Those Wicked Contraptions….

September 23, 2015February 25, 2017 jacquelineobyikocha48 Comments

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Night and Day.”

An A-class rated event, coupled with the desire to cast a captivating, svelte, alluring figure all rolled-in-one *pun intended* led me down the path of purchasing a slinky dress to go with the anticipated moment.

The rolls and bulges needed to be folded in very nicely and the cute shop attendant introduced me to the wonderful corset. A piece of nip-tuck body magic, body shaping contraption (not garment in my opinion) which promised a smooth finish and an immediate downsize of several inches. Everything looked real good!

Now, a pair of stilettos which were required to complete the fashionista look were obtained (at a bargain, I must tell you).

Party, here we come!

It’s was a lovely evening. We were good to go. I was no longer so sure of my choices but with husband practically tapping his toes in the bid to go, I chose to brave it and all nicely trussed up like a turkey, off we went.

I don’t think I have spent a more miserable evening at a party before! I could barely take in sufficient gulps of air. Needless to say, the pins and needles poking at my ribs all evening were absolutely no fun!

All the lovely finger food passed me by with regret (the food regretted and so did I). Any attempt to take a meaningful bite would have caused some things to burst loose.

I couldn’t even comfort myself by dancing either! It appeared the stilettos were not quite as comfortable as they had been on the day they were bought.

I sat upright all evening like a nob or better still a snobbish aristocrat and using the restroom was not a mean feat at all!

Most of the conversation floated over my head because my entire thoughts were “Oh my God, when would be the reasonable time to leave so that I can disentangle myself from my self-imposed cagey nonsense.”

Those items never saw the light of the day again. A lesson not to be repeated.

Just in case you are interested, I have this lovely corset and killer stilts that would complement your wardrobe. It’s available for auction. Going! Going! Going….to any bidder please!

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

P.S. Thank you WordPress for reminding us of good times spent 🙂

An Artist for Nobility….

September 23, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha40 Comments

Desire to paint was compelling. She couldn’t stop even when there was hardly any coins left to purchase supplies. Grocery change finagled to buy a paint or two.

Thoughts flowing from fingertips onto the easel with boundless verve, leaving people in awe of the elemental depths of her works.

Mama had urged her over and over to focus on a sensible trade. To pull her head out of painted clouds.

Mama’s fear, was that she would end up a penniless and hungry artist, if she had nothing else to do.

To please Mama, she had learnt a sensible trade. A governess to spoilt brats and dabbling in her painting away from prying eyes.

“If only Mama could see me now!” Georgiana fervently wished for a moment.

Her works had won the National Art entry and gained public acclaim!

….And here she is on the palace grounds, painting her ladyships gardens. Appointment notes chock full with sittings for portraits and the likes!

Who would have thought! I Georgiana, the daughter of a green-grocer, would be an artist for nobility!

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

In response to the photo prompt from Graham Lawrence for Flash Fiction For Aspiring Writers.

Thank you to Priceless Joy for providing this challenge platform.

Travel · Writing

We took a glimpse and we were in awe…

September 23, 2015September 23, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha57 Comments

We had driven past the mosque along the express sometime in the past and its magnificent structure beckoned to my eyes….

We had no idea that we could visit as non-Muslims, but following inquiries we were duly informed of the visiting hours and the required observations.

We earmarked a day to visit Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi.

A lot of people may not know this, but the Grand Mosque was started as a vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was known for adopting a tolerant version of Islamic faith and for staying far away from fanaticism or extremism.

He imagined a place of worship that would help people come together. To understand Islam and to see it as a religion that has a message of peace, tolerance and diversity.

A leisurely 2 hour drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi; with pit stops made at gas stations for a run to the loo (when you have children with you, prepare your mind for such incidentals) and to grab a cup of Tim Horton’s or Starbucks coffee and donuts.

We had eaten before leaving, yet an expedition has a way of rousing the nibbling juices.

It was blazing hot! Around 41 degrees Celsius if my guess was correct, but thankfully, there are shaded areas as you walk to the location where you have to obtain a compulsory ”Abaya” for the ladies before venturing into the mosque.

There were bus loads of tourists queued to acquire one, but the process is swift and efficient. They had loads and loads of Abaya! Soon we were on our way.

The shiny starkness of the white marbled building that literally glinted in the sun left me bereft of words to describe my thoughts.

We had to leave our footwear in a sea of footwear a mile long at least and walked into the mosque which was refreshingly cool.

I observed that the marble flooring outside the mosque, which I had expected would be baking hot was cool. It must have had some sort of cooling system because our feet did not roast!

The splendour! The magnificence and the entire experience was sublime.

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It stole one’s breath away and pulled at the inner chords of warmth and peace deep within you.

It left the heart feeling full and at rest.

