Thursday, August 31, 2006

VPL - NOT FOR ME!!!!

So ummmmm can you believe that Wikipedia has a listing about the infamous "Visible Panty Line". See it here. Only on Wikipedia...LOL. But yeah, I decided to blog about this today because I read Onada's blog today and she was talking about getting her sexy back with lingerie and other sexy underwear. It got me thinking...how bothered are my fellow women about VPL? Honestly, it bothers me! I can't even front. So much so that I wear the "up your u know what" underwear everyday unless well, without being too graphic, it's that time of the month. Why? Well, I really don't remember when it all began. I just know that now, it bothers me so much to have VPL and to see it on other people, especially those who wear clothes so tight that their butts look like they've been split into 4. It never fails to amaze me when I see a very beautiful woman, dressed to the nines, looking fly, and then she turns around and the whole thing is ruined because her underwear has spoilt the line of the outfit.

Now don't get me wrong, as much as I would love to revolutionize the world and have every single woman wear thongs and such, I understand that a lot of us still exist who would prefer not to wear them and that's ok. But there are alternatives! For those of us who can't stand thongs, and other "up ur you know what" types of underwear, there is now fabulous seamless and no-show underwear made by the likes of Maidenform and Jockey with a No Panty Line Promise. So you get the comfort but none of the dreaded VPL. And it is also important to make sure you pick the right size....don't try to squeeze a size 10 booty into a small panty....you get the sausage effect anyway and that's just not cool. As far as I'm concerned, what you wear under your clothes is almost as important as the clothes themselves. The right underwear can do wonders for your figure as well as an outfit. Underwear is also fashion!!! In fact, here is an article about picking the right undies for every outfit.

I'd love to know how you guys feel about this. Is it abnormal for me to be so anal about this? It's okay...you can tell me. LOL. Does it bother anyone else? How about any guys out there, do you even care about VPL?

“Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.” - Coco Chanel

Monday, August 28, 2006

Good Weekend, Goodness and Good 'Ol Relationships

Hey Y'all! I hope your Monday is going better than mine. O re mi men. I'm trying hard to stay awake at work but it's my own fault.....trying to keep up with the young folk...LOL. It amazes me how in the space of a couple of years I can't party like I used to. I used to be able to hang all night and be cool for class or work the next day but now...yo, it is CRUCIAL! The reason I am telling you all this is because I had a blast of a weekend but I'm paying for it now.

Here's the filla as my GH friends say. Friday night, my cousin Tiwa of TiwaWorks fame (more on that later) threw a big Final Fridays bash, with Idris Elba as the host and guest DJ. Now, my good friends know that Idris is my dream baby daddy...LOL. Love him to death and have followed him since he played Tim on Family Affairs in the UK. Needless to say, my cuz hooked me and a few friends up VIP style, and I got to meet him, talk to him and take pics as well. In fact, Big Dris, as he is known in the DJ world, came without security, chilled with the people, took pics with everyone and was just cool in general. Here are some pics.



I'm sure some of you out there are jealous.....and so you should be...LOL. Idris is so fine in person.....oh my goodness. Let me just chill. I hear he is now a married man....though I didn't see even a ring mark on that finger. LOL.

Saturday night was another TiwaWorks party, which I worked. I was the cashier collecting money....it was my 2nd time working one of the parties but my first as the cashier. I enjoyed it and got a lot of attention...very cool. Left there at 2am and headed to Atlantic Station in ATL to hang out with some friends who flew in from NYC. Didn't get home till 6am.

Sunday was spent sleeping in, woke up mad late and then went to hang out with friends at Atlantic Station again. Got home at 1am and had to get up for work at 5.30. Man....I am dying right now!!!! LOL. So all in all, a fun weekend, met some new people, reinforced my interpersonal skills, and got some exercise in from dancing all night at the club. The important thing is that I had a ball and I hope you had a ball doing whatever it was you did this past weekend too.

On to other things. So, Oprah is opening a school in South Africa as I'm sure many of you know and I read an archived article about it on CNN today written by the reporter Jeff Koinange whom I really like. Read it here. Anyhoo, it just reminded me about why it's important to do good, and give as much as you can. No matter what anyone says about Oprah, you cannot deny that the woman loves to give, which is why I believe she has been so richly blessed. It is good to be good y'all. Believe that.

And finally, a couple of interesting things happened to me this past week...and no, I'm not going to go into detail but they had me thinking about a few things. I know relationships are a full-time job, they are hard ass work no doubt but is love really ever enough? I know what I think but what do you guys think? Let me know.

