Shoes, shoes, shoes and more shoes!

I love shoes! Oh my Lord, how i love them!
I would have a hundred and one pairs if i could afford it. I don't care much for bags and belts but shoes??? I could take a fabulous one off someone's feet and hide it in my closet just with my eyes!
And cos of my tremendous love for this accessory, i kind of notice it a lot on other people. The 3rd place i look at a lady (after her face and her hair) is her shoes (unconsciously most times)

"What do women want? Shoes" - Mimi pond (Writer and designer)
“Women need food, water, and compliments. That's right. And an occasional pair of shoes.” ― Chris Rock (Actor and comedian)

These quotes goes to tell me that am not alone in the near obsession with shoes.

But do we have to wear shoes just cos they are fine at the expense of our comfort???
Oh no! For me that is. No matter how lovely and gorgeous a pair of shoes are, once i slip my feet in it and feel any iota of discomfort, that is it! Am out! I'd rather go home, suck my thumb and sulk for missing such fabulous shoes than buy them and just look at them in my closet everyday not able to wear them.
I have bought shoes in the morning (apparently that's not so a good a time to buy shoes as your feet are still slightly shrunken and will deceive you) and then when i wear these shoes to work, i find that as the hours go by, my feet gets more and more uncomfortable. Sitting for long kind of makes the feet swell a bit and there goes your pleasure of wearing a fabulous pair of shoes. I have learnt the right time to buy shoes is in the evening or late afternoon.
Truth is, once you are uncomfortable in your shoes, people notice.
I saw a girl at an office i went to yesterday and she had on such lovely peep-toe shoes. We both had to wait at the reception till the person we wanted to see comes to get us. She stood up to go meet the person she was there to see and i immediately saw it. She was struggling to walk! Like really really struggling. She was walking like her knee cap was stiff and wouldn't bend. Seems like she was sweating on her feet cos her toes were slipping out the front of her peep-toe shoes and there was some space at the back so she had to drag the shoe along. My 1st impulse was to rush out and buy her slippers. But then i remembered seeing this quote by Clinton Kelly (TV Personality) "Sometimes comfort doesn't matter. When a shoe is freakin' fabulous, it may be worth a subsequent day of misery. Soak in Epsom salts and take comfort in the fact that you're better than everyone else.” 


Oh well, maybe she is in that school of thought but her apparent discomfort just took away all the other stuff she did great at - the hair, the make up, the clothes. All i (and probably all those around us) fixed on was how she could barely walk.


Our beauty is much more than what we wear. How we wear what we wear goes a long way in making us beautiful and standing us out. Shoes are awesome (like beyond awesome) but carriage  and confidence is everything. Bad shoes will make you lose both.


Long time no see my dear people. Hope you all are doing great.


You take good care of you and yours, ok?


Ciao! 

Smoking like a chimney!

Tobacco manufacturers.
Back in the day, they used to advertise heavy on all mediums (TV,Radio, Print, Billboards) with the tiny inscriptions somewhere that says "Tobacco smoking is dangerous to your health". The inscription later changed to "Smokers are liable to die young". Then a body (either NCC or so) stopped them from advertising on traditional medium and they moved their advertizing to relaxation spots and clubs.
I used to remember how sexy and 'tush' the ads used to be.
I still remember "Ocean Drive" by Lighthouse Family when st. Mortitz used the song as theme for their ad.
Smoking was represented as being sexy and the 'in' thing. It was represented as being cool. Trust teens na, dem wan do anything wey dey cool.
Lots of teens start smoking to show they have arrived, that they now belong.
I remember i used to wish i could smoke too. Was too scared to try. Almost tried once but as i put the stick of cigarette to my lips, it was like i could see my dad frowning his face and holding a whip! Omo, i just comot the thing. Never had to guts to try again.
I had a friend in the Uni that always had a 'concrete' reason to smoke. When the weather is cold, he would smoke to warm himself up. When the weather is hot, he would smoke to cool himself down (can u imagine?)

