GONE TOO LONG

Hey Y'all! I wonder if anyone still bothers to read my blog since it's been ages since I last updated. My people, make una no vex o. Na life o. So much has happened between Christmas and now that as much as I have wanted to write, I had no clue where to begin. So, I'll do a checklist of sorts and try to hit the highlights.

December

• Nigeria was a blast. I arrived on December 24th and immediately started hitting all the weddings and events. It was non-stop for real. Congrats to Bimbo, Ade, Titi, Damola, and to the many others who got hitched in December. Long may your unions last.
• Christmas Day was great. The first with the boo, and he didn't disappoint. Gifts for me and the whole entire family as well. He was not playing. LOL.
• The arrival of boo's brother and his American/Ghanaian gf (now fiance - more on this later). I finally got to meet her after many phone conversations, and she was even cooler in person. The boo's folks threw us a party to introduce everyone to us. It was lots of fun, very cool and an opportunity to see where boo and his brother got their "mojo" from. LOL
• Last, but certainly not least - it was absolutely fantastic to be home with my family.

January

• January 1 was a year for me and boo. It was very low key but great. Lunch at Lobster Pot and a movie and some we time. I put together a CD with our moments from the past year for boo (thanks ICY!), which he loved. I was promised a bigger celebration later.
• I threw a get together at the house for friends. It was great to have folks that I hang with in ATL and the US at my home in Naija. Shout-out to Yuwa for making sure she showed up, albeit when the party was over. Big-ups to Jess, Bola, Titi, Steve, Fred, Zee, Tunde and everyone else for making it memorable. Thanks to my sis, bro, dad, boo and mom especially for making it happen. And you know Naija time was in full-effect when people started showing up 4 hours after the party was supposed to start! As a side-note, Naija has a way of helping you distill the real people from the crap people in your life. Just saying...LOL.
• Also on party day, boo's brother and his gf returned from a day trip to Ghana ENGAGED! Boo's brother did good on the rock too, I might add. They missed the party but we celebrated afterwards anyway and caught up on their nightmarish 4 hour experience at the airport on their return.
• Boo made sure he took off work the whole time I was home, which was great so I got to see him all the time. It was fabulous and made me even more excited about what was to come. I was sad to leave Naija but hey, life must go on.
• My return to the States was pretty sad for me but I got tons of great news on my return. I completed my interview with Emory, found out that I was admitted at Vanderbilt with scholarship and invited to interview with Chicago.

FEBRUARY (Best month so far!!!! - LOL)

• I learned in Early February that I was also admitted to Emory with the possibility of an amazing scholarship. I also completed my interview with Kellogg and Chicago. As far as my MBA apps go, I'm 4 out of 5 so far and I'm extremely blessed. I know I'll definitely be going to school somewhere in the Fall and it's such a great position to be in especially after all the blood, sweat and tears. Again, a big shout-out to all my friends who supported me during the application process. I love you all! I'm still waiting to hear from Cornell about an interview and by the end of March, I'll know where I'll be going. Pray for me y'all.
• I went dress shopping with my gf in whose wedding I learned I'll be a bridesmaid, which is exciting! She looked beautiful and I cannot wait for the day. It's gonna be tres classy.
• My dad and brother came in town for a few days, which was exhausting, but wonderful. My brother also turned 18, and it's so amazing to see how much he's grown. 6ft 4 and still growing and smart as can be. Proud of him!
• My sis shared some absolutely fantastic news and I'm so happy for her. I'll leave her to let y'all know....LOL
• My mom is in town now...well, in NY and she'll be here with me next week.
• We added a new member to our family - Sage, a Pomeranian mix dog. She is in California with my aunt and we can't wait to meet her!
• Ummmmm....oh yeah......BOO is here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, you know I couldn't keep that to myself. LOL. He arrived over a week ago and is with me for a cple of weeks before he has to start his job up North. We're hoping he can get on a project in ATL but either way, it's sooooooooo much better than a cross Atlantic deal. He has been spoiling me rotten since he got here and I'm telling you y'all, LIFE IS SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS!!!!!!!!. I can't even front. It's just so good to have his physical support and know that he's waiting at home when I get there. I'm showing him the city, he's getting to know my friends better, we've gone to church.....I could go on. It's just fabulous!
• 2008 for me has been fantastic so far. The positives have far exceeded the negatives and I am so so thankful to God for his grace, mercy, forgiveness, and blessings. It's more than I think I deserve but I am so grateful and I'll take it!

