I’ve had one heck of a week. First my internet connection went down and I wasn’t able to do anything. You know how much we take the internet for granted now? Imagine for three days I was not able to check my emails, update my blog, read and comment on other blogs, log into Facebook, do several google searches, talk to my sister on yahoo messenger, chat with my other VIPs on googletalk, email my work to my friend for feedback, download the latest missed episode of my favourite shows, etc!
It makes me wonder: am I’m too dependent on the internet? Two days without it and a huge chunk of my career and social life is missing! I wonder what would happen if I had to go without it for a week. As it is now, I feel like so many bloggers have updated, it would take me forever to catch up so maybe I shouldn’t even bother. And it also gets me thinking about how much more dependent on the internet we will all become in future. Thankfully, the issue with my internet connection sorted itself out this afternoon and I’m in the loop again. lol
The second crazy thing that happened to me in the past week was: I got a job! And then promptly turned it down. It all started like a bit of a joke really. I applied for the job all right, and went for the interview last Friday. It seems the interviewers were totally blown away by my performance at the interview or something. They contacted me as soon as I got back home to say that I was successful and they would like to offer me the job. I thought about it and decided to accept. But then, I remembered that there was a reason why I had left the 9 – 5 in the first place, to do something else! So I called the company back and declined the offer. I thought everything was fine, until I got a job contract in the post this morning, asking me to report to the HR lady tomorrow morning! Now I’m confused – what should I do?
On another note, still related to that – I feel like God is testing my faith to see how much I trust Him. Part of the reason why I wanted to get a job again was because I was afraid of getting broke and having to rely on hubby for all my needs. In the past months I had been living on my income, and when I quit my job I started spending my little reserve. But now even that is melting away and I have nothing coming in at the moment. Hubby is not complaining one bit, but I’ll be honest, it’s scary for me not having any income! So I had sneakily started looking for a job again. Funny thing is, I didn’t have peace when I accepted the job offer and I knew from experience that once I don’t have peace about a decision, I’m only looking for trouble. I feel God is telling me to relax and He will provide for my needs somehow. It’s hard, but I guess I just have to trust the One who can do it.
Stay tuned for what I eventually do tomorrow. Hope you enjoy the rest of your week!
PS: The lovely Chika Unigwe has a new book out: On Black Sisters' Street. It's now available to pre-order from Amazon.co.uk and it's definitely worth checking out! You can pre-order here
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Positive Stuff
Hello blogville! I'm in a much better mood this week, for many reasons. It's been a defining moment in history for one! But apart from that, I've had several things happen to cheer me up.
First of all, I'm really glad to witness the fact that Barack Obama won the election! I know how significant his victory is to people of colour, to people who thought they can never break down some barriers. His victory has given hope to thousands of people all around the world that indeed, anything is possible. And that we can achieve our dreams, no matter how far-fetched they sound at the beginning. Imagine, a few short years ago, it would have been impossible to believe that a mixed-race, relatively young man of Kenyan descent would campaign and win the US presidential election by a clear majority. But it has happened right before our very eyes! My big congratulations to President Obama himself, and also to his family and the team behind him. For the first time in history, America has a black family living in the White House!
I'm sure they (Obama and his advisers) know the enormity of the task ahead of them. They must know that the eyes of the world will be on him, and every decision he makes will be scrutinised closely. They are definitely aware that Obama now has to prove a point to the rest of the world: that he deserves all the confidence the voters have in him to deliver on his promises. I just hope the American people who voted him into power, will be patient with him. It can't be easy inheriting the legacy of outgoing President Bush, with the heavy weight of expectations on his shoulders.
Now if I can dream, I hope for the day that my own country Nigeria, and indeed many other countries in Africa will have visionary leaders like Obama that we can believe in. I hope that one day the voice of the people will matter. I hope that one day soon, we will have leaders who want to serve the people, not rule and plunder them. I hope that one day, we will cast away the lust for power, ignorance, selfishness, greed and injustice, to give way for true democracy, peace and unity in our country. I await the day that I would say with even more pride: I am a Nigerian.
