oh! If he's like, "ok, let's do this", me i'm like "nah, not on your life". when i say "ok, i'm sorta feeling this", he's like "nah, not happening". To tell the truth, I just think this is the right people (he & I) but the wrong time. Which really sucks....
Naija Blues
i've got the kraft
macaroni & cheese blues
i've got the bluessss...
I don't know what's happening to me today. I just woke up sooooo depressed. I think i've been so tired mentally and bored for a little while now. My job is probably the biggest contributor to this. It's gone from something that was so fantastic, enjoyable, and challening. In fact last year I had to keep reminding myself that I'm so lucky to have a job doing exactly what I want to do. But since then, everything has just soured. In the name of job expansion i guess, another portfolio has been added to mine, and i'm just not with it. HOWEVER, it's taken soo much of my time. I want to have a good outlook like ok, i'll do this one extremely well, to the absolute best of my abilities, and just use this opportunity to show my versatility but damn.........coupled with the after effects of the scandal, and the office place just not being the same.
I think I just want to go home. I'm tired of Nigeria. I miss the things that have been "regular" to me for soo long. I was joking with my friend the other day that I think the day my plane lands in America, I will be so goddamn emotional. Man, it's been a long while since i've been out, and a long way for me. I remember the day I left home. No one was even home. Just me and my brother and we weren't even talking at that time. I just got up, showered, finished packing, called a cab. I remember we had just had a snowstorm and there was ice everywhere. I remember calling Tmobile from the taxi and they ticking me off :) Yes, I definitely need to go visit and SOON or i'mma have to cut somebody. I don't know how i'll do it though since getting anything at work is like getting to see Babangida while he's visiting Obasanjo in Aso Rock. I always say, if there's anything that can go wrong, any roadblocks that can pop up, the people at my job WILL find it and just make your life a living hell. A friend of mine recently needed a letter that stated that she did indeed work there and you wouldn't believe the hassle. Something that should be as simple as:
SHE: i need a letter stating I work here please
THEM: oh, (since that's one of my freaking templates) sure, come pick it up next week.
SHE: thanks!
But noooooo........ this is how it goes instead
SHE: Please, please, please, please, i need a letter stating I work here...please
THEM: go and write me a formal letter asking me
SHE: ok
****
SHE: ok, here's the letter
THEM: you need to get it signed by your boss
SHE: ok
(walks back about a block to her office to get's it signed)
SHE: here it is!
THEM: (looks disgustingly at the letter)you need to get it signed by HR
SHE: uhm...ok
(walks to HR to get it signed)
HR: why do u need this
SHE: i need to get a visa
HR: why
SHE: i want to travel
HR: put the dates and get your boss to sign it (knowing that would be impossible cuz she's not allowed to go to vacation yet)
SHE: uhm, i'm going on a weekend so i don't see why my boss as to approve the dates
HR: you're going to London for the weekend (looking disgustingly)
SHE: yes
HR: she still needs to sign the date
SHE: ok
(goes to reprint the letter, sign it by her boss, take to HR to sign, take to Corporate Affairs to sign)
THEM: ok, come and get it in 4 working days
SHE: but it's just right there, you just need to sign it and i'll be on my way.
THEM: Sorry, the policy is 4 working days
SHE: (?!@?!!!?@@!!) NARF OFF!!!
Lol. except for the narf off, that's the way it goes. for a simple letter. that states you work for the company...........BLAH! Maybe I should just lie and say I was abducted for two weeks! they'd believe that ish for SURE!
Anyway back to my depression. It's even bordering on the existential a la Lisa in Saved By The Bell (what is art? is art art? are we art?) Lol. Hey! Maybe it's just a quarter life crisis, i've heard of this happening but maybe this is it? One thing I find myself thinking about (or trying not to think about) is death? how strange is death and this life? you're born and then you die. we all don't even know what happens when you die (Christians believe if you're good you go to heaven if not then it's hell but how does all that work out? do you really see Peter at the door? do you fly there from your body or do you just appear, one sec u watching tv, next thing you're like wha? peter?). it's like you just cease to exist, like a cockroach that you kill in your house and throw in the incinerator (aka bonfire). A staff member just died this weekend. I liked her. I can't believe she died. And then the VTech people. They wake up, go to French class, and never come out again. My dad who died of cancer which is the LAST THING anyone thought would kill the guy. He liked his beer, i think smoked when he was younger (i never saw him smoke) and that's about it. He was fine one minute and dead the next. Toni Payne's I assume little cousin or nephew of some sort apparently died. And then thinking of that I remember my two cousins that died last year, they were 8 and 10. What's the point? How do you make your life meaningful in this race to the grave?
