My dream wedding..... Zanzibar.

The Guests on the jetty

The Massai escorting the bride

The jetty, where the sunset ceremony was held

The Massai's performing at the beach reception

The reception shoes (I ended up not wearing and they were too HIGH)

The 'supposed' ceremony shoes. (Gosh, the PHOTOGRAPHER is fantastic)

They jump really high....

The very simple dress turned out really nice

The very long walk to meet my groom

The rings

I always wanted this perfume waaaaaaay before we started dating...and he bought it for me for the wedding.

After our lovely Photo session.

The beach reception

Jason from Hugo Domingo events did a fantastic job with the decor

Towards the end of the ceremony we lit up some lanterns. It was soooooo romantic.

I hope you enjoyed viewing the pictures ;-)

M'je

Making my own rules.

I finally got married 2 weekend's ago. YES! I did the family wedding, the traditional wedding. What they always wanted for me. A carnival...and fanfare. I attended and represented. No qualms.

In a week's time I will be having my own wedding...in my dream location...wearing my pretty simple dress. With a few close friends. I am sooooooooo excited. Honeymoon cum wedding. Yay!

Anyway, I will share some pictures when the time comes...

I have been overwhelmed with advise from different sources since the proposal came...about how to behave in marriage and how to treat my husband yada yada.

I have decided to make my own rules in marriage. What works for one person may not work for the other.

M'je

Online Shopping? Think again

I have always loved shopping online...since I discovered I could buy tomatoes online from tesco.com in 2006, life became even better.... I also discovered Asos.com. Simply put, I love shopping online, it is hassle free, convenient, fast and sometimes secure.

So it was more convenient for me to buy my wedding dress online! Yes! I also got some amazing Badgley Mischka Shoes online for less than half the original price. It was a UK 9.5...or it was meant to be....Anyway, a few weeks later, DHL delivered my shoes and made-to-order dress and I was less than impressed with the colour and quality. I ordered Champagne but i believe they may have thought it was Marigold or a faint peach. Oh dear!

As for the shoes....they may have mistaken a UK 9.5 for a US 9.5. So I had to do damage control....get another neutral dress for the reception and get some very high nude shoes. I never visualised I would be wearing a long flowing white dress at my wedding. anyway

I am not deterred by online shopping but I believe occasions like weddings shouldn't be gambled with. Luckily, I am having 2 weddings.... I get to have 'my family's wedding' and my own 'getaway' wedding and wear my non-conventional dress. #LuckyMe

All I can say is, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

FAMILY UPDATE: Everyone in my family is running around like headless chickens...while I am calm. I am very calm about everything. I have everything under control.

M'je

The future for Mamuje...

Happy New year guys...or should i just go ahead and wish everyone a happy Easter in advance?.

A lot of new developments has been happening in Mamuje world.

Your very own Mamuje is engaged to be married *Some of my friends will find out through this medium*.... Well..I wasn't very sure what I wanted. As time went on I realised that I may not find anyone as perfectly matched for me. I am someone who guarded her independence and single status jealously....the first couple of weeks after saying the BIG YES were the toughest. I felt trapped, I hid the ring in my bedside drawer... the whole submissive manual malarkey, the name change, the move...it was overwhelming...It's still overwhelming... one minute I was sure he was the one, the next minute I would burst into hot tears. Ogbanje moves. Thankfully, Mr man is VERY understanding. I have come to terms with the whole marriage thing. I believe its a beautiful thing.

Mr Man Bio- He is KIND, loving, humble, KIND, understanding, mature, he has great family values,  thoughtful, no-nonsense, strict, funny, GOD-FEARING, he is patient (he chased me on full throttle for 14 months),  he supports my dreams and goals, he is responsible and basically thinks I am the best thing since sliced bread. He makes me want to be a better person. Oh...and he accepts the reality that I SNORE like a plane crash in mid air. Nothing unrealistic or superficial about this one *huge sigh of relief*

Now unto my family saga...and the natives who want to have everything their way.  They want to buy expensive aso-ebi, trust them. They want a carnival, I want a budget destination wedding with 10 people MAX.... let's see how things unfold... Hahahahaha

Lets say, all I care about right now is the life after the wedding. The marriage proper. The ceremony isn't my cup of tea really. I haven't started any proper planning.... Yet, I have PLANNED my honeymoon. Hahahahhahaha. Yeah, my life is one big holiday. Looking forward to the rest of my life with Mr man.

