Categories
Freedom Fridays

Freedom Friday – Food


I always say I love Children, I love Love, I love words (good words), I love God (beyond words), I love family (very much), I love African Beads and now you can add, I love food. It’s Freedom Friday or do I call it Food Friday? I won’t talk much, but let the pictures tell you were I have been and what I have been up too in recent times. I can feel all those rolling eyes and I actually hear the saliva drop down your throats, as they hurry to fill your tummy. Too bad. These are past pictures, but if you do catch up with me, who knows. In the mean while, enjoy! πŸ™‚

Β© 2015. imanikingblog.com. All rights reserved

Categories
Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday


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Β© 2015. imanikingblog.com. All rights reserved

Categories
Change

Leaders of Tomorrow?


Children's DayI’m not sure who came up with this quote that “Children are the Leaders of Tomorrow”, I’m not keen about knowing the author at the moment, but perched on knowing if the quote has been proven right or wrong. If we should still use it as relevant or obsolete.

Hey, hold your stones down for a sec, or else I will pull one of my fav scriptures on you “let him that is without sin cast the first stone”rolling my eyes at you now with my right eyebrow up and the left one down as I type out my thoughts. Yesterday was β€˜Children’s Day’ (at least in Nigeria), the children went out, the Amusement parks were filled to the brim, some more calories packed on as they gulped ice-cream, pizza and all the other sweet things children love and adults too. Now, that’s the fun part of Children’s day. How about the not-so-fun part that makes the parent realise that yes, it’s Children’s Day, but what hope is there for our Children with the Educational Sector being bamboozled by external factors, like extended non-payment of salaries, fuel scarcity, and other threats?

I daily listen to some β€˜crazy’ station (my King finds this particular one amusing) that bash any matter being brought before them whether it is serious or not. And I wonder, if they would swap places with these teachers or doctors (or whoever they are bashing on a said-day) and do their work better, given all the restraining factors. Well this is a discussion for another day, when I’m ready for them.

We were discussing the other day and I made the comment to take care of Children as they are the Leaders of Tomorrow and the response I got was β€œTomorrow never comes!” Why, would they say that?! And the two gentlemen I was discussing with flooded me with history of how Nigeria has been handed from one Leader (please use β€˜OLD’ as a pre-fix) to another and the recycling goes on and they wondered if the Children will EVER be allowed to lead and if TOMORROW will ever come for fresh brains and ideas. Some leaders need to REALLY RETIRE and stay out of politics and all the other matters that affect this nation. They are causing us more pain than needed. Let him/she that hath an ear, hear what the children are saying β€œSave some β€˜National Cake’ for us too.” NO! Rewind…you have finished your old recycled β€˜Sectional Cake’. Please leave! We have some fresh ones to bake.

So what are we (you and I) going to do about it? If these recycled leaders have refused to leave the ruling arena for other ideologies and fresher thoughts, then we have to teach the children from birth, from kindergarten, from the playground, from church, from the mosque and society that they have what it takes to move this nation forward positively. Regardless of how far it has sunken in some areas or all the bad news that surrounds her.

We have to fill their minds with endless possibilities of who they are and can be and what they can achieve. Also prepare them for the journey ahead. I am not a Political Analyst or an Economist, but the little I know of what goes on around here is that it’s about time to really CHANGE and do what is right for the Children and for their future and ours too. By the way, I am not senile either just a concerned mother who will not keep silent!

Source of picture: http://www.methodistcollege.org/images/yootheme/widgetkit/Childrens-day.jpeg

Β© 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved.

Categories
Quotes

Writer’s Quote Wednesday


Writer's Quote Wednesday_270515

As a poet, most of my really deep and meaningful poems were birthed in the place of pain or some ‘crazy’ experience. Be that as it may, the ones that made you laugh and become filled with β€˜awwwwwws’ and all which makes the heart glad, made mine glad too – at the time of writing.

I’m of the School of Thought that a good writer should be able to get the reader or listener feel the emotions the writer or speaker felt while writing or gathering those thoughts, that way you are able to reach out to your audience with purpose and focus.

John Paul Warren, a Pastor, Professor and Philanthropist is so on point here with this quote, so today I celebrate ALL my EXPERIENCES and the lessons that each has taught me. By the way, I learnt one yesterday and now there’s a new me in that aspect (and no I’m not sharing…smiling mischievously as usual). πŸ™‚

What has life’s experiences put you through that has made you so mad and sad that you have REFUSED to learn the lessons in it? Maybe you should try writing a story about it, capturing the end the way you had hoped it would play out. Who knows, it could become a BESTSELLER. I am waiting to read them, just so you know! Its #WritersQuoteWednesday

Picture courtesy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpaulwarren1

Β© 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

Categories
Tuesday Thoughts

Tuesday Thoughts


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Not in a talking mood today, maybe because I’m thinking. What’s on your mind this Tuesday?