Ah....i don't mean to depress y'all too I swear!!! Everything is just seeming so random to me right now. Not just death but everything. Random. I told you, existential right? (man, that class fucked me up oh, i won't lie!)
I know what i'm gonna do. I'm gonna do something really crazy and out of this world that the drama of it all will take my mind off all these thoughts! (don't worry y'all nothing morbid in anyway oh!) lol. it'll probably involve a boy.......lol. yes, i'm that girl that read seventeen mag until i was like 21!
Anyway, toodles!
macaroni & cheese blues
i've got the bluessss...
I don't know what's happening to me today. I just woke up sooooo depressed. I think i've been so tired mentally and bored for a little while now. My job is probably the biggest contributor to this. It's gone from something that was so fantastic, enjoyable, and challening. In fact last year I had to keep reminding myself that I'm so lucky to have a job doing exactly what I want to do. But since then, everything has just soured. In the name of job expansion i guess, another portfolio has been added to mine, and i'm just not with it. HOWEVER, it's taken soo much of my time. I want to have a good outlook like ok, i'll do this one extremely well, to the absolute best of my abilities, and just use this opportunity to show my versatility but damn.........coupled with the after effects of the scandal, and the office place just not being the same.
I think I just want to go home. I'm tired of Nigeria. I miss the things that have been "regular" to me for soo long. I was joking with my friend the other day that I think the day my plane lands in America, I will be so goddamn emotional. Man, it's been a long while since i've been out, and a long way for me. I remember the day I left home. No one was even home. Just me and my brother and we weren't even talking at that time. I just got up, showered, finished packing, called a cab. I remember we had just had a snowstorm and there was ice everywhere. I remember calling Tmobile from the taxi and they ticking me off :) Yes, I definitely need to go visit and SOON or i'mma have to cut somebody. I don't know how i'll do it though since getting anything at work is like getting to see Babangida while he's visiting Obasanjo in Aso Rock. I always say, if there's anything that can go wrong, any roadblocks that can pop up, the people at my job WILL find it and just make your life a living hell. A friend of mine recently needed a letter that stated that she did indeed work there and you wouldn't believe the hassle. Something that should be as simple as:
SHE: i need a letter stating I work here please
THEM: oh, (since that's one of my freaking templates) sure, come pick it up next week.
SHE: thanks!
But noooooo........ this is how it goes instead
SHE: Please, please, please, please, i need a letter stating I work here...please
THEM: go and write me a formal letter asking me
SHE: ok
****
SHE: ok, here's the letter
THEM: you need to get it signed by your boss
SHE: ok
(walks back about a block to her office to get's it signed)
SHE: here it is!
THEM: (looks disgustingly at the letter)you need to get it signed by HR
SHE: uhm...ok
(walks to HR to get it signed)
HR: why do u need this
SHE: i need to get a visa
HR: why
SHE: i want to travel
HR: put the dates and get your boss to sign it (knowing that would be impossible cuz she's not allowed to go to vacation yet)
SHE: uhm, i'm going on a weekend so i don't see why my boss as to approve the dates
HR: you're going to London for the weekend (looking disgustingly)
SHE: yes
HR: she still needs to sign the date
SHE: ok
(goes to reprint the letter, sign it by her boss, take to HR to sign, take to Corporate Affairs to sign)
THEM: ok, come and get it in 4 working days
SHE: but it's just right there, you just need to sign it and i'll be on my way.
THEM: Sorry, the policy is 4 working days
SHE: (?!@?!!!?@@!!) NARF OFF!!!
