The Revolution is here.

It’s a few hours to knowing who is our new president. In fact, when you read this, we might know who he is. I am a little excited (Just kidding).  I am very very very excited.

To me, this is not about who wins or loses (It iiiisssssssss)

This is a revolution, what do I mean, THIS IS AN awakening.

This is a proof, Nigeria has woken up.

Gone are the days of “it is not my business; let them do their own thing”.

Compare last election to this; (sky rocket).

People went out to vote (they did not end there) they waited at their wards till votes were counted.

To me, this is not about who wins or loses, No.

This is about us sitting up and standing for our rights.

Understanding the real power of the masses.

Reviewing a past government and knowing the way forward.

I am Nigeria.

I have woken up from not caring.

I have decided to speak up for myself.

I say goodbye to the shackles you had used to bound me, saying what can they do, they have no choice.

No sire. I am awake.

I see things, I know things, I make choices.

I put up and take down Government based on how they perform.

I am not blinded by bags of rice and little change anymore.

I see the greater good, I know the greater good, I go after the greater good.

I cast my vote and watch what happens to it.

I do not sit and cringe and be a cry baby.

I speak up with the tools available to me- Social media.

I do not kill for you or ask for peanuts.

I ask, what you will do for me and my kids.

I am Nigeria and my Revolution is now.

Whoever wins, this is a lesson, Nigerians are now wide awake and they watch and they know and they are active.

The Government for the next 4 years should know to deliver because no one will fold their hands and watch.

The revolution is here, we are lucky it did not take guns and knives and World War Nigeria to deliver.

We are lucky that all it took was the power of the thumb.

Goodbye to the walls that stood against us.

We are here now and that is all that matters.

The Revolution has come.

Happy Independence day Nigeria.

Me of my words

I have failed you and I am sorry. Very sorry.

 On the day of  Empty bucket list I promised to put up 2 post a week, and for 2 weeks, I have not delivered even one.  I have good reasons (excuses really), like - work has been over whelming, my phone got bad, I was bla bla, but these are honestly just all excuses.

My word should be my bond, at all cost- staying up all night to get an article, typing on my phone during transit, (calling in sick at work to deliver; just kidding)

Brings me to –Me of my words.

I was phoneless for a couple of days and instead of being sad and depressed, I was actually comfortable and happy (strange but really true). I made plans on one of these days to meet up with my friend somewhere in town. Since I had no phone and this arrangement was made over a borrowed phone, we agreed to meet there by 6:00pm.

 She was worried something would come up and the timing would be affected by an hour or more. I re-assured here and I made sure I was there by 6:00pm and so was she. (Cheers to us, our word was our bond).

Sadly in this generation, we (I inclusive) find it difficult to say something and keep to it, starting from timing and trickling down, thou we always have the perfect excuses (maybe not excuses because they are real) but there is always a reason sha.

It made me wonder how our parents and generations past cope. Since they did not have means of constant communication.

They would agree to meet a month before and both parties would show up, no excuses, no need to call and remind even though they had no reminders and yet they made it work.

How did they meet and make plans when they could not check up and be sure.

Our words in this Generation are very shaky. How many times do we make promises and keep to them. I am guilty, very guilty even though I always have good reason and I try to communicate that.

Almost every single girl has in her wish list (a topic we should handle soon) a guy who is a man of his words. I think in past times, it was a given, men were as good as their words..

What happened to us? How did lying become so excusable with the words wash, -all na wash?

When guys do it, it is a lot worse. They promise a girl a million and one things and fulfill none (not even the-I will call you back soon)

This is how I see it, If no one put a gun to your head, why promise at first. If you promise and things do not go the way you plan, can you communicate it. A little sorry, I got caught up, sorry I cannot get you the things we agreed on.

How many people can vouch for their husbands, boyfriends or fiancés and say “oo no, he could not have said that, or he said he would so I know he will’.

                                                        

What weight does your word carry? Can anybody bank on it? Does your word precede you or is it a mock. WE NEED TO TAKE “WORD IS BOND” BEYOND A PHRASE AND LIVE IT. (I also need to ask me these).

Maybe it is time to correct it, adjust it, upgrade it and make it all count. I plan to.

Remember to share your opinion…

Thanks

Where Women Stand

I read with utter shock the story of the Saudi woman who was raped by 7 men (not 1, 2 ,3 ,4,5 or 6, a whole 7 ). Instead of helping her go through the trauma, convicting the men and arraigning them before a gun squad, she was publicly flogged for going out without male company, she protested this and was flogged 200 times in public . My head has scrambled.

( Give me a minute to understand this please) .

(I still don’t get it, but waiting for me to will take forever. So let’s move on)

But really, Why?

Did someone ask again why March 8th is marked as International Women’s day?

I know the day has passed, but this is my next post after it and I dare say this day  deserves to be everyday in the life of every woman/ human.

Let’s go back a little while.

There was a time when women could not work or vote. They had to dress a certain way in public. They could not complain about how their husbands treated them and they were subject to his wishes.

