I'm writing this post on behalf of 3.
The first is my girlfriend Ms. K, we went to the same primary school....grew up in Port Harcourt, attended the same University, studied the same course, were room mates for three of our four years in the University... Now, she lives in the U.K and I live in Nigeria, continents apart but still tight friends... we don't get to see every year but I love her for all the memories we share, for the times she had my back and for the times she stood up for me when I couldn't do things my self...this one's for us...
The second is my blogger pal believer who I haven't had the pleasure of meeting but whose posts on her blog encourage me immensely. A lot of the time I just go to her blog and read her posts and I leave encouraged... His word says we should worship Him in the days of our youth and she really is a motivation to do so. I hope we get to meet someday girl...this one's for us...
I am the third of the trio. Yours truly, Nyemoni. I will leave you guys to make up your minds what to make of me, but this one's for us....
We three share the birth date 22/09. I'm doing this for us all, because we are all grateful to God....for allowing us reach yet another milestone in our lives..I may be doing it different this time around, but the point is that we are grateful...
Father Lord, we thank You
We thank you because of your Grace upon our lives
We thank you because of unwarranted favour on our families and ourselves
We thank you because of the Good health you gave me
God, we bless you
We bless you for your provision
We bless you because you are our help
We bless you because your Angels have taken charge over us
Abba father, We glorify your name
We glorify your name because You are the God greater than all other gods
We glorify your name because You are the Father who answers
We glorify Your name because of your promises to us
We Praise you because we know that no matter how much or how little we say You know what is good for us and You know even before we ask that which is important for us...
We are Grateful...
Guys please join us as we cross another milestone tomorrow... will not be here to post but my girl believer will be... Join us as we cross over to another year! Let the party begin!!!!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Hi guys,
This is another entry from Chicken soup for the soul. Enjoy!
The Baggy Yellow Shirt by Patricia Lorenz
The baggy yellow shirt had long sleeves, four extra large pockets trimmed in black thread and snaps up the front. Not terribly attractive, but utilitarian without a doubt. I found it in December 1963 during my freshman year in college when I was home on Christmas break.
Part of the fun of vacation at home was the chance to go through Mom's hoard of rummage, destined for the less fortunate. She regularly scoured the house for clothes, bedding and house wares to give away, and the collection was always stored in paper bags on the floor of the front hall closet.
Looking through Mom's collection one day, I came across this oversized yellow shirt, slightly faded from years of wear but still in decent shape.
Just the thing to wear over my clothes during art class!" I said to myself.
"You're not taking that old thing, are you?" Mom said when she saw me packing it. "I wore that when I was pregnant with your brother in 1954!"
"It's perfect for art class, Mom. Thanks!" I slipped it into my suitcase before she could object.
The yellow shirt became a part of my college wardrobe. I loved it. All during college, it stayed with me, always comfortable to throw over my clothes during messy projects. The underarm seams had to be reinforced before I graduated, but there was plenty of wear in that old garment.
After graduation I moved to Denver and wore the shirt the day I moved into my apartment. Then I wore it on Saturday mornings when I cleaned. Those four large pockets on the front-two breast pockets and two at hip level-made a super place to carry dust cloths, wax and polish.
The next year, I married. When I became pregnant, I found the yellow shirt tucked in a drawer and wore it during those big belly days. Though I missed sharing my first pregnancy with Mom and Dad and the rest of my family, since we were in Colorado and they were in Illinois, that shirt helped remind me of their warmth and protection. I smiled and hugged the shirt when I remembered that Mother had worn it when she was pregnant.
By 1969, after my daughter's birth, the shirt was at least 15 years old. That Christmas, I patched one elbow, washed and pressed the shirt, wrapped it in holiday paper and sent it to Mom. Smiling, I tucked a note in one of the pockets saying: "I hope this fits. I'm sure it will look great on you!" When Mom wrote to thank me for her "real" gifts, she said the yellow shirt was lovely. She never mentioned it again.
The next year, my husband, daughter and I moved from Denver to St. Louis and we stopped at Mom and Dad's house in Rock Falls, Illinois, to pick up some furniture. Days later, when we uncrated the kitchen table, I noticed something yellow taped to its bottom. The shirt! And so the pattern was set.
On our next visit home, I secretly placed the shirt between the mattress and box springs of Mom and Dad's bed. I don't know how long it took her to find it, but almost two years passed before I got it back.
By then our family had grown.
This time Mom got even with me. She put it under the base of our living room lamp, knowing that as a mother of three little ones, housecleaning and moving lamps would not be everyday events. . .
When I finally got the shirt, I wore it often while refinishing "early marriage" furniture that I found at rummage sales. The walnut stains on the shirt simply added more character to all its history.
Unfortunately, our lives were full of stains, too.
My marriage had been failing almost from the beginning. After a number of attempts at marriage counseling, my husband and I divorced in 1975. The three children and I prepared to move back to Illinois to be closer to the emotional support of family and friends.
As I packed, a deep depression overtook me. I wondered if I could make it on my own with three small children to raise. I wondered if I would find a job. Although I hadn't read the Bible much since my Catholic school days, I paged through the Good Book, looking for comfort. In Ephesians, I read, "So use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will be standing up."
I tried to picture myself wearing God's armor, but all I saw was me wearing the stained yellow shirt. Of course! Wasn't my mother's love a piece of God's armor? I smiled and remembered the fun and warm feelings the yellow shirt had brought into my life over the years. My courage was renewed and somehow the future didn't seem so alarming.
Unpacking in our new home and feeling much better, I knew I had to get the shirt back to Mother. The next time I visited her, I carefully tucked it in her bottom dresser drawer, knowing that sweater weather was months away.
Meanwhile my life moved splendidly. I found a good job at a radio station and the children thrived in their new environment.
A year later during a window-washing spurt, I found the crumpled yellow shirt hidden in a rag bag in my cleaning closet. Something new had been added. Emblazoned across the top of the breast pocket were the bright green newly embroidered words, "I
BELONG TO PAT." Not to be outdone, I got out my own embroidery materials and added an apostrophe and seven more letters. Now the shirt proudly proclaimed, "I BELONG TO PAT'S MOTHER."
Once again, I zigzagged all the frayed seams. Then I enlisted the aid of a dear friend, Harold, to help me get it back to Mom. He arranged to have a friend mail the shirt to Mom from Arlington, Virginia. We enclosed a letter announcing that she was the recipient of an award for her good deeds. The award letter, on official looking stationery printed at the high school where Harold was assistant principal, came from "The Institute for the Destitute."
This was my finest hour. I would have given anything to see Mom's face when she opened the "award" box and saw the shirt inside. But, of course, she never mentioned it.
On Easter Sunday the following year, Mother managed a coup de grace. She walked into our home with regal poise, wearing that old shirt over her Easter outfit, as if it were an integral part of her wardrobe.
I'm sure my mouth hung open, but I said nothing. During the Easter meal, a giant laugh choked my throat. But I was determined not to break the unbroken spell the shirt had woven into our lives. I was sure that Mom would take off the shirt and try to hide it in my home, but when she and Dad left, she walked out the door wearing, "I BELONG TO PAT'S MOTHER" like a coat of arms.
A year later, in June 1978, Harold and I were married. The day of our wedding, we hid our car in a friend's garage to avoid the usual practical jokers. After the wedding, while my husband drove us to our honeymoon suite in Wisconsin, I reached for a pillow in the car so I could rest my head. The pillow felt lumpy. I unzipped the case and discovered a gift, wrapped in wedding paper.
I thought it might be a surprise gift from Harold. But he looked as stunned as I. Inside the box was the freshly pressed yellow shirt.
Mother knew I'd need the shirt as a reminder that a sense of humor, spiced with love, is one of the most important ingredients in a happy marriage. In a pocket was a note: Read John 14:27-29. I love you both, Mother."
