I went out to "Play"

The sun came out in Boston and you know this child of Africa had to getoutofthehouse and go get a hug. As if am not "dark"enough.

 #That moment you realize you should have gotten off the previous exit to avoid being stuck in a traffic stand still#

I later drove by the reason for the traffic...some one's car was on fire in the tunnel in the middle of the high way. I hope no one died :/

View from bridge while on standstill traffic. I was stuck on the bridge for a long time because it didn't occur to me that rush hour occurs everyday around 4-sih...blame the holidays. All that eating has left me dull. But then again, bad sense of timing is a reoccurring theme in my life.

. I took advantage of the "cool" weather to wear my all time favourite flats and gallivant around town thrifting. This was suppose to be a household items aka groceries shopping trip but that is a story for another day.
I got them from Pay-less as a summer shoe and after over 3 years we are still going strong and steady.

And what a good day it was. With $50.00 I got a brand new leather belt, a brand new pair of wedge sandals, 2 pencil skits in green and blue, Ralph Lauren pants, Gap jeans and much more......ah la vie est belle je vous dit.

A time to Cleanse

Every year, from Thanksgiving holidays to the winter Christmas/New Year celebrations, I eat like a pig.No joke. My mouth does not discriminate. Living or dead. Healthy or unhealthy. My greed for food over the holidays is a seasonal weakness i have yet to master.

Therefor to restore everything back to balance, I do a cleanse to get rid of all those impurities. My only rule is to complete the minimum of 5 days fast before my birthday, January 18th. This year's challenge is the GMC 7 day diet of fruits and vegetables. I'm not going to go into the details as it is a very popular fast and if anything..you can Google it.

Today is day # 1. Mangoes, cherries, grapes and tons of water + lemons have been consumed in extremely LARGE quantities....

I think am indirectly trying to challenge their instructions that eating as much fruits as you want is okay. Much business have I brought to my local Stop & Shop's fruit/farmer's market who by the way i believe have ridiculously pricey fruits.. 

This is some healthy food 419 conspiracy for real.How can fruits and veggies be so darn expensive?!?  

Body wise, I can definitely already feel the food demons fighting back from within aka that "anonymous thanksgiving meat" used to make that party favorite meatball*

Every time I take a sip of my water + lemon drink...I feel a tingly sensation from my digestive system all the way down to my toes.

Let the hysteria begin.

For anyone starting a FAST, don't be an idiot like me and start it at the end of your holidays just when you are about to go back to work. If possible, do it while on vacation because some side effects include weakness and dizziness and this can be dangerous for individual's who's jobs include working with machines or require a high level of concentration.

A dose of African News from SAHARATV

A dramatique  and funny interpretation. But I will say this, the issues that people are dealing with everyday is Africa but  of bad governance IS NOT FUNNY

Christmas 2011 in Douala, Cameroon

The city of Douala hosted a Christmas family event to officially mark the holidays. The city's Christmas tree was decorated and decked out with gift  boxes. More about this event can be found on the city's official webpage. And here are some pictures of the tree i downloaded from their website.

p.s...Being in Boston aka COLDASFREAK city....i am officially hating on those enjoying a sunny and warm holiday.

Lionnes Indomptables win CAF Women’s National team of the Year Awards

L'Equipe Nationale Féminine de Football du Cameroun walked away as winner of the CAF, (Confederation Of  African Football) Women's National Team of the Year.

As a Cameroonian female soccer player, I'm soooooo proud of my girls!!!