I grew up thinking the act of smoking was a guy thing ONLY. Oh, how wrong i was!
The saying 'what a man can do.....................' rings true in this department as well. Women are not 'dulling'. They are matching their male counterparts in the 'bassing' circle. Chei, the rate some women smoke eh, u can pratically see their lungs shrivel!

Today is 'World No Tobacco Day' (We have a day for everything dont we?)

So if you are out there and still doing 10 sticks or more a day. Try and see if you can cut it to 5 stick a day and so on.
I know say na 1 thing go kill person but try not to use your hand bring that '1 thing' upon urself.

Even the people wey manufacture the thing don tell you say 'it is dangerous for your health'. So be wise!

Take care!
Ciao!

Superstitions - which do u have? which do u still believe?

I spent the early part of my teenage years in the east. Whenever i go to the village back then, there were some things that were a no-no for the children there. I had to learn these things fast as ignorance was no excuse. Children used to take these things really seriously and some adults too.
These were beliefs that had been imbibed, knowingly or unknowingly into the hearts of the people and the young generation were growing with these beliefs.
Superstition is basically having a belief that an activity will have a negative or positive effect on one's life

I remember some of them.

1. Noone should cross over the outstretched legs of a child sitting on the floor else the child wouldnt grow taller than he/she already was. If you mistakenly crossed over, you had to cross back to neautralize the 'shortening' jazz *wonder*
2. No pounding (in the mortar) or sweeping at night else you would be calling on the spirits
3. Putting a finger in the inside of your cheeks and removing it forcibly to produce a 'pop' sound was prohibited at night as it called on snakes *how on earth!*
4. Beating a child with a broom was going to make the child short
5. Hitting your left foot against a stone signified something bad about to happen
6. Having a black cat pass the front of your house spelt doom
7. Having an owl cry close to your house at night signified someone was about to die
8. Having the inside of your palm scratch you  meant someone was going to dash you money
9. Having your eyelids quiver meant you would see someone you hadnt seen in a long time
10. Sneezing 3 times consecutively meant someone was calling your name some where. (even if na catarrh dey worry you!)

These are the ones i can remember for now.
Looking back now, i take it that some of these things were tricks the older people used to keep the younger ones in check. I dont know what they had in mind for number 1 above but number 2 was probably to make us pound the stuff for food early enough before night so that cooking will be faster. Also sweeping where we were supposed to sweep before nightfall (Which were regular chores we had to do back then). Number 3 was probably to stop us from making that irritating popping sounds in the evening when the elders were resting from the day's work. Number 4 was probably to prevent us from ruining another's skin with the welts that brooms can leave.
This is cos i dont want to actually believe that the adults believed these things themselves!
As for the rest of them, i have no idea where those came from!

Looking back now, i can only laugh at some of the things i actually believed could happen.

Share with us some of the superstitions you also know about - those you have out grown and those you still kind of believe in.

Catch ya!




*****Image source - google.com*****

Styl-Plus: Wetin dey happen?

Tunde, Zeal, Shifi

They used to be (and sort of still are) my favourite music group in the country.
'Olufunmi' and 'Olufunmi remix' used to make my day, anyday.
Then the silence. Then 'Expressions' album. I rocked that wella back in '06. I really really liked the guys.
I remember when they came for a showw in my school sometime in '04 (unical). My closest friend had a huge crush on Shifi. She pushed her way to the front of the stage and, like a dream, Shifi pulled her up on stage to dance with him!
She almost passed out. She almost didnt want to take a bath the next day, make she no wash Shifi hand comot.
They were so good and so sought after. They seemed to complement and complete each other. Shifi was the rapper, Zeal was the soul singer and Tunde could do about anything.
It was fun.
Then after 'Expressions'....................... Nothing again.
It was rumoured in '08/'09 that they wanted to break up. The rushed into the studio and came up with 'Back & Better' album where '4 years don waka' was the only song that really made an impact in the entire album. After that.......................nothing again.
I have been wondering what's been happening with them.
Then i saw this. Culled from The Punch newspapers