M'je

Merry Christmas guys :-)

Hello guys,

I had my Christmas dinner party on Thursday and it was awesome. Its was the day after i realized i didn't take any pictures of the lovely jerk chicken or the delicious potato and sun-dried tomato salad. kai! I will be spending Christmas in Abuja and going away for the new year. I have been cooking and eating up a storm sha :-)

What are you guys doing for Christmas?

Have a Merry Christmas y'all.

M'je

Going the distance? Yay or Nay!

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder"- Unknown... We all hear that a lot...and I think its true to a certain degree..... sometimes 'Out of sight is out of mind' for some as well...

As someone who craves her own space I love the idea of of being in a relationship but also taking a hiatus when I feel overwhelmed, but the reality isn't that simple. It's either you are in for the long haul or are not. I want to be able to wake up and go and not worry about babying anyone.

I have secretly envied women who have husbands or partners who work in different cities. #OffshoreTinz Everyday seems like a honeymoon when they are back together. My relationship of 5 years lasted that long because 4 out of those years was spent clocking up the air miles.My second longest relationship was long distance too.

I have been deliberately drawn to long distance relationships (LDR)....because spending every waking moment with someone could spell 'trouble' in Mamuje-land. A whole lot of others will disagree. My sister in law has been married to my brother for 18 years and for the last 8 years they have set up home in 2 countries. Whenever I see them together, there is a certain bond and closeness between them now that I didn't see in their first decade together. They act like agbayas new lovers. Eat together, drink together, bickering, holding hands and stroking each other disgustingly affectionately and I hear they also shag like rabbits :-)... The next minute SIL says she cant wait for him to leave so she has her space *typical mamuje style*.... it now works for her. My sister's husband works in another country and whenever he is home they shack up. My sister says it also works for her.

The only disadvantages I foresee in a LDR is that it can be expensive to maintain and therefore cause unnecessary wahala. Phone bills. Air fares etc. ...and the fear of the unknown. Intruders.

As a fiercely independent woman, I have just recently embarked on a long distance relationship (He is in LOS while I reside in ABV). He is willing to do the travel bi-monthly and it works just perfectly for me.  Imagine my horror when he said he would consider setting up another home in my city so we take things to the next level. He is a GEM* but jittery fails to describe the emotion I feel. Call me weird but LDR* is my thing.

If the emotions are genuine in the first place, I believe any relationship can stand the test of time. That doesn't include dating a man who lives in Australia while you are in Nigeria sha. My hand no dey ooo. What do you think of going the distance?

*Notice how I emphasize nice things in capital letters?

M'je

The 21st Century Broom

My birthday turned out to be a pleasant surprise. My friends has initially said they would take me out for dinner...then planned changed as I was thrown a party by someone special *prolonged cough*

It was nice....my friends really made me feel special. They were too kind. I was overcome with emotion for most part of the day really.... the tears had to fall at some point...and fall did they...

I can proudly say it was my best birthday ever. I got so many presents. Most of the things I dream of, I got. The only present I didnt dream of....or have never dreamt of came from my mother. The whole essence of this post.

So.... I got an embarassingly large hand-made card (which has been strategically placed on my console until her next visit) and ''the gift"

My mum is usually the first to call me on my birthday. 11.59pm on the 20th of November, unfailingly my phone rings....ANYWHERE I am in the world. Things took a different turn this year. Not only did I NOT get a call from her, she sent me a 'lazy' text at 8am on my birthday....then called an hour later....and prayed for me....her routine prayers...of finding a husband. Mothers! You gotto love them....then she said she will send me a present. A useful one...

So I am staring at this Vacuum cleaner and remembering her words "It will be good for cleaning your room with". I am thinking....has it come to that? I would appreciate cooking utensils or something else. She knows I could live in my kitchen but I am not the lady who sweeps or vacuums or does any of that. I just pay someone to do it for me. I cannot even put clothes in the washing machine. I figured out it was cheaper to get a washer man than operate a washing machine in Nigeria. Believe! I LOATHE with an innate passion any household chores that isn't part of the kitchen. I have no drive for it...but I am yet to figure out what her plan was for this vacuum cleaner so I am still staring at it. In my mind's eye, my mother sent me a 21st Century Broom and I am not happy with her choice.