This year the event was hosted in Accra, Ghana and the complete list of the winners for the night are;

African Player of the Year 2011

Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Cote d’Ivoire)

African Player of the Year 2011 (Based in Africa)

Oussama Darragi (Esperance Sportive de Tunis and Tunisia)

National Team of the Year

Botswana

Women’s National Team of the Year

Cameroon

Club of the Year

Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)

Most Promising Talent of the Year

Souleymane Coulibaly (Tottenham Hotspurs and Cote d’Ivoire)

                                                   

Coach of the Year

Harouna Doula (Niger)

Women’s Footballer of the Year

Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria)

Referee of the Year

Noumandiez Doue (Cote d’Ivoire)

Legend Award

Mustapha Hadji (Morocco)

Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha (Nigeria)

Fair Play Award

Libya

Platinum Award

John Evans Atta Mills (President of Ghana)

For all the losers, work harder next year okay? 

In the spirit of celebrating this victorious moment for my country i decided to post pictures of my college soccer glory days.....

Guess who I am in this pic

Yup #9 like my boo Eto :)

Clayton State Women Soccer Alumni Team

New Cellulaire Company par Cherie Coco de moi

 Samuel Eto is launching a  new Communication/Telephone Network in Cameroon-Cameroon-Kamerun and its called Set' Mobile.

This will be the new company competing against the likes of ORANGE & MTN for customers. Rumor has it a lot of people are already ready to jump ship and join him. Bravo! because I know many are tired with the lack of quality phone services by both MTN and ORANGE. They can't loose by trying something new.

I am all for anything that brings business to Cameroon and increases investors's interests in the nation.


And then you have people like me..who regardless how good or bad..lol the product is..I am sold and would jump ship and risk even drowning because of......

With that FACE & BODY, he could sell dog poop and people will still buy it!

Disclaimer: the pictures above are from cameroononline.org, vanity fair and puma ad campaigns and all copyrights belong to them.

Cleaning out My Closet

For those who where wondering....

"what happened to your posts?!!!!"

I decided to delete them. If you remember a couple of months ago, I lost my post/blog pictures thanks to Google + . Initially i was too depressed to delete my 2 years worth of blogs BUT going back and re-reading them, it just looked weird and in appropriate without the accompanied pictures. 

So Yes, I decided to do the BIG CHOP. *Sad Face*  : /

But life goes on abi?

Hello 2012. Lets try and be more TECH-SAVY so this does not repeat it self ok?

Recession INDEED

Clearly I am on a jobless winter-Christmas vacation/break......but on a serious note..I really will like to know the answer to this very important question...

Picture via Here

Black Girls Hair Problems Scene #27 Take 40

via here

Movie: Dorian Gray

I just finished watching this creepy movie about a man that never ages.

It is an adaption of the famous Oscar Wild's only published novel.

Lesson learned from the movie? 

 Do not be so quick to be envious of what others have. You never know what they "sacrificed" to achieve that desired* attribute.

Reflections of 2011

One of the things I love about maintaining a journal is the ability to look back at my life and access any growth or lack off.... ¯\(°_o)/¯ ...[hey, I never claimed to be perfect].....over the years

Since 2001 I have successfully maintained journals and planners. Yes, 10 years of my deepest secrets, pains, and wishfullthinkings.. ...Or maybe its because i have delusions of grandeur,  dreams of one day being so famous, my diaries will become a collector's expensive item upon my death. Or Even better, a national treasure.....Or better yet, I hope that someday in the future, they will be able to tell my story, when I am not present to do so. Whether it be to my siblings, parents, children, grandchildren, spouse, friends or strangers. They are the most authentic biography of my life since stepping foot in this country and my most priced possessions.

 Sometimes I take out the planners to trace back what I did on the same day but 4 years ago. The results are always interesting. According to my entries, I have lived quite an adventurous life and I can't wait...as usual..to see what 2012 has in store for me.

On a side note....the journal entries of my teenage years are "horrible" memories i want to forget. The teenage angst motif and melodramas gives Shakespeare's tragedies a run for their money. So much insecurity and struggle to understand my place in the world. A young African girl who wants to intergrate into the american school system but at the same time hold on to her African traditional values. I cannot help but cry every time I reread my high school entries about being bullied in school for my accent. Standing on a partially full school bus because no one wanted to sit with me. Kids would place book bags on the empty sits next to their chairs so i could not sit with them. Eating my lunch in the bathroom because i had no place in the cafeteria. Befriending the lonely white girl who cut herself because we were birds of the same feather and subsequently engaging in the behavior myself.