So, those are the highlights. If I left anything out, I'll come update it. I hope things are good with you guys. I haven't been able to keep up with the blog reading as much but I'm trying. Keep praying for me and I'll keep praying for you. Love y'all...ALWAYS!

Ms. May

DONE AND DUSTED - NAIJA HERE I COME!

Hey Y'all. A new month and I'm still at this whole application thing. Actually, the essay writing thing. It's kicking my butt, no joke but I'm trying not to let it get me down completely. It takes so much time, and saps so much energy but I'm trying to get it done as soon as possible for many reasons.



Above is the beginnings of a post I started on December 4th but never finished. It was titled "Trying to Stay Afloat". And I really was. It was tough going there for a minute trying to complete all my essays and submit my applications. At one point two weeks ago, I thought I was done, only to have to do it all over again. But I'm proud to say that I made it. Or should I say, I kept my head above water, and managed to swim to shore. All my applications were submitted yesterday and so now it's the waiting game - for interview invites, and admission letters. I thought my GMAT experience was tough and nothing could beat that but the essay writing experience was just as challenging. I hope the waiting isn't quite as bad. I would like to thank everyone was that was on my essay review committee. I appreciate all the feedback, as harsh as I thought some of it was. It pushed me and hopefully made me come up with some good stuff that will make those b-schools want lil ol me.



Now, on to more fun stuff. I'm off to Nigeria in a few days. Yay!!!!!! Now that the essays and apps are submitted, I can focus on being excited and getting ready for the trip - packing, shopping for last minute things and such. It's going to be so great. Tons of friends from here are going to be home. All the weddings, lunches, get-togethers and such - my calendar is already full. Oh, and the food - Ofada rice, REAL pounded yam, Yamarita - LOL. Ill also be seeing my family - my star sis, my always growing brother, my fab and funny mother and my darling dad. And of course, best of all, I get to see my honey again after a whole 4 months. It seems like a lifetime ago that I last saw him. Plus his brother is bringing his significant other, who is Ghanaian American, to Nigeria. I talk to her a lot but we've never met so I am so excited that I get to see her in person. And one of my very close friends is having her introduction/birthday celebration so that's going to be fabulous. I've invited a few folks to my home for a little shindig on the 2nd so that should be good too. Hopefully, it won't be one of those it's a little get-together that turns into a full-blown party things. I really want it to be as intimate as possible but we'll see sha. Uzo, I'd love for you to come as well so I'll holla.



So people, you know I can't leave y'all without being a little reflective about the past year. This has been an amazing year for me - beyond my wildest imaginations. I met the love of my life, built relationships with friends that I know will stand the test of time, have actually submitted my applications to business school, and grew spiritually this year. I would say it's been a year that will continue to bear fruit in the new year. I know it wasn't as great for many, but as long as you're still alive, tomorrow is another opportunity for something great to happen. A good friend of mine told me the other day that it's important for us to always pray for a helper - the one person that God can send to completely change the trajectory of our lives for the better. I feel lucky because I've had many helpers this year and I'm going to continue to pray for more - not just for me, but for my friends and family, and for whoever may need it. So if you're reading this and are happy that the year is coming to an end and taking the bad with it - I am praying for 2008 to be the year that God will send your helper. And if 2007 was great for you, then I pray that 2008 will bring even more helpers and more awesome things with it. Continue praying for me too, especially for my health. Merry Christmas, and a very Happy, Joyous, Wonderful, Helper-filled New Year.



Always,


Ms. May

Blogging Bug

I'm back again y'all. You better enjoy it while it lasts....LOL. I guess I'm subconsciously trying tohonor my anniversary month by blogging more frequently. I assure you, it won't last....:-).