The only mental picture I can get from her action, is visualising her waving her index finger at me furiously yelling "Your room is messy Gina, Sweep it"

M'je

Another year added today...

...... I am so thankful for the gift of life. This day thirty something years ago I was born.... a 700gram baby. (Yes, less than 1kg) and my family didn't think I would survive. I did. I am still surviving. I am thankful that I have enjoyed good health and I have people who genuinely love me *I cant for the life of me understand why*. I am thankful.

A normal cake given to me by my staff.

I baked a carrot cake. I also painstakingly put the frosting (first ever attempt so its allowed)...it is the ugliest cake I have ever seen but as I got to the office, my staff presented me with a much better cake :-) Phew.

This is the cake I baked for myself. *Dont you dare laugh*

M'je 

Randoms: Diplomat, Big titles...Introducing Gina Cooks!

Hey sweetlings,

How is it going oh? I have just been busy oh...'like everyone else'. :-D

Anyway oh...abeg, please, ejor, wohwoh....you guys should like my FaceBook and follow me on twitter:  @MsGinaCooks  for my recipes and get your friends to 'like' it too Biko. I need all your support.

Ehen oh, lately I may have been pheromonal oh...the way I have been warding off men these days has been alarming. I can honestly say I am NOT doing anything differently.

On a tangent, my neighbour upstairs is meant to be a 'diplomat' from one of these West African countries. The dude is an older guy. A few weeks ago the guy gives me some Sallah meat (while I was away for my brother's wedding). I was grateful. With his recent 'behavior' I don't know what to think again. The guy wears  eye pencil Tiro/Tozeni/Kajal permanently. For the last 2 days there has been a mortar and pestle pounding day and night....night and day on top my room. I am assuming that his bedroom is right on top my own. I am not averse to other West African delicacies but I am sure they are not too different from ours which doesnt include non-stop pounding. So, I have made my conclusion. My neighbour is a Native Doctor! Now, what do I do with the ram that I greedily and excitedly accepted?  In my mind, I have de-accepted the meat. Food will not kill me o.

This morning I was watching NTA news and Charly boy was being interviewed and among his many titles I saw 'Social Engineer' come up. I was a bit perplexed. I don't understand how people throw big titles up and about. I am an advocate for social change and I recognise people who promote positive change, but where does Charly Boy come in? I may be wrong but does anyone know what social entrepreneurship schemes he has birthed or encouraged? My response to that is, 'Mr Charly Boy, if you are a 'Social Engineer' then I Gina, I am a Kitchen Astronaut and a Pot Chiropractor'.

M'je/Gina

Mamuje eats

Hey guys,

By popular demand I have decided to share some pictures of the delicious meals I have cooked over the past few weeks. I love to cook. When I have the urge to cook a recipe, until the food is on the plate. I have no peace. I find cooking therapeutic and rewarding too. Especially when you get it right. There is also a lot of highs and lows associated with cooking. Sometimes you botch a recipe you have tried out too many times.... sometimes you try the most difficult cooking technique once and you get it right.

So.....enjoy :-)

I made these red velvet cupcakes on Friday and garnished with Tobleron cubes :)

Smoked mackerel pate and Melba toast

Panna Cotta. A cheap Italian dessert.

As an Edo girl, Bini Owo and plantain is in order.

My bell pepper pizza

My chocolate profiteroles.

Meringue basket with a raspberry coulis. It tastes as yummy as it looks.

Leek and Ham Quiche. I am not a fan of Quiches but I make them :)

I made this Chocolate Roulade, No I didnt steal the photo from google images.

Banga Soup (Just in case you are in doubt about my local cuisine prowess. lol)

I guess this means I can cook. :-D

I hope you enjoyed looking at the pictures as I enjoyed making them and putting smiles on peoples faces. My website is coming soon, which I will share with you guys and I am definitely making a career out of food. The passion is definitely too strong to ignore :-)

M'je

One Night in Paris

I was flipping through blogs and  stumbled upon Ginger's blog on travel and I must say its so apt. I forgot to share my Parisian experience. Too much was going on. Anyway, It occurred to me that I have been to some of the most interesting places and I had never been to Paris. I went to Calais, France once but never made it to Paris. Who goes to France and not Paris? Well.... That's a story for another day.

