Habits and consistency

I've been thinking a lot in the past few weeks about how to form good habits and be consistent at positive things. I've heard it takes 21 - 30 days to form a new habit. The problem is just keeping it up for those first few weeks.

Jewy and I started running in the mornings a couple of months ago. We had each separately expressed a desire to do so, and eventually we started. We've completed two 5Ks since - which is awesome. However we took a break to attend a friend's wedding out of town, and it has been so hard to get back into the habit since returning. I finally went out again for a run yesterday evening, and I definitely felt rusty. I hope I can get back into it and continue improving my 5K times.

The other new habit has been waking up absurdly early and getting to my office by 7.00am. For some reason if I'm still at home/in bed by 8.00am, my entire day becomes toast. It's a combination of not wanting to pay for parking on campus (the free parking spots are all full by 8) and not being very productive lately when working at home - there are way too many distractions, including the fridge. So waking up at 5.30am and getting a jump on the day has been a really great solution. Again, the time off to travel was hard to recover from, but I/we seem to be back on track (yay!).

Who would have thought after ~eighteen years of grumbling over being woken up at 5.30am for morning prayers at home, I would voluntarily return to it?

There are several other things I would love to do consistently - updating this blog on a regular basis is one of them. It's not that life stopped being interesting living with Jewy - we've just been more focused on living it than on writing about it. I hope we can do a better job going forward. Wish us luck ;)

My break-up

So I recently broke up... with the Colbert Report.

I enjoy the (relative) transparency of politics in this country, and I love to laugh. A show that takes shots at politicians and highlights the ridiculousness of (mostly) Republicans while cracking me up? Sign me up, I thought. This was in 2007/2008. The Colbert Report, The Daily Show and I started going steady. It was a threesome that made sense. 

We had some good times. We got through the 2008 primaries and presidential elections, the health care policy debates, the mid term elections, the numerous Republican filibusters, the 2012 campaigns... it was quite fun. 

But then, over the years, Jon Stewart morphed into a perpetually angry man, constantly yelling at the screen in disgust. Eventually, I started spending more time with Stephen Colbert, who may have been on the same page with him but managed to mix in more wit and less anger. I would listen to him while I worked and crack up, and together we got through the 2012 elections and even the inauguration. But then Stephen Colbert started to go too far. 

He started by gently mocking the Catholic Church- I'm not Catholic, but it was still offensive. Even us Christians should be able to laugh at ourselves, I rationalized. Then he took it a few steps further. A couple of weeks ago, during a segment called "The Word", he was talking about people taking fictional things out of a book and pretending it's the truth. "Seems to work for the Bible" was the joke's punch line. I was irritated, and shut the program off. A few days later, I tried again. This time, he was mocking Pat Robertson's response to a question about demons and familiar spirits possibly clinging to used clothing in thrift stores. I don't think Pat Robertson is a paragon of virtue, but it felt like Colbert was beginning to make a pattern of mocking people's religious beliefs. Don't mock things you have no idea about, Colbert, I thought. 

I shut the program off again, deleted the rest of his videos off my Hulu queue, and unsubscribed from his show as well as Jon Stewart's, even though I had been ignoring those videos for weeks. It was the equivalent of officially deleting someone's number off your phone. The break-up was final. 

Source

I don't know why this country has to be so polarized. Democratic-leaning Christians exist. But the more the Democratic party runs to the extreme left and makes all matters of faith something to be laughed and sneered at, the more likely we are to shrug and leave and coalesce with moderate Republicans. That's all. 

Things that irritate me about America

1. The endless winter

2. The flu 

3. People that tell you you are not serious about your career because you decide to work from another city for a week to help out family. 

4. The lack of Nigerian restaurants 

5. People crying about falling victim to 419 emails. If you were not a dishonest thief yourself, would you fall for it? That's almost like a criminal getting mad that the police got him through a sting/undercover operation. Not the same, but almost. The emails are irritatiing, we all get them. Delete them and move on. 

6. Changing gradually and not realizing how much you've changed till people from your past life come to visit. 

7. Bills in general

8. Heating bills in winter. 

That's all I can come up with for now. I'm sure there are lots more. 

I could be Nancy!!!!!!!!

