Change

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I grew up hearing this words- "Change is the only permanent thing" and I remember thinking then that how can change be permanent? Change means change after all, so how can something that is evolving be permanent? Its a good thing I grew up, because looking back now I realize that I wasn't really that smart. Oh yes, I am very smart now (Gotcha!).

So now I understand that indeed change is the only permanent thing. Everything changes everyday. For instance, take a look at your wardrobe 7 years ago. I bet you can hardly fit into some of the stuff you used to own back then. (Well I know there will be many exceptions) Or look at your shoe closet, how many pairs of shoe do you still wear from 10 years back? (what? are you telling me you still wear them? #gasp. Didn't your feet grow at all? Or didn't wear and tear happen?). Ok, maybe that wasn't also a good analogy. Let's try another one. Has your click of friends changed? No? Ok, I give up. Wait, one more try! Do you still think the same way as say 5 years ago? If you do, then sorry, this post is probably not for you jor.

Anyway change is necessary for growth and progress. Not all change is good no doubt because sometimes people or situations change for worse, but most times its good and necessary too. If change hadn't happened, you would still be a baby in diapers. As much as that sounds appealing in terms of no responsibility and all that, it may be tiring. Fancy being an "ET" with no prospects for upward growth in the Organization. That can be annoying  I bet. In fact, nothing will motivate you to put in your best because there is already a brick wall stopping you.

"...But when you see things change, whether it’s in your life or some one else’s, it’s encouragement to know that nothing stays the same forever".---Source

I'd summarize something I learned from beliefnet:

• Change makes you flexible to new things
• Change makes you smarter. Ha, I said that already at the beginning
• Change makes you understand that impossible is nothing

So in the spirit of change, I made a decision to change my blog name this morning from "www.bellezworld4real.blogspot.com" to "www.writeventuresofemaleecious.blogspot.com". A while back I asked my friend to check something out on my blog and she was trying to check "emaleecious.blogspot.com" so that got me thinking why not switch over since most people are familiar with the name"emaleecious"? Its a mouthful, I know, but y'all just have to live with it hehehe. So please kindly make note of the change. Thank you.

Shalom!

2 Shades of Trouble

Its 10:00 am. I know this for a fact without looking at my watch or getting any alarm notification. The familiar tendrils of sleep tantalize my eyes. It promises to be a beautiful 2 hours with my eyes shut. I feel the pressure to shut my eyes for a second. I try to fight it. I fail woefully. Each time for the last two weeks, I have failed. Today will be no exception, I already know that but I try nonetheless.

I stand up and move over to my colleagues table under the pretext of asking for a file. What exactly did we conclude on the issue? She looks at me blankly at first and later it transforms to irritation. You took the minutes of meeting yourself and have the file. why are you asking me? she says. I ask for her forgiveness and tell her that I just needed another voice to my thoughts. to be sure I captured the right thing. Alas, it wasn't me acting stupidly. It was the sleep speaking through my brain. I couldn't do anything with that potent force.

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I went back to my seat in a groggy state, feeling so sorry for myself. It was like the tendrils had morphed into humongous 3 strand rope that couldn't be cut with any thing. This was the 2nd stage. At this point  I knew it was only a mater of time before I  started acting like a drunk. The last time I had tried to fight it, I popped gum in my mouth and started chewing furiously. Funny, It didn't stop the sleep train at all. I was asleep with my mouth still chewing in a matter of seconds. I jolted awake when my head lurched forward of its own accord. 

I hurriedly tried to sort out my table. How one could feel so sleepy with so much work to do was beyond my comprehension. I didn't remember what I was doing anymore. I stood up, took my phone with me and walked to the restroom. That was were I found succor from the unyielding arms of sleep. I hurriedly  chose a stall, careful to see that it was clean and dry (No kidding) and cleaned up the seat cover properly and sat. I turned off my phone notification and said a quick prayer to God not to let my boss catch me. That was the last thing ...

The next thing I knew was a gradual realization that I was in the restroom. My first conscious thought was of water and God-knows-what-else passing furiously down the plastic pipe as someone relieved herself and the constant drip-drip-drip of a tap not properly turned off...the sound of the main door slamming shut as a couple of ladies made their way into the place jolted me. I remembered where I was... 

Without looking at the watch again, I knew exactly what the time was. The slumber spirit had departed to look for another victim. I checked my wrist watch and smiled. It was 12:00 noon. I knew the routine all too well. All I had to do was wait a bit for the chattering ladies to leave the mirror then make my way back to my office and act like nothing had happened.

I successfully went to my office, turned on my sleeping computer and behold, the first thing I saw in my inbox  was an email from my boss at 10:02 am saying I was expected at a meeting to explain the new project  I was working on as team lead.

SHIT!!!

Stop Stealing

Stealing is stealing no matter what it is that is been taken.

I'll tell you why in a minute, but I want to emphasize that stealing is stealing. If you take someones property when the person is unaware, without the intention of informing the person then Congratulations!!!! You have just become a thief. Be it a book, a phone, a wife (or husband...lol) a blog post something as little as a pen, whatever it is. You will be branded a thief. Don't think its just the Nigerian politicians who embezzle funds, or the armed robber who steals and kills for personal gain. Come to think of it, even Robbin Hood was a thief. Ha. I didn't see that one coming.

