Accentuated Blogging …

February 21, 2016February 21, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha50 Comments

This post should be treated as a suggestion that you are free to take or leave.

There is no point in getting your dander’s up or getting your pants twisted in a bunch.

I have observed several blogs written in languages other than English and it’s a beautiful thing.

However, the problem lies in the fact that a whole lot of people may not understand what you are expressing and therefore find it difficult to relate, to engage in a conversation and to comment.

I also use smattering’s of my native language in my post occasionally, but bearing at the back of my mind that since most readers may not understand it, I translate it for them.

In no way am I suggesting that someone should let go of their language and heritage, that would be misconstruing my thoughts, because I am extremely proud of my heritage and will frown at any aspersions cast at my use of my language.

I lay no claims to being an expert, but from the side of your reader, I am just expressing a consideration.

For the intents and purpose of growth in your blogging efforts maybe a one or two liners ‘in English sub-titles’ to aid understanding will go a long way.

I have seen some bloggers who are doing a great job in balancing this act and I admire them.

Except your blog is meant just for you and a specific group of people, then that’s fine.

I am just saying this for those who aspire to expand their reach beyond a certain circle, because like it or not, if truth be told, English still remains the World’s Lingua Franca.

Regards.

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Midnight Motivations and Musings #13…

February 20, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha27 Comments

I have been talking to people about ‘thoughts’ for days and I keep reiterating this thought process because a whole lot that we are and become lies within our thoughts.

Our thinking mind is our power house and like a fine machine that when it is properly oiled, serviced and tuned, it brings out the best that it has to give and will even yield outstanding results beyond what you thought was possible.

Keep servicing your mind in the right manner and you will find yourself not only pushing the boundaries of your goals, but exceeding your own expectations.

It’s all in the mind.

A link to my neighbours/Community · Blog Awards · Blogging

The Things Hanging Around My Neck….

February 20, 2016February 21, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha31 Comments

The heaviness of these blings from the awards received by a good number of you is making my neck bow down with it’s weight, that it’s high-time I respond to all of you who have chosen to decorate my heart with your kind thoughts.

I would first like to explain the delay in appreciating these awards.

Primarily, I was considering going award free, but I choose to mull over it for a while.

I like the awards because it fosters a sense of community. Secondly, I think it is good especially for those who are just starting out, because it really boosts morale.

I remember the positive vibes and zing that mine gave me the very first time that I received one, so I decided to stall on my decision to go award free.

However, due to the fact that they take a whole lot of time to put together and from the nominations that keeps coming to me, I wouldn’t want to inundate my readers with award posts every other day. That would become tedious and boring.

I will respond to awards once every quarter to keep it to the barest minimum and by so doing, I still recognize those who gave it to me.

So to get to it, I would like to thank these awesome bloggers below:

The bikini bookworm for the nomination of Spirit Animal blog award.

Perfect The Days, In cahoots with muddy boots, Deborah Crocker, for the nomination of the Sunshine blog award.

The Shiva’s ponder for the Dragon loyalty award.

Chape, Element healing, Thoughts of a train wrecked pineapple, for the nomination of the One lovely blog award

Its good to be crazy sometimes for the nomination of the Epic Awesome blog award.

Memee’s musings, Life Experiment, Annette’s place, The Daily Atholian, The Lonely Tribalist for Versatile blog award

Life Experiment for Blogger recognition award.

Brew N Spew for the Creative blogger award.

There were some questions to go with these awards, but answering them would take quite a while since it’s tantamount to writing an autobiography which usually takes years, so, I will just share some random stuff about myself that I can think of.

I love vivid bright colours, but also the subtle ones. I have no favourites at all.

If I were an animal, I would probably be an Eagle. I would love to soar high, to go far and wide and see many places and things.

I am a happy person. I have my downtime moments, but they don’t last.

I consider myself a very loyal and faithful person.

I am a chocoholic! *Did I just admit that aloud?*

I watch Television very sparingly. I could go for days/weeks without touching it.

I refer to myself as ‘A child of the Sun.’

Once again, thank you for your kind thoughts and my regards.

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

The Daily Post

Dear Jacqueline, You Are Not Trying Hard Enough!..

February 20, 2016February 20, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha23 Comments

Jacqueline my dear girl,

It seems WP is secretly aware of your secrets. With his all seeing eyes, it’s not a surprise and they’ve asked me to get you into shape.

Haven’t you grown tired of carrying extra pounds on your dainty bones? Galloping from a size 10 to a size 14/16 is not quite the thing you know. It tells on your knees and I believe that it also adds pressure to your aching back.

Yes, we know about the rigours of childbirth and the extra weight, but you’ve used that excuse for far too long.

Your major bane is your appreciation of sweets.

You will actually pass over a nice looking plate of food without second thoughts in preference of sweets, which is always perplexing.

Oh Jacqueline this is bad for you my girl, and you should listen to the little voice of reckoning that always cautions you, but no, you prefer to pay mind to that little imp sitting on your shoulder saying, ‘girl, life is too short, a little bite won’t hurt, don’t worry you can walk it off tomorrow,’ and I know how soothing and caring he tends to sound 😉

Now, you really have to get to grips with your sweet-tooth and regain your svelte shape once again. Hmm! What do you say?

You are no longer a spring chicken. Did I hear you grumble?

Listen, It’s a shape up or ship out year for you, no slacking off.

You are grumbling again. I can’t hear you.

Oh you want to know where exactly the ship with a one-way ticket will be taking you to?

Maybe into a health-club where they will feed you only asparagus and celery sticks, put you in a sweat house and throw away the keys.