Till next time, y'all have a blessed week o. No matter how small, do something good for someone else this week, okay? It'll only bring you good things.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - Leo Buscaglia

Thursday, August 24, 2006

U Wanna B Starting Sumthin

Hey Y'all. Wetin dey? This week has flown by....can't believe it's Thursday and I only put up one blog this week. Anyhoo, I'm about to rectify the sitch. So, the ladies BellaNaija and Yetty have both started something o. Bella is our very own resident "Dear Abby" and her first question came from a young lady who did shakara for a guy she liked till the bobo fashied her and found someone else. Then Yetty picked it up from there and asked the question, "When is the right time to stop the shakara, and does the opposite sex lose interest if you stop the shakara?". So I have decided to take it a bit further.

Here's the scenario. All the shakara on both sides is said and done and you both figure out that you like each other, you start spending time together and everything is cool. You're both floating on air. The guy is thinking, "men, this babe is cool o. no stress when i wanna hang with the boys, she's doing her own thing, her cooking game is tight AND my boys like her." The girl is thinking, "this bobo dey o. he appreciates my cooking, he listens when i talk, he even takes me shopping every once in a while AND my girls like him." So after the customary few months, let's say about 5-6 months, the girl decides it's safe to drop the "L" word. All of a sudden...kata-kata busts and dude starts acting weird. The phone calls are few and far between. When he does call, it's a 5 minute conversation and then he has to go. When you call, na so so answering machine. He doesn't come over as much, and barely invites you over anymore either. What do you do?

Let's hear it folks. Any women who have experienced it. Any guys who have been perpetrators. Or if you just have an opinion. Share o. Inquiring minds wanna know.

"If you love somebody, let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don't, they never were." - Anonymous

Monday, August 21, 2006

Dream A Little Dream...........

I hope you guys had a fabulous weekend. Mine was great.....I went to an engagement on Friday night (my very first Naija engagement in the US) with a new friend. She's the friend of a friend and we'd talked on the phone but hadn't met so it was fun to meet her finally, and it turned out she was as cool as I thought she would be. We hung out again on Saturday, and on Sunday, I slept ALL day! The reason I slept all day Sunday was because Friday and Saturday nights, I didn't get much sleep. Not for the reason you may think though. I couldn't sleep because there was so much activity going on in my head that I couldn't sleep and when I did finally manage to fall asleep, I was dreaming crazy dreams. Dreams that were so vivd, I could see, smell, taste, hear and feel everything. It was WEIRD!!!!!!

Backstory first though. All of last week there was a recurring theme. It started with Onada's blog about her hairdresser/entrepreneur, then my roomie/friend coming home and talking about her business idea which she's already started working on, and then at the engagement meeting Titi, a Nigerian businesswoman who runs a successful clothing business in Ghana and South Africa, and finally my friend Y, talking about her idea for a shoe store....which also happens to be what my business plan is about! The theme was about making dreams come true, running your own business, and having a passion for that business.

So when I went to bed on Friday after meeting Titi, the dreams started full force....thrown in with my dreams (or should I say nightmares) about somehow landing in the middle of all the fighting in Isreal, and crazy sexy cool stuff with my dream man(yes, I know), was the picture of my shoe store.....the location, the building, the layout, the colors, the smell, the feel, the customers milling around, the atmosphere. It was insane. It was like I was there....I was dreaming it into existence. So after two nights of this craziness, I've decided life is too short. I mean I've always known this but for some reason, it really hit me this weekend.

Dreaming about being in Isreal being blasted to smithereens reminded me that life is short and I needed to tell/show the people in my life who are important that I love them....which I did and am still in the process of doing. And then the fact that after that nightmare, I dreamed a good dream....the dream that I have been talking about making a reality for such a long time.....I realized that I need to stop TALKING and start DOING. I mean damn......I have a business plan. My mentor has told me it's very feasible...so what am I waiting for? God forbid but if anything should happen, I would kick myself for not at least having tried to make my dream come true. So, it may take a while, but I am starting on the path of making my dream come true. I have a passion for footwear, and I want to share it with the world. I want to be wealthy, not just because I want nice things but because I want to be able to be in a position to be heard so I can maybe make some changes in Nigeria and the world. I want to leave a legacy for my children and my family. If nothing else, I want to have at least tried.

Have a good week y'all! Peace!

