Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Many Thanks, Other Stuff

Thank you everyone for your kind words and prayers about my mum. I'm really grateful and I pray that God will bless you in return! Mum is doing much better now and I'm trusting God to fully heal her. She has already improved a lot since she arrived and I can see the difference. Hubby and I are going to see her tomorrow and we are going to her physiotherapy session together. I'm glad I can go with her, we may even have a small bonding time by going shopping afterwards! That is if she feels strong enough to brave the shops on the high street. I'm excited about that, I must admit.

Well my writing's been going well so far. I'm working on a short story at the moment and it's harder than I thought! I thought you know, it's just a short story of no more than 5000 words - how hard can it be? But I've realised it is hard. I have to tell the whole story and come to a conclusion in a short space so it's not easy at all. So that's my first learning experience about writing a short story. I'm still working on a novel as well so my head is full of different characters and story lines right now, really cool! I've actually started dreaming about the characters too, is that weird?

In the past week I've "met" and spoken to some amazing people who are writers and I've been awed, challenged and inspired. I feel like I've got so much to learn about how to continually improve my writing, how to carry out research, seek out inspiration and overcome writer's block. I formed the "Nigerian Writers" group on Facebook and I've met more writers that way and it's great! I'm developing a new obsession: stalking other Nigerian writers and their work. I'm not just interested in Nigerian writers though, I think I'm just particularly curious about how they express themselves through their writing.

Speaking of Nigeria, I've just heard about the currency reforms the Central Bank is proposing. They are proposing a revaluation of the naira so that the current denominations will be a hundredth of their value ie N1oo.00 will be worth N1.00, the N20 note will be the highest in circulation etc. I've read about the supposed benefits the revaluation will have. It will reduce the amount of notes that people have to carry around, it will make the exchange rates with the Dollar and Pound Sterling more comparable and so on. But I just can't help wondering: Did they not change the Naira notes a few months ago? Why didn't they reform the value then? Why do the new notes need to be phased out again? Are there not more pressing economic problems to sort out first? How about lowering inflation and creating more jobs? Would revaluing the naira make any difference to the average trader in the market or the average salary earner? I very much doubt it, but we'll see.

I know I shouldn't look back and regret things I can't change, but sometimes I can't help wondering why I had spent all that time at uni studying the wrong degrees, and then graduating and doing the wrong career. I feel as if all those years were a waste and I'll never get them back. An acquaintance of mine called me recently, we went to uni together and I knew her through a mutual friend. She was calling to invite me to an event and then she just asked: how is work? I told her I had left my job. She asked to why and what I did now. I told her I was now a writer and she was like wow, just a few days ago, she was thinking of leaving her job to follow her dream of starting her own business but she was afraid. I told her not to give in to her fears anymore because further down the line, she could end up regretting not taking the plunge earlier. She said she would think about it, I really hope she goes for her dream!

This summer has been such a dampener, it's so annoying. Imagine, it's raining in the middle of August! Hubby and I had planned a day out last week, but the weather forecast had predicted rain so we decided to move it to this week. Well it's been raining this week too, so we've had to cancel our outing. Sigh. I guess I shouldn't complain too much, I should think of the green grass and the lovely flower hedges enjoying all the rain. Hope you are all enjoying the summer where you are.

15 comments:

  1. Hey seems am first!!! Yippee

    Glad to know ur mum is better now...we thank God.


    Hmm sometimes I feel the same way about wasting time doing the wrong course for my postgraduate degree but i believe that it is all working out for my good..

    U probably won't have met all the people u met in uni and be friends with them now..u never know wat u might have learnt in uni (not necessary course material) that you will need later on in life. All I am saying is everything that happens in your life is working for your good cuz u love God.

    Am sure you know that but just thought to remind you :)

    Ta

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi--- I just caught up on your blog (had been away for a minute).

    It's good to know your mom is doing well. God will continue to strengthen her.

    And yeah, I agree with 'aloted'. God ordains and orchestrates all the steps of our lives including our careers. Even though we make the free will decisions, He still ordains and orchestrates them. That's a mystery only He fully understands. (Psalm 127:1, Prov. 16:9).

    And God does not make mistakes. He synchronizes everything to accomplish His purpose.

    In other words, you are where you are supposed to be :). But I understand what you mean. From a human perspective, in hindsight, one would have preferred to have moved in some other direction sometimes.

    Enjoy the rest of the week.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Madam, Good to know ur mum is doing well, GOD will heal her fully, he never sleeps on his children...

    yep, good thing to go for once dream, cos thats the only way you will be doing something you love to do and will never get bored...

    maybe i should go for my dreams too.. but uhmm i think i need a little more experience

    ReplyDelete
  4. All things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose...God allows things in our lives that we cannot explain so don't regret...no!

    So much is happening in your life!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good to hear about your mum recovering. Outstanding stuff. Will check your group on facebook.

    ReplyDelete
  6. life is too short to look back and start regretting. l know where u are coming from but don't give up. God is in control.

    ReplyDelete
  7. more like plan to blog about it in detail...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Dear! Soor about you Mum, I know that Good health is hers in Jesus' name... May He that perfects all concerning us Perfect her health...He is the heale and I pray her health is restored...

    About you book, you're right its not that easy! but since you've set out to achieve your desire, you will do so.. just keep at it!

    Finally, I realized that you're reading a book - the starter wife...I just borrowed it off my sis yesterday....I finished her other book- Maneater on Saturday and blogged about it. Nice abi?
    Take care!

    ReplyDelete
  9. No regrets. If you hadnt studied all those things and taken that job, how would you have known they were not for you?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cheers to your passion in writing sweetie...

    I'm excited for u...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks Aloted and Niyi. I realise that now, but sometimes I just wonder, you know?

    @Anu boy: Thanks. I think you should go for your dream as soon as you can. Don't let doubts hold you back.

    @Writefreak: Thanks, no regrets!

    @Akin Aworan: Thank you. I'm glad she is getting better too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. @Yankeenaijachic: Thanks, and you are right. I don't need to worry or regret if God is in control.

    @Nyemoni: Thank you dear for your prayers for my mum. I appreciate it. And yeah the book is quite interesting, although I dozed off twice while reading it!

    @Uzo: I guess that's a roundabout way of thinking about it! Now I know I'm not meant to be an accountant. :-)

    @Jaycee: Thanks girl!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanking God for your Mum's life, and I pray for complete and permanent healing in Jesus name.

    ReplyDelete
  14. hey luv, hvent been here in a long while.. urmum is healed in Jesus name, thats what Jesus came to do :).. great writing as always, lets collabo one day jare.. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Well written article.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...