A toast, to all the fathers: present, of many, expectant, first time, adopted. . . Cheers 🥂

Hey you!! Been what now, 3 weeks since the last post? Today's post is essentially a follow up to the last but one post (find it here ). The imposed 'lockdown' is still gradually being eased and yes, I'm still talking about maintaining sanity during these times (and any time, really). This is me hoping this post meets you well. Take up a new hobby: Back in the days before the internet became a thing, hobbies (and game consoles) were useful for spending time. There certainly are days when you want to stay off most part for the internet but you are at a loss for what to do while your devices are hiding. Oh well, a hobby would be a good go-to. Crosswords, origami, paper crafts, mindful colouring, model making, I could go on and on. Trust me, there is a myriad of hobbies available for you to ease off the tension. Watch that new TV show your friends have always been screaming at you to watch: seeing that many tend to be under some form of stress during this times, thi...

Sometime about 2 years ago, I stumbled upon (or maybe it was fate) AKWAEKE EMEZI with FRESHWATER which was quite a read BTW (find my review here ). Photo Credit Naturally, when you find one’s work fascinating to a degree, you look forward to something new from them, ei? So, when I started seeing feeds of Emezi’s new work, PET, on my socials, I began wondering if I’d come around to reading it. In the course of this pandemic, I’ve been acquiring e-books (cos what else is there to be done🤷🏾‍♀️) and luckily enough, I find PET. At this point, I had read one too many books and was essentially looking for a quick read not a “long term commitment”. Pet, being a few pages shy of a hundred pages definitely fit the bill. Overview The story is set in a utopian town called LUCILLE. Once filled with ‘ corrupt people ’, referred to as monsters, Lucille underwent a revolution (with the intervention of angels), ridding the city of these monsters. The main character is Jam, a 15 year ol...

Sure you might be wondering why I'm still writing about the lockdown even as our streets are beginning to be filled with people.  Well, the lockdown is not completely eased just yet (as you know). Students are still stuck indoors, some civil servants are yet to resume, hangout spots are barely operational. And, I hate to break it to you, there might just be another lockdown lurking around. As I pointed out in earlier posts , many are not used to having this manner of downtime at this time of the year, especially without planning towards it. I'm by no means a psychologist (except taking a course in environmental psychology counts) but I'm a fellow human going through the lockdown just as you. I know how unusual things are right now and how the times might be doing a number on us in different ways. I'm certain over time, most have developed coping mechanisms for different life scenarios, anchoring us when needed the most. In light of this, I have highlight...

I’m certain by now you are well acquainted with my love-hate relationship with Lagos. In previous times, my posts in this series have been based entirely on experiences and perspectives on Lagos; from traffic that has come to be synonymous with Lagos to the daily ordeals of commuting and other times, outright rants . Photo credit Of course, you are in the loop of plans to begin easing the 5 weeks long lockdown in Lagos and while many are giddying up to be out in the streets again, hustling, there are still nagging concerns in most minds including mine. Unlike other installments in this series, I just have questions today. No rants, no personal narratives, just questions. It still feels like a false reality to most, how things were normal this minute and in the next breath, we were mandated to stay indoors more often than we are used to and basically grind to a halt. Lagos is ever so busy and I’m certain in the course of the lockdown, the roads have felt much relief. You migh...

Howdy social distancers!! Please tell me you are at home 👀. While my last couple of posts have been centred around the COVID-19 situation, today’s post is a deviation from that. Many of us have been thrust into the rather unusual routine of daily living, and at times find it a bit hard to stay within the zone of sanity. For me though, isolation is not much of a big deal save for the fact that we can’t quite tell how long it would last. One of the things that helps me maintain my sanity in these times is getting lost in the fictional world of stories. Considering that I am making a conscious effort to read Literature this time around, I just got out of the world of Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie. Photo Over time, I have come to appreciate Chimamanda Adichie’s story telling skills, that, and my memory seeming to tell me that I have encountered an excerpt from this book that I don’t quite remember led me to the embrace of Purple Hibiscus. OVERVIEW The plot is generall...

  It's no news that the lockdown has been extended and even if the lockdown isn't charting it's full course in certain cities and places, movement and activities that we've grown used to are restricted. While the isolation may not be much of a big deal for some, I'm sure it has some bored to the wits and maybe at the brink of insanity (who knows?) While the lockdown persists, I have made another list. (Remember the last one? ) Limit the amount of news you take in: social media sure has its ways of bringing enlightenment and I'm certain you have been at the receiving end of a plethora of BCs here and there. Whilst some of these might be valid, there is always room for false news. Staying in the loop with what is going on shouldn't mean wolfing down every little bit of news that swings your way (especially without making your own findings). Photo credit/unsplash Catch up on your reading list: maybe you've seen a book you fancied reading...