Oh My!

It was a delight to read that I had received an award from Aba T. Thanks so much girl.

So, I hear there are rules to this award too.
The Rules:
I. Answer the questions below
II. Tell seven random things about yourself
III. Pass the award to 15 other bloggers
Oh well, let's see what we can do here.

Questions1. Name your favorite colour: It's between blue and brown
2. Name your favorite song: Someone's watching over you by Yolanda Adams
3. Name your favorite dessert: Don't have any. Too many calories in them. lol!
4. What pisses you off?: Lies and arrogance
5. Your favorite pet?: That would be a cat. They give you peace.
6 .Black or white?: Black or white what?
7. Your biggest fear?: Loneliness and not doing things that are pleasing to God.
8. Everyday attitude?: Love yourself to the fullest.
9. Your best feature?: My lips. I remember the first time a guy looked at them and said "Wow! well defined lips". lol! That was when I realised I had cute lips. Can u imagine?
10. What is perfection?: Hmmmm... That would be success in all areas of life. Academic, career, social and romantic life....
11. My guilty pleasure: Vanilla ice cream over banana bread. Can you imagine how many calories are in one serving. Gosh! I try to take that after months and months of cardio. lol!
Now, I'm to tell seven random things about myself.

1. I love to sing. I've been told I sound goood too. Thank God!
2. I love to cook and experiment with food
3. I am an excellent listener
4. I have a limited amount of patience when it comes to unnecessary stupidity.
5. I love movies and serials.
6. My first job was at a video store. I just loveeeed it!
7. The ability to forgive is my weakness and strength.

Now I present this award to:
1. Dentaa
2. Another Shot
3. Nash
4. Ramblings of a Procrastinator in Accra
5. Think about it

Only got five. Anyways, hope you all have a great weekend.

KFC, What's the Fuss All About?

I've never been one who enjoys joining crazy queues just to purchase a meal. I've always had a 5min rule: If my order hasn't been taken five minutes after walking into the place, i'm out. After all, time is money and some of us actually schedule every freaking minute of our day.

So, imagine my surprise when I saw the wonderful queue at KFC on the Oxford street last Sunday. Was on my way to Smoothys and the traffic was crazy like hell. turns out that this was as a result of the large numbers of cars that couldn't seem to find parking. Didn't these people think about that when locating the eatery? Then again, that's Oxford Street for u. Frankies, Mr Biggs and even the Smoothys I was hurrying to have the same issues.

Forgive the digression for I'm not here to talk about parking. On a more serious note however, should we be rushing for such high unhealthy foods? The place was packed in a way beyond my comprehension. It's fried chicken for God's sake! The thought of how much Monosodium Glutamate each serving may contain makes me shudder.  So can someone tell me people are patient enough to spend 20 minutes waiting for a meal which in my estimation, does nothing but make you unhealthy? Or is it really cheap? Your thoughts? 

Crazy Gym Members!

Don't you just hate it when people act like they are the only ones who need to use the gym equipment? I mean, what's with the whole possessive attitude? Who uses the treadmill for 65minutes when there are others waiting in line to use it? It gets more irritating when the one using it isn't jogging/brisk walking but rather doing a very lazy walk on the machine. Jeez!

I'm usually the first one at the gym in the mornings so I get to use whatever I want. My evening sessions at the gym are however irritating. There is this particular lady who can be on the treadmill for more than an hour; like all the pounds would instantly disappear because she is walking at a slow pace for two hours. The first time it happened I asked the trainer whether there was no time limit for the use of machines. All he could say was that he believed the courteous members were smart enough to know that a packed gym meant no more than 40minutes on a particular gym equipment. Ha! Did he say courteous?Very funny!

Today's weight lifting session was equally irritating. Some people just refuse to wipe their sweat off the barbells when they are done. Abaa! Who says I want to share excretory waste with others? Na waa oo. Anyways, I'm not quitting the gym yet since my trainer offers me the two things I need, motivation and drilling but fun workouts.

I Don't Even Have A Title For This...

Yesterday I was at the gym as usual, trying to briskly walk/jog on the treadmill with Beyonce's "freakum dress" playing in my ears. It wasn't until the tenth minute of my routine that I noticed I had an audience of one. The lady had been watching me move as she nodded her head in what seemed to be.... approval? Wow! I thought the gym was for exercising and not staring. Anyways, I ignored her and continued my workout till I was done.

