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Verastic

Authentic conversations about culture, motherhood, divorce, black excellence, humor, and style!

Book Review: Call Me Legachi by Adesuwa O’Man Nwokedi

Call Me Legachi by Adesuwa O'Man Nwokedi

When I first came to America, one of my happiest days was the day I found out that I could go to the library and borrow books for free. Whattttt!!!!!! Let's rewind. I don't know if there were free libraries in Nigeria - Jos, specifically (apart from the ones in school) where you could borrow an unlimited number of books AND the library had a decent selection. I do not remember that. Maybe they existed, but I don't remember. My mom used to buy me books to read, but I always read them too quickly. Read More

2023 Was On Autopilot + Mental Health Support

mental health support

Funmie says I need therapy. She's probably right. I should probably be exploring mental health support. So much has happened in the past few years, but losing my mom tops them all. My mom passed away in April 2022, and then, the rest of the year just became busy with other changes and realities in my life. Planning a funeral, for example, was a reality I was not ready to face. I did not think I was old enough or experienced enough to be burying a parent. But I did. Exploring mental health Read More

Let Me Tell You About Ahmed Taha

Let Me Tell You About Ahmed Taha

Human beings are so intricate and dynamic. You could look at someone, and based on the way they look, act, speak, and even smell, you can guess some things about them. You can guess what region of the world they come from, what they do professionally, how much curry they cook with, and maybe even what God they serve.   My daughter, Ada Verastic, and I were at IHOP (Store #2121, located at 8620 Pulaski Highway, Rosedale, MD 21237), and Ahmed was our server. I admired his professionalism Read More

It’s Been A Year Since My Mom Transitioned

It’s Been A Year Since My Mom Transitioned

We all die, right? I mean, we all know that eventually, we all die. We do not leave here alive. We are born, we live, and then, we die. Or in my dad's favorite words, "we perish." I don't like perish by the way. We're not fruits. As of the typing of this post, it's a few days to the anniversary of my mom's transition. I'm sitting in a booth in Panera Bread, people-watching and thinking. There was a little white boy in the booth in front of me. I'd peg him to be about a year and a half old. He Read More

Conversations With God About My Dating Life

Conversations With God About My Dating Life

Dating can be one kind. Sometimes, it feels like a cool breeze on a hot summer day, and sometimes, it feels like learning the anatomy of a dinosaur in Mandarin.As it came to pass, I was actively trying and failing to learn the anatomy of a dinosaur in Mandarin. The harder I tried, the harder I failed. When complaining and crying myself to sleep made no difference, I resorted to talking to God, and He actually talked back. "Dear God," I cried, "I just want love. I want a man of integrity. I want Read More

I Lost My Mom

I Lost My Mom

I cannot tell you how much time I spent agonizing over the title of this post. This post that I promised to publish last week Monday but failed to do, and it was not for lack of trying. This post that I do not want to write and cannot believe that I'm writing. In my head, if I write it, I will make it true. Yet, it's been one month since I last spoke to my mom, and I have never gone this long without speaking to my mom. I have never even gone for up to a week without talking to her. So, it must Read More

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