LANGUAGE AND IDIOMS.
Words have always held a fascination for me especially when they are used creatively. Idioms are charming and give character to words when used correctly. Some idioms are regional, and only locals understand them easily. There are popular, humorous and serious idioms and maybe we can use them more frequently to express thoughts uniquely? A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS. This is popular, and a way to ask what someone who is lost in thought, is thinking about. ON YER BIKE.This is regional and often a disrespectful way to tell someone to go away. AL FRESCO A way of saying “outside”We ate al fresco under the olive trees.This is quite a striking way to say ‘we ate outside’. Yes? AN AMBULANCE CHASERA lawyer who finds work by persuading people that are injured in an accident to ask for money from the people who caused the injury is an ambulance chaser.John makes…
THE THINGS WE DO AND THE AFADJATO EXPERIENCE?
We set off very early that morning. Really excited, we were finally going to hike and climb Afadjato, the highest peak in Ghana. To look from below, you would think, this should be easy enough. Were we wrong! It was tasking. No steps or clearly marked trails. Instead dicey slopes, crevices and dangerous drops. We needed more water than we had, stopped more times than we planned, to catch our breaths, and sometimes went on all fours to keep from falling. Arghh! Embarrassing. Possibly, amusing for our guide? We had a guide. A group of students we encounter share some water with us. Yay! Strength and vigor renewed, and voila we reach the top. What a marvelous view. Life is good again. Our guide reveals that half the time, many quit. Oh, wow, so he was impressed with us for finishing, after all? Then he adds that descending is just…
ABSURD OR EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE?
I got stung by a bee. A first. I was sitting quietly at a bazaar and boom; the bee stings me. My thoughts about bees was always of sweetness.Now I think, I will never quite look at honey and bees the same way.The timely involvement of Mallory, Chidera, Annie May and the kind server with the ice pack saved the day. Next, there was a mini concert and a guy carrying bottles of water. It was easy to think he was hawking them. Yours truly was looking to buy. He replied he wasn’t selling. Moments later, guess who is called onstage? You guessed it, ‘water boy’ is a performer taking water to the band boys, and what a performance it was! Awkward moment there for a minute. No? What can I say? Modesty and serving others are still gorgeous traits. This quote from one of the poets at a…
ETIQUETTE AND GIFT GIVING?
There is pretty much etiquette around anything that involves style and elegance. Gift giving is no exception if one wants to make an impression. Personally, I want the receiver to be wowed every time with my gifts. Not because it may have been expensive but the attention, preparation and presentation involved. Gift giving is a thought-filled process it seems. For instance, a gift should not hint at something disagreeable. Perfumes in some cultures are intimate gifts, and may leave the receiver wondering if the giver is trying to communicate something about their personal style if given inappropriately. A curious fact for me was discovering it is taboo to gift shoes in some cultures. What! I love shoes. But I have learned that gift giving is culture- influenced too. Gift cards, candles, flowers, scarves and stationery make good gifts for when one is uncertain. Opt for their taste and sense…
THE SCARS CAN BE BEAUTIFUL?
This post is inspired by a message. Every action has a likely outcome and it is necessary to put some thought to action. The understanding I get is that we need to think about and understand plausible results of every action. It is also important to think through before acting. Is this always easy or possible though? We are limited as humans, right? Limited in knowledge. Not to mention the curves and twists life presents. But we also have been given power of thought and resources to create the life that we want. So I would ask, what kind of life do I want? What must I do differently? No one wants to be “stuck on stupid”. Like a river flowing through unpleasant rocks and chinks in its path stays on its course and creates the beauty we see, we want to stay on course. What more, life flows…
FIERCE AND INSPIRED?
Deshun Wang, is the 79-year-old, who walked the runway with younger models. He is dubbed, the hottest grandpa in the world. He had to have had the posture and confidence to achieve this. No? Ernestine Shepherd at 81 was a famous bodybuilder. Amazing to learn that she did not begin exercising until she was 56. Should it matter when one starts, as much as that one starts? Daphne Selfe, was still going strong, modelling at age 90, saying that eating well, smiling and pushing herself, are her motivations and retiring is not for her. She’s my girl. To stay healthy, beautiful and motivated for so long is no easy feat I imagine. Heck, some folks just about give up long before and convince themselves that it is their right to do so too. How can we be fierce and inspired like the triad above? Celebrating one another, I think.…
ARE YOU INSPIRED?
Have you encountered someone who has accomplished much even with being given little? It is so easy to quit and they could have quit. The environment may not always have been right either and they could have stopped growing. To keep at excellence often takes work.Asking the right questions and seeking answers can make all the difference. Patricia Porter, is a woman mechanic who builds small airplanes and teaches women to build and fly airplanes in Ghana. Teachers accomplish so much shaping precious lives and perhaps, you remember one such teacher today? Inspiring others to be better is a brave thing to do especially as it can be a thankless job. It helps to love what you do as that can get you far during tough times. Now is always a good time to start and hey, you cannot be stopped, right?
WHAT IS THE PERFECT LIFE?
Words on a t-shirt, ‘the perfect life… see Paris and die’ inspired this post. What is the perfect life?Perhaps, it is to experience Paris before dying. Or to always have everything go smoothly on the path to achieving excellence which would be really nice if it were always possible.But there are those sometimes pesky stops. For some, the perfect life may be quitting a dreary job, selling everything and riding off into the sunset to see where the road leads. Yet for others, being in a loving relationship is the perfect life. In a complex world, with flawed people, loving makes life and living extra special. History has accounts of bravery and selfless acts of love. Some so extraordinary and sacrificial, we tell of them repeatedly. Just knowing that someone has your back is really special and comes close to perfection as we can get in an imperfect life.…
HOW IS DRIVING LIKE LIFE?
At one point in my life, my goal was to learn to drive. I enjoyed watching boat races. Car races were fun too. It felt really good, still does, to be able to drive. Good drivers pay attention to the signs on the road to stay safe and keep others safe. Given time, good drivers even become excellent drivers. Well bad drivers, meet the Lord. Even if perhaps, they may have had bad instructors. Sigh! So how is driving like life? There are guidelines. One might need instructing, empowering and inspiration to be the best one can be. A thought comes to mind. Can instructions and being told you are wrong, feel life being judged sometimes? I think yes. One way to get around this could be to think. Would I rather know how I am doing now before meeting God? A well done feedback rather than the third degree…