It’s a harvest…Sisterhood

September 6, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha18 Comments

I have 2 biological sisters. They are very, very dear to my heart (the two very’s used here are for both of them, so that they don’t fight over who exactly the very is for, if I only use one 🙂 We fight and love each other to bits (never try to get your word in; you might find us showing you the way out, whilst we make a cuppa and settle our differences). They are my rocks of support and cheerleaders. Never hesitating for a moment to kick me in the butt when I need it; and plenty times too. Hey! Wait a minute! I am human you know 😉

Now, I have so many other sisters, across Continents and all the oceans that divide us. Their words of encouragement, humor, virtual hugs, pokes and friendly advise have come to mean so much to me and the saying that ”wherever we are, it is really our friends that make our World, be it one, two, three or a dozen” is very true.

Thank you aidly193 for this warm nomination. You sparkle 🙂

Now to the nitty gritty. The rules of the award are:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their site

2. Put the award logo on your blog

3. Answer the ten questions sent to you

4. Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer

5. Nominate five blogs!

The questions asked are:

1. What is something you’ve always wanted?

Ans: The whole truth and nothing but the truth, something that I have always wanted is actually not an item that can be put in finite figures, nor can it be bought in the shops. It is simply ‘Peace of mind.’

2. What is your dream car?

Ans: My dream car changes like fickle breeze. Today I would ooh and aah over a Tahoe, tomorrow it would be a Corvette. I once had an affair going with a Range Rover until my husband bought one. Then the ardor cooled off and my roving eyes started wandering to the Mercedes Benz G wagon. I have expensive taste. Come on! Girls like toys too you know 😉

3. What is your favorite meal?

Ans: This may come as a surprise. I love everything edible, but you can catch my goat any day with plain Yoghurt (not the flavored ones) sprinkled with nuts. However, the bane of my life is gooey, chocolaty cake or ice-cream.

4. What is your favorite book?

Ans: I have fallen in love with so many books over the years that it is really a difficult choice to settle on one. The book that sticks in my minds eye as a child is The magic faraway tree by Enid Blyton. It simply made the World magical to me. As an adult, nothing beats my Bible. The treasures buried within never cease to amaze me.

5. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Ans: Recently, I have been thinking of so many parts of Asia.

6. What did you do for your latest birthday?

Ans: I was treated to a handsome breakfast orchestrated by hubby and kids. A lovely dinner (where I was allowed to have a large dollop of sinful ice-cream) and a beautiful set of silver jewellery, plus nail polish from my daughter, hand-picked flowers and body spray from my boys 🙂

7. What is your favorite genre of music?

Ans: My love for music is very eclectic and purely depends on the mood that I find myself in. It could be something calm and soothing to rollicking Afro pop. The short and simple thing is that I love every noise called music (that does not include the yowling from the cat).

8. What is something most people don’t know about you?

Ans: Shh! Can you keep a secret? I sometimes feel lonely in the midst of a crowd. Does that count as a secret?

9. If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be?

Ans: Why does Adolf Hitler come to my mind? I would sit him down and give him a piece of my mind.

10. What is your shoe size?

Ans: A whooping size 11. I envy all those dainty feet of other women, but I guess the feet size has to match the height of it’s owner 5ft 11in.

Now my nominees are:

Lynz real cooking: For all those lovely meals you keep serving up online.

Nena: I am happy I found you.

Oluseye Ashiru: For your lovely prayers and sage parental counsel.

Lucid gypsy: For the lovely interactions. Your posts make me smile.

Nedoux: I am glad I found you.

Do follow the rules above and kindly spill your guts below. Enjoy 😉

Are you a shopper or a penny pincher?
Do you have any hidden talents?
Do you dream often?
Do you think romance books and fairy tales influence our choice of a partner?
Are you an emotional person?
Are there any causes that you strongly believe in?
How are you feeling right now?
How do you make decisions?
What is your secret desire?
In a short prose, describe your town.

Looking forward to reading the scoop. Be blessed.

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Blog Awards · Blogging · Inspiration - Motivation

Liebster….Now isn’t that Sweet?..

September 1, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha15 Comments

Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers and having being nominated by Eloquentparadise I needed to know more. Looking up the meaning from different angles, I was pleasantly surprised to learn the meaning of Liebster.

Liebster is a German word which means sweet, kind, dearest, beloved, lovely, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcoming. It is a word that connotes loads of positives and getting to know the meaning made it’s worth go up so many notches in appreciation.

Well if that is not sweet, I don’t know what else is :).

Blogging is all about connecting and building a community and this is a way to help put out word about new bloggers/blogs out there. It helps build the backbones of budding bloggers like me. Like a balm to a writing soul and a lovely pat to an ample back like mine 🙂 Thank you Eloquentparadise for the honor.

Just 6 little rules to follow below:

Link back the person who nominated you.
Answer the 11 questions given to you by the nominator.
Display the Liebster award logo in your post.
Nominate other bloggers.
Create 11 questions for the nominees.
Notify all nominees via social media or blogs.