Any moment from now, the trio that makes up hitherto beloved R n B
group, Styl Plus, Shifi Omoefe, Zeal Onyecheme and Tunde Akinsanmi, will
be bidding one another as well as fans a final goodbye. A reliable
source told E-Punch earlier in the week that the stalemated and stunted
career of the Abuja-based group might have necessitated the decision of
the members to try out their luck individually. "Zeal is already talking
to a big Nigerian music star about the possibility of being signed under
his label. He wants out of the group. He is frustrated like the other
members but he is the one who is making the most moves to kick-start a
solo career," the source tells us but refuses to divulge who the music
star is. He would only reveal that Styl Plus was already a national
phenomenon when Zeal's prospective boss had not even had a bearing for
his career.
The slide began with their obstinate refusal to relocate to Lagos, the
nerve-centre of entertainment in Nigeria. This would be compounded by a
lukewarm second album, Back and Better, which saw the ratings of the
group dropping drastically as music fans started finding new music
favourites. There have been several attempts to return to the
front-burner, but fans' apathy and the ever changing dynamics of the
industry have not yielded.

Now, please note the 2 areas i highlighted above.
1st highlight: I was thinking that 2 (or more) good heads was better than 1. If that rings true, why would anyone think that he will do well alone than in a group of talented others? Well, except someone in that group is a 'talent killer' or 'destiny spolier'. Then again, maybe going solo will be the way out.

2nd highlight: Does where a music group lives affect their performance (or non-performance)? I mean, could Styl-Plus's insistence to remain in Abuja have affected their performance in the music industry?
I didnt know that where a star lived had a direct effect on how he/she performed. Maybe that explains why the 'Chocolate City" Boys and P-Square relocated to Lagos from Jos, Timaya from PH (i think. He did right?). Flavour too from Enugu and so many others like that. So maybe where you operate from does matter.

All in all, its just sad to think that a group with so much talent like that, might soon be 'all man for himself'.
So much for "4 years don waka, we still dey carry go, nobody waka nobody go solo. Baba God ooo, our case oo, na ur grace, adu pe oooo."
And to think of it, Zeal's part of that song actually went 'people say na me go 1st go solo and i wonder how they can see tomorrow oo. where will i be without Shifi and Tunde, ohh baby i go wound oooo' - Some prophesy that was!

Tag! You're it!!!

Pix Source - Oddnaijachick

I have been tagged by 2 really wonderful citizens of blogsville - The Relentless Builder and Odd Naija Chic.
Amazing people! Thanks, dearies, for the honor. Yes ooo, it is an honor. As i no get GCFR or OON after my name, i can put ToB (Tagged on Blogsville). So henceforth, i will be known and addressed as Amaka Obi ToB, Bsc, MBA, ETC, LOL (All na title ooo) All former documents remain valid *straight face*

So back to the tagging game, there are rules and these are the rules -

1.  Post rules (Done that)
2.  Post 11 random things about yourself
3.  Answer questions posted by the person who tagged you
4.  Create 11 questions and tag 11 people to answer your questions
5.  Notify those tagged of the game
6.  Notify the person who tagged you after you have answered the questions
7.  No tag backs

I am done with no. 1 so over to number 2
11 random things about maself!

1. I love fufu (covers face in shame) Correct igbo made, well punded, whity white fufu. Especially with Bitterleaf soup or 'Oha' soup.
2. I have had a crush on Tuface since his grace to grass album and i still do!
3. I really dont care about 6 packs on a guy. Doesnt trip me at all. Not like i like pot bellies though *arghhh*
4.  I always wonder what it will be like to rule this country *see my head*
5. I have a weakness for assisting pregnant women. I just dont like seeing them having to do anything i can help with. It enough having to carry a growing human being inside of u!
6. I cry when i watch romantic movies. I love romance!
7. I dont like it when a guy says to me 'Arent you a big girl?'. Its just irritating. Am a big girl so what?? especially when he asks that to get something from u
8. I hate owing anybody money. makes me feel like a slave and my heart just skips whenever i see the person. Therefore, i dont borrow
9. I wish i can meet Isha Sesay (CNN reporter and Anchor) Just love the babe!
10. I cant look down from a high rise building. Heights??? Not my thang!
11. I love gisting!