As much as we all know that movies have an element of fiction, some of the high school motifs you see such as the jocks, the popular kids, the bullies and those being bullied are real and present in american schools.

    I HAVE COME A LONG WAY

 How much I have grown and become successful, not just in personal growth, but emotionally and career wise.

Last year, in my  "Happy New Year 2011" blog post, I wrote about achieving the following in 2011

" graduate with my master’s degree…..4classes left!

- get a kick-ass better paying job….not that I am not grateful for the current one.

- meet my prince charming?

- travel to Cameroon"

                                    

Am happy and grateful to say the first 2 where successfully accomplished! One of my other goals was to move to Boston and I did  ^_^

I did meet prince charming in 2010 but I guess once a frog always a frog cause am back to being sleeping beauty

 My solo trip to Cameroon was postponed when my family decided on a group trip back home to honor the memory of my late grandmother. So I am going to Cameroon but instead of alone, I will be going with my mother and brothers! This is a huge celebration that takes time and planning but I hope by 2012 i would have bought my ticket for the trip.

For my 2012 LOOK BOOK

- Start the process of relocating out of the country. I already know what country i want to move to and i have been talking to job agencies and recruiters. I have always wanted to work outside the U.S and i hope i will be able to finalize all paper works ..work visa....vaccines... background checks...and other job related requirements by the end of 2012...this country has some serious bureaucratic B.Ss if I've ever heard of one....

- Travel to South America and St Kitts to visit friends

- Treat myself to a spa retreat @  Martha's Vineyard.Hint* Hint* My birthday is coming up.

-Invest into my career development by joining professional organisations and  attending more sports medicine conferences for learning and networking purposes.

- Lastly...which is a lifetime goal..Keep working on my relationship with God. This is one relationship I cannot afford to mess up.

So with that said.....BooooNNEE AaaaaaNNNeeeeeee!!!!

Gratitude Journal

In one of my recent midnight insomnia online adventures, I ran across a post about gratitude journals and their importance. The idea is that we are too focused on To do Lists, Short and Long term goals of things to be accomplished that we sometimes forget to stop and be thankful of the positive elements around us.

 Be thankful of the baby progress you have made. Be thankful of your accomplishments no matter how small. Be thankful of that near miss accident you walked away from. Be thankful of still having a job despite your lil "human" blunders. Be thankful of having a family or friends or a significant other...point is, be thankful there is someone out there who will call you out of concern if they go 24 hrs without hearing from you. 

Some people have to pay for love and affection.

So, instead of keeping a journal full of "woe is me" epic adventures of you juggling different life crises while maintaining your sanity and blood pressure, start a gratitude journal. 

You will be surprised by how many amazing and wonderful things have been happening in your lives, which you have let gone unrecognized.

New anti-Gay Bill in Nigeria

Separation of Church and State

I thought the whole purpose of this idea was to serve as a check and balance between the rights of the people and freedom of religion.

From www.Care2Care.com

“The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill that would make it a punishable offense of up to 14 years in prison for anybody to go to a gay bar, to work for or be involved with LGBT organizations, or to be in an openly gay relationship.

Anyone who doesn’t report men or women living together — a ‘gay marriage’ in this bill — would also be punished. The bill (read a copy) appears to punish anyone supporting LGBT human rights, or even writing about gay people.”

Marriage is a religious act and from my understand, even when one marries in a church you still have to “sign” the legal documents to validate the union so the state can “recognize” you as a couple. I am against same sex marriages from a Christian (Bible) perspective but in support of same sex civil unions. Civil unions have more to do with state laws, rights and benefits and everyone, regardless of their sexualities should be entitled to those.