The Daily Post prompt shape up or shape out

Write a letter to the personality trait you like least, convincing it to shape up or ship out. Be as threatening, theatrical, or thoroughly charming as is necessary to get the job done.

Challenges · Hope · Life · Love · Stream of Consciousness Saturday.

Sweet Painful Contractions…Streams of Consciousness Saturday

February 20, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha24 Comments

Contraction! I am doubled over in visceral pain, trying to catch my breath. Now what happened to those breathing exercises, when you need them. I am huffing and puffing, though I don’t resemble the big bad Wolf in any way.

All I feel is the pain that knife’s through me as if my insides would be turned out and I would be rendered to pieces.

It hits again. Another big contraction. In waves, without stopping. I feel battered and almost out of my mind.

This is the labour room and a true definition of the word labour. This is hard work in all it’s beauty, pain and glory. This is nature in one of it’s finest moments. Arrgh!

I want to rise from this infernal bed and run away as fast as I can. As though running away would leave the pain behind.

Nope! This is the real deal. No longer any imitation in the name of Braxton Hicks. He is ready to say ‘Hello Mama‘ and I can’t wait to see him as well, that is if these contractions don’t kill me first.

I try not to swear as a bear down. I wouldn’t like the first words my baby gets to hear from me to be; ‘Damn Contractions!’

Well that was fun to write. Linda thank you for taking me down memory lane with your prompt. I couldn’t think of anything else once I saw the word ‘contraction.’

Have a lovely weekend good people.

Dubai · Life · Photographs · The Daily Post

The Seasons Of Life….

February 20, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha13 Comments

The Daily Post Photo Challenge Seasons

Share an image evocative of the weather or represent the current “season of your life” in metaphor.

Seasons of life

Are as sure as time

From days, to weeks

To months, to years

Ever rotating

From birth,

To growth,

To death.

Unstoppable

cycle.

This is the season of white-out/fog and sandy storms in this part of the World *Dubai*.

Sometimes you wake up and you can’t even see anything in front of you when you look out.

Inspiration - Motivation · Lifestyle · Memes · Midnight motivation and musings · Quotes For You · Self Help

Midnight Motivations And Musings 12….

February 19, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha22 Comments

Have you ever noticed how negative things propagate so fast and how bad news travels like wild fire?

That is equally how bad thoughts try to take root in our minds and multiply like Hairy panic tumbleweed of Australia.

Before you can even grasp what is going on, it’s dug in and developed a tap root that uprooting it becomes a major upheaval.

This is why we must remain consciously vigilant of the thoughts that takes up the space in our minds.

We must consistently nourish our minds carefully as we hopefully nourish our bodies, so, that there is little room for tumbleweeds to proliferate.

Family · Life · Lifestyle · Parenting · Personal story · Quotes For You · Three quote challenge

Your Harvest Comes In Heaps And Spades…

February 19, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha27 Comments

‘Icho ime ife, ime e ya ofuma.’

These wise words echoes in my ears as I write this post and it translates to mean ‘ anything worth doing, is what doing well.’

I remember growing up and having to go to our farm with my parents to till the ground for planting maize, cassava, potatoes, pumpkin and any other crop that was due to be planted. Back then we grew most of our food.

With my hoe, I would make what I considered a nice mound of red earth and when my dad comes round for inspection, he would call me by his pet name for me and in his gentle way, he would say: ‘you’ve done well, but it would be better if the mound was just a little higher’ and would complete his correction with that sentence up above.

This was repeatedly applied in so many ordinary things that we did, from our house chores of sweeping with the broom, washing plates, clothes, weeding the compound to our studies.

Thus it became embedded in my mind, that if you choose to do something, give it your best shot.

If you choose to love someone, love them without placing the conditions that they must fulfill to become worthy of your love.

If you are working for someone, do it wholeheartedly because some day, someone will probably turn around to work for you. As my people would say ‘when you respect the King, Kingship will also come to you.’

In everything that one does, they should do it to the best of their ability. Not for the sake of eye service, but for the sake of self-service.

Sow and Water and leave the bountiful harvest to providence. It always pays in heaps and spades.

Let me leave these three extra farming proverbs for you to mull over with your cup of coffee:

‘Good gardens are not made by sitting in the shade.’

‘As the farm grows, so does the farmer.’

‘If you tickle your earth hard enough, she will laugh for you with bountiful harvest.’

I would like to thank Maria Jansson for her generous invitation to participate in the quotes challenge and would like to extend the invitation to these lovely bloggers.

Melinda

Kay Morris

Sarah C

P.S. No hard rules to participate.

Photographs

Frivolous Friday…

February 19, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha29 Comments

For the life of me, I have absolutely no idea how I took this picture, but I just keep going back to look at it, because I like it.

Maybe those who know photography, can educate me better. 😊

Fiction · Friday Fiction in Five Sentences · Short Stories

The Last Confessions…Friday fiction in five sentences.

February 19, 2016February 19, 2016 jacquelineobyikocha48 Comments

Odette’s body shook uncontrollably as she blindly read and re-read the note; a dying man’s last confessions and her tears brimmed over.

She had always known and believed that Joshua was innocent, but no one else believed him and justice jailed him on circumstantial evidence.

They had been too poor to hire a good lawyer and had to rely on the States miserable representation, which had been a pitiful fulfillment of obligation.

Now this! A note exonerating her husband after so many years of misery and when it was too late, since Joshua died in prison, a broken man.

In a desperate need to take a long walk, she left the note on the old wooden table, picked up her shawl and stepped out into the bitter-cold.