EASTER PLANS TURN OUT…

So! I was out of radar for close to five days, courtesy Easter youth camp. The camp’s location was outskirts of Ibadan and in one word I’m glad I actually camped. If you follow me on twitter and you read my last six tweets or so last two Thursdays, you may have noticed I was on the road. I journeyed to break bounds, I have never gone camping before and this was a big step for me. Talking about camps, well I guess 99% of camps in Nigeria are Christian camps (OK! No exaggerations) 95% just in case some Muslims do organize camps they’d have 2% , for the neutral camps that go the western way they’d have 1% and the other 2% goes to NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) which is mandatory though, I wish it wasn’t. This statistic is not a fact so please don’t take it seriously.

So what was it like camping? I’m sure you want me to stop beating around the bush and go straight to the point.

Firstly, the camp site was a school that is a branch of the secondary school I attended. Guess how I felt? A strange mix of nostalgia and dreadful memories, tell me about it.

So here I was doing camp for the first time ever, had started coming out of the shell and creating a niche, we were going to be in the same room. We got registered, a room, our mattresses, our meal and that’s when I knew I was in camp. The food was okay, in fact good but NO PLATES, we had to bring ours…if you guessed at all you were probably right… I had no plate but a complete set of cutlery! (Someone said I used to behave like Agric).

With this little experience I had at the Easter Camp I’d like to share a few things I learnt, a few tips and so on.

1.       Plan to be smart but don’t expect everything to turn out perfect: With camp on my mind I planned to get the lower bed on the bunk, get a bucket forgotten by a student and always get the best of things provided early especially water, a clean bath and toilet. It turned out that there were no bunks and all our mattresses were on the floor, I got no bucket and had to queue to use any one I found, had to queue to use the bath and don’t really wanna talk about the toilet (It wasn’t that bad though). I shunted every queue that was going to stress me, only queued when there was no queue. Expecting everything to be perfect would break your heart; it’s not your house!

2.       Make friends as you can: Our friends were once strangers and we may meet the bestest of them or our future partners from situations like the ones that go on in camp. Conflicts arising from the pressure on the resources made available are common, don’t get overwhelmed by the attitudes and reactions of others, that’s how best they know to get what they want, instead of reacting to them respond,  you make more friends if you put things on the lighter note too. After camp don’t expect your friends to stick that close, if they prove otherwise don’t fight it if you want them, but be wise about people you make friends with. Expect some really silly people too, if you don’t want them, don’t lead them on but be kind about it.

3.       Be security conscious: Not everyone came with your heart and mind. Avoid taking anything you really don’t wanna lose, showing off wouldn’t pay, if that thing should get stolen please don’t cry. If you wanted to make friends or command respect by the stuff you have within days not up to a week? You should check yourself.

4.       Get involved: If you didn’t want to enjoy the camp, why did you go in the first place? There would be divisions, duties and sub duties in those divisions, sports, kitchen, recreational stuff, variety night presentations. Do something, lead, follow, and participate. I was female leader for my platoon even if it was just for the record and memory of the camp. If you are going to break rules do it unknowingly. Have a good laugh, enjoy the programs set up for you because they were set up for you and again you’re already at the camp it would be immature acting all up that you’re better than what you see, you would be proving otherwise.

5.       Don’t forget the essence of the camp: If you would be attending a camp like the one I attended, it would be better you do not forget the main reason the camp was organized. The camp would have a theme and sessions would treat related issues to the theme. Key into the moment, don’t get distracted if you are there to meet with God make sure you do so.

I did make friends and increased my network via the same means, took only a few numbers I couldn’t promise that much commitment to all, instead I got their social networks contacts and I think that would work just fine.

I finally returned home and to complete civilization last Monday, was received by my mum who gave the news that my immediate senior sister had just given birth to a blessed boy who looks just like his father that morning.

As for my crispy strips I got into the kitchen and saw that my eldest sister had just finished frying the soft chicken I should have used and there goes my crispy strips. Too broke (Oops! Didn’t just say that) to buy another chicken and too tired to mak… abi mo ti se crispy strips ni!

I’m sleeping through Easter Monday in an unfruitful rest. Well that’s how the plans turned out.

Easter Plans?

Easter is coming and around the corner. What are your plans for Easter?
Check mine out.

1. Go camping

2. Make friends and increase my network from the camp.

3. Make Chicken Crispy Strips for Easter.

What are your plans for Easter why don't you outline yours and let's see how far we can go with plans this season.

It's For Your Own Good! (2)

I don't know how you expect me to do this without you. You've decided not to post your contributions to my last post.
Well, what I wanted to say about how foresight is:

Firstly, it is quite natural or normal for us to want to protect the ones we love because we love them and care about their welfare.

