A ticket to Athens…

May 9, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha17 Comments

Bertha could hardly stop herself from preening in pride as the Mayor cut the tape for the new boating dock and the marble, torch statue that would be seen for miles and miles. It would blaze at night, welcoming all seafarers back to the safe harbour of their small fishing town of Little-Uptown.

Who would have thought that out of all the submitted landmark sculpture entries, that her O’Deon would be chosen? She was the cynosure of all eyes.

In a small town such as this, female artistry was hardly encouraged much less acknowledged but the new Mayor seemed more progressive.

Even when she was teased by mates for taking up sculpting classes that were male dominated, she hadn’t relented in her pursuit but learnt to ignore the snide comments like ‘Luv shouldn’t you be in the weaving class, you are in over your head,’ and the male guffaws that followed such wise-cracks.

Now the prize money is more than enough to buy her a ticket and tutelage in Athens, which had always been part of her dream.

InLinkz

Thank you, momtheobscure, for the photo and Priceless Joy for hosting this charming platform where we unleash our stories

Uncategorized

New Book Fanfare – Poetry – Out of the Silent Breath by Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

May 9, 2016May 9, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha4 Comments

I am utterly delighted to be the recipient of such generosity from a senior and well-respected colleague, a writer and blogger whom I admire very much, ‘Sally Cronin of https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/ ‘

Hosting a book fanfare for my new poetry book ‘Out of the silent breath’ is not only an encouraging gesture but such an opportunity that I wholly appreciate.

Thank you, Sally for your priceless advice and the generosity of your time.

Please do take a brief moment and take a peek into the fanfare and you can show some love by sharing. Thank you. https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2016/05/09/new-book-fanfare-poetry-out-of-the-silent-breath-by-jacqueline-oby-ikocha/

Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Mundane Monday · Photographs

Upside Down…Mundane Monday

May 9, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha12 Comments

Mundane Monday Challenge is created to find beauty in almost everything.

The challenge is simple : find beauty in everyday mundane things, capture the beauty and upload the photographs.

Saw this idle signpost along a path and I couldn’t help wondering what was on the mind of the carpenter when he nailed it together.

The other side was equally upside down. Maybe too much to drink or lack of sleep at the point of construction 🙂

Jacqueline

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.

Out of the silent breath

Dance to your heart’s delight my African child, until echoes of your stamping feet, beating heart; bright eyes, smiling lips; and waving hands, resonates over and over like thunder claps, reverberating throughout the Universe.

Everyday People · Photographs · Quotes For You

Hydrate….Every day beautiful people # 37

May 9, 2016May 9, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha17 Comments

Drink lots of water and give your liver a surprise. Your skin, hair, mind and body will thank you.

How do you see the glass of water of your life, half full or half empty? Perspectives and attitude make a lot of difference.

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.

Out of the silent breath

Dance to your heart’s delight my African child, until echoes of your stamping feet, beating heart; bright eyes, smiling lips; and waving hands, resonates over and over like thunder claps, reverberating throughout the Universe.

Poetry/Poems · The Daily Post

Flitting like a fly….

May 8, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha15 Comments

I always enjoy taking a brisk stroll
it always gives me a rejuvenating thrill.
An uplifting exercise that may go uphill
depending on the land it may go downhill.
It beats the huff and puffing on the treadmill
and popping all those odious pain kills.

It’s an opportunity to appreciate nature
the awesome work of the Great Creator.
To say hello to the neighbour
or take a peek at a new feature.
My stroll is never as the crow flies
with lots of curious detours, I flit like a fly.

Personal · The Daily Post · Writing

My Writing and me…Personal

May 8, 2016May 8, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha14 Comments

Like most humans, I’m multi-layered like an onion and beneath each layer is a different facet of me, but the thing is that every part of me is held by one thing and that’s my writing.

My restless spirit finds peace and rest through my fingers. My thoughts are better articulated, processed and understood and my pain is dealt with through the words that pour into my soul.

Writing fuels my creativity. Writing is a stabilizer for me and is a compulsion that I am drawn to on a daily basis. As melodramatic as this might sound, writing surpasses a desire but becomes a self-expressing way of being.

You can very well say that writing is my raison d’être and that’s the truth.

I am a better human, a kinder person due to writing. It takes stress off me. Nothing else under the surface of Earth brings me the cathartic satisfaction that writing gives to me. Nothing!

I am a better wife, mother, friend, sister, daughter, lover, thinker, neighbour, teacher…. all due to writing. It took a while to correlate my periodical crankiness and my writing. When my spoken expression is at sudden loss, my fingers don’t fail me and I always feel out of sorts as if something is seriously wrong when I don’t write. It gives me pause to appreciate the beauty of life and all that surrounds me.

I have oscillated from different things over time, but my scribbles remain a constant which goes way back to as long as my conscious mind can remember. I fell in love with words at a very early age and that love keeps going strong and I daresay that if you are a writer, you need no one to tell you.

Encapsulating it, writing is a love of my life that no one can take away from me. A sacred place that gives me enough reason to hope, a sense of purpose and the audacity to dream vividly.

Raison d’être, The Daily Post Prompt

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.

Out of the silent breath

Dance to your heart’s delight my African child, until echoes of your stamping feet, beating heart; bright eyes, smiling lips; and waving hands, resonates over and over like thunder claps, reverberating throughout the Universe.

Just dance.

Family · Guest Posts · Security · Self Help

Let me introduce you to a Soul Sister…LaTasha Robinson.

May 8, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha9 Comments

SAFETY FIRST

Few weeks into blogging, Tasha is among the first beautiful friends I made in this place. In a short blogging time, she became a soul sister.

Always there, supporting, sharing, uplifting to the point that I know if I get the opportunity to be back in the U.S. she’s one lady who I am waiting to meet in flesh.

I admire her down-to-Earth nature, resilience, wisdom and in a business dominated by the opposite sex, I admire her guts and appreciate her friendship.

Thank you, lady T and here’s a single rose of appreciation for you.

Hi, Friends!

My name is Tasha. I am a wife, mother, homeschooler and entrepreneur. I wear many hats, but those four are at the top of the list.

If you’re a parent as well, I know one of the top concerns that you have for your children is for their safety and well-being.

Nothing else trumps that. No amount of money, material things or possessions.

Being the mama bear that I am, I have made it my life’s purpose to not only prepare my children to protect themselves, but to also educate and equip others to do the same through awareness, dialogue and a host of many different self-defense products.

What is self-defense?

Self-defense is the ability to protect yourself from physical harm. Despite what you may think, the best form of self-defense is mental, not physical. Knowing when to remove yourself from a situation or how to de-escalate one is far better than any kick or punch that you may have learned. Hand-to-hand combat or self-defense devices should always be a last resort option.

Why is self-defense important?

Would you wait until you nearly drown before learning to swim? You could, but by then it might be too late.

The same goes for self-defense, if you wait until you’re in a life-threatening situation to realize how important it is, you may not get another chance at it.
The plus side is that you lose absolutely nothing by being prepared to protect yourself.

Why I love what I do.

I am proud of the fact that my products save lives. I can go to sleep every night knowing that I am contributing to society in a positive way. There is a tremendous amount of satisfaction in that. Everything that I sell, from Tasers to pepper spray…are all non-lethal. So you too, are able to sleep at night.

Where to buy

My Webstore – http://www.safetyfirstselfdefense.com/

MY BLOG – Hit below the belt…hard

Below is my first 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.

Out of the silent breath

Dance to your heart’s delight my African child, until echoes of your stamping feet, beating heart; bright eyes, smiling lips; and waving hands, resonates over and over like thunder claps, reverberating throughout the Universe.

Just dance.

Humor - Bellyful of laughter · Parenting · Quotes For You

Happy Mothers Day to you 😇

May 8, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha15 Comments

A mother is a super-sonic person on twenty-four-hour duty. She has countless job descriptions all done for free 😉

Though there’s no perfect way to being a mother, or a parent as a matter of fact, there are millions of ways to being a good one by doing your best.

Jacqueline.

Life · Parenting · Stream of Consciousness Saturday.

Not a piece of cake…Streams of consciousness Saturday.

May 8, 2016May 8, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha16 Comments

We all came from a parent and some people have foster, adoptive, and step -parents.

All the interactions that I have had with other parents lay emphasis on the fact that parenting is not a game or sport that comes with a one-size fit all manual.

Before I became a parent, I had absolutely no concrete idea what it would involve. Beyond imagining my cute babies in diapers, with ribbons in her hair or boys in baby blues, reading lots of motherhood literature, it’s been a case of trying, to the best of my ability and not losing my marbles while at it 🙂

As a matter of fact, it’s the hardest responsibility with far-reaching results that I have ever had to take on and you very well can’t resign from it. You are on duty 24/7 for the rest of your life even when they are old and have flown the coop and now it makes me appreciate my parents so much more.

I remember almost driving myself bonkers reading all The Dr. James Dobson Parenting Collection books that I could find until I realized that yes indeed, the books are very good guides and insights, but the books didn’t know me, my background, nor my child. So, a whole lot also had to be uniquely experienced.

A parents duty as a custodian of these young ones involves imparting the right values, a sense of well-being a wholesome identity, attitude and an endless list of scenarios to work with.

Leaving a legacy for generations after is no piece of cake. The wrong path can cause a whole lot of damage to a child and alienate them. We learn to balance love and discipline, to apply authority and gain their confidence without being oppressive.

In my opinion, the act of procreation is not sufficient to make one a parent. As a matter of fact, in some instances, procreation simply makes the person a biological vessel that brought the child to being because I’ve seen instances where I question how some humans treat the child/children who have been bestowed on to them.

My greatest fear as a mother is failing in my duty to raise upstanding, responsible children who will be a positive testimony to their generation.

Apparently, without over-stressing it, raising children requires lots of grace and wise counsel from above.

Apparently a parent, SoCS

Below is my first 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.

Out of the silent breath

Dance to your heart’s delight my African child, until echoes of your stamping feet, beating heart; bright eyes, smiling lips; and waving hands, resonates over and over like thunder claps, reverberating throughout the Universe.

Just dance.