So I do not understand why some people believe same sex couples should not be entitled to these rights. It makes NO SENSE.

Even worst is the amount of persecution and brutality same sex couples face especially from religious fanatics. Let’s not forget a sin is a sin. The sin of homosexuality is no different from stealing, premarital sex, converting your neighbor's wife, drunkenness, murder, lying and the list goes on and on. As Christians, it is not our place to pick and choose which sins to highlight. There are more sins out there, borne out of hatred that we should be focusing our attentions on instead of homosexuality

Reports are that the US government responded with threats to withhold aid funds to Nigeria if the bill is not changed. I have mixed feelings about this tactic. On one side, it is exactly this same behavior that makes many hate western policies….the whole…”I will not help you unless you march to the beat of my drum” kind of attitude. On the other hand, how does one “pressure” the Nigerian government to end this form of discrimination?

As for those in favor of these atrocities in the name of upholding tradition and culture. To you I have this to say. There was a time not to long ago when women did not have rights but where treated as properties to be traded among men. The women did not have the right to vote, to go to school or hold any public office. This was and in some places continues to be " the African Culture”. I love my African heritage BUT I AM AGAINST any practices in violation of human rights such as;

- Child brides and Forced marriages

- Human Sacrifices

- Breast Ironing

- Genital Mutilation

- Religious persecutions….muslims vs.christains v.jew.vs etc

- Human Trafficking

- Sex with virgins because of the “belief” that it will cure one of HIV

- Any form of DISCRIMINATION be it race, gender or religion

and the list goes on and on……of atrocities that still go on today in the name of TRADITION & CULTURE.

Given that I am not currently on location in Nigeria, most of my knowledge about what is going on is base on reading news outlets such as Sahara Reporters, Reuters, BBC and CNN.

Blog Share #13789 - We Still have each other

I just had to share this blog post from...'It's Delta's Blog"

After a sleepless and restless night, I got online to see what kind of trouble i could get into ^_^ and what do you know....i ran into this particular blog and it was so touching I spent all night reflecting on the message.

Here is an except from the post but i really encourage you to go read the whole thing.

"

And I remember the irritation I would feel when in the middle of a discussion about some latest catastrophe that had befallen us (Cholera outbreak or what-not) someone from the diaspora would butt in to air their views and have the ‘nerve’ to sound more upset than we were!

What right did they have, I thought at the time, what right did they have to care about what was going down in the country they had chosen to flee?

......

They are angry because they made huge personal sacrifices that have forever altered the course of their lives.

They are angry because they live in countries where they are treated as second class citizens, stripped of their dignity and forced to forget their glowing transcripts and dust-covered degrees and certificates to become lowly menial labourers.

They are angry because they have lost loved ones and not had the chance to say good bye or to bury them.

They are angry because they have fallen sick and gotten better without a single relative to nurse them back to health, because they have been hurt and they had no one to call out to in an alien land.

They are angry because they suffered too.

And they are angry because deep in their hearts they know that their suffering was needless; that the downward spiral our country took was avoidable and they are angry because they were forced to swallow their pride and work under the most appalling conditions; live under the most harsh terms and watch their lives hang in suspension for years as they apply and wait for papers and permits and residence statuses and indefinite leave to stay!

They are angry because they are now a disenfranchised group, because they have borne children here and because their lives are uprooted from where they come from.

They are angry because their identity has been threatened with the refusal to grant dual or multiple citizenship.

They are angry because they have worked shift-upon-shift and sent money back home to spouses, children, relatives or friends who took advantage and squandered what they sweated so painfully to earn......."

Tis the season

For Style’s Sake( akintaylor01@gmail.com) is running a Christmas contest in which you are encouraged to submit pictures showcasing how you incorporate holiday colors into your style. You can read more about the contest at their blog. 

Since I had recently taken some pictures, I decided to participate  in the contest. Plus….I NEVER WIN ANYTHING.  Maybe this time around I will win something.

