Teamwork in Relationships - Lessons from The Amazing Race TV Show

One of the unscripted TV shows that I really enjoy with Myne is the Amazing Race. For those who many not know about the series, it involves couples – who may be siblings, spouses, friends or workmates – taking part in a competition where they perform various tasks in various cities around the world.

Amani and Marcus Pollard (2011)

Why do I like The Amazing Race so much? Well, I like the competition angle, wondering who will finish their stage of the race first. I also find it amusing to see how the couples perform some of the wackier tasks. And then, I like seeing the relationship dynamic between each of the couples, and how they work together to accomplish the tasks that they are given.

This will be the third season we've seen. As we watched this past one, I started to realize that watching it was like a couples’ therapy session for us. The different characters on the Amazing Race TV show – as individuals, as a couple, and partners in a team – provide good material for Myne and I to discuss about attitudes to life, love, and working together.

Seeing the couples certainly showed me that no relationship is the same, or perfect. They all have unique and flawed relationships especially when they're very different in temperament. You have one person being very laid back, and treating the whole affair like a pleasure jaunt, while  the other is highly competitive and engages in lots of strategic planning. When two people like this are on the show, expect to see some fireworks as they drive each other up the wall. There are some couples that act so antagonistically towards each other that you’re left wondering if they're really couples and how on earth they agreed to go on the programme in the first place.

Review - Michelob ULTRA Light Cider

When I mentioned to Atala, who is more familiar with the Michelob brand that I was to review a product by them, he asked when I became a fan of beer. I'm not, but I absolutely love light and refreshing drinks like white wine, champagne and traditional ciders, and the Michelob ULTRA Light Cider is billed as an ideal alternative. Also, it was becoming boring to only ask for Smirnoff Ice every time we were out. I wanted more variety and this was a great opportunity to try one out. Especially when a quick look online revealed that it had only 4% alcohol and 120 calories per bottle. Sign me on then!

There was some drama in obtaining the drink at first. While Michelob has some other drinks already in stores, the ULTRA Light Cider is so new that I had to look up the places to buy it at their website, http://www.michelobultra.com. And then, at my nearest QFC, they had yet to put it on the shelves. However, a very nice sales attendant helped me to bring up a pack The drink is available in the usual six-packs of 12-ounce clear glass bottles. I really loved the bright colors and the apple in the design, made it very easy to look out for at the stores and I looked forward to drinking it too.

Well, I got the perfect chance to try out the Michelob ULTRA Light Cider over the Memorial Day weekend at a party with friends. I drank my first one straight from the bottle and then shared the next with Atala who decided to try his over ice. It was good each way though I think next time, I'll stick to drinking it over ice so I"m not tempted to have too much.

Michelob ULTRA Light Cider is very light, very drinkable, and quite appealing even to a new palate like mine. Atala loved it too and remarked on the apple flavor which I also thought was very nice. This is one Light Cider that has got new fans in us both. Below is some information from the makers of Michelob ULTRA Light Cider

A Day in the Sun at Richmond Beach

Just Love - A Catholic Nun Writes Book on Sex

For Christians with questions about Divorce and Same-Sex Marriage both from a moral (biblical) and ethical (rights-and-justice) point of view, I think this book will come in useful. Titled Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics and written by a Catholic nun and theologian, the book also explores other topical issues on sexuality and marriage. The author, Sister Margaret Farley is a member of the Sisters of Mercy religious order and an emeritus teacher of Christian ethics at Yale Divinity School.

Just Love - A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics

Sister Margaret is also a member of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the major organization for catholic nuns in the US, and which the Vatican has accused of being radical feminists and having separated themselves from Catholic doctrines. This is based on the fact that these group of nuns come out with independent thinking on societal issues and prefer to focus their energy and resources on battling poverty and economic and social injustice.

What I am trying to say is that this book, even though it is written by a nun, does not have the blessings of the Catholic Church. As may be expected, the Vatican is not very happy with the book and have denounced it outright saying it promotes masturbation, homosexuality, and divorce. Their verdict;

Home Cooking - How I make Puff-Puff or Buns

Quick-rise Yeast

I try not to eat a lot of fried foods or pastry but sometimes I get nostalgic for Nigerian snacks and buns and puff-puff are some of the easiest to prepare. Puff Puff is a deep fried snack made from plain flour, yeast, sugar, and water. The main difference between puff-puff and buns is that you add eggs and/or milk to the buns. They are both simple to make and can keep in the fridge for up to a week. My recipe is a cross between buns and puff-puff as I add just milk and it comes out not too soft and very chewy.

Ingredients: My apologies for no measurements, I usually go by sight and feel. There's some trial and error too :)

Plain Flour
Yeast
Mixed Spices
Granulated Sugar
Salt
Milk
Water
Frying Oil

Dear Myne - His Ex Has Become Our Biggest Nightmare

I got an email yesterday that got me fuming along with the sender. Honestly, some exes can be problematic. I replied her and asked if she wanted me to put this on my blog. I was hoping we could get more opinions and also maybe some of you readers have experienced the case of the ex and will be able to share how you dealt with it. The email is below...

