What’s your Expertise?..

November 24, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

Though the Business Dictionary defines an Expert as: The basis of credibility of a person who is perceived to be knowledgeable in an area or topic due to his or her study, training, or experience in the subject matter, the word expert connotes more meaning for me.

In my layman’s opinion, an expert is that person who is able to teach me something that I need to know and he/she knows it better than I do.

In my place, there is a proverb that says that “what one does not know is bigger than that person” which highlights the truism that knowledge is indeed power.

My young children seem to be more abreast with the electrical gadgets in the house than their mother and they are always amused when I have to call one of them to ask for help in fixing or putting on the new-fangled plasma screen TV etc, in return they get called praise names by me, like ”my Bobo genius, Mummy’s Champion” or any name that pops into my head and you can see their glow in proving valuable, so in such little instances, they are my experts.

During my growing up years, I believed that my dad was a genius and an expert.

He tinkered and fixed just about everything that got broken in his spare time, even those of our neighbours.

It occurred so often that it became the norm to see an honorary auntie or uncle come calling with a broken iron or kettle or car issues and you would hear them right from the entrance of our house saying ‘‘Jay, Jay Martins (that was my dad’s alias among his friends) biko/please can you help me look at this thing? I wonder what is wrong with it?”

He would collect it, fiddle around and in a lot of instances, he got it sorted. This was done freely.

It was just a hobby and not his job. He was not a trained engineer. He studied and worked as a crop scientist, yet his interest in knowing how things worked not only made my mum and his friends happy, but it put a lot of joy and smiles on his face.

Personally, I do not view expertise in the literal sense of the word of just being knowledgeable in a field of study, but the appropriate application of that knowledge to achieve required results.

Prowess in a particular field of knowledge may not be a subject of interest or a need to know information for me and therefore at that point in time, it is almost irrelevant.

On several occasions, I have asked other bloggers how they were able to do something that I found admirable and as I go on, I keep my eyes and heart open so that I may glean off the expertise of others while still working on developing the muscles of mine.

What areas of your life would you consider that you have sufficient prowess to be deemed an expert? Have you ever given it a thought?

NaBloPoMo Prompt – Who is an expert you admire and why?

Wednesday, November 25

Image credit:

A link to my neighbours/Community · Inspiration - Motivation · Life · Musings · Quotes For You · Tips for the day · Weave that Dream

Stretching The Vision….

November 24, 2015 jacquelineobyikochaLeave a comment

Our external vision are absolutely important, but without our internal vision we are more or less blind.

One’s internal vision acts like a compass, steering wheel and rudder that directs our sweet spirits, whispering through our lives with guidance and grace.

Our internal vision can be nurtured even beyond what our physical eyes can behold and our expectations.

Have you ever wondered how some of those who have challenged physical capabilities are able to do exceeding great things?

It is from their internal vision.They nourish and nurture it constantly despite adversity.

They walk by faith and not by sight.

What are you doing to build, foster, nurture and encourage your internal vision?

What are you looking at?

Remember that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he!

Thank you izzyasabee for inviting me for a round of 3 day quote challenge. I appreciate the opportunity.

I will equally invite these 3 awesome bloggers to join the quote challenge.

Nedoux

Emma of Shut that negative noise off!

Mary of MLou’s photography blog

Creative Writing · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Love · Musings · The Daily Post · Writing

To A Dear Friend…

November 23, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha13 Comments

My dear best friend,

How ever could I have survived without you? I am sure that you are wondering that after all these years, I finally acknowledge the importance of your friendship above that of all those who have blood flowing in their veins.

You are inanimate, yet you stand strong. You neither disdain nor discard me. Always supportive with your constant non-judgmental ear and never have you tittle-tattled behind my back even when I have treated you so badly, crumpled you in annoyance and tossed you aside in utter disgust in moments of emotional turbulence. You are so trustworthy.

Each time you still accept my pick-ups without a word of complaint, soaking in the outpouring of my thoughts until I am drained and sated.

I know that sometimes you must be confused with all the different voices that races through your domain; the flighty, flirty and glamourous, the happy and sad, the joyful and sorrowful, the excited and dreary, the calm and crazy, the contented and disgruntled, the sexy and boring, the discombobulated and all the weirdos that I bring along.

You have caught my tears, held my laughter, my sighs and wishful thoughts. You have stoically shared my struggles, troubles and triumphs and only offered succour by serving up reminders of beautiful days past and a glimpse of finer days ahead.

What can I say dear best friend but thank you.

I sincerely appreciate you my dearest diary for keeping me sane all these years.

You and chocolate have been wonderful companions of mine over the years. Bearing my torture and sating my taste buds, you are truly the best team a girl can ask for.

Yours truly,

Your sometimes awesome, fabulous and crabby owner,

Jacqueline.

The Daily Post prompt Literate Today

Someone or something you can’t communicate with through writing (a baby, a pet, an object) can understand every single word you write today, for one day only. What do you tell them?

