It was Uju, me, Funmie, Solachi, Ibukun, Tim, and Lauren. Lauren is Solachi’s nine month old baby, which is why we were 6.5 girls instead of just 6. All we did was eat, talk, laugh, reminisce, and make fun of each other’s exes. So yeah, it was a very eventful day. There were lots to eat and drink. Funmie, our personal chef was there to keep us happy. Somehow, we didn’t really take pictures of ourselves, but Lauren (our celebrity guest, by the way) was all over the pictures. I think she thought it was her birthday. Uju’s baby brother was there, too, and I fear that he may never look at us the same way again. I think he thinks we’re crazy.

Yup. Lauren definitely thought it was her birthday

Uju’s brother, UD, and Lauren. Look at the way she’s looking at him. Haha.

This bad ass fish Funmie fried

The almighty efo

Efo and pounded yam: they’re just like 5 and 6

I think these crabs were looking at me

L to R: UD, Teja [UD's friend], and Solachi. Eating this thing is so much work (I don’t eat crabs)

Funmie is always flipping me the bird. And here’s proof.

Funmie & Lauren. Babes are posing.

This must be a strange birthday post seeing as no pictures of the birthday girl were taken. Well, I did take pictures of her, but she doesn’t want them up because she was not camera-ready. She had bendy rollers in her head, which is partially our fault as we did not announce our visit. But all hope isn’t lost. Last year, I did blog about her, so if you’re interested, you can read about my gorgeous friend, Uju HERE.

It was so much fun hanging out with everyone because it had been so long since we all got together. That’s what happens when you grow up and your priorities change. I hope we get to hang out more often. Happy birthday again, Uju.

P.S. Adaobi, you see what you’re missing in America?? When are you coming to join us?

The post My Weekend Recount: Uju’s Birthday With 6.5 Girls appeared first on Verastic.

Friday: I attended an engagement ceremony. Yorubas call this an Engagement. As an Igbo girl, it’s more like a traditional wedding. But every time I call it a wedding, people ask me, ‘what wedding?’ So okay, I’m sticking to engagement then. I didn’t take pictures at this wedding engagement, but I did meet several Verastic readers, and it was AWESOME! It was nice meeting you, ladies!! Keep reading, and thank you so much for the support

Saturday: My friend, Busola, turned 30. I’ve known her for over a decade. In high school, I used to call her Sola (Busola, without the Bu). But now, I call her Solachi. The chi is there to make her name Igbo. The alternative is Solachukwu, but I like Solachi better. When I first met Solachi, she was a teenager, and now, she’s 30, married, and a mommy of two. When I think of the fact that I have friends who are 30 and above, it’s freaky. Although I am not 30 yet, I can see 30 from a distance. And walahi, I still think I’m 21. I’m gonna ask my mom, just to make sure she didn’t mistakenly dash me some years. These things happen, no?

L to R: Funmie, Seun [Funmie's sister], Solachi, Me, and Aunt Oma

The Channel cake that I did not taste

Solachi and me (and Deola lurking in the background)

Me and Uju (our doctor), and no, we did not plan to wear glasses

Me and Lauren. The party ain’t done until you pose with someone’s baby. This is Solachi’s gorgeous daughter, Lauren

Me, Aunt Oma, and Lauren (who was preoccupied with eating my glasses)

So that was how my weekend went. It was really, really nice being with everyone. We’re all so busy with life, so having the opportunity to hang out again, especially to celebrate, is always a blessing.

Solachi, happy birthday. I wish you long life, health, prosperity, and all the happiness in the world. I am so happy for you. You deserve all the joy in the world and much more.

So how was your weekend?

P.S. Solachi’s baby, Lauren, is the one who was in the tummy when we celebrated Solachi’s baby shower last year. I blogged about it HERE.

The post My Weekend Recount: Solachi’s 30th Birthday appeared first on Verastic.

I want to thank Him for the family he gave me; I did not choose them, but if I had a choice, I’d choose them all over again, especially mom and dad. I want to thank God for the friends He has blessed me with, especially Igwe. I want to thank God for you wonderful readers and listeners; there isn’t a finer group of people on the face of the earth. I swear it.

I was about three or four, still in Russia

And I want to do all this thanking while starring at a picture of little Vera. She did not know then that she would grow up to be the person that she is today. But she is so happy for who she has become. As she packs her stuff in boxes, in anticipation for the move, she is beyond excited. She also has no idea why she is referring to herself as a third person.