So while I was training in London. I took advantage of the Eurostar and my almost expired Schengen visa. As the culinary capital of the world, I had to see for myself. The food and dining experience was exquisite. The French hospitality is legendary for being AWFUL. It is the cesspit of hoity-toity(ness). For the life of me, I cannot understand how people so vile can produce such amazing food. Anyway enjoy the photos.

I had the best macaroon I had ever tasted in my life made by the Famous Pâtissier Pierre Herme

The gardens around the Eiffel tower

It was nice to see Mr Eiffel. Gorg!

I ate this Ishpan. (Basically a large rose flavoured Macaron) I had an epiphany. I cried. Pure Deliciousness;)

Views from the Eiffel tower with my 55mm lenses. ;)

Walking along Champs Elysee

Arc de Triomphe

Happy to be at the Louvre.

First meal in Paris. It was AWESOME! Surly waiters but delicious food.

I was so HAPPY to see Mona Lisa. She is stunning!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures?. Having said that, I would never attempt Paris on my own again. I would definitely want to experience it with someone special....or at least someone I can whine about the French with. All in all, I am not in a hurry to go back to Paris.

M'je

Pet Peeves...!

Growing up there are some things which we partook of. It was seen as the norm and we went with the flow....as I grew older my views on many things changed. Some people think I am over-reacting, they believe as Africans there are certain things that we must do and be part of but I think I am reacting with the confinements of what is the appropriate thing to do. Below are a list of things that rile me up to no end.

1. Showing up unannounced. I don't like it. I don't like it at all. It irritates me. It doesn't matter who it is. Unless we share a house together, you have no business or office showing up at my house uninvited. The most irritating one is when they come and I am not in they call to say "I am at your office/house, where are you?". Why didn't you feel the need to call before coming? I don't get it. If you are in the area can't you just call to say I am around instead of barging in. I don't like over-familiarity. The ones are just make me cringe is if when a man shows up at my house. There are 101 things I might be doing that I may not want any intrusion.

2. Nagging- Lets say I totally get it when a man doesn't come home to a nagging wife. This is targeted at everyone who nags. "Why don't you return my calls?"...and when I call back "Why didn't you pick your calls earlier?". Seriously guys!

3. Eating when on the phone: Oh dear...... He/She decides he/she wants to hear my voice when he/she has food in her mouth! *Smack* *Chew* *slurp* Revolting!

4. Text Talk. My mum is the number 1 culprit. She is a professional text talker. I mean a 66 year old woman. Seriously Mum! She can re-write the entire bible in text talk. I rily h8 wen pple tlk w txt. I fnd it disgtn and rvoltg! For me I think it takes a lot of thought and concentration to READ text talk. It's too much hassle. Why not say 'DON'T' instead of 'DNT'? are you quarelling with 'O'..what the hell do they have against vowels? I tire.

5. e-Terrorism. These are a special type of cretins and can be find largely congregated on BBMs and sometimes Facebook. They clog your inboxes and messages with broadcasts, spewing all sort of blasphemous jargon. "Forward to 10 people if you love Jesus". I secretly hope that all those electronic terrorists disappear into oblivion. I hope a virus creeps into their computer and corrupts their system. I wish upon them a lot of Trojan in their iPads, iPhones, BBs, Laptops etc

6. CAPS TEXT. Some people don't know that if you type a complete email in CAPS, YOU ARE SHOUTING AT THE RECIPIENT!!!!!

OK....RANT OVER! These are my pet peeves, whats yours? :-D

M'je

Is social climbing the new fad?

...should I say social climbing or what's the generic word for living above one's means is the new fad?

"I am so stressed out, I have been on my annual leave for about 2 weeks and I am yet to go anywhere? My colleagues have been calling, asking if I haven't gone for summer" Tope cried.

"It's a no-brainer, if you cannot afford it why do you have to go? What do you have to prove?' I replied

"But I would like to shop for new things somewhere, do you know anywhere? I can't go back to work with my old clothes. If I cant travel, at least I can get some new suits" She continued.

"I still don't think you owe it to anyone. You are putting undue pressure on yourself by trying to keep up" Then I went into a long long long sermon and she reasoned with me eventually...

Since the birth of Ovation magazine brought about cloud of pretentiousness that has spread over the average Nigerian. A lot of people who regularly go out to be seen are enjoying the 'limelight' and have become 'Socialites' overnight. Overflowing Brazilian locks, a lot of faux-Birkins, Chanel, Louboutins, hoity-toity-ness, makeshift American accents...The works...a lot of these people have to keep up with societal expectations. They are by force friends to the stars and crème de la crème of the society. They have become celebrities overnight. Then they start to borrow, scrape from the little they have because they want to keep up with an image 'City people' paints of them. I am not a fan of these mags, but I see a particular lady ALL the time in 'This Day Style' being paraded as a successful Abuja socialite and entrepreneur. So imagine my shock when I saw her shoulder to shoulder on a BA economy flight. How?!!!

When I worked in the bank, I remember my colleagues asking me why I didn't get a car loan. They kept teasing me about being stingy. I also remember an entry level staff who took a loan to buy a ticket to the UK for the first time as well as a car. When we were laid off and he got his pay off, there was nothing left as the bank took their loan repayment in one big swoop. I left the bank with no loans hovering over my head.

I sit with my friends and I feel blessed because of the people I have around me. No pretentiousness. We wear Asos. New Look and even Primark. Proudly. We hang out and drink BEER. Yes, Beer. Oh and we live a good quality of life. Much better than some faux-Chanel carrying socialites or some Porsche-Panamara-driving dude who lives in a BQ. I don't see why people feel the need to impress. At my brother's bar, the people we are more cautious of, are the Moet Rose popping invertebrates people. After popping an obscene amount they come behind the bar and start begging for discounts (or beg to pay the next day) and almost never pay up. The next week. Gbam! Abuja big boys on City People front page! It's just a very very poor way to live. It's a tall order. You should not have champagne tastes on a beer budget. It's either you can afford it or cannot.

There is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong in mingling/networking with the people that matter in the society. It's a brilliant idea. It should also be done with wisdom.

M'je

Pic from google images: Cartoon Stock

The ONE who wouldn't take bribe...

This morning I remembered 3 Uncles from way back. Two of them were government officials. Let's call them Uncle A and Uncle B. The other held an enviable position in the bank. Aptly named Uncle C. They are all retired now.

The one I remember the most is Uncle A. From when I could recollect my earliest memories of Lagos, some of my holidays were spent in his 'mansion' in GRA, Ikeja. His official house. He was one of the top bosses in an education board. Imagine coming from the back streets in Edo state to visit a palatial abode in Lagos. He was a respectable man, a man of integrity. He took no bribes nor used 'long leg' to get his children or his relatives jobs or places at University. He was diligently serving his nation and earning a good reputation. Fast forward 23 or so years down the line. Uncle A retired with a truck load of books and now lives in our village. His closest companion is the bottle. The only house he managed to build is somewhere far flung in Okokomaiko or something....whenever he walks past, he is being ridiculed for not using his position to enrich himself or anybody.

Uncle B was dishonourably discharged from his post in government but he was 'smart' enough to acquire choice lands and houses in Abuja area. He can afford to send all his children abroad to study without working. When he is broke, he sells a land and they are home and dry.

Uncle C, judging by his calibre of friends (The wealthiest men in Nigeria), one can safely say he wiped out clean at his time with the bank. His children all school abroad. Houses in the States and he is basically living the life of the rich and famous.

The present situation....
Mr Lamidi beats the traffic light because there is no traffic warden in sight. Mr Okon gets priority treatment for headache at National hospital because his old buddy is the chief medical consultant..at the expense of Miss Rita who needs chemo urgently. Contracts are over-inflated because you have to 'settle' those in power. Mr Kelechi sells fake drugs to make ends meet.  Ms Adesuwa cajoles young girls for a better future abroad then sends them to Italy for prostitution.  Bribing the police because your vehicle papers are not in order. The egusi seller alters her measuring cup to get the most out of your money. You see young men and woman who want to drive Porsches at 25 and live in Mansions with minimal work. All they need is 'one contract'. The average Nigerian is quick to bash the government. Fair enough. They have done nothing exemplary in 52 years besides wiping our coffers clean but in hindsight I believe corruption can only be eradicated from our society if we start from ourselves.

