A Night at IHOP
I'm not going to insult anyone's intelligence and try to explain what IHOP is, if you truly don't know, that's totally fine too, please google it. Funny introduction, hi guysJ. This is a story and might I apologize in advance a long one, of my "spiritual" (you will see why, although I must say it could come off as blasphemous) journey with the book Eat, Pray, Love. I promise it will be an interesting read, at least I hope, in my head it's all kind of hilarious.
The day started with a certain kind of calm for me, I don't call it a mood, others might, but I'm just in a place where I am calm, don't feel like talking to anybody, but I'm not sad, neither am I happy I guess, I'm just calm. Today was better than most days though because I prayed, that's been difficult over the past couple days so I was glad about that, but again somewhere in the middle of my prayers, my mind drifts as it always does, I start to think of the most irrelevant things one could think of, I reprimand myself, refocus and finish my prayers as quickly as possible. I decide to blog and listen to the loads of new music I had recently downloaded, two things I hadn't done in a while. I had made a decision the night before to try my hands at new things like yoga classes or art classes, but a quick search of the internet showed that the best things in life are not all entirely free. Next step then was to find a bookstore that had "Eat Pray Love" as at this point author unknown. You see I don't rbr authors, I hardly ever remember the title of the book, and I just pick it up and read. My favorite authors John Grisham, Ken Folliet (you all need to read his book The Third Twin), Danielle Steel etc I rbr because I read their books often enough I began to recognize their style of writing, I could tell you a Nora Roberts novel if you just told me the plot. I should tell you that I was surprised I even wanted to read this book. You see I am somewhat of a snob, I don't take well to someone's recommendation of a blog, a book, a movie, a song, whatever, the only exception being my bro and he had said he thought it would be much better than the movie (my findings from previous book turned movies experience confirms this as truth), he also said to watch the girl with the dragon tattoo and also read the book. I always listen to my bro, well almost always, because I did get the book, started the movie but just couldn't finish it, imma wait for the American version. iDigress. I call the 1st bookstore, they don't have it, the 2nd does and so I tell them to hold a copy for me (the girl with a dragon tattoo was more of a last minute decision). I decide that in the spirit of the book I am about to read, I deserve a hearty meal, I was craving moi –moi, so I call the family friend to find out where to get some, call the bestfriend to see if she wants some, she does. So first we stop at the bookstore, get the books and proceed to get the food, in totally opposite directions I might add (it looked better than it tasted), did some grocery shopping, got home ate and proceed to start the book. One page later I'm fast asleep. No the book wasn't boring as is obvious by my writing somewhat of an ode to it and in retrospect it was a genius move, cos it allowed for what will end up being one of the best nights of my life. Btw it's apt to say here that in my opinion the only difference between me and Elizabeth Gilbert (I find out her name a quarter ways through reading this book btw) is how we look at food. You see I hate food, can't try anything new, like why the hell will I want to try intestines of an animal. Yuck. But she is willing and able to eat anything and loves food. I am slightly envious of her for this.
But this is where the real story begins. I start reading the book and I'm amazed. She writes like I do. She is writing in 1st person "I" and it's interesting. I have always faulted my ability to be a good writer, because I cannot my remove my person from the character, hence even my stories sound like it's about me when it could totally be a fib. How was I ever going to write a bestselling novel, if the story is written in 1st person always? And if I was even able to pull it off, it will only be that one book; there could never be a 2nd, 3rd, 4th book. This theory probably still holds btw, I would have to read all that she is ever written and see that she wrote this way all the time for me to believe this possible. Upon this realization I looked at the time its 10:26pm and realize this is not going to work, I couldn't read this book in this house, cos unless I was in the bathroom, I couldn't have the lights on as everybody was getting ready to sleep. Quickly I make a decision, I need a 24hr spot to read this book, and I need to study this book. What I really wanted to do was get a highlighter and highlight the parts that resonated in me but if there is anything I hate, its highlighting a book, especially new ones, it's almost as bad as underlining verses in the bible(not that I haven't done it, just hate it). I tell BB, what I am about to do, and he asks the obvious question, do you have to finish the book tonight? What would you do tomorrow? (You are afterall jobless his head is obviously telling him). He comes up with conclusion afterwards "you are a weirdo", lol, a fact that I have never denied. I am like that, I have sudden urges; I have sudden desires, to be honest if I was born with money I often wonder what I would have gotten myself into. Two reasons why he did not pull the boyfriend card on me and graciously ask me not to go with the unspoken message being if you say no you lose points is that he was mad tired for one and secondly when he called to I'm sure ask, he heard the excitement in my voice, and knowing that I haven't been that excited in a minute he let me be. I quickly say bye and send him to bed before he gets some energy to argue and I get bbm a second later "Be safe, send me a bbm when you get home". I did. "Just got home babe, perfectly safe, will tell you about it later in the day. P.s I am crazy about you for what it's worth. #kthanksbye.muuuuaahh". I quickly close the chat; I don't need a reminder of my brief moment in showing my emotions. I love my man.
This is where I should tell you all about BB, the person that has become my heartbeat, my friend, my confidant, very imperfect very loving man. I find that I can't. Somewhat like the same way Liz (cos she is now my person) couldn't or wouldn't talk about her ex husband. I guess the things I have learnt, I have not yet started practicing like I cannot totally let go and share this man with you. He is right now my precious secret and I think I'm gonna keep it that way. Forgive me. I'm also gonna take the liberty to not follow all my carefully thought out plans for this story. You see I was going to share with you, the pages, the lines and quotes that I carefully wrote down to reference to talk about (see pic below). My favorite(s) being "God dwells within you, as you", "To know God, you only need to renounce one thing – your sense of divison from God" "The Bhagvad Gita – says that it is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection. I was also gonna tell you about the nice waiters, they had internet over there (a very big distraction, as I kept tweeting), the kissing couple opposite me (I miss kissing, o so does Liz, she says so in her book), the set of cops at 2, 3 and 4am (only one female cop, hmmmmm!!!). I was gonna to tell you about how i hoped and prayed for 2s that my best friend didn't really need to go to the hospital, even though she said her tummy hurt bad. I also wanted to tell you about some of the characters in her book, David, her sis Catherine and Richard from Texas (def the best character yet); because of Richard from Texas I can now say "Nife, you have serious control issues". You see I say yet cos I couldn't finish. This btw is a very saddening thing to mention. You see I pride myself in my ability to speed read, I am excellent at this, and typically would finish a 334pg book in a lil over 2hrs, I am that good. But like I said I wanted to study this book and then there was twitter and there was music. You see Liz called her book "Eat, Pray, Love" mine would def have to be "Music, Pray, Love" I am tempted to add "Music, Dance, Pray, Love" as was evident because I literally danced the night away, stopping halfway in the middle of a line I was reading to burst into a dance or sing(quietly of course) to songs like Pope's Baale Baale, Sean kingston's Dutty Dutty, Wale's kini big deal and sometimes it was to listen quietly to the awesomeness that is Dj Klem's Six8Ten(please go cop this mixtape whatever you do), the loveliness that is Chrisette Michelle's voice and the best song ever in Keyisha Coles Someone Tell my heart.
I haven't dealt with the pray portion of this book as well, let's just say that I agree a 100% with my new found friend Liz, at the end of the day, however way, whatever way, find God, this is truly the only way to find true everlasting happiness and powerful love because if you have read this book you see that from beginning to end, this is a story about love, for self, for God and for others. 4:10am, I decided to leave IHOP, I could have stayed to finish it, afterall I'm still up, exactly 2hrs later and would have finished the less than 100 pages left, but BB would have my head and I would probably never be allowed to do it again. (Please lol at that and not think omg she has become one of those females who is submissive to someone she is not even married to). I took a nice cool shower, wrapped myself with my version of a sarong and I started on this post. Tonight was the best night of my life in recent days, there is something about inner happiness that you cannot hide, however you find yours, mine was from reading a book, not just any book, a book that I could imagine myself totally writing, kinda like this post, but that spoke/is speaking so much truth, that no one else has been able to impress upon me, and somehow she makes me want to be closer to God more than any pastor has been able to. I should add that I want to travel so much more now than I ever wanted to (na money kill am, truly).
Its 6.30am. I shall now go sleep. J
P.S I Love YOU
The day started with a certain kind of calm for me, I don't call it a mood, others might, but I'm just in a place where I am calm, don't feel like talking to anybody, but I'm not sad, neither am I happy I guess, I'm just calm. Today was better than most days though because I prayed, that's been difficult over the past couple days so I was glad about that, but again somewhere in the middle of my prayers, my mind drifts as it always does, I start to think of the most irrelevant things one could think of, I reprimand myself, refocus and finish my prayers as quickly as possible. I decide to blog and listen to the loads of new music I had recently downloaded, two things I hadn't done in a while. I had made a decision the night before to try my hands at new things like yoga classes or art classes, but a quick search of the internet showed that the best things in life are not all entirely free. Next step then was to find a bookstore that had "Eat Pray Love" as at this point author unknown. You see I don't rbr authors, I hardly ever remember the title of the book, and I just pick it up and read. My favorite authors John Grisham, Ken Folliet (you all need to read his book The Third Twin), Danielle Steel etc I rbr because I read their books often enough I began to recognize their style of writing, I could tell you a Nora Roberts novel if you just told me the plot. I should tell you that I was surprised I even wanted to read this book. You see I am somewhat of a snob, I don't take well to someone's recommendation of a blog, a book, a movie, a song, whatever, the only exception being my bro and he had said he thought it would be much better than the movie (my findings from previous book turned movies experience confirms this as truth), he also said to watch the girl with the dragon tattoo and also read the book. I always listen to my bro, well almost always, because I did get the book, started the movie but just couldn't finish it, imma wait for the American version. iDigress. I call the 1st bookstore, they don't have it, the 2nd does and so I tell them to hold a copy for me (the girl with a dragon tattoo was more of a last minute decision). I decide that in the spirit of the book I am about to read, I deserve a hearty meal, I was craving moi –moi, so I call the family friend to find out where to get some, call the bestfriend to see if she wants some, she does. So first we stop at the bookstore, get the books and proceed to get the food, in totally opposite directions I might add (it looked better than it tasted), did some grocery shopping, got home ate and proceed to start the book. One page later I'm fast asleep. No the book wasn't boring as is obvious by my writing somewhat of an ode to it and in retrospect it was a genius move, cos it allowed for what will end up being one of the best nights of my life. Btw it's apt to say here that in my opinion the only difference between me and Elizabeth Gilbert (I find out her name a quarter ways through reading this book btw) is how we look at food. You see I hate food, can't try anything new, like why the hell will I want to try intestines of an animal. Yuck. But she is willing and able to eat anything and loves food. I am slightly envious of her for this.
But this is where the real story begins. I start reading the book and I'm amazed. She writes like I do. She is writing in 1st person "I" and it's interesting. I have always faulted my ability to be a good writer, because I cannot my remove my person from the character, hence even my stories sound like it's about me when it could totally be a fib. How was I ever going to write a bestselling novel, if the story is written in 1st person always? And if I was even able to pull it off, it will only be that one book; there could never be a 2nd, 3rd, 4th book. This theory probably still holds btw, I would have to read all that she is ever written and see that she wrote this way all the time for me to believe this possible. Upon this realization I looked at the time its 10:26pm and realize this is not going to work, I couldn't read this book in this house, cos unless I was in the bathroom, I couldn't have the lights on as everybody was getting ready to sleep. Quickly I make a decision, I need a 24hr spot to read this book, and I need to study this book. What I really wanted to do was get a highlighter and highlight the parts that resonated in me but if there is anything I hate, its highlighting a book, especially new ones, it's almost as bad as underlining verses in the bible(not that I haven't done it, just hate it). I tell BB, what I am about to do, and he asks the obvious question, do you have to finish the book tonight? What would you do tomorrow? (You are afterall jobless his head is obviously telling him). He comes up with conclusion afterwards "you are a weirdo", lol, a fact that I have never denied. I am like that, I have sudden urges; I have sudden desires, to be honest if I was born with money I often wonder what I would have gotten myself into. Two reasons why he did not pull the boyfriend card on me and graciously ask me not to go with the unspoken message being if you say no you lose points is that he was mad tired for one and secondly when he called to I'm sure ask, he heard the excitement in my voice, and knowing that I haven't been that excited in a minute he let me be. I quickly say bye and send him to bed before he gets some energy to argue and I get bbm a second later "Be safe, send me a bbm when you get home". I did. "Just got home babe, perfectly safe, will tell you about it later in the day. P.s I am crazy about you for what it's worth. #kthanksbye.muuuuaahh". I quickly close the chat; I don't need a reminder of my brief moment in showing my emotions. I love my man.
This is where I should tell you all about BB, the person that has become my heartbeat, my friend, my confidant, very imperfect very loving man. I find that I can't. Somewhat like the same way Liz (cos she is now my person) couldn't or wouldn't talk about her ex husband. I guess the things I have learnt, I have not yet started practicing like I cannot totally let go and share this man with you. He is right now my precious secret and I think I'm gonna keep it that way. Forgive me. I'm also gonna take the liberty to not follow all my carefully thought out plans for this story. You see I was going to share with you, the pages, the lines and quotes that I carefully wrote down to reference to talk about (see pic below). My favorite(s) being "God dwells within you, as you", "To know God, you only need to renounce one thing – your sense of divison from God" "The Bhagvad Gita – says that it is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection. I was also gonna tell you about the nice waiters, they had internet over there (a very big distraction, as I kept tweeting), the kissing couple opposite me (I miss kissing, o so does Liz, she says so in her book), the set of cops at 2, 3 and 4am (only one female cop, hmmmmm!!!). I was gonna to tell you about how i hoped and prayed for 2s that my best friend didn't really need to go to the hospital, even though she said her tummy hurt bad. I also wanted to tell you about some of the characters in her book, David, her sis Catherine and Richard from Texas (def the best character yet); because of Richard from Texas I can now say "Nife, you have serious control issues". You see I say yet cos I couldn't finish. This btw is a very saddening thing to mention. You see I pride myself in my ability to speed read, I am excellent at this, and typically would finish a 334pg book in a lil over 2hrs, I am that good. But like I said I wanted to study this book and then there was twitter and there was music. You see Liz called her book "Eat, Pray, Love" mine would def have to be "Music, Pray, Love" I am tempted to add "Music, Dance, Pray, Love" as was evident because I literally danced the night away, stopping halfway in the middle of a line I was reading to burst into a dance or sing(quietly of course) to songs like Pope's Baale Baale, Sean kingston's Dutty Dutty, Wale's kini big deal and sometimes it was to listen quietly to the awesomeness that is Dj Klem's Six8Ten(please go cop this mixtape whatever you do), the loveliness that is Chrisette Michelle's voice and the best song ever in Keyisha Coles Someone Tell my heart.
I haven't dealt with the pray portion of this book as well, let's just say that I agree a 100% with my new found friend Liz, at the end of the day, however way, whatever way, find God, this is truly the only way to find true everlasting happiness and powerful love because if you have read this book you see that from beginning to end, this is a story about love, for self, for God and for others. 4:10am, I decided to leave IHOP, I could have stayed to finish it, afterall I'm still up, exactly 2hrs later and would have finished the less than 100 pages left, but BB would have my head and I would probably never be allowed to do it again. (Please lol at that and not think omg she has become one of those females who is submissive to someone she is not even married to). I took a nice cool shower, wrapped myself with my version of a sarong and I started on this post. Tonight was the best night of my life in recent days, there is something about inner happiness that you cannot hide, however you find yours, mine was from reading a book, not just any book, a book that I could imagine myself totally writing, kinda like this post, but that spoke/is speaking so much truth, that no one else has been able to impress upon me, and somehow she makes me want to be closer to God more than any pastor has been able to. I should add that I want to travel so much more now than I ever wanted to (na money kill am, truly).
Its 6.30am. I shall now go sleep. J
oh
ReplyDeleteneefemi
makes me totally want to run out and get the book! :)
loved ur analysis of it
and it sound like a book i would love
glad u had a fun day
and u and BB seem so cute together :)
hide him to urself jor
he is after all urs and no others
Lol. Glad you had a breath-easy kind of day n u'r perking up too!Two blogs within 48hours is definitely a perkup!Nothing like a good read to breathe back hope into a tiring situation!
ReplyDeleteP.S i totally mark my bible n pencil all over a good read!So there!
I read a review about the film bt not about the book. I am at a place where it's like am living and just living.
ReplyDeleteEverything inside is fighting with wat's outside.Will try and get the book myself.
I am glad the book made you want to get closer to God, there's no better ecstatic feeling than this.
ReplyDeleteIt is easier to write in first person when the story is really about you, as it was for Elizabeth Gilbert. I don't agree with some of her discoveries (haven't read the book, but I watched her give a speech at a TED talk). Yet, I still maintain that finding that inner joy, and finding God, is the best thing that can ever happen to anybody.
Neefemi, I think you're an excellent writer (especially in 1st person), because although the paragraphs were bulky, I forgot all about their bulkiness and kept scrolling down, taking in the bits and pieces of your experience, and digesting each memory...until I was finally done. And the funny thing is I wanted to read MORE.
Are those the notes you made from reading the book?
ReplyDeleteYou seem quite taken by it...so maybe I'll go look for it.
Glad u have a recent happiest day....go girl
ive seen this book at the store...never thought about reading it, your analysis of it makes me want to go to barnes n noble, you are a wonderful writer in case you dont know!!!
ReplyDeleteThe book is written in first person because it is an autobiography. However it is possible to write great fiction that way too. You already know I think you write really well.
ReplyDeleteHEY!!! I'm reading that right now too!!!!! love it!!!! almost done too!
ReplyDeletei loved every bit of this post...
ReplyDeletei'll pick up the book this week ...i've been itching for a good read... and i think this might be it !
lol! so im still whooping and hollering at ur 'I love my man' le bebe if you can tell us....tell him sugarrrr. Life is too short..u know this. Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all...goes the quote.
ReplyDeleteU write amazeballs...i would read u in 1st person. Not sure im gonna run and buy the book..but if i see it...maybe il give it another glance...cos of u
x
wow! this was a full post. You have been having some deep reflections lately, good...its only taking you to a better place. Lets see, the best things in life are definitely not free (that's really painful) lol and I'm a speed reader too but I tend not to remember little details in what I read only the big pic, do you? Lastly, you're so right, that's why they say God's the way, the truth and the life. Everything comes through him and only him, all emotions.
ReplyDeleteDeep reflections..haven't read the but i saw her on Oprah a while back talking about her experience/journey..
ReplyDeleteso they're making a movie of it too?
shall wait til u are ready to reveal your inner joy with BB.. i'm just glad you are happy..everything good shall come
this might sound a bit unserious(in relation to all the deep things said already) but the bit abt being able to read 360 pages in 2 hrs piqued me the most! meehhn imagine all i cld do with that abitlity!! lol.
ReplyDelete& i'm happy abt ur luv bit, and how comfortable u are even mentioning it like this. It's a sign of total devotion, and that's admirable. u challenge me!!
i love love that book! especially India. i can go on and on. oh and wow on reading a whole book in 2 hours thats crazy!!!
ReplyDelete@BBB - you totally should hun, its really good. and will do, thanks :)
ReplyDelete@T.Notes - yes o, thanks hon. lol, i sha dont want to see how it looks
@The Fish - yes please do, i hope it gets at you the same way it did me as well.
@Jaycee - there really isn't any. awwww, i'm really blushing even 2days after you wrote this, thank you so much. p.s. sorry for the bulky paragraphs i will try to do better :)
@Nutty J - yes o, i was and please do and let me know what you think. Thanks girl
@Onose - please do and let me know what you think. Thank you so much for saying that :)
@Myne - Yea thats true, i am going to try to find out how i could better hone my skills. Thank you so much, i appreciate your encouragements.
@MS O. - isn't it just awesome? Loved it
@Eve - thanks hon, yes you should. let me know what you think.
@Glamtings - lol, you crack me up. but i'm shy, will try sha. Thank you honey for that and i hear you abt not reading the book, hopefully the movie does a good job of sharing the real story.
@Miss Natural - lol, thank you. And yes its utterly painful :(. Yea i also dont rbr little details, sometimes i might not rbr the names of the characters at all. Its a skill i love for reading my notes when im in skool though, esp my psychology classes.
@histreasure - yes they are, comes out on fri. Amen. Thank you so much ma
@Anyan - lol, trust me its very helpful. awww thank you, i didn't realize how comfortable i was till i wrote this post. i guess i am growing too :)
@Reverence - i know right, cant even tell you a fav part. Lol, its actually fun
I got this on a recommendation and couldn't get past the first couple of chapters for some reason..
ReplyDeleteLooks like I should give it another try..
nawa oo where my ebay peeps at ...im off will be back when im done reading the book ill be bk...i spent 3 hours at waterstones today looking for a religious book only to come out with a book for my baby lol..many thanks for the recommendation and if it aint nice i want my money back...and im soooo gonna make me husband start texting the way bb does ..fat chance of that happening lol
ReplyDeleteI really dont have anything to say...lol...
ReplyDeleteBut i understand where you are for I too am neither happy nor sad.
First heard about the book on Oprah a while back. Will look for it here.
Kisses
I feel so bad because I saw this book at my local book place and I ignored it, a thousand times. I'm going to check if someone already took it, but that was at the beginning of the year.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love first person writing, it makes sense.
@RocNaija - yes you should
ReplyDelete@Barefeet - lol, let me know though, you should enjoy it. and ask your hubby, you never know men :)
@Audeo - no words necessary hun. Let me know what you think about the book. loads of love
@Tricia - Thanks Tricia, yes do check it out