Thank You, God. Happy birthday to me. Here’s to 2013, the greatest year in my life – for now. *kisses*

The post It’s My Birthday! appeared first on Verastic.

Dodge Charger 2013

1.  Dodge Charger [2013]: So this is the sexiest car alive, I kid not. I have never seen anything so sexy. Every time I see one on the road, I cannot stop staring at it. And I imagine myself in one all the time. It’s black, and it has a mild tint. I have made it my desktop background picture, and in my mind’s eye, I drive it everyday.  Those who have been following my blog know that I have always had a thing for Range Rovers. Well, that isn’t over yet. I still like it, but it’s on the back burner. Right now, my love for the Dodge Charger is blazing hot. You may purchase it HERE … I think [Don't forget the slight tint oh!]

2.  Nikon D3200: This is right next to the Dodge Charger on my list. I have been literally obsessing over getting a new camera. I used to have a Nikon D40X, but it packed up after four years. I still have my external flash and batteries, and I cannot wait to get my hands on a new camera. It’s hard to miss what you never had, you know, but I have had the Nikon; I have had a DSLR camera, so I know the kind of great pictures it’s capable of taking. No matter how good my Samsung Galaxy SIII is, it leaves me wanting for more. And there is so much I need my camera for on this blog. You may purchase it HERE.

Ange ou Demon Le Secret Elixir by Givenchy

3. Ange ou Démon Le Secret Elixir de Parfum : When I purchased my Givenchy perfume from Macy’s, one of the many little samples they included was Ange ou Démon Le Secret Elixir Eau de Parfum - also by Givenchy. The day I used it, I just knew I had to have it. Funny enough, I don’t remember testing it at the store, but that’s fine. The problem now is that I don’t like the name of this perfume. Ange ou Démon means Angel or Demon. At first, I decided that I won’t even buy it, but then I love it. So, I thought, maybe I’d buy it and plead the blood of Jesus on it everyday. Abi? How I for take do am? I don’t know why these Oyibo people would name a perfume like this. Don’t they know that as a Nigerian Christian, this perfume is in conflict with my spiritual and cultural values? Somebody needs to tell them. Anyway, luckily for them, the conflict is not enough for me to not buy it. As a daughter of the Most High God, I am more than able to trample upon the demons and use the perfume still *adjusts halo* Keep in mind that it’s the elixir version I want, not just the regular one. You may purchase it HERE.

Lancome Brush Set

4.  Lancôme Brushes: I need a new set of make-up brushes. The ones I have now, I take care of them pretty well, but it’ll be nice to have a new set, and if Lancôme products are anything to go by, then I am sure that these brushes will be just as awesome. You know when I’m bored, I go into random face-painting, so imagine the kind of good damage I will do with these bad boys. You may purchase this set HERE.

iPod Touch [in yellow]

5.  Blackberry: As you may or may not know, my relationship with Blackberry went sour this year when I was forced to switch to Android (Samsung Galaxy SIII) because my Blackberry was less than functional at its best. That said, we are entering a New Year, so I feel inclined to forgive Blackberry and consider a new relationship with it. Plus, the new operating system – Blackberry 10 – looks delicious. Therefore, Blackberry is on my list. I am under the assumption that they have a new device coming, too, along with the new operating system. And I am not aware that there is an official picture of this yet. Still, I want it. Yes, I’m asking for a phone that I am yet to see or experience. And yes, I trust RIM that much.

That’s it. Just five items on my wish list. I know, I know, I’m so understanding. Thank you. Now, go ye into the shops – virtual or brick and mortar – and buy me my gifts. Thank you in advance. I love you.

The post The 2013 Wish List Is Out! appeared first on Verastic.

Friday: Funmie came over to cook and fry the meats while Igwe was at work. Meanwhile, the meats and fish had been in the deep freezer since Wednesday, but Igwe had no idea. That’s how you can tell who enters – and doesn’t enter – the kitchen. So on Friday, I told Igwe that Funmie was over at the house prepping meats for an event she had to cater. She was doing it in our house because she and her mom got into argument. She would leave the meats at our house and come back to pick them up on Saturday. He believed me.

Saturday: The get-together was planned for about 30 people at home. Funmie was in charge of cooking all the food, except the pepper soup which I did. Funmie said I should try and get him out of the house before 11am. So I managed to get him out of the house by 10:30am. I told him we were going to have breakfast at IHOP. I chose IHOP because it was Saturday morning, and I knew they would be mad busy. 20 minutes later we had a table. We ate.