Sitting behind a computer and bashing the government on facebook or twitter will not lead to a better Nigeria. Nigeria as a country is closely associated with corruption and more recently, terrorism.  It's the entire system that is cankerous. The government is just a minute part of that.

Nigeria turns 52 on Monday. If you are a Nigerian, what are you doing to make your community a better place? We can start by building on our integrity and everything else will follow. Like Uncle A...

M'je

Are you waiting for the perfect man?

I just finished this conversation with my older friend and feeling really encouraged. The insurmountable pressure from family to get hitched and relatives throwing jabs at you....and with news flying around that my niece was getting hitched....guess who panicked?

 As a child I have always fantasised about how my home would be...not really given too much thought about how my husband would be but I know for a long time I was hung up on Caucasians and it has taken the Grace of God to snap out of it. It was an indication of how I saw myself if I couldn't date or want to marry my own race.

Since I got back home, I can't say I have dated properly. Not properly. I woke up one morning and I haven't had a proper boyfriend in about 4 years and I was utterly and totally comfortable with it. I just wasn't meeting the right people. Then I realised I had to be bothered about it. At least, my family are very bothered, why shouldn't I? With the threat the new Millennium marriage poses should I still worry or count myself lucky that I have the wisdom to nitpick carefully before saying those words 'I do'

THE MILLENNIUM MARRIAGE

1. Charity gets married at 25 after dating Bolaji for 6 months. A shot gun wedding, 3 Children and  6 years down the line, Bolaji is still trying to 'find his feet'. Charity is frustrated with 3 children and she leaves the marriage.

2. My dear Temi got into a whirlwind romance after an MFM deliverance. She 'miraculously' found a husband. After the wedding (a multimillion Naira wedding celebration) she realised that the 'man' didn't have his own rented apartment. They were squatting with friends. 4 months later, she threw in the towel. She is single again.

3. Bisi works in a bank. She jointly financed her wedding, now she is paying the fees and the rent while her husband is still 'hustling'...she has resulted to going back to her former sugar daddy just to make ends meet. She is still trying to make her marriage work.

4. Ngozi had barely finished graduating, she met Paul who came on a visit from London and married him basically after the first shag. She got pregnant and after another shot-gun wedding she was in London 3 weeks later. 9 years after, Paul had never worked. They had always lived off 'benefit'. They both live off the UK tax payer and Paul cannot even pay his children's fees. Ngozi wants out of the marriage. We hear news she is already cheating.

5. Ruth meets the man of her dreams. She marries him...he dies 2 months after the wedding, she is 1 month pregnant. 7 years later Ruth is still trying to pick up the pieces of her life with her son.

6. Rotimi and Etim have been married for 6 and 8 years respectively. They have no children of their own. Every night they are drinking at their local watering hole, slapping girl's bottoms and refusing to go home to their wives.

7. Anita, has been married for a year, no child. She is gorgeous but her husband is constantly cheating on her with a divorced woman with 3 children. She is still weeping.

....I could go on and on and on....changing names to these real life situations.

The present situation

I thank God that I am still single and that I didn't get married when I was in my 20s. I am very sure I would be very unhappy, I would be out of the marriage by now. It's not about being picky. I have a lot to offer a man so therefore I have every right to Cherry-pick who I am going to spend the rest of my life with. He has to fear GOD, He has to be kind, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a kind person.. He has to be a good communicator, FUNNY, He has to have a career, he has to be ambitious or have a plan and I must align with the plan. At least dude, live in a 2 bedroom flat. Have a vehicle (I didn't say drive a RANGE ROVER and live in a BQ) and most importantly, A DREAM!....Until then, I will wait.

Ladies, if marriage is where you are going to spend the rest of your life. What's the point in rushing into it?

M'je

Mamuje cooks...

Mamuje decided that she wants to be a chef so is currently taking a professional culinary course at the amazing Leiths School of Food and Wine. She started on Monday. The passion inside of her was too much to be wasted in her personal kitchen.

