Friday 26 July 2013

Sources of Inspiration


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It is funny how the weirdest things give rise to bursts of ideas of things to write about.

As I already have another blog I have been wondering what the true essence of this blog will be. What would I write about? Would I be able to realistically churn out stories every week/month? Would my imagination be able to keep up with that kind of commitment. 

And then I had a good ol'cup of lemon green tea by Twinings and then  thoughts popped into my head. It's a good thing I have a notebook handy. This space on the interweb goes beyond the daily nothings and somethings that usually pop up in my head. It feels like a space where I can showcase the creativity of the written word and the things that inspire them; be it my own or others.





Again, I don't want to limit the potential of this blog but I have a feeling that this will be the main focus of the blog. I just want to convince myself that I don't have mutiple blog disorder (MBO).


Yours truly,

Mo x

Sunday 21 July 2013

Letters: #2

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A new Letter will be posted on a Sunday until the end of this series.
Enjoy!

Yours truly,

Mo x







Dear Mr Ogoni,

Admission of Miss Funmi Adebayo into Cornerstone Academy


My wife and I would like to thank you again for seamlessly admitting our daughter into your school on such short notice. I trust that you would keep an eye on her and make sure that she is fitting in with her peers. Please, as we told you before, treat her like every other student. We have heard great things about your school in terms of discipline and the quality of education so I am sure my daughter is in good hands.I expect a full report on my daughter's progress at your school every month.

And as for they donation towards the improvement of the arts department, I have spoken to the administrator of the school and made some arrangements with her.

Thank you once again for your cooperation.


Yours sincerely,

Mr Adebayo

Friday 19 July 2013

Read It Or Not: Ground Zero

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Read It Or Not  is another new series I shall start on this blog. This, however, will not be a showcase of my poor attempts at putting my imaginary worlds into words but rather a way for me to express my thoughts on the books I am reading every month.

I will start of with one book a month and see if I pick up pace as the  weeks roll by.

The book for July is The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.

Feel free to join me on this adventure or share your verdict on the books I plan to read or recommend the ones you love.

Yours truly,

Mo x

Sunday 14 July 2013

Letters: #1

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A new Letter will be posted on a Sunday until the end of this series.
Enjoy!

Yours truly,

Mo x







Dear mum and dad,


I know you think you are doing the best for me but you are wrong. This is the worst decision you have made in the history of the planet! How could you send me to this place??? I have to resort to archaic modes of communication. Isn't civilization past this? You have completely ruined everything! They have kept me in what seems like an old prison cell and then expect me to then sleep on this ridiculously hard spring bed. Were these put in the brochure?? Did you actual view this place?? Request for your money back! And while you are at it, turn around and pick me up. Please!! I promise I will do better. I will stay out of your way and will never bring the family any shame…again.

Don’t I have a say in any of this? It is my life you are playing with here. The students here are…wild. There was a girl who gave me a look that could have split me in half if looks had powers. Please, let this be a joke. I have learnt my lesson. I want to go home and hang out with my friends. I cannot survive in this place. It is too hot! And the accent is so bad I can hardly understand a word. Please, I cannot spend the next year in this godforsaken country! Nigeria is not my home. Manchester is!

Your daughter in need,

Funmi

Friday 12 July 2013

Letters: Ground Zero

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Letters will be the first series that I shall start on this blog.


As the title suggests, it will be a collection of letters written by various characters that I dream up making their voice heard via the written word.

All Letters will be posted on a Sunday; a day the postman does not come to visit.

Thanks in advance for taking a peek!


Yours truly,

Mo 

Friday 5 July 2013

Excerpt: 'Untitled' Novel

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Today's entry will be about a girl called Ava. This is a fictional story written by me. If this tale in any way resembles your life, it is purely coincidental.



Yours truly,

Mo x







'Untitled'


‘I didn't do too badly if you ask me’.

Dominic took a quick look at me and said, ‘Did you at least remember to use deodorant this time?’

I sigh and quickly reach behind my seat to find my secret stash of toiletries. As you may have already come to this conclusion, this is not the first time I have been late for school. I almost kill us both with the fumes from the evil lavender smelling canister. Dominic throws me an evil glare as he winds down the window. I smile apologetically and put the deodorant away. We finally get to school and both dash out of the car, running to get to our first class of the day.

‘You are making a habit out of this Miss Johnson’.