I realized that, we all, are on the same quest for the same thing which is centered on Love, Peace and Acceptance, even though peoples means of arriving at that destination differs.

I think that the confusion lies in our minds as faulty humans and not in the hands of God. Our genetic make up does not have any religion stamped on it. We are first created humans before anything else!

Allah Akbar means God is greater than anything else on Earth and that is not debatable! A Muslim enters the ritual of prayer and divine presence after uttering Allah Akbar. It is akin to the sign of the Cross made by Catholics and I am Catholic!

Indeed, God is the Greatest! God does not promote violence or lies!

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

P.S. Unfortunately some of the videos that I took are not uploading and my pictures don’t do justice to the Mosque!

In fulfillment of Writing 101 – Day 13 Assignment: compose a series of vignettes. I am doubtful about my take on the assignment, but if the Truth be told, I am leaving it as it is.

Uncategorized

Make-Believe….

September 22, 2015September 22, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha26 Comments

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “A Storybook Day.”

Reading a lot of Enid Blyton’s books and Hans Andersen’s Fairy Tales as a child helped to form an imaginary World where everything was possible in my developing mind and since I have fancied myself as quite an actress, I simply cannot allow such an opportunity to amend some wrongs and settle scores go away.

We don’t have to look too far, I would love an opportunity to be Cinderella.

Those horrid step-sisters need a little comeuppance. A little pinch, pulling of hair and boxing an ear would soothe my maltreated nerves.

All that sweet syrupy nature of Cinderella was a little too acquiescent!

Second dips, I would love to be a fairy in Enid Blyton’s ”The Magic Faraway Tree.” They had such a delightful time.

Back to reality, as a grown woman, my current favorite fictional character exists in the pages of the novel that I am putting together.

I am still trying to understand her and where she is taking her story to.

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Fiction · Short story

HUSTLE….A short story

September 22, 2015September 22, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha62 Comments

Ikem couldn’t stand the penury anymore! He stared at his worn out T-shirt with the words “making a difference” printed on it’s back in disgust and dissatisfaction. He had purchased it three months ago from the bend-down-select aka flea market to add to the other two that he possessed, but frequent use and wash had slackened its neckline and faded it’s vibrant colour. It was time to visit the man with the bell; he sold good second-hand clothes from a heap of clothing on the market floor.

With that dissatisfaction dragging him down, he pulled the T-shirt over his head and shoved his feet into an equally worn out pair of rubber soled slippers. Picking up his wooden pallet, he hastened off, making quick strides to the bus-stop where he could hitch an early morning ride by hanging partially on the side of a Molue. Sometimes the conductors were difficult but on a some good days, they also showed their humane sides.

It is a main market day at Ahia Ogige today and there would be a throng of lorries bringing in goods from neighboring villages. If he rushed, he would probably make a good turn around from customers who needed their goods carried from one end to the other.

Yet, as his strides swallowed the distance from his living quarters at the shanty, to the bus-stop, his grumbling mind would not cease to taunt him. How much difference was it really making in his life, eking out a living that was barely enough to put food in his stomach, pay his own portion of rent and minor bills, not to talk of sending money home to his folks? He queried himself.

Christmas was fast approaching. It would soon be time to go to the village to celebrate, but he wasn’t sure he was up to that this year. He thought he would have achieved more by now and he didn’t want to watch in envy as some of his clansmen came home with their new motorcycles and garbs to show off. Chukwudi had really irritated him last year with all his loud talk of making it big.

His angst grew within him as the day wore on. Wearied of carrying back breaking heavy load for peanuts at the end of the day, he stretched out on his small mattress which had a pride of place on the floor and slept like a log of wood.

Mini Glossary

Ikem – An shortened version of an Igbo name for a boy; Ikemefuna – which means, may my strength not go missing.

Chukwudi – An Igbo name for a boy and it means; God lives

Ahia Ogige – A market in Nsukka. A town in the Eastern part of Nigeria

Bend-down-select: A heap of mixed used clothing where customers literally bend down to scrounge through the pile and select an item they want to buy.

Molue: Are the locally redesigned and fabricated 44-seat old buses that ply the roads of the city. The original buses are disused school buses imported from other parts of the World

In fulfillment of Writing 101 – Day 12 Assignment: Play with Word Count

I tried to keep my story within 500 words and I think I did it!

Blog Awards · Inspiration - Motivation

Triple Rays of Sunshine…

September 22, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha48 Comments

Its an honor to be nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by three different blogger friends Honestme363, hallenterprises132 and Inspiring Max.

This award is in recognition of blogs that share positivity in the blogging community.

As the saying ”three times a charm goes,” in that spirit, I humbly accept all three nominations and merge the rays so that I can leave some fingers of some Sun shine for other friends of mine 🙂

In my native land, when a person wishes that the Sun will shine on you, they project Life, Prosperity and Brightness in your life. The spoken word bears a lot of weight on our lives even when we fail to realize it. In deed, the power of life and death lies in our tongues. When you lift up your face to the rising Sun, may the shadows fall behind.