That night I paged through a Bible I found in the hotel room and found the verses: "I am leaving you with a gift: peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, for now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do, you will believe in me."
The shirt was Mother's final gift.
She had known for three months before my wedding that she had a terminal disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). Mother died 13 months later, at age 57. I must admit that I was tempted to send the yellow shirt with her to her grave. But I'm glad I didn't, because it is a vivid reminder of the love filled game she and I played for 16 years.
Besides, my older daughter is in college now, majoring in art . . . and every art student needs a baggy yellow shirt with big pockets for art class!
This is another entry from Chicken soup for the soul. Enjoy!
The Baggy Yellow Shirt by Patricia Lorenz
The baggy yellow shirt had long sleeves, four extra large pockets trimmed in black thread and snaps up the front. Not terribly attractive, but utilitarian without a doubt. I found it in December 1963 during my freshman year in college when I was home on Christmas break.
Part of the fun of vacation at home was the chance to go through Mom's hoard of rummage, destined for the less fortunate. She regularly scoured the house for clothes, bedding and house wares to give away, and the collection was always stored in paper bags on the floor of the front hall closet.
Looking through Mom's collection one day, I came across this oversized yellow shirt, slightly faded from years of wear but still in decent shape.
Just the thing to wear over my clothes during art class!" I said to myself.
"You're not taking that old thing, are you?" Mom said when she saw me packing it. "I wore that when I was pregnant with your brother in 1954!"
"It's perfect for art class, Mom. Thanks!" I slipped it into my suitcase before she could object.
The yellow shirt became a part of my college wardrobe. I loved it. All during college, it stayed with me, always comfortable to throw over my clothes during messy projects. The underarm seams had to be reinforced before I graduated, but there was plenty of wear in that old garment.
After graduation I moved to Denver and wore the shirt the day I moved into my apartment. Then I wore it on Saturday mornings when I cleaned. Those four large pockets on the front-two breast pockets and two at hip level-made a super place to carry dust cloths, wax and polish.
The next year, I married. When I became pregnant, I found the yellow shirt tucked in a drawer and wore it during those big belly days. Though I missed sharing my first pregnancy with Mom and Dad and the rest of my family, since we were in Colorado and they were in Illinois, that shirt helped remind me of their warmth and protection. I smiled and hugged the shirt when I remembered that Mother had worn it when she was pregnant.
By 1969, after my daughter's birth, the shirt was at least 15 years old. That Christmas, I patched one elbow, washed and pressed the shirt, wrapped it in holiday paper and sent it to Mom. Smiling, I tucked a note in one of the pockets saying: "I hope this fits. I'm sure it will look great on you!" When Mom wrote to thank me for her "real" gifts, she said the yellow shirt was lovely. She never mentioned it again.
The next year, my husband, daughter and I moved from Denver to St. Louis and we stopped at Mom and Dad's house in Rock Falls, Illinois, to pick up some furniture. Days later, when we uncrated the kitchen table, I noticed something yellow taped to its bottom. The shirt! And so the pattern was set.
On our next visit home, I secretly placed the shirt between the mattress and box springs of Mom and Dad's bed. I don't know how long it took her to find it, but almost two years passed before I got it back.
By then our family had grown.
This time Mom got even with me. She put it under the base of our living room lamp, knowing that as a mother of three little ones, housecleaning and moving lamps would not be everyday events. . .
When I finally got the shirt, I wore it often while refinishing "early marriage" furniture that I found at rummage sales. The walnut stains on the shirt simply added more character to all its history.
Unfortunately, our lives were full of stains, too.
My marriage had been failing almost from the beginning. After a number of attempts at marriage counseling, my husband and I divorced in 1975. The three children and I prepared to move back to Illinois to be closer to the emotional support of family and friends.
As I packed, a deep depression overtook me. I wondered if I could make it on my own with three small children to raise. I wondered if I would find a job. Although I hadn't read the Bible much since my Catholic school days, I paged through the Good Book, looking for comfort. In Ephesians, I read, "So use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will be standing up."
I tried to picture myself wearing God's armor, but all I saw was me wearing the stained yellow shirt. Of course! Wasn't my mother's love a piece of God's armor? I smiled and remembered the fun and warm feelings the yellow shirt had brought into my life over the years. My courage was renewed and somehow the future didn't seem so alarming.
Unpacking in our new home and feeling much better, I knew I had to get the shirt back to Mother. The next time I visited her, I carefully tucked it in her bottom dresser drawer, knowing that sweater weather was months away.
Meanwhile my life moved splendidly. I found a good job at a radio station and the children thrived in their new environment.
A year later during a window-washing spurt, I found the crumpled yellow shirt hidden in a rag bag in my cleaning closet. Something new had been added. Emblazoned across the top of the breast pocket were the bright green newly embroidered words, "I
BELONG TO PAT." Not to be outdone, I got out my own embroidery materials and added an apostrophe and seven more letters. Now the shirt proudly proclaimed, "I BELONG TO PAT'S MOTHER."
Once again, I zigzagged all the frayed seams. Then I enlisted the aid of a dear friend, Harold, to help me get it back to Mom. He arranged to have a friend mail the shirt to Mom from Arlington, Virginia. We enclosed a letter announcing that she was the recipient of an award for her good deeds. The award letter, on official looking stationery printed at the high school where Harold was assistant principal, came from "The Institute for the Destitute."
This was my finest hour. I would have given anything to see Mom's face when she opened the "award" box and saw the shirt inside. But, of course, she never mentioned it.
On Easter Sunday the following year, Mother managed a coup de grace. She walked into our home with regal poise, wearing that old shirt over her Easter outfit, as if it were an integral part of her wardrobe.
I'm sure my mouth hung open, but I said nothing. During the Easter meal, a giant laugh choked my throat. But I was determined not to break the unbroken spell the shirt had woven into our lives. I was sure that Mom would take off the shirt and try to hide it in my home, but when she and Dad left, she walked out the door wearing, "I BELONG TO PAT'S MOTHER" like a coat of arms.
A year later, in June 1978, Harold and I were married. The day of our wedding, we hid our car in a friend's garage to avoid the usual practical jokers. After the wedding, while my husband drove us to our honeymoon suite in Wisconsin, I reached for a pillow in the car so I could rest my head. The pillow felt lumpy. I unzipped the case and discovered a gift, wrapped in wedding paper.
I thought it might be a surprise gift from Harold. But he looked as stunned as I. Inside the box was the freshly pressed yellow shirt.
Mother knew I'd need the shirt as a reminder that a sense of humor, spiced with love, is one of the most important ingredients in a happy marriage. In a pocket was a note: Read John 14:27-29. I love you both, Mother."
That night I paged through a Bible I found in the hotel room and found the verses: "I am leaving you with a gift: peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, for now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do, you will believe in me."
The shirt was Mother's final gift.
She had known for three months before my wedding that she had a terminal disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). Mother died 13 months later, at age 57. I must admit that I was tempted to send the yellow shirt with her to her grave. But I'm glad I didn't, because it is a vivid reminder of the love filled game she and I played for 16 years.
Besides, my older daughter is in college now, majoring in art . . . and every art student needs a baggy yellow shirt with big pockets for art class!
Friday, September 07, 2007
Hey guys, thanks for all your comments to my posts...I appreciate the responses.. I meant to put up this meme for a long time now, but I never got around to doing it. I can't even credit the blogger from who's blog I got this 'cos I've forgotten. I tag all my regular blog visitors.... Have a nice weekend guys!
Accent: Dunno! Ask My friends..
Booze: Can’t abide by it, so no booze for me, thanks
Chore I Hate: Tidying up and scrubbing the toilet
Dogs/Cats: Hard to decide cos I grew up with both! But dogs, I think...
Essential electronics: Radio, Portable music device, TV..
Favourite Perfume: Organza by Givenchy & Poême by Lancomê
Gold/Silver: Gold.