Secondly, the way we approach the matter with our foresight is mostly out of panic, And if you know about panic you would know it doesn't help matters.

Thirdly, I don't want to give advice but you should go on a soft pedal if the person doesn't see reasons with you.

Fourthly, this is an advice and you can try it to see if it works 'Don't give the person any advice', even when you're tempted to. So what do I do instead? you ask. Well the answer is simple 'Ask questions instead' ask them in a way that would guide the person into proper reasoning before making that decision.

I have a little story about foresight emphasizing approach.

A mother of six children approached her home one good afternoon. She did not see any of her children playing outside or running towards her to welcome her. She wondered what was happening, she got into her house to find the six of them gathered around something with keen interest, paying no attention to her presence. She tried to get a glimpse of what it was and found out it was a skunk. She screamed that they get out of the way so she could get the skunk out before it released its terrible odour, with the little frenzy the skunk got afraid and before you would say 'jack robinson' the skunk did what it knows to do best. Imagine the outcome. You can imagine the scrubbing she would have done for them all. Imagine a better way she could have approached the situation? Need I say more?

I hope you learn one or more things from here.

Would appreciate feedback.

It's For Your Own Good!

Family...

When I think of how we easily hurt and are hurt by our loved ones especially our nuclear family members, I really wonder why?

When a member of the family is making even the tiniest decision, we seem to want to look out for the person whether they are up or down the family hierarchy (I think you know what I mean). We seem not to want to see the person make a mistake or get hurt or stressed with that decision, so we are out to try prevent the unpleasant things we foresee.

In this foresight lies two issues that could cause strife between family members;

1. How you relay your foresight.

2. How the involved party receives it.

First I would like to know if this is alien to you. And to share an experience if you find this true. How does strife occur between our family members and ourselves when we are trying to protect their best interest?

Let's get this rolling, please share your thoughts.

I'm waiting...

Oh Boy!

Those days you have a lot of ideas running through your head

And you can't let one rest because it has some depth you have to consider

Ignoring the depth would get you uncomfortable

So I do not lose my mind, I let all of them pass and give myself a break.

I try not to worry or be too hard on myself.

Yeah! Today is one of those days.

My first post on fashion

TEMMY OFI ALASO OKE

Be classic with premium aso oke.

Aso oke is an ancient traditional attire that has been found mostly with westerners in Nigeria, used for weddings, naming ceremonies, coronation ceremonies and the likes and it is used to grace occasions generally. It is majorly woven by the Yoruba ethnic group and has been the family trade of most families involved in it for centuries. Aso-oke has evolved to what we have in this present age and has been in and out of vogue in the 21^st-century but has not been successfully pushed out of style and it is still trending presently in today’s fashion.

The prices of today’s aso oke fashion vary and depend on a number of factors

• The textile materials used or combined.

•  The volume of the pattern.

• The type of design.

•  Sometimes the colour.

• Fashion trends (e.g. aso oke with patterns not woven with it like the ones with paintings or needle work)

The last factor is susceptible to change, but the others above it are features of premium aso oke.

Temmy Ofi alaso oke is an aso oke or aso ofi outlet that has been existing since 1999 with its first outlet in Osogbo, Osun state Nigeria.

Making a decision of big growth has decided to hit the traditional fashion society of Nigeria with what it has to offer, Aso oke.

 Temmy Ofi alaso oke is an aso oke provider for personal use, bride and groom aso oke for traditional weddings and aso ebi (collective aso oke for your group members and loved ones) in small and large quantity and with good quality. We take orders and deliver services in time, but we also work with early notification for any order at all. If we don’t have a design of aso oke you want we could make what you like to your taste, provided it is not too close to the deadline of your event.

We are committed to customer satisfaction, integrity, efficient service delivery and premium products. Our prices are affordable and keep you coming back for another patronage.

Temmy Ofi is presently located at No 1, Progressive Estate Oluyole Extension, Ibadan Oyo State Nigeria.

Enquiries and orders can be made by contacting these numbers +234(0)8037269531 and +234(0)8082990216.

SOS! JAMB is around the corner.

I did not know tertiary institution examinations were going to be early this year. I just got informed last Sunday that UTME would be holding this Saturday, the 24^th of March. So, some of the teenagers in my teens’ class are going to be sitting and writing the examination too. I asked one of them if he was informed of tips on excelling at the exam and he said no, his eyes said he genuinely needed help on tackling JAMB and it was obviously his first time. I wanted to tell him some but, time wasn’t on my side as I was to be in a meeting and I had forgotten some of the other tips I was told during my time.

When I was about writing JAMB one of our teachers offered to organize a seminar to teach us a few tips on passing JAMB. We were about one hundred and fifty students in my set and about one hundred and twenty of us got scores above two hundred in our JAMB (Including me), we had a wonderful testimony service the next service day in church. I would not say our success was wholly attributed to the seminar we had quarter to JAMB, but hearing things that made us less ignorant and less afraid to face what scares secondary school students and those yet to gain admission to the University, gave us an edge over those who did not have the opportunity to hear such.

