You meet some people and the connection is so awesome that you are simply thankful you got to meet them. ‘
‘Nedu is one of such people that I’ve met in cyberspace and when I call her my home girl and sister, it’s for many reasons that goes beyond enjoying her entertaining posts.
We are both Nigerians and of the Igbo tribe. I am not sure she knows this, one of my native names is also Chinedu – short for ‘Nedu like her’s and lastly, we both love Lagos. She currently blogs from Lagos and even though I left many moons ago, I’m still a Lasgidi chic.
Whenever I get to go home again, this enterprising, fine chic owes me some pepper soup and small chops. 😉
Thank you, sis, for granting this interview.
Let’s know a bit about you.
My name is ‘Nedu Ahanonu, I work as an Investment Analyst by day, Blogger by night and DIY sewist at the weekend.
I enjoy well-crafted satires and clever puns. I like genuine acts of kindness and I dislike an unfounded sense of entitlement.
As I’ve gotten older and wiser, I’ve come to the realisation that life is as simple as we choose to make it. One must learn to take full responsibility for both their enthusiasm and happiness.
Why blog? What’s your blogging experience being like?
It all started as a blog where I’d showcase my completed personal sewing projects, then it gradually evolved into a fusion of both my musings and the sewing construction process.
My main motivation was to show readers that sewing wasn’t rocket science at all, it simply required practice and a can-do attitude.
Blogging has been a wonderful experience, it’s giving me a platform to share my thoughts. I’m particularly thankful for the opportunity to build a supportive network of virtual friends.
The post about Lagos I-live-here was a big hit with readers because they could relate with the many idiosyncrasies of a fast-paced city.
My favourite post has got to be this one- I’m-not-giving-up-on-you because the underlying message about having a positive perspective, inspires me.
What’s your typical day like?
My weekdays are pretty much routine, commuting to the office, working and commuting back home after conquering the monster that camouflages as Lagos traffic.
Weekends are far more interesting, there’s always something to do in Lagos! I go shopping for fabric and sewing accessories at least once a month, there’s something about fabric that excites me, I guess it’s the possibility of creating a beautiful garment.
So, what plans do you have in the offing?
I’m an avid muser and it’s my deepest wish to write a book someday once I convince myself that my past and present experiences plus my imagination are sufficient material for a best-selling novel.
With regards to the sewing aspect, I recently launched a Sewing Club, which is a nice transition from simply writing about my hobby to actually teaching a live class.
I enjoy the connections and interactions that I make here in the blogosphere. Each day it I literally meet a new person and today, I share a brief introduction/interview with a new blogger friend of mine, Jenita.
Thank, you Jenita for talking to us about yourself on such a short notice and I believe you’ll do well in blogdom 🙂
Hello, everyone! I’m Jenita. I am a fairly new Blogger on WordPress. It’s been about 5 months since I started my Blog. I am also a children’s book author.
I love to write short stories & poetry.
My Blog, https://huntsclubhouse.wordpress.com/ is an extension of my main website, http://huntsclubhouse.com/ that was inspired & created for children; per I’ve worked several years caring for them as a Professional Nanny. I love to find the beauty in things. I enjoy decorating, and I LOVE to laugh! I love hanging out and having fun with family and friends, per it’s always a blast. I am also sort of a neat freak (slightly OCD, lol) I do not like disorganized spaces or over-crowded rooms!
I created my Blog to cater to more adults & parents…as well as a platform to introduce my two children’s books, “Beautiful Boy” & “Beautiful Girl”. In addition, during this process, to my surprise, I have found myself further developing my writing with newly inspired poetry and articles, about life and other inspirational topics, I didn’t even initially plan to share. This has definitely been a growing experience. I am also simply blown away by the numerous talent I have discovered on various blog sites…including yours, Jacqueline. It is absolutely amazing! There is such a plethora of topics & areas to be inspired by, or educated about, across the web. It’s truly an open buffet of content.
I think I‘d probably be considered an average blogger. I still have a lot to learn. I realize others may have obtained more followers or higher stats in a shorter amount of time, but ultimately, I just want people to enjoy what I write…& the more people that are aware of my content, the more can be impacted. Here are a few of my Favorite Blog posts….
In between my day-to-day caring for children, I LOVE to admire the beauty of nature, going out to great restaurants, & having fun with family.
One of my goals is to continue to gain more exposure for my two children’s books, which are available on Amazon http://amzn.to/24NhCzI
I would also love to write for a larger platform to increase exposure for my writing in general, as well as for my Blog. My desire is to reach as many people as possible to hopefully inspire & motivate. If someone can be touched & inspired by my content, perhaps it will spread & motivate them to inspire others as well.
I connected with Joe in this space many months ago and not only has he been supportive, I find his articles inspiring. I never visit his blog and come away empty handed. Today, he has agreed to share more personal details about himself with us.
Thank you, Joe for obliging my nosy inquisition. My regards and best wishes in your endeavours.
Tell us about Joe. Your background, short biography and general outlook towards life.
I am originally from the Bronx, New York and of Puerto Rican and Scottish descent. My Puerto Rican heritage dominated my life. Yet, I do not speak fluent Spanish. I know nothing about my Scottish heritage.
Me as a baby.
I currently live in Florida with my husband of seven years and our two fur babies Maddy and Lotis.
A dysfunctional family life and living in the Bronx helped to make me one of the statistics. I was a dropout from the school system by the age of 16.
I later returned to school to get my High School Equivalency diploma and went on to college to study Culinary Arts.
I subsequently changed my major to Psychology. I made this decision because I started studying metaphysics and saw a correlation between the two. In my opinion, Cognitive behavioural therapy is very similar to using affirmative self-talk.
I never completed my studies but continued to explore these subjects independently. To this day these are two things that interest me very much.
I am the one on the right.
I love understanding how the mind works… what makes people tick… how habitual thought patterns can be changed.