Hometown: Abonnema (Nyemoni), Rivers State
Insomnia: Hardly ever!
Job title: It’s too complicated!
Kids: 1 for now and hopefully 2 more!
Living arrangements: Pretty comfy apartment…
Most admired trait: I heard them say they can confide in me and I am fun to hang with!
Number of sexual partners: And how?
Overnight hospital stays: Typhoid Fever and after childbirth.
Phobia: Electrophobia
Quote: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:8-9)
Religion: Christianity
Siblings: 5- 1 sis, 4 bros
Time I usually awake: 6a.m
Unusual talent: I’ve still not discovered it…
Vegetable I refuse to eat: Can’t think of any..
Worst habit: Delay…
X-rays: Age 6 when I swallowed my dads’ little key!
Yummy foods I make: Okra soup, Spaghetti Bolognese, Kekefiyaye
Zodiac sign: Don’t believe in those things..
'moni..
Play list
I'm loving Justin Timberlake so much right now so I leave you with two of his songs from his latest album FutureSex/LoveSounds.. Songs are Lovestoned and Losing my way (Hawt! Hawt! Hawt!) Enjoy!
Accent: Dunno! Ask My friends..
Booze: Can’t abide by it, so no booze for me, thanks
Chore I Hate: Tidying up and scrubbing the toilet
Dogs/Cats: Hard to decide cos I grew up with both! But dogs, I think...
Essential electronics: Radio, Portable music device, TV..
Favourite Perfume: Organza by Givenchy & Poême by Lancomê
Gold/Silver: Gold.
Hometown: Abonnema (Nyemoni), Rivers State
Insomnia: Hardly ever!
Job title: It’s too complicated!
Kids: 1 for now and hopefully 2 more!
Living arrangements: Pretty comfy apartment…
Most admired trait: I heard them say they can confide in me and I am fun to hang with!
Number of sexual partners: And how?
Overnight hospital stays: Typhoid Fever and after childbirth.
Phobia: Electrophobia
Quote: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:8-9)
Religion: Christianity
Siblings: 5- 1 sis, 4 bros
Time I usually awake: 6a.m
Unusual talent: I’ve still not discovered it…
Vegetable I refuse to eat: Can’t think of any..
Worst habit: Delay…
X-rays: Age 6 when I swallowed my dads’ little key!
Yummy foods I make: Okra soup, Spaghetti Bolognese, Kekefiyaye
Zodiac sign: Don’t believe in those things..
'moni..
Play list
I'm loving Justin Timberlake so much right now so I leave you with two of his songs from his latest album FutureSex/LoveSounds.. Songs are Lovestoned and Losing my way (Hawt! Hawt! Hawt!) Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
We all know that the only thing constant in life is change. But it is also one of the things we dread most. It's because we do not know exactly what the wind of change will blow our way. If the change which comes our way is positive change, one that elevates us financially, socially and indeed in all ramifications we would be all for it, but when it is an ill wind that blows our way we almost know for sure that dire consequences await us.
Such is the plight of some of us, who rather than take the hurdles we come across in life as lessons and try to pick up the threads of our lives would fall deeper into the clutches of despair, despondence, depression.
My father has this theory: Constant wrong decisions = Failure
Time
I don't know where he got this but I believe it.. It's a formula he swears by and has instilled in all his children. I like this formula because it seems sound to me.... of course that does not necessarily mean that all who fail have constantly made wrong decisions or that making constantly right decisions if the fool-proof way to success but in a nutshell, the theory seems pretty concise to me.
This leads me to my post for today.... I was pondering about certain acquaintances of my husband and I who were very well to do in the late '90's and now live like paupers. I am in no way celebrating their lot but I spent a lot of time in thought about the term "falling from grace to grass". It hit home when we paid a visit to this couple.....
Case Study:
Joel (my hubby's childhood playmate)and Mariam (not real names) got married in the late '90's.... then it was all rosy as Joel had a lot of money from his "Oil Bunkering business" -the most legitimate of all illegal businesses- and he had so much cash to spend then.... they always had parties for absolutely no reason and Mariam was always off to some distant country to buy goods to sell.... They lived a fast life, spending, partying, having fun, I used to wonder then just how rich I would have to be to spend without planning- that was how it seemed to me. She had two kids in quick succession and life seemed like it was going to be eternally blissful because they were living the life!
Fast forward to 2003....my hubby was away in school so I basically lost contact with his 'friends' some of them called occasionally, others even visited. I lost all touch with Joel and Mariam. In 2005, we ran into them at an event and they look like a shadow of their former selves... No nice clothes, no bling and just plain simple... I had to ask my sis-in-law if she noticed. Of course she did and we wondered, but left it at that...
Moving on to this year I got a call from Joel that Mariam had just put to birth and he wanted us to know... being that the Christening fell on a week day, we were unable to attend (because of work commitments and hubby and I decided between ourselves to visit them on any given Saturday.
Two Saturdays ago, we decided to visit them and called to let them know we were on our way. Wifey reluctantly gave us sketchy descriptions to their place... we got to the general area and called...believe me, it took about 5 calls before she answered and gave some more directions. We eventually located the place and parked on the street because we were not told which house it was....It took an over 20 minute wait and our having to question some security guards with descriptions of the family and the fact that a new baby was born recently for them to identify the house were looking for. Hubby wanted to go in, but I dissuaded him and told him to be patient....after all, we didn't give them the benefit of telling them beforehand that we planned to visit....
Finally Mariam made her exit from the compound- as we say in naijaspeak- and ushered us in...she was a shadow of her former self and she looked so embarrassed.... we got in and were all trying to act normal and all, Joel initially claimed to be sleeping, but later came out and it was on the whole a painful visit.... I felt so bad and I just wondered what went wrong...we all chatted for a while about old times and then Joel took hubby aside and confided in him about his situation. He alluded to the fact that his wife and her family ran him down...He said he spent millions for her dads burial, she never brought a penny in from her business, kept demanding for money for more...How very easy to apportion blame! They never saved for a rainy day....How about the houses you were building, my hubby asked? Which house? Apparently she spun tales about that and a lot of other things as well...bla bla bla...but where do they start? With 3 kids and no income, what do they do?
Our analogy on our return home was that they did not invest.... they thought that whatever their source of income was would last forever.... I recalled the days when I would see Mariam and she would go, Joel's building 2 houses now...One in Lekki Phase 1 and the other at VGC...where are the houses? I'm going to the UK next week to buy things for resale... what happened?.... She never even completed her Law degree at the University because she dropped out of school after her wedding...why oh why? Even the business she was doing never brought any money in, she went back for more and more from her hubby for every trip, Whatever happened?
I mourned their circumstance but I took the lesson with me. It pays to live with an uncertain tomorrow in mind because change will come and then, what happens?.... What do we do if an ill wind blows our way? Of course the average Nigerian will bind and cast and say tufiakwa! But still we know that He who fails to plan has planned to fail. As for me and my house....God help us, we're planning for our tomorrow today!
'moni
Such is the plight of some of us, who rather than take the hurdles we come across in life as lessons and try to pick up the threads of our lives would fall deeper into the clutches of despair, despondence, depression.
My father has this theory: Constant wrong decisions = Failure
Time
I don't know where he got this but I believe it.. It's a formula he swears by and has instilled in all his children. I like this formula because it seems sound to me.... of course that does not necessarily mean that all who fail have constantly made wrong decisions or that making constantly right decisions if the fool-proof way to success but in a nutshell, the theory seems pretty concise to me.
This leads me to my post for today.... I was pondering about certain acquaintances of my husband and I who were very well to do in the late '90's and now live like paupers. I am in no way celebrating their lot but I spent a lot of time in thought about the term "falling from grace to grass". It hit home when we paid a visit to this couple.....