Dear reader, I am asking for one tiny favour from you. If you have escaped the claws of JAMB, please do share tips of how you did so. How did you tackle answering questions? Some people do have techniques of answering rightly, questions they don’t know or aren’t sure of. You probably have someone who is writing JAMB or someone who knows someone writing it, and you do not wish they would keep writing the exam. So please save a soul writing JAMB this Saturday and help dissolve their fears, doubts and ignorance. It may be quite close, but it is not yet late. Help make this happen by posting your advice as comments on this blog and if you do not find that so easy to do, please do post them on the site that referred you here i.e.  facebook, twitter and the rest. Then don’t forget to share this and tell those To Whom It May Concern to read the tips too.

Please note that there should be no tips that would implicate them. God bless you.

thotstoshare: A Book I'm Working On.

10^th November 2008.

Woke up around past seven but finally got up past eight. I ended up not doing the free night calls I wanted to. Before I got up from the bed Daddy said something like I should lock the gate after him, I couldn’t because I wasn’t dressed, mummy took my place and I wore something presentable to lock the gate after her when she was ready to go out. I was feeling very lazy and nauseated too because of the cramps. I had my bath and dressed earlier today. Oh! Before I forget the reading for today in my devotional discussed about  serving to be successful not striving or competing to be successful. I didn’t really know where I was standing but I knew I wasn’t competing. I said I didn’t know where I was standing because I don’t know the next step to take about my life but I’ll keep trusting God. I read the stuff  I wrote on a sticky note on the wardrobe door, the words gave me no motivation because I can’t lie by saying that I know my bearing either, but I’ll trust God. I was talking to myself quite much today because I was alone, so it took some time for me to get dressed. I warmed food, ate and almost burnt the rest of the stew, thanks to iya ayo (mama’s daughter) who called my attention to it from outside. I slept filled up and expecting the food to digest from the sleep. I had all kinds of dreams, saw sola in my dream being my brother’s friend (everyone seems to accept him even in my dream). H e did not really want to give me attention, it was like I cooked for both of them, they ate, left and Sola came back knocking, I think the setting was my hostel on campus and I think someone was actually knocking some door somewhere. To cut the long story short I didn’t like his countenance in this dream. You see what sleeping overfed can cause? When I finally woke up… (Getting blank on what to write) NEPA brought back the light and that made me get up to sweep, fetch water and before I knew it, it was evening towards the time I checked my phone’s message inbox and saw a number I didn’t recognise, I flashed the number, the person called back and turned out to be my cousin Lape. Sanmi another cousin told me he gave her my number, but I didn’t believe she’d contact. Well, she was quite surprised I didn’t know she was the one. After that Daddy called when he had gotten to orita to tell me he was on his way home and to get his food ready.

ORITA! Can you imagine?! Well, we live at Odo-ona elewe or Agara, a very boring, village like and annoying, the worst place I’ve ever lived in my entire life and orita is like five to ten minutes from the area we live. I got eba and okro soup ready for him, well daddy and his annoying wahala complained about the cold water, he wanted warm water not cold (how was I supposed to know?) because he treated a tooth today and that cost him two thousand Naira. When I called him earlier and told him I needed money for personal things which I listed to him after monolouging  on how selfish he was, in my room the cost was seven thousand and he handed two thousand to me without considering how much those things actually cost. Now he had a treat for his teeth not something urgent, you see he likes to pamper himself first? When I asked why he won’t pay all the money he was saying incoherent and empty excuses.

“You know… ehn…” I’m arching my eyes now. ”That’s all I have now, we’ve been spending money on…” He mumbles his words and I’m pissed. “I’ll pay the rest”

“When?” I ask

“Whenever I get the money” I know he’s lying “Just keep till it’s complete”

Even if it means next year kai! Daddy, must it be frustrating to get my needs met by my father? This is what I go through and it annoys me. I NEED things and he just takes everything like he doesn’t plan to take care of anything concerning me having things I need, not want. So telling him is like burdening him with spending he doesn’t consider at all important.

I ate dinner and went  to prepare mummy’s dinner, soon she was back from shop and in their room, I overheard her praying warfare prayer points against those neighbours at the shop giving her trouble, they were even our church members too can you imagine?! When she was done praying, eating and we were all seated in front of the TV daddy said I should change the channel to NTA (for the news they won’t watch for fifteen minutes before falling asleep). End of news was end of the day.

