There's Poland, then there's Scandinavia

So... 3 months eh... that's how long it has taken me to recover from the beating Quemi's better half gave me for offering her the avenue (this blog) to rant. And what about Quemi? I don't know... who would go near her after that beating I received.

By the way I hope you noticed the choice of words in the paragraph above - first I was given, then I received the said beating. The more sinister among you may infer that I got beat twice. Let's just say I won't refute that conclusion. Whether the reticence I now display when it comes to indulging you thus is a product of my actually been beat up twice or the magnitude of the possible one-time beating is also left to your discretion.

Anyway, I'm still alive sha - and Quemi still has access to this blog. Now whether that is because I'm scared that removing her access to it would result in another round of beating or I'm just been stubborn is up for debate. As I was the one that was beat up and not Quemi I shall now desist from pursuing further the subject of my been beat up. Apart, of course, from mentioning that the husband of the aforementioned Quemi has apologized to me now on more than one occasion - no doubt at Quemi's request. I swear (against years of good Christian upbringing no less) that Quemi's hold over the man no longer surprises me to be honest. What does surprise me though is the amount of pain she appears to not see on my face each time the husband approaches me to offer one of his many 'heart felt' apologies. If I didn't know better I'd conclude that Quemi is using the opportunity to punish both of us: her husband for having the effrontery and indecency to beat me up in public; me for some unknown childhood sin I must have committed against her.

On to weightier matters though, I've now spent 1 year at my current place of work. My boss actually had to remind me as I had completely forgotten. I'd planned to go see a movie to celebrate but I could not get the Mrs. to buy into the idea - she muttered something about forgetting our engagement anniversary and yet remembering my work anniversary. In the words of some old sage - you win some you lose some. Seriously, I like it at my current office and I've had a great one year. I totally grateful to God. I'm even inclined to stand up in church next sabbath to 'testify' of it naija style but let's leave it at that - inclination.

I was talking to my Uncle the other day about Barrack and how I felt history would remember him as been a much better president than the vast majority of Americans now think of him. I think this would be partly because his achievements, or lack there-of, would be looked at against the back drop of the huge 'hatred' and utter lack of 'agreeableness' (I can't believe the spell-checker didn't flag that word) that his political opponents have displayed during the 4 years of his tenure. From an Adventist perspective though, the division of state and religion could not gotten any clearer than during his tenure (it's a joke my people, please take it easy). Part of me wants to see him have a second term just to see how much his style morphs under the lack of pressure of running for second term. But then again my Uncle and I agree that it may also be for the best of the country if a Romney in office heralds a government that is united in solving America's problems rather than bickering about imagined political bends and what not. Then again it could be argued that a Romney victory is a victory for the spread of FUD.

There are two things ways I look at it.

• God truly is an remarkable God. If I had half of his power and fore-sight, He knows I won't have created free will or the ability to abuse it :)
• Someone needs to tell Romney that for every one Poland there are a few Scandinavian countries. In fact for every Poland there's a Greece, Spain, Portugal. While for every Norway there's a ..... Denmark?

Okay I think I confused myself with that last point. Decipher at your peril... or not :)
 

‘That time of the Month’

As I go ahead with my writing, I wish to state clearly that this is no lecturing session, so if you don’t know what ‘that time of the month’ means, please visit Google/Wikipedia for clarifications.

That said, I express how I appreciate the efforts of doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, biologists, and other medically related personnel. It has to be known that these people go through serious conditions. Read countless books, sit for series of exams, observe varying ailments, attend to an assortment of patients, make several recommendations……the list just goes on. Another effort that thrills me amongst many others is the work of the researchers. Conducting various tests, studies, searches, etc and collating the results thereof. I think it’s a risky business knowing that the outcome of your study becomes a reference point for many discussions, decision making and recommendations. Lifestyles and personalities often find their definitions and explanations from certain studies conducted.

I guess you are wondering where the title of this write-up comes in. Well, it is based on some studies conducted ages and ages ago about one of the human genders. It has been mentioned in medical offices, family houses, class rooms, religious settings, work places and so on. Many individuals of this class have even been labeled with these findings. They have been identified with some or all of this findings, and in some cases, it has formed the bases for explaining certain characteristics or mannerisms portrayed. The class of people earlier mentioned, are in this write-up because of the roles they have played; the medical persons recorded their observations, the researchers confirmed its generalization, and the rest of the world? They just absorbed and applied the findings.

Still don’t know where this is leading? Well, it’s about the lady that serves you your meal at the restaurant, the sales woman at the counter in the shop, the teacher of your daughter’s grade 2 class, that not-so-fine woman who was your piano instructor during your teenage days, that chic you gave your card at the party, the female nurse at the hospital, even the striper at the club. Bringing it home, It’s about your mother, sister, cousin, girlfriend, wife…..it is about me.

It is often said that when it is that time of the month, ladies act in funny ways. Some get wimpy, start to nag and experience higher body temperature. I hear some get touchy, clingy, flirty, irritated, moody and many more. What one lady experiences may be similar or different from what the other lady goes through. Our friends, family members, colleagues, bosses and others have excused our behaviors due to one of these ‘symptoms’ or the other. Sometimes they are sympathetic, other times, they are just pests, rubbing it in and exaggerating the situation. Though the ladies sometimes are causes for this behavior, question is, can they really help it?
A joke was made about how the males would cope with being females for a short period. It was concluded that they would suck at it and I agree. The lady goes through a routine of hormonal changes, what man can handle that? She has to wear a smiling face and stand at the counter even when she would rather be crying on her bed. She would walk around the room when she could as well be clutching her tummy and squatting at a corner. She gives that speech, even when her insides are burning. Yet she does this as ‘nicely’ as she could.

Yeah, she broke a glass or two and banged the phone. Maybe she spat in your face or was on your case and just wouldn’t let go. In her shoes, how would you have handled the situation? This is no excuse for those ladies that seem to capitalize on these ‘symptoms’. Here’s a thinker, you can’t always tell when it’s ‘that time of the month’. I know a certain man – my Husband, he always tries to guess the time. When he thinks I am a little unusual, he asks if it’s that time. I laugh it off of course, a lady always needs to have an alibi!

So here’s the gist, you can never tell when it’s that time of the month. All the lady needs is just an extra dose of sweetness. Do not pity her [she is already resigned to her fate] nor rub it in her face, but bear it in your mind and reflect it in your actions. Hold her, talk to her, be easy with her, help her laugh……just be sweet and she would remain more like the person she is when it is not ‘that time of the month’.