Case Study:
Joel (my hubby's childhood playmate)and Mariam (not real names) got married in the late '90's.... then it was all rosy as Joel had a lot of money from his "Oil Bunkering business" -the most legitimate of all illegal businesses- and he had so much cash to spend then.... they always had parties for absolutely no reason and Mariam was always off to some distant country to buy goods to sell.... They lived a fast life, spending, partying, having fun, I used to wonder then just how rich I would have to be to spend without planning- that was how it seemed to me. She had two kids in quick succession and life seemed like it was going to be eternally blissful because they were living the life!
Fast forward to 2003....my hubby was away in school so I basically lost contact with his 'friends' some of them called occasionally, others even visited. I lost all touch with Joel and Mariam. In 2005, we ran into them at an event and they look like a shadow of their former selves... No nice clothes, no bling and just plain simple... I had to ask my sis-in-law if she noticed. Of course she did and we wondered, but left it at that...
Moving on to this year I got a call from Joel that Mariam had just put to birth and he wanted us to know... being that the Christening fell on a week day, we were unable to attend (because of work commitments and hubby and I decided between ourselves to visit them on any given Saturday.
Two Saturdays ago, we decided to visit them and called to let them know we were on our way. Wifey reluctantly gave us sketchy descriptions to their place... we got to the general area and called...believe me, it took about 5 calls before she answered and gave some more directions. We eventually located the place and parked on the street because we were not told which house it was....It took an over 20 minute wait and our having to question some security guards with descriptions of the family and the fact that a new baby was born recently for them to identify the house were looking for. Hubby wanted to go in, but I dissuaded him and told him to be patient....after all, we didn't give them the benefit of telling them beforehand that we planned to visit....
Finally Mariam made her exit from the compound- as we say in naijaspeak- and ushered us in...she was a shadow of her former self and she looked so embarrassed.... we got in and were all trying to act normal and all, Joel initially claimed to be sleeping, but later came out and it was on the whole a painful visit.... I felt so bad and I just wondered what went wrong...we all chatted for a while about old times and then Joel took hubby aside and confided in him about his situation. He alluded to the fact that his wife and her family ran him down...He said he spent millions for her dads burial, she never brought a penny in from her business, kept demanding for money for more...How very easy to apportion blame! They never saved for a rainy day....How about the houses you were building, my hubby asked? Which house? Apparently she spun tales about that and a lot of other things as well...bla bla bla...but where do they start? With 3 kids and no income, what do they do?
Our analogy on our return home was that they did not invest.... they thought that whatever their source of income was would last forever.... I recalled the days when I would see Mariam and she would go, Joel's building 2 houses now...One in Lekki Phase 1 and the other at VGC...where are the houses? I'm going to the UK next week to buy things for resale... what happened?.... She never even completed her Law degree at the University because she dropped out of school after her wedding...why oh why? Even the business she was doing never brought any money in, she went back for more and more from her hubby for every trip, Whatever happened?
I mourned their circumstance but I took the lesson with me. It pays to live with an uncertain tomorrow in mind because change will come and then, what happens?.... What do we do if an ill wind blows our way? Of course the average Nigerian will bind and cast and say tufiakwa! But still we know that He who fails to plan has planned to fail. As for me and my house....God help us, we're planning for our tomorrow today!
'moni
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The inception of the GSM in '01 was of course a welcome development in Nigeria and a lot of us folks felt that we were 'getting there' upon acquisition of our own lines and phones... But of course, the gsm has come fraught with its attendant wahala as well...
It has wrecked relationships/marriages, caused people to lose jobs and caused untold embarrassment to lots of people.
Am I making sense here? I'm willing to bet I'm not, but let me share some stories with you...
1. I have these friends from Secondary School, we all know each other and I recently found out both of them are not so cool with each other anymore, they're only on Hello-Hi levels... Caused some surprise I tell you, so I enquired from them separately as to what the matter was...I asked the girl first and she went, "don't mind him jo...I saw him at a wedding and he was being very cold so I just decided to give him space since then..." Humph...nothing there...I asked the guy and he was like "I saw her at a wedding...some of my friends I went with were admiring her from afar so I told them, OH, I know that babe now, we were in school together, bla bla bla..she's my buddy"... he further decided to call her to prove "tightness?" to his guys and they all watched her from where they were seated....He saw her reach into her bag.....take her phone....look at the caller name... make a really nasty face and return the phone into her bag...he assured me it wasn't funny as his guys still yap him about it to date... Of course they 'ran into' themselves at the wedding but he was not as warm as she wanted him to be...
2. I was driving out with my hubby one weekend and he got a call from one of his Oga's at work... he was supposed to be at work that morning but did not go thanks to my *clears throat* persuasiveness.. anyway, he checked his phone and saw his oga's number and asked me to answer and tell him he had gone out and left his phone at home. Here's how it went:
Me- Hello?
Mr. T- Hello Madam, how are you? Give the phone to Mr. Nyemoni, tell him it's Mr. T
Me- I'm sorry but he's not around, he.....
Mr. T- (laffing really hard) Hahahaha...Tell him I'm driving behind him...so he's sending his wife to cover up for him eh? Hahahaha
Let's just say we're glad the guy is an understanding Oga or else....
3. My daughter has on countless occasions tried to embarrass me when I do the "my husband left his phone at home thing"...she always screams, my daddy is at HOME!!! lol..Now when I want to lie, I run of her earshot....
4. There are countless incidents of people reading their partners text messages and finding out what they really did not expect... I don't want to go into that because I heard too may horror stories... People please...share your GSM gist! Laterz!
`moni
Friday, August 24, 2007
Let's face it. Some of us pretend we like some genres of music just so we can be seen as being "in the know". We are all guilty of this. Some people choke down food they don't like, others read a book or watch a movie they don't like and because everyone else is raving about it, they go- that book was Faaaab! I couldn't wait to get to the end.....Uh, wait a minute....maybe so, but for entirely different reasons. Some go, "How I loved that movie, my favourite scene was bla bla bla.... I could watch it again and again.." Like really?
For me, it was all about the jazz! I have deceived myself for as long as I can remember that I like jazz, probably because the rest of my family does and have even gone as far as buying a jazz CD or two....I finally faced it last 2 weeks or so when I was in training and had to listen to jazz every morning before the training session began. This went on until....Lord...I couldn't take it anymore.....the last day of training, I actually asked the guy who set up the projectors and all to kindly play something else.....lol! I finally accepted the fact that Jazz doesn't soothe me, it doesn't calm my nerves, it doesn't do ANYTHING for me! I'm sorry Kenny G, but what I do like are instrumentals, I like the piano, the guitar, the cello, the harmonica, and the drums...any kind of drums...but the SAX does absolutely nothing except annoy me! I've decided I'm going to give out my Jazz CD's to true lovers of Jazz, maybe my sister or one of my brothers. Let's just hope they really love jazz and aren't kidding themselves ;-) As for me.... I've decided to come out of the closet... I DON'T LIKE JAZZ!!!
By the way, I'm reading.....
Think devil wears Prada...if you like chic, witty books you'll like this one! I'll fill you in on this one next week! Laters people! ;-)
'moni
For me, it was all about the jazz! I have deceived myself for as long as I can remember that I like jazz, probably because the rest of my family does and have even gone as far as buying a jazz CD or two....I finally faced it last 2 weeks or so when I was in training and had to listen to jazz every morning before the training session began. This went on until....Lord...I couldn't take it anymore.....the last day of training, I actually asked the guy who set up the projectors and all to kindly play something else.....lol! I finally accepted the fact that Jazz doesn't soothe me, it doesn't calm my nerves, it doesn't do ANYTHING for me! I'm sorry Kenny G, but what I do like are instrumentals, I like the piano, the guitar, the cello, the harmonica, and the drums...any kind of drums...but the SAX does absolutely nothing except annoy me! I've decided I'm going to give out my Jazz CD's to true lovers of Jazz, maybe my sister or one of my brothers. Let's just hope they really love jazz and aren't kidding themselves ;-) As for me.... I've decided to come out of the closet... I DON'T LIKE JAZZ!!!
