From November to November

I have officially broken my own record of absenteeism. What a hiatus!

I lost my desire to write frequent blog entries. Life took over. In no particular order; I went on vacation, moved to another country, made love, made war, cried tears, asked questions, fell in love, redefined myself, got married, making babies, quit complaining, expressed gratitude, took on humility, stopped exercising, gained weight, lost weight, felt great, and a whole lot in between.

Life is for the living, so live!

Gone Til November

Hello.....Hello (crickets chirping)...anybody there? Despite being AWOL from the blog scene, trust that I've been keeping abreast of the happenings in blogosphere, however lurking in the shadows quietly trolling the virtual boroughs and alleys looking for blood. ahem*

Anyway, I just thought to pop in before the cobwebs take over this place. Too much is going on in my life right now. It's complicated and exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.

I thought that I'll be gone only till November but it looks like I will continue my blog in a series of trickles. 

2011 is almost over. Phew, what a year! Happy (American) Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas shopping.

P.S: It's snowing....*yawn*

Serenade (Naeto C - 5&6)

This video makes me think of my boo....

Hope

What do you do when you can't do anything else? How do you remain hopeful when you're down in the Valley? I once heard a saying that the best way to be happy is to practice 'Love and Gratitude'; apparently that's the fantastic duo to live a fulfilling life. But what about 'Hope'?  I think there should be a fantastic trio of Love, Gratitude, and Hope. That's because I get love, and I see the importance of gratitude. But I believe 'hope' takes it to a whole other level. Or what do you think?

Official Drop-out of the 30-Day Challenge

Hi Everyone,

Without more ado, I must pull out of this challenge. Honestly, I got bored and even felt like I was cheating if I wanted to post about anything else on here.

So that's it. I quit.

In other news, I am going back to the reason why I started blogging in the first place. And that was to share my thoughts in a creative outlet, no matter how ironic, radical, or unpopular they may be.And to speak on things that appeal to my nature; philosophy, make-up, romance, food, politics, and faith. 

I hope you stick around for updates. Have a good weekend!

A.P

Day 20: My fears

Eureka! I've reached the 20th entry in this 30 day challenge. Today's challenge question ask that I share my fears with you. Here they are in no particular order:

1. Madness
2. Snakes
3. Air & water-borne diseases
4. Obesity
5. War 

***

Arrrgghh....I'm tired of this challenge. kai who send me message?! Anyway, I want to drop out of this 30 Day Challenge. Truth be told, many times I didn't enjoy answering these challenge questions or sometimes it just felt forced. But I guess that's the whole point of a 'challenge' - forcing you to do more than you would have normally. Anyhow, if anything, I may end up posting the remaining 10 days randomly in between my regular blog posts. 

I hope everyone had a good week. TGIF!

Day 19: Five items I lust after

1. A sexy grown-ass living space. I'm renovating my apartment at the moment and have been getting all kinds of inspiration from condo decor showrooms...but na moni make am :(


2. iPad 2 -- I don't need it but today's challenge question clearly spelled out L U S T. cc: Consumers Anonymous


3. 2011 Toyota Camry - yes, I'm being modest. I'm not lusting after anything too luxurious like a BMW or a Benz (insurance is a b!tch). I just want something modest. Is there any such thing as a modest lust? Anya go big or go home.

4. Vacation package to Paris, France ...or ...Positano, Italy...or somewhere delicious in the Caribbean, Anguilla maybe? :)) My God, I need this lust to become a reality.

5. Johnny Depp in only an apron holed up in my kitchen going hard at the stove cooking up a storm. Don't judge. I like what I like. It could look something like this ;)

Day 18: A problem I've had...

Haha! Today's challenge question is quite daft. So of all the problems I have encountered in this life, I am supposed to pick ONE and share it with you? LOL.

Anyway, I've had problems. I mean, serious problems in this life. Where could I possibly begin? Do you want to hear about the time I was hallucinating for 2 weeks? Or the time I almost died? Or the time self-esteem issues nearly drove me mad? Or the time I thought I was going blind? Or the time I felt like I was becoming a real-life mermaid? Or the time I thought I was invincible? Or the time my heart became an ice-box (literally)? Or the time I wanted to check into an institution? Or the time I thought I could join the army? Or the time I thought my parent's marriage was falling apart?  Or the time I considered being a college drop-out??