Stop Number 2: After eating, I had somewhere else to take him, I told him, and this was all in celebration of his birthday. We went to a nail salon. I took him to the one all the way in Essex, about 40 minutes away from us because I was trying desperately to kill time. The invite for people to come was 4pm, and I was hoping we’d be back home by 5pm, latest. When we got to the salon, he smiled, but he acted all nonchalant toward it. Imagine my surprise when I saw him sitting on the massage chair with both eyes closed and the chair vibrating him. That girl scrubbed about 10 pounds of dead skin from his feet. He couldn’t stop admiring his hands and feet.

Stop Number 3: A drive to and past my former apartment with mom in Essex. I absolutely loved that place. It was not huge or fancy, but it was ours, and I loved it so much. Got a little teary eyed driving past the neighborhood. My only reason for taking him there was to kill some more time.

Stop Number 4: To the mall. I took him to Macy’s. I was not trying to buy him anything, nor was I trying to buy anything for myself. I was headed to The Great Cookie. It wasn’t originally part of the plan, but Funmie came to the house two hours late! Remember I left at 10:30? Well, she did not get there till 12:30pm. So we went through Macy’s because I knew he’d want to look around. While there, he bought himself two shirts and a two-tone blazer for me.

Stop Number 5: The Great Cookie. I bought some sugar cookies. I did not feel like eating those cookies. I only bought them because I was trying to waste more time. Although he was pouting while I was purchasing them and saying he did not want them, he ate 90% of them.

Stop Number 6: Cold Stone Creamery. We went to get some ice cream. Again, I did not feel like having ice cream. I only did it because I was trying to stall. I only had about 30% of my ice cream. He had all of his.

Stop Number 7: Movie theater. We watched Taken 2. I wanted to watch something else that started later, just because I wanted more time. But he insisted on watching Taken. Darn!

Stop Number 8: On our way home, I just had to stop at the store to get a shower curtain cause ours had to be changed now, now, now!!

Finally, we were home. He was not surprised. *sigh* Apparently, he already suspected about two days before, although he was not sure of the details. That said, even if he did not know, he would have known once we parked because one of the guests was just walking in AND you could hear the noise of those inside from outside. I gave up. But it was a very fun night. I was – still am  - really grateful to everyone who came out. House was packed full and hot. More food and drinks than we could all consume.  I was on the verge of falling asleep in the middle of the event. I was exhausted!

Sunday: Naturally, he was not expecting anything from me on Sunday. After all, who gets two surprise events for one birthday? I drove to church. He should have suspected because I never offer to drive. I don’t like driving. But I drove to church. And then, on the way back, I drove again. Except that I took the wrong route.

He said, “Ah, ah. Where are you going?”

I said, “I’m taking you somewhere.”

He said, “Noooooooo! We’re going home.”

Me: Sure.

So we got to the bowling place before everyone. He had never, ever been bowling, which is why I chose to have him a bowling party. When we got there, he said he was not going to bowl because he was not dressed to bowl – whatever that meant, said he wanted to go home. So I handed him my phone and said, “Okay, we can go home. Just call everyone and tell them not to come.”

Him: Who is everyone?

He called his brother to ask if there was a bowling party. His brother lied and said nope. I took the phone and said, “You can tell him the truth.” So he did. Funmie and her sister, Seun walked in. More people walked in. Then more people. And before we knew it, there were 23 people bowling. Igwe was sooooooooooo happy. So much for not wanting to bowl. *insert violent eye-rolling*

Enough of the talking writing. Enjoy the pictures. I was too tired to take pictures on Saturday. And on Sunday, I was taking the pictures, so I barely made it into anyone.

Birthday Boy

Funmie, Igwe, and Uzo

Don’t care for this picture of me, but my choices are limited

Olu (Uzo’s husband) and Igwe

“Did you see that?!” asked Kay, every time he played. He didn’t even strike oh!

Loosing Team: Mikki, Nife, and friend. Don’t be fooled by their smiles. They were the loosing team.

DJ, Igwe, and Kay. Or as I like to call them, “The Boys”

So you see why it took me so long to put up this post. How was your weekend?

P.S. Though he suspected the Saturday event, he still believed everything about Funmie coming to cook for an event she had to cater.

P.P.S. Don’t forget to Barack our world again tomorrow. Vote Obama! Forward with four more years. Gbam!!

The post My Weekend Recount: Igwe’s Surprise Birthday Parties (Picture & Post Overload!) appeared first on Verastic.

The Igwe Himself

Igwe,

Today is your birthday, and I feel blessed to spend it yet again with you. So much has happened since we first met, and today is not the day to go into it. I thank God for your life and for your heart. I thank God for making you the person that you are today. And although some of your past experiences have not been the most pleasant ones, I thank God still for them all because they have made you who you are today.

If someone had told me years ago that come 2012, I would be dedicating a post to you on my blog, I would have slapped them twice. Me, a whole Verastic to dedicate a post to you?? Mba nu. But here I am today typing away at my keyboard and doing it ever so happily, too. When we celebrated your birthday last year, no one could have predicted the changes that would happen between last year and now. What a difference a year makes! Speaking of last year, wasn’t that when I was trying – and failing – to convince you that that fake heifer ain’t no friend of yours. But you eventually learned the hard way. Mm hmm. But I digress …

Igwe, you are kind, you are loving, you are generous, you are romantic, you are intelligent, and you are blessed beyond words. If I tell people who think they know you the things you do for me — and err, to me — they probably won’t believe me.  You spoil me rotten, and I have absolutely no complaints about that.

The dreams you have, the values you have, the passion you have for the things and people you believe in, it’s unprecedented. And on this blessed day, I pray that the good Lord meets you at the point of your needs. I pray that God surpasses your wildest dreams and expectations. The plans that you have for the future, I pray that God brings them to your doorstep.  May you be only where God wants you to be, when He wants you to be there. May friends and strangers fall over themselves to favor you. When your dreams turn into reality, may God grant you the courage to go for it, the strength to keep going, and the wisdom to remember where you came from, whose son you are, and where you are going.  May you never make a mistake that will cost you everything. Most of all, may God grant you long life, health, prosperity, and err, me.

Happy birthday, my love. You may now open that gift you’ve been asking me about.

The post Happy Birthday, My Igwe appeared first on Verastic.

When I think of Uju, I think of these words: beautiful, fun, adventurous (a little too much), energetic, honest, blunt, extrovert, crazy, really crazy, really, really, crazy, dependable, happy, funny, mysterious, loving,  intelligent, caring, passionate, loyal, real, generous, fashionista, crazy. Did I already mention crazy? I mean, unnaturally, disturbingly, inexplicably, ferociously crazy. And I love her so.

I first met Uju in maybe 2003 or 2004, don’t remember exactly. It was not love at first sight. I did not care much for her. She dressed like a White girl (rider boots, boot leg pants, chains on her pants, etc) and she had an attitude to go along with it. The attitude was definitely Igbo though, not White. I met her through Funmie; they were co-workers at that time.

I actually remember the first time I met her, too. It was during the summer, and Funmie and I were both taking summer classes. We were parked close to the Tech Building that hot day; I was already in the passenger’s seat in front and Funmie was about to get into the driver’s seat when I heard her exchanging pleasantries with some weird yellow girl. Even the way Uju responded to her, I thought, who the heck is she?

Then one day, she was moving to a new apartment and Funmie was driving us (in her hoopty) to the new place. She made an illegal right turn and bam! We were in an accident with a truck full of Spanish people. Well, it was just two Spanish people really. They said we had to pay a ridiculous amount of money; they knew we were afraid. We cried and begged, but lai lai, they didn’t agree. Funmie and Uju said, “Please, we are only XX years old.” (We were still teens). It wasn’t funny then, but today, it’s one of the funniest experiences we have had.

When we went into Uju’s house, she lay inside her empty closet and cried her eyes out. I rubbed her back and said sorry. I think that was when I might have fallen in love with her. I liked seeing her vulnerability; now she seemed like a real person. Since then, she has cried many other times. As have I.

I remember when she had this early morning job and we lived about five minutes walk away from each other. I slept in her house a lot, and when I’d wake up every morning, the first thing I’d see is Uju’s naked yellow ass – literally. She’d be rubbing lotion on her legs, bent over, and somehow, her ass was always facing my side of the bed. I got tired of telling her to face her ass the other way. Besides, it’s not like anyone forced me to sleep in her house, in her room, and on her bed for that matter. I understand that this might have been a turn on for a man, but because I already had my own yellow ass – which was also bigger – I did not care to see another, especially at the first image in the morning.  It almost sets a theme for the rest of the day, you know.

And there were those times that all of us (about seven) had “parties” in Uju’s house – nicknamed The Club House – for no reason. It wasn’t even a real party and we were the only ones invited. Like the “Fried rice party,” the “Egusi soup party,” and the “Philly Cheesesteak party” (this one was headed by our Liberian friend, Mike, and it was an epic fail to say the least. We don’t know what we made, but it didn’t look or taste like any kind of cheesesteak we had ever had. Or seen.