By the way, I'm reading.....
Think devil wears Prada...if you like chic, witty books you'll like this one! I'll fill you in on this one next week! Laters people! ;-)
'moni
Friday, August 17, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
*pix courtesy this blogI'm not usually one to do this, but I just have to cos I'm sooooooooo feeling this girl... I'm talking about TY Bello. She used to belong to the girl band KUSH which comprised Lara Bajomo, Emem Ema and TY Sokefun and they had the popular hit: Let's live together.
A graduate of Economics from the University of Lagos, TY also belongs to Depth of Field, a collective of six Nigerian Photographers: Kelechi Amadi Obi, Emeka Okereke, Uchechukwu James-Iroha, Zaynab Odunsi, Amaize Ojeikere and TY Bello. Their aim? Creating a complex portrait of the Lagos and its multitude of dimensions....from what I have seen of them, they have done very well...
The girls from KUSH have gone on to do their own things and TY Bello's new album Greenland is one of the products of the disbandment of the group.. I have so far heard only one song from the Album: Green Land and I am completely blown away! I heard it about a month and a half ago on CoolFM and I heard it on and on.... yesterday I was watching MTV Base- which is usually not my fav spot on TV- and I saw the video..It was simply a breath of fresh air!! I was so impressed by the video, I just kept dancing and singing along....I will SO buy that Album the minute I see it!!!
Anyway, everyone should look out for it cos it's really a nice song and I'm not going to list any other song as is my tradition on Fridays...
Guys, enjoy your weekend, stay safe and don't do anything I wouldn't do!!!
One love my people...
`moni
Monday, August 06, 2007
I'm back to work! Yeah so United won Chelsea yesterday in the fight for the Community Shield at Wembley. Yay!! Edwin van der Sar was the man... Big ups my fellow United suppoters and OUCH you blues, try again! Our next challenge: Glentoran FC on the 8th... Let's give it all we've got!
ONE UNITED!
This PHCN sef.....
So it's possible to have almost constant power supply in Nigeria? Who would have thought. Can someone please tell me why PHCN always supplies light in Lagos these days? I say Lagos cos I don't know for sure about the other states of the Federation but everywhere I go, everyone says the same thing: There's amost always light - at least 70% of the time. I am scared cos I think they're going to get ugly real soon...some one tell me to be more optimistic cos I fear I'm being a pessimist
Who gave the order?
What's up with the fashion police? Who appointed anyone Lord over outfits Lagosians wear? I've been hearing this "confirmed" rumor that people are being picked up because of their attire. Guys with dread locks and earrings on are being arrested, as well as ladies who show off more than they care to see..... I want to know if anyone can confirm what I heard on the radio today, that they take these people they arrest to an undisclosed location in Lagos and force them to Learn a trade...I'm concerned because we have serious security issues in Lagos with Armed men controlling a lot of places in the Lagos Metropolis, e.g, Akpongbon Bridge, Lekki- Ajah Expressway, Oshodi Expressway, Orile -Mile 12 Route, etc and nothing is being done about this... Pray tell, is fashion the most pressing of our issues? Tell me, WHO GAVE THE ORDER?
Big Brother Africa
BBA is back with the second edition... it features 12 people, 6 guys, 6 gals from 12 different countries in Africa: Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe..
Nigerian Ofunneka is repping for 9ja... I watched it for a bit yesterday and so fa? I'm not so impressed, well lets just watch and see shall we?
Take care....
'moni
ONE UNITED!
This PHCN sef.....
So it's possible to have almost constant power supply in Nigeria? Who would have thought. Can someone please tell me why PHCN always supplies light in Lagos these days? I say Lagos cos I don't know for sure about the other states of the Federation but everywhere I go, everyone says the same thing: There's amost always light - at least 70% of the time. I am scared cos I think they're going to get ugly real soon...some one tell me to be more optimistic cos I fear I'm being a pessimist
Who gave the order?
What's up with the fashion police? Who appointed anyone Lord over outfits Lagosians wear? I've been hearing this "confirmed" rumor that people are being picked up because of their attire. Guys with dread locks and earrings on are being arrested, as well as ladies who show off more than they care to see..... I want to know if anyone can confirm what I heard on the radio today, that they take these people they arrest to an undisclosed location in Lagos and force them to Learn a trade...I'm concerned because we have serious security issues in Lagos with Armed men controlling a lot of places in the Lagos Metropolis, e.g, Akpongbon Bridge, Lekki- Ajah Expressway, Oshodi Expressway, Orile -Mile 12 Route, etc and nothing is being done about this... Pray tell, is fashion the most pressing of our issues? Tell me, WHO GAVE THE ORDER?
Big Brother Africa
BBA is back with the second edition... it features 12 people, 6 guys, 6 gals from 12 different countries in Africa: Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe..
Nigerian Ofunneka is repping for 9ja... I watched it for a bit yesterday and so fa? I'm not so impressed, well lets just watch and see shall we?
Take care....
'moni
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Hello Blogfam,
Thanks for all the love as per my Blogiversary lol.... I have been at some random place on the Island for a training programme... I'm supposed to come back with more skillz to equip me to give better service to my employers bla bla bla... just came in to the office now to write a report and couldn't resist dropping a line...anyway, I have a helluva catching up to do on all your blogs...
My sister who gave birth on May 15th is in Nigeria with her baby for her maternity leave - in Canada, they have 1 years' maternity leave - I get to see her this weekend after almost a year, plus she has a thanksgiving service on Sunday! I'm super excited! Anyway, spoke to her earlier today and she was asking about my blogfam... she sends her love!
I'll be back in the office on Monday 6th August so expect a post then...Until then, have a lovely weekend!
Mad love!
'moni...
P.S
Music I've been listenin' to....
Plain white T's -Hey there Delilah
KD Lang - Crying
The Fray - How to save a life
Green Day - Working Class Hero
Thanks for all the love as per my Blogiversary lol.... I have been at some random place on the Island for a training programme... I'm supposed to come back with more skillz to equip me to give better service to my employers bla bla bla... just came in to the office now to write a report and couldn't resist dropping a line...anyway, I have a helluva catching up to do on all your blogs...
My sister who gave birth on May 15th is in Nigeria with her baby for her maternity leave - in Canada, they have 1 years' maternity leave - I get to see her this weekend after almost a year, plus she has a thanksgiving service on Sunday! I'm super excited! Anyway, spoke to her earlier today and she was asking about my blogfam... she sends her love!
I'll be back in the office on Monday 6th August so expect a post then...Until then, have a lovely weekend!
Mad love!
'moni...
P.S
Music I've been listenin' to....
Plain white T's -Hey there Delilah
KD Lang - Crying
The Fray - How to save a life
Green Day - Working Class Hero
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Hey! It's my 1st blogiversary! I started blogging on Tuesday, July 25, 2006 and it's been quite an experience! Blogging has opened a whole new page in my life and I tuly have no regrets starting this blog... I've made many friends and some enemies too but Hey! It's mostly been worthwhile... Thanks to blogging, I now have these group of people who I call my blog fam...
It took me quite a while before I decided to start this blog mostly because of my desire to remain anonymous and also because I thought it would be too much quality time spent killing my eyes, but I'm glad I took the leap O' faith and ventured into the blog world.
I remember the very first blog I stumbled upon, sometime in June last year. The layout was pink and I saw the eyes of a young lady staring at me...I'd been trying to get some info on coolfm and I was led by google to this post... I read through a lot of her posts and left with tired eyes, didn't go back for another month...but then I returned.. opening link after link and I discovered a whole new world...
