15 July 2015

CELEBRATING GH ARTIST-JASPER


Today is all about art and Id like to introduce you to a budding Ghanaian artist.





-Tell us about yourself
My name is Jasper Kyei(of JaspArt), a graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah university of science and technology where i majored in painting.I love to paint as much as i love to eat!

-Why did you choose painting?
 Panting has always been my thing.As a child,it was the one thing that made me very happy and it still does.Also,id like to say that art chose me and not the other way round.

-What kind of paintings do you do?
I am very versatile but if i had to pin down one area,id say i do mostly abstract or semi abstract.

-What/who motivates you?
I'm highly motivated by my mentor, teacher and artist Mr James Nii Adjei Ala.
Additionally,I'm intrigued by objects I find in my locality and in this contemporary era it is less complex to use different materials in a piece.

-What is your niche as an artist?
As an artist I love to use bright colours and lines in most paintings that I do. It is similar to Takashi Murakami's works which have colour and play. I also pick objects because of their rich historical content.

-What is your opinion on art in Ghana?

In Ghana art has not really gone through radical changes. The conscious effort to preserve a culture has brought a slow development in the arts.
Artworks are thereby marginalized by many since it really doesn't connect to their daily activities. 

ABSTRACTS/SEMI ABSTRACTS
NO FOOD ON THE TABLE
COOL FACES


HILL TOP


THE RACE OF LIFE

STRUCTURES

HILL AFTER THE STORM

SHOOTING PETALS

 You can contact Jasper for your personalised paintings on www.google.com/+JasperKyei or jasperkyei2014@gmail.com



14 July 2015

Question of the Day-Name change after marriage


Would you ever take your wife's surname(last-name)? or Ladies, would you prefer your husband takes your surname instead?

My friend put up an article on his blog titled 'WHY SHOULD I TAKE MY WIFE'S NAME'.This article paved way for a  debate which is still ongoing. I would like to know what you guys think about it.But before that,let me give you  a summary of my argument and his argument.

His argument
He is the only son of his father and would want to continue his fathers heritage.Besides,culturally, he is expected to do it.Also,since he is the one paying her dowry,it is only right that she takes his last name.

My argument
I don't think it is a big deal for you to take your wife's surname. What if she is also the only surviving child of her parents and has to keep her Father's legacy alive?Besides,its not about keeping your father's legacy alive but starting your own legacy.What then do i think  is the best solution to this brouhaha?Compound names!That way you get to keep your name and add your husbands name to it. And the best part of it all, your children get to have both your names!! :-)

What do you think about this issue? Are you for or against the motion and why?


Enjoy!







image source-google images


13 July 2015

Can you relate...?


Hi everyone!
Hope we are doing well and the week started on a great note. well,how many of us love/loved video games(i know i do!). For all you game lovers,i saw this on Facebook and thought to share with you. Can you relate???
   

I loved video games and i still do. i can totally relate with everything that has been mentioned.lol.Especially,the tilting of the body!!!(great memories!)
i know some of you did/do this.Which ones can you relate to?


image sources-facebook.com/google images

12 July 2015

HAPPY SUNDAY!

Its the day of the sun and where i am, the sun is blazing hot!So, in the spirit of celebrating our Lords day and the day of the sun,let us remember to love and be kind to one another.And "have some laughs" as well!



This is so me!*big grin*
 


ENJOY!








image source-google images

11 July 2015

Quote of the day





A couple of days ago,i was at the lowest point of my life and everything wasnt going on as planned. But then remembering the quotes above made me realise that life is not a race. Its never how you start but how you finish.

live for today and enjoy the moment!





*image source-google images

10 July 2015

Why I love my Country-Ghana



I am a Ghanaian-proudly Ghanaian!and there are many reasons why i love my country some of which are very funny.

#The food!

banku and tilapia

plantain and beans










Of course i had to start with food. Whats there not ot love about food?I  love Ghanaian food.From rice and groundnut soup to banku and tilapia.You just got to love Ghanaian food!My favourite of the lot is Kenkey with assorted fried fish and pepper. The kind of pleasure i get from eating it....mmmmmmm...I wouldnt give it u for all the rice in China!
kenkey and fried fish with pepper and shito


#The People
Always smiling
Ghanaian's are such lovely people.What is there not to love about us? 98% of the time, someone is willing to help you. One thing that is synonymous with Ghanaian's is hospitality and be rest assured that when you are in Ghana, you wont feel like a foreigner.

Also, Ghanaian's are very hilarious! They find humour in every serious situation and make it look trivial. The current ECG #dumsorcrises (light out) is a perfect example of how Ghanaians find humour in serious situations













#The way people give directions

It is never house no1 orange street in "Applewood estates" but rather 'when you get to the junction you would see a roasted plantain seller, right next to her is a blue kiosk. Go behind the blue kiosk and go straight down,you will see a house with a tall mango tree.Ask anyone you see there for bro kwesi. they will bring you to my house". How will you ever get to a place if you are given such directions?its little wonder we always get lost when looking for places!lol

#You too can be a celebrity

It is only in Ghana you can become a celebrity just by appearing in an advert or one movie. Who wouldnt want that? #offtobecomeacelebrity

# Blue kiosk

There is a "spot" or "blue kiosk" in every corner where people can go and unwind after a long day or go and get a 'boost' to start the day

#Greenwich Mean Time also known as Ghana Man Time(GMT)

In Ghana,when you are invited for a program, you don't have to be there at the stipulated time . No one is ever on time or in time. When you are going for a program,make sure you use your GhanaMan Time(GMT) otherwise.... Don't say i didn't warn you ooh!

#Party/Weddings/Outdoorings

You don't need an invitation to go for a party, wedding or outdooring. As long as you heard someone talk about the date and venue, you can go there and eat as much as you want!


This is why I love my country.These and many more is why i love being Ghanaian!
Share with me why you love your country






image sources-google images

09 July 2015

WHEN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM EFFS YOU UP


It is very sad how our educational system works these days.'Sad' is not the right word in this context, i think its best to say frustrating. So it is frustrating how our education system works these days;It is frustrating how rotten it is;It is frustrating how corrupt the system is! Some people spend their whole time in school struggling to study to make good grades. these people barely have a social life because they want to stay on top of their class and keep their grades up. On the other hand, some people just breeze through school. Get all the A's without having to study or attend a single lecture or tutorial just because they know someone at the top!or they are sleeping with someone at the top!In the end these people who burnt the midnight candle cant even get jobs after school even with all their good grades. What then is the point of being studious? What reward does one even get after being the best they can be in school?

I am upset today!Very upset! All through my schooling years, I have managed to stay on top of my class(by the Grace of God). Never had any  favors handed to me because i knew someone or because my father is a 'somebody' in society. I worked my butt off to graduate with a 1st class and it wasn't that easy because i did a combined major(Political Science and French).Just as everyone who hopes to be a lawyer in this country someday,I sat for the law school entrance exam and i really hoped to make it through. Even before i sat for the exam, people kept telling me that the system is rigged and if i do not know anybody to help me through, i should just forget it. I didn't think it was that serious and i thought i could make it through based on merit. Well, I guess i was wrong and they were right after all. When the pass list came out today,my name was not on it. My first thought was that maybe, i didn't do well after all.But i couldn't shrug of the feeling that something wasn't right and my name deserved to be on that list. I mean,   i wrote my heart out during the exam and unless of course they tell me my paper wasn't good enough based on content of the essay(which i really doubt),then i don't know what criteria they used in grading the papers. I am really at sea here. Not to brag but the content of my essay was good,my grammar was on point. My punctuation's were in check, i dotted my "i's " and crossed my "t's", but I digress.
I went through the entire list again and  saw the names of people i knew who had made it through. At first i was jealous that they made it and i didn't. But then i realised that some of these people i knew could barely string words together to make a meaningful sentence in English- in writing or speech. I also saw the name of one guy who had been bragging about how he had connections in high places. i mean, i studied with this guy for entry into an MA program and he could barely tell the difference between 'is' and 'was'-and he was chosen over me? As i stood there looking at the list with tears streaming down my eyes, i thought to myself, why cant they be fair?why does the system have to be rigged? why do they have to cause so much pain to people who are genuinely smart and deserve to do the programme? Why do they have to let in some half wits who barely know what they are about in and overlook the smart ones? Some of the smartest people i know never made it to the university /law school simply because they didn't know anyone.Even my dad who finally became a lawyer after many years didn't make it in the first time he applied. Why oh why? why is the system so effed up? If the selection process was clear and transparent then just maybe i wouldn't be ranting about this. I mean, why is it that our half baked educational system always give priority to you based on who you know and not what you know? Even  countries that have better educational systems and policies do not do that. I was accepted to study in one of the best universities in France,Sciences PO, and i got in not because i knew anybody but because of my academic record . However, i cant go because one of  my lecturers didn't send in my academic reference thereby preventing me from getting a scholarship. 