Image credit: Pinterest

Inspiration - Motivation · Musings · Personal story · Quotes For You

The Game Of Best…

November 23, 2015November 23, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha29 Comments

There are no two ways about it, the utmost thing that I do better than anyone else is being myself.

I am an original of who I am and not a poor quality copy of someone else – well, except bits of my parents, who did the very needful to create me 😉

It is important to reaffirm this to oneself time and again, especially in voyeuristic recent times where the over-zealous drive to be perfect seems to increase more and more.

There is absolutely nothing wrong in striving to be the best that one can be, but there is something wrong in getting carried off in the drift of trying to be too many people at the same time; even a persons brain will surely get wonky and tired from the ping-pong of living lives or attempting to live lives that don’t belong to us.

I may not be particularly adept at doing somethings that other people are very good at doing or being better than anyone as a matter of fact.

What I know for sure is that whatever interest that I develop, I try to put in the best of my ability and my real competitor is myself because I keep pushing my boundaries and keep aspiring to improve on my standards.

When we look at our palms, no two finger prints are the same, likewise, all fingers are definitely not equal. Each is characteristically different and that is how all human are different.

It is a foolhardy, frustrating, exhausting and stress inducing process to keep comparing notes and juggling the attempts to beat others.

There will always be someone better at one thing or the other.

Trying to be the very best at whatever your game is the first part of being the best and I must reiterate that in the game of best, being the best authentic you that you can be is better than being a confused nobody.

NaBloPoMo Prompt – Monday, November 23

What do you do better than anyone else?

Haiku · Monday Motivations · Poetry/Poems · Quotes For You · Tips for the day

Lounging Recasts!

November 23, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha14 Comments

Around comes Monday, Quick, so Fast!

The Weekend is simply not so Vast!

Well! Its time to live now and forget the Last!

Till next Friday and another lounging Recast!

The picture above – Quick Forgotten History and Fact:

More than a thousand years ago, on a hill in Cordoba, Abass Ibn Firnas, the first Aviator, boldly set out to do what no man had done before. He was ready to test the first flying machine in recorded history.

It’s lovely to start the week and each day as a matter of fact with positive outlook. I find Leannenz Monday memes interesting.

Creative Writing · Fiction · Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Short Stories · Writing

It’s Mating Season…

November 23, 2015November 23, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha16 Comments

”Don’t look! Just don’t even give that proud, shameless peacock a chance to flutter his feathers and show off some more.” Rita cautioned herself.

”He is just making an ass of himself, prancing around for all the younger hair-brained peahens that go cooing all over him.” She grumbled.

Marcel was a true debonair of a peacock.

He knew how to strut and display his stuff.

The dating and mating season was fast approaching and he just has to attract the best of the peafowls as much as he could.

”What’s with Rita and her forbidding looks?” He clucked to himself.

”She is just being a goose and giving me the bad eye.” He muttered as he admired his brilliant feathers.

”I better get away from her sight to more appreciating admirers”, he trots off in the direction of the clucking, cackling and sighing impressionable peahens.

…and still Rita followed from a distant pace, her disdain dripping from every not so bright feather.

Inlinkz

In response to the FFfAW photo prompt above. Thank you Sonya for the photo and Priceless Joy for this challenge platform.

Uncategorized

A Symbolic Chain of Love to be spread Out There

November 23, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha2 Comments

Many hand’s make the work lighter.

Les Petits Pas de Juls

holding.hands.around.the.world.9+%282%29

Inspired by Erika Kind right after last week’s events in Paris, France.

I need to believe. I need to trust. I need to know I’m not the only one living in a beautiful world.

Please share the picture.

Let’s hold hands virtually for now, but also out there, extend our hands to our neighbors, to our friends, to our family, to strangers in need, to strangers not in need, to the old, to the poor, to the refugees, to those who are scared, to those who are on the verge of not believing anymore, to those seeking our hands, to those sharing our values, to love.

Enjoy the Day and Be Awesome!

[Es] Inspirado por Erika Kind justo después de los eventos en París, Francia, la semana pasada.

Necesito creer. Necesito tener confianza. Necesito saber que no soy la única viviendo en un mundo hermoso.

Por favor, comparten…

View original post 210 more words

Little rants · The Daily Post

It is Pidgin Today…

November 22, 2015November 22, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha19 Comments

Party-Jollof-rice — Party Jollof rice with plantain and moin-moin

Let us go down to a bit of Nigeria colloquial language aka pidgin or broken with Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba flavour. The translated synopsis is below to give you a rounded gist of the matter.

Abeg make una vex o. E don tey, way I bin won talk dis matter.

Mai dia pipu , how una dey o? Shebi bodi dey eensi clot wel, wel? Se kosi?
Ranka dede! Una wellu don o. I dey greet.

Oya carry shia siddon make u listen small for my vex.

Biko, make ah ask dis kine kwershion wey dey give me palaver.

Dis tin way de shele for our life now no be small tin at all o. How una take see am? Eh?

Lai lai e no supoze be like dis na! All deze tins just dey put us for reverse, when we suppose dey waka go front.

Dis Boko Haram mata, dis ISIS matter don tire persin. Dem be like Ojuju Calabar wey no wan make person sleep close eye for night.