The journey's been fun so far, sometimes I come to blogsville just to get away from reality for a bit and to have a laugh.... I'm just really glad I started this... Here's to many more blogiversaries! Guys, thanks for taking this journey with me and I hope blogging has been as much fun for you as it has been for me.... Cheers y'all!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
I am …NYEMONI
My ex-boyfriend ….turned out to be my husband..... Maybe I should …get another job? I love …Music! I don't understand.....accounting! I'm not even interested in the least! I lost my....toe ring last year My current boyfriend is …my husband People say I'm ….fun to be with Love is …diverse Somewhere, someone is…getting murdered
I will always... love books Forever is....eternity I never want to…have to kill anyone I think the current President is….a subject under review
When I wake up in the morning….I thank the Lord for yet another day Life is full of....mysteries My past is.....incredibly bland! I get annoyed when….I see bad quality customer service Parties are for...having fun! Girls are ...complex creatures Sex is…. overrated I wish...I had more financial prowess Tomorrow I'm going to…..take my daughter out! I really want some….more of God in my life! I have low tolerance for people who….are pathological liars If I had a million dollars... I’d never be broke again My job makes me…. wanna go crazy!
What's on my playlist? Robin Thicke - Lost without you (finally caught the bug) Rihanna - Umbrella Gwen Stefani - 4 in the morning Justin Timberlake - Ayo Technology Ciara - Like a boy Beyonce - Get me bodied Akon feat Bone Thugs n Harmony - I tried Nickleback -If everyone cared Fergie - Glamorous (This is cos of my daughter!)
Have a great weekend everyone! I'll try to post something "sensible" next week... It's been really tough at the office these few weeks...and all ye reading this are hereby tagged! CIAO for now!
'moni
Friday, July 13, 2007
"The superstitious man is to the rogue what the slave is to the tyrant." -Voltaire
They say Friday the 13th is an unlucky day.... True, for people who believe in superstition but I don't belong to that category of people. I however want to blog about Friday the 13th and also list some superstitious beliefs I've heard....
Friday the 13th
As we all know, the 13th of any month which falls on a Friday is considered Friday the 13th. The number 13 is considered an unlucky number and Friday is considered an unlucky day, I think this has a lot to do with Friday the 13th theory, i.e. two unlucky factors...The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia.
Other superstitious beliefs
- The number 13 is unlucky. 12a is sometimes used as a substitute and some buildings skip floor 13 completely. Other superstitious beliefs related to the number 13 are:
More than 80 percent of high-rises lack a 13th floor.
Many airports skip the 13th gate.
Airplanes have no 13th aisle.
Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.
Italians omit the number 13 from their national lottery.
On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12
and a half.
Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue
- Breaking a mirror will result in 7 years of bad luck.
- The numbers 7 and 9 are "lucky."
- It will bring you bad luck if you step on the cracks in a sidewalk.
- Expectant mother should throw salt three times behind herself shortly before her 'Due Date'
to ease her labour
- Placing a hat on a table is bad luck.
- In the United States, many people believe that two-dollar bill brings bad luck. Gamblers
sometimes call it a "deuce", a term for two which also means "devil."
- Black cats are generally considered unlucky; when a black cat crosses one's path, something
bad will happen
- Wearing clothes/ Underwear inside out brings good luck
- A penny is found heads up, it will grant good luck, however, tails up will grant bad luck.
- If one walks underneath an open ladder it brings bad luck.
- It is considered bad luck to open an Umbrella indoors.
- If your right eye twitches you will soon have good luck. If the left eye twitches the reverse
applies.
- To drop a fork means a man is coming to visit.
- If the palm of your right hand itches it means you will soon be getting money.
- If the palm of your left hand itches it means you will soon be paying out money.
- A mirror should be covered during a thunderstorm because it attracts lightning.
- All wishes on shooting stars come true. (Star light, star bright First star I see tonight, I wish I
may, I wish I might Have the wish I wish tonight)
- Knock three times on wood after mentioning good fortune so evil spirits won't ruin it.
- If you make a wish while throwing a coin into a well or fountain, the wish will come true.
- For a lucky bride: Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue and a
lucky sixpence In her shoe.
Do share the superstitious beliefs you've heard, whether you believe them or not!
`moni
They say Friday the 13th is an unlucky day.... True, for people who believe in superstition but I don't belong to that category of people. I however want to blog about Friday the 13th and also list some superstitious beliefs I've heard....
Friday the 13th
As we all know, the 13th of any month which falls on a Friday is considered Friday the 13th. The number 13 is considered an unlucky number and Friday is considered an unlucky day, I think this has a lot to do with Friday the 13th theory, i.e. two unlucky factors...The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia.
Other superstitious beliefs
- The number 13 is unlucky. 12a is sometimes used as a substitute and some buildings skip floor 13 completely. Other superstitious beliefs related to the number 13 are:
More than 80 percent of high-rises lack a 13th floor.
Many airports skip the 13th gate.
Airplanes have no 13th aisle.
Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room number 13.
Italians omit the number 13 from their national lottery.
On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12
and a half.
Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue
- Breaking a mirror will result in 7 years of bad luck.
- The numbers 7 and 9 are "lucky."
- It will bring you bad luck if you step on the cracks in a sidewalk.
- Expectant mother should throw salt three times behind herself shortly before her 'Due Date'
to ease her labour
- Placing a hat on a table is bad luck.
- In the United States, many people believe that two-dollar bill brings bad luck. Gamblers
sometimes call it a "deuce", a term for two which also means "devil."
- Black cats are generally considered unlucky; when a black cat crosses one's path, something
bad will happen
- Wearing clothes/ Underwear inside out brings good luck
- A penny is found heads up, it will grant good luck, however, tails up will grant bad luck.
- If one walks underneath an open ladder it brings bad luck.
- It is considered bad luck to open an Umbrella indoors.
- If your right eye twitches you will soon have good luck. If the left eye twitches the reverse
applies.
- To drop a fork means a man is coming to visit.
- If the palm of your right hand itches it means you will soon be getting money.
- If the palm of your left hand itches it means you will soon be paying out money.
- A mirror should be covered during a thunderstorm because it attracts lightning.
- All wishes on shooting stars come true. (Star light, star bright First star I see tonight, I wish I
may, I wish I might Have the wish I wish tonight)
- Knock three times on wood after mentioning good fortune so evil spirits won't ruin it.
- If you make a wish while throwing a coin into a well or fountain, the wish will come true.
- For a lucky bride: Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue and a
lucky sixpence In her shoe.
Do share the superstitious beliefs you've heard, whether you believe them or not!
`moni
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Monday, July 02, 2007
My mother taught me Endurance. Her words were “what cannot be cured must be endured” She taught me to endure whatever obstacle life brings my way such that it would not bring me down; rather I would learn a lesson and be better for it.
My mother taught me resilience. She taught me to get up if and when I fall down.
My mother taught me kindness. She showed me how to look at every man as an equal and not to think that I was better than any just because I had certain privileges they didn’t have.
She also taught me humility. That’s the only thing one cant brag about having so I’ll leave it at that and let someone else say it on my behalf!
My mother taught me perseverance. She made me understand that the road may be long and I would be weary, but showed me that I’ve been equipped to handle all of life’s challenges.
She taught me to live well beneath my means. That way, I’d be able to manage most of my affairs (if not all) without having to borrow unnecessarily and thus compromise my stability.
My mother taught me the beauty of giving…… I now understand what it means to give without expecting anything in return and I love the feeling I have when I give, no matter how little it is………
She taught me Laughter. She taught me how laughter can change situations no matter how bad and she taught me how to take a joke. She taught me to pay now, play later… that’s the way I learned responsibility.
She taught me how to earn trust. It showed in the way I was alone and unsupervised for four years in the University paying all my fees, going to classes religiously, studying, earning my grades and graduating. All that was done without one visit from my parents to my school, from my matriculation day to graduation day.
My mother taught me Faith. She taught me the word of God which says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…..
She taught me the power of prayers…I’ve learnt that its power is immeasurable………she also taught me hope… sometimes it’s all some people have got……most of all, my mother taught me love. She taught me to love beyond reason, without reason and to love just because God says so.