Now get this, as I was taking a breather this lady walks towards me and asks, "Are you trying to lose weight?" Duhhhh!  Now, anyone who really knows me would know that my weight is usually a sensitive issue to discuss. However, I looked at her and answered in the affirmative. That was when she decided to lecture me on garlic and weight loss.

Lady: E se se wo wri garlic no anopa ne anadwo. Na eba ma wo a ni saaa..... Srade ni nyinaa be pue

Me: (Surprised) Saa?

Lady: Shwee! Wo be ko toiret papa!

Now, for those who didn't get my poor twi, here's the translation.

Lady: You need to chew garlic in the mornings and evening. It will make you pass a lot of stool and all the fat will be excreted.

Me: Really?

Lady: Shwee... you will go to toiret (toilet) papa!

Only God knows how I was able to prevent myself from laughing. The interesting thing was that the lady who tried to prescribe the garlic remedy to me was overweight and, she was not a member of the gym (I asked). Perhaps she hasn't been visiting the loo as often as she should. After all, e be ma wo a ni saa!

* Forgive me if you find my language unpolished.

Random Thoughts on Childhood Obesity in Ghana.

As I struggled with my 6th rep of the second set of sit-ups (which I dread with a passion), she walked in. I gasped as my body was stuck in mid-air. She was probably 12 or 13 years but had the largest love handles (or folds if you are blunt) I've ever seen. People stared as she struggled to get on the stationary bike and pedal the fat away.  I actually felt sorry for her. I didn't even want to imagine what she goes through in school... the jokes at her expense and mean comments that may be made by the other kids. hmmm...

That got me thinking, why do parents allow their kids to put on too much weight? Is it as a result of our crazy lifestyles that make it impossible to know what our kids are eating when we are not around? Or, is it that we just give them too much of the junk? Did I forget to add the Playstations that make it impossible for them to consider real soccer over PC soccer?

At least, her parents decided to do something and send her to the gym. How about those who still think their children will grow out of the fat? Have you noticed the number of obese kids on our streets. The last time I was at the Accra Mall, I saw more than five fat kids in thirty minutes. Michelle Obama is doing something about this in the United States... What are we doing in Ghana?

Poor Security at the Accra Mall

Three weeks ago, as two colleagues and I were returning from research duties in town, their need for a quick bite and my need for ipod earphones took us to the Accra Mall. It was a busy afternoon and there seemed to be security officers around as we parked our vehicle and headed into the mall. An hour later, as we approach my car, one of my colleagues excliams, "the laptop is gone". Genuinely surprised, I asked, "which laptop"? Apparently they had left a laptop in my car without my knowledge.

You see, I have on several occasions insisted that they put their valuables in the booth for safety's sake. Heck! even the booth is not safe but it's better than in the car, right? Anyways, the culprits jimmied the lock on the passenger door and made away with a Compaq laptop, car keys, mobile phone chargers among other things.

Now, to the main issue of discussion, I must say that the security officers handled the issue in a very unsatisfactory manner. They seemed to doubt our report. Seriously? Like I don't have anything better to do than cry theft. After demanding to see their boss, they went to the CCTV room and came back to tell us that they saw the culprits but because our car was packed far away from the camera, the images were blurred. Unbelieveable! They couldn't even give us the license plate number of the vehicle these thieves went away in. After all, they saw the vehicle and since there are several cameras at the mall, at least one would have picked it, right?

So after wasting two hours at the Mall and another hour at the Airport Police Station, we lost hope. Not only did we lose a laptop, we lost our appetite and I personally lost the will to leave my car at the Mall's parking lot for more than 10 minutes...Anyway guys, if you ever thought that place was safe, think again. these people could have driven the car away.

Obsession with Size!

Source: Google Images

All women want to be between a size 0 to 6, but if wishes were horses.... right? Anyways, my current obsession with perfumes and bags took me to a boutique situated at East Legon yesterday afternoon. Fashion heaven was all I said to myself as I saw clothes that actually accomodated my size - something many plus size Ghanaian women would really appreciate.

Is that why I just couldn't understand why a woman who was way bigger than me kept insisting that she wore a size 14, even when the sales attendants told her she was a size 24? You should have seen the dress and the individual. It was way beyond hilarity. This made me wonder, why bother about the size that has been tagged on the dress. Isn't fashion all about looking good in the clothes you wear? After all, people from different parts of the world base sizes on the average size of their people. I'm quite sure that a UK size 14 may be way bigger than a China version.

