Learn all you can while you can!

I have been taking certain things for granted because there has always been someone there taking care of them. Yesterday was perhaps the most exasperating day I have spent in Lagos... I was working on my assignment and my two laptops ran out of power, and there was no electricity to recharge them. I really had to get that assignment to a certain level, and the heat was almost unbearable.

I went out to put on the generator, and behold I could not! I called my hubby, and despite spending almost 10 minutes on the phone with him advising me, I still could not turn it on. I felt so frustrated and I bit my finger for not having learnt enough when my hubby was trying to teach me.

Lesson: learn all you can while you can, even if it doesn't seem useful at the time.

Happy Mothers' Day

This Poem was written by Maya Angelou, one of the greatest Poets of our times. I am posting this, as a tribute to women and the role they play.

Phenomenal Woman - Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Fragility of life

I have been having quite a few secret thoughts since I got to the office this morning, which unfortunately I can't share with you because of they are still not clear in my mind. I have been away for a week, and returned to the sad news of the death of a colleague who sits opposite me. I hear she was in the office up until Wednesday last week, and complained of headache, and then passed-on on Saturday.

I am at a loss here how fragile our existence is. How can one make better use of one's time on earth? Can one prepare enough for the eventual home-calling? And where is Home?

Renz, my beloved sister

Routine? Work - Home, Family - Friends, Self - Others, Spend it - Save it, Hold on - Let go, Fast - slow. Just remember, whether it's Smiles or Frowns, Ups or Downs, Give or Take, It's bound to even out. So hang in there. Read the Bible, Pray everyday and believe in yourself.

Whatever life has to offer us be it good or otherwise we can weather any storm and face any problem that may arise. Let us not get tired of doing what is right for after a while, we will reap a harvest of blessing....

My hugs I send thro' email. Tis' a sweet spirit I long to share. Remember I too am just an email away.

Bless your day with Phil 4:19

Giase

Turn to...

During those times when I am feeling low

I turn to Jesus!

When I feel the people who matter are no longer there for me

I turn to Jesus!

When I am tired and not in the mood to talk to anyone

I talk to Jesus

I can go on and on.

Unless you come into the realm of God's Glory through Salvation by Grace through Faith in Christ Jesus, you will think I am being stupid. The Bible says the Word of God is foolish to him who does not know God. I prefer to be stupid to the world and intelligent in the presence of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Blessed among the blessed.

Friends, have you thought of giving your life to God? He is there for you always... but life is too short! Take that step of faith, and let the Lord guide you.

He loves you

Jesus loves you

Turn to Jesus!

Simply courteous or Interest-directed

This will probably be the most spontaneous posting I have done so far on my blog. Like the ghost of an unhappy dead person, one question has been pursuing me since I could think... What stops people from showing respect to everyone they meet?

I have a somewhat small corpulence (just about 5ft) and 52kg, and needless to say I have been victim of displays of disrespect and complete lack of selfless courtesy many times than I can bother to count. Usually, I take pleasure in seeing the look on the faces of people who meet me for the first time after having heard of me, or spoken with me on the phone. Why do people think that when you have a seemingly 'big' title, professionally, it should be accompanied by an imposing personality? To be unfairly modest to myself, I tend to be quiet, inconspicuous and humble, and at times people tend to take this to mean weakness, or people try to exploit the situation. I have had to tell a few people off as well (trust my words can sharper than a sword), when they breached the boundary and got to my rather quiet nerves.

You may wonder what has prompted this creativity today. It is because of what happened earlier today that I feel I should get off my chest. This morning, my hubby drove me to work, and we parked as usual in the space reserved for staff. A female colleague came and parked besides us and told the guard to ask us to leave that space. The guard, not recognising me informed us the lot was for staff only, and I informed him I was staff. So we shut the doors and were walking towards the office entrance when the colleague practically jumped out of her car and asked us to stop. We did, and she came shouting that we shouldn't park there because it is space for staff, and so we should go and drive out. The guards were telling her I am staff, but she was just not listening. I told her so myself but she was busy 'barking' and informed me I was not a staff member. So I asked her politely if she doesn't know me, and she said she doesn't. So I called my name and then she 'recognised' me. How embarrassing in front of guards! She apologised and apologised again but the damage had already been done - to her.

A few questions have been going through my mind. Is it because we were not driving a car as plush as hers? Is she carrying a burden from somewhere and just couldn't resist exposing her bad manners at the first chance? Even if we were visitors, is that how to address another human being? If she had an issue with someone parking there, why couldn’t she inform the appropriate persons and let everyone do his/her job? Why can't people just respect, just be courteous to anyone they meet, irrespective of looks or possessions? Must we be nice and polite only to people we think are of our 'class' or people we have particular interests in? There are as many questions as there are impolite people on earth... and no satisfactory answers.

Please be nice to people. Even when hurt, try to keep the tone down... you will learn a lot more that way than shouting without listening to others, just to end up being the fool.

Amazing! what things and people one misses

The other day when I was sitting in a hair dressing saloon braiding my hair, I had enough time to think through my life. I was amazed at how much I missed certain things and people. I always lie to myself about not missing home, but hey that is just one way of getting over it. I might not miss the obvious but there are people and things I miss that give me a feeling of frustration at times.

* My hair dresser. Oh how I wish I could spend that much money I used to, and get a good hair-do. Back in Yaounde, at times I felt my hair dresser was taking more than he ought to from me, because he was always on the high side of pricing compared to others. Not that others were as good as he was of course, but you know that feeling especially when you are counting your money in the ...000s (FCFA not £). Now I wish he was around. Since I got to Lagos, I have tried a few hair-dressers but their services have not satisfied me. How I miss him!

* Cameroonian dishes. When I walk into an eatery here, I sigh at the thought of the wide variety of dishes in a restaurant in Cameroon. Not to say much here, try both countries and you will find yourself running back to Cameroon! And oh how I miss fresh green spices.

* National team t-shirt. Back in Cameroon, I would not wear the Indomitable Lions' t-shirt even if it was given to me for free (don't get me wrong here, I was a fervent supporter, if ever there was one). At the end of January 09, my brother in law who came for a visit in Lagos (from Ife) wore one and I almost pulled it off him out of covetousness. I am happy I convinced him to leave that with me!

* My neighbour's kid. One of my neighbour's in Cameroon has one of the most amazing kids I have ever seen. She is so gracious, and will make anyone smile even in the worst of days. She is very alert and would remember everybody's name (or pet name), and she was barely 2!

* Girls night out! Those who are guilty know what I am referring to... I miss my company of friends!

* Of course I miss having electricity (without the noise of generators) 24/7; driving for 15-20 minutes to work (compared with the two hours here), and driving alone very late in the night without fear of being harassed.

I miss pays... Camer pour toujours!