I love taking a recipe and making it my own… cooking for others and seeing their faces when they are enjoying the meal I created.
My other likes besides cooking and psychology is gardening.
These are some of my plants in my garden.
Some of my crystal collection.
Photography: Some of my shots below.
For my singing, you can check out this post for that.
Pollyanna
Nobody is perfect. But, for the most part, I am a very optimistic person.
I have a strong faith in the goodness of my Creator and I believe that there is a reason for everything, because of this, I tend to look for the silver lining in every situation, even in the midst of hard times I look for the reason and try to adjust my attitude to not resist what is going on. Some might call this being a Pollyanna, but I like to think it’s just having faith that I am always where I’m supposed to be in life.
Transitions
Like all people, I have experienced some events in my life that have changed the direction my life was going.
Miracle On 42nd Street
One such incident happened in the year 1990.
It was the day after Christmas that my life changed as a New York City bus jumped the kerb in Manhattan. I only remember seeing the bus coming toward me. The next thing I remember was being on the corner of 42nd street and Lexington Avenue.
The next day I saw myself pictured on some of the major New York newspapers. There I was, laid out on the corner of the streets of Manhattan. The headline read, Miracle On 42nd Street. I survived this accident only by the pure Grace of God.
I have the belief that things happen for a reason and that this accident was to help prepare me for what was to happen next in my life.
Instant Family
Two months after my accident, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer and she lasted only 8 months after finding out about her condition. This resulted into my inheriting the responsibility of raising my two younger brothers.
I wrote a little about this here if you’d like to read about it.
Oops! I Did It Again
After raising my brothers, I eventually ended up working with special needs people as an education coordinator, coach, and trainer. However, my work with this community ended on October 9, 2013, when I experienced another accident.
I bet you thought I was going to say something about Britney Spears 🙂 I won’t go into what happened with this accident, but if you want, you can read about it here.
This latest transition in my life leads to the next question.
Tell us about your blog and your purpose for starting it. Did you have any set goals in mind when you were setting up your blog? What do you think about the blogging phenomenon itself?
After having my last accident my self-image and everything I thought I was changed. I was physically unable to do most of the things I once did. Being physically unable to live as I once had affected me emotionally as well. I soon found myself in depression. The only outlet I had was my journal. One day while writing in my journal I got the inspiration to share my writing and so, “What I Gotta Say About It” was born. However, there’s more to the story.
My Intentions
When I first started my blog, I was really interested in informing people about things they might not have known about. Things like the NSA and our privacy, whistleblowers, our civil liberties being taken away, and the like. I also wanted to discuss spirituality and self-improvement. As time went on I realised I like writing about these things but I needed to focus on something concrete. So, I decided to focus on helping people to realise their highest potential but, I also want to take it a step further.
Building A Community
I have had an awesome experience interacting with the blogging community. So much so, that I created another site in the form of a social network. It is my hope that I will build a community where everyone can share their knowledge and resources with each other. I’m also researching how to create online courses and would like to offer that. It’s not completely finished yet, but soon enough hopefully.
Take us with you on a typical day spent with you. Show us a bit of your World and yes we love photos of your pets if you’ve got any.
My Daily Quagmire
My typical day consists of
Looking for a job.
I was released to go back to work. However, I have limitations. So, this has been quite challenging.
I’m contemplating studying to be a life coach. I think some sort of credential would help me on my mission to help other people.
Taking Care of Maddy & Lotis
Maddy is our dog who is 15 years old. She has random seizures and is prone to getting attacked by Lotis. Lotis is our brand new puppy, who is a handful. We recently lost one of our fur babies (read about that here) and added Lotis to the mix. He is only 3 months old.
Maddy
Lotis
Thank you for the opportunity for the interview Jacqueline.
P.S.: Would you like to grant an interview or guest posting? You can send an email to me at JacquelineObyIkocha@gmail.com
One of my objectives as a blogger is not just to write for others to read, but to equally get to connect and know who my friends in this space are. I’ve been following Alexis Rose for quite a while now and have not only enjoyed our interactions but she amazes and inspires me with her confidence, resilience, and candour.
Dear Alexis, thank you for taking the time to indulge my inquisition. My kind regards and I look forward to seeing your continued bloom and success.
1. Introduce yourself, your background, your likes, dislikes and general outlook towards life.
Thank you, Jackie, for this wonderful opportunity to be interviewed for your blog. I have followed you since I began blogging and so impressed by the myriad of topics you cover. I have enormous respect for the ways you build community in the blogging world.
My name is Alexis Rose and I’m from Minnesota, which is in the Midwest of America. My state is called the land of 10,000 lakes and it’s beautiful. Freezing in the winter, hot and humid in the summer. I moved here when I was in my late teens and set down deep roots. I have two wonderful children, and we’re excited to see our son get married in just 5 short months. I thought I would have a difficult time being an empty-nester, but we see our kids often and have a close relationship with both of them and their significant others.
Up until 2009 I had a good career in the field of staff recruitment and marketing. I loved my job and was getting to a point in my career where I felt as if I could exhale a bit when it came to financial security. In October of 2009 sparked by a family tragedy, I began having flashbacks, although, I didn’t know they were flashbacks at the time. I had purposely repressed my past, but when my snow-globe world was shattered, I began to piece together, for the first time, a personal history of abuse and trauma.
While learning to live with the effects of my trauma, and working with the deficits arising from the post-traumatic stress disorder, I have co-authored three inspirational books and published my memoir one year ago.
My outlook towards life in one of hope. I am passionate about living life, not just going through the motions, however, that looks for a person. For me, it means living with my eyes wide open. I absolutely love people and human nature, I love all critters (we live with a dog and two cats) and feel best when I’m outside in any kind of nature. I think I was meant to live in the tropics because I thrive when it’s hot and humid.
2. Tell us about your blog and your purpose for starting it. Did you have any set goals in mind when you were setting up your blog? What do you think about the blogging phenomenon itself?
