REFLECTIONS by BiliMaffy

The title of this post's the very first line in my homecountry's 'National Anthem'.Since the unsuccessful attempt of the suicide bomber last week,I really didn't think much of  it until today. Hubby and I were at the Nigerian Consulate earlier in the day to collect our new e-passports('e' is the abbreviation for 'ECOWAS  which stands for 'Economic Community of West African States).The previous one is not even half-full and still has a couple of years more to expiration.But there's a deadline to its expiration for Nigerian Passport holders across the globe.Anyway,to cut a long story short,being there really made me feel somewhat nostalgic and I just felt this sense of  patriotism.The Channel on the DSTV was CNN...go figure!Fellow Nigerians present there joked about how US's going to halt any visa offering to Nigerians because of this shocking discovery.I had a few words to say too.I mean,applicants practically sleep at the US consulate in Lag

I've had 'moments' and times to myself that  I could have spared to update my blog,but I didn't.Even though I had the free time,the thoughts were just not co-ordinated.... I haven't stepped outside this house in the last fourty-eight hours,but it didn't feel like a"cell" unlike the past.I have come to appreciate what not having much to do,mentally does to your brain and psyche.There were two concurrent days I didn't even put on the PC at all.It was deliberate.I mean,there are other things I could have been doing and preoccupy myself with,had I the privilege of  physical contacts.Since I got my sewing machine a couple of months back,I have developed a keeness for sewing,however amateurish the sewing turns out.But so far,I think I have done well.With no one to put me through and limited resources (the Internet's actually the only one available) and failed promises of assistance by my neighbour and our staff;I decided to keep exploring by myself.

THE MAYONNAISE JAR ---------------------- When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, When 24 hours in a day is not enough; remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and starts to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded With an unanimous 'yes.' The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and pour

and the weekend get=away at the same venue..

I read a lot.I read almost anything I can understand and benefit from.I read till my eyes are strained and then remind myself to pause.And in the past,I usually ended up having headaches.Today,I can't say the headache I've had all day was caused by"excessive reading".I think somewhere deep down in my subconscious,I'm disturbed about something,but I can't put my finger on it.The weekend was quite hectic,I was under pressure to'deliver' the goods and deliver the goods I did!The guest house staff received a call from my homecountry on Friday and the person had insisted on speaking with"the boss"!Eventually,I had to speak with this enquirer.She wanted transportation from the airport to somewhere  in Johannesburg and then back to the airport later in the day.It was a very tight fix because we hadn't been able to get the remaining seats for the Bus..oh!There's the bus by the way.But we 'made a plan' as the South Africans' would

So besides worrying about my next house neighbour's dog littering my compound with their faeces,turning my bin upside down and messing the entire place with rubbish,I had to deal with a househelp that "refuses" to do dishes with sponge but napkin instead (against my instruction of course),take my kids out barefooted while she had a pair of slippers on,and feed them with chips and bread,prefers sweeping the carpet with a mop inplace of a brush or a vacuum,packs coloured and white clothings together for laundry in the washing machine (she's discoloured a few clothes doing this and I now check before she presses the 'start button,but I wonder what would happen on days that am away)!Isn't that something?I've never seen worst combination of meal!Fries with bread???As I write this post,the same lady's been having breakfast for over one hour,seated on the couch.And after she's done,now she's standing behind me,holding a napkin,but standing still ,lean

......is my own imagination,where I"wish" for not every dream;but the"good and positive ones to come true"!I welcome you to my world of fantasies . Okay,confession time!I may not be the snobbish girl on the block,but I can be a little irritable when I start asking things (almost everything,that is) to be 'perfect'....Yeah,I am like that.Let me tell you about what I call "my domestic dilemma'.The newly employed house help is actually supposed to'drive me to the walls',but I try not to let her.Especially since I've resolved to expend my energy on the most important things in life and let trivialities remain at bay.In all honesty,I am never one of those that undermine the power of communication (not because am studying "Communication Science though).And so it was that I either had to still "do it myself",or continue to complain until am tagged"the nagging boss (or boss'wife)"...Oh!she calls me"ma'am b

I wasn't really tired last night,I was so darn sleepy I went to bed earlier than usual..I couldn't even stay up to see'Heroes'!!!Am actually having this slight headache that's been there all day.But I won't give-in just yet..I've got to do this.I've been on the sewing machine for most part of the afternoon and just had to squeeze out the strength to update my blog. So we took the little lad to the Physician before we headed for the mall.Since they were not included in the plans before,we had to drop the kids off at home before heading to the Consulate.We were running late but still made it..they didn't get started without us!!!We had lunch, pleasantries and well wishes for our beloved country...then group pictures..... We checked into Birchwood  on Saturday and returned home on Sunday afternoon. My thoughts have been interrupted..I had to chat with my very dear cousin,more like a sister to me actually. Todays' my father's birthday,I don&

It's indeed a rat race,the way I want to catch up and update everything?I think am way over my head.Alright,this past week was jam-packed with the"Conference on MDG" but it was  a little disappointing.I sensed this would happen but couldn't do anything to change it.Hubby made a point and I agreed with him-he had to do it irrespective of the low attendance.If he plans on hosting it next year,then he had to make it happen and so he did.Without mincing words,my hubby's one of the unrelenting and most persistent personality I've ever come across.Okay,let me briefly summarise how it all went.The first day was on Monday the 30th and the Nigerian delegate had arrived  on Saturday as scheduled (she happens to be a family-friend as well).So we were honoured to host her in our guest house,which was way too low for her portfolio.So,the luncheon was held at Emperor's Palace,Kempton Park but,the Namibian and Kenyan ambassadors refused to attend.Hubby having a thick ski

I always remember this day,I mean the 1st of December celebrated globally as World Aids Day.Fourteen years back while in Secondary school we acted a drama on the topic.It remains one of the most memorable moments of my life.I had been down memory lane since morning and had the privilege of sharing it with two of my old friends,who partook in the drama back then-one via a text message,the other via an Instant chat.And the highlight of the day has been attending the'supposed' conference at Boksburg along with hubby on the MDG.It's been an exhilarating experience-me again with top officials. But am a little tired and cannot type out my written thoughts meant for today's post.I had to while away time before the conference started.it's very unlike me to go out without any book to read while waiting (even  while on the queue at Banks).But I knew it wouldn't be appropriate to take any magazine with me since I'd be busy with the conference.I think it's about ti

I feel light-headed(de-saturated my brain) today than I have felt in the last couple of weeks.I had been spending time doing'deep thoughts'.'Nostalgic,confussion,indecision,tiredness and everything all wrapped together got me doing too much thiniking.Thoughts which I must admit did me some good.I admit they say am'weird' in the family because of certain unusual things I do.But I think it suits me just fine. Talk of "self-discovery" at thirty.Well,it's even better am doing that now and not later...."Better late than never,goes the saying"!I discovered I could'read all day' without a migraine . .That was what saw me through the'very deep Biology' I got as my welcome package in Psychology.... Subhannallah!I almost screamed'what did I get myself into"?So far,I can't say it's got to the fun part yet.But having gone through the Course Modules,there are more interesting things to Psychology than the Sy

Lessons of Life!!! Authubillah Minnashaytoni Rajeem ( meaning :I seek refuge from the accursed devil..I begin in the name of Allah the Beneficent,the Merciful ) The things we take for granted I read something and it really got me thinking.Of course these are thoughts that have always crossed my mind and all I do is just toss it round my head with no answers. I can be referred to as being sensitive&hence might be easily offended.But I put my sensitiveness to use by minding my utterances,watching what I say&do.Being mindful of others&try not to cross their path.But of course we're only humans and that is why 'forgiveness' is one of the attributes of Allah.Still,the best would be to avoid doing the wrong things all the time,human or not. I am not really comfortable with 'impulsive people' because they don't think,they just act.I know they can be a life saver sometimes rescuing someone from danger by acting so fast and quick.But they

I am yet to uncover the reason behind my fatigue and tiredness...and I hope I won't feel this way longer than necessary.If only I had my own gym or some safe place to do my own thing...I'd work out,perhaps,that would help. I had so mnay thoughts going throuh my mind during the day but just couldn't get around to blogging them out.I need time to get used to the new situation  of not being "alone"anymore.At least not from Monday till Friday. I honestly don't know if that's my own way of being "territorial".But I like my privacy and always want some time to myself.We've got a domestic help now and I know it's going to feel really awkward until I resume at the office for good.It'd be better than being at home and been conscious that am not'alone'.I have enjoyed my space for so long I never really anticipated this scenario.I guess I should have seen it coming....But then again,'change' is inevitable and I've just got

It's the end of my first level and am really grateful to God for His mercies.It's been a very long day I almost forgot I just completed my exams today and not before. I have registered for a traffic license or something like that.I need this to commence my driving lessons and it means another studying.But It's better I do it now and get it over with.I can't postpone it anylonger.I don't want to be swamped next year with school work and driving lessons.Now that I've finally got my sewing machine,I've developed a new hobby and a passion to'design' or'sew' my own dresses.That's a tall dream but I'll get there someday.Thanks to hubby he took me (after I appealled to him) to the fabric store yesterday and I bought a few threads and some other things I'll be needing to commence my practice.Am so excited and almost impatient to sew what I'll come up with.I really want to sew my daughter a dress and a pair of skirt...maybe even m

I got back from my exam centre a little over two hour ago and I had a good laugh at myself.Alright,I've never said that” I can NEVER be a victim of what happened to me today, but knowing my nature and how annoyingly meticulous I can be, I may have said so! Whatever lesson am supposed to learn from today's experience, I have learnt very well indeed. I have learnt to be more thorough (I'm actually too thorough already) as far as studying with a distant learning institution is concerned. I usually take note of little things and always go by the saying of” anything worth doing at all is worth doing well”. I am one of those nerdy students who go extra mile and take studies very seriously. I guess I should have realised that I get distracted some times and I strain my brain. I do that a lot. I’ve read some where that tasking the brain is good and I think over-stimulation's my own problem presently. Where do I begin? Is it from the fact that, I had been at the centre today