Phew! No. 2 - Check.
No. 3. I was tagged by 2 people so here are their questions and my answers

The Relentless Builder's questions

1. Would you describe yourself as fashion-conscious? - Nope. I dont follow fashion. I create my own! Love to look good though
2. Name one song you can never forget and why - Yori Yori By Bracket (Am bush i know) Why - Cos it came out just at the time i met and got married to my hubby and we used to love the song back then
3. What physical feature would you like to change? - None! Used to be my cheecks cos i thought they were too bigg but now they are just sexy! *tongue out*
4. Three words that other people use to describe you - I think i have to ask other people. Hold on........................... ok. They say Passionate, Objective and Talkative *blush*
5. Three words that you use to describe yourself - Fun loving, Caring and Talkative! (Talkative just keeps showing up doesnt it?)
6. Pen (Biro) or pencil? Which do you prefer, and why? - Pencil. So i can erase my mistakes
7. Do you have a favorite fragrance (perfume, body spray, etc).  If yes, what is it called? - Anything that smells good jare!
8. What are your pet peeves (Name three at most) - Biko kwa nu, gini bu peeves (Please what is peeves?) Hang on a bit make i consult oracle. Ok i don see am - tiny annoyances. You for talk am like that na TRB. See as you don bring me out for public now. Anywho, my pet peeve is mainly seeing someone pick their nose in public!!! Eeks the living daylights outta me. The others, i handle like most people (sorry i couldnt name 3)
9. Do you like children? Why or why not? - I love children, so adorable and interesting
10. What's the name of the last book you read? - Advertising media planning (As 'efiko' wey i be na *wink*)
11. What's the name of your favorite author? - Sidney Sheldon

Odd Naija Chick's questions

1. If you had to name the one thing that frightens you most about growing old, what would it be? - Cant think of any now. I hope to age gracefully
2. 500 years from now, only one book which exists today will still be available. Which book should it be? -  Bible!
3. Name something you do when you are alone that you wouldn't do in front of others. - I dont do it in front of others cos i dont want them to know about it. I no fit talk am ooo. *wink*
4. What is the most annoying thing that someone could do to you? - Talk down at me!
5. If you had only 24 hours to live, what would you do? - Go to a radio station, buy airtime and just let a lot of things i have in me out on air!
6. If you could have one super power, what would you want and why? - The power to slap people on the head in the bedroom (without being seen) when they do wrong.
7. If a movie were made about your life, what would the theme song be? - Strenght of a woman by Shaggy and someone else *scratching head*
8. Think of the last time you were REALLY angry. WHY were you angry? Do you still feel the same way? - Cant remember. I remember i was angry but cant remember exactly why. Guess i was too angry that i actually forgot why i was angry in the 1st place (dont look at me weird like that. It could happen, u know)
9. What do you think would be the hardest thing for you to give up and why would it be hard to lose? - Cant give up my family
10. What do you do when you are bored? - Sleep, Day dream
11. What is the best compliment you have ever received? - You look smashing and mean the world to me - Hubby


 No. 3 - Check
No 4 - My 11 Questions

1. All conditions being equal, what career would u choose?
2. What is your most annoying habit?
3. Which celebrity do you sometimes wish you were best friends with?
4. What little things could make your day?
5. What is your favourite color? Why?
6. Describe your dream partner
7. If you were president of Nigeria, how would u handle this Boko Haram issue?
8. What do u think of Aki and Pawpaw (the actors)?
9. What was ur most cherished birthday present ever? and ur worst?
10. Describe the moment that makes you smile everytime you remember it.
11. What kind of person do you think the person behind Amaka's notepad is?