Now, to the nitty, gritty part of answering my 11 questions which are:

1. Do you have a bucket list? If yes, what are top three things on it?

Ans: NO, I don’t have a bucket list. Not yet at least. Maybe because I haven’t given it much thought and think I will get to that when I am in my 70’s hopefully.

2. What is the best thing about your personality?

Ans: My friendly nature and effervescent optimistic sense.

3. Do you like to travel? What is your dream holiday escape?

Ans: I love to travel. I love seeing new places and observing new cultures. It feeds my curious mind. I soak new experience like sponge and every place my feet has stepped on so far on planet Earth has left its little annotation on my person. In respect to a dream holiday escape, I would like to think that my previous stay in Burj Al Arab in Dubai was not only decadent, but also one of my most relaxing vacation times. I am not big on planning for a vacation. I keep an open mind to the adventure of it all after the jet lag or drive lag.

4. Books or Cinema?

Ans: I adore books, I adore books, I adore books, how many times am I allowed to say that :)?

5. Friends or lover?

Ans: Friends are timeless. They are like the family that we choose for ourselves.

6. Are you a morning person?

Ans: I am such a morning person. I try to get all the hardest stuff done early in the day so that I can have a guilt free evening to bury my nose in my book of the moment, watch a movie, dance or simply do nothing.

7. What is your most longstanding dream?

Ans: To become an accomplished writer. That has been my steadfast dream in a line of pipe long dreams which has ranged from the desire to be an acclaimed actress. I can be very dramatic you know. I did some school dramas in my teens just in case you are considering me for a role – I can quickly dust up my rusty CV.

8.Where do you see yourself 8 years from now?

Ans: 8 years is to far to think on. I live in the moment. I try to make the best of each day and take the year one after the other.

9. Roses or Orchids?

Ans: I love all flowers, but since I have to choose I will take Orchids. They look more exotic.

10. Skies or oceans?

Ans: The sky is everywhere and serves my imagination. I only have to look up to see the story painted in the sky. I have to go a distance to see the oceans.

11. Do you have an ideology? What is it?

Ans: I believe in God!

My nominees are:

My questions are:

What was the most difficult job you ever did?
If there is one thing you could change about yourself what would that be?
When you were growing up, did you think about becoming famous when you grow up?
Name and share one song you listen to repeatedly and why?
Do you enjoy dancing or are you a wall flower?
What is that one thing that always brings a smile to your face?
What is your favorite color?
What would you like as a surprise vacation?
Have you ever given much thought to the purpose of life?
Do you believe in the existence of God?
Have you ever volunteered for something?

I hope you have fun baring your thoughts. Cheers 🙂

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Creative Writing · Inspiration - Motivation

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe…Make a list

August 31, 2015August 31, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha6 Comments

Catch a Tiger by the tail.

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Decisions, Decisions.”

I love spontaneity, which I try to limit to my shopping,writing and other fluffy things of life. In such times, my guts have stood the test of time.

However, in contradiction, I don’t like guessing games when it gets to the crunch time of making a serious decision.

I sit down wherever I find myself, with my note pad and pencil (never too far from me) I run the pros and cons, think and rethink before making a decision.

If I don’t have my writing material handy, who knows, I might resort to reciting Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe on my fingers and thinking the decision to death.

Eeny: Decisions, decisions

Meeny: weigh Pros on fingers

Miny: weigh Cons on fingers

Moe: Catch the Tiger by the Tail (and hope it doesn’t bite me).

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Inspiration - Motivation

..just a little nudge. Your Tip for the month..

August 1, 2015 jacquelineobyikocha6 Comments

We have cycled out of another month, gradually inching to the end of a very hectic year. Once August flies past, the rest of the months zoom by.

Now is the time to take a little peek at our resolutions, where under the influence of New Years glad tidings and Auld Lang Sine, we scribbled a thousand and one impossible things that we aspired to achieve (myself included).

How have we fared so far? Have we been able to make a crack at it yet?

The resolutions to break some habits, to form new habits, to write some more, to read some more, to change our lifestyle for healthier options, to acquire new skills, to undertake more intimate spiritual journeys, to laugh, love, give, and pray some more, to start that business idea, that book, that class, more rest (yes recuperation is also part of it, for the workaholics amongst us) and the list is ever endless….

Let us not feel overwhelmed and at a loss of breath for the shortness of time, if you have fallen behind.

A lot can still be achieved this month by tuning into ourselves and prioritizing:

– Review that list down to plausible short term goals: for the day, the week and at most for the month. Remember that little drops does create a large pool, and consistency creates habits.

– Reward yourself for every step made in the right direction towards your goals. Rewards could come in different forms and doesn’t have to be an expensive venture. It could be buying that book you have been wanting to read, a lie in, a relaxing day at the beach/park, going out with the girls for a laugh, a glass of your favorite wine, a soak in a bubble bath, seeing a movie, just find out what works for you. For example, when I put in a good work-out, I dance at the end of my workout. It makes me happy.

– Now, go get them. You can do it!

Life is not a short sprint but a journey undertaken in leisure, so endeavor to savor your journey.

Image credit: Thanks to Joshua Earle at Unsplash