Anyhoo, weekend was nice and laid back. Worked the door at a TiwaWorks/some other folks FUSION event on Saturday....a mix of Naija and Caribbean music. For a first-time event, I'm glad to say that Naijas repped for Tiwa. The other promoters who shall remain nameless barely brought anyone out. Ran into a fellow blogger who comments on my blog periodically and always says nice things. It was nice to put a face to the name. Turns out we totally have some history as well. Nice seeing you hon. I also reconnected with someone I went to elementary school with! Crazy, right. She's now a fabulous pastry chef at a really posh, acclaimed restaurant in the Buckhead area of ATL....I already see my wedding cake being designed and made by her....LOL. It's a small dang world o.



I pretty much unpacked and studied the rest of the weekend but this week I'm getting back to full-force studying since my exam is set for September 17th. Arrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhh! This is the last time I am taking this GMAT especially since it has had power over me for way too long. I will kill it! I will kill it! I will kill it! Prayer. Positive self-reinforcement. Visualization. Positive thinking. Study. Study. Study. Prayer. Positive self-reinforcement. Visualization. Positive Thinking. I think you get the picture. As always, your prayers and good wishes are needed and much appreciated.



On to Naija trip news. It was the best time ever. I will not do it justice in any way shape or form and cannot go into too much detail as per na tori I tell them for ibise so I could go. I will say that this trip was mostly spent with family and it was really nice. I also attended a couple of weddings of course - congrats to Omo and Oma & Wande and Dapo, and a Bach Eve for my friend Toyin whose wedding was on the 18th. I missed Low's birthday dinner due to family commitments but from the pics it looked like it was a blast. The boo took the whole time I was there off work and gave me every single second of his time, which in my book makes him the BEST man I know. He was truly at my beck and call, from taking me to get food, to taking me to get my hair done, to doing some family runs and going to church with us. I also got to spend time with his family which was amazing. The best part of the trip was just knowing he was next door.....that's a story for another time. LOL. So honey, thank you for making my trip so wonderful and making me feel like a queen the whole time. Thank you for stepping up when it came to my family as well. I am so grateful to God for you and I cannot wait to see you again!!!!! The memories will stay forever fresh.

In other news....my fabulous celebrity sister Ms. Minx turned 25 yesterday. I am extremely proud of what you have accomplished in your 25 years and look forward to being able to celebrate many more significant occasions with you. I hope you had a beautiful day because you deserve nothing less. God bless you and keep you and make His face to continually shine upon you and grant you all of your hearts desires. I love you.

And finally, speaking of birthdays........mine is coming up in a few weeks. September 9th to be exact. I'll be a big fat 26. My 25th birthday wasn't much to write home about since it was the day after our house was robbed last year and I didn't feel much like celebrating. Obviously, it's important to praise God and be thankful in good and bad but I will say that this year has been an exceptionally good year, full of many blessings, and I definitely will go to church, especially since it's on a Sunday, and praise God very loudly. Otherwise, I have no clue what I will do. I'm not in the mood to throw a party, especially since I'll be studying for my exam. We'll see sha. Any birthday ideas will be appreciated. This year, I also decided to ask family members who usually give me pressies to donate to my b-school application fund cos those joints run about $200-250 each and I'm applying to about 6 or 7 schools. However; to any friends who read this, below is my dreamwishlist for my birthday so should any of you decide to give me gifts, it won't be too difficult...LOL. It's actually pretty similar to my Xmas wishlist except for the IPOD and MacBook and of course, Idris is no longer on the list, for obvious reasons...LOL. Peace Y'all.

- I can dream and wish, right? LOL

- More realistic wish, I think. The Speedy 30 - the mid size. I got a different one at Christmas but I'm still waiting for this one!

- Still on the list. As last time, the necklace to match the bracelet would be great too.

- This represents giftcards. Favorite clothing stores include; Ann Taylor LOFT, The Limited, H&M, Mango, Nine West, Nordstrom, and Zara. Giftcards to bookstores also count.

Kelly Rowland Collapses in Nigeria

O ga o! Click on the title for more. I guess Beyonce forgot to tell her sister that Nigeria is damn hot!

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!

Go here to see the collapse. Sandra Rose, an ATL celebrity news blogger, seems to think it was a publicity stunt. Whatever! It looked painful.

WHY?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Really, WHY?!!!!!