I don't know which one of these problems to pick. But let me tell you this: problems come and go. Life can throw you all kinds of inconveniences, to say the least. In the end, if you think about your problems as 'challenges' to be surmounted, you stand a better chance of getting through with a winning attitude.

Day 17: Something that I'm proud of

I'm proud of the enduring quality of my parent's marriage. They've been together for almost 40 years and I think that's impressive! Together, they've weathered many storms, given me and my siblings incredible lives, and managed to still keep it together all these years.

I pray that I meet a special man who has the lasting quality to go the distance with me. Oh, I may have found him already ;)

Day 16: Something I always say "what if..." about

Today's challenge question is right up my alley because I often ask myself "what if" questions. For example, the other day I was talking to one of my girlfriends and we kept busy contemplating the question:  'what if things were different?'

After our talk, I mostly kept on droning asking myself so many questions like: what if I wasn't born into my family? what if I didn't go to my alma mater? what if I became a superstar? what if I wasn't born African? what if I was born disabled? what if afrocentrism was the hegemonic worldview? what if I actually tried at something for once in my life? what if we all did our best in everything? what if I made different choices at every turning point in my life?

But enough of the mental hopscotch. Today, I only ask myself "what if I could do anything - how would I change my reality, heck how will I change the world?

Day 15: My Zodiac/Horoscope and if I think it fits my personality

I just did a whole bunch of occultic digging research about my zodiac sign. According to Greek astrology, Scorpio is acclaimed to be the "most powerful sign"; a water sign, anciently ruled by Mars but  ruled by Pluto in modern, of the eight house, and one of the fixed signs. So what does this all mean, anyway?

According to astrology-dot-com (I'll share only the parts I like):

"The curiosity of Scorpios is immeasurable, which may be why they are such adept investigators. These folks love to probe and know how to get to the bottom of things. The fact that they have a keen sense of intuition certainly helps".

"Fearless Scorpios rarely lose; they just keep on going, since they are stubborn and determined to succeed"

"The Scorpio-born are powerful and passionate, qualities that serve them well...[they] love competition in both work and play...their great strength is their determination, passion and motivation. Scorpios don't know the word quit, which is why they usually get the job done"

***

So do I think this description fits my personality? Well, I'll only accept the good traits and fast-forward all the negative traits associated with the sign. Some of those negative portrayals of the Scorpio include: [she] is vindictive, lustful, possessive, jealous, self-indulgent, repressed emotions, etc. etc

But like I said, I fast-forward through all the negative b.s. because it doesn't define my personality. In fact, every sign under the Sun has the capacity and propensity to be a little jealous or lustful or vengeful or even repress their emotions on occasion. So it's not just a scorpio thing per se. Ok, I'm done.   

Day 14: What I wore today

Today was rather uneventful. I stayed at home for most of the day working on editing a book and working on job applications. Then I hung out with my friend, her son and husband. We grabbed gelato for dessert. This is essentially what I wore, sans the hefty designer prices.

Black Dresses by Halston
Sandals by Charles David

.

Day 13: My Opinion about my Body and how I feel about it

I love my body. It's been with me through these 20-odd something years. I love it with every scar; self-inflicted and accidental. Each mark leaves me a story to tell my children. Standing at an awesome 5'5" with dimples, wife potential {shout out to Diddy}, I see the world from my eyes, myopic and astigmatized*. I embrace life with these hands, currently lacquered with gold-speckled brown nail polish. I haul around poundage in the normal range for my BMI proportions, but in my opinion, I could still benefit from shedding about 10-15 pounds. However, I fear that my boobage - high and perky at a 34D; would deflate with additional weight-loss.  Anya, it seems like you can't have it all after all. Anyhow, that's the least of my worries.

In truth, I'm thankful for the body I've been given. I don't have any major ailments, conditions, or disorders. My body has been good to me. And I hope it sticks around for the long haul, I say about 80 or 90 more years give or take! 



P.S:
astigmatized

Day 12: Five Guys Whom I Find Attractive

Ok! I'm loving this challenge question. Drumrolllllll pleaseeee (in no particular order):

Johnny Depp

P-Square 

Chris Hemsworth (as 'Thor')

Idris Elba

Chris Brown

Day 11: My Family

My family is awesome. My parents are baby boomers, my siblings were born during the reign of flower power, and I am the youngest; a child of the eighties.