Warning: I am not a fashion Blogger. I have no idea of what I am doing. So be gentle with the critics ok?

Here are my submissions based on holiday parties I have attended so far.

    Speaking of parties…..I recently went to an African “end of year” meeting. A discussion about education, career and marriage took an unpredictable turn when someone told me.. 

if I pursued a Doctorate degree, my chances of finding a husband and getting married will be greatly diminished...

Of course this statement came from an African Man. However, instead of unleashing my “wrath” and school him on the Women’s Liberation movement and etc.….I realized I was speaking a some one who was “fresh off the boat”. 

So I smiled and preceded to change the topic. 

When will such ignorance and issues surrounding gender inequality stop? This is exactly why when it comes to dating and marriage, I have decided to set my eyes so far away from people of African descent who are immersed in cultural traditions that insist  and encourage a meek and subordinate role for the African woman. 

My prayer for that gentleman, is that over time, with exposure to a new culture and way of thinking, some of those discriminatory perceptions will depart from him!

Only time with tell. I can't believe after all the disrespectful comments he had to say about women, he proceeded to ask for me number? 

lmao.

see my life.

Mon proposes, God disposses

Today I lost a very dear friend. Ours was one of the first few trustworthy bonds I developed after moving to the U.S. And this bond continued up until now. Many will be surprised to learn of this friendship. It was like night and day. Oil and water. With seemingly nothing in common but the mere fact that we were both Cameroonians.

However that was not the case. He had the same dreams and desires like every one of us. To acquire the American dream and become a financial support pillar for his family. Unfortunately, as with many friendships, we went about achieving these dreams in separate ways. But despite those differences we stayed true to our friendship.

I always accused him of having a split personality. This was the root of the misplaced perception others seem to have about him. But as we all know, to every story there are 2 sides. The man I knew was a kind gentleman. Whom I couldn’t take serious or keep a straight face around. A cheerful giver of his time and resources to those in need around him. He was full of advice even though He never put any of them to practice himself. A man who like all of us had his doubts, fears and concerns but did a good job masking all of it from the rest of the world. I always wished others had the same privilege to experience this different side of his personality.

 Christmas holiday plans where made. So many unfinished conversations as old as 2004 to be hashed out into the New Year. Ours was a never ending debate in which we both disagreed to agree. This is definitely the biggest rude awakening of my lifetime.

 And yet so many lessons to be learned from this tragedy. I guess man proposes and God disposes.

Rest In Peace George, I will miss you dearly.

___________________________________________________________________

Man Killed in Cumberland Mall Shooting:

A fight in a parking lot near Cumberland Mallturned deadly Saturday night. 

Cobb Police said George B. Tabetando, 29, of Powder Springs died of gunshot wounds after getting into a fight with another man around 7 p.m. Saturday in a parking lot of the Macy's department store, near the Cobb Community Transit bus station on Cumberland Boulevard.

Cobb Police Spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said in a news release Sunday morning that witnesses saw the male suspect flee the scene in a brown, charcoal or gray BMW. 

Pierce said the suspect is a black male with dreadlocks, and was last seen wearing dark clothing and in possession of a handgun. He also said police think the BMW may have been driven by a black female. 

Pierce said after the two men began fighting, the suspect pulled out a handgun and shot a man later identified as Tabetando several times, chasing him into a roadway. 

Tabetando was taken to Emory Adventist Hospital in Smyrna and died there, Pierce said. 

Cobb Police are asking that anyone with information about events leading up to the shooting and who can identify Tabetando to call 770-499-3945.

________________________________________________________

A fight in a parking lot near Cumberland Mall turned deadly Saturday night.

Cobb Police said George B. Tabetando, 29, of Powder Springs died of gunshot wounds after getting into a fight with another man around 7 p.m. Saturday in a parking lot of the Macy's department store, near the Cobb Community Transit bus station on Cumberland Boulevard.