Uju is more of a sister than just a friend now. She’s like my mom’s other daughter and my grandma’s other grand daughter. I remember when Uju started calling herself Osisi na mi ego (Money-sucking tree), and every time Grandma would ask for the so-called ego (money), she would say her container was still on the high sea. Mm hmm. Correct Igbo girl.

She’s so honest that she cannot even be accused of gossiping. I remember when Funmie had this ex boyfriend (Funmie will kill me for this), and Funmie had broken up with him. But he was speaking to Uju about it, Uju said, “Yeah, Funmie said you’re a weed head, that you smoke too much weed.” He went back to Funmie and told her that “someone” told him what she had been saying about him. Funmie confidently denied it. Then one day, she was telling me and Uju about it – as per gist nah – and she told us how crazy he was to have accused her of saying that (though he was right). Uju then said, ever so casually, “Yeah, I told him you said that. I didn’t know it was a secret” Shit hit the fan. There was no physical fight, and there wasn’t even an exchange of words, but there were steaming ears and nostrils, and you could cut the tension in the room with a machete.

If you need a friend who will tell you the truth at all times – even when you don’t care to hear it, Uju is the one. If you cannot handle the truth, you should not ask her questions like, “Does my stomach look too big?” or “Does this make me look fat?” or “Am I being stupid?” Yes. Yes. Yes.  Speaking of which, I remember when this chic asked Uju what she thought of her boyfriend. Bad move. Uju said, “Well, I wouldn’t date him, but it’s not about me.” The girl did not appreciate it much.

She also has a sense of adventure that is questionable. I remember when she wanted us to take a road trip to Texas, by way of Florida. And she said we should not check into a hotel to rest, but rather, to sleep under a tree. The frightening part was how serious she was. I also remember when she was going to join the Police Academy because they would pay her tuition. She was serious about that too.

My dear Uju, I love you die. I am blessed and honored to call you my friend. It’s been one heck of a fun ride getting to know you in the past decade. We’ve shared all kinds of stories with each other: family, school, work, men, money … it doesn’t end. When you find that lucky man, I’ll make sure to warn him very well to take extra care of you. I know you like to be the big girl, the strong one, but I know that inside, you are fragile. You’re to be handled only by the best, and only with absolute care. Any man would be lucky to call you his wife, and anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend. You are beautiful inside, outside, and in between. If my brother had lived, I would have gone above and beyond – I’d use juju and armed thugs, if necessary – to see to it that you become an Ezimora. All hope isn’t lost though; I can marry you.

I love you, Uju. I know I don’t say it half as often as I should, but I really, really, really, REALLY love you. If I could change a thing about you, I wouldn’t change anything at all. Well, we can work on slightly larger breasts. But other than that, I love you just the way you are. You are perfect. May this year knock you over with favors, blessings, and laughter. I wish you long life, health, prosperity, and more happiness than your heart can contain. Happy birthday, Obianuju.

Oh. And to show you how serious I am about marrying you, I am including Duncan Mighty’s song, Obianuju to this post.

P.S. Uju is about to officially become a doctor, and I cannot wait! She needs to tell me what I should do to guarantee that I give birth to a confusingly identical set of twin boys.

P.P.S. Even while in Med School, Uju has been maaaaad supportive of me. She reads my blog, listens to the show, shares information about me and my career. In fact ….!

Obianuju by Duncan Mighty

The post Happy Birthday, Obianuju appeared first on Verastic.

This cake was courtesy of Funmie, and it was mm mm good!

More pictures and stories when you continue.

I share my birthday with the little love of my life, Toby. He’s my cousin, and he, too, was born on January 14th. He was supposed to be born in April, but he came out three months early (on January 14th 2002). Just goes to show you what some people will do to be close to me *cough*. So first, I spent my our birthday with him. He turned 10. I turned 21. Shut up. I don’t want to know what you have to say about my age. He spent the day bowling with his little friends. I spent the day taking pictures of him bowling with his little friends.

This is a picture of  Toby and Vera: the finest January 14th birthday celebrants in the whole wide world.

