For the Love of High Heeled Shoes

By Nkem Akinsoto

When it comes to shoes, high heels are my weakness. For someone who shops as little as she can get away with, I find my shoe collection embarrassing sometimes, and quite a number of them are high heel shoes, and I mean HIGH HEEL. As in six inches or more.

The best part about high heels for me is how elegant and sexy they make you feel. Your walk changes, and your humdrum figure stick out in all the right places. High heel stilettos will even completely transform any casual clothes one may be wearing.

Even a jeans and T-shirt will look all tushed up when you jazz it up with a pair of stilettos or good pumps. Your feet may be killing you and your toes could developing a million and one corns and bunions, but the compliments will keep you smiling wide.

The Colors of Fall - Weekend Pictures

Hey everyone, hope your weekend has been going well? With the time being turned back today, Fall is fully here and we're beginning to hunker down for the sorry weather that comes with it. Some days are not terribly bad though, and we had one of those last week which we utilized to the max by walking to the library.

The Place of Women in Marriage and Parenting

There's a saying that we're the product of the environment in which we grew up. I want to add that we're also who we are; we are unique and sometimes we are different or weird. I grew up in a sheltered home, a typical Nigerian home you may say. My parents were both working class, and Christian. They knew what they wanted of and from us children and they would do their best to see that we toed the line.

I knew it wasn't easy on them, they both worked very hard and sacrificed some things to make sure we were OK. My parents enrolled us in the best schools and after-school lessons, and they would spend their time to tutor us in our studies, help us with homework, or simply see that we did it. I appreciated this aspect of their parenting and it is what has helped me to be who I am today.

But there was another side of the strict upbringing that chafed on my personality. I felt restricted and forced to do some things I didn't want to. From the earliest I can remember, I hardly made any decisions for myself; everything was controlled by my parents. The clothes I wore, when and how to cut my hair, the friends I was allowed to have, and when I could visit them, if at all, all were decisions made my my parents.

Go Myne, It's Your Birthday

Today has started in a fantastic way and to think it's just the morning. I just want to say a quick thanks to everyone who sent messages through one or the other of Facebook, Twitter and email, I really appreciate it. And to share the love, I'll be giving away 2 eBook copies each of A Heart to  Mend and A Love Rekindled and one $20 gift card to some lucky commenters. Thanks again! Now let me go and enjoy proper :)

Dealing with Fruitflies in the House!

I am usually level headed when it comes to pests but some either scare me or just creep me out. For instance, I am scared of bees and wasps, have been since I was much younger. I have this fear that they will sting me to death. Some may say that is extreme, but even a sting is painful and everyone who has been stung talks of the swelling, pain and more pain. I have seen one such person and the sight stayed with me. Not nice at all *SMH*.

On Marriage - Loving Your Man Anyway

 [You may want to skip this post if you are finicky, some grossity (new word) ahead]

Now, I'm not one for dwelling on the differences between genders in terms of behavior, personality, or expected roles, but there are some ways I agree that men in general differ from women. There was this book I read in university, my then roommate was in the must-to-marry before I graduate mode, and I was in the read-everything-I-find mode. One point stuck with me, it was a chapter under the heading - You Marry A Man.

Short Clip from an Interview on TV

So Afronuts was able to make a small recording of the show yesterday. It is not much and not of the best quality but I was very happy to see it. Some friends on Twitter also saw it, and gave me a shout out. Thanks to you all, and thank God it's Friday.

Asaba, Akwa-Ocha, Nsala - Between Lynxxx and I

For music video romance last week, I selected Lynxxx's Fine Lady video, and threw out a small challenge. I put up that picture above as the clue and the correct answer came in with the first few comments. Since I promised to share some thing on this blog if that happened, this is me sticking to my word. I may not be a Fine Lady, but Atala is just as hunky as Lynxxx, without the pink hat :)

To get a Samsung Galaxy S3 or the Galaxy Note?

I have been thinking of getting a Samsung Galaxy S III for my birthday which is in October, but we were at the AT&T store recently to get a phone for my mum and I got looking at their line of Samsung phones. That was how I saw the Galaxy Note and now I think I have fallen in love.

My American Dream isn't a Yacht or Mansion

When I told Atala he would be the focus of this post, my dear husband started blushing and shy as he is, almost wriggled a recant out of me. But I stuck to my guns because there is no one else I’d rather appreciate when it comes to work ethics and how helpful and supportive he is.

My Mum is in town and I'm Loving it!

Hi peeps, hope your week has started off well. My mum is visiting and I have less time online. So just a heads up that there may be less posts in the coming weeks. And she has given permission for me to share her photos, expect some more of the same as those below. And she is journalling her experiences daily, maybe we can have some of those too. Have a great week, Mwah!

For The Love of Books, Blogging And Meeting Bloggers

With reporter for Moment News - Afoke

I will be speaking at two events today in Lagos. At BookN'Gauge I'll be discussing my love of books and my "undying passion for promoting literary arts." LOL...that is directly from the press release by the organizers. I do love books. I also love blogging and meeting bloggers. So, I will use the opportunity after this event to interact with those interested in blogging. Book discussion is between 2 - 5 and from then to 6.30pm, I will be answering questions about blogging.

Changing Careers After Marriage - My Experience

When I moved to the United States in 2009, I knew I was taking a leap of faith. I had finished a Master’s in Public Health Research in 2007 and worked for about a year after that with the Health Department of the Scottish Government in Edinburgh. I quit the job at the end of 2008 not because I didn’t like them, but I had just gotten married and preferred to join Atala who lived in the United States.

Yahoo, Hackers, Passwords and My Online Security

I got my first email in 2001 and it was a yahoo account. It was opened for me by a friend who had moved abroad and wanted to encourage me to use the internet to keep in touch, rather than the more expensive post or telephone. I chose a very simple password, something I felt I would never forget. By 2005/06, that friend was no longer in the picture but I was vastly more experienced in using the internet. Yahoo had started 360 and I set up an account - my first experience of social media.

My Lagos Adventures and Saying Goodbye to Gala

UPDATE - I've corrected my phone number now. Sorry!

Hey everyone, hope your week's going well? Mine started off OK and Lagos is treating me fine. Mostly anyway. We arrived last Thursday and the next day was vegging out day, we slept and rested for most of it. I did log online with the Starcomms Izap I bought the last time I was in Nigeria, my mother-in-law had recently topped it up with the 9pm-9am package. The network was a bit spotty but it was the timing that I couldn't just manage. I did find out about a bookish event for Saturday which I attended.

With so many talented and beautiful people, I was honored :)

Weekend Pictures - Visit to Seward Park in Seattle

The other day, we were coming from a trip to the cinema and Atala suggested we slot in a quick visit to Seward Park in Seattle, one we hadn't been to before. I wasn't dressed, as per shoes, for hiking, but he promised it would be a short one. So off we went. The breeze was surprisingly strong off Lake Washington, the water you see in the pictures, and it blew my wig every which way.

Not Perfect - Making Marriage Look AND Feel Good

Who believes in a perfect marriage? Not me. Who believes in love forever? I know I want to. Sometime ago I went on twitter and in my mentions, someone had tweeted, : "I love what Myne Whitman and her Atala share. Fun, christian, romantic marriage."  Of course, it created a warm place in my heart when I read it. Still...still... I can't let my head swell.

My Sunday Sun Feature - Author Q&A

I had this interview some months ago with Sola Ojikutu and it has just been published on the Sunday Sun newspaper (June 17, Pg 46). Two of my friends gave me the pleasant surprise of getting pictures and uploading them on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you guys, and enjoy the rest of your Sunday, everyone.

A Day in the Sun at Richmond Beach

Time Out - My Memorial Day Weekend in Pictures

With Monday being a work-free day for Memorial Day, it was a proper TGIF and a long weekend for us and we used it to unwind.

- On Saturday, we went to a friend's for a small get-together with great food, drinks, and very interesting company.