"...do you also sleep with the Eastern builders’ wives..."

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Eng: You cannot fatten a pig on the market day - Nigerian Proverb.
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Hello,

I'm sorry about my well spaced out posts in the last few weeks. As soon as I return to my scheduled life, I'll be back on here.

The other day at the close of work, I asked a colleague if he would like to write a poem...

Me:  Guy, let's do a flash poetry exercise
Guy: What's that?
Me:  We write short poems in a short amount of time.
Guy: Uh huh...
Me:  So, you choose a word and we each write a poem that relates to the word in, say, eight minutes. Then we share poems.
Guy: Let's do it!

It was so much fun, we ended up doing four poems each and then we had to go home. Guy confessed that poetry is beautiful. GUY...CONFESSED that poetry is beautiful. Okay!
The rules were that the poem had to have eight lines, be written in eight minutes and contain the randomly  chosen word.

Here are the ones I wrote:

1.

Chosen word: Inadvertent 

It is only wise that I return home,

To where my sadist father’s bones rot

And my bitter mother’s skin moulds

- Where my heart deserted long ago

………………………………...................

I am their child: at most, they fed me

Though our scores are on hold for beyond here

For now, it is inadvertent that I face my silent fears

And return to put their ghosts to rest.

2.

Chosen word: Evolve

Oh! How Alero has become a woman,

In 72 inches of skin like new honey…

… And with a waist lined with spring like her mother’s,

Her mother - My husband’s first lover.

…………………………………………………

Temisan, my own child, walks unlike a horse

And talks unlike a lady ready to give palmwine to a man.

When this ‘thorn’ in my garden will evolve into a flower,

I do not know.

3.

Chosen word: Window

More than before, these days,

Your jalabia cloak smells of hibiscus incense,

Like the ones the Eastern women make.

More than before, you travel to the East,

To “sell your windows to the Eastern builders”

And perhaps, drink with their wives.

Do you also sleep with the Eastern builders’ wives,

While they burn hibiscus incense?

4. 

Chosen word: Prayer

With this warm dinner, I beg you my husband,

Never wake me up again for prayer.

My faith is like the receding desert

And my heart is in despair.

.....................................................................

Only last week, I rocked my child to sleep

And combed her black, bushy hair.

And I prayed and prayed for her ill to flee

Is dead, like my only child, the answerer of prayer?

[We decided to rhyme on the fourth one. If you've read anything of mine, you'll see that I abstain from rhyme 

as much as possible. This was not the easiest or 'funnest' one to write.]

P.S: Guy is Guy's real name.

Thank you and God bless,

NakedSha.

Inside my head {3}

...Omonoba...
our people say:
Yoruba: Ibi tí òjò-ó ti ńpa igún bọ̀-ọ́ jìnnà; ta ní rán igún níṣẹ́?
English: The vulture has endured the drenching rain from a great distance, but who sent the vulture on an errand? - Yoruba proverb.
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* Pet peeve -> 'O' is a letter and '0' is a number. Phone numbers start as Zero-eight-zero-five... NOT O-eight-O-five... aaarrgghhhh

* Everyone wants to be deep and profound these days. I'd much prefer to hear simple words -  forget the deep quotes. They are stale.

* Let my heart be close to my God more than my lips are close to my God.

* My shades-of-grey spectrum is widening. The black-and-white spectrum is thinning out.

* When God gave me my family he was saying...'err, here are your unconditional lovers. If you find others along the way, great! If not, this should be just fine. '

* To my earthly father: I'd weave you a special aso out of my tears, choruses, poetry and thank-yous if I could. Then, you could wear it on Sunday and the world would help me sing your praises. Mine would never be enough.

* Chocolate and strawberries taste great.

* When I die, check my letter box for my Testament. In summary, DO NOT bury me - cremate my skin and bones. Don't keep my ashes, you don't need it. Give my organs to whoever needs them most and share the little I owned among my family - given and chosen.

* Was McCandless stupid and arrogant? Think before you answer this. Frankly, I'm still thinking.

* E ba mi ki ra fun baba ati mama at'egbon at'awon aburo mi.

Oda aro.

NakedSha.

25 Real-time questions

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Yoruba: “Ó mọ́ mi lọ́wọ́” ní ńdi olè.
English: “It is an exact fit for my hand” leads to thievery. - Yoruba proverb.
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1. Do you have any pets?
-> Not at the moment.

2. Name three things that are physically close to you...
-> Peach Pleasure Jamba Juice smoothie.
-> My planner
-> My Ecology and Evolutionary Biology textbook.

3. What's the weather like now?
-> Very bright! I'm thankful for this week - bliss.

4. Do you drive? If so have you crashed?
-> Haha.

5. What time did you wake up this morning?
-> 6:30 am. My body needs to learn how to sleep for a little longer. : /

6. When was the last time you showered?
-> This morning, a.k.a three hours ago.

7. What was the last movie you saw?
-> Nollywood movie - Mirror of Life parts 1-4 (smh).

8. What does your last text message say:
->  'What does wahala mean?'
      I had responded to my friend's text by saying, 'Alright, no wahala' and she asked the question.

9. What's your ringtone?
->  My phone's mostly on vibration mode.

10. Have you ever been to a different country?
-> Yes. I've been to eleven others, and I lived in three of the eleven.

11. Do you like Sushi?
-> Oh My Self! I absolutely like sushi. I've had Hapa sushi three times this week (and it's only Tuesday).

12. Where do you buy your groceries?
-> Boulder Beyond Organic Farm, Lagos Market, Sprouts, KingSoopers, Whole Foods.

13. Have you ever taken medication to help you fall asleep faster?
-> Nope.

14. How many siblings do you have?
-> I have two fantabulicious brothers and one sugary-potato almost-twin sister.

15. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop?
-> Laptop.

16. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
-> You won't even believe it so make we shun am.

17. Do you wear contacts or glasses?
-> Haha, none. I have a funny little tale about glasses in my childhood.

18. Do you color your hair?
-> No. At least I haven't yet.

19. Tell me something you are planning to do today?
-> Meet with my Ecology and Evolutionary Biology study group for question and answer session for Wednesday's exam.

20. When was the last time you cried?
-> I cried last week after Skyping with my dad. It kills me to know what my hometown (Port Harcourt) has become.

21. What is your favorite Pizza topping?
I absolutely do not like Pizza. It's not inedible for me but it's a last I'm-about-to-die-of-starvation resort for me.

22. Which do you prefer - hamburgers or cheeseburgers?
Hamburgers. I HATE cheese.

23. Have you ever had an all-nighter?
Yes, during Freshman year. Stupid idea. I know my body much better now.

24. What is your eye color?
Like that of burnt mahogany.

25. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke?
In Nigeria, yes. In the US, all I taste is high fructose corn syrup. Mttccchhheeww

From MyneWhitman

Please, pass it on!
God bless and all the best with finals.

If only I had a boombox:

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Yoruba: Kí ní ḿbẹ nínú isà tí yó ba òkú lẹ́rù?
English: What is there in the grave to frighten a corpse? - Yoruba Proverb
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I doubt I've ever done a music post on here so I thought I'd do one.

My music style is very broad but with time, my friends can easily tell what I like. Here are seven of the songs currently playing on my iPod:

1.

This song is saying it will be well as we go to where we are going, it will be with joy and with peace that we go to where we are going. Doors will open, paths will open and we will find favor with authority. According to this friend, this song sounds like "NakedSha". :)

2.

3.

This song is generally a call to dance.

4.

This song is a child lamenting that he / she now has two fathers; one is in the room, one just came back from the farm. The mother has been unfaithful.

5.

I cannot do justice to the analysis of this song that Gbenga Awomodu made here.

6. 

7.

Check out these artistes; they have more than one great song and they have an idea of what music is.

Bless:

NakedSha.

A State of Seclusion, one of Confusion.

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Eng: A hunter who has only one arrow does not shoot carelessly. - Nigerian proverb.
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Hello beautiful people. I did say it was a good week...It's okay, the next post will be a written one.

I took the first two pics in FL last week, of Ar.Aboki. Ar.  Thanks man for being my subject. I've had the others for a while. They all have one theme.

SOLITUDE

Solitude [sol-i-tood, -tyood] - The State of being or living alone; seclusion. 

NakedSha.

Chronicles of a coconut face...

NakedSha

Life is short. Breathe fast sometimes, breathe deep other times. You can't do both at the same time.
- NakedSha

Agege Bread has Competition...

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Yoruba: Kékerè nìmàle-é ti ńkọ ọmọ-ọ ẹ̀ lóṣòó.
Eng: The muslim teaches his children how to squat from their youth.  - Yoruba proverb.
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I absolutely do not spare myself when it comes to good food. I also take pictures of many things I cook and/or eat. Somethings are quickly butting heads with Agege Bread. Here goes competition.

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY!

^^Hapa on Pearl Street. - Menu Item #17

^^Hapa on Pearl Street - Menu Item #3a

^^Home-cooked asaro

^^Hapa on Pearl Street, Menu #13

^^CU Boulder Persian Station

Let you mouth water...Bless.

...that I am mainly artistic.

...Omonoba...

Myne Whitman shared this link on her blog and I quickly did the test. Here's what the Typealyzer thinks of the personality of the writer of this blog. This is definitely only one aspect, since a personality test can only capture one part so much.

Based on my writing, do you share the same view?
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http://  

Inside my head {2}

...Omonoba...
Our people say:
Yoruba: B’ópé títí, akólòlò yó pe "baba"
Eng: A stammerer would eventually say "father" - Yoruba proverb.
...........................................................................................................................................

* I have Jesus.

* Did the gods turn Enugu soil red out of anger or is Enugu soil lateritic?

* His eyes are on the sparrow, I know he watches me.

* I read somewhere that most Africans are overweight. I read elsewhere that most Africans are  starving. They - of the They Institute - cannot even make up their minds.

* Them: "Your English is very good, Oh my God. Wow, you speak good English for a non-native"
   Me: "You too".

* Two people who always have something to laugh about will make it through many things.

* Awon arugbo so pe, olodo lon korin. 'Won so pe olodo lon se film.  Few times, the old man sitting beneath the iroko tree sees nothing but it's bark.

* We may be shocked by the people we see or don't see in heaven. May we be there to be shocked, dear Lord.

* I want suya and bole/fish/pepper (Rivers State style) and zobo and Cabin BIS-keet and Rivers native soup and eko tutu and my mother's edikaikong soup and my father's groundnut soup. All I have is my stew.

* Hanging from my mother's wrapper, used to be the solution to all the problems in the world.

* Do not go into heaven uninvited. Live this great life, then attend your grand reception.

* I think 'mineral' sounds much better than 'pop' or 'soda'.

* I still find it hard to give or take with my left hand.

* Nigerian men have the worst and most entertaining pick up lines. 'Oh baby gyal, your boobs are showing.  Let me help you hide them'. Olodo.


NakedSha.
{Just as I am}.

We have a winner.

...Omonoba...

WE HAVE A WINNER!

D.O

Congratulations!!!

The three states are Oyo, Edo and Rivers.

Someone asked:

Why did you go to school in Colorado?

Ans: My school has some of the best programs for my majors.

Thank you for all your contributions. 

God bless you,

NakedSha.