#BirthdayBehaviour: Skydiving, dinner, happy Birthday to me!!!

So, today is my birthday (whoop), and I’m typing furiously now (just got home from dinner) because I want this up before midnight!

First off, I think of where I was last year on this day, and where I am today, and I just know that God has worked overtime for me. Who would have thought I would see today, sinner, unworthy, simple person like me? But God has been awesome!! Like, He has been super awesome to me!

I’m alive, well, I’m happy, things are working for my good (even when I can’t see it), and I’ve had a super amazing day! Let’s run through it together shall we?

Started with a call at 11.58pm (of the 19th) running into today (you know who you are – thank you), and then I had a bout with insomnia (maybe I was just excited), and so I sent out a few emails. Fell asleep by 1.30pm, was up by 5am, and on the train to Hinton in the Hedges by 7am!

Hinton in the Hedges is a lovely airfield in Northamptonshire, and for what? Skydiving!! Yes! My gift to myself, especially since A LOT of people didn’t think I’d be able to go through with it!

Massive shout out to Chiltern railway for the superb internet on the train, kept me company the entire way and back! And the seats were so comfy, upholstery and everything on point like that.

So I got to Kings Sutton on time, lovely, lovely country side, and there was the nicest taxi driver to drive me to the airfield. On the drive to the strip I spoke to my original sister girl, Francesca! The way she prayed for me eh! Bless you babes, love you lots!

Photos time!

Getting ready to set off, briefing done…. He’s been jumping out of planes for 30 years! Totally loves his job!

Brace position… I remember the last thought in my head was ‘Dear Lord you know I love you lots and today is my birthday…’ lol!

We dropped out of the plane at 13, 000 feet!! Incredible!!!

It was raining little ice droplets so he covered my face to protect me…

See what the wind did to my face!!! Incredible! And so cold! But super amazing!!!!

We were having fun here, I even got to steer the parachute for a bit!

Touch down baby!!!! Whoop!!!

Grateful for an amazing ride!!! I must do this again!!!!

Hang on, there’s a video!

Amazing feeling!!! Whoop!! Strike that off my bucket list baby!!!! Did I mention there was a bet for £1000 that I wouldn’t do the dive? Pay up already!!

Ok, when I climbed down from the high the dive put me on, I made my way back into London and met @Tomi_Ola, who came in just to spend the day with me… We shopped for a dress, and she styled me for dinner. Thank you babes!!!

Massive thank you to the ladies who came out to dinner tonight – Tokes, Ruona, Anino, Khadi, Deborah, Jacque, and Funbi! And to Bankole for the cameo, I’m so grateful all of you came out!! Thanks for the laughs, the gifts, and the beautiful cards!!! Send the pictures so I can update this already!

Ahhh! We took a selfie on the escalator… Wanna see? Of course you do!

I see a toothpaste advert in our future! Do you?

Bed time now (not quite, I’m still so excited) but I’m grateful to everyone who in one way or the other, contributed to my having such an amazing day. My parents, my sister, brothers and nephew, Wumi, Tokes, Anino, love you all to bits!

Best birthday ever!

 

 

Another one bites the dust…

Cory Monteith. Michael Jackson. Whitney Houston. What two things do these names have in common? Fame/wealth. Undisputed access to tons and tons of money, acclaim, all that good stuff.

The second thing is illicit drugs/death. Whatever it is they snorted, smoked, injected or inhaled, it led to their death, and very early too. Cory Monteith was 31, Michael Jackson was 50. Talk about lives being cut short.

Exactly one week ago, when I heard Philip Seymour Hoffman had been found dead on the 2nd of February with a needle still stuck in his arm and heroin (a special type called ‘Ace of Spades’) in packets around him, I was sad, then angry, then sad, and angry all over again.

Sad – he died young, he was just 46. He was very popular too, an Oscar award winner, and recently starred in Hunger Games (which by the way I have never watched and don’t think I will ever see because I don’t like fight fight).

Angry – are there not enough examples to prove that drugs are a sure way to die early?

Sad – heartbroken for his family, his wife/partner and their three young children. His parents, and the stigma of being related to the person ‘who died with a needle in his arm’.

Angry – what on earth made him go back to drugs after 23 years of being drug free? Whatever could have entered him all over again? They say his drugs could have been laced with something else. Ok, but why take them in the first place? Why?

I’m sure I could go the sad and angry route a few more times, but I won’t.

Psychologists say anything you do for 30 days becomes a habit – this man had been drug free for at least 8280 days! Then according to a report I read, he started abusing prescription pills, graduated to heroin, and then on to this substance that took his life.

I chatted with someone recently, and he told me the amount of thanks and gratitude he got because he gave him a $5 tip. 5 dollars. Reports say just weeks ago the now late Seymour withdrew $1200 from an ATM to pay for these drugs. $1200 on drugs when the next man is almost throwing a party because he was gifted 5 bucks.

Here’s another reason why I am angry – a child is attracted by the flickering light of a candle, and they want to touch it. Most times we let them because we know once it hurts them that first time, they most likely will not go back to it again. ‘Most likely’ because children have the attention span of a goldfish! Bless them.

23 years after, did he forget? Did he become so wealthy that he felt that the drugs would ‘fear/respect his money’ and not harm him? What was he thinking? The Bible says that the things that are written are unto us for examples.

Just like I wrote the ‘learn from it, don’t be it‘ post when Cory Monteith died, I’m writing again  – say NO to drugs. Say No, and mean it so much that whoever asked you before will be convinced you are not interested. You shouldn’t even be friends with such people in the first place!

RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman.

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Aberdeen baby!!! My thank yous…

I love visiting places, meeting new people, and having fun… Most of all, I like to sit down after a period has passed and just say a massive thank you to people who have been there for me one way or the other! So whether it’s for being a part of my blog, thanking my bosom buddies for standing by us when Daddy launched the first offerings from the God Wants You Series, or even much recently, every one person who has been a pillar of support with the passing of my darling aunty, I like to say thank you. I really do.

And so, this post says a massive thank you to Lanzo and Fran for opening their doors to host each and every one of us who came from far and near to celebrate gorgeous Talia’s birthday. Thank you for lodging me (errr, we’re agreed on The Marriott for next time right), thank you for feeding us, thank you for making us feel welcome.

Thank you Fran for being such a wonderful person. You know (and I must have said this a lot of times already), last time we saw physically was 2001 in secondary school. Yes we did that interview about your make-up artistry but it was purely on merit, was about me loving the fabulous work that you do. And so when I said I was going to come down, I was excited, but at the same time I worried that so much time had passed, personalities might have changed, and all of that. But nope! Rock star you were, rock star you still are! With no airs, the right amounts of English, and hilarious Igbo!! Not an awkward moment, and I must say again, you have the best friends anyone could wish for.

Am I sounding really cheesy yet?

Thank you to the lovely Leanne, Irresistible Ikenna, Uber Cool Uchenna, Learned Lanzo, Kind Kadia, Potato (or was it popcorn) Paul, Mesmerizing Miles, and what was Prince’s one? It was my pleasure meeting you guys, I wish you the best in everything you do, and I hope that we can all catch up again soon!

Aberdeen was fab! Whoop!!

P:S – One more post (full of pictures)  and then I’ll lock up Aberdeen till Fran has another baby! I just really need the photos and that video (especially that)!!

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