"What if you slept? And what if, in your sleep, you dreamed? And what if, in your dream, you went to heaven and there plucked an strange and beautiful flower?And what if, when you awoke, you had the flower in your hand?Ah, what then?" - Samuel Taylor Coleridge

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. "- Johann von Goethe

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Eleanor Roosevelt

"We must nurture our dreams like we would a child. They are God-given and just as precious. Without ambition how would a child learn to ride a bicycle, play an instrument or whistle? We deny the spirit of God when we as adults settle for less than our dreams!” - Conway Stone

“Dreaming is not an accident. It is not a wistful idea you hope will come true. Dreaming is not the stuff of long-haired hippies wistfully running along a beach. No! Dreaming is a sophisticated tool used by the elite of our society to make themselves and this world a better place. People like Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, Warren Buffet, Col. Sanders and Walt Disney all started with a dream. The dreams started small, but like the trickle of water that eventually formed the great Grand Canyon, DREAMS ARE POWERFUL!” - Conway Stone

Friday, August 18, 2006

IN SHOCK

Ok...I'll be the first to admit that I'm slow about certain things, but I've always known that with the age of everything technological that we live in, information on anybody is readily available. But men, seeing it is a completely different matter. I AM IN SHOCK at how much information about me is readily available to anyone who wants it - some of it free of charge and some of it for as little as$7.95! A co-worker sent me the email below and I went to check it out and sure enough.....my info and even friends, and family that don't even live in the States gan are in there. Men...it's scary o! I'm about to go opt out so that they remove my info sharpish! I know there are other ways to get info on folks these days but anything I can do to make it less readily avaible, I sure as hell am gonna do.

Zabasearch

In the month of May '06 a new database became available to the
general public free of charge that displays your personal information
(names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates). (Soc. Sec. is available
for a price.) The database is found at
http://www.zabasearch.com/ type in
your name and check it out.


I urge you to forward this email to family and friends. Check to see if
your name and information is in their database. If so and you want it
removed, send them an e-mail at info@zabasearch.com to request it be
removed. I do not know how our names are appearing there, but I checked my
own and a few other random ones and they are all in this database!



After opting out by email, check back after a few days to make certain
your information has been removed. If it has not been removed then file a
complaint with your States Attorney General.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

From Pudgy to Pageants

I know Nigerians are up to so much in the States and I was interested to see that the Ms. Nigeria in America Pageant took place on August 12 in Maryland. See more about it at http://www.missnigeriainamerica.org/v2/index.php. As an aside...why does Maryland seem to be the capital of all that is happening in Nigerian related events? Back to the point....one of the contestants this year is a young woman that attended my alma mater, Wesleyan College in Macon, GA. I was in my senior year when she started and she later transferred to Drexel University but we have kept in touch here and there. Chi-Chi is a very beautiful, and ambitious young woman and I was so pleased to learn that she was a fourth runner up this year. What makes it even more meaningful is the fact that Chi-Chi over the past couple of years has made a concerted effort to live a healthier lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, she was never overweight but this girl went home to Maryland one summer and came back a few pounds lighter, and with the dedication to continue eating healthy and working out. To watch Chi-Chi's transformation was unbelievable. I mean, we watch Oprah and see people that do it but until her I'd never known anyone personally who has lost weight and COMPLETELY changed their body into a lean, mean fit machine.....with the sculpted biceps and six pack tummy. Men, this girl is an inspiration o. I think I'll go back to the gym today and start working out again.

Who am I kidding? I'm all talk but men it's time to start thinking really seriously about incorporating healthy food and workouts into my daily lifestyle. I have an aunt who lives in the OC, land of beautiful people. She called me up the other day just to tell me to start working out NOW so that it becomes second nature cos even she (who is as non-conformist as it gets) is feeling the pressure to stay fit and fabulous because as she gets older it's harder to lose the pounds. It's funny how living in Naija we never worry about this kind of stuff. We don't eat processed foods, everything is fresh and additive free, you sweat so much in the damn heat you could lose a pound a day, and with all the wahala of running around chasing owo and business people start begging you to eat food because you're so skinny. But even with all these things, being skinny doesn't even necessarily mean you're healthy which is why it's important to work out or do some kind of daily activity in conjunction with eating healthily.

I've definitely done my share of temporary health kick then back to eating whatever the hell I like with no activity so this post is as much for myself as it is for others. Hearing that Chi-Chi had done so well in the pageant just made me think of how far she'd come and how great she looks and probably feels. I'm going to see if I can get a couple of pics of her so you can see what I'm talking about. It's just something to think about sha.

“The first wealth is health.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

The Power of Positive Thinking

Below is a post I put on Xanga on July 18th.....I've just reposted here cos I didn't have the time to write something today but the message is still very relevant.