It’s been a while I know and I miss telling my stories. After a long day of miscellaneous school activities, I decided to go home and rest for a good weekend. It was a Friday night; I remembered how interesting my Friday nights could be at home on days when I wasn’t in hermit mode. I saw people hand in hand with friends or significant others doing fun things or going to fun places. It is a few days to valentine so it makes sense to secure positions with whomever, lol. I guess my thoughts found their way to my face and I must have had a 12-inch long pout and some ripples (frown) on my forehead. Some guy in his mind thought he was being compassionate and started saying “hey why are you so sad? Common smile aint that bad” I was able to pick this out of an epistle he spat out. He was supposed to be speaking American but that accent was way off my level of comprehension. I speak with people of many colors and backgrounds at school daily, but I aint ever heard nothing like da, lol. At this point my pout must have elongated a bit and he won’t stop saying things I couldn’t hear. Eventually, I got bullied into giving a stiff smile. That type that comes out when you have just tasted lime or unripe African star apple  (oh Agbalumo!). Thank God! The bus was now in sight. He asked for my name and the finest I could utter was Nancy. I had just met a nice Asian American lady the day before and it felt good to borrow the name briefly.  That choice was my undoing. He got into bus but I wasn’t playing nice anymore. I put all my baggage on the next seat to me and turned away. He found a male ally at the back and five minutes later boom! He started cursing, remember that I can’t make sense of 70% of what he says but I heard enough keywords and was grateful that I didn’t hear it all. “she looked sad…………….f….,f….,f…, aint no black girl name….Nancy, f…, that some white chic’s name….f. She telling me Nancy…..,f…. He went on and on till I got off 20minutes later. I was scared to bits why would some1 be so angry about another person’s name. I really could be Nancy! So I have now put other replacements in my subconscious: Nikki, Kiki, Piki, Miki, Tiki, Shiki, or even better; Ajalatanaa, Erinlakatabu, Tioluwanileatiekunre, Aseniserare, Ifeoluwakiishi, Eghwrudjakpor, Ejikemeifeuwa, Zubaydah.

I will try not to take so long again.

Happy New Year!

Hello and Happy New Year to everyone who comes by Immigrant Living! I am so glad that you still remember us. If I still made resolutions, one of my resolutions would be to post on here more often. But since instead I highlight intentions, I would like to highlight that I intend to post on here more often - say two - three times a week?

Jewy abandoned me for the past three weeks and has been gallivanting all over the east coast (gallivanting - ah, that word reminds me of my dad). I have been suffering and making do all by myself in Pittsburgh. Well, not entirely. Christmas at the Ruwase's was delightful, and then I went to Urbana and had an awesome meeting with God. I am still reeling and trying to follow up on all the decisions I made while I was there, some harder than others, but I am super excited about 2013 and some unique challenges I will be taking on!

So what has been shocking as an immigrant lately? For me it's realizing that I have lopsided winter priorities. I have at least six or seven winter coats (bubble jackets, leather jackets, pea coats, and at least one cape) and not a single ice scraper for my car. I also don't appear to have a shovel for the snow on our front walk anymore (I would have sworn I had one last year) or any more salt for the steps. These are all situations I intend to remedy in the next few days. But yeah, when it gets cold, I think about keeping myself warm and passably cute first before anything else.

Anyway, Jewy comes back tomorrow and she better be laden with yummy nigerian food goodies or I'm not letting her in the house. Here's to an amazing 2013 and an awesome roomie to share it with!

Owumi

Se ko si ero ni?

Jewy has a craving for moi-moi.

I proposed the two solutions I know: we need to get a more powerful blender to blend the soaked beans, or use the moi moi powder from the African food store.

Jewy: se ko si ero ni?

Me: huh? Ero ni bo?

Jewy: Ni adugbo Lilac

Me: Ni bo lo ma wa?

No Jewy... we can't dash down to Tejuosho market to get our beans or pepper ground... ko si ero :-)

Source

peppersoup craze

I am really getting frustrated with the food here but the good thing is a disadvantage tips you into innnovation. I started this week with hot dog peppersoup, today ground turkey peppersoup. At this rate I might just include pizza peppersoup ooo.

Trip to the thrift store

Hey hey everyone! Just a week ago an American lady opened my eyes to the BK (bend down/bo si koro) side of America. I was told of this place that had great prices for everything and I innocently followed a friend. On getting there I couldn't find tags on the items and it dawned on me YE! Yaba ojurin. She looked at me and I guess, felt a little embarrassed “Oh I didn't know you weren't into stuff like that”. I caught myself quickly and said “Oh I am so into it, just haven’t found the right size”. After 2 hours of “OMG this is Vintage!” I walked out of the store with …………………. (not telling), no regrets sha.  So have you ever shopped at a thrift store? What was your experience?

The Land of Do-It-Yourself

Apologies for the break in transmission.

I've been preparing for a research conference, and then travelling home to Lagos, Nigeria to see one of my closest friends from undergrad get married. (While I was gone, Jewy was getting traumatized by well-meaning new friends taking her to unexpected shopping destinations. She's in recovery.) After two weeks in the land of guguru and epa, I'm glad to be back in the land of "milk and honey". Too bad it's also the land of Do It Yourself :-(

For the past few days, despite the fact that I have been sick, I've had to drive myself (reluctantly) everywhere to run my errands, prepare and/or order my own meals, wash my own dishes, and pay a ton of bills, since it's month end. Last week Saturday I left my room and returned an hour later to find that my sister's steward had switched out my sheets to be laundered and made my bed. In contrast, by the end of the day tomorrow, I'm pretty sure my sheets will be in the same crumpled state that I'd have left them in the morning, and I will be the one huffing and puffing as I lug them to the basement to wash. Don't be alarmed - I'm not lazy, and I've been happily doing all of these myself for the past few years. It's the very fact that I'm so unaccustomed to such "luxury" that makes the return to reality all the more jarring.

As with all things America, coming back is always a bittersweet experience. I'm glad to have the rule of law and not have to pay sketchy, negotiable fines based on arbitrary rules of where a parking zone ends, but I miss my siblings, nieces and nephews, and friends. I'm glad to have my bed and house back, but I will miss my sis-in-law's moi-moi and the general state of having older siblings present, to whom I can present random requests that I would normally take care of myself (otherwise known as, mo ma n yo si won l'orun). I'm glad to no longer be hot and sweaty (and getting at least two shades darker, as Jewy gleefully pointed out) but I have to steel myself against the cold once more.

I'm glad to be back, but I'll always miss home. After all, it's the only place where I'm not regarded by the government as an alien - be it resident for tax purposes or not.

Gira

I have been living here for nine years, and I had never heard of Gira. Then Jewy appeared (lol) and brought with her this amazing new innovation.

Gira is basically Bisquick powder made like Ola-Ola poundi.

Yes, you read that right.

/* Bisquick is a baking mix. Most people associate it with pancakes and waffles. It can also be used for pies, tarts, dumplings, cookies, you name it. Nigerians now use it as okele. :) */

It has completely revolutionized okele in this house. We're out of pounded yam? No problem, we have Gira. Not in the mood for Eba? No problem, Gira it is.

It tastes a bit sweeter than Semovita, and so far there are no side effects that I can tell. (Plus, I googled side effects of putting Bisquick to unconventional uses and as long as it's cooked we're good).

We actually even got our city's resident catering-practical, Analista, who refuses eat okele, to try it last night. She finished it before we heard a single word on its texture and consistency... and that's saying a lot.

So if you've not tried Gira, head out to your neighborhood Giant, Giant Eagle, HEB or Costco, and get yourself some Bisquick. It goes great with efo riro, efo elegusi, ogbono, and we're about to try it with ila!

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist and you're OYO with any side effects you may experience, such as knocked-out-ness and weight gain. One serving of Gira might take up to half of your day's allotted calorie limit. 

Anger Mgt

I have to admit I have never been to one of those sessions where they tell you to breath in out, uuh aaah, aah aaah and all will go away. I think it depends on how messed up you feel about something. I have tried one though , its fast, cheap and effective.

When i feel slighted and cant get it out, for fear of blow!, resignation!,e.t.c. I just quietly wait till its late, entice them to my dreams and thrash the hell out of them. I wake up in the morning feeling, boo ya! thrashed you yesterday and u were such a helpless puppy.lol

Let me know if this works for you! Just don't kill anyone, contain yourself!

Who's the workout junkie now?

Jewy woke me up this morning with the heavy bass and strong beats of Jillian Michael's 30-day shred.

At the crack of dawn. "Move. You have to work off those calories. You can't just take the stairs! That is a false message of lethargy" Jillian was yelling. I could not believe my ears.

I had been up from 1.00 till like 3.30am, so I just wanted to sleep a little more. So of course, I sent her a BBM to turn it down. Which she didn't notice till she was done half an hour later. Or so I thought.

Apparently I am a text addict for sending the message instead of leaving the comfort of my warm cozy bed.

I'm working out at 1.00am tonight. Right when she goes to bed and is ready to sleep.

:P

Text addict

I think Owumi may require a text grant at this rate or possibly we may need a telecom mast soon in the house.

So I wake up this morning to get my blood pumping a little faster with a lil help from Jillian. In all that chaos, all the moral support I could get from my  roomie was a bb msg saying, "Pls turn that down, I hate you!!" How inspiring, I am happy she got punished cos unknowingly  I turned it higher for motivation.

Next time you have an important message, ERUPT from your bed and say it! We are in the same house, u american!

Fart-grance!!

I love people of all cultures but I think I haven't found favor with some of them.

Especially the ones who may make future airplanes out of bamboo.

Got on the bus today only for this guy to grace me with his natural Paco Rabonne concoction  I tried to dodge but it was too late. This terrorism went on for a while and I'm sure I acquired a few wrinkles before getting off the bus.

This is happening the second time just from these folks and now I am apprehensive they might be onto me. Anyone with skills on how to dodge unwanted fragrances, Pls save me!!!!

Shop-a-holic

Jewy has discovered online shopping. Ebay, Amazon, Aldoshoes.com...

Since she moved in, we've been getting packages pretty much every other day. Phones, phone parts, shoes, boots...

Today she graduated to online shopping 201: she discovered online shopping returns.

I bet I could charge some shoes to her card and she wouldn't even notice the difference. Hehe.

Jewy on Stroke

"My professor had a stroke and is in critical condition" said Jewy

"Oh wow. What causes strokes?" I asked innocently

"It's a bunch of factors"

She pauses.

I roll my eyes. Doctors are sooo annoying. "Just give me a straight answer"

"You want me to break it down for you? Okay. Cerebrovascular accident something-something gibberish blood vessel clot burst. It's not just one thing. It's multifactorial. So if for example someone had hypertension balderdash gibberish different from aneurysm something something"

"Never mind"

Aso-ebi

"Assignment mi po bi aso-ebi" - Jewy

Over-achiever

"Oh my God! I bombed my first exam! I am so sad!"

Jewy came in from school wailing about her exam today.

"Eyaa pele." I said. "How bad was it?"

"I got X." She names a score that is an A-.

Pause.  Errr...

"What was the average?"

"Y" She states a B- score

"Pschew"

The Marine

Ok yea there is a marine male man in my class that feels the need to share his thots aggressively every time  Even the lecturers shudder at his wealth life experience(eyes rolling!). Then I get delusional enough to ask him to work with me on a group project. Looking shocked, he said with the deepest baritone " Oh yea Sure, we ll talk about it in class", slightly intimidated, I happily replied see ya!

Days later he practically erases me out of vision and I could swear he had never seen me before from his blank look. At this point I am so confused.

I tell it to Owumi and she pleasantly says "welcome to America" (helpful roommate).

Please I believe you guyz are more helpful and can tell me what may be going through this veteran's mind.

America 101: Customer Service

I spent two hours and fifteen minutes on the phone with Customer Service. I daresay living in America is 50% dealing with customer service.

Soooo annoying.

Airline charged card for flight, but does not supply confirmation number. Bank says can not drop pending transaction unless Airline supplies merchant authorization code. Airline does not have merchant authorization code because charge did not go through on their end, and wants Bank approval code. Bank does not have an approval code because charge is still pending.

After calling each one back and forth, I finally got them to talk to each other on three-way. They must have a secret customer service people language, because finally some kind of code that showed up on both ends can now be used to send an authorization to drop off the charge. Airline started working on it, kept checking in with me every 5 minutes for 50 minutes and telling me to stay on hold... then my phone died.

My head hurts. That's all I can say.