Author: jacquelineobyikocha

A wordsmith with a vivid imagination, an eager mind and a burning desire to carve out tales. As I journey with my muse to that land of all possibilities and self discovery, I hope my personal evolution will serve as a beacon of inspiration for anyone who chooses to stop by.
Midnight motivation and musings

Midnight Motivations and Musings // 48…

jacquelineobyikocha23 Comments

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Opportunity is taking the situation that you are in and turning it around on its head to make some sense out of it. Opportunity is not going to traipse lazily and knock on your door begging you to pick it up.

Opportunity is not going to traipse lazily and knock on your door begging you to pick it up and it’s not everyone that will have a Cinderella story to tell. Some will have to work their way out of the grate of cinders with all the smoke and never a pair of dainty slippers to lose or Prince galloping to the rescue.

Some will have to work their way out of the grate of cinders with all the smoke and never a pair of dainty slippers to lose or Prince galloping to the rescue.

Adapting to the situation that life presents us is the first key to getting ahead.

Finding the positives that such a situation has to offer and tailoring it to serve some worthwhile purpose in your life is turning an ordinary occasion into a great and well-optimized opportunity.

Your story is an opportunity. Your life is an opportunity. Your art is an opportunity. Your photos are opportunities. Your speaking strength could be an opportunity. Your baking is an opportunity. Your cooking is an opportunity. Your parenting is an opportunity.

Opportunity abounds. Use them as well as you can.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

 

Family · Little rants · Stream of Consciousness Saturday.

Be Wise, it’s possible that I’ve been foolish!…Streams of consciousness Saturday.

jacquelineobyikocha37 Comments

‘Be wise,’ this caution repeats in my head so many times in a day, sometimes as early as when I rise up in the morning, that I am beginning to question myself to find out where my foolishness lies and why the caution keeps popping into my head.

How I wish the repetitive caution ‘be wise,’ jangled hard with cymbals and SoCS badge 2015vuvuzela when I am about to help myself to a second slice of pie or cheesecake.

I have no problem with being wise after all, that’s what aging is meant to bring, even though I am beginning to question some older people’s sense of reasoning these days.

Some of them seem to have sold their sense for two cents that common sense is becoming less common in the quarters where you expect to see it.

Be wary of slick-tongued politicians. They make promises that they can’t keep. All their bluster is simply empty air. I guess a nation can’t live without leaders to direct their affairs, but the current state of affairs of my dear country Nigeria makes me wonder what those old men garbed as politicians are doing in there?

They are selling the nation short and robbing it blind. Could they just be honest for once in their lives?

I guess not. It’s simply not in their best interest to be pillars of honesty, otherwise, they can’t become thieves.

Besides Nigerian economic and political woes, these days, I have become more cautious with listening to news that simply raises my angst.

I have basically whittled it down to the barest minimum. I barely bother to listen to CNN anymore because all I get to hear is American political brouhaha and we have till November to suffer through such news, not that they used to show better things in the first place :/

Anyway, before I become dour and boring, let me heed to my inner voice of be wise and save myself some foolishness.

This weekend, I am going to be absolutely and decadently lazy. I am going to be doing some ‘me introspective time’ and generally chilling with my brood.

Life is certainly beautiful and as Linda’s prompt suggests, I am just going to ‘be’ing and not doing.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

The Daily Post

Men at work…

jacquelineobyikocha15 Comments

It takes such men like those in the photo below, to create beautiful landscapes that we admire.

Landscape, The Daily Post Photo Prompt.

Uncategorized · Writing

PLEASE HELP ME CHOOSE MY BOOK COVER…

jacquelineobyikocha103 Comments

Dear friends of mine,

Please help me choose the cover that catches your eyes from this link or below.

It’s for my poetry book due to come out this April, all things being equal 🙂

Just add a little comment and the number of the picture that you prefer.

You can help me share if possible.

Thank you for your support and kind regards,

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

OOTSB Cover tests

Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Lifestyle · Uncategorized

Easy Like Saturday Morning…

jacquelineobyikocha6 Comments

Feel free to lounge in your PJ’s and hair net, while listening to Lionel Richie’s ‘Easy like Sunday morning.’ 😉

Hope · Humans · Uncategorized

Everyday Beautiful People // 5…

jacquelineobyikocha16 Comments

“When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.” Donald Miller

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None of us is perfect, all are found wanting, we are in it together – Jacqueline.