What has your blogging experience being? Here, you can share some links of your top posts or blog posts that you particularly like with us.
I’m an active blogger who writes about PTSD, Mental Health, Trauma, with some inspirational poetry sprinkled in along the way. I started my blog after publishing my memoir. I was told that I had to have a blog to market my book. I had absolutely no idea what a blog was, except a way to communicate with family when someone was on a trip. I had never clicked on a blog, and had never heard of WordPress, had no idea what a tag was, or how to follow someone. Last October, was the first time I wrote a post. After writing my first post, and having someone “like, and follow my blog” I began to research how to tag, find other blogs to read, and engage in the blogging world.
Now, as I reflect on the last eight months of blogging, I’m grateful for the connections I’ve made. I love to follow blogs in all genres. Although my intention with my blog is to start and keep the conversation going about PTSD, or any other chronic illness, as well as share my poetry, I’m open and excited to be followed and follow blogs that write about every subject. I love to read about other people’s interests and viewpoints. I love to see the photos, read the poems, recipes, opinions and editorials. I absolutely love the connections that blogging provides.
I am thrilled to read and write on someone’s blog or have them write on mine from all the world. It makes the world a bit smaller as we are able to connect with each other. The reality of knowing that I am responding to someone who is already a day ahead of me, by virtue of time zones is amazing to me. I am part of their past, they are part of my future and yet we are talking to each other in real time. I LOVE that!!
As you can tell, my blogging experience has been amazing. Here are a few posts to click on to get a flavor of what I post:
3.Take us with you on a typical day spent with you. Show us a bit of your World and yes we love photos of your pets if you’ve got any.
Most days start with working out, yoga, or meditating. I do marketing for two different businesses’ part-time, as well as try to market my book, and I’m only cleared to work two hours a day (part of the living with the effects of PTSD) so I divide my mornings into working. Then I take my dog, Leilani for a walk. She is my unofficial/official therapy dog and I don’t know what I would do without her. She keeps me grounded, knows what to do if I begin to have a flashback and is always by my side. I’m including a picture of Leilani and our cat, Brad.
During the summer, autumn and spring, I try to spend as much time as possible outside, so I typically take a break during the day and spend time on our deck with the critters. Depending on the time of year, my symptoms can be a lot more prevalent, so I need to pace myself, and stay grounded. I make sure I see friends throughout the weekdays too. I have a wonderful support system of people who check on me, make sure I get out of the house for hikes, walks, lunches dates, etc.
I try every day to make time to read other people’s blogs. I believe that blogging is a two-way commitment. If I’m following someone I read what they write. It’s why we blog, so other’s will read our words. I try to engage as much as I can with comments, but I will typically always “like” someone’s post. I want them to know I am reading their words and they are being heard.
4. What’s the next pit-stop for your blog’s outreach and publishing? Any plans in the offing? You can also share some of your published works here.
I love the blogging world, and I get tremendous fulfillment from writing and sharing my posts. I still have a twinge, of fear each time I hit the publish button. Will my writing be interesting to others, will my poetry and/or writing resonate with others? I’m still not quite as confident I would like to be. I write from a vulnerable and honest place, so sharing that with the world and opening myself up is really difficult, but I’m determined to keep a conversation going about living with PTSD, and I’m passionate about dispelling some stigma behind the mental and chronic illness.
I will also continue to market Untangled on my blog. I love that my book has been read not just by the mental health community but cut across all genres of readers and I believe that is because of my blog.
I’m going to begin writing another book in September. I can feel another book bubbling out of me, and I’m compelled to honor that feeling. Besides Untangled, I have collaborated on three other inspirational/spiritual books, but they are currently unavailable on Amazon. I love all my books, but Untangled is my heart. It’s my memoir, and that book has given me gifts of healing, connection, and hope beyond my wildest dreams. Here is a link to Untangled.
I appreciate it when someone purchases my book, reads it, gives me feedback, and writes reviews on Amazon. I wish I could thank each person when they buy my book. Although, because of the wonderful world of blogging I’m able to thank many people when they reach out to me after reading it.
It’s an honour for Mandi to accept to do such a personal interview with me. Ever since I started blogging Mandi has been a staunch and heartwarming friendly support. Mandi, I wish you all the best in your endeavours and appreciate your hand of fellowship.
Introduce yourself, a bit about your background, your likes, dislikes and general outlook towards life.
Hi, my name is Amanda or Mandi as some of you know me. I am from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and have lived here all my life. I live by two gorgeous parks and off-leash trails for dogs. I enjoy walking the off leash trails. I miss my old dog and enjoy the other dogs on the trail. I also love how peaceful it is on those paths.
I have been on disability for over eight years now. I used to be an admin assistant in construction for a commercial development company. I became ill, not realizing what was happening to me because I had never experienced mental illness before December 2008. I left work my last day emotionally distraught, embarrassed, and not realizing I was hearing echoes after certain people talked. I would hear what someone usually said, then hear an echo of their voice which would comment and say something mean.
On December 24, 2008, I waited in the emergency with my Dad. We discovered I was experiencing a psychotic episode. I went into the hospital in January. Once I started a certain antipsychotic, I stopped hearing things. For some reason my now doctor told me when you hear things, it’s always the worst things you can think of. After, the psychosis I had a mini depression.
I have never had another psychotic episode since 2008 but now experience depression and severe fatigue. Severe fatigue meaning, I cannot mentally or physically do things for a long enough period to work or do many activities in life.
After trying countless medications and developing insomnia along with my depression, I went into the hospital to overhaul my cocktail of medications in July 2015. I’m finally, on a helpful and tolerable med called Clozapine.
It acts as an antidepressant, antipsychotic, and causes me to sleep through the night. Before Clozapine, not being able to sleep and becoming so used to sleep medications that they stopped working was miserable. Now, I have more freedom in everyday life as well and can do some exercise and concentrate better.
