Back To Reality

Hola!!!

So... Back from my 2weeks vacation which I LOVED. One of my good friends/Older sister got married in Atlanta, Georgia and I had the honor of being a bridesmaid. It was so great going back 'home' after a year and a half. I thought things would feel different/weird but from the moment I stepped out of Hartsfield Jackson, I felt like I was truly back home. Of course, being me, I lost my purse in the airport... barely an hour and I'm already loosing things. Thank goodness I found it!

The wedding was a blast, got to see some of my old friends, did a little shopping and I truly did not want to come back...just yet, but I had to.

So here I am...Back. Still looking for a job which isn't going quite as smooth as I would have liked it to but I guess that's life. Trying to figure out what I'm going to do with my one and precious life.

I'll keep you posted! *mwah*

# 16 Purple Hibiscus. Finally

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

I think everyone that saw me reading this book said to me ''You're JUST reading this?'' always emphasizing the 'just'... yes yes I know, I'm like years late. I'd heard about the book and I always had it in mind to read it until my friend dropped it on my desk one morning at work. Thanks Mr. SMH.

Synopsis.

Fifteen-year-old Kambili's world is circumscribed by the high walls and frangipani trees of her fathers compound. Her wealthy Catholic Father, under whose shadow Kambili lives, while generous and politically active in the community, is repressive and fanatically religious at home.

When Nigeria begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili's father sends her and her brother away to stay with their aunt, a University professor, whose house is noisy and full of laughter. There, Kambili and her brother discover a life and love beyond the confines of their father's authority. The visit will life the silence from their world and, in time, give rise to devotion and defiance that reveal themselves in profound and unexpected ways. This is a book about the promise of freedom; about the blurred lines between childhood and adulthood; between love and hatred, between the old gods and the new.

Yup. Definitely another must-read. I really enjoyed it. Parts of the book were painful for me to read because I tried to put myself in those positions and sometimes, I couldn't imagine myself going through such hardships or as an outspoken person, not being able to respond the way I usually would. Kambili, being fifteen, wants nothing more than her fathers approval and love and would go to any lengths to make sure that this happens which sometimes might not always be the best (in my opinion, of course).

I don't know how to really share how I feel about the book and my views without spilling so I'll leave it at this. If you haven't read it, You should.

Moving On

My birthday went well!!! I did freak out a couple of times before we got to the venue cause we were running late but after we got there... it was smooth sailing from then on! I had a fantastic time!!

So...in other news, I have 3 more days with the Bank..(NYSC) year is pretty much over and I think I need to move on. Its been a great learning opportunity but I'm not sure if thats where I want to stay. I don't have another job lined up, unfortunately but I'm patient and I have faith that God will work it out for me.

It's THAT Time Again!

It's my birthday in a couple of hours and I am majorly excited! I get like this every year even though I never make plans or do anything special.. it always ends up being just a regular day but that doesn't stop me from getting crazy excited! I guess it's just knowing you only really get 1 (one) special day a year... Yea yea everyday is special but its not as special as your BIRTH Day! That's major!!!


I made a Birthday wish list (Like I do for every major holiday, #dontjudge) but the only thing I REALLY want from it is an iPad 2!!! Every time I see one I go gaga! I'm not really techno savvy but I figured it can't be that hard to use...right?


Anyways, I have to head home to look for a birthday outfit., The Mr and my sissies are taking me out for drinks tomorrow, we've invited a couple of friends to join us so hopefully I'll end up having a really good day after all!


Happy Birthday, Bex! Here's to another twentysomething years!!!

#7 - Handle With Care

Handle With Care (Jodi Picoult) is Book #7 on my '100 Books to Read This Year' *see previous post* I absolutely LOVE this book and would encourage anyone to read it.



Synopsis
Charlotte O'Keefe's beautiful, much-longed-for, adored daughter Willow is born with osteogenesis imperfecta - a very severe form of brittle bone disease. if she slips on a crisp packet she could break both her legs, and spend six months in a half body cast. After years of caring for Willow, her family faces financial disaster. Then Charlotte is offered a lifeline. she could sue her obstetrician for wrongful birth - for not having diagnosed Willow's condition early enough in the pregnancy to be able to abort the child. The payout could secure Willow's future. But to get it would mean Charlotte suing her best friend. and standing up in court to declare that if she would have preferred that Willow had never been born.


I'll try not to ruin it for anyone but this book is a must-read. Before this book, I had never heard about Osteogenesis imperfecta (something learned) I cannot imagine what a mother with a child with OI has to deal with. It is tasking and it requires so much attention, it also can take its toll on the other members of the family. You never know the hand you're dealt and this book shows the love and dedication from a mother to her child despite all the challenges that come her way!

100 Books Challenge

So I recently started a "100 Books to Read This Year" Challenge... I love reading and learning stuff from them so I figured, instead of wasting my life away watching 'Kim and Kourtney take New York' even though I LOVE the Kardashians, why not pick up a book to read... that's how it started.


I love that I can learn a lot from books, whether its just a word I'd never seen before or an illness or something about slavery, it makes me more interested and makes me want to get another book to read! Reading and Learning is great.


Thanks to my good friend who owns the company 'The Bargain Wordsmith' I get to borrow tons of books for low prices and I even get bestsellers... This is where half my salary goes! http://thebargainwordsmith.wordpress.com/



I'm currently on book #17. Some of the books I've read are; The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Steig Larsson), One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez), Room (Emma Donoghue), and one of my personal favorites till date; Handle with Care (Jodi Picoult).


I'll try to blog about some of the really good ones I've read and some of the ones I'm hoping to read!

TGIF

This seemed like the slowest week ever! Thank goodness it's over. It's christmas time which means tons of family and friends are coming home for the holidays. Can't wait to see the BF and the rest of the girlies. I really wanna host a holiday party... any ideas/suggestions for me??

~CharlieCran~