A big thank you to my nominator blog-some friends. Do take a little while and visit their virtual corners.

The Rules:

Thank the person/people who nominated you
Answer the eleven questions from your nominator(s), in this case 32 questions.
Nominate eleven other bloggers and give them eleven questions to answer

The merged questions: 30 in all

Where is your favourite place you have lived?

Ans: I have lived in so many places, briefly and lengthy. From the Eastern part of Nigeria to the Middle Belt, North and West in my growing up years. Stints in Europe and migrating to the US. I presently live in Dubai – United Arab Emirates, but in the innermost part of my heart, my favorite place is the place of my childhood. A small University community known as The University of Nigeria Nsukka. It was a childhood of dreams; a place, where it took a community to raise a child.

If you could change one thing what would it be?

Ans: The fact that I didn’t start writing seriously earlier than now!

What is your favourite childhood memory?

Ans: Christmas in the village 🙂

What is your dream job?

Ans: My aspirations have changed over time and snowballed back to my passion and first love which is writing. It’s time to take it to higher grounds.

What was your best subject at school?

Ans: English, History and Literature.

Do you prefer to live in the country or the city?

Ans: I love both places and since I am living right now in a major city, it is better to be in love with it.

If you were stranded on a desert island which celebrity would you take with you?

Ans: I am not so much into celebrities but I could live with Oprah. I love the wisdom that she shares.

Everyone has a song that makes them want to dance, what is yours?

Ans: It is almost common knowledge that I will dance to anything called music apart from the cat’s noise.

Favourite colour?

Ans: I love them in splashes. Not fair to make me choose but there is something about orange and white.

Do you prefer camping, caravaning or staying in motels?

Ans: The thought of marauding snakes has made me not to enjoy camping; even when I was in the girls guide. Now, I would settle for the comfort of a decent motel. There must be a writing table in the corner.

How many different careers have you had?

Ans: Five

Name one aspect of yourself that you would consider quirky/odd/amusing/weird.

Ans: I cry over silly things.

What do you do to relax/unwind.

Ans: Reading, writing, dancing or lounging by the poolside, playing with my kids, people watching…..

Name one thing that is vital to your daily routine.

Ans: Writing things down and praying.

How many posts do you have in your drafts?

Ans: Fourteen posts.

Regarding blogging: are you…a) obsessed – you would be embarrassed to add up the hours you spend reading, writing, commenting etc. You also sneak a peek at WordPress while you are at work.
b) intermediate – there are moments when you can’t leave the screen, but there are also times when you don’t look at it for days.
c) you write your post and leave.

Ans: I think I am a B. I have been able to have a successful one week without looking at it.

The blogosphere is most often read through:

Ans: On my laptop.

Name one possession you covet – something that if your children/friends/family wish to touch, you hover over them protectively, watching them to make sure they handle it delicately, if you allow them to handle it all.

Ans: Nothing. My wedding rings, maybe? Oh yes! My laptop too! 😉

Name something that you read, or do, that you feel enhances your personal growth.

Ans: Asides from my Bible, lots of motivational books from different authors.

Since I enjoyed answering this question…If you could channel your soul into an animal, what would it be and why?Ans: An Eagle or a Panther

Ans: An Eagle. I would soar high and free. I would visit so many places and see so many things.

Who are your favorite published authors?

Ans: There are loads of them and more are joining the list. I am currently enjoying Marian Keyes.

What did you want to grow up to accomplish in your life?

Ans: Sincerely speaking, I am still growing up and learning new things. However, leaving my footprints in the sands of life through my writing, mentoring and life coaching would be my greatest accomplishments.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Ans: A holiday at Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi combined with Burj Al Arab in Dubai. It was pure decadence.

If you got to choose your last meal in life, what would it be?

Ans: A very large greasy steak, with mashed potatoes and a glass of Veuve Cliquot, to send me off.

What is your favorite temperature? Mine is negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ans: 30 degrees sounds fine to me.

Introvert or Extrovert?

Ans: I am a blend of the two. An introverted extrovert 🙂

What about yourself would you change if you could?

Ans: Stop eating too many sweet things.

What scares you the most? Claustrophobic, myself. That and I hate needles.

Ans: Snakes. I don’t mind being cooped in as long as I have a good supply of good reads and a jotter + Food

Why do you blog?

Ans: So that I can meet people like you. So that I can share my thoughts

Who is your favorite musician?

Ans: Women of Faith, Dido, Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Nigerian Musicians: It is a very long list.