Women woke up and said no. They fought hard and those amazing women won.

Thanks to them women now have jobs, own cars cars,  bank accounts, and property. Women can now drink or smoke if we want to. Women  can now apply to study certain courses and can even  file for divorce ( not like it is supposed to be but the option is now available, not in that way, my point is the freedom we have).

(The simple things we take for granted these days)

Thanks to them being a woman doesn't seem like a curse but a blessing. Thanks to them we can now scream the power of a woman.

The real thing to think about is this: Are things for women the best they can be? 

NO

Firstly, not when in some countries women are still treated that way. Not when women in some offices work as hard as the men but do not get the promotions they are due. Not when some men still feel insulted if their boss is a woman  (not like I blame some of them, women can be--women) or how ballistic some men go if a woman gets a promotion before they do, forgetting how much harder than them she worked.

I am really proud of Rima Karaki who showed women how it is done. This TV host and university professor, cut off a scholar on national TV some days ago for making demeaning  statements about how she was beneath interviewing him. After cutting him off from the live broadcast, she said “In this studio, I run the show.” (a standing ovation please). I hope she gets an award soon.

Secondly, Women need to know that we have come too far to still be stuck , some of this women are

·        1.  Women in abusive relationships, who are beaten, bruised and even harassed emotionally ( the thinking that he is too good for me or I am lucky to have him because he is above me ). A relationship should be about mutual love and respect.

·         2. Women who want to chase their passions but the society expects them to act a certain way, so you hold back.

·       3.   Girls whose families give them out for marriage in exchange of financial benefits (to send her brothers to school).

     The International Women’s day ( which I have decided should be a everyday in my entire life) is to remind us that the fight is not over.  Some women fought to bring us this far, we need to extend that hand. How?

1.       Tell our friends that it is OK to dump the guys that treat them like tramp.

2.       Go to our friends house and help them move out if they are victims of repeated domestic violence.

3.       Speak up in our offices if we are disregarded by men.

4.       Talk to young girls about having dreams and not letting anyone shut them down.

5.       Stand up against marrying off of young girls in our neighborhood and families.

6.       Sponsoring the education of  young girl we know is interested in school but her family cannot afford it.

7.       Treat your house helps like women that they are.

The title of this year’s women day by UN was/ is "Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it!"

Empower a woman in your life throughout this year- emotionally, spiritually, physically. This “fight is not over” not until the day when no girl in the world is hit or raped or insulted and Every woman is treated with respect.

Let us know, let our friends know, let our daughters grow to know. Women have come too far to take a step back.

I know I sounded angry, I am not. Just worried that things are not right yet.

Please share your view on Women’s freedom and empowering a woman?

Everywoman has a right to by all means live life and be happy.

The Birthday Spirit

....In the next 10 years, I will be 23 years old, I will be married with two kids, own a beautiful secondary school and have an orphan home with up to 100 orphans and bla bla bla …..I read on.

My writing, my words, from a secondary school write titles "In the next ten years".When i wrote this, i was in my first teen year.
re- reading it, the questions I asked myself where, how old was I again?, why did I think I would have all this?, what was going on in my happily-naïve-about-the-ways-of-the-world-head?

Dear 13 year old me. I am glad you had a lot of dreams and fantasies, but life is realer now. I am glad you dreamt freely with no restrictions (you really had none, to dream all this), life is still beautiful, but it is not Alice in Wonderland.

My birthday is around the corner so yes, We had to have a birthday post. Why not?

Everyone has a way they react to their birthdays (the Birthday Spirit I call it), How we feel about getting older, the last year in out own life's; it is like an individual New year and we all get imto it differently.

So I decided to analyse reaction to birthdays, using a typical BBM contacts list as my sample study (I am sure we can all spot them on our contact list)

1.  The birthday crazies-

                These guys must have chosen their birthdays in heaven, because they are sold unto it and they do not take it for granted. Their actions are in 3 stages.

The Month- They love their birthdays, they start the announcement from the first day of their birthday month- Team March, our month is here again, March is Fabulous. Few days to my bday people, Count down on, 24 more hours to goo, Yipeeee- my day is here again.

Days before- They begin to change pictures of themselves a million times day before their birthday to give their contacts picture options to use that day, they act like mother hens to their contacts and if you use a picture they don’t like, they will send you a new picture instantly.

On the D-day- They send an early morning BC- thank you, I see me everywhere ( but you are not my DP- I get the sub, I will make  you my DP now). They might even ping you directly and say- do you know today is my birthday? (Aka-why am I not your DP and PM)

P.S-We all have no right to complain, it is their birthday and they can do what they want to, the least we can be is –happy for them. I always secretly look forward to their birthdays to see the new drama they will unleash.

 2.    In Betweens-

They do not shout about their birthday, but they WILL make you notice, either through a DP that says- Turn down for what, it is my birthday, I cannot keep calm it is my day or a PM that says, Thank you dear God for bringing me to another year again, I see love from every where and I am humbled (yea right, like you were not going through your contacts to see who forgot).