Okay, enough of politics! In other news.... last week, hubby and I went on a short break to the city of Porto and we had a lovely time. It was a nice change of scenery and a break from the usual humdrum which was exactly what I needed to get out of the gloom. It was fun hearing another language, trying different food, sampling another culture and exploring a new city. Porto is such a nice chilled out city, compared to London, it's definitely a breath of fresh air! The people are really nice and friendly too. More than once, seeing hubby and I poring over a map in confusion, people have walked up to us and offered to help us find our way around! We had fin walking over bridges, taking a river cruise, going on a tour of a Port Wime making factory and more. I would definitley recommend it to anyone looking for a place to have a relaxing city break for the weekend. Some photos:
I'm sure they (Obama and his advisers) know the enormity of the task ahead of them. They must know that the eyes of the world will be on him, and every decision he makes will be scrutinised closely. They are definitely aware that Obama now has to prove a point to the rest of the world: that he deserves all the confidence the voters have in him to deliver on his promises. I just hope the American people who voted him into power, will be patient with him. It can't be easy inheriting the legacy of outgoing President Bush, with the heavy weight of expectations on his shoulders.
Now if I can dream, I hope for the day that my own country Nigeria, and indeed many other countries in Africa will have visionary leaders like Obama that we can believe in. I hope that one day the voice of the people will matter. I hope that one day soon, we will have leaders who want to serve the people, not rule and plunder them. I hope that one day, we will cast away the lust for power, ignorance, selfishness, greed and injustice, to give way for true democracy, peace and unity in our country. I await the day that I would say with even more pride: I am a Nigerian.
Okay, enough of politics! In other news.... last week, hubby and I went on a short break to the city of Porto and we had a lovely time. It was a nice change of scenery and a break from the usual humdrum which was exactly what I needed to get out of the gloom. It was fun hearing another language, trying different food, sampling another culture and exploring a new city. Porto is such a nice chilled out city, compared to London, it's definitely a breath of fresh air! The people are really nice and friendly too. More than once, seeing hubby and I poring over a map in confusion, people have walked up to us and offered to help us find our way around! We had fin walking over bridges, taking a river cruise, going on a tour of a Port Wime making factory and more. I would definitley recommend it to anyone looking for a place to have a relaxing city break for the weekend. Some photos:
I didn't plan this at the beginning of the year, but now I'm going to Nigeria this December by God's grace. How it all happened is still a bit of a mystery to me, but before I knew it, I found myself making plans and getting a ticket one day. Still, I don't mind though, going to Nigeria should be fun! I'll be seeing family and friends that I haven't seen for a year, so that's good. I might even meet up with some bloggers as well! If you are going to be in Lagos this Christmas, feel free to holla!
And finally, my writer's block has cleared, so I'm going to make the most of this time. I've finally updated my writing blog, and I'll be putting up a couple more stuff on it in the next week, fingers crossed. It feels good to be productive again!
Later blogville, hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
America Votes
America votes today! In a few hours or so, we'll be hearing all about the US election and the results as they trickle in. I have tried not to get caught up in the campaigns over the last months, but I'm now eager to see how it would all shape up. I've heard so many arguments for both sides, both for and against the Democrats and the Republicans. I've heard so many opinions about the candidates themselves, about their policies, their experiences, their qualifications and leadership abilities. But I have to admit, I'm excited about the prospect of Obama winning the election and becoming president of the United States. I like the way he has carried himself throughout the campaigns, first to become the democrat presidential nominee and later to become president. If I was able to, I would vote for Obama. So people and bloggers living in the States, use your voice, go out and vote!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Reflections
I've been MIA from blogville a bit in the last few weeks. Usual reasons would be because I've been busy. But it would be untrue for me to claim that. In fact I've just had my least productive month ever. It's a long story and I don't even know if everything really makes sense to me at the moment.
Has anyone ever had a "wilderness experience"? Have you ever felt so disappointed and disillusioned with yourself and with God? Have you ever gotten tired of the Christian race? Do you feel sometimes like you are losing your faith and God seems far away? I have been feeling like that for some time. Towards the end of September, I hit a brick wall in some areas of my life. At first I was angry with God for a really annoying weekend that hubby and I had. Then everything went downhill from there. The anger slowly disappeared but was replaced by a feeling of gloom that nothing could shake. It felt like there was a huge dark cloud hanging over my head. Probably because by that time I was so far away from God that I couldn't even function properly.
So of course what happened next? I developed a severe case of writer's block and my brain went into meltdown. I lost the motivation to do most things I usually enjoy, even reading a good book. I felt like I couldn't do anything useful with myself. I couldn't pray and I couldn't write. When I wrote that "Totally Random" post, I was trying to force myself to do something I normally enjoy but it wasn't the same. So I just scrambled the words together and gave up. I began to operate on auto-pilot because it was like something had sucked out all my joy and enthusiasm for life. The funny thing was that all this was an internal battle and I seemed perfectly fine on the outside. Even when I was in church I would sing, clap, smile and do everything else, but inside I felt like a fraud.