Lol. except for the narf off, that's the way it goes. for a simple letter. that states you work for the company...........BLAH! Maybe I should just lie and say I was abducted for two weeks! they'd believe that ish for SURE!
Anyway back to my depression. It's even bordering on the existential a la Lisa in Saved By The Bell (what is art? is art art? are we art?) Lol. Hey! Maybe it's just a quarter life crisis, i've heard of this happening but maybe this is it? One thing I find myself thinking about (or trying not to think about) is death? how strange is death and this life? you're born and then you die. we all don't even know what happens when you die (Christians believe if you're good you go to heaven if not then it's hell but how does all that work out? do you really see Peter at the door? do you fly there from your body or do you just appear, one sec u watching tv, next thing you're like wha? peter?). it's like you just cease to exist, like a cockroach that you kill in your house and throw in the incinerator (aka bonfire). A staff member just died this weekend. I liked her. I can't believe she died. And then the VTech people. They wake up, go to French class, and never come out again. My dad who died of cancer which is the LAST THING anyone thought would kill the guy. He liked his beer, i think smoked when he was younger (i never saw him smoke) and that's about it. He was fine one minute and dead the next. Toni Payne's I assume little cousin or nephew of some sort apparently died. And then thinking of that I remember my two cousins that died last year, they were 8 and 10. What's the point? How do you make your life meaningful in this race to the grave?
Ah....i don't mean to depress y'all too I swear!!! Everything is just seeming so random to me right now. Not just death but everything. Random. I told you, existential right? (man, that class fucked me up oh, i won't lie!)
I know what i'm gonna do. I'm gonna do something really crazy and out of this world that the drama of it all will take my mind off all these thoughts! (don't worry y'all nothing morbid in anyway oh!) lol. it'll probably involve a boy.......lol. yes, i'm that girl that read seventeen mag until i was like 21!
Anyway, toodles!
Magical Elections
I love politics. I love every aspect of it. To me it’s one of the most beautiful things about modern civilization. It is the ultimate test of democracy really. I’m not so much a staunch believer in democracy in terms of philosophy, but I do know that it is one that has worked in various fashions for the biggest economies and most successful nations in the history of man.
Yet, watching Nigeria’s elections circus (indeed the best descriptive word), leaves me completely disheartened, confused, and now complete apathy is beginning to set in. I’m sitting right now in front of the television watching the news coverage and I’m finding it hard to believe that this sort of…..magic, can happen so openly, and to feel so disconnected, even as a citizen, as the everyday person, is just sad.
In Abia state, apparently INEC did not get ballot papers in on time, SOOO voting did not start until about 5:30pm………..yes, read that again, 5:30pm!!! And even then it was in the dark, but that is a secondary problem I suppose. I’ve just watched presidential candidate Orji Kalu who just casted his vote at 7pm give such an emotional comment to the press. I don’t care too much for him, but it is his absolute right to contest for the presidential election if he can and be given a fair chance. But after spending all the time, money, and effort to now come to the ballot box and vote in the dark at 7pm!!! What feeling of disappointment that must have been. This is in the South East which will no doubt have most of his constituencies. How can ANYONE observing this think that this man has had a fair go at it? What kind of message does that send? What kind of gross incompetence and embarrassment is this for INEC? What is this monster we’re all dealing with?
In Lagos West and some other senatorial districts, elections for the Senate were cancelled completely to be held another day. What kind of????? How can anyone in their right mind think this is ok? Or free and fair?? Or what? What is this monster really?
Lately when people talk about the elections, I just find it cute. All the spitting that goes back and forth, it’s glazing over the real, REAL issue we all know, which is that elections in Nigeria are very very far from being the kind that celebrates democracy, far from being free, far from being fair. That’s the absolute truth. We are all afraid to say exactly that, because when you look back, those times (in the past) were SOOO rough, I understand that, but what is this we have? Nothing. Obasanjo picks who’s gonna be the next president and nothing but an American invasion will stop that act from coming true. We all know that. The curtain draws, the actors play the part, the “hero” wins, the puppet master is happy. This circus. The Nigerian elections. Circus 2007.
What monster are we all dealing with indeed?