Friday 22 June 2012

MY LADY LOCKS ;)


Photo Source
Oh, you think I wana give you tips and how to do your hair? Hahaha you’ve got to be kidding. I have absolutely no clue. In fact, I need help with my ‘chicken scratch’ & if you call me that, imma kee you.

A lot of crazy interesting things have been happening in my life. See, I try to be normal. I swear, I try but these things just keep happening to me. I think I'm nature's idea of fun. Someone must be sitting or standing up there, pointing and laughing their ass off at my life. (God, no offense)

So this is the story of my hair. My hair has issues. In fact, it’s always had issues. My hair has a mind of its own and bad*ss attitude. Sometimes it grows & I'm so shocked but I don't say nada because I don’t want to jinx it. Other times, it just assumes that annoying “grow? Yea right *rme*” or "grow ko, grow ni mshew" attitude. My siblings named it 'chicken scratch' because it’s used to be scanty.

I love my hair. It is very soft and beautiful. I just wish it would listen to me sometimes. I am allowed to only retouch like 3ce in a year.  When it's very due, I can still comb it with ease (without profanities). And about 10 minutes of Olive regular gets it retouched. It used to be about 5 minutes of Dark and Lovely Regular but I had to switch because, apparently, it was too tough for my hair.

Around this time last year, it started breaking badly after I did some Rihanna-type style that required serious bonding. When I took the weave out, I freaked because half (not exaggerating) of my hair went with the bonding thing. I stared in horror as more and more hair kept falling out. I could not cry at the salon although the lady doing my hair totally saw my despair. Knowing my hair the way I do, what I kept thinking was: what if it never grows back? #shudders. When I told Prim, she told me my new nickname would be baldy. So I ended up cutting my hair really low. I also made a mistake of telling my mom that I was thinking of going on short dreads. Let's just say, she totally spoilt it for me. Something about “why would you like to copy a mad person” smh for her. So after retouching, I was advised to leave it for a few weeks to let it breathe then try matting/corn rows for a while (didi olowo) so I got some wigs.

I usually leave the wig in the car; 1 less thing to worry about it the morning. I succeeded until one fateful morning when I had gotten half-way to work only to realise my wig wasn't in the car. Long story short, I rocked that hair to work like that o. I kid you not. Some of my male colleagues told me it was cute & my scalp was nice so I shouldn't worry. One actually said I should do more hair that shows my scalp cos it was sexy. #nawash. Anyways, that was that. Oh, you want to see a picture? Alright here:
This is the kodak-moment hair i took to work :)
After several years of fasting and prayers, it’s finally stable and I’m hoping it remains stable but I still need help. What kinda stuff do you think I can do to my hair so it doesn’t break or recede? What can do to give it more body and strength? Biko, help a sister out.

P.S: I’m officially jealous of Lady Ngo and Jemima’s hair.

P.P.S: Thank you all so much for the encouraging words and suggestions about my friend. I really appreciate it. May God bless and keep us all.

Wednesday 13 June 2012

PLEASE HELP ADEMILOLA STAY ALIVE

Photo taken by my sister with her phone
Thank you all for the comments and suggestions on my last post. A ni firue gba. Today, i need help for a 2year old girl. I have never done this before on my blog but i just felt the need to do this. My sister told me about Ademilola and since she did, i have felt pulled to do something no matter how small. The girl pictured above is Ademilola Hanifat. She has a congenital heart disease (Large Perimembranous VSD L-R Moderate sized PDA with severe PAH) and she needs about 2 million for surgery in India. She was treated at Lasuth and one of her doctors is Dr Animashaun, a Consultant pediatric cardiologist. Please, i would like us to do all we can to save this little girl. My sister met her father when he walked into her office to open an account for Ademilola. I might not have 2million to give this family to save their little girl but i have this blog and if words spread, she might get the much needed help to survive. 2 million is all this family needs to save their girl. Please pray and spread the word in any way you can; Twitter, bbm, Facebook, blogs etc. I am aware that the father made this same appeal on some Radio Stations  as well (Choice FM and Bond FM) I also have a scanned copy of medical reports. Every help and suggestions are welcome from medical and non medical personnel.
Photo sent by her dad on the hospital bed
 Acct name with First Bank Nigeria: Fagbemi-Shittu Hanifat Ademilola
Account number: 3059194711 
Contact Number: 07044465040 (Ade’s father)
Email Address: abdgaffarshittu@yahoo.com
 
Thank you and God bless. God will always come through for you all.

Thursday 7 June 2012

I GET IT NOW

The last time I posted here, I was all thankful not knowing God had a lesson for me. So while I was all giggly and excited, my friend was struggling for her life. For some reason, my mind had been with her all through that week. I sent her messages but they weren’t delivered. I called her lines but they were switched off. She did that sometimes when she was stressed so I figured she was going to get back to me. You see, she was due to deliver this month. After I didn’t see/hear peep from her, I sent a message to her hubby on facebook but he didn’t reply too. After updating my last post, I left a message on his fb wall.