After that, I went back home to meet him. He said he was taking me out to dinner for my birthday. I took a shower, got dressed, and was ready to roll. He dressed up like he was the celebrant. Someone needs to remind him. He said we’re going to a place starting with the letter D. Then he said we were going to Delaware, and I wondered why he did not tell me sooner. Delaware is about 2 hours away from us. We ended up in Downtown Baltimore. He said we weren’t going to Delaware, but rather Downtown, and that even the restaurant we were going to starts with letter D. Every corner we turned, I scanned around for any restaurants starting with the letter D.

Finally, we got into Della Notte Italian restaurant, and I was too busy to notice the group of familiar faces sitting around tables, and then before I could gather my thoughts, they all said, “Surprise!” There were 21 of us, and I was filled with so much awe and appreciation. We ate, drank, talked, laughed, and of course, took pictures. My favorite part was when everyone stood up and gave a speech about how awesomely fabulous I am *gulp*

I had no clue whatsoever that he was planning this dinner party for me. He specifically told me that no one was allowed except me and him. Reason he said that was because I usually spend my birthday with my friends, especially Funmie. So he warned me to not invite anyone to the dinner. He even got mad at me one time because he thought I had invited Funmie. Said if I invite anyone, he’s cancelling the plans. Two days before my birthday, he said he was having problems deciding what restaurant to book. I told him I didn’t care; he should just book one. No big deal to me. Unknown to me, he had made the plans for my surprise dinner over a month ago. I was totally fooled … and that wasn’t even my birthday gift *insert Igbo girl blush*

I’m really so grateful to all my friends for making out the time to come out and celebrate with me. I’m thankful for the laughs we shared, the bonds we made, the memories we created, and of course, the gifts I received. Hehe. Saying that I’m grateful for him would not do justice to the way I feel. My words fail me. And this time, it’s a good thing. I’m grateful to my mom and dad for the love and support they’ve given me all my life. I wouldn’t pick another family if I could. And to my sweet, sweet Toby who believes ANYTHING I tell him (including the fact that I’m only 18), I love you die. Most of all, I’m grateful to God for giving me the grace to celebrate another 21st birthday. My only regret is that my gorgeous sister-friend, Uju could not make it. She just had to attend med school in Chicago. Some people just don’t know their priorities!

Me and Dayo. He’s like a baby brother.

Temi, Biola, Me, Seun (Funmie’s sister, and my baby sister too), and her boo, Niyi.

Me and DJ

Me and my sweerat, Funmie. I told you this girl is in love with me. Here’s another proof.

I had to wipe the kiss off my face.

The bloggers unite: SkinnyHipster, Me, and MikkiSoXtra

Ayo, me, and Mikki

Me and Busola. Have nooo idea what we were laughing at. Absolutely love the picture.

Me, Busola, and Funmie. There is a clearer version of this picture, but I really love this version.

Left to right: Deola, me, Busola, Funmie, and Ibukun.

Me and Ibukun.

Deola and me.

Me and Kayode.

Me and my one and only photographer, PaOsin. He came through for me as usual. Lovvvvve my pictures!

I’m gonna call Ayo and ask him what the heck he was doing putting his hat on that statue and talking to it. I’d also like to know what the statue said back to him.

A failed attempt at taking a group picture.

And I have no idea who that is. Or why he’s kissing me. I clearly hated every moment of it.

Pictures by PaOsin.

Hair by Marci. I’ll tell you more about her later.

The End.

The post My Birthday In Pictures (And A Few Words) appeared first on Verastic.

The Verastic Birthday Wish List – 2012

1.  The Sony Nex-5N 

I absolutely lovvvvvvve this camera. I am obsessed with it. I’ve been looking at it everyday, just to make sure it has not changed its shape and features. So far, so good. This camera is one of Sony’s new generation cameras. Please, pay attention to the model I want: Nex-5N (not the Nex-5 or the Nex-C3K). It is the Nex-5N.  It’s like a DSLR without the weight and complication. I see it in my future. You can buy it HERE.

2. Xperia arc S from Sony Ericsson  

I’m not saying that Blackberry and I have broken up, but every now and then, it’s good to have something different. And now will be a good time to have that something new. I mean, it’s the new year. I’m giving up my anonymity. Perfect timing! Plus, my friend who bought the Blackberry 9900 did not use it for more than a few months before it packed up. Besides that, a rumor leaked that Blackberry is working on a new phone called, Blackberry London. It’s not confirmed yet, but I definitely want the Blackberry London more than I want the Blackberry 9900. I see this phone in my future. You can buy one here.

3.  Sony Tablet S 

I know everyone and their cat is crazy about the iPad. I’m not one of them. I’m a sucker for all things Sony. Have you noticed? I’ve been wanting a tablet for a minute. I’ve  been dreaming about it, imagining it, and dreaming about it some more. With this Sony, I’ll feel loved. You know what I mean? Of course, I also see this tablet in my future. You can buy one here.

4.  Perfume: pour Femme by Bvlgari  

This perfume was on my wish list last year. Isn’t it sad that two years later, I still have not gotten it and I am still begging for me? Don’t you think that I deserve this perfume – especially now that I’ll be revealing myself? Yes, I intend to milk this revealing myself thing. You can buy one here.

5.  Gift card from Bakers. I love almost all things Bakers. I love their heels. I love their handbags and clutches. I love their accessories. But since I cannot decide which of their products I currently want more than the other, I’m just going to stick to a gift card. Technically, I’m making it easier for you. Buy one here.

6.  Gift card from Aldo.  Just like Bakers, I love lots of Aldo products. They make quality products that don’t cost an arm and a leg. And they’re chic, too. Weirdly enough, I don’t have many things from them, but I visit their site frequently. I’ve found many things I’d like to get from Aldo — which I’ll get as soon as I receive my gift card. Thank you! Get it here.

7.  Perfume: Lady Million by Paco Rabanne

I want this perfume for one reason and one reason alone: One Million needs a match. That is all. Buy it here.

So, that’s it! I know, I know … I don’t have a lot on my list. Well, you know me, always trying to be considerate *adjusts halo* I don’t want to add anything that I don’t really, really want – hence the short list.

I know your next question: so when is your birthday and am I allowed to buy you more than one gift? Of course, you can get me more than one gift! You may get as many as you wish. You may even get more than one of a type of gift. I’m understanding. My birthday is on Saturday, January 14th 2012. Yay!!! I’m currently working on making my birthday an international public holiday.  The problem is that Martin Luther King’s birthday is just one day after mine and it’s a public holiday, so the government is trying to figure out a way to have two public holidays back to back. I’ll be sure to update you.

It’s exactly 31 days to my birthday on January 14th 2012 (and 18 days to my unveiling on January 1st 2012). Wooooooot!!!

>>> Join me on Facebook and on Twitter. Let’s talk <<<

The post The List – 2012 appeared first on Verastic.

Before we went out for the evening, Funmie told me that she went to the store and tried unsuccessfully to buy me that dress, the one I wanted so badly a while ago. I had gone to the store to buy a dress, but I fell in love with two dresses. Not being able to afford two at the same time, I ended up buying one and leaving the other one. It was the other one she tried to get me, but couldn’t find. I didn’t tell her, but when I got off the phone with her, I cried. I thought it was so sweet of her to try to get me that dress. Too bad she’s a woman. We would have been married with two point five kids and a white picket fence by now. A very high, very electrocuted white picket fence. And a Hugh Jackman – looking gate man to boot. Just in case wifey gets bored *coughs* Love you, Funmie. I’ll arrange a small accident for your husband if he makes you cry.

We went to Eden’s Lounge – a place I had never, ever been to before. And I have lived in Baltimore for a decade *bows head in shame* I have been good at blogging and growing my virtual social network, but going out … to lounges … on Friday nights … on my birthday … Downtown Baltimore? Yeah, not so much. No, not at all. Most people didn’t make it. The ones that did, they made me laugh till I cried – literally. I’ll skip the boring details and move to the interesting part.

Time to order. Busola – God bless her heart – decided she’ll only order a plate of chicken wings because she did not care to try anything else. No, make that two plates of chicken wings. Funmie had one order of chicken wings, too, and an order of crab cakes. Chinwe and I had mango chicken qausidillas and chicken wings. And Ibukun had beef springs rolls and fries. I had starved myself all day for this dinner, but by the time I had two mango chicken quesadillas, a few wings, and a handful of fries, I couldn’t go through half of my food. Maybe it had something to do with the drinks.

Before the 'craze' started

Courtesy of Funmie

Funmie forgot to bring forks, so that's a straw in my cake. Don't ask me how I did it.

Oh, the drinks! I first ordered two mango martinis. You can tell I like mango-flavored things, right? Prior to yesterday night, I don’t think I had ever drunk a whole glass of any alcoholic drink. After the two mango martinis, I had two more mango martinis. I still don’t know how I did it. Four glasses down, I started feeling a little funny. Both of my eyes were watering, and I didn’t know why.  I think I know why now.