About ten days ago, I actually started to get tired and fed up with feeling this way. In church last Sunday, the speaker said that sometimes he too got tired of the Christian race and felt like he had no strength to go on. I totally understood what he meant and I hoped that I would finally regain some hope, faith and strength. During the week I told a good friend of mine how I had been feeling. She really encouraged me with her words:
Our Lord is so loving that He won't let you go. He is faithful and even though it looks like nothing seems to be working out, there is no question He loves us. Keep reminding yourself that. Lord knows we may go through times like this and ...... He never forgets that we are human, we grow tired, weary and frustrated with issues.
Gradually I was able to draw some hope and strength from her and finally I was able to get on my knees again and talk to my heavenly Father. I actually read my bible and devotional again after ignoring them for more than a month. One of the readings even said that when God brings you out of a wilderness experience, it's because He is preparing you for the next level. I really hope so! I'm glad to report that I'm feeling much better now. Actually the fact that I'm able to type this is a good sign. Last week I couldn't have strung words together that made sense.
I'm still not sure what God is trying to teach me through this experience though. Sometimes we may get the full picture and sometimes we may never know why God takes us through some situations. I guess it's a test of faith or endurance and I failed woefully. Hmmm.
One thing I now appreciate more, is the joy and blessing of having a good Christian friend around. And I have to thank you too, Believer.
Sorry if this post makes no sense whatsoever. Have a blessed week :^)
Has anyone ever had a "wilderness experience"? Have you ever felt so disappointed and disillusioned with yourself and with God? Have you ever gotten tired of the Christian race? Do you feel sometimes like you are losing your faith and God seems far away? I have been feeling like that for some time. Towards the end of September, I hit a brick wall in some areas of my life. At first I was angry with God for a really annoying weekend that hubby and I had. Then everything went downhill from there. The anger slowly disappeared but was replaced by a feeling of gloom that nothing could shake. It felt like there was a huge dark cloud hanging over my head. Probably because by that time I was so far away from God that I couldn't even function properly.
So of course what happened next? I developed a severe case of writer's block and my brain went into meltdown. I lost the motivation to do most things I usually enjoy, even reading a good book. I felt like I couldn't do anything useful with myself. I couldn't pray and I couldn't write. When I wrote that "Totally Random" post, I was trying to force myself to do something I normally enjoy but it wasn't the same. So I just scrambled the words together and gave up. I began to operate on auto-pilot because it was like something had sucked out all my joy and enthusiasm for life. The funny thing was that all this was an internal battle and I seemed perfectly fine on the outside. Even when I was in church I would sing, clap, smile and do everything else, but inside I felt like a fraud.
About ten days ago, I actually started to get tired and fed up with feeling this way. In church last Sunday, the speaker said that sometimes he too got tired of the Christian race and felt like he had no strength to go on. I totally understood what he meant and I hoped that I would finally regain some hope, faith and strength. During the week I told a good friend of mine how I had been feeling. She really encouraged me with her words:
Our Lord is so loving that He won't let you go. He is faithful and even though it looks like nothing seems to be working out, there is no question He loves us. Keep reminding yourself that. Lord knows we may go through times like this and ...... He never forgets that we are human, we grow tired, weary and frustrated with issues.
Gradually I was able to draw some hope and strength from her and finally I was able to get on my knees again and talk to my heavenly Father. I actually read my bible and devotional again after ignoring them for more than a month. One of the readings even said that when God brings you out of a wilderness experience, it's because He is preparing you for the next level. I really hope so! I'm glad to report that I'm feeling much better now. Actually the fact that I'm able to type this is a good sign. Last week I couldn't have strung words together that made sense.
I'm still not sure what God is trying to teach me through this experience though. Sometimes we may get the full picture and sometimes we may never know why God takes us through some situations. I guess it's a test of faith or endurance and I failed woefully. Hmmm.
One thing I now appreciate more, is the joy and blessing of having a good Christian friend around. And I have to thank you too, Believer.
Sorry if this post makes no sense whatsoever. Have a blessed week :^)
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Funny News - Blogger Plant
Hi everyone! I've been MIA from blogville for a while. I'll be back soon to do a proper update. I just want to put up this story that I stumbled on today from the Telegraph news site:
Blogging plant posts daily news on its mood
A potted plant that posts daily news on its mood and health is believed to be the world's first botanical blogger.