I resent the system, i want there to be a change.Even as i type this with tears still streaming down my eyes and anger in my heart, i am hopeful that someday it would get better. Someday, i wouldn't have to know anyone to get into a graduate programme in a Ghanaian university or get a job.I am sure things would look up for me.After the storm comes a rainbow and there will definitely be a rainbow in my sky.

Thank you for rejecting me University of Ghana law faculty.You didn't break me, you only made me stronger and confirmed what people have been saying about you .
And like a wise man once said to me- "tough times makes tough people". I will be tough! and I will make it with God on my side.











image source-google images

08 July 2015

That Natural Hair life!





I am yet to understand this natural hair obsession!Everyone i know has cut their hair and is going on and on about #team natural.
No! I am not hating on people with natural hair..don't get me wrong..I am a proud natural sistah myself! So what am i going on about?
Well, i am just amazed how this natural hair businness has blown up!Everyone claims to be a connoisseur of natural hair-recommending this product or the other. Some people i know have decided to buy every single natural hair product they come across and yet their hair is not looking any healthier and neither is it growing!
Another thing i find fascinating is how people can leave their hair unkempt all in the name of a natural hair style. Jeez!I know its been said somewhere that we should embrace our natural hair and love it, but girl,' if the style aint making you look prim and proper,don't do it!' There is nothing avant garde about it when your hair looks like that of someone who has gone bonkers!I was at the mall sometime ago and saw this girl with a full head of natural hair. i am not too sure what the style she had on is called,but her hair looked kinda like this----->
just kidding
She looked unkempt!it looked like she hadn't combed her hair in days and i was wondering " what was she thinking"? 'Didn't anyone say anything to her before she left home! I don't even want to get started on people who wear their twist outs and two strand twists for weeks until its way over grown!Having natural hair doesnt mean you can leave your hair to look just any how because its stylish! People, your hair is your crowning glory!it has to look good!whew!*long sigh*

That being said,i have seen a number of people with very beautiful natural hair!Some natural sistahs just know how to work their hair!I have complemented a few people over how good their hair looked.

Unfortunately, i cant work my hair!i do not know how to style it so its always in braids or under wigs. Whenever i dont have braids on, i do two strand twists at the salon.
Having natural hair shouldnt cost you a fortune in salon or cream buying expenses.You dont need all the oils in the world or hair growth pills . I use shea butter and my hair loves it!You just need to find what works for you and stick with it.Being a product junkie will not help you!I am no expert on natural hair so id leave you in the hands of some able natural sistahs..You can find  links t their blogs here....
Ghanaian Empress blackgirl long hair african naturalista ghanaian naturals


To the natural sistahs in the house, I see you all!What tips and tricks do you use for your natural hair?

NB-THIS IS NOT TO RANT ABOUT NATURAL HAIR



Well,just  maybe it is a rant after all! :-)





image sources-google images

07 July 2015

Inspire Series- Mr Leslie Nelson



During my graduation ceremony last year November, we were privileged to have Mr Leslie Nelson,General manager of General Electrics power business across Africa the as the guest speaker. Mr Nelsons  speech was the best commencement speech  i have heard and i have been to a lot of graduation ceremonies!.

With his words, he inspired me to get up and make a change and not only that, but to also believe in myself even if no one else does. I learnt so much from him that day and i was just awed by how intelligent he was.Eight months after graduation, i still remember his "Nelson Eight rules of wisdom" and the lessons i learnt from it.I have read the speech so many times that i am sure i can recite it like a poem now. I would like to share with you the parts of the speech which resonated deeply within me and hopefully, it would inspire someone to do something great with his life.Read on and be inspired


  • Be who you want to be. Define your own future broaden your horizons take on tough assignments. Dont always do the easy stuff, travel. Explore challenge yourself and be ready to seize the opportunities when they reveal themselves 10 years ago when i wrote the essay to apply to business school i mentioned that in 10 years i wanted to be the MD for a multinational company in Africa. As fate would have it i made it in 9 years. The lesson here is if you seize the chances when they emerge you can direct your own future. Think big. Stay focused and always keep your eye on your dreams