At about 10PM, we were relocated to a different part of the lounge. We didn’t know that the lounge turned into a club on Friday nights. So, there we were … in a club.  More people joined us. By the way, if you see Chinwe, tell her I’ll be sending a bill to her for making me laugh like a hyena. This girl danced like no one was watching her.  She had a peach martini. Funmi had a peach martini, too. Ibukun had a Long Island ice tea … and four shots of Blue Motorcycle [vodka & gin]. Speaking of Blue Motorcycle, Funmi bought one, told me to close my eyes and open my mouth … and voila, it went down my throat.

My current count: four glasses of Mango Martini and a shot of Blue Motorcycle.

A friend who was there, he bought me a Burberry London perfume set – God bless his heart for enabling my love obsession for fragrances. He had two glasses of Greygoose mixed with pineapple juice. I don’t know if there’s a fancy name for this drink. I had two sips gulps of  his cocktail. I didn’t like it cause it warmed the inside of my throat. It took the second gulp to realize that. He decided to buy me two glasses of pineapple juice.

My current count: four glasses of mango martini, one shot of Blue Motorcycle, two gulps of greygoose and pineapple juice, and two glasses of pineapple juice.

Funmie was my designated driver. The chic was so hyper that at some point, I was not sure if having her drive me home was a good idea. The way she was dancing, I was scared for my life.  Busola had on flat shoes, yet she danced for a bit and had the nerves to sit down because her feet huer. My four-three-quarter inch heels and I did not part for one second. I fear that if care is not taken, my friends and I will end up getting old before we get old. We need to go out more often.

Busola dancing ... before her feet started "hurting"

You see why I was worried about Funmie driving me home?

When the lounge turned into a club, our mouths dropped at the dance moves we saw. One particular chic, her sole mission was to dry hump all the security guys. I had a conspiracy theory: she was doing it to distract security so that her accomplice would do dirt at some other part of the club. Okay, so perhaps, I have watched too many action flicks. The other chic, she was giving away free lap dances like it was a cold virus. For a brief minute, I considered getting one, too. I also had a conspiracy theory for her: she was getting paid. I cannot quite justify my reason for the creativity to come up with this theory.

The way the second girl twisted her body, I was fascinated. Men gawked, their faces begged to have a piece of what she offered. Women stared. Some were jealous, tried to feign their jealousy as disgust. Most – like me – watched with curious eyes, wishing they could do what she did. She may have called what she was doing lap dancing. It looked more like dry-friggin-humpin’ – the musical.  And I liked it! *Insert embarrassed Igbo face* At some point, she danced with one of my guests. You should have seen the satisfied look on his face. And on hers, too. I took a picture of them. Babe was anything but camera-shy. She wanted to see the picture, make sure she liked it. Since I wouldn’t want to put my friend in possible wahala, I’ll keep away from posting his picture here. But I am tempted.

Another friend came in with another friend (tautology?). The friend who came in with the friend, let’s call him Mr. Perfect Gentleman. I don’t know if he wants his name mentioned, and since we have mutual friends, I’ll respect his privacy. So Mr. Perfect Gentleman bought me a bottle of Moet Champagne. He didn’t tell me that he did. So when the waitress came to our table with a bottle of Moet and a bucket of ice asking for the birthday girl, I was a little taken back. For reasons I won’t bother mentioning, I thought he did a very sweet and thoughtful thing. The champagne was popped. We drank. I had two glasses. It was my very first time drinking Moet. I had heard so many things about it in songs. At last, we met! Dance, dance, dance.

When Vera drank Moet

Before we left [at 2AM], a guy whom I assumed to be African-American, whom I had also never seen or spoken to before came to me while I was jejely sitting down and minding my Verastic business and began to — shall we call this fondle me? He touched me like it was just a continuation from where we stopped. And Funmie decided to take a picture — which he posed for. What was I doing while all this was going on? I was in the errr-???-uhhmmm phase. He got up to leave, and then I thought, why, it’s my birthday! So I called him back and said, “We have to take this picture right!” He sat on me [facing me], his legs wrapped around mine, and Funmie took a picture. We looked like two lovers who couldn’t keep their hands off each other: a fable that I was very willing to live in — even if for the moment.

My current count: four glasses of mango martini, one shot of Blue Motorcycle, two gulps of greygoose and pineapple juice, two glasses of pineapple juice, two glasses of Moet champagne, and a bottle of water.

Exiting the club was one happy, blurry-eyed, exhausted, really, really, happy Vera. You say tipsy, I say happy. Semantics really.

The post Sooo… Yesterday Was My Birthday appeared first on Verastic.