3.  I am not sure I care

You will have no idea in the world it is their day, because they will not mention or say or even instigate. If they are pushed to the extreme because some people choose to remember and put them up everywhere, their response would be- Thanks guys, I am grateful, God has been faithful. If you were not aware before that day, you might not read meaning into this.

My birthday spirit

Why does everybody have a different birthday spirit?

(Here is a little Thesis- by the Psychologist in me)

Our reactions to the day over time

 (Before you give my psychologist an F9, let me explain)

Over the last few years, my birthday spirit has been sad, I always tend to cry because I realize (sadly) that I am getting old. Not that that is a problem, but it seems days before my birthday (the devil I am sure) lets me see someone my age doing amazing things. So on my birthday I think, see what your mates are doing and see you here. That affects my happiness and makes me NO. 3.

On some other years, I do not see my mates doing more amazing things, but I see people tend to celebrate me and think I am doing well for my age and that makes me NO. 2.

I have a cousin who is annoyed by the world around her on her birthday every year, she practically expects to be annoyed, and her birthday is January 1^st.

Some years, she lets the anger get to her and she becomes number 3. Some years she decides she will be happy no matter what and if the decision is made on that day, she becomes NO. 2, If the decision is made before that day, she becomes NO. 1

So however it is we act on our birthdays, making a conscious effort to be happy really helps.It is a good day to fulfill one of the things on your bucket list.

Hate it or Love it, the day we are born was the best day of someone’s life and whether it was a 100 years ago, the fact that it once was a happy day should make all the difference. 

This year, my birthday has 2 days, because it falls on a weekend and I have to celebrate it with my office family. I have decided to be happy for 2 straight days non- stop.

Learn to find fun and happiness, as they say, some people were born on the same day as you, are no more, are really ill, are still struggling for things you did not think about before you got.  By any means, Live life and be Happy.

Happy birthday to my fellow Marchers.

What is your birthday spirit and why is it so? Remember to share your experience below.

Remember to share with your contact list and tell them which number you think they are. Share the Fun.

There is a box below this post with the word E-mail. If you put in your E-mail there, you get straight alerts about any post from here, even if the friend that shared this link forgets to do so. Thank you.

The Empty Bucket List

Over the last two weeks, I learnt two things. 

Lesson one- Never be quick to judge.

In the past, when I fell in love with a blog, I would wonder why bloggers are lazy and would not put up posts regularly. I am only a month in and I am a master slacker. I am truly sorry.

Lesson two - Never say never.

To make me disciplined, I have a new rule set as markers. So from now on, I pledge (pray, wish, hope and urge myself) to post something every Tuesday, Friday and one other day a week. So help me God.

That brings me to what I really want to talk about-" A fun-life plan"

A bucket list

A bucket list is a movie that starred Morgan Freeman, but it goes beyond that.

A bucket list is a fun plan about what you want from life and for yourself. (Before the workaholics go all official on me), it is a little different from career goals and strategies. It is a list of experiences you want from life.  It is OK for them to be silly or stupid to someone else or it may even be somebody’s normal life, it does not matter. What matters is you want it.

A bucket list means keeping track of things you really, really want to accomplish for personal joy.

Most items in a bucket list might not necessarily give you more money or make you important. They are those things that will make you happy (and I think that is good enough), give you something to look forward to and make you say I lived life.

You could have a bucket list for every area of your life -Spiritual, Travel, Educational, Romance, Fitness. Or you could be like me and stick to one.

I have a bucket list, several in fact. I have a "life bucket list" and I have a "yearly bucket list". I am thinking of starting a monthly one (if you think that is too much, save the thought, it is MY bucket list).       

  Life is too short to not be happy, to not smile or think about money always.

No one should have an empty bucket list. No one should go through life day by day, never travelling, never being silly, never laughing at ourselves and die full of life. (I am sorry if I sound depressed, I feel sad already) .  Let us spice it up.

A bucket list is part of the reason money cannot buy happiness. So I am sharing a few of the millions of things in my bucket list.

I am giving an overview of my "life bucket list":

Own a power bike and take my 5yr old kid for a ride (hope this does not sound irresponsible)

Drop my kids at my mom’s gate, horn and run away before she makes me take them back home with me(yes, this is silly- that is why it is MY bucket list)

Own a parrot

Go on a boat cruise for 3 days

Go on a desert expedition and be on the pirates crew

Be a bus conductor (this is strange, but I want to live "their" life for a day)

Sky dive

Surf

Be on a live talk show

Donate blood at least once every year (on it)

Climb a mountain

Lets end it here, because a little more will make you never read this blog again as you will be sure I am crazy.

I know what you think; you cannot do most of these things without money. A bucket list is not a wish list, you have to plan. If I start a saving plan I can get one of these things at the end of the year, that’s why a yearly bucket list helps.

the last one cracked me up- this is a real bucket list- fulfills happiness

Start a bucket list. Look for your interest and plan, but by any means necessary, Live life.