I’m a determined writer and I’ve been working on improving my writing for years. I have a BA in English Literature, a certificate in Residential Design, and am pursuing an online MFA at UBC for May 2017. I love being creative and imaginative in my writing; I enjoy drawing and acrylic painting at times; and I adore dogs, hanging with my friends, Netflix, scrapbooking, and yoga. I’m told I’m intuitive and thoughtful.
I don’t like it when people push me into a corner and force me to decide something, I need time to weigh matters for significant decisions. Because of my illness, I need a bit more control over my life than some people realize. I have to plan down-time to relax and can’t do activities out of the house every day. I hate it when people are discriminative of people with mental illness or disabilities of any kind. I regret that because of my disabilities, I missed a lot of time with my best friends and are not as close to them as I would like. But maybe that’s life and it happens as a person grows older.
I’m extremely close to my family and I’m drawn to people who are close to their family too, including pets. I’m a proud Christian and would not have made it through what I have, if not for God’s grace and the love of my family and friends.
Tell us about your blog and your purpose for starting it. Did you have any set goals in mind when you were setting up your blog? What do you think about the blogging phenomenon itself? What has your blogging experience being? Here, you can share some links of your top posts or blog posts that you particularly like with us.
I mentioned earlier, I have been working on my writing for years now. After my mini depressive episode, I couldn’t read books such as Harry Potter and it was hard for me to even write. Daily, I increased my ability reading, starting with easier books such as the Twilight books and other Young Adult books, eventually, moving into more difficult reads such as the books I read in university English classes.
My goal with writing was to bring my writing to the point it was at in university, but I hope I’ve surpassed that goal. I had read some of my friends blogs and had a friend who blogged on WordPress. I signed up and started blogging.
In the beginning, my blog was a place to share about my mental illness and my daily life, the disappointment I felt at not being able to live and be like a normal girl of my age back then, and the classes I was taking. I also started writing for a young woman’s magazine and I enjoyed writing about these current events twenty-somethings would be interested in.
I also started taking some editing course through Simon Fraser University online. Quickly, I discovered I would never be perfectionist enough to be an editor, but I loved to write so I focused on creatively explore writing. It has always been my passion and I’ve been writing poems since I was eleven or so as stress relief and because it always felt right to me.
The editing courses were useful and I did learn when editing others work, to leave it as their own work and not completely change it as my editor for the young women’s magazine had done to my articles often. But I did need to work on my spelling and grammar and my blog and the editing courses aided me there.
At the same time, I was working on a Residential Design certificate. It was good knowledge to know had I been able to return to work, but it wasn’t my passion. I signed up for a few creative writing courses, and participated in many versions of the WordPress online courses. I started writing posts for my blog everyday. Gradually, I fell head over heals in love with writing fiction and especially, poetry.
I have made it my goal to visit www.shadowpoetry.com and learn to write using as many poetry types as I can master. Poetry always comes out the easiest for me, usually in free verse. Fiction requires more thought. Through Flashfiction challenges, through writing my own novel, and learning the whole process behind developing a novel, my writing has improved substantially, since I began blogging nearly five-years ago.
As a writer, I realize a blog is a necessary part of sharing your work with the public, by commenting, participating in prompt challenges with other bloggers, and sharing your work over social media. I never realized even a few years ago, how all these social media accounts add to a writer’s audience.
Twitter is a big one. I have many followers on there and quite a few new ones every day. I write some poetry only on Twitter and have found places to publish my poetry through Twitter. Mainly, www.spillwords.com. I also love the WordPress community. It’s so supportive and I love brightening someone’s day by telling them how wonderful their writing piece is or what it makes me think about. Critiquing is so helpful as long as it is done in a helpful and kind manner and I try to do this when I comment. I would rather in my own work, have someone be honest with me if it doesn’t sound right (etc.) than tell me it’s fantastic and lie. But not everybody likes such honesty.
Take us with you on a typical day spent with you. Show us a bit of your World and yes we love photos of your pets if you’ve got any.
Honestly, my average day is not interesting. I set out with a list of tasks to accomplish and try my best. Sometimes, it’s a bad day, and I end up staying mostly in bed and sleeping. Other days, I do chores I need to around the house, make healthy meals, do twenty to thirty minutes yoga or walking, clean, comment on other blogs and read blog posts, catch up on writing for different prompts, read books or magazines, or work on editing my novel in second draft. I research a lot online, try to stay up on current events, and watch Netflix or TV at times.
A day out, I plan ahead. I go to a festival in Edmonton in the summer; go to the mall for necessities and sometimes clothes shopping; I go for coffee and meet a friend or sometimes on my own for a change of environment; I go for a longer walk in the river valley; go to a farmer’s market on a Saturday; get my hair or nails done; attend an appointment or go to a movie; and whatever else I want to do or need to do. I can only go out every couple of days usually, but sometimes I manage two-days out at a time. I’m limited to about four-hours out at a time, unless I’m simply sitting, such as for a movie. After a while, an extremely noisy or loud place is difficult to remain in on certain days.
On weekends, I often do something with my Mom in the day. I’m pretty constantly texting friends or messaging them and connected to the online world throughout my week, but sometimes even I need a break.
What’s the next pit-stop for your blog’s outreach and publishing? Any plans in the offing? You can also share some of your published works here.
Well, like you, I’ve started doing interviews of other poets and Bloggers. It’s fascinating to learn about other writers, their writing processes, how they publish their work, and to find their unique take on life and writing in general. It’s been a success for me on my blog. I was extremely pleased to have you as my first interview. Now, I’ve got a whole list of interviewees until October at least. The interviews are informative for readers such as blog followers, as well as myself.
I’ve had poetry published in www.spillwords.com and www.sicklitmagazine.com since June 2016. I continue to send out my poetry to literary magazines and journals, as well as websites which publish poetry and fiction. My goal is to have a short story in fiction published.
Fiction is harder for me as I said, but I love it. Rejection makes me all the hungrier to have it published. Even when I receive rejection emails, I’m happy a publisher/magazine took the time to reject me and often tell me what I need to work on.
I want to eventually publish my novel which is a paranormal romance. I’m working on rearranging and polishing the second draft of my manuscript. Then, I need to look at editors because as it is my first novel, I need an editor to read through the whole piece and tell me what works and what doesn’t. I think I’m going to try querying for an agent after, but I will see. There are advantages to self-publishing, but given my health, it may be better for me to have a publisher take care of editing the manuscript, doing the cover, the marketing etc.
Thanks for interviewing me, Jacqueline. I appreciate your generosity.
Here are some current links to some of my work and some photographs:
Daisy’s refreshing posts filled with candour drew me to her. When you read them, the bubbly spirit of the soul behind the writing seeps out and she has a way of making me smile. She’s been a supportive presence in this space and I enjoy our witty banters.
Daisy dear, thank you for taking the time from your busy life to share more of you with us. I truly appreciate you and extend my warm regards.
Jacqueline
Hi – I’m Daisy as I like to be called on my Blog. My real name can be found on my website. I love the daisy because like it, I have felt like a weed most of my life and like the daisy when it turns its face to the sun it blooms. I liken myself to the Daisy because I am 100% imperfect. I’ve done terrible things, some amazing things too. I’m human.
I have had a colourful life. I was born in South Africa and lived there until I was 18.
I am a French nationality, mixed with Russian and English and would liken myself to what I call ‘a pavement special’ or a mongrel. A good mix.
I have travelled a lot and lived in many different parts of the world. Miami, Marseille, Grenoble, England, Barcelona.
MY HOME AND THIS IS THE LIGHTHOUSE I GREW UP KNOWING – UMGHLUNGA ROCKS, KWA ZULA NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA – ALWAYS PERFORMING
CARRY DE ROUET, MARSEILLE ,FRANCE WITH LILAC AND MOCHA RIP XX
BARECLEONA WITH GRAN AND MY AUNT RIP.
HAVING FUN IN BLACKPOOL, U.K.
I am proud of my family. One of my aunts is from the Dominican Republic, another is Mexican and my cousin is married to a Chinese woman.
So, to say I was brought up in the Apartheid era, I can say that the government’s plan failed atrociously when it came to my family. Ha, Ha!
MY COUSINS FROM MIAMI –FIRST TRIP TO THE U.K.
MY AUNTS.
I love to socialise, write, connect, act, and write.
I am two months away from starting my Masters in Creative writing with the Open University. My aim is to become a creative writing specialist in the mental health sector.
Here is a video of me graduating with my BA (Hons) in Art and humanities in November 2015.
I do a lot of volunteering with different mental health charities. I love doing workshops to raise mental health awareness and reduce Stigma.
We all have mental health and are all subject to good and bad moments. I think people need to really wake up and face up to the fact that having mental health issues does not make you crazy.
It’s something I am passionate about.
I really love going to music gigs, festivals and the theatre, movies and I love drinking cocktails.
Unfortunately, I have not had much of a social life for the past 3 years – we were saving up for our wedding. This is my G and my beautiful daughter Bella Bee – (as I like to call her).
MY GRAN MADE IT TO MY WEDDING –STANDING IN THE PINK DRESS IS HER CARER.
I love writing stage scripts. I think I have always been creative but I had a few issues and many people saw this vulnerability in me and I let people take advantage of me .
I started this blog because I am always up for a challenge. If someone tells me, I can’t do something or have something or someone even. 🙂 I have a damn good go at making it my goal to get it. I sound terrible. Yes, I can be but I do have a good heart. I wear mine on my sleeve.
NANOWRIMO 2015 GOAL ACHIEVED
It has taken me many years to realise I am a good person and not crazy or insane. I displayed “crazy” symptoms at an early age. I got involved in drugs, bad eating habits – I grew up way too fast and people judged me for it. I hear about people I used to know going through similar problems only now in their own lives.
It’s so easy to judge.
An example. In a place where I lived, there was a person who happened to dress as a woman. I do not know if he wanted to be a woman or just enjoyed it. It wasn’t my problem. It wasn’t a problem to me at all. People used to make fun of him. Take his pictures and put them on social media websites. It’s deplorable. I found out a bit about his background and it turned out his mother wanted a daughter but got him instead and forced him to act and dress as a girl.
So, I am one of those people with a lot of passion and drive and will stand up for the issues I am passionate about.
I remember way back in 20008/09 – I had just come out of an 8-month stint in an Eating disorder clinic.
GETTING NAKED FOR ISSUES I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT
I signed up to do a degree in acting performance. My confidence was way down in the gutter. People didn’t know how to take me. I know I had moments where I went manic and went on benders and was most certainly not stable- some people did try and reach out to help. I didn’t even know how to help myself. I got into a bad relationship.
Think: black, blue, purples, and yellows.
Lots of drinking and over-dosing to escape my situation. Arguments. Sexual boundaries blurred.
I had an abortion.
I then had my daughter Bella Bee and when I finally left the relationship – I got punished for it.
Long story short, social services got involved – I was fighting my ex and a draconian system to prove I could look after my child with support and some life-style changes. After 16 months, I won.
So, yeah – I am no innocent but then again not many people are. I think what bothers me the most is people who pick out vulnerable people to cover up their own insecurities.
The amount of secrets people have confided in me then make out as if I am less of a person because nobody knows their story. They are not my secrets to tell but don’t wonder why I react the way I do when someone I know acts like they have never done a wrong thing in their life and well…..Whatever, right.
Smell your own crap before pointing fingers at someone else. Some people are in a better place than others and others are not.
Life changes all the time. Nothing is fixed. The wheel is always turning.
I think I am a good person. I do shitty things, but mostly my heart is in the right place.
So , back to why I started this Blog. I was sick of whispers and finger pointing so I went public and said – I am this person who is awesome, has a life, a heart , a brain , goals –purpose and so what if I have mental health issues.
I was very passionate about sharing my experience of a 12-week course I had done with a volunteer charity – the program is called WRAP.
One year later (end of September 2016 ) and I will have done the training to be a WRAP group co-facilitator: ready to reveal and create a supportive and safe environment for other people to explore other ideas about how they might like to look at how they deal with their lives and issues.
I’ve been completely blown away by just the WordPress community. I can’t believe how much support and praise I get. I don’t get this from people I have known or even met in my life, yet a total stranger can read my story and read what I have to say and actually validate that, in a positive manner.
It has really given me a new perspective.
I used to think everything that went wrong was because of me.
That’s kind of egotistical –I mean –there is more than little old me in this world. I finally know that many people like to project their shit on to another person. I am not saying I haven’t done some messed up things. I’m the first to put my hand up when I do wrong.
Blogging has helped me see people differently. I am learning where and who to invest my emotional energy on and who is not significant. This is an ongoing process.
In the real world and the blogging world.
I –uh –am active in the WP community. I get to know people. I am learning that sometimes, there are only so many times I can reach out and if I get no reciprocation then I have to move on. There are only 24 hours in a day and life is short. Life is be lived.
I have found better-coping mechanisms over the last few years. There is a part of me who is impulsive and does want and does go out and seek out my chosen vices.
These moments –gladly are becoming less and less frequent as I grow as a person.
Yeah, what you see is what you get. Ha ha.
I don’t know what post links to share. My blogging content has evolved massively. I even write poetry now. Which is something I have never thought I could do – until a few months ago.
I’m very much a free flow writer… I don’t do a lot of prepping unless it is to do with writing a script or fiction but even them I think the less planning and the more doing is where the work and my best ideas and creativity are found.
I have said so much already…..
What is a typical day like for me?
I have my daughter and my Husband. I am very close to my Mom and my two Grans. My Gran is in the last stages of Vascular Dementia, I try and support my Mom as much as I can, even though it breaks my heart to see what this illness has done to my Gran and to my Mom.
I Blog, a lot of time goes into volunteering. Soon that will include lots more work with me studying again.
I think it is good to keep busy. Idle hands and all that … ha, ha!
I have a first born who happens to be a Bengal – here is Miss Tatiana
MISS TATIANA- FIRST BORN
I do normal stuff, really. Nothing terribly exciting.
CARTWHEELS ARE FREE, NON –TOXIC AND FUN
BELLA BEE’S BALLET AND TAP RECITAL-PROUD MOMENT
MY BELLA BEE
REFUGEE WEEK – NEIGHBOURS DAY IN THE PARK 2016
I was turned down for a writing job recently but I got some feedback so that helps.
In terms of what is next for me and Blogging or publishing something. I don’t know yet. I need to find some balance and time for myself too. I want to use my Blog in some way as a platform for what I do in volunteering, in the future, to help people.
I’ve published one short story (totally on impulse) at kindle. The First story of mine ever graded in uni and I was super proud.
Yeah… Lame, right. I know I am on a good path, right now. I’m enjoying the journey. The destination is moving forwards and bettering my life.
As I grow as a person –my idea of what is the “perfect” life may change. Happiness is the main goal –
That is it really. I have gone on for quite a bit.
Thanks Jackie for giving me this opportunity to share a bit more of myself with others.
It always seems impossible when I think about doing something and then I start writing /typing or doing whatever it is and all of a sudden I am at the finish line. I look back and I go” How the hell did get here? “
‘Always Look for the silver linings’ is one of my favourite quotes.
Below is a song I love to listen to when I feel despondent “Make believe by Nora Bayes.”
Many people tell me to become a life coach.
Ha ha! The skies the limit.
P.S: If you are interested in guest posting, send an email to JacquelineObyIkocha@gmail.com.
You are cordially invited to our monthly blog party happening right now. Join in through this link.
Let me introduce you to my engaging, warm and beautiful blogger friend Roo. She’s been a supportive presence in this space and without too much said, reading her own in-depth and candid words below, you’ll enjoy this priceless interaction.
Annie Roo, thank you for taking the time from a busy life to share more of you with us. I truly appreciate you and extend my warm regards. Jacqueline
My given name is practically a biography, so I prefer my pen name. E.V.A. Lambert is an acronym of my life’s most influential people. To friends, siblings and my younger family members I’m Annie Roo; Roo for short, but that’s another story.
Go Cubs, Go: I was born at a very young age into a rather nomadic, Anglo-Celtic, Chicago suburbs family, complete with eccentricities and most common dysfunctions. I’m now a great-grandmother and I’ve lived all over the U.S.
Can I say something here? I don’t understand why women say they’re younger than they are. When asked my digits I typically say, “I think I’m doing great for 75.” I’m not even close – yet, but saying that feels great for a few moments. Culpability is on the inquirer. Anyway, aside from some dings telling me when rain’s coming I’m vital and young on the inside.
I was already a mother of my four sons before I was 22 – one with special needs, but nobody could guess which one today. Divorced while the boys were in grade school, their dad did me a solid replacing me with a younger model, so we all got through it – mostly together. Without any other monetary support, I took care of myself, my sons and helped my siblings and our mother as best I could.
I’m the estranged wife of my life’s love, a crazy-gifted misfit musician, emphasis on the crazy. Starving artists the past thirty years, I now live a very full, pleasantly modest and green lifestyle on Colorado’s Western Slope with my life-long best friend. Life’s all about setting priorities and making choices.
As my five siblings can attest, “just to spite several bullies and straight-up perverts,” we overcame significant tragedy, abuse, hardships and for me, some mental disorders (yes, plural). In my early thirties, a heart attack got my undivided attention. Days prior, I had given my life and subsequently my heart to Jesus Christ. Don’t think the sequence didn’t confuse me! Seriously, blind ambition, heartache, stress (compounded by cocaine, excessive alcohol, my job) and so many prior bad choices should have killed me before then. I not only realized I actually wasn’t Wonder Woman, but clearly God had plans for me.