Β© 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved.

Categories
Lyrical Mondays

Lyrical Monday


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Β© 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

Categories
Photo 101

Photo Rehab #4 – Me & My Flowers


Me & My FlowersI had promised Lucille that I would attach a pix of some hair thing I had that looked like a pix she had added weeks back. I know I haven’t take a pix of the yellow one yet, but this should suffice for now. I’m adding it to your #PhotoRehab list.

Β© 2015. imanikingblog.com. All rights reserved

Categories
Blogging 101

Weekly Small Pleasures


It’s been a long while I shared my #weekly small pleasures.
I’ve had smiles, hugs, ‘mummy, I love you’ to treasure
Reminders came from friends and family
Telling me how much they mean to me
The Lord chastises those He loves
I could feel this touch as I strove
With the things that made me cry
As I gave it one more try
In all, I am surrounded by all that matters,
People who show to keep my heart from tatters.

Fruits
I attempted to detox with Pears, Apples, Pawpaw and Watermelon
Tall Glass of Watermelon & Chapman

Had a tall glass of watermelon with ice cubes and filled with a chapman drink another day.

Pictures from: http://www.dmarketmovers.com/

Watermelon – Healthy & Sweet


http://www.taste.com.au/how+to/articles/558/packham+pears (Photography by Steve Brown)

Β© 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

Categories
Freedom Fridays Project Laughter

Freedom Friday – Speech Games with K.E


King Earl:Β  Are you a girl?
Imani: (wondering where this is line of questioning is headed) Yes
King Earl:Β Β  Am I a boy?
Imani:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β  Yes
King Earl:Β Β  No I’m not a boy, I’m a son!
Imani:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β  Okay, you are a son.
King Earl:Β Β  No! I’m not a son, I’m a Moon
Imani: (Looking at him incredulously)Β  But you can’t be a Moon, nah.
King Earl:Β Β  I don’t want to be a Son again, I’m a Moon.

King Earl:Β  Mum, (quite innocently) I want to play your Candy Crush.
Me:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β  This one is difficult, you have to play with strategy
King Earl:Β  Okay, I will play with ‘stratedy’
Me:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β  It’s pronounced STRATEGY. Do you know what strategy is?
King Earl:Β Β  Yes (still focused and playing his game).
Me:Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β  What does it mean?
King Earl:Β Β  So that we will not have any injury.

There it is!

A 3-year old giving me first hand definition of STRATEGY. Yes, he called it ‘Stratedy’, you know how King Earl can be with his pronunciations, he will simply refuse to call it any other way till he’s ready to do that. But his definition is so on point.

Strategy is β€œthe science or art of combining and employing the means of war in planning and directing large military movements and operations.” Another meaning is β€œa plan, method, or series of manoeuvres or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result:” So when my son says β€œSo that we will not have any injury”, he is correct – whether you agree or not. Not strategizing is bound to get you in the path of β€˜casualty’ and though he has not been taught that yet in school, he just coined up his own meaning from whatever he figured mum was trying to say.

This and more are one of the many reasons I talk and listen to children – they say it the way it is! It is left for you to figure it out and understand.Β It is my day of Liberty and this is my prerogative. I’m still strategizing on how to go past that level of Candy Crush (when I have the time). So what’s your winning ‘STRATEDY’ for today?

Β© 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved.

Categories
Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday – For Books


Thankful Thursday_210515I love books!
Filled, Empty, with words or bare…
Colourful but not dreary, novels or journals, all there.
This babe is in love with books.
In these, lie many wisdom and truths, such that sets the mind and heart free
These give me much thrills…
…that I can discover the world beyond her limits
…and connect with others in minutes.
They don’t just beautify your shelf as my pictures testify
But make your life one another book-lover can identify
A toast to books
…and all those that are hooked.

Book pictures courtesy: http://inhabitat.com/tag/recycled-books/
http://www.alaskahomes4you.com/astonishing-library-designs-for-homes-rustic-and-modern-ideas-2/appealing-home-library-ladder-ziegz-house-design-and-interior-ideas-loft-library-with-round-wooden-loft-bookshelving-desk-round-carpet-as-well-2/
http://www.thebooksamaritan.com/

Β© 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved