ERIMERI: YUMMY BREAKFAST

A couple of months back I told you that I'll share some food recipes here from time to time. Today, I'll like to share my breakfast with you.

A lot of Nigerians take breakfast for granted without realising that its the most important meal of the day. Breakfast prepares you for the day and gives your body the right amount of energy to push through most of the day's activities. I'm sure that nutrition experts will agree with me.

For me, I never joke with my breakfast. Infact, I take my time to plan my breakfast the night before and prepare it very well in the morning. I usually make sure my break fast is light, yet balanced. Today I had "Fresh fruit juice with toasts, fried eggs and mixed vegetables". It was a wholesome yummy meal, which is also very easy to prepare.



INGREDIENTS:
Fruits (Oranges, Pine-apple, Water melon, Mango etc)
Eggs,
Bread,
Carrot,
Cucumber,
Cabbage, (you can add any other vegetables you want, sausages and corn beef included)
Cooking oil (cotton seed oil, olive oil, groundnut oil, vegetable oil)

Making the breakfast:
Peel the fruits and slice them into edible pieces. Pour the pieces into your blender, add very little water and blend. Pour the content of the blender into a cup or jug, using a sieve to separate the chaff from the liquid.

Next up is the mixed veggies. All you need do is wash them thoroughly then chop them to the shapes and sizes you want.



Making the toasts is easy. Crack 1-2 eggs into a bowl, depending on how many toasts you want to make. Whisk the eggs and add a little salt to taste (You can spice your egg with any other ingredients but its better you keep it simple). You can either soak your bread in the egg mix or use a spoon to scoop some egg and spread it on the bread. What's important is that both faces of the bread are covered with the egg mixture. Set a pan to fire and allow it heat for some seconds then grease it with cooking oil. Toasts don't need to be deep-fried so the little oil you grease the pan with is enough. Once the pan is greased, allow it heat up a little then put your bread in the pan, flipping the bread back and forth until it's cooked.

Once the Fruit juice, veggies and toasts are ready, frying the egg is the last thing. All you need do it crack the eggs open into a bowl, spice it to your taste and fry it with very little oil.



With all these ready, breakfast is served!

WHEN DOES HE LOOSE THE "BOYFRIEND" TAG?

The world and many things are changing. Some for the bad, some for the good, others for the neutral. Many ideas and norms that were the status quo when I was a child have been shuffled around and assumed new meanings.

I remember when as a child, my friends and I used to argue about the true meaning of the word "boyfriend". While some argued that boyfriend referred to a boy/guy/male who is you friend, others argued that boyfriend meant a boy you were sleeping with and a host of other theories. The topic always stirred heated arguments but the general idea was that "the boyfriend" tag was used only on boys, small boys.

Growing up, I looked forward to the period when I didn't have to worry about being any person's girlfriend or any guy being my boyfriend. The period when I had finally come of age and out grown any relationship that left me and him on that boyfriend/girlfriend level. I actually believed it was something we all naturally outgrew.

Weirdly, the idea seems to have changed these days. I see 40 year old women still dating men they call their boyfriends, married men/women still keeping boyfriends/girlfriends and no one seems to be out growing "the tag". People even prefer to stay in relationships as boyfriends/girlfriends for 18-25years rather than get married and make it all official/legal. Most of these relationships then get blessed with lovely children who grow up hearing their parents refer to each other as boyfriend/girlfriend. What then happens when one of the children is ready to get married and finds a partner? Do they stay boyfriend/girlfriend and wait for their parents to out grow the tag? Or do they upgrade to husband/wife and leave their parents behind?



Full grown men seem to have become comfortable being referred to with the word "BOY-friend". Some might say that the reason they stay in these relationships is because they want to get to understand each other or because the want to save their selves and their children the heartache of going through a messy divorce. Then I ask, isn't a divorce as bad as a break-up? Isn't it the same split and disperse that people experience after a divorce that they experience in break ups? Does living together as boyfriend/girlfriend, having kids and doing everything married people do make it easier to deal with the end of the relationship?



The truth is, I'm confused and I feel like I've lost track of the world and the meaning of things. Which is why I ask you my dear readers, "WHEN DOES HE LOOSE THE BOYFRIEND TAG?"

LADY GAGA WAS WRONG

Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you're wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn't love you anymore.”
― Lady Gaga



I heard this quote for the first time last year, from a friend of mine and for some weird reason it never sat well with me. I know what I'm about to say might invite the wrath of feminists and Lady Gaga's fans on me but I'd still prefer to share my view on the matter.