My mother taught me all these and much more… I cannot imagine my life without her guidance, counseling and direction. She’s played the most important role in my life by miles and I cannot thank God enough for giving me to her … I wish that I be wise and patient enough to teach my children as she taught my siblings and I and pray that her children are able to show her how much she means to us… She may or may never get to read this but I just hope she hears the song of my heart… Mummy, I love and appreciate you… May God bless you with long life and show you His salvation.
‘moni
My mother taught me resilience. She taught me to get up if and when I fall down.
My mother taught me kindness. She showed me how to look at every man as an equal and not to think that I was better than any just because I had certain privileges they didn’t have.
She also taught me humility. That’s the only thing one cant brag about having so I’ll leave it at that and let someone else say it on my behalf!
My mother taught me perseverance. She made me understand that the road may be long and I would be weary, but showed me that I’ve been equipped to handle all of life’s challenges.
She taught me to live well beneath my means. That way, I’d be able to manage most of my affairs (if not all) without having to borrow unnecessarily and thus compromise my stability.
My mother taught me the beauty of giving…… I now understand what it means to give without expecting anything in return and I love the feeling I have when I give, no matter how little it is………
She taught me Laughter. She taught me how laughter can change situations no matter how bad and she taught me how to take a joke. She taught me to pay now, play later… that’s the way I learned responsibility.
She taught me how to earn trust. It showed in the way I was alone and unsupervised for four years in the University paying all my fees, going to classes religiously, studying, earning my grades and graduating. All that was done without one visit from my parents to my school, from my matriculation day to graduation day.
My mother taught me Faith. She taught me the word of God which says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…..
She taught me the power of prayers…I’ve learnt that its power is immeasurable………she also taught me hope… sometimes it’s all some people have got……most of all, my mother taught me love. She taught me to love beyond reason, without reason and to love just because God says so.
My mother taught me all these and much more… I cannot imagine my life without her guidance, counseling and direction. She’s played the most important role in my life by miles and I cannot thank God enough for giving me to her … I wish that I be wise and patient enough to teach my children as she taught my siblings and I and pray that her children are able to show her how much she means to us… She may or may never get to read this but I just hope she hears the song of my heart… Mummy, I love and appreciate you… May God bless you with long life and show you His salvation.
‘moni
Friday, June 22, 2007
Hey Guys,
It's been such a long minute.... and it's not just about the strike... Yeah, the strike has taken it's toll on me but it's not just the strike... it's something in the air.... like the world has come to a standstill... but then I know the world's not at a standstill.....but what with No Power supply, No fuel for my car or generator and to top it all, I went to the market today and things were three times the usual price! I'm not talking about tinned food or cleaning items, I'm talking about the kind of food I like to eat- Plantains, Yams, goat meat, etc... Plantain was sold at 400 Naira for four fingers.... Oranges were 25o Naira for a dozen, everything was so expensive and when you complained, they went... "no be me do o! Na fuel cause am... transport wey I carry come market today...." Na wah o! Nigeria na wah...
I asked a friend who is coming from obodoyibo to buy me a pair of these slippers below...
It's been such a long minute.... and it's not just about the strike... Yeah, the strike has taken it's toll on me but it's not just the strike... it's something in the air.... like the world has come to a standstill... but then I know the world's not at a standstill.....but what with No Power supply, No fuel for my car or generator and to top it all, I went to the market today and things were three times the usual price! I'm not talking about tinned food or cleaning items, I'm talking about the kind of food I like to eat- Plantains, Yams, goat meat, etc... Plantain was sold at 400 Naira for four fingers.... Oranges were 25o Naira for a dozen, everything was so expensive and when you complained, they went... "no be me do o! Na fuel cause am... transport wey I carry come market today...." Na wah o! Nigeria na wah...
I asked a friend who is coming from obodoyibo to buy me a pair of these slippers below...
I had them when I was younger, and they were so comfy... I kept reminding her to buy them and she was like "no be dat skoll? No worry now, I go buy am" And I remembered that I used to call them skolls as a child.... in fact everyone in my family used to call them that. I realized that we found a way of twisting the name Dr. Scholl around to suit us and the name skoll was formed, and it was not just us, everyone around was calling them skolls. I printed out a copy of the lovelies and took them home to my hubby and asked him if he had seen those around in the late '80's and he went.... those are skolls now, my mum and sisters used to have them then! lol...
It got me thinking of other names Nigerians had reinvented..... I have a few lined up for you....
Real Name..........Nigerian version
Scribbling.......................Jagajaga
Slides..............................Jangulova (Ekpu Motor)
Bottle cork.....................Counter
Platforms.......................Secretariat
briefs..............................Soccer pant
rouge..............................rosy cheeks
Clean shaven head.......Gorimapa
albino..............................opulo pulo
the words
move over......................dress or shift
the day after tomorrow..... next tomorrow
LOL....there are so many others... I just can't think...feel free to remind me! I just needed to put my thoughts down for some comic relief....
Songs I'm feeling
I wanna have your babies - Natasha Bedingfield
Lil Star - Kelis ft. Cee-lo
Who knew- P!nk
Break it off- Sean Paul and Rihanna
Buy you a drank- Tpayne
Lost one -Jay Z
This is all for the weekend guys..... stay safe y'all.... have fun!
Cheers,
`mon!
Friday, June 15, 2007
Hey guys, wassup? Nothing new is happening oh! I've been too busy to blog, but I've been around blogville dropping comments here and there... Wow, so much is going on in blogville, most importantly Blogville Idols, an initiative of Pink Satin and Naija Opeke and hosted by Cheetarah..... check it out here.
So yesterday, we saw Naijadude and Nigerican leave.... it was so sad, but well, people had to leave... I see a bright future for them cos I think they've got what it takes to make it...lol! Well done guys! The show is now down to 12 contestants...Bimbylads, 2nd Corinthians 5:17, Abujababe, Bobby, Chicala, Diary of a G, Everybody loves a 9ja girl, I am a Babe, Idemilli, Lurlar, Mimi, Sparkle & Taureanminx...let's see how the next e-LIVE show will go!
In Nigeria, there are two major things making headlines...Mujahid Asari Dokubo has been released medical grounds.. You may read more here
Peter Obi has also been reinstated by the Supreme Court as the Anambra State Governor. The court ordered Obi to remain in office till March 17, 2010, when his four-year tenure would terminate. Obi’s reinstatement came just 17 days after Andy Uba was inaugurated governor following the controversial April 14 gubernatorial election in the state.In a landmark unanimous judgment, the apex court ruled that since Obi was sworn as Anambra State governor on March 17 2006, the constitutionally guaranteed four-year tenure must be respected. The reinstated governor had gone to the Supreme Court to appeal the earlier ruling of the high court and court of appeal that had declined jurisdiction to hear the suit."The Independent National Electoral Commission was wrong to have conducted elections to fill a non-existent governorship in Anambra State," Aloysius Katsina-Alu said in the unanimous judgment of the full complement of a panel of seven Supreme Court justices.
They ordered Uba to vacate office immediately. In Awka, the capital of Anambra State, Uba, the erstwhile governor, was addressing a gathering of traditional rulers when one of his aides handed over the phone to him. After receiving the call, his countenance changed. He quickly ended his speech, drove straight to the Government House and hurried out of the premises 20 minutes later at 2.45 pm with his personal aides in a convoy. The special adviser on media and strategy to Uba, Okey Ifionu, said that they were taking the judgment with "philosophical calmness".
Former governor of the state, Chris Ngige, while congratulating Obi "on his victory" said the judgment will mark the end of the crisis in the state.The pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze nd’Igbo, praised the judiciary for upholding the ethos of the democratic process. Dozie Ikedife, its president general, said: "This has gone to show that the judiciary in Nigeria can be trusted and this has also shown that Anambra State remains a reference point in the political permutations of Nigeria. It has in a way proved to us that our democracy is growing and we in Ohaneze congratulate Obi for ensuring that the due democracy is growing."