Days out of the hospital I quit my high 5-figure income job. I was determined to write my already amazing stories. At the time my boys were sure I’d lost it. I wondered too, but in hindsight, I see I’d actually found myself.
Writing stories by kindergarten, my 9th grade English teacher thrilled me by publishing my term essay in my high school newspaper. Seeing my brain child, the best part of me in print snared me. Writing became my favorite occupation. I was always obsessive about grammar, but now isn’t it amazing how quickly we get past that as we make friends around the world in the blogosphere?
Early on I published in local periodicals. Among my first publications was as a contributing author for Eva Marie Emerson. Along the way I have picked up copy writing for food and gasoline; happy to do what I can, wherever I am and if I get paid for it, great! My calling and passion is to write my stories well, not only for my family’s sake (to help them see why life sometimes goes slightly sideways) but also to help other mental illness and abuse survivors.
Contributing to a journalist/author friend’s blog, she urged me to blog independently. I launched my first blog in 2004 mostly as a journal. I also keyed out chapters and queries for what I was certain would make me today’s Jane Austen. We’ll see how that works out.
During three more moves across three more states, I realized nobody seemed to notice my Facebook Notes – not even close friends. Facebook users typically aren’t ardent readers. Undaunted I dove into the deep end of WordPress. I launched What’s Next on my target date, 9/11 of 2014.
During my first WordPress Blogging U course, I met other newbie bloggers including the fantastic Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha, and other gifted writers, poets, and photographers. Even with the amazingly supportive Blogging Community and Blogging U courses, I couldn’t learn fast enough for my liking.
What’s Next met my target goal of 100 followers well within the first year and I’m growing right along with The Blogging Community. I have much to learn – always will, but I’m actually having the time of my life!
I enjoy promoting other great bloggers, sharing other blogs, and am keen on changing my theme – as soon as I upgrade my site. I’m determined to link in a Twitter account and add a Contributing Authors section. As always I’ll continue to submit chapters and queries as I blog the good, the bad and the beautiful in my world.
“No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:15, 16 (NLT)
P.S:If you are interested in guest posting, send an email to JacquelineObyIkocha@gmail.com.
I like to think that words hold each other’s hands like best friends, this might have explained the spasms that came when I opened my mouth to speak; the uncontrollable repetition of words joined side-by-side not unlike Siamese twins.
For the most part, save for its reluctant shadow, my terrible stutter has left me but I don’t miss it as much as it misses me. Surprisingly, our destinies weren’t as intertwined as they seemed after all. It had a field day when I was younger when the thought of addressing unfamiliar people would make my blood freeze even before my vocal cords froze.
There were meaningful words dancing in my head, I just couldn’t contain their struggle when they arrived inside my chest. Carefully, I’d strung them together neatly but like children without home-training, I couldn’t control their unruly behaviour when they were let out to play in the open.
Now, I have learned to calm the whirlwind of words that get caught in my throat when I am nervous, excited, even at ease or simply tired. I have managed to suppress my stutter with the habit of speaking quickly. The outcome is a smooth rush of words that board a rocket ship and shoot past my lips.
Yes, I’ve conquered but there’s a price to pay. I haven’t mastered the art of listening; that engaged silence that lets the person speaking know that they have my undivided attention, assuring them that I am hanging onto their every word.
The thing is this because I speak quickly, the words form just as quickly in my head and need to be released exactly as I’ve arranged them. And because I am stirring my pot of alphabets rapidly, I place the hat of presumption atop my head, positioning it at a jaunty angle, thinking that I know what the speaker is going to say even before it comes out of their own mouth.
So, I have my response ready, albeit prematurely and it keeps getting in the way until it becomes a confused symphony of voices, the speaker’s and mine, each trying to overpower the other. A battle of words armed with swords of tongues.
Sometimes, when I lose control of my word-children, I apologise for my now mild stutter. I am mostly sorry that the person that I am speaking with has to go through the pain of plucking out the sense swimming in the sea of jumbled up words.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be so sorry, it is who I am, simply another silk thread specially woven into the fabric that is me.
I suppose we all have the various facets that interlock perfectly to produce who we are; that person that no-one else can be.
Still, I must learn to trust myself more and believe without a doubt that the ropes I have used to harness my words will not slip from my fingers. Then, be still and listen.
Nedoux can be found at her blog Nedoux where she talks about life, tailoring and so much more with brilliance and humour that leaves a reader chuckling. I doubt if I’ve missed any of her articles since I started following her 🙂
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
Jacqueline writes from her heart on passion, pain, suffering, loss and LIFE. I have been incredibly moved by her poetry and I know I will return to “Out of the Silent Breath” again and again.
If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee
Are you concerned that the only way you can preserve fruits, vegetables and tomato paste is only by refrigerating? Some people just want their vegetables fresh; I mean in our generation we preserve everything by adding preservatives that sometimes are not as healthy as we think. No wonder then that we battle with so many new diseases in our times.
Some people just want their vegetables fresh; I mean in our generation we preserve everything by adding preservatives that sometimes are not as healthy as we think. No wonder then that we battle with so many new diseases in our times.
At a women’s group meeting, we got talking about how women from our mother’s generation seem to be stronger than our own generation. By that we mean the number of children they gave birth to (a football team 😉 they worked outside their homes and still managed to run large households; plus they live longer.
In the opinion of many of the women present, our mothers fed their families with fresh vegetables and foods planted in their home gardens. Every time they want to prepare a meal all they had to do was pluck a few tomatoes, carrot, and cucumber and so on and a sumptuous meal is set. Interestingly this helped saved some of the resources which were used to provide for other needs of the family.