“Let us pray” Daddy said. After praying, he told me to switch off the generator and go to bed, then he stepped into the bathroom and saw the undies he left there in the morning, he assumed he told me to spread them, I assumed he would do it himself since he got back and I didn’t want to touch his undies anyway, it feels awkward to do so. You needed to see how daddy exclaimed like a child deprived from what he wants; I actually lost focus on what I was writing here at that moment. We had a little argument on that and I told not to make assumptions. Lost on how to react in action or words he ordered me to switch off the generator “Or do you want to burn all the fuel?” The generator wasn’t on for two hours yet.

“I will” I replied.

I really hate it when daddy acts like this I end up doing what he doesn’t like and thoughts of having my children do the same to me hit me and I reject it. But I want to express my mind, my daddy behaves like a child and it annoys me, also I feel his very selfish, he expects you to do everything for him and still feels I’m lazy if I mention anything about the chores I’ve engaged in. I’m not going to spread those undies and giving him a massage irritates me, I don’t like having body contact with him, he whined until I gave him one today. I thought today was going to be a peaceful day at least, but when daddy is around, I’m not always happy. I called Lape again. I think I’m going to talk to daddy. Goodnight.

                                                                                                                                    10:59pm

I'm Healed.

I'm chatting with my former classmate and I was thinking he wanted to know how my day went. Today was an unusual day for me, I had cramps like I'd never had in my entire career of womanhood. I could not rest in any particular position for 5 seconds,the pain was excruciating and I started to feel it in my stomach somehow. I could not go out of the house to call our housemaid in the shop, of what use would she be? I could not possible send someone who calls a napkin 'namigi' to get me any pain killers. And there was no one else in the house, I screamed, cried, groped and squeezed anything that I grasped, got nauseated and even had diarrhea. The pain lasted over two hours, the pain finally left when I didn't even notice because I drifted off to sleep at a time I finally could. Though these things are quite typical with painful cramps I didn't want to ever experience them but I did today and in the midst of the pain I wondered of what use all this pain was for. Why do women have to experience such pain and discomfort each month especially if they are not yet mothers? I'm just wondering. On Sunday, I told my teens about faith's expression through confession of God's word from the Bible and I was doing so through pain and tears. Really, someone may want to question my results in faith and my answer reminds me of a song by some American artist or Choir which I can't recall the name but some part of the song says
"May have some scars, I am healed.
Circumstances, I'm still healed.
May feel some pain, I am healed."

This just boils down to the truth that my situation does not alter my position and reality in Christ. I'm healed.

3 Questions To Answer About Valentine's Day.

Today, I’m so blank about what to blog on. I guess it happens to every blogger every once in a while. That reminds me tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day! A believer or not I’m not excited about it and don’t think my reasons are because I’m not in a romantic relationship. It’s just simply annoying when on a festival day of love; everything apart from LOVE is practised by about 95% of those celebrating it. Am I exaggerating? Don’t think so, just think about what goes on Valentine’s Day and let’s be real.

• Do you believe in Valentine’s Day?

• Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

• Why do you celebrate Valentine’s Day if yes?

• Is it a true expression of love or a day to exchange material possession and expensive pampering for sex?

• Do you really know what valentine is?

• How should valentine be celebrated?

• Is Valentine’s Day necessary for lovers to celebrate?

• Do you think it’s thoughtful for marriage proposals to be made on Valentine’s Day?

 Am I asking to many questions? Don’t get scared yet, they are not for research purposes. I’m just curious and have these questions bugging my mind because of the crazy pressure that comes from a twisted tradition of celebrating ‘The festival of love’ on February 14^th every year. Girls are the most hyper during this season and you may really find out what stuff your partner is made of tomorrow. Relationships may be weighed by the things that happen tomorrow, as all the girls would be in a contest of who had the best valentine gifts and treats among the rest, especially if they reside together, in hostels or belong to cliques. Delivery and presentation are things to consider for tomorrow too. Chai! Guys are in trouble tomorrow ooo lol! Oh! I’m so sorry; I may be speaking at those who believe in all of Valentine’s Day. For you, an advocate for tomorrow’s celebration, you know I won’t stop you from fantasizing or faithing what the outcome of tomorrow would be.

• What would make a perfect valentine for you?

• How are you going to be celebrating Valentine’s Day?
• What's an appropriate Valentine's Day gift for men and women respectively?

•  What are the Do’s and Don’ts of an appropriate Valentine’s Day?

If you think these questions are too much, you don’t have to answer all. I don’t think anyone should do so here, but you could just think about it and give me your view about Valentine’s Day, make your choice of three (3) questions to answer. Share your view just the way it is without changing anything. You would be opening up things you probably didn’t realize about it, you could be helping me see from a ‘not so myopic’ view and you could be helping someone else who would read your view in the comments and be glad you shared because he/she could learn from you. Thanks in advance, for sharing your view. So, whatcha say bout Valentine’s Day?