Cobb Police Spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said in a news release Sunday morning that witnesses saw the male suspect flee the scene in a brown, charcoal or gray BMW.

Pierce said the suspect is a black male with dreadlocks, and was last seen wearing dark clothing and in possession of a handgun. He also said police think the BMW may have been driven by a black female.

Pierce said after the two men began fighting, the suspect pulled out a handgun and shot a man later identified as Tabetando several times, chasing him into a roadway.

http://eastcobb.patch.com/articles/man-killed-in-cumberland-mall-shooting

_________________________________________________________________________________







Happy Thanks Giving 2011

Its Saturday night and am still eating. Its terrible because am not hungry. Just plain Greedy!

So greedy I was too full and  having  food separation anxiety that I did not go out shopping on black Friday and Saturday. Plans where made, lists where jotted down, stores to attack where sketched out and yet I was left on the couch, eating rice and peas with a side of pumpkin pound cake. #Confessionsofafatgirlwithaneatingdisorder

The workout routine is definitely kicking into high gear next week. Instead of my regular 10 miles per day I will be averaging 15 so help me gawd!

.

My brother setting up the table

My dad. Thank You Lord! for the gift of a father in my life.

I had to stand, stretch and move my body around to make more room for dessert and coffee

Lost the chunky XX jumper after dinner. 

That turkey attack left me hot and sweaty.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with family and friends.

 Next year I hope to instead participate in some kind of community service during this time instead of staying at home and pigging out.

 I really feel guilty about my behavior this time.

This year I am thankful for;

1. Graduating from school

2. Moving to Boston and getting a good job immediately….in this recession

3. My dad defeating Cancer . I know of so many stories like his that did not end on a good note. 

A cure for this disease is imperative!

   Thank you Lord!

Miss Africa USA 2011 Recap

As I mentioned in my last post, I traveled to Silver Springs, MD for the Miss Africa USA pageant final competitions. It was an amazing experience and another great opportunity to network with individuals interested in everything AFRICA.  I should have made an attempt to blog my experiences and adventures every day because right now, thinking about the whole trip feels pretty overwhelming.

Some events where a repeat of my previous travels to DC.I ran into an acquaintance from the summer LA trip I take every year to California for the African Vibes magazine I WEAR AFRICA fashion show. It was so exciting and fun to see her again. 

I also went to a “maquis” which I had previously visited 4 years ago when I went to DC for my birthday and President Barack Obama’s inauguration ^_^ ! We had your typical Cameroon delicacies……Soya! and poisson brissee…..The fish looked so yummy I ate it, even though I typical do not eat fish. And of course the following day, I had an upset stomach.

There was a banquet formal night, an evening at the famous Abyssinia Ethiopian restaurant , a night out at Phassion Lounge and dinner hosted by Mrs Hope Sullivan Masters. I really liked the décor of the lounge and the vibe was great. The Dj (FLY)was on point but maybe my opinion is biased because he is a good friend from Atlanta who flew in to cover the pageant events. Mrs Hope was a wonderful host and I look forward to working with her foundation in the future.

working the check-in table on the night of the formal Banquette. I have to say, we have a long way to go as a community when it comes to proper code of conducts at a formal event. 
Rules are Rules people!

 

taking a break from rehearsals. 

Ethiopian cultural dancers. They were so entertaining!

….

Shopping with some girl friends for  last minute formal attires. You know how we women are, you gotta have options!

Limo ride to Dinner Hosted by Mrs. Hope Suillivan Masters

The 16 beautiful contestants

My good friend Linda looking FAB.com!

Mrs Hope Sullivan having a discussion with the girls, on their different platforms

AND THE WINNER IS………

****MISS CAMEROON!!!!!!!!!!****

I WAS SOOOOOOO PROUD OF HER. 1st time a Cameroonian has won.

All in all…it was a great trip and I am happy about the decision to go because the break away from Boston was HIGHLY NEEDED and over due.