My Dad was and still is a looker. Tall, lean-muscle, handsome. My Mom is gorgeous: petite, flawless skin, dimples, and has the vivaciousness of a shark! They met in college, University of Nigeria. They fell in love. And the rest is history. My siblings came in all shapes and colours. My brothers are gentlemen, down-to-earth, manly men. My sisters are pretty, overbearing, and downright hilarious. My siblings and I grew up really close and shared many things in common. But over time, things changed. I moved away for school. Life happened. My brother got married. My sister got married. Suddenly, I'm an Aunty and my parents are grand-parents. My family is changing. I am changing. And this is why life is beautiful - change happens and we are a part of it.
   

Day 10: Put your Music Player on shuffle and write the first 10 songs that play

1. DJ Got Us Falling in Love Again - Usher/Pitbull
2. Firework - Katy Perry
3. My Love - Celine Dion
4. Pere - D'banj
5. Successful - Drake ft. Trey Songs
6. Without You - Chris Brown
7. Kondo - Dagrin
8. Something About The Way You Look Tonight - Elton John
9. Imagine - Glee
10. Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio


P.S:
Anyone who thinks doing this 30-Day Challenge is still easy for me, should think again. It's been hard to sit here and write. But thanks to this perseverance, I will remain committed. Besides I don't really have to think too much anyway ;)  So how's your July coming along?

Day 9: How important I think Education is?

...despite the odd wording of that question for today's challenge request, I must continue.

Yes, I have been MIA for sometime. I've been "away" in spirit, attending to matters of the mind and heart. The thing is I actually have a penchant for writing but I can't seem to do it on here consistently. I find myself constantly distracted by everything in general but nothing in particular. But no excuses today, let's get on with it. So how important do I think education is?

Well, it depends. First, let's take a look at famous drop-outs:

Microsoft, Bill Gates.
G.O.O.D Music, Kanye West
Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg
CNN, Ted Turner (was actually expelled)*
Oil Magnate, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi

Second, notice that most  of the prominent and successful drop-outs out there are men!

So unless you have a million dollar idea; you have the personal drive, zeal, or motivation to fight for your dreams; you have an extraordinary talent; you are an heiress; you marry into money; or you win the lottery, I suggest you sit your ass in school and get that degree because your wits/parchment are pretty much all you've got going for you.

But don't be discouraged if you haven't cracked the next algorithm to give us the world's super computer or if the world has not discovered your melodious voice which puts Beyonce's/Mariah Carey's/J-Hud's voice to shame. You, just keep on trying where you are. One day na one day, the world will find you. But until then, go to school. You can even pretend like you're learning something while you're at it.  

--
Reference:
* - Wikipedia

Day 8: What you ate today

Well, today I basically scavenged my way around my kitchen for most of the day until dinner, when I made a proper meal. This is a run-down of everything that went into my mouth.

10:30am - 2 vanilla cookies
1:45pm - hamburger (BBQ at church)
1:55pm - slice of cake
3:00pm - 4 crackers and a vodka cooler
5:30pm - 2 cups of water
7:00pm - 2 dried apricots
7:05pm - 3 tortilla chips
7:10pm - 4 cubes of frozen Dairy Milk chocolate ...yum!
7:44pm - 1 cup of water
8:15pm - Sauteed salmon, veggies, and fries
9:00pm - Bag of popcorn (100 calories!)
9:15pm - 1 cup of water

.....the day is not over, so I may still chow down some cake/ice-cream or grab a slab of cheese as a healthier alternative. And yes, I eat my emotions when I'm upset. But from Monday to Saturday, you will find me at the gym facing them head on. What exciting thing did you eat today?

P.S: This was my 8:15pm appointment ;)  

Day 7: Five Pet Peeves

In no particular order:

1. When people spit out mucus on the street/sidewalk (you know that thick kind) ....ewww nasty! O_o

2. Walking through a park in high-heels....your heels dig into the mud, then you end up rocking "chunky heels". ugh.

3. Pigeons. Don't these buggers carry rabies and all kinds of diseases?! I don't think they're cute.

4. Heavy periods. nuffsaid!

5. Slow internet. Since I've been spoiled with warp speed internet, it's unbearable to deal with average download times....like plucking out your own teeth unbearable.

Day 6: Your Views on Mainstream Music

I think it's aite. There's some pretty dope schit out there there. Y'all remember that track with T.I and Yung Dro "Ain't I"? ughhh man, that track was the flyness. Ok, I dunno why I'm typing in ebonics, but that's how I feel about mainstream music