Lady Gaga has grown to become one of the most popular and most adored celebrities in the world and she serves as an icon for most young people.

As much as I understand what this statement is about and its intended message, I still disagree with it. I don't agree that one path has to be chosen that is, either your career or a man (which I believe represents love). Just the same way a man can get up one morning and say he loves you no more, one's career can come to a halt or get hampered by an injury, a scandal or the entrance of a stronger brand.



We've heard stories of singers who could never sing again as a result of an illness or accident the hurt their voice, dancers and athletes who lost their careers as a result of injuries, some of which they even sustained on the job, big businesses crumble day in day out stripping top executives of their jobs. The funny thing is that while your lover might be mild at breaking your heart, your career (which has no feelings by the way) can dash your hopes on the wall so brashly, leaving you with nothing.

Like they say, "Nothing lasts forever" and I believe that rather than dump your woman/man for your career or vice versa, find a way to balance out all areas of your life. After all, being a true conqueror is about being able to face all challenges of human life and coming out strong in them. Its not about abandoning portions of your life and facing a few so you make it all easier.

FIND YOUR MUSE IN MUSE REPUBLIC

Hello everyone, its been a long four days away. I hope your week was beautiful and you're looking forward to the weekend like me. The weekend is here and I honestly can't wait to get started on all the activities I have planned out for mine.

Today, I'll be taking you into the world of Muse Republic, one of the most enterprising and fastest growing brands I know. It only took one encounter and two temporary tattoos for me to fall in love with this team of extra hardworking young people.

I had a small chat with the CEO of Muse Republic, Mr Kelvin Anyaegbunam about his brand and here's what he shares;




When and how Muse Republic started?

Muse republic started in 2009 as Muse Inc. We started with drawing temporary tattoos that lasted 2wks. It took over Awka and UNILAG because people loved the idea of looking like their favourite celebrity for a while. We had almost all celebrities in Awka wearing our temporary tattoos. Later on, we started customising T-shirts , greeting cards, then polka face (face gliters)and face masks to spice up parties.

How has the journey so far been?
Its been really adventurous for us. We've had first hand experiences on trials, failures, success and achievements. We've been nominated for many awards and we won some like; the fastest growing enterprise and the best magazine in the city of Awka. So far, God has been really faithful.




Vision and aim of Muse republic?
MISSION STATEMENT OF MUSE REPUBLIC

Muse Republic is an expressive platform empowering thousands of individuals, cutting down the slack on juvenile delinquency by helping young people achieve their dreams and endeavours whilst grooming a strong entrepreneurial culture.

Muse Republic remains one of the fastest growing brands in a time of critical employment issues. Muse Couture, Muse Events, Muse Tattoos, Muse Music, Muse Models and of course Muse Magazine have proven indispensable in empowering and spicing up the lives of an unending number of individuals giving them fulfilment and satisfaction through our quality services since inception.

Muse republic in the next 5yrs?

Muse republic will b a strong brand operating in 5 major cities effectively Awka, Enugu, Portharcourt, Owerri and Lagos, fully dedicated to providing and achieving business satisfaction through quality services.



Team Muse Republic
1,Kelvin Lotanna Anyaegbunam. C.E.O
2,Springs Chinedu Udoye (Manager)
3,Real Umera Okeke (Creative Director)
4,Duchess Melody Umeano (Assistant Editor, MUSE magazine)
5,Frank Spez Agu (Muse inc Manager)
6,Amara Modela okeke (Muse modelling director)
7,Nkechi Trixy Ibekwe (muse mag corespondent)
8,KDF Stunnah (muse music director)
9 Chris Umeh (advert executive, Muse magazine)




The foruth edition of Muse magazine is due this month and its free.

MY 042 MARATHON

OTIGBA JUNCTION MONUMENT

Hello everyone,
I hope everyone's doing great? How has the new week treated you so far? I hope its been fair at least. My week started off good and I'm trying to enjoy it as much as i can. Nothing dramatic has happened and i pray it stays that way.

Today, I'll be sharing photos from an experience I tag "my 042 marathon". I'm sure some of you might be wondering what 042 means and what kind of marathon it is. lol. Don't freak out yet, let me explain. 042 is the phone code for Enugu state in Nigeria. Its the state I had my University education in, one that I have come to fall in love with. Enugu state is located in the eastern part of Nigeria and is occupied by the Igbo tribe. Over the years, this 042 phone code turned into a nick/code name for Enugu state.