Life · Midnight motivation and musings

Midnight Motivations and Musings 47…

jacquelineobyikocha28 Comments

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What can I say? I have met some people who have fallen out and ended years of good relationship due to a difference in opinions that are sometimes insignificant.

I have witnessed heated and virulent arguments, even online where people degenerate far down to abusive vitriol when someone dares to disagree with their point of view and the question that always cross my mind is to wonder what kind of background the name-calling, combative person has?

If a person can’t get his/her point across in a clear, concise manner without the entire discussion degenerating into a World-war, then they should not bother getting into discussions at all.

Getting all heated up over issues that can either be by-passed or discussed like responsible humans is a no brainer. No one should waste their time on such non-productive ventures.

Opinions are what they are. Even if you are right, the other person reserves the right to disagree with you and your ability to handle the disagreement is where the maturity lies.

I have witnessed where people are brought around to a different line of thinking by the presentation of clear, unambiguous and empirical evidence.

Points of view are two-ways or even in some instances a multi-faceted traffic and as much as you like your voice heard, it’s possible the other person does so as well.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Poetry/Poems · The Daily Post

Colourful Silliness…

jacquelineobyikocha17 Comments

I love vivid and vibrant things
I love those shiny bling’s
All things bright and beautiful
Just like colourful Spring.

I love things in calmness
I love their simple quietness
It brings out certain righteousness
Painting your heart colourful in gladness

I love life in splashes
They make beautiful sashes
Just like the King’s gaudy ring
Now, that’s one big, fat bling

I love the calm of white
It also looks as bright
Though it may not be as colourful
It’s equally just as wonderful

Now this is just silly rhyme
I just feel like passing time
It’s Friday night Tra la, la
Oh! A good night for oh la, la!

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha
Colourful, The Daily Post Prompt

The Daily Post

Dancing in triumph…

jacquelineobyikocha31 Comments

Ah! Finally, the last day of photo 101. I believe I will miss this course, and I am glad that I survived it.

For several reasons, this month has been a hectic one for me and each day was really a case of mind over matter in order to get things done. A lot is left trailing behind and have to be attended to in this month of April.

I totally doff my cap to professional photographers that bring you the fabulous photos that you get to enjoy.

For today’s prompt ‘triumph and contrast’ my mind went to so many things. Music, little beginnings, and closures. For me, triumph comes from satisfaction over little things around me, such as getting my exercise done makes me dance and feel on top of things 🙂

 

I love Sunsets. They spell beautiful, serenity, closure, triumph and so much more.

Featured Blogs · Uncategorized

Featured posts #27…Let me share your post links.

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‘PLEASE KEEP SENDING IN THE LINKS.’

Today’s featured blogs are:

A fairy tale with a twist A number of you might know how fond of Maria I am and her pictures never fail to gladden my heart. They are VISUAL pleasures. HOWEVER, this link is not about her photo. It’s a scintillating bit about Maria’s personal story. I have read it. I like it very much. I want to read more 😉 Told in simple words, yet very compelling.

The value of Mr. M Diya’s post really put a small on my face. We really don’t know what we have until it’s not there, or the value of others until they are gone. A refreshing read.

Is this mommy life Introducing Mandea a new blogging neighbour of mine. I read her article ‘SELL YOURSELF‘ which I find very interesting because it’s a quandary many of us find ourselves in. Do say hello.

Deb Was Here My girl Deb is talented, humorous; friendly, candid; community minded, and lots more. One to have as a blogging neighbour.

The Heartbreaker Amunala is a new, upcoming blogger in our midst. Do step in and show some love.

Master Mel’s attention to fine details is superb and this is the comment that I made:  ‘Your attention to detail is impeccable Mel. You’ve created so much imagery that it’s only natural to imagine and paint these things in one’s mind.’

Please visit their blogs and say hello. A few minutes may gain you a friendly support.

‘Do you want more eyes on your words?’

Well then, add your LINK INTO THIS LOOP.

P.S. Comments are disabled here to keep the loop tidy. Any comments or link you want to send can be added through the link in the post.

Thank you for your understanding and regards.

‘We create a cohesive community when we come together.’

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha