It’s Alright To Fail …..

Posted on 21. Aug, 2010 by Lounge Lady in Highlights

I am absolutely in love with the story told so passionately by Martina McBride in her song   - A Broken Wing, the message is so deep and has an unforgettable hold on the mind.

It’s an amazing comeback story and an inspiration to those who like me sometimes feel trapped in a chicken’s skin, flapping when they ought to be soaring. And after a long, hard try want to give up, go curl up, have a deep sleep and wish it will all be gone by daybreak.

Truth be told, many times we really do mess up , and so we get knocked down, knocked out and caged by the monsters we have created.

History banks stories of great falls – men and women who failed to plan, who consulted their greed, who embraced indiscipline, who moved with the wrong company, and who despised good judgment. People who had it all and lost it all.

Sometimes the meltdown comes perceptibly, day by day we notice deterioration and the gradual downward twist, and yet we do not make haste to get a grip before it crashes. We cuddle what we once denounced, we query what we once deemed, and we obliterate our boundaries. We find a home in the fleeting pleasures of self destroying indulgence, where there is neither white nor black, hot nor cold, here nor there.

We smell a rat and yet do not set a trap; we hear a roar and fail to position our guns. We see the rising tide and fail to stack the sandbags, so like a bully that has been dared, it comes in with an unforgiving swiftness, washing away our most precious possessions.

Failure could also come out of the blue, changing all that we have known in an instant. Not necessarily because we messed up but because no matter how hard we try, life sometimes try our elastic limits by pushing us to the dead end of a cliff.  It hopes that like humpty dumpty we will have a great fall, shatter into a million pieces and never get our acts together again.

So a good marriage hits the rocks, a child comes out of wedlock,  a million dollars business idea fails, cancer raises its head, death snatches a loved one,  access to a dreamland is denied,  and blah, blah, blah

J.K Rowling must know how it feels to be at the edge of the cliff. After years of a stormy marriage she became a divorced, unemployed, single and struggling mother living on public assistance program.  She had failed attempts at a successful writing career; she battled with fits of clinical depression, contemplated suicide, and had to face other life challenges that were determined to keep her bound in obscurity.

Life then gave her another chance, she found inspiration in the most unlikely place – on a wobbly bus ride home and motivation even in her grieve. She dared to dream again, spreading out her broken wings, fly she did fly! From the depths of woe to the peak of wow, and to the world’s amazement came the unmatched Harry Porter series!

As long as we have a genuine desire for change and work hard towards it , there sure will be a second chance, a third, a forth, a fifth, a sixth and even a seventh!

Whatever the setback has been, self-made, others-made or life-made, it’s time to pick up the message in the mess, ignore those who feast on others distresses, pack the shame, frustration and guilt in a box, tape it tight around all its edges and fling it into a garbage can where it belongs. Don’t wait till when you can turn the whole 180 degrees at once to make a change, you can start by taking the first conscious, calculated and consistent step in the right direction, believing that tides do turn and things do change for sure.

Ultimately, it’s not those who fell that are down and out, it’s those who fell, stayed down and allowed others to trample on them. They are the real losers.

Here is an inspiring video of Derek Redmond, a man who refused to give up. It is dedicated to all those who feel down today. Its a must watch!

photo credit – Karin Dreyer

Writer  – Shola Okubote

Femme Lounge Partners With YBW! 2010

Posted on 14. Jun, 2010 by Lounge Lady in Highlights

(LAGOS, Nigeria, June 11, 2010) Femme Lounge, a vibrant online magazine for young women with a focus on personal growth and conscious living, today announced its partnership with You’re Beautiful, Woman 2010

YBW 2010 is an annual event honoring black beauty and black women in the UK. Now in its third year, YBW 2010 will be bigger and better than ever with award winning Television presenter Rhoda Wilson as the host of this year’s event; and the exclusive premiere of the YBW! Documentary “What Makes The Black Woman Beautiful”.

You’re Beautiful, Woman is produced by a team of six fabulous business women; Ronke Adeyemi, Sophia Jackson, Aderonke Lawal, Angel Smith, Lillian Ogbogoh, and Margaret Udofia. The dream team is made up of successful professional and entrepreneurial black women from different backgrounds. They amass a wide variety of skills in marketing, PR, hair care, event management, graphic design and journalism. Shola Okubote, the publisher of Femme Lounge says it’s an exciting opportunity to work with these passionate women in delivering the much anticipated YBW! 2010.

As a media partner, Femme Lounge will cover the event through its various online forums and features on its website leading up to the event on August 7^th 2010.  According to the PR/Marketing Manager for YBW!, Ronke Lawal, Femme Lounge is a good choice for the YBW Team because the magazine fits in well with the event and the two brands compliment each other.

About YBW 2010 – Just one day after the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing; a group of successful Beautiful black women came together on the 9^th August 2008 to organize a wonderful event celebrating women’s beauty in all its forms.  From Black Hair care to foot care, from spiritual well being to fashion this event held at The Imperial War Museum and it was a huge success. Now in its third year, YBW! will be held on August 7^th 2010 at The Highgate Newtown Community Centre in Highgate – from 10am until 5pm – the event will have a similar structure as 2009’s however there will be a special screening of the YBW film and a panel debate with Award winning TV presenter Rhoda Wilson hosting the event.For more information, visit http://www.yourebeautifulwoman.com

About Femme Lounge – It started as monthly inspirational emails to friends and friends’ friends, and then went a bit further to become a lively Facebook Group and now it has grown even bigger to an online magazine!

Femme Lounge has captivated thousands of women from 116 countries in just few months, by inspiring them with insights, ideas and practical guide to becoming a better person every day. It is fast becoming a vibrant online community and a place for young women from different walks of life to share knowledge and experiences on various topics. Femme Lounge encourages young women to stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles, and chose to enjoy every step of their unique life journeys , to make the most of all their resources no matter how seemingly insignificant, without holding back all they can give, do or be. For more information, visit http://www.femmelounge.org

Shola Okubote

Posted on 25. Jan, 2010 by Lounge Lady in Highlights

Shola?

I am a woman on a journey,  I am not where I want to be yet but I am working hard at it and i know I will get there soon! I stopped pacing the aisles and counting the miles, I chose to enjoy every step of the journey , to make the most of all my resources no matter how seemingly insignificant, without holding back all I can give, do or be.

Writing?

I  write  pieces on women’s personal growth and general lifestyle issues for print and online magazines as a part-time writer. I look forward to being a part of the editorial team of an international women’s lifestyle magazine, and having a women’s column in a daily newspaper.

So far my articles have been published in

• Fab Magazine
• New African Woman Magazine
• Naija Times
• True Love West Africa Magazine
• Exquisite Magazine
• Ninety Nine Magazine
• Elonn Magazine
• Poize Magazine
• Motherhood Instyle Magazine
• Timeless Magazine
• Femme Lounge

Femme Lounge?

It started as monthly inspirational emails to friends and friends’ friends, and then went a bit further to a vibrant Facebook Group and now we have grown even bigger to an online magazine! Who knows how far this could still go?

Hobbies?

I enjoy reading magazines, watching TV especially talk shows and spending time with my five sisters and four nieces! I love tea, and coke and rice in all its variety!

Passion?

I am passionate about international development and women issues.

iKnowForSure?

Tides turn and things do change, that iKnowForSure

Small is Big!

lol!, Small is Big is my first attempt at writing something close to a book, it’s an eBook of few pages, just trying to put an important lesson I learnt into words and surprisingly the feedback has been amazing.

To  Download Your Free Copy  of  Small is Big!, Enter Your  Email Address Below and Click The Download Button.

Total Parenting Magazine!

Posted on 16. Dec, 2009 by Lounge Lady in Highlights

Most parents I know would choose their children over their jobs and over many other exciting things in their lives,  but it is interesting that despite our love for these children, some of us spend more time getting ourselves equipped with the right skills for our jobs than we do to learn about how to raise our kids!

Total Parenting is a new Nigerian magazine that is here to help us by promoting practical parenting and lifestyle to fit modern living and providing useful information that makes families functional. Their articles and interviews cover a wide range of topics such as; understanding child’s growth and development, effective communication with children, building good relationship with children, supporting our children through hard times, and  how to take care of ourselves as a parents.

The Editor, Emily Bauer is from the state of Missouri, also a mother of two who was forced to raise her sister’s daughter together with her two kids due to her sister’s ill health at the time. She grew to appreciate family and parenting and even though she was very young when she had her set of twins, she acknowledged the societal need for family ties, where she got the drive to write and be involved with anything that has to do with family and parenting.

She is currently writing a book on family and its roots.

These are few of the many interesting topics in the latest edition of Total Parenting;

• Father’s perspective on labor
• Ten reasons to really quit smoking
• Understanding learning disabilities in children
• The new rule book on kid’s nutrition
• Advantages of child spacing
• Kids and music
• How to live large on less
• Child education – never too early
• Sex during pregnancy – the myths, fact and stats

Copies are now available at;

LAGOS:

1. Shoprite
2. Game @ the Palms
3. Vendors:
4. Maryland
5. Ikeja
6. Victoria Island

PORTHARCOURT:

1. Vendors
2. International Magazines, No. 15 ohaeto street, Dline, PortHarcourt

ABUJA:

1. Vendors
2. Sahad Stores, Area 11
3. 212 Stores, Maitama
4. Pacotex Stores, Area 11 Shopping Mall
5. Celebrations Gift stores, Wuse II
6. Pen & Pages, Wuse II
7. Blinkers Supermarket, Asokoro
8. Vendor opposite Big bites
9. Hello News Agency, Wuse Market
10. Cradle 2 Crayon School, Maitama
11. Angelic Care Hospital, Garki 2
12. Doveland School, Jabi
13. Treasurehouse School, Asokoro
14. New Capital School, Asokoro
15. Glisten School, jabi
16. Loream International School, Maitama
17. Garki General Hospital, Garki

KADUNA:

1. Vendors

CONTACT DETAILS

A4, Dove Court Estate, Utako, Abuja

www.total-parenting.com

info@total-parenting.com

08096855597, 08191446014

Join Us on Facebook  Group

A Peek!

Motherhood Instyle Magazine

Posted on 15. Dec, 2009 by Lounge Lady in Highlights

Mothering is a challenging job and you need to be equipped with the right information to do it well,  that is why Motherhood Instyle, a new  lifestyle magazine for  mothers and pregnant women is here to help  you through the rough patches and celebrate the great joys of being a mother with you.

It is a comprehensive parental magazine that is focused on pregnancy, childbirth,  babies , toddlers, preschoolers,  child development and training, and  also on the general lifestyle of mothers, with the mission to offer practical answers to the many questions parents ask .

According to the Publisher/Editor of Motherhood Instyle, Pauline Rumm, -  “we have been working all round the clock to make it easy for mothers to combine motherhood and style, and  the magazine has been designed for all mums and dads  irrespective of age, race, culture, discipline and religion “

The first issue  features the beautiful actor, script writer and producer,  Omoni Oboli who is a passionate yummy mummy of  three adorable boys.  She talks  on how she combines a gorgeous look,  a successful career, marriage and motherhood.

These are few of the many interesting topics in this edition;

• Sex During Pregnancy – Men’s Perspective
• Tantrum: Don’t lose Your Poise
• Household Chores  – Giving Your Child Little Responsibilites
• Respect My Child:  Hear Parents Talk
• Interview With Mothers  (celebrity , entreprenuer, career mum, stay at home,  trader)
• 5 Things You Should Never Say To Your Kids
• Honey! I Am Pregnant!:  Four Women Tell Us Their Husbands First Reaction!
• Yummy Mummies – Fabulous Fashion Pages
• Mummy Makeover – Extreme Makeover For a Preggie!

Copies are in available   at;

1. Oasis Supermarket, Opic plaza, Ikeja
2. Kingdom Bookshop Foursquare Gospel church, Omole Estate
3. Bookworm Bookshop, Sweet sensation, Adeola Odeku
4. TerraKulture, Tiamiyu Savage, VI
5. Silverbird Lifestyle, Silverbird Galleria,
6. The Hub, The Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki
7. Laterna Bookshop, Oko Awo Close, VI
8. Cuteman Pharmacy, ASG Plaza, Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, Abuja
9. EMAB Plaza Wuse 2, Abuja

Contact Motherhood Instyle -  info@motherhoodinstyle.net , 07042479001 , 07042479007

Facebook  Group - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=324198892750

A Peek!

iKnowForSure

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by Lounge Lady in Highlights

In the world without and our lives within, there is so much that is confusing and contradictory. Many voices counsel, many forces pressure, many things tempt. We need to constantly remind ourselves of the values, beliefs and morals that shape our essence and strengthen our foundations. We need to delve deeper into our own personality, get to know our inner self by exploring higher thoughts and tapping into our most positive energy.