As for the marathon part, that came about because on one beautiful day, after church, i decided to take a walk round the beautiful city taking as many interesting pictures as my heels let me. Traffic was scanty and the roads practically cleared, the weather was beautiful, I was in a giddy mood and a lady I met at the mall said she loved my outfit. whoop! whoop! It was an amazing experience.



I intend to take more lovely pictures later but i hope you enjoy looking at the ones I have here. More pictures after this paragraph:



OGUI JUNCTION MONUMENT





BUS STOP CHILLING. LOL




THE FERRIS WHEEL :D






THE MERRY-GO-ROUND


AFTER THE MARATHON CAME HUNGER SO I HAD TO GET A RE-FILL


DIANA FROM GUATEMALA AND I. SHE SAID SHE LOVES MY OUTFIT :D




STANDING BY A ROADSIDE KIOSK


WAITING TO GET ON A BUS




HOME ALL THE WAY! WEEEE!!!!

UPDATE: HAPPY NEW WEEK EVERYONE!

BABY SUNRISE AND I

Hello everyone, Good evening!!!!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I'm sure some of you might be wondering if I've disappeared again so I decided to do this post so you'll know that I haven't disappeared. Lol.

Tomorrow, I'll be sharing my Enugu experience with you with pictures and a whole lot more. I had a busy but extremely exciting weekend.



I hope you're all ready to handle my sizzling hot posts tomorrow. I wish you all a lovely week ahead and promise to be here, providing you with lovely tales that'll keep you smiling.

NERD MEETS FASHION.

In 2009, a talented young lady begun her journey into the Modelling and Fashion industry. Oluwadamilola Teidi born on d 2nd day of November, 1990 hails from Kogi State, Nigeria, has a bachelors degree in information technology and currently working as a software developer and a model. Damilola's modelling career kicked off in Cyprus where she had participated in many successful fashion events before she moved back to Nigeria to further pursue her new found love as well as contribute her quota to the growth of the industry in Nigeria.



Contrary to other cliché stories of how people dreamed, aspired or started off their modelling careers at very young ages, Damilola confessed that she never wanted to be a model. It was actually one of those things she never thought herself doing. When asked what changed her mind and set her thought on that path eventually, she said, "It actually just happened. I got dragged into one fashion show by a friend because I was thin and tall *laughs*. From then I was talked into doing some other shows and I fell in love with modelling eventually".

Her debut in Cyprus was at a wedding show where the Turkish designer Abdullah Oztoprak showcased his bridal collection while In Nigeria, it was at "Music meets runway" 2011.



Dami's journey from 2009 till date has however not been one free of challenges. She shares that, she has faced her fair share of rejections and breaking into the Nigerian industry was no walk over for her either. Top of the list of challenges is having to Maintain a career in the Tech and Fashion industries simultaneously. Dami says its her love for both of them that has helped her work both areas, even back in school. Through it all she admits, "Well, I've learnt so many amazing things. How to walk elegantly and command attention with it *laughs* and how to deal with different people and their personality(good or bad). It has been a great but stressful experience and I'm grateful to God for every thing I have been through so far".

Amongst her many contributions to the Fashion and Modelling industry, her recent one' "Styljunki" is the most interesting of them all. Dami combines her experience and passion in both fields of Science and Arts. Styljunki is an online directory for the finest professionals in the fashion industry created by a team of three people including Dami. You can check www.styljunki.com and get more details



The journey hasn't even started for Damilola Teidi. She is pumped with so much positive energy and is looking forward to working on many better and bigger projects in the near future.


Designers she has worked with: Abdullah oztoprak(turkey), Ali k yahli (turkey), Virgos lounge, Vonne couture, Kiki Kamanu, Orange culture, House38, Lanre Da Silva, Mimilee london, Iamisigo, Toju Foyeh, Mai Atafo, Lola buttons and more...
Follow Dami and Styljunki on twitter: @dangeldiva and @styljunki

GUESS WHO????

Hello everyone, I know its been an awfully long time since my last blog post. I'm really sorry I left you all for so long without as much as a hello or a vague explanation why. I promise I'll tell you all about where I've been, why I went off and what I've been doing for the past 5 months. Be sure that I had you all in mind and was deeply pained that I had to stay away like I did.



The good news is that I'm back and this time, its for good. I'm not running off or going MIA anytime soon or ever. In the past five months, I've gathered enough stories, concepts and pictures which I'd share here from time to time.



I'm tagging my blog posts from now on with a new theme titled, "A new journey". Lay back and enjoy my Courageous posts because Chizitere Ojiaka is back to blogging with full force and a renewed spirit.
I can't wait!!!!