Dear Myne, ur a big part of my day. surfing through ur blog everyday is like coffee in the morning…

I write with you now with so much anger. let me explain myself. my bf and I have known each other for 4 years and counting…we’ve been on and off but since about a year we’ve been so in love and am loving everyday. he strengthens me in ways I cannot even mention and pushes me to be the best I can be, but recently his ex from over 5 years ago has been our biggest nightmare.

She keeps calling him and he bluntly tells her to stop, he even blocked her on bbm and she still finds a way to poke herself into his life. recently she sends over 7 text messages a day…all bull crap of how she can’t do without him and that he took a piece of her, she cannot forget given the fact she was a virgin when they met and he was her first....bla bla bla. Am so frustrated and don’t know what to do.

Guest Author - Rita Okoroafor : Against the Perfect Will

Rita describes herself as a “Port Harcourt Girl”! She grew up and spent close to 28 years of her life in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Her education up to Post-Graduate studies were all carried out in the city. The exceptions were when she lived in Mexico City (between 1 and 3) and after her move to Lagos in 2008, where she has been since then.

Interview with Rita Okoroafor

I am married to a beautiful man, and we are blessed with a beautiful daughter. Writing has always been a passion since I was 5, and I do it along-side my career as an engineer. My favorite author is John Grisham – I love his suspense, intricacies and humanness in his works. No favorite book from him. I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of his books that I have read.

It was only when I became a Christian I found there are also Christian authors. I particular enjoy the books by Karen Kingsbury (and she is kind of my role model). I always find a connection with her characters, and I am always taken on a journey when I read her books. One of her books that I have enjoyed is “When Joy Came To Stay”. What Karen made me realize is that my view of the world had been myopic, and she opened my eyes to see that it is possible that people around me could be struggling with one issue or the other.

What’s coming next?

Hmmm…I am currently working on 2 projects. The first is a non-fiction on preparing for marriage. My drive for this is I do not want my “sisters” to make a mistake with marriage by being ignorant of what marriage entails, what baggages need to be dealt with, or what to be looking out for in the man worth spending the rest of one’s life. Even as I write, I am learning of ways to improve my marriage, so I believe married ladies may also benefit.

The second is a fiction, name of novel withheld, but I am trying to see if I can combine a bit of romance with the message I am trying to convey. The main message though is that women are of great worth, and the love and grace of God is available to all of us.

Debut Author Giveaway Hop - International

Maybe because it hasn't been too long since my first book, I love trying out debut authors especially if they're writers I know, like the author I will be featuring today. Rita Okoroafor is a fellow blogger and her first novel, Against the Perfect Will was published in April 2012. At the end of this post, we'll be giving away an e-copy of her book .

Against the Perfect Will - My Review

This book tells the story of Omolola, a young girl growing up in a middle-class Nigerian home. Quite intelligent and with most of her future mapped out, tragedy strikes and she loses her father. In a very direct and touching manner, Rita Okoroafor describes Lola's life after this tragedy and how she is able to cope. Life is not rosy for Lola and though she gets to go on to university, it is to a course different from one she had earlier intended.

In addition, she faces other pressures and has to find her own place amidst the confusion and freedom of life away from her home and family. This is a coming-of-age story with strong a moral and Christian foundation and the author uses very genuine scenarios of life in a Nigerian university to showcase the benefits of leaning unto God in all things.

Pride and Persistence - How Long Should He Wait?

Yesterday, someone sent me a link to a story on another blog and wanted me to weigh in. The conversation was essentially in two parts and I'll be discussing them as such. In this post is the angle about women who keep men who are interested in them waiting for long periods of time and then get annoyed when the men move on to someone else. Which brings me to the title of this post. Pride and Persistence.

A lot of us women have an innate pride and we exhibit this by wanting to make the men who show romantic interest in us prove that they really care in various ways. One way they can prove this is to hang around even when we push them away. We want them to be persistent.

I have nothing against self esteem and knowing your worth, but the problem in a relationship comes when one person uses it as an opportunity to play games and manipulate the other person. I believe in being honest and open, especially when there might be the chance of a romantic relationship. It is important in such situations to start building the blocks of communication from day one.

Most people usually know within three to four episodes of spending time with somebody whether they can see themselves in a romantic relationship with them. I'm not talking marriage yet. Just, can you see this yourself alone in a room with this guy? Can you imagine kissing him, having deep heartfelt conversations? If your answer is yes, then let that be on the table.

Don't let your pride get in the way of enjoying a genuine relationship. If you like a guy say so, and if you don't, let them know too, and let them go. If you choose to keep a man who has declared his feelings dangling for years, and he sticks around, there are several things that might happen;

Linking Up Posts on the Dana Plane Crash

What is that they say about the stages of grief and loss? Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. I think I am getting to acceptance now. I realise that in the end, we do have to move on. While I do not know any one who died personally, it was quite emotional for me knowing that some relatives had just flown from the US to Nigeria the day before the crash. Also, my sister was involved in a nasty road accident last year and we almost lost her. I guess I was carrying over some of that pain. But I've calmed down now.

May the souls of the dead rest and peace, and the living be consoled.

Also, the news show that the response this time was not as bad as usual lackadaisical attitude. The government and the press are doing their own parts diligently. Some of the following have been done, and continue to be reported on.