So how do we manage our homes and resources as women? Not so long ago the cost of tomatoes skyrocketed and the supply of electricity became a once in three week’s activity (in my country, Nigeria). In the absence of a refrigerator, here is what I learned about keeping your tomatoes and pepper paste fresh with no additives.
• Buy the amount of tomatoes, pepper and Tatashe you want; blend to your taste then boil until it is no more watery and it forms a thick paste.
• Get small and big sizes of your empty jam jars…fill each with your tomatoes and pepper paste still steaming hot; cork or close lid tightly.
• Next, get a big pot and arrange your jar bottles in it, then pour some water but not to the brim. Place the pot with your jam bottles containing your paste on a stove; allow boiling for ten minutes.
• Switch off the gas, ensure again that the lids of your containers are tightly corked then arrange them on an airy place on your shelves.
The freshness of your blended tomatoes and pepper paste would last for three months.
Note:
• For each jar of tomatoes that you pick to cook, finish using the contents once the lid has been opened.
• Pay attention to seasons of the year that tomatoes and pepper become expensive and prepare ahead by buying in bulk and preserve using the above method.
Fresh foods are healthier and safer. Have a backyard/home garden.
Adebisi Adetunji
Quick glossary:
Tatashe is a red species of Capiscum/Pepper that’s native to Nigeria. It’s not the same as Bell Peppers and used for its flavour and rich colour given to stews and other West African dishes.
P.S: If you are interested in guest posting, send an email to JacquelineObyIkocha@gmail.com.
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
Wonderful, evocative poetry by a talented writer. Left me hungry for more. Jacqueline can write! Linda Bethea
If you enjoy my works and would like to do so, you can fuel my creativity with a slice of cake or coffee
My dear Eugenia has been a steadfast support and friend in this space and I totally appreciate the hand of fellowship encouragement and constant interactions with her.
Her humourous outlook, Tuesday chatter and other thoughtful posts on her blog always leaves me refreshed and I am glad that she obliged my request to let us get to know her a bit better.
Thank you Eugenia for your warmth and kind spirit. It’s my pleasure knowing you.
Hi Jacqueline and thank you for selecting me for your interview. Quite flattering, I must say.
You know you asked for a bio, which the word bio is the shortened version of the word biography. I am going to do my best to compile a shortened version of my life, bio vs. biography.
Born and raised in Orlando, FL before the mouse, meaning before Disney World was built. Disney created the opportunity for numerous modeling and acting jobs. I did a lot of modeling and had parts as an extra in a few commercials. No big time jobs but I had a lot fun.
It was obvious I wasn’t going to eke out a living in modeling so I landed a job at an insurance company. After 40+ years in the insurance industry, I retired. This coming July 1 marks my 3rd year of retirement.
I moved from Orlando when I turned 30 and I lived from one end of Florida to the other (Tampa to Daytona Beach and Miami to Jacksonville).
Other than attending college in Fulton, MO and living in Marlton, NJ for a few years, I lived most of my life in Florida until 2012. My insurance career, which I was co-owner of my own agency for nine years, led me to many great experiences including travels to London and several U.S. cities. It also led me to the finality of my career, via transfer to Atlanta, GA, where I retired.
Yes, there is a lot more to my story but this will hopefully serve as a petite summation of many years and experiences. Currently, I live in Roswell, GA with my husband, Paul and our cat, Amanda. Neither Paul nor myself had children, so it is just the three of us. I must say, I am at a very happy time in my life.
The photos below are: Amanda Panda, our Cat kid. Canton Street in Roswell, GA, a very charming little city outside of Atlanta; and Paul and I while on a train ride in Blue Ridge, GA.
After retiring, I had a void in my life. My position in insurance required a lot of writing, which it is referred to as documentation, and can be used in a court of law. So I was accustomed to writing and I am computer savvy. I thought what better way to fill some of my time than to write. I somehow stumbled on WordPress, which was the start of my blogging experience.
I believe the blogging phenomenon is fantastic! It is wonderful opportunity to be creative by expressing yourself in words, photos, and art; and the learning and sharing of ideas. Undoubtedly, the most fulfilling part of blogging is the camaraderie with others. I find the blogging community very welcoming across all platforms.
I have no set goals or visions of grandeur for my blogging. My need it to fill my time and feel useful. In the beginning, I found It took some time not to write like an insurance underwriter, meaning dry and factual with no flair. Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts – know what I mean?
Here are a couple of my own favorite publications:
My typical day begins early. I am an early riser because I enjoy the mornings. After putting myself together, breakfast, and playing with the cat, I am on my computer. I check our email and then access my favs. I spend a lot of time in beBee, LinkedIn and WordPress. I also play games on Pogo.com.
Yes, I do other things besides look at my computer all day – the usual cooking, cleaning, and shopping. My husband and I share in the household duties. Amanda, being a long-haired cat, keeps us busy.
Regarding any future plans for blogging, I don’t have anything carved in stone. I blog as much as I can across 3 platforms: beBee.com, LinkedIn and WordPress. beBee keeps me extremely busy and WordPress runs a close second. In case you are not familiar with beBee, it is the new experience in social media. I migrated with my online friends to beBee from LinkedIn as we were not enjoying LinkedIn’s recent implemented changes.
My beBee group is made up of professionals, with many being professional writers. I have learned a lot, published a lot and I run 4 groups (groups are referred to as hives on beBee). It’s fun, it’s fulfilling and I enjoy it. Several of my publications on beBee are not on WordPress and vice versa. And some publications parallel one another. Here is a publication that I posted on LinkedIn, WordPress, beBee and Millionaires Digest. It generated 5,000 views on beBee. I am truly thrilled.
Jacqueline, my attitude toward life has always been positive. I’ve had my share of bumps in the road and feel they are life events that make me a stronger person. My favorite type of writing is poetry, which I can be creative, whimsical, serious, or even melancholy in my reflections. You write beautiful poetry, Jacqueline, so you know understand what I mean.
ow that works out.
a cooking pot and twisted tales 