Midori-san, which lives on the counter of a Japanese café, writes regular updates with the help of sensors attached to its leaves.
The detectors pick up electronic signals on the surface of the plant, which responds to light and human touch.
The data is then combined with weather and temperature information and translated into chatty blog posts using a computer algorithm.
"Today was a sunny day and I was able to sunbathe a lot... I had quite a bit of fun today," it wrote on October 16 from its cafe in Kamakura, near Tokyo.
A more recent entry was less perky: "It was cloudy today. It was a cold day."
Satoshi Kuribayashi, part of the team at Keio University behind the project, said that the aim was to reveal something of the hidden internal world of plants.
"We were initially interested in what plants are feeling and what they are reacting to where we can't see," he said.
Midori-san is a hoya kerrii, which are more commonly called "sweetheart plants" because of their heart-shaped leaves.
It joins a blogosphere that is thought to have several hundred million members across the world. More blog posts are written in Japanese than either Chinese or English, according to a 2007 study.
Interesting stuff! lol If you can read Japanese, check out the blog here: http://plant.bowls-cafe.jp/index.php
Have a great evening!
Blogging plant posts daily news on its mood
A potted plant that posts daily news on its mood and health is believed to be the world's first botanical blogger.
Midori-san, which lives on the counter of a Japanese café, writes regular updates with the help of sensors attached to its leaves.
The detectors pick up electronic signals on the surface of the plant, which responds to light and human touch.
The data is then combined with weather and temperature information and translated into chatty blog posts using a computer algorithm.
"Today was a sunny day and I was able to sunbathe a lot... I had quite a bit of fun today," it wrote on October 16 from its cafe in Kamakura, near Tokyo.
A more recent entry was less perky: "It was cloudy today. It was a cold day."
Satoshi Kuribayashi, part of the team at Keio University behind the project, said that the aim was to reveal something of the hidden internal world of plants.
"We were initially interested in what plants are feeling and what they are reacting to where we can't see," he said.
Midori-san is a hoya kerrii, which are more commonly called "sweetheart plants" because of their heart-shaped leaves.
It joins a blogosphere that is thought to have several hundred million members across the world. More blog posts are written in Japanese than either Chinese or English, according to a 2007 study.
Interesting stuff! lol If you can read Japanese, check out the blog here: http://plant.bowls-cafe.jp/index.php
Have a great evening!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Totally Random
This is dedicated to the one I love.
Thank you Mr Leo Sayer.
It's midnight. I'm sitting down on my bed. Utterly bored, yet restless. I have lots of things to say but I'm feeling too lazy to write. I'm too awake to go to bed thanks to several cups of tea. I'm tired of the conversation I'm having with a friend on yahoo messenger. I decide to blog but I've been staring at the screen in frustration for twenty seven minutes. I give up and try listening to music instead. This song by Leo Sayer come on. "Dedicated to the one I love". Hmmmm.
The one I love is sleeping beside me. I'm reminded of one of our dates in February 2003. Valentine's day. We had been quarrelling three days before. I've forgotten what the argument was about. It doesn't matter anymore, maybe it never did. I still love him though.
Another song comes up: "Clubbin" by Marques Houston. This song reminds me of my days as a student. Days of hanging out with my friends. It reminds me of going clubbing on the night after exams. And those wonderful summer barbecues, that turn to house parties that go on till 2.00 in the morning.
"Unfaithful" by Rihanna comes up. Even though it's a fairly recent song, it makes me think of my teenage years. It reminds me of complicated love triangles.
Another song come up....
Gosh I'm soooo bored! And I'm in need of inspiration. Can anyone help?
This is the most random post ever! I wonder if it even makes sense? I don't know jo, I'll post it like that. I blame writer's block.
Thank you Mr Leo Sayer.
It's midnight. I'm sitting down on my bed. Utterly bored, yet restless. I have lots of things to say but I'm feeling too lazy to write. I'm too awake to go to bed thanks to several cups of tea. I'm tired of the conversation I'm having with a friend on yahoo messenger. I decide to blog but I've been staring at the screen in frustration for twenty seven minutes. I give up and try listening to music instead. This song by Leo Sayer come on. "Dedicated to the one I love". Hmmmm.