LA PRIMERA
So...my first real attempt at this blogging thing. I was planning on waiting till the beginning of next month to begin my foray into this world of blogging but I felt restless tonight and needed to write something. I have a lot going on right now....I'm packing up my life in Macon, GA to move to a new place, start a new job, and begin a new season of my life in Atlanta. When I think about the things that have happened to me in the last few months...all good, by the way, if I didn't previously believe in the existence of a higher power, I sure would now. As you get to know me, maybe I'll share some of those things but y'all.....life is so good right now in EVERY way that I can't complain. If anyone who knows me hears me utter a word of complaint, they should shoot me in the foot. Which brings me to the point of my first blog I guess.....HOW LONG CAN THINGS REALLY BE GOOD FOR? Will it all come crashing down at some point?

THE SECRET
I sure do hope not, for my sake. In fact, I know they won't. How do I know that? Maybe I am being slightly...ok, maybe extremely frou frouy and idealistic but in the last few months especially, I have come to know about the SECRET. And I will share it with you...FREE OF CHARGE, GRATIS, AT NO COST TO YOU. Are you ready? The reason why so many good things have been happening, and will CONTINUE to happen is because I try hard every single day to be positive, surround myself with positive people, and things, and most of all, to profess with my mouth the things that I want and believe that they will come to pass. It's simple really....not rocket science but then again, it's difficult because so many people find it so much easier to be negative...myself included. I had to begin to make a conscious effort to change my way of thinking and feeling and being. It all sounds very spiritual...and it is. This year for me has been about rebuilding and reevaluating my relationships with friends, family, and especially with God and that has helped tremendously.
http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000009.htm is a good place to start with learning about the power of positive thinking.

I didn't mean to come out so heavy but I guess this will be my first gift and challenge to whomever reads this.....the secret is really not a secret. We all know what it is but we find it hard to do. I challenge you to make a conscious effort to ease positivity into your life one step and one day at a time and see if things change. I guarantee you....THEY WILL. I'd love to hear from you if you decide to try it or already do it. Fret Not Folks...It Is Well.

"You can do anything you think you can. This knowledge is literally the gift of the gods, for through it you can solve every human problem. It should make of you an incurable optimist. It is the open door."- Robert Collier

Monday, August 14, 2006

The Inspiration of Good Character

Hey Ya'll. Hope you had a good weekend. Mine was non-eventful. Only thing I did that was remotely interesting was go see a movie I'd promised myself I wouldn't pay $10 to watch....Step Up. I knew it would be cheesy, cute, basically another STLD with a white male lead but I went ahead and saw it anyway. The movie was quite entertaining, and I'll say that the two leads had really good chemistry but it was very predictable. What was even more entertaining for my girlfriend J and I was the two young couples sitting behind us at the movies. There was chirping on the Nextel, ordering of Pizza, and running commentary on the movie. I'll be the first to admit that I live on the "black" side of town so my girl J has laid down the law. Any hanging out that involves movie watching will from now on take place on her side of town, where according to her, "the white folks stay". LOL.

Moving on to the point of today's blog.....I have been turned on to many fabulous blogs kept by young Nigerian women (and some men) and it turns out that as in my case, many of you were inspired to start your blogs because someone you knew and loved, or respected was keeping one and encouraged you to do the same. Of course, it helps that you also have interesting things to say. Well, today I'm going to talk about the person who inspired me to start my blog, and no, she's not paying me! Her name is Yetunde, and you can find her blog here
http://www.xanga.com/ReincarnatedCreativity. It is fabulous but nothing beats Yetunde's in person fabulousness.

I have been acquainted with her for years because she's my sister's other sister but I've only been communicating with her since the beginning of this year and just met her for the first time during 4th of July weekend in Atlanta. Yetunde is an incredibly successful, talented, gorgeous, Jill of all trades.....you know one of those people that is sickeningly good at everything! Here's the thing though.....she's the most down to earth person you could ever know. Her head dey correct well well. I read her blog everyday, and I just happened to mention to her that I've been wanting to start one myself for ages and her response was and I quote, "Go ahead and start one babz, I'll read it!". And so I did. And she's been the first to read it and make a comment as well.

Yetunde is an everyday inspiration to me, not because of the way she looks, or what she has, or what she's done, even though those things are cool. I admire and respect her because of her strength of character. She has this way of making you feel special and that you matter. This is the reason why I know she can and will change the world....even if it's through a word of encouragement or a kind deed to someone else. In addition, we see eye to eye on so many issues AND she's a Virgo...just like me! So Yetty, thanks for the support and encouragement o! Ese gan ni. This one's for you babz!

"The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character.
Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are.
Reputation is the photograph; character is the face.
Reputation comes over one from without; character grows up from within.Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away.