Here comes the Sun nominees…:

Anand’s Parodies & Caricatures

Christian Mihai

The Motivational Team

MLou Photography Blog

A Good Blog is Hard to Find

Lynz real cooking

Destination Enlightenment

Eloquentparadise

Tlizzy – My little bit of serenity

Haddons Musings

SabahBatul

Tasha

Just 11 questions..:

Do you have unusual hobbies?
Do you volunteer with any charity?
What is something that you tried but will never do again?
What quirky habit do you have?
Any best friends?
What is your biggest fear?
Where is that one place in the World you wish you lived in?
Who has most influenced your life?
Who is your favorite author?
What is the one career you would love to enter?
What is that thing you used to do as a child that you wish you could still do?

Thank you for your time. I hope you enjoy the reflections the opportunity to answer the questions gave me.

Regards.

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

The Daily Post

Come into my parlour…

September 21, 2015September 21, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha13 Comments

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Home Turf.”

I have a fine home, I think I do,

With nice gadgets and knick, knacks too!

But not my spiffy new home, with all the pots and pans,

Not my lovely, comfy bed and not my TV too!

Its just a nice living space, if it was just for me,

My home lies with those who share my space,

They make it worthwhile too!

Their Warmth,

Their Energy,

The Laughter,

The Frolics,

And The Squabbles too!

Without these my lovely ones,

There would be no home at all!

If you were to visit us,

You would be captivated too!

Not by the lovely new gadgets

But our smiley tooth!

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Family · Inspiration - Motivation · Writing

When the Brain Cells are Fried…

September 21, 2015September 21, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha65 Comments

At some point or the other, we all experience some fatigue from writing and we need those little breaks to reflect, rejuvenate and calibrate.

As a mother with school age kids and a full daily to-do list, some days can be more daunting than the others, but I have learnt over time, to fit in some little pick me ups which helps to maintain my sanity and refresh my writing juice.

Here are some of the things that I get up to:

Sleeping it off when the luxury to indulge in a power snooze presents itself. Those power snoozes does wonders for the thinking cells of a writing she or he.

Murk about in nature. A jaunt around the park, in a garden, by the sea side, in the wilds or any nature that can be found around. The nature is such a natural healer that you might even find yourself waxing poetic at the end of it all.

Picking the brains of the young ones. Sometimes, my children serve as a bouncing board for silly ideas. We could spend time reciting old rhymes and twisting it as we go along. The wonderful, fresh outlook through the eyes of a child can be refreshing to the jaded eyes of a writer.

Sweating it out: I could turbo charge with a quick round of lazy press-ups, jumping jacks, skipping or whatever gets the adrenaline pumping.

Dancing without inhibitions like a happy, roaming gypsy, or singing out loudly like a tipsy bard – in the bathroom preferably 😉

Curling up in bed or on a favorite couch with a new interest inside the reams of a book and a chamomile tea can help calm some tired nerves. Sometimes, lighting a nice, cheap and cheerful candle can even set the tone for good times 😉

Going to the cinema or going to people watch, works magic too! I find a vantage point in a busy place that teems with humans and people watch shamelessly. You will be surprised at the burst of ideas that can come through such exercise. I always attach an imaginary character to a passer-by, visualizing a lifestyle for them, based on their dressing or the little mannerisms that they express.

Running a hot tub with a dash of jasmine or eucalyptus oil. Hot water does its good work in loosening some kinks. Sit in the tub and let your mind roam free. There is no crime tag attached to just being and not doing.

When I can afford a little pampering, I go for spa treatment and just soak it all in. It does help to have a professional iron out the kinks. Otherwise, I settle for a cheap and cheerful tweaking home treatment from my children and they get to paint my toes.

Attending an open seminar/workshop and meeting new faces.

There’s an endless list of opportunities and new ventures to be explored.

So tell me, please, what works for you?

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

In fulfillment of Writing 101

Creative Writing · Fiction · Short story

Sun-dance.. Flash fiction

September 20, 2015September 20, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha18 Comments

Benjamin assessed the corralled horses, his mind deeply disturbed.

”Who could have done such a dastardly thing,” he mulled over and over. His disturbed mien hardly taking cognizance of the rain that soaked him to the skin.

”It is only three more weeks to the Steeplechase competition and some mean snake got it into his head to contaminate the horses oats, now my best mount Thunder Hoof is down.”

”Could it have been Lucas, my ever envious neighbor?” ”Or that oily tongued land grabber, Max?” He debated.

The answers were not forthcoming. He scratched his head in indecision.

”I need to choose a good horse and very fast too.”

His mind quickly settled on Sun-dance, whose silky white mane swam down his neck like waterfall, and his tail swept carelessly with pride.

He almost stood apart from the rest in confidence and regal posture, with muscles that rippled under his white coat.

It is rumored that his sire is the direct descendant of Crazy Horse, an Apache Warrior’s mount.

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

In response to Flash Fiction For Aspiring Writers