I however got a message on Saturday: “sweetheart just heard about the demise of your friend. May God comfort you” and I wondered who would leave me this kind of message with no name, bearing in mind that the sender and I had a lot of friends in common. So I ignored the message without even replying only to check my phone and see an updated status with my friend’s picture and RIP. RIP ke? I pinged several times but my messages did not deliver. I felt very hot and clammy and then I started feeling cold. Stone cold. Cold from the inside. My brain went blank. My heart was racing. I was confused. I frantically called to confirm but no one was available or picking. I was terrified of what I would find. Eventually, I discovered that her hubby had posted her death on his facebook wall. Ore was dead. It felt surreal. I hoped I was hallucinating. Like someone would wake me up and tell me I was dreaming. Apparently, she delivered on the 14th but died on the 18th of May. She didn’t pull through the complications after delivery. Eclampsia I think.

I've lost people before but Ore was more like my sister. She has been actively in my life for about 11 years. She’s in like 90% of all my pictures. She was beautiful, cheeky, amazing, smart, thoughtful, selfless, funny…awesome even. She was ‘olowo sibi’ (chef). She would cook and call to say there was food and we'll go to her room to eat. I even have a picture of us eating in her room half-dressed. Smh. She loved Maryland cookies & Pringles. Loved to tease. She named my brother Abedi Pele because of his bow legs. She was always up for mischief. We partied, studied, fought, acted silly and pretended to read at the library. We don’t do library reading. We both know when we go to the library; we’re going for some eye candy. Fun times. I remember how she would threaten to stop visiting me if i did not stop arranging stuff. Memories. And somehow, she’s gone.
I did not get it this well before. I honestly thought I did. I absolutely get it now. Death sucks. It totally sucks. So many questions. I keep thinking of ‘ifs’ and ‘maybes’ but i know what is done is done. I want to blame someone, anyone. I guess it was her time. It’s hard to swallow though. Sometimes i feel like crawling into a hole and disappearing. For many nights after her death, my mom would touch my fore-head while I pretended to sleep. My folks and friends kept calling to check up on me. My parents kept giving me that “I-wonder-what-she’s-thinking” looks.

The last time we spoke, I remember telling her how my mom had to be hands-down, the craziest mom in the world, and she was laughing and saying my mom is fun. I had no idea it was going to be the last time. Seeing her get lowered into the ground at the burial was so final. I thought I was hardcore and gangster. Maybe I am but not as tough as I thought. The tears slid helplessly down my face. I tried to stop them. I truly did but my ducts would just not cooperate. Seeing her brother smile through his tears tore at me. Seeing her sister looking lost opened a gulf of tears I never knew I had. Listening to her husband almost killed me. Hearing her mom tell me “ore e ti fimisile lo” (your friend has left me) broke my heart in a million pieces. But listening to her baby’s cries brought back a smile. A weak smile but a smile nonetheless.

I'm supposed to open an online memorial page and I don’t even know where to start. I sent her a message on facebook last weekend. Just because. I’m taking comfort in the fact that her little girl is alive and well. I also have wonderful memories. She was a wonderful christian and I am thankful to God for a life well lived even though short. I wonder what people would remember me for when I die though.

I have been reminded these past few weeks how we all should live ready and reconcile with God. Nobody knows who is next. Tell the people who matter to you how much they mean to you. People sometimes forget you love them so remind them. Pray, live, love, trust, loose, forgive, miss, fall, get up, try again, do stuff, go places, make mistakes and learn. May God be with us all.

This post is also dedicated to everyone who’s ever lost someone. And to the recent happenings in Nigeria and beyond. May all the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace.

P.S: My friend used to stay in Lagos so I can’t visit her baby as much as I’d like although I go to Lagos often but what else do you think we (the friends) can do for the baby? I was thinking about asking Ore’s hubby to open an account in the baby’s name so we can credit it quarterly or something but someone said he might not like it. Suggestions would be welcome. Thank you.

P.P.S: The race to broadcast bad news is becoming ridiculous. I had to tell someone to remove a display picture of a supposed dead guy who is alive and well.  To the sickos making jokes about the plane crash and deaths, God is watching you. A character posted a picture of a toy plane and said 'another plane crash’ like, how truly sick are you to be making jokes while those people were still burning? Don't people feel anymore? I mean, have some respect for the dead! #thatisall

P.P.P.S: Thanks to everyone who checked up on me. I am much better. 9jas Great xoxo, Lue, Honeydame, Sugarspring, Coy Introvert, Priscy, Daughter of Her King, Rhapsody, Emaleecious, Atoskin, every single one of you guys rock. Bless you.