In 3 short days she has cooked and learnt a whole lot.

Find attached a couple of dishes that She has cooked over the last few days. She feels honored to be taught by the best in the industry.

M'je

The Politician and the Chef!

What makes an amazing subject of discussion when having a great time with friends? Friends talk about different subjects from different facets of life. Politics. Travel. Responsibilities. Relationships. Sports.  General tatafo ramblings.....You name it, there are no boundaries. I love talking for the whole of Nigeria but I have noticed that when the subjects of Politics or Sports arise, I am usually more silent than usual. I barely have anything to contribute. I don't have enough information to back up any arguments laid before me.

Yesterday I was having drinks with friends and one noticed how quiet I was when they were bashing Goodluck and asked why I wasn't involved. I am yet to decipher if he meant 'Politics' or 'Political arguements'. He urged me to take a liking to politics. I find a lot of energy is being exerted when the matter of  Goodluck or our failed leaders arises. When such energies should be channelled into doing something more productive. Frankly i think it leaves a lot to be desired when people keep bashing and bashing and bashing. Its exhausting for me to listen to. I have come to the realisation that anyone in the place of power would be criticised. Whether a head of a house or even the head of a church or mosque. You name it....let alone a president. Constructive criticism is good. Bashing is Wrong. The only thing I have to say is 'Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown'. After all, I never even voted for the guy. I believe I was churning our recipes on election day. The discussion yesterday inspired my Facebook status today:

"I almost never engage in political or sporty type discussions because I have such limited knowledge of it. On the other hand, if you engage in an argument with me about the different types of Pulses, Coffees, Cheeses or why cast iron is better than copper pots I'd probably beat you to it. So whether Goodluck wore shoes or not is NOT exactly my problem....."

On a tangent my topic of interest is Food and Travel, so much so that i invested in a new gas cooker. I just couldn't resist. My old cooker was tired and had served me gloriously over the years. It was given to me second hand and we created some amazing memories together. Anyway, I bought the Gas Cooker and realised after I had gotten home that I was too broke to buy proper food to cook on it. So I am on an Indomie parade until the weekend when I set off to get my proper qualification to become a chef. I present to you, the new addition addition to my family. Ms Ignis

I adore 'her' so much its unbelievable.
M'je

Show me your plate and I'll tell you who you are.

I am one of those people who can tell a person's personality by how they react to food. Especially food they haven't eaten before. In that vain, I kinda group potential dates by how they react to food. Its understandable as food is one of my greatest passions and the way I treat food is the way I adjust/treat/handle different facets of my life.

For instance I am very observant and when my friends eat I can pretty much tell one person's personality to the next. It's simple. Your attitude to food denotes your readiness to embrace change. Your open mindedness and sometimes 'wordliness'. I remember the last dinner party I had at home. I cooked something even I had never eaten before. It was wolfed down in nano seconds and my guests thanked me for it.  Some weren't crazy about it but they all tried it and gave me honest feedback. That's why they are my friends. They are open minded! That how life should be approached.

So imagine my disappointment when I was 'scoping' this guy and I gave him a sweet snack to try. He tasted it and spat it out. Sacrilege! That singular action of spitting out a sweet altered my perception about him totally. I could visualise a rigid, close-minded person that would do me absolutely no good, Someone who wouldn't take risks and was very 'safe'.. I know many people who would try it and say, "I do not like it" as opposed to spitting it out. I try most things (as long as it isn't life threatening) and if I don't like it, I do not try it again.

I remember my first experience with Hawaiian pizza. I have never liked a sweet and savoury type combo. I do not like sweet and sour chicken. I do sweet or sour but never together. Nothing has changed on that front. So a friend brought a box of Hawaiian pizza to my house and I put my fears aside and took a bite. I focused on all the flavours and textures then it started to come together. I seemed like i had had an epiphany. Hawaiian pizza has now become my pizza of choice.

I have dated the 'hearty eater'.... a guy who was so generous and caring. The 'glutton' is the greedy and stingy one. For instance you and a guy sharing spring rolls, if he doesn't urge you 'the lady' to take the last one on the plate. He is stingy. Quote me.  The 'finicky eater', is the self-absorbed whinger.... The 'foodie'...the helpless romantic and the 'Serial Indomie eater'...stay away from those kinds they have nothing but mediocrity to offer you.