Obi’s deputy, Virgy Etiaba, who was at the court when judgment was delivered, could not hide her joy as she danced and sang praises to God. Uba who was declared winner of the controversial governorship election in the state ran under the platform of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), while Obi, representing the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), won the 2003 election but could only assume office after three bitter years of legal struggle.
In Onitsha, Awka and other towns in the state, it was celebrations galore on the streets when news broke on the Supreme Court judgment. Ike Olisa, an Onitsha-based trader, told Business Day that justice had been done to the people of Anambra State. "The whole election process that brought Andy Uba was a farce and magical," he said.
Reacting to the judgment, Olisa Agbakoba, the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and an indigene of Anambra State, said it was a fantastic decision. "I am delighted that Andy Uba is out of office. He rigged his way into office. Anambra people did not vote for him. There was no election in Anambra State. Andy Uba should leave office immediately", he said.
Commending the judgment, Agbakoba said the judiciary had been the "saviour of the 2007 election. At every point that government and its machinery tried to undermine the process and subvert the will of the people during the last general election, it is the judiciary that intervened to bring justice and restore confidence of Nigerians."
Lagos lawyer Femi Falana hailed the judgment, saying last April’s election where Uba was declared winner was a nullity, adding that there was no need for an election in the first place.Mike Ahamba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said no governorship election would be due in Anambra State until 2010 when Obi would complete his tenure.
Info on Anambra State Courtesy Businessday....
More to come...
`moni
So yesterday, we saw Naijadude and Nigerican leave.... it was so sad, but well, people had to leave... I see a bright future for them cos I think they've got what it takes to make it...lol! Well done guys! The show is now down to 12 contestants...Bimbylads, 2nd Corinthians 5:17, Abujababe, Bobby, Chicala, Diary of a G, Everybody loves a 9ja girl, I am a Babe, Idemilli, Lurlar, Mimi, Sparkle & Taureanminx...let's see how the next e-LIVE show will go!
In Nigeria, there are two major things making headlines...Mujahid Asari Dokubo has been released medical grounds.. You may read more here
Peter Obi has also been reinstated by the Supreme Court as the Anambra State Governor. The court ordered Obi to remain in office till March 17, 2010, when his four-year tenure would terminate. Obi’s reinstatement came just 17 days after Andy Uba was inaugurated governor following the controversial April 14 gubernatorial election in the state.In a landmark unanimous judgment, the apex court ruled that since Obi was sworn as Anambra State governor on March 17 2006, the constitutionally guaranteed four-year tenure must be respected. The reinstated governor had gone to the Supreme Court to appeal the earlier ruling of the high court and court of appeal that had declined jurisdiction to hear the suit."The Independent National Electoral Commission was wrong to have conducted elections to fill a non-existent governorship in Anambra State," Aloysius Katsina-Alu said in the unanimous judgment of the full complement of a panel of seven Supreme Court justices.
They ordered Uba to vacate office immediately. In Awka, the capital of Anambra State, Uba, the erstwhile governor, was addressing a gathering of traditional rulers when one of his aides handed over the phone to him. After receiving the call, his countenance changed. He quickly ended his speech, drove straight to the Government House and hurried out of the premises 20 minutes later at 2.45 pm with his personal aides in a convoy. The special adviser on media and strategy to Uba, Okey Ifionu, said that they were taking the judgment with "philosophical calmness".
Former governor of the state, Chris Ngige, while congratulating Obi "on his victory" said the judgment will mark the end of the crisis in the state.The pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze nd’Igbo, praised the judiciary for upholding the ethos of the democratic process. Dozie Ikedife, its president general, said: "This has gone to show that the judiciary in Nigeria can be trusted and this has also shown that Anambra State remains a reference point in the political permutations of Nigeria. It has in a way proved to us that our democracy is growing and we in Ohaneze congratulate Obi for ensuring that the due democracy is growing."
Obi’s deputy, Virgy Etiaba, who was at the court when judgment was delivered, could not hide her joy as she danced and sang praises to God. Uba who was declared winner of the controversial governorship election in the state ran under the platform of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), while Obi, representing the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), won the 2003 election but could only assume office after three bitter years of legal struggle.
In Onitsha, Awka and other towns in the state, it was celebrations galore on the streets when news broke on the Supreme Court judgment. Ike Olisa, an Onitsha-based trader, told Business Day that justice had been done to the people of Anambra State. "The whole election process that brought Andy Uba was a farce and magical," he said.
Reacting to the judgment, Olisa Agbakoba, the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and an indigene of Anambra State, said it was a fantastic decision. "I am delighted that Andy Uba is out of office. He rigged his way into office. Anambra people did not vote for him. There was no election in Anambra State. Andy Uba should leave office immediately", he said.
Commending the judgment, Agbakoba said the judiciary had been the "saviour of the 2007 election. At every point that government and its machinery tried to undermine the process and subvert the will of the people during the last general election, it is the judiciary that intervened to bring justice and restore confidence of Nigerians."
Lagos lawyer Femi Falana hailed the judgment, saying last April’s election where Uba was declared winner was a nullity, adding that there was no need for an election in the first place.Mike Ahamba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said no governorship election would be due in Anambra State until 2010 when Obi would complete his tenure.
Info on Anambra State Courtesy Businessday....
More to come...
`moni
Friday, June 08, 2007
Thank God it's Friday!!!!!
So I got off work late.... so what? I'm grateful to God that He has taken me through this week without any mishaps and everything concerning me is well by His grace!
I pray that next week will be better that this week...Amen...
and the week after that will be better than next week... etc...Amen...
I just want to wish everyone who reads this a lovely, fun filled weekend!!! May the hand of the Almighty always be upon your lives... Enjoy your weekend! Mwah!
xoxoxoxoxo
`moni
Thursday, June 07, 2007
TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW
In a Laundromat:AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT
In a London department store:BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS
In an office:WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN
In an office:AFTER TEA BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD
Outside a secondhand shop: WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?
Notice in health food shop window:CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS
Spotted in a safari park:(I sure hope so)ELEPHANTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR
Seen during a conference:FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR
Notice in a farmer's field: THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.
Message on a leaflet:IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSONS
On a repair shop door:WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK)
LOL!!!
`moni
In a Laundromat:AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT
In a London department store:BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS
In an office:WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN
In an office:AFTER TEA BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD
Outside a secondhand shop: WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?
Notice in health food shop window:CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS
Spotted in a safari park:(I sure hope so)ELEPHANTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR
Seen during a conference:FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR
Notice in a farmer's field: THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.
Message on a leaflet:IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSONS
On a repair shop door:WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK)
LOL!!!
`moni
I don't usually do this, but I just couldn't resist!
US celebrity hotel heiress Paris Hilton has been released from prison in Los Angeles after serving just three days of her 23-day sentence for a probation violation, it was reported today.Website TMZ had learned that Paris Hilton has not only had her sentence cut short, she was already out of jail."Unimpeachable sources tell TMZ the deal was sealed yesterday, and that Hilton made her exit early this morning," said TMZ.She was originally sentenced to 45 days in jail, but that was reduced to 23. She served a total of three days.
Read more here, here and here
Why am I not surprised?
`moni
US celebrity hotel heiress Paris Hilton has been released from prison in Los Angeles after serving just three days of her 23-day sentence for a probation violation, it was reported today.Website TMZ had learned that Paris Hilton has not only had her sentence cut short, she was already out of jail."Unimpeachable sources tell TMZ the deal was sealed yesterday, and that Hilton made her exit early this morning," said TMZ.She was originally sentenced to 45 days in jail, but that was reduced to 23. She served a total of three days.
Read more here, here and here
Why am I not surprised?
`moni
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