I have watched as the weeks and the months have passed with more and more stories of kidnappings, and death in this region. In fact, I'm almost surprised when I don't hear anything about the Delta region. I have waited for the booming voice of the new government to speak loudly against these occurrences and possibly present a plan of action but alas, she remains quiet.

When will our government even begin to take some responsibility and attempt to address some of the issues in this region?!!!! Will it perhaps be when a child dies? Even though all human life is valuable, for some reason a child's life seems to be more valuable. But still, would it be enough to mobilize our ass of a government to do anything? I doubt it, and it saddens me.

For some reason, this story conjures up the movie "Man on Fire" in my mind. With the recent spate of child kidnappings, will the targets in that region need armed guards to protect their families, or simply lock them up so home becomes a prison? If the government doesn't do anything, perhaps we need a "Man on Fire" to go and take out all these militants. I am not a proponent of violence but maybe in this case......hell, I don't know.

I have to ask myself sometimes, are these militants really going about getting what they want in the best way? Hasn't their mission and message gotten lost in all the kidnappings for ransom and killings? What do they really hope to acheive with all this?

As much as I try to be optimistic about Nigeria, it is moments like this that almost successfully overshadow my optimism.

IF YOU DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW........

Nigerians are going places. Chimamanda Adichie just won Britain's Orange Prize for Half of A Yellow Sun. She is the FIRST AFRICAN to win it in the 12 year history of this particular book award. Hopefully, the day will come when things like this won't be astonishingly surprising - just an "oh of course" kind of surprise. Congratulations to her! If you still haven't read the book......DO IT! See more here

IT'S GOOD TO TALK

Some of our esteemed Naija bloggers are featured in an article on the BBC website. We don't all agree, but it's good to see some intelligent dicussion being thrown around about issues that affect us all. Maybe our voices will be a catalyst for action sooner than later. Let's keep talking.

On Half of A Yellow Sun

I haven't been doing much leisure reading lately because I've been so busy but I finally found the time to pick up Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie. I couldn't put it down once I started. I started it on a four hour plane ride from California back to Atlanta, and despite my exhaustion, continued reading after I got home at 11pm. I continued it during lunch at work the next day, and then finally finished it that night at about 1am. All in all, I think it took me a total of about 7 hours to read it. Then I went back to certain pages of the book to really soak some things in. It is truly a fantastic book and has really changed me. Since I put it down, not one day has passed by that I haven't thought about what the Biafran War means in the context of today's Nigeria. Especially with the elections going on right now as well.

What affected me so profoundly is that I realized that I know more about US and other world history to varying degrees but when it comes to Nigerian history, I truly know very little. I know very little about my own history. I didn't know that so many people died in such brutal ways, nor that people suffered and starved, nor that the reason Nigeria has had difficulty forming a national identity is steeped in such a bloody history. I came away from reading this book with such earnest feelings about wanting to know more and wanting to understand. I realized that I need to go back to the basics and to the beginning. Half of A Yellow Sun is without a doubt the best book that I have read in the last few years. It is an instant classic in my eyes because it is a book that fed my mind, touched my soul and will continue to have an effect on me. It has started a dialogue in my mind. I don't know Chimamanda Adichie, but I thank her for writing this book. She is my friend. If you haven't read it, be you Nigerian or not, get to it.

I left Nigeria to go to school in England at 12. I have never felt detached from home though but my knowledge about politics has been sketchy and general at best. As I've gotten older, and have become more conscious about social issues, going home every year has become less about partying and having a good time and more about surveying what's going on and trying to figure out what I can do to help make things better. I think for me, perhaps, taking a look back will help me figure out what my role is in helping to shape the future of Nigeria.

So as the new week starts and as the news starts to trickle in about who will lead Nigeria for the next few years, I encourage everyone to claim our history by learning about it, and using it as a bridge to building an understanding of why Nigeria and her people are the way WE are. Maybe that will be the key to a better future for us all.

So that's the end of my diatribe people. You all have a good week and stay blessed. To Biodun, thank you so much for the hookup to see Julius Agwu on Friday. I really needed to laugh. I hadn't slept in a week and I slept so well that night/morning. I'm so grateful. You're the bomb! I'm off to London next weekend to see the boo after a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGG time....LOL. I can't wait! Y'all pray for me. Peace.