Your reputation is learned in an hour; your character does not come to light for a year.
Reputation is made in a moment; character is built in a lifetime.
Reputation grows like a mushroom; character grows like the oak. A single newspaper report gives you your reputation; a life of toil gives you your character.
Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; character makes you happy or makes you miserable.
Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; character is what angels say about you before the throne of God." - William Hersey Davis

P:S: My name is Mayowa and I have a special request.....no...JK. LOL. I just have to give a special bday shoutout to my boo.....you're fabulous and I'm so glad you were born! And to Low, another daily inspiration.....Happy Birthday sweetie! Love you.

Friday, August 11, 2006

"Going Back to Africa"

Ok....I'm back to politicking. I can't help it! I very rarely watch the news. I prefer to read it so that I can form my own opinion. This is not to say that a writer's point of view doesn't jump out at you but at least it's a lot easier to remind yourself that you have a brain too especially since you can just turn the page or throw the paper out when you're done with it. Something I happened to see on TV last night when I got home was a stark reminder as to why I avoid watching the damn news!

My roomie is a TV news fan, especially CNN and Headline Prime so when I got home from work last night and turned on the TV, it just so happened that Glenn Beck, host of Headline News was talking...or should I say ranting and raving about how WWIII is about to start. His gregariousness and earnestness kinda drew me in so I kept watching. He proceeded to talk about the relationship between everything that's going on the MIddle East, the US and Iran, the US and Venezuela, as well as the US and the UK capturing those wanna be terrorists yesterday. He corroborated everything he was talking about by bringing in experts. He also kept prefacing everything he said with "i know this sounds crazy, but is it really?" which of course got me thinking...."well, maybe he isn't so crazy". Needless to say, by the time the show was over, Ms. May was ready to start packing her bags and heading back to Africa yo!
THAT is why I don't WATCH the news because this is how they get folks scared and paranoid.

Anyway, I came back to my senses soon after but not before I thought about how ironic it is that Africa is probably the safest continent to be on right now. The fact that many countries around the world still consider us inconsequential could actually BE a good thing! Traveling to the UK and US right now is damn scary. So, in the event that any of our folks are reading this....abeg, siddown your yansh for Naija, or Ghana or wherever you dey. Do not attempt to come to the UK or US to seek your fortune right now. Use that plane ticket money to start a small business, or do something useful. You never know, some of us over here may be coming to join you soon ;)

Here's the quote for today.

"Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR. That awful power, the public opinion of a nation, is created in America by a horde of ignorant, self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditching and shoemaking and fetched up in journalism on their way to the poorhouse."

Thanks Mark Twain!

Thursday, August 10, 2006

JUST WONDERING


So I choose to join the world of blogging on the day that chaos has ensued at airports in the UK and USA as a result of the capture of some wanna-be suicide bombers in the UK. When I hear things like this I start to wonder.....not about the obvious though. I don't wonder whether these people are crazy to be willing to get on a plane and not only blow themselves up but also numerous other innocent people. Oh no. I wonder who these people are. I mean, do they have wives, kids, mothers, fathers, people who love them and whom they love? Where were they born? What were their lives like growing up? When was the moment that they said yes to particpating in a plan that would ultimately impact their lives, and the lives of millions of people? Which God do they believe in that tells them it is okay to destroy theirs and the lives of others for his sake?

Thankfully, their plans were thwarted. Thankfully they are still alive and may be able to provide information that will lead to the prevention of more attacks and the ultimate capture of the ever elusive Osama. Thankfully, I am not on a plane trying to get somewhere today :). I would really hate to be at an airport right now! But with all that being said, GW has yet again, seen this as an opportunity to justify the war in Iraq, because of course, it is an extension of the ongoing war against Islamic Fascists. I don't plan to continually harp on politics because I don't think I know enough about it but what I do know is that Iraq and Osama/911/Terrorism are two different issues. Related yes, but only in as much as the fact that Iraq is a Muslim country and Osama who is also Muslim explained his actions on 911 as Jihad and the will of God. If only he could see that and start working on those issues as what they are, maybe even more headway would have been made into finding that representation of true evil that is Osama bin Laden. But no, not GW. GW is consumed with being right, and getting even. He's right, by God and anyone that says otherwise well, hell, they sure ain't American, are they (said with a Texas twang)? Well, I sure ain't American but I AM human and I'm tired of innocent people in Iraq dying everyday when Osama is busy chilling, most likely in Pakistan. Anyhoo, with that being said, I end my first true foray into blogworld with my quote of the day. Till next time y'all.....

“Revenge stops us from expanding as a species, it keeps us locked in our box of limitations and dooms us to endless cycles of vengeance and violence; reparation, reconciliation and forgiveness expands our horizons to expand so we can grow as a species. This is part of the new thinking we must employ to evolve consciously.” John Renesch