Why show the world the rolls, bumps and layers when you can actually find comfortable clothing that make you look sexy, just because you want to fit yourself in one size category? Seriously, do people have to lay on the bed before they can put their jeans on or peel them off?

In the end, all we want is to look good in the clothes we wear, even if it is a size 100!

Utopia

We are connected in ways that go beyond romance.

Our bond has stood the test of time, distance and

Changes in our individual lives

As I long to hear from you each day

I realise your voice makes me safe in an inexplicable way

You’re my friend and at the same time my lover
You’re silly, mature, caring, crazy, thoughtful, smart and honest
And it’s a fact that your voice caresses my very soul.
Oh! that laugh... so provocatively deep.
It gives me delight that we share the same sense of humour and thought

You are all I ever wanted
And all I will ever need
I dreamed of you since I was 16
And now you’re here
Finally! I’ve found utopia... .

Sure Thing....

Your name's always last on my lips
Before I close my eyes and fall asleep
Then the morning comes and it's you on my mind
Before I even thank the Lord for the night I survived.
You're like the drug
I can't stop taking
Sometimes I get scared that I might be acting
Like a love freak on the verge of a breakdown
As the plethora of emotions come over me
Every time I see that smile that sends my heart racing...
I wouldn't dare deny it
Cus in the world full of uncertainties
My love for you is a sure thing.

Cattle Crossing Versus Butchery.

When will people learn to do things the right way? This was a question a lady asked at the DVLA eye test centre when a man was allowed to cross the queue after he had spoken to one of the attendants outside the waiting room. I laughed cus I was thinking to myself "That will probably never happen".

Anyways, back to the topic. This question lead to a conversation among all those who were waiting their turn. It was then that I learnt that people could even get their driver's license at home, without doing any tests. Wow! People get connections for Ghana oo...

Another lady, who had been silent for a while then said "No wonder trotro drivers see a cattle crossing road sign and say butchery ahead or, there's a chop bar nearby." Ewurade! I laughed so hard that I had to wipe my tear-filled eyes before I could the letters that were on the seventh line of the vision tester thing.

The Plus Size Girl + Romance = A Strange Mix?

I have, on numerous occasions seen the end of what seemed like, healthy growing relationships for one single reason... Wait for it... My weight! I’m sure many of you would begin to shake your heads in disagreement or even, try to find other reasons why those relationships never lasted.

I’ve never been a skinny girl. I’ve always had what the typical Ghanaian would call BODY. So, it saddens me to realise that guys that get involved with me actually envision a slimmer version of me and try to force me into being that “ideal” woman they fantasise about. The last guy I “fell” in love with would sometimes look at me and make snide remarks about how fat I was and how I needed to lose the extra flesh. And that was after I had lost some weight!

Oh! And there was this guy I had adored since secondary school who told me he had feelings for me via phone. The problem: He hadn’t seen me for years. And when we finally met? He just vanished into thin air after calling me to say that he was “still” interested me. Still? Was my look so repulsive that he had to use the word “still”? Geez... These among many other experiences got me asking myself, “is there a law of nature that forbids plus sized women to find real love”? I know you guys are going to reply by saying that there are men who find plus sized women attractive but, do you think women want a man who likes them because of their size or, one who likes them in spite of their size?

There were times in the past when I would cry myself to sleep and, not eat till my Dad practically begged me to stop the stupidity. You are beautiful, he said. All you need to do is exercise and eat right and you’d be a knockout. Then I would go out for a walk and the guys in the area would start calling me names like “Obolo”, “Obiggie” et al. I’m sure you know how that ended. The worst state of depression ever known to man... having a low self-esteem.

Today, people see me as the flirtatious and sexy plus size woman who has an overdose of confidence. If only they knew how much work it took to get there. A friend once said to me “Enyo, if you can love your flaws, people will follow suit”. That was my moment. I decided to fix what I could. First line of action, lose weight. And I did lose, 35 pounds to be exact. I still have more to lose but, I also love to look at myself in the mirror every morning and say “Damn girl, you’re one hot mama”.

I did digress a little but, I had to so my questions would make sense... So, like I asked, do you guys find the thought of dating a plus sized woman repulsive? Are u dating a plus sized woman? Would you put pressure on your woman to lose weight? Are you embarrassed to be seen with a plus sized lady in public?