The one I love is sleeping beside me. I'm reminded of one of our dates in February 2003. Valentine's day. We had been quarrelling three days before. I've forgotten what the argument was about. It doesn't matter anymore, maybe it never did. I still love him though.
Another song comes up: "Clubbin" by Marques Houston. This song reminds me of my days as a student. Days of hanging out with my friends. It reminds me of going clubbing on the night after exams. And those wonderful summer barbecues, that turn to house parties that go on till 2.00 in the morning.
"Unfaithful" by Rihanna comes up. Even though it's a fairly recent song, it makes me think of my teenage years. It reminds me of complicated love triangles.
Another song come up....
Gosh I'm soooo bored! And I'm in need of inspiration. Can anyone help?
This is the most random post ever! I wonder if it even makes sense? I don't know jo, I'll post it like that. I blame writer's block.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Award and Gists
Hi blogville people! Is it just me, or is this month of September flying by faster than all the previous months of the year? It's already the 23rd of the ninth month of the year for real! God is in control, that's all I can say.
I received a blog honour from Aloted - yay! She gave me the "Certified Honest Blogger" award. Thanks girl, I'm so grateful!
Okay so, this is my acceptance speech:
I would like to thank God, my wonderful hubby and Aloted for giving me this award. Thank you also to everyone who read and comment on my blogs, who have encouraged me and inspired me. And to all of you wonderful people that make blogville such a fun, entertaining and educative place to be! Thank you!
Here are the rules of the award:
1. When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back
2. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or even more) that you find brilliant in their content or design.
3. Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with an award
4. Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).
5. And then pass it on!
So I'm passing on the award to the following bloggers in no particular order:
1 Good Naija Girl
2 Vera
3 Believer
4 Diamond Hawk
5 No Limit
6 Cherub
7 Jaycee
I think you all deserve this lovely award!
Last week I had to embark on a transformation of some sorts. Alas, it seems after three years of marriage, I had been letting myself slip in terms of my appearance and hubby pointed this out to me (in a nice way of course, lol). He said he noticed that I only make an effort to look fabulous when I'm going out, and I don't bother much when I'm at home. I guess it became more noticeable because I stopped going to work so I didn't suit up and make up every morning anymore! That made me realise that I needed to take quick action before I became a frumpy housewife! So I took his advice on board and decided to do something about it. First, I had a critical look at my wardrobe and discarded the old and ugly stuff in there, gosh it's practically empty right now! Next I went to the MAC counter to get a make-over and update my look before I get stuck in a rut. Now I'm updating my clothes and accessories gradually, keeping an eye on the trends in fashion magazines and shows. You know how, before we ladies get married, we vow never to let our appearance take a back seat? Well I've realised that most ladies don't plan to allow it happen, it just does. It takes an effort to keep it up when you've become comfortable in your relationship. Now that I've realised though, I have no excuse so I'm going to make the effort. Fingers crossed!
I received a blog honour from Aloted - yay! She gave me the "Certified Honest Blogger" award. Thanks girl, I'm so grateful!
Okay so, this is my acceptance speech:I would like to thank God, my wonderful hubby and Aloted for giving me this award. Thank you also to everyone who read and comment on my blogs, who have encouraged me and inspired me. And to all of you wonderful people that make blogville such a fun, entertaining and educative place to be! Thank you!
Here are the rules of the award:
1. When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back
2. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or even more) that you find brilliant in their content or design.
3. Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with an award
4. Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).
5. And then pass it on!
So I'm passing on the award to the following bloggers in no particular order:
1 Good Naija Girl
2 Vera
3 Believer
4 Diamond Hawk
5 No Limit
6 Cherub
7 Jaycee
I think you all deserve this lovely award!
Last week I had to embark on a transformation of some sorts. Alas, it seems after three years of marriage, I had been letting myself slip in terms of my appearance and hubby pointed this out to me (in a nice way of course, lol). He said he noticed that I only make an effort to look fabulous when I'm going out, and I don't bother much when I'm at home. I guess it became more noticeable because I stopped going to work so I didn't suit up and make up every morning anymore! That made me realise that I needed to take quick action before I became a frumpy housewife! So I took his advice on board and decided to do something about it. First, I had a critical look at my wardrobe and discarded the old and ugly stuff in there, gosh it's practically empty right now! Next I went to the MAC counter to get a make-over and update my look before I get stuck in a rut. Now I'm updating my clothes and accessories gradually, keeping an eye on the trends in fashion magazines and shows. You know how, before we ladies get married, we vow never to let our appearance take a back seat? Well I've realised that most ladies don't plan to allow it happen, it just does. It takes an effort to keep it up when you've become comfortable in your relationship. Now that I've realised though, I have no excuse so I'm going to make the effort. Fingers crossed!
Apart from that, I've been keeping busy with my work and I'm quite pleased with the progress I've made. I've now written five more chapters of my book. I've put the first five chapters on my writing blog now. But I'll be adding some more short stories to it, as time goes on. I'm hearing from other experienced writers that I should finish writing the whole thing first before editing it, but it's hard! I keep reading every sentence over and over, trying to make it sound better. It's slowing me down though, so I guess I need to finish writing the first draft before I worry about editing it. It's a huge learning curve for me and I know I still have a long way to go.
I'm off to start my day properly now, so take care friends, till I come back or pass by your blogs too! Enjoy the rest of your week.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Second Blog Anniversary
I've officially been blogging for two years!
I can't believe it, but it feels about right. Blogville is a weird and wonderful place to be involved in - all kinds of things going on with all kinds of people. Each person behind their own screen, typing and posting on topics that interest them. I've definitely enjoyed every ride, the good, the bad and the downright unbelieveable.
In the past two years:
I've started with one blog, and ended up with three!
I've spent countless hours in front of my computer, at all hours of the day and night, catching up on other people's writings.
I've been invited to read about people, sometimes so different from me, and yet, so similar in many ways.
I've had to imagine people dealing with situations that I have never faced.
I've been educated about opinions and experiences so different from mine.
I'm met many people I would never have met otherwise and I'm grateful for both the real and virtual friendships I've formed.
I've been inspired to dig deeper into myself and become a better person.
I've also been inspired to rekindle my love for reading and storytelling.
I've rejoiced with bloggers, cried with bloggers, prayed for bloggers, laughed along with bloggers.
So: many thanks to the bloggers who have made me laugh out loud with their funny and witty posts. Thanks to everyone who has dropped a kind word or two on my blogs, people who have encouraged me through their comments, people who have sent me emails with words of advice and comfort. I don't want to mention names, but you know who you are! Most of you I might never meet, but you have contributed to my life in many ways, thank you!
Many people start blogging, but for one reason or the other, they feel like they have to stop. For me it's like an open journal, it's an addiction I don't want to let go of, and it's a form of release. I hope I can continue to blog as long as there is life and I can access a computer! So here's to many more years in Blogville. Cheers!Monday, September 1, 2008
New Month, New Ideas
Happy new month! I can't believe I've been away from my blog for two whole weeks. And I can't believe the month of August is already over. It's like the year is almost gone once you get to the "-ber" months: September, October, November and December. Before you know it, 2008 will be over and we will be ushering in the year 2009. Scary!
I've been quite busy in the last two weeks. Since leaving my job, I've been working on the book and taking small steps to reach my target before the end of the year. Check out my writing blog to read some chapters and short stories. I will be putting up more short stories as I go along. Then my little sis came round, and we had lots of fun! It was really nice to see her again even though it was quite a short trip. The bubbly girl helped herself to my clothes and stuff sha, before boarding her plane back. But it's all good, that's what little sisters are for.
My cousin also had her engagement and wedding ceremonies which was a great time. Weddings generate so much excitement in the family as you can imagine. Lots of people flew in, people staying over and such like. It was cool though - I got two new aso-ebi outfits, I got to see family and friends that I hadn't seen in ages, got to dance and take loads of photos. She's off on honeymoon now as the new Mrs and my life is slowly getting back to normal.
I've got a few new ideas up my sleeve, about making the most of my time outside the 9 - 5 routine. It's like there are so many things that you don't notice when you are busy working and working for someone else. Or you are too inflexible to take advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself. I was talking to a friend of mine who is absolutely fed up with her job and ready to quit any day now. She's thinking of business ideas to go into. I told her that once you have the ideas in your mind, take the plunge. It may seem scary at first, but really, what's the worst that could happen? You might fail once, but if you are determined, you will rise up again and learn from your mistakes. And then be better prepared to succeed. For me, I'm trying to build up my tough skin and be ready to face rejections from agents and publishers time and time again when I finish writing my book. I know from the experience of many other writers, success doesn't just land in the letter box. So I'm preparing for the worst.