In a way, I'm chastising myself and all others. . First, I'd tell you why I chastised myself. I went to my blog to reply Toin's comment and then I went through the post again and saw that I didn't reference the picture I put up. Now truth be told, I usually forget to do so, but somehow, I just decided to go back and acknowledge my source. (Thank God I did that because I'm sure y'all would have been calling me a thief by now in your heads). Anyway, I acknowledged the source and updated the post. After which I decided to "brazz"* the Internet for interesting articles to read. So I stumbled on a link and saw more than one of my blog posts on someone Else's blog. I had started reading it when I realized that it was way too familiar. I think it would only have been nice for the person to inform me about it  and  acknowledge me in the post from the very beginning. Sadly, that wasn't the case. I think its wrong. Plain wrong to do so. 

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As a matter of fact when @tilola wrote something of that effect in March (read it here) my first thought was I hardly even update my blog, who would steal from me? But now i realize that its serious and its not funny at all.

Well, the good thing is I have put up another post this month, thanks to the post theft. Now talk about being motivated. @Sugarspring...in your face. Lol.

*Brazz- Means to browse 

What If...

Some of my colleagues and I were "gisting" randomly one morning. One of them was like, if Adam and Eve hadn't sinned, life wouldn't have have been as hard as it is right now. We all agreed and started mentioning things that wouldn't have been.

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If Adam and Eve hadn't sinned...

...we would have been naked and not ashamed.

...we would all have been playing in the Garden of Eden

...we would have been singing praises all day.

...Another daily activity would have been dancing at His Courts with thanksgiving too.

...We would have been living with animals everywhere in Eden. Fancy having a lion as a neighbor.

...We may not have had our parents and siblings, as it would have been one big happy family.

...there wouldn't be killing or wickedness in the world.

...there wouldn't have been marriages (may be or may be not) 

...there may not have been sex (still trying to see how that would have worked after all there was the mandate to "Be fruitful and Multiply". And yes I know you have a different opinion)

...of course that means we wouldn't have had to work (now that's a very pleasant thought. Lol). 

...I hope you remember that no work means no salary too? So, how bright was the previous point?

...But then there wouldn't have been need for money. We would have had all we had need for.

... Schooling would have been an alien concept. 

...Those Degrees and Certificates may have been non-existent.

...Driving may have been a thing of the future's future. (Maybe God would have over time given us the ability to fly like Angels).

... Laptops, Tablets, Phones...Emails, Letters, Faxes. Non existent. All of them

...I may not have met you (my cyber friend).

...this post wouldn't have been

...you wouldn't be reading this.

Can you think of anything that wouldn't have been? Please put them up in the comment section.

Adetoro and Nkechi..thanks for inspiring this post.

Abiku

I bet some of you thought abiku* things were synonymous with humans alone? Well, I am here to confuse and not convince you that Abikuism occurs in the inanimate world as well.

By the way how many of you were in the debate club in primary school? I hope you never actually confused the listeners? I remember one debate my sister and I watched on one of those children's programs on TV years back. The poor debater had been made to cram his argument and he got stuck from the onset. He began this way: Good day panel of judges, accurate time keeper...and my listeners  (in whatever order it is, forgive me but "my teachers didn't teach me"). I am here to support the motion that "polygamy is better than monogamy". Polygamy-". Alas, my very bright student lost steam and had to start all over from his greeting again. Yes, all the way from "good day panel of judges...". The sad thing is that he did this about 3 times before the time keeper intervened as his time was up. I really felt the boys pain as I'm sure he must have gone over his speech numerous times. But sadly, at the time it mattered most, he couldn't deliver. So sad. However, this didn't stop Eky and I from laughing our heads off. Boy, did we laugh till we cried.

Blimey, now I'm actually confused. Where was I headed again? Ah, abiku things.

The other day I had to send out an email urgently to my boss. I knew the Internet subscription at home had expired, so I decided to use my MTN mobile hotspot to send the email. I turned on the service and tried to send the document, it didn't leave my outbox. I did everything I could, but the document just refused to budge. So I decided to send it to my tablet and send it out from there. Alas, no subscription. (like that document was destined not to leave my laptop. I realized I didn't have credit on my phone, so I buzzed Eky for VTU which she sent instantly. (God bless you sis). I resent and the document finally left my outbox (can I get an Amen?) lol. As soon as I confirmed that it had been sent, I turned off the hotspot to save my credit. 

Little did I know that the credit was an Abiku. I had a balance of  over N2,000 on my phone as at when I turned on the hotspot. In the 2 minutes it took me to send out the email, MTN had helped themselves to my credit and left me with N102. Hmn, it did me like magic. I had to check my balance again and the time to confirm that I didn't actually get carried away and spend one hour browsing. I began lamenting. "I neva pay for the VTU, the tin con dissapear". I buzzed my sister to be sure she sent me the credit and she was like "stop whining and buy another one" I retorted "another one ko another one ni. I'm not paying you for any abiku credit". She just started laughing. I honestly don't know where the "abiku" thing came from, but it was so apt... Abiku in this context means something that isn't meant to last.

Anyway, long story short, I got through to MTN's customer care and lodged a complaint. I was told to call back after an hour. I called back and I got my credit back. Halleluyah somebody.

I guess this post shouldn't be called àbiku credit after all, but I like the sound of it. Hehehe.

Many thanks to all of you who didn't abandon the blog like I shamelessly did. Special shout out to Saima who came here every single day hoping for a new post. I am really thankful and humbled.

New followers, I see you. Many thanks. 

*Abiku in this context means something that won't last.