I await your thoughts on the issue....

I Got This...

Everyone who knows me knows that Im a huge fan of Jennifer Hudson. I loved her right from her days on American Idol till now. I watched Dreamgirls because of her, not Beyonce. So it only made sense to get a copy of her second studio album, I Remember Me. All I can say is ... Wow! The woman is a diva....

I quickly fell in love with the second track on the album "I Got This." This song talks about determination in spite of all the stumbling blocks that may be faced along the way. This song has become my personal anthem. Hope the lyrics of the chorus show what I mean.

I got this, every single breath another step on my road

I got this, I'm from the south side trying to get to my goal
I got this, ain't no stopping me,
Come on follow me if you feel the need
I got this, better believe I got this, believe I got this ....

Tro Tro Drivers, Knocked Down Passengers And... Pure Water?

Jesus! Jesus! was all I said when I witnessed the incident a few days ago. The poor woman had just alighted from the troski. Unfortunately the driver parked too close to the gutter and as he moved he hit the woman who fell into the moderately deep gutter. And what a fall it was. I still shudder as I recall the loud thud and saw her chin hit the edge of the gutter.

It took 5 people to get her out and all the stupid troski driver could say was "obi ento pure water em bere me" (Someone should buy me some pure water). Are u kidding me? I thought he would talk about taking the woman to a clinic for a shot against tetanus or something. The woman could even have internal injuries and the idiot was aking for pure water.

Thank God the other passengers and witnesses gave it to him. Kwasia sem! Mcccheeewwww!

Versatile and Stylish Blogger.

Versatile and Stylish? Wow! Imagine my utmost surprise and delight when I received this award from Tetekai. It's my first blog award and I'm so excited and grateful that someone finds my blog deserving of such an award. Thank you, Tetekai.

According to the rules of this award I'm to do the following:

1.Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

2. Tell 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 15 other bloggers.

4. Contact these bloggers and let them know that they have won

So, let's get on with it already, shall we?

1. I'm addicted to the print and electronic media. I read books, magazines, journals, comics and ebooks. I spend hours researching on and downloading free ebooks on the internet. Thank God for fast internet on the wireless modems.

2. I am a passionate romantic. I'm sure you can tell from the poems I write. :-) Skewed towards one direction eh... It's either flirtatious or sweet.

3. I love music of all genres but I think my favorite three would be R&B, Soul and Contemporary Gospel. I also love to sing and write my own songs from time to time. I always thank God for my Ipod; can't imagine moving on the treadmill for 50 minutes without it... :-)

4. I believe God created me to do phenomenal things in this world and I'm intent on fulfilling this prophecy.

5. When I'm extremely pissed, I smile. Yep! that's anger management for you. Crazy eh?

6. I'm fun to hang out with. Spend 5 minutes with me and I can assure you that 3 out of the 5 minutes would be spent on laughing so hard and the remaining 2 on catching your breath... :-)

7. I believe that you are beautiful when you believe it. I look at myself in the mirror every morning, smile and say.. You look good. :-)

Now, you have 7 things about me, now I have to award 15 other bloggers... That's kinda hard so I'm gonna give to those I can. The award goes to:

Nash

Daixy

Nana Yaw

Lyrical Designer

There! You are one of my versatile and stylish bloggers....

The Names Parents Give.....

Sometimes we hear unique names that beg the question, "Why would anyone want to name his/her child by that name?" When you are looking for copywriting material, being inquisitive is inevitable.

Last week as I was heading out of the office, I heard the graphic designer teasing the receptionist. Since we all love worrying the sweet lady, I inquired about the teasing topic. "Do you know the name of Faustina's (the receptionist) son? I was like Kwabena. Then the graphic designer goes like "his middle name".

It was then that I realised it would be something unique so I urged her on. Then it came. Wait for it.... Please be patient now... Habakkuk. Haba-what?  Of all the simple names in the Bible, it had to be this one?

I now call her Mama Haba... Haba is short for Habakkuk.

Bra Reconstruction...

Yesterday as my colleagues and I were going home from work, our eyes beheld an interesting sight. A woman, who felt the lights in her house were insufficient to aid her project, decided to sit close to the road and.... wait for it..... sew her brassiere.

Seriously? And the interesting thing was that the bra was black, and the thread she was using to sew the tear was light blue... Undergarments eh? Nsem wo Ghana.

Lol!

Have a lovely weekend.