I may be wrong but these are my findings, I believe it works differently for different people

M'je

Pic from Google images

The Elevens!

I needed to blog to clear my head so decided that I would try the 11s. So Ms Lily Johnson's caught my eye. So here they are.

 1.      Who are you in three words? 

Sensitive. Talkative. Caring

2.      If you had the opportunity of being one person in the world for a day, who would you be asides yourself of course? 

Jamie Oliver

 

3.      Which country would you absolutely love to spend your last days in and why? 

Croatia- I have been there and it just resonates with me. I love the tiny Islands and coastal area tres much

 

4.      What is the best gift you ever got from a loved one? 

Money! - Most people dont usually impress me with the gifts they, so money would easily take that load off.

5.      What is the craziest thing you would do for a million dollars? 

Maybe some adventurous sports. Anything that will question my faith AND/OR morals. I CANNOT do.

6.      What would you ask for if a handsome billionaire Arab Prince asks you to make one wish? Or a beautiful queen of some place asks you to? 

Since they are not God. I would ask them to show me how to make wealth otherwise I would have asked for WISDOM. 

7.      What is your wildest fantasy?

*secret* I have pretty much done most of the wild things I wanted. Ok, to Summit Mt Kilimanjaro 

  

8.      At what age would you discuss sex and stuff with your kids? [kids’ age] 

I dont think I can answer this one.

9.      If you were to be your president’s special adviser on ‘any matter’ for a week, what would you advise the man? 

First of all I would like to draw his attention to his wife. Help them out and improve their lifestyle. I would love to cook in their kitchen and basically show them how to enjoy life. I am not one to give any political advise.

 10.   What is that fashion item that you want but don’t have right now?  

I am not much of a fashionista. I would love to own a Birkin or a classic Chanel Bag.

 

11.  How many purses do you have? How many wallets do you have?

Maybe about 10-12 functional bags/purses. I have about 4 wallets. I use only 1.

So here are my own 11s and I tagged anyone who reads this or feels the need to do it out of boredom ;)

1. What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?.

2. If you ever met Obama what will you tell him?

3. When did you have your first crush and are you still in touch with that person?

4. If you were given a day to live, what will be the last thing you will eat before you die?

5. If you had to save ONLY one thing or person in this world, what would it be?

6. What is the best movie you've ever seen?

7. If you were to appear on  reality TV which one will it be and why?

8. Which Fairy character best describes you and what you've been through?

9. Would you rather be stuck in a house full of bread or a house full of chocolate? Give reasons.

10. If you were given a round the ticket to visit a country in each continent. Which countries will you choose and why?

11. What is your most prized posession?

M'je

Title? You tell me.

 I wrote this blog a while ago with the intention of posting it but it never happened. So here is it.

I have often wondered if it is me or if the world has suddenly gone beserk. I mean why do I constantly attract dull men? This is rhetorical. For one, it doesn't reflect positively on me. Meaning I am Either dull or I just attract a special breed of assholes. I'd like to go with the latter.

You see, I haven't been in a relationship per say in a while so getting back into the dating game is rather cumbersome. Maybe I expect top notch or I am unfortunate enough to meet men who give too little or nothing at all. So when the member of the opposite sex fails to stimulate me intellectually it leaves me rather disappointed suffice to say that's why I am still single.

The last conversation I had with a suitor goes like this.
Suitor: So how are you my lady?
Me: *hmmm* Fine
Suitor: What are you doing, you seem distracted.?
Me: well I am actually having breakfast.
Suitor: Really? *as if I had just told him I landed a spaceship*
Me: Yes, really!!!
Suitor: So what are you eating?
Me: Bread *monosyllables will do*
Suitor: AND WHAT. Is it only bread?
Me: ....and eggs *sigh*
Suitor: Fried or Boiled?
Me:...... Raw.....*I had had it*, you know what? Let's chat later.
(Click)

I don't have the patience for blandness and ordinary people. I have never and will never do. One thing is certain he and I ain't going nowhere. I had better conversations in my teens and with younger men. What the hell is going on?


M'je