Maka Chukwu dem jus de do bad bad tins de go, an e no funnee ahgain o.

Abi wetin yu teeenk?

We jus dey siddon dey look abi? Na dis kine leg Nama go carry waka for Damaturu reach Owerri?

Mbanu! Odikwa very risky.

Mayk una come o,make we join head togeda begin dey fine the black sheep way dey fo outside before naight go meet us for hia o!

Na sofri sofri dem dey take catch monkey.

Beecause mai pipu dey talk say one day one day monkey go go market e no go return ahgain o.

U no say pikin way no wan make im mama sleepu him too no go sleep .

Na so e be o. Eh aburo mi. Sisi mi.

Abi na lie I lie? If na lie I talk make I naked baf for bafroom.

E don do sef! Oti to!

Diaris God o.

Akoba adaba Olurun ma ja ri

Ka Chineke mezie okwu a. Udo diri unu nile.

Shikena! I don talk my own finish. Today na Sunday abeg may I go chop Jollof rice 😊

Translation:

Please don’t be offended. It’s been a while that I wanted to say this.

My dear people, how are you all? I hope you are doing well?

Sit down let’s have a quick chat.

I crave your indulgence, let me ask this question that seems to be a bane in our lives these days.

What are your views about this Boko Haram and ISIS issues that are cloying the air?

It is rather a tiring situation and they have assumed the positions of masquerades that won’t let people close their eyes to sleep at night. What do you think can be done?

These happenings are sending us backwards while we are supposed to move forward.

Are we just going to sit down and look at events? Is it in this manner that the Cow will trek from Damaturu to Owerri? That is rather risky!

Let us join heads together and search fervently for the black sheep before night comes.

Softly, softly one can actually capture a monkey, because we say in my place that one day the monkey will go to the market and it will not return.

A child who will not let his mother sleep will not sleep too.

My brother and sister, that is how it is.

It’s enough now. Let us remember that there is God.

May we not fall into the pit/trap set by someone.

Peace be with you all and May God intervene for us.

That’s it! I have said my piece! Today is Sunday, please let me go and eat jollof rice. Good bye.

The Daily Post prompt Non Regional Diction

Write about whatever you’d like, but write using regional slang, your dialect, or in your accent.

A link to my neighbours/Community · Hope · Inspiration - Motivation · Little rants · Quotes For You · Societal Issues

When One Finger Picks Oil….

November 22, 2015November 22, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha13 Comments

Blanket Race or Religious castigating remarks always feed off the wilful, ugly actions of the misguided among us in society.

These actions earn names and virulent comments from those who perfect the act of positing themselves as armchair judges, pointing fingers, pontificating and lumping people under labels.

In fairness to others, we should learn to stop herding and lumping people into categories to suit our lack of open-mindedness and to satisfy our cravings for ”I told you so’s” as is the case of an African proverb that says “when one finger picks palm oil, it spreads to the rest.”

It is a given and natural phenomenon that the influence of one’s upbringing and society will not only rub off on them, but will dictate and shape their views, behavioral tendencies and if this is the case, then it stands to reason that the individual is not necessarily to blame for how they turn out, but the society at large and their upbringing.

Who are society? We! We form society and not aliens from Mars.

What have we done as a society to improve these situations that we find ugly, which keeps perpetuating itself until they are fast replacing the normal with the abnormal?

Since we are too busy being politically correct, we are all to blame.

If we truly love and want to change our World as much as we claim, is this not then the time to stop playing Possum and to stop hiding our heads in the sand?

Is it not yet time for Muslim leaders to stand as one voice and castigate the bad eggs who perpetrate evil in the name of Islam?

Is it not yet time for the people to question the status-quo and raise eyebrows at those who do these so-called brainwashing?

Is it not yet time for Christians to open their hearts and express that love that we profess?

Is it not yet time for every Religious leader worth his salt to speak up and condemn these inhumane practices and other behavioural tendencies that hurts the society at large?

Or, have they lost their essence as the salt of the Earth?

Is it not time for the arm-chair pontificators to get off their butts and do something more useful other than to be judgmental?

Let us steadfastly attempt in seeking positive ways to do better things for the benefit of our society and not by the spate of ugly words spouting off peoples mouth all over the place.

Today, I will share these African proverbs with you, which should help us realize that our little works can have ripple effects since we are not in isolation and that:

”It takes a village to raise a child.’‘

”If your child is dancing clumsily, tell him, my child you are dancing clumsily. Don’t not tell him “darling, do as you please.”

”A child is what you put inside him.”

”One should shout when a child comes home with a stolen egg, otherwise the day he comes with a stolen ox, it will be too late.”

We are society. Let us stand for the truth.

Thank you Chape for providing the opportunity to enjoy ruminating over these proverbs. I would encourage you to visit his blog. You will find lots of useful fitness tips and neighbourliness.

My invitation extends to these 3 awesome bloggers:

Ngobesing Romanus of Success Inspirer

Tony Burgess

Beth at Nutsrok

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Image credit: Pinterest