Eight young women reiterate to themselves and share with us, One Thing They Know For Sure. Below are their STATEMENTS OF CONFIDENCE:

For submissions for iKnowForSure, send your picture, name, occupation, country and one thing you KnowForSure to info@femmelounge.org

If you need a little guideline on how to express what you know for sure, see these examples below:

1. Tides turn and things do change, iKnowForSure. - Sade Adeobi (Marketer, Nigeria)

2. iKnowForSure that beyond this pretty face, I am nurturing, intelligent and visionary. - Kate Abbey (Fashion Designer, USA)

3. If we pay more attention to building our families, it will be easier to solve the societal problems, iKnowForSure - Tope Adesoji (Business Analyst, UK)

4. I am a good daughter, sister and friend, iKnowForSure I will make a good mother. - Ami Kareem (Student, Ghana)

5. When we love, iKnowForSure that we shall be found and then we shall be known. - Nneka Nwokorie (Homemaker, Nigeria)

MARKETPLACE

Posted on 26. Aug, 2009 by Lounge Lady in Highlights

Get the info you need on diverse products, services and events specially tailored to meet a woman’s various needs.

To advertise your products/ services on this page, please see the Advertise page.

25 Random Things About Me

Posted on 25. Aug, 2009 by Lounge Lady in Highlights

25 Random Things About Yomi

My name is Yomi Adu. Here goes my random 25 (it took me months to write this, now am feeling like an author..heheh!)

1. It took me a long time to discover that they don’t pluck coke from trees (since I saw them everywhere I just kinda concluded coke grew on trees).

2- When I was 12, I made lotions from toilet soaps soaked in water and I would rub it on my body all day long (who says I am not a cosmetologist?).

3- I hate football, so if you are my boyfriend you might wanna enjoy watching while it lasts, on second thoughts, if I choose to like it, I’d be an arsenal fan cos I kinda like their red jersey.

4- I am annoyingly clumsy, if you know a good diagnosis, this is the right time to speak out.

5- I can’t resist a mirror, reflective surface would also do, and I check myself out at given opportunity I get. I also love taking pictures of myself, you should see my album, (soft and hard copy).

6- I can’t get enough of cartoon network and Disney channel, is this sign of rejuvenation?

7- I believe in heaven and hell, scary sometimes to know there’s no comfortable place in between those two locations.

8- I have an old crush on Usher Raymond that won’t go away….lol! …seriously!

9- My driving sucks.

10- I joke a lot, I like laughing out loud and having fun, I wish people get paid for that.

11- I have a degree in teasing people. if u know what I mean

12- I am like 95% shy but people don’t notice that much.

13- I love making friends, good and bad.

14- I think babies are fascinating, I get goose bumps sometimes when I watch them play especially the really cute ones.

15- I have tattoos on my right arm that says ‘’ BEWARE OF ABOKI BIKES ’’ you might wanna take that advice too… lol (9JA ONLY)

16 I used to be in a dance group some 8 years ago, it is still one of the best times I had in the university.

17 I have never had a pet before, I would love a cat but am afraid I have not met the right one that gives me that ‘take me home’ look

18 Did I mention that I love cakes and chocolates! Can’t have enough of them.

19 I like helping people when am in the position to, it kinda makes me feel like God.

20 Sometimes I call people up with hidden numbers just to hear their voices especially when we just had a fight (now don’t blame your next creepy stalker beeps on me… heheh..!) (evil laughs!!!)

21- I’m officially running out of points in case you’ve not noticed which reminds me of one thing about myself- I get bored easily, and sometimes can’t make a quick decision.

22- I find it hard to read long articles, a book has to be really interesting for me to finish it (can’t remember the last timeI did thou)…okay, I know that sucks but there’s nothing I can do about it.

23- I love singing, am considering giving myself a Grammy sometime for having such a lovely voice. No beefs allowed here pls. lol!

24- I have a problem with keeping in touch, thank God for Facebook walls and super pokes.

25- The sound of ‘goodbyes’ make me cry (shrrrr) but I don’t think am that emotional anyways.