My 11 Tagees

1.  Luciano
2. Priscy
3. Okeoghene
4. Che
5. Myne 
6. Chantel 
7. Lady Ngo
8. Doll
9. Eyes of Truth
10. Naijamum In London
11. Kiky

Off to do No. 5 and 6. Didnt do No. 7
So there you have it.
Phew! That was some exercise.
Ciao!

How to stop the spread of HIV - Words of a "wise" man

Zimbabwe- Women should always have bald heads, lose weight and dress shabbily to reduce their attractiveness as part of measures to curb the spread of HIV, Senator for Chikomo, Morgan Femai said yesterday.

MDC-T Senator for Chikomo, Morgan Femai

Addressing Zimbabwe Parliamentarians on an HIV sensitisation workshop here yesterday, Sen Femai proposed that women should also be circumcised. He said HIV is spreading at an alarming rate because men find it difficult to resist women because they are becoming more attractive.
“What I propose is that Government should come up with a law that compels women to have their heads clean-shaven like what the Apostolic sects do. We have never heard that those people (Apostolic sects) are promiscuous so the women should have their heads shaved. They should also not bath because that is what has caused all these problems (spread of HIV),” Sen Femai said.

 (http://nehandaradio.com)

oooook! Senator has spoken. Women, ngwanu, no more 'baffing' for us. no more makeup, no more great looking cloths. We have to stop the scourge of the deadly virus, we have to create an HIV free generation - and it begins with us. I havnet had my bath today and dont plan to till d end of the week. (oh its weekend already hehehehehe)

I know just sabi wetin to tell this guy honestly. HIV is spreading ,so na woman go bear the brunt.
Nekwa isi ya! Mschewwwwwww.

Pressure to get married

As i sat in the chair in her salon and she combed out my hair, she kept on hissing and hissing.
I couldnt help but ask what the issue was.
Her mum was around, came for treatment in Lagos. As she was running around looking for money to take her mum to hospitals and buy her drugs and generally make her comfortable, she also had to contend with the constant questioning coming from the ill lady. The questions have gotten on her last nerve!
The question? "When do you say you are getting married sef? Are you saying you havnt seen any man to marry in this Lagos? Are you looking for a governor to marry you or what? When will i carry my grandchildren from u?.........................................

She hissed again. Funny thing is, she is the 6th of 8 children and her 3 elder sisters are married. Why then is her mum tormenting her to get married when it isnt like she will be the 1st married woman in the family? She is 29yrs (Is that too old?), struggling to make something of her life - after going through so much hard life early in life.

The height was her mum asking every single guy she (d hair dresser) says 'HI' to "are you the one my daughter will marry'?

The girl had had enough. She couldnt wait for the woman to get better and be on her way.

Needless to say that, that day, she did to my hair what she would have loved to do to her mum - squeeze the life out of it!

Now i ask, "why is it such a BIG DEAL for a woman to get married once she crosses 24yrs in these parts"?
I mean, i know all about the biological clocks and stuff but when a woman isnt married yet, is it ok to keep tormenting her about it?
If she had seen someone she wanted to spend the rest of her life with (and who has asked her to, nicely ooo), wouldnt she have built her life with him? Why make it look like getting married is something one can just walk into a supermarket and order?

Let me know your thoughts cos this girl is really pissed with her mum and i have tried all the 'dont be angry, she means well' lines but it aint 'werking' for her.
What do you say to her?

Take care dearies. Wish ya all a pleasant weekend!

Ciao!


BTW if you are female, live in Lagos - Nigeria and would like to be part of a radio program that focuses on married women - their pains and gains - (either as a guest speaker or as an interviewee) holla me at amakaokaforobi@yahoo.com. We will take it from there.





****image - google.com****