Anyway, recently I had been thinking about that age-old question, "Why am I here?" that most of us have to ask ourselves at some point in our lives. I read the book "40 Days of Purpose" in 2006 and it did change my life. Maybe I need to read it again because I still have some questions I need answers to. But really I guess I'm just a bit impatient. I know I can only find my true purpose in God, but sometimes waiting is so hard. I want to know so many things right now and God is taking His time to reveal things slowly. Maybe I need to work on becoming more patient. Anyway while I was pondering these things I got a few things in my mind and I decided to write them down:
I am not here just to be a statistic - I am not an accident or mistake - I am not here just to live and die quietly - I wasn't born just to add to the population on this planet - I am not here to live a miserable existence - God had a good plan for me when He sent me to earth - I have gifts and talents that God has blessed me with - I can become whatever I dream of - There are goals to achieve and awards to win - I should make every single day count!
Hope you enjoy the rest of your week.
I've been quite busy in the last two weeks. Since leaving my job, I've been working on the book and taking small steps to reach my target before the end of the year. Check out my writing blog to read some chapters and short stories. I will be putting up more short stories as I go along. Then my little sis came round, and we had lots of fun! It was really nice to see her again even though it was quite a short trip. The bubbly girl helped herself to my clothes and stuff sha, before boarding her plane back. But it's all good, that's what little sisters are for.
My cousin also had her engagement and wedding ceremonies which was a great time. Weddings generate so much excitement in the family as you can imagine. Lots of people flew in, people staying over and such like. It was cool though - I got two new aso-ebi outfits, I got to see family and friends that I hadn't seen in ages, got to dance and take loads of photos. She's off on honeymoon now as the new Mrs and my life is slowly getting back to normal.
I've got a few new ideas up my sleeve, about making the most of my time outside the 9 - 5 routine. It's like there are so many things that you don't notice when you are busy working and working for someone else. Or you are too inflexible to take advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself. I was talking to a friend of mine who is absolutely fed up with her job and ready to quit any day now. She's thinking of business ideas to go into. I told her that once you have the ideas in your mind, take the plunge. It may seem scary at first, but really, what's the worst that could happen? You might fail once, but if you are determined, you will rise up again and learn from your mistakes. And then be better prepared to succeed. For me, I'm trying to build up my tough skin and be ready to face rejections from agents and publishers time and time again when I finish writing my book. I know from the experience of many other writers, success doesn't just land in the letter box. So I'm preparing for the worst.
Anyway, recently I had been thinking about that age-old question, "Why am I here?" that most of us have to ask ourselves at some point in our lives. I read the book "40 Days of Purpose" in 2006 and it did change my life. Maybe I need to read it again because I still have some questions I need answers to. But really I guess I'm just a bit impatient. I know I can only find my true purpose in God, but sometimes waiting is so hard. I want to know so many things right now and God is taking His time to reveal things slowly. Maybe I need to work on becoming more patient. Anyway while I was pondering these things I got a few things in my mind and I decided to write them down:
I am not here just to be a statistic - I am not an accident or mistake - I am not here just to live and die quietly - I wasn't born just to add to the population on this planet - I am not here to live a miserable existence - God had a good plan for me when He sent me to earth - I have gifts and talents that God has blessed me with - I can become whatever I dream of - There are goals to achieve and awards to win - I should make every single day count!
Hope you enjoy the rest of your week.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Out of the Race
Hey Blogville! It's been a while, and things move so fast on blogs these days. I've been quite busy in the last week. I've had a few posts stored up in my head, I just didn't have the time to come and update my blog. Now it's very early on Thursday morning, I'm very awake, so I decided to come and check up the updates on blogville. I was already having withdrawal symptoms all throughout the week, lol. I feel like I'm already out of the loop with gists on my favourite blogs.
Some things have changed since I last updated. My contract at work came to an end last Friday and I didn't renew it. So I've left my job (again) yay! My boss and colleagues gave me a nice send off with cards, flowers, champagne and some other nice stuff, which was great. I was actually not expecting them to give me anything since I had left the job before so it was a nice surprise. They really are a great company to work for with a nice culture. The only problem was the job itself! I heaved a huge sigh of relief when I walked out of the building and handed in my security pass. I don't think I can fully explain the feeling of a massive weight being lifted off my shoulders. Everyone was asking me what I'm going to do next and if I was ever going to come back (again!) but I didn't really want to say. I did tell two of my close friends over lunch and I promised to keep in touch and update them on my progress once in a while. I got home after leaving London on Friday afternoon and promptly crashed on my bed. Hubby came home much later and later he told me he had been talking to me but I didn't hear a thing. I was sleeping off the stress of commuting for six months!
Life seems a bit weird now, but in a good way. It feels good to be out of the 9 - 5! It felt good on Monday to ignore my 6.00am alarm clock and turn it off. It felt good not having to rush out of my house and dash to the station to catch the train into London. And it felt good to wake up not worrying about how on earth I'm going to survive another long, boring day at the office. I'm now looking forward to what the future holds. I have my goals for the rest of the year and many more ambitions I want to fulfil in the future so I'm asking God to hold my hand all the way. And already God is showing me things I might have missed because I had no time previously to consider.
I have to be very organised with my work though, because it is easy to get distracted with all the other stuff at home. I'm setting my daily and weekly targets and asking hubby to supervise, lol. I'm asking God for wisdom to balance my work with my other responsibilities. Especially when people expect you to be at their beck and call because you are at home, not at the office. Like yesterday, my neighbour popped round and asked if I would babysit her two kids while she went to the shops. I said it was okay because I wasn't working at that very moment. She came back in about three hours just as I was getting bored but it wasn't too bad. But she came in today again, wanting me to watch the kids again! I'm going to have to find a way to explain that I may be at home but I'm not idle and in need of something to do to fill up my time.
Well a few things are happening over the next two weeks; my cousin is getting married so there's a lot of excitement in the family. My sister is coming over from the US and I'm so looking forward to seeing her again. I haven't seen her since early 2007 so we have a lot of catching up to do. We're going to have a fun time together, even though she has also promised to clear out my closet. Sisters! Then we are going to have an engagement ceremony this weekend and the wedding next weekend so it's going to be a busy time! I'm going to be really disciplined with my time so I don't fall behind.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your week and the weekend!
PS: Has anybody been watching the Olympics? I feel as if it's been happening on another planet!
Some things have changed since I last updated. My contract at work came to an end last Friday and I didn't renew it. So I've left my job (again) yay! My boss and colleagues gave me a nice send off with cards, flowers, champagne and some other nice stuff, which was great. I was actually not expecting them to give me anything since I had left the job before so it was a nice surprise. They really are a great company to work for with a nice culture. The only problem was the job itself! I heaved a huge sigh of relief when I walked out of the building and handed in my security pass. I don't think I can fully explain the feeling of a massive weight being lifted off my shoulders. Everyone was asking me what I'm going to do next and if I was ever going to come back (again!) but I didn't really want to say. I did tell two of my close friends over lunch and I promised to keep in touch and update them on my progress once in a while. I got home after leaving London on Friday afternoon and promptly crashed on my bed. Hubby came home much later and later he told me he had been talking to me but I didn't hear a thing. I was sleeping off the stress of commuting for six months!
Life seems a bit weird now, but in a good way. It feels good to be out of the 9 - 5! It felt good on Monday to ignore my 6.00am alarm clock and turn it off. It felt good not having to rush out of my house and dash to the station to catch the train into London. And it felt good to wake up not worrying about how on earth I'm going to survive another long, boring day at the office. I'm now looking forward to what the future holds. I have my goals for the rest of the year and many more ambitions I want to fulfil in the future so I'm asking God to hold my hand all the way. And already God is showing me things I might have missed because I had no time previously to consider.
I have to be very organised with my work though, because it is easy to get distracted with all the other stuff at home. I'm setting my daily and weekly targets and asking hubby to supervise, lol. I'm asking God for wisdom to balance my work with my other responsibilities. Especially when people expect you to be at their beck and call because you are at home, not at the office. Like yesterday, my neighbour popped round and asked if I would babysit her two kids while she went to the shops. I said it was okay because I wasn't working at that very moment. She came back in about three hours just as I was getting bored but it wasn't too bad. But she came in today again, wanting me to watch the kids again! I'm going to have to find a way to explain that I may be at home but I'm not idle and in need of something to do to fill up my time.
Well a few things are happening over the next two weeks; my cousin is getting married so there's a lot of excitement in the family. My sister is coming over from the US and I'm so looking forward to seeing her again. I haven't seen her since early 2007 so we have a lot of catching up to do. We're going to have a fun time together, even though she has also promised to clear out my closet. Sisters! Then we are going to have an engagement ceremony this weekend and the wedding next weekend so it's going to be a busy time! I'm going to be really disciplined with my time so I don't fall behind.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your week and the weekend!
PS: Has anybody been watching the Olympics? I feel as if it's been happening on another planet!
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