I smile apologetically at my Media Studies teacher, Mr Zone and take my usual seat at the back of the class right behind Nickev. I shake my head to stop myself heading down that treacherous route. Day dreaming about Nickev is not the way to go for any girl who wants to remain in control of herself because as soon as you make that fatal mistake, he will forever have a hold on you and all you can do is pretend that he doesn't to his face.

Lying to yourself is just not cool.

Lying to everyone else, however, is sort of okay when your reputation is at stake.

It is not hard to concentrate in Mr Z’s class because he is by far my favourite teacher and one of the main reasons I want to study Journalism at uni. He was the one who came up with the brilliant idea that is the school newspaper created for and by the students. Now we have our own website thanks to the amazing collaboration between the IT, Media Studies, Eng. Lit. and Art students as a huge project that was worth 30% of our grades. It was so much fun to do and I got to make friends with people I wouldn't normally look twice at.

After we watched a one and a half hour documentary on the “Doom and Gloom of the Demand and Supply of Oil and Power Today”, Mr Z asked us what our views were on both the topic and the way the documentary was delivered.  A debate between a group of students broke out.

‘Now I am sure Ava has something to say on that subject’, said Mr Zone, pulling me out of my thoughts.

The whole class sighs in unison as they turn to look at me. Ok, it is not my fault I am strongly opinionated and make my voice heard. I look up at Mr Z who is waiting for me to say something but my mind is completely blank. I honestly don’t know that much about big oil companies and their plans to make us destitute before we even think of buying cars and filling them up with petrol or diesel. So I simply say-

‘I have nothing to say on that subject sir’.

‘Is that because you agree with what the reporter was saying or do you have no clue what is going on in any sector apart from…oh wait, no you don’t know much about fashion either’, said Nickev coolly. Most people sniggered at that remark. He was one of the few people who did not bother to turn round to look at me.

I close my eyes and count to ten before I say, ‘I am not sorry that I don’t dress the same way as those insipid barbie dolls you hang out with and date do. And I do know a thing or two about fashion. I just do not like the way it's heading. As for the clip about the upheaval in the oil sector, you are right I do not know much about it but I don’t go around making people feel bad to make myself feel better’.

I stand up from my seat, gather my things and make my way out of the class but Mr Z tries to stop me before I reach the door. Luckily for me he sees the tears in my eyes and lets me go. As I make my way to the student common room I secretly pray that Nickev runs out of the class after me to apologise and sweep me up in his arms and-

‘What’s wrong Ava?’ I’m asked by my good friend Kemi who is skiving her math class as she always does on a Thursday morning; not because she hates math but because she is way ahead of the class already. She makes room for me on this huge table she’s sat at which is completely covered with graphs on what looked like vectors, math textbooks and notes. I sit down next to her and rest my head on her shoulder. She wraps her arms around me which instantly makes me feel loved.

Kemi is by far the best girlfriend ever! She knows exactly what to say at the right time, is her own person, she is smart and too kind sometimes. She sticks up for you even when you are clearly in the wrong and usually wins the argument. I have known her for the past 3 years now since her parents dropped her off at her aunt’s and went back to Nigeria. And I can proudly say that I have loved her for that long.

I wipe away the tears that escaped from my eyes and raise up my head. I look her dead in the eye and she starts to smile. Her grin gets progressively bigger when I start to smile too. I shake my head and she says,‘What altercation have you and Nickev gotten into now?’

I sigh and cover my face.

Kemi gasped. ‘You are going red!’ She giggles and then when she sees my face she stops immediately and I can see her trying to think of anything that will make her stop laughing. People start clambering into the common room which means its time for our Psychology class.

‘He dissed my style’.

‘Erm…what style, child?’ she says in a Southern American accent. ‘You need help in that department honey. I mean I know you like your comfort but there are other ways of being comfortable’.

I laugh.

‘So you are taking his side now?’ I say as I wait for her to pack up her stuff.

‘No, hun. I’m on your side one hundred percent’, she says looking at me, a little hurt by my accusation. ‘I am just saying, it wouldn't hurt for you to at least put some effort into your “look” or at least shower before you come to school’.

I instinctively sniff myself and decide I don’t reek enough to be lethal. On our way to our next class we bump into no other than Nickev. He takes one look at us and before he has a chance to say anything I head into my Psychology class that was conveniently two steps away. Kemi tuts at him as she enters the classroom and sits down next to me. I sneak a look at the door to find Nickev staring straight at me. As soon as our eyes lock he chuckles and walks away. I feel my face burning as I have once again let him know that I care what he thinks of me.