Monday, November 13, 2006

Aching!

Saturday morning had me at the gym determined to punish myself. Am i the only one that has moments of self loathing when i cant stand looking at myself in the mirror or do i just need a shrink? Anyway, i decided to shake things up and not take my usual kickboxing class.

I opted instead to do an hour of step aerobics, 3o minutes on the treadmill, 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, 30 minutes on the bike and 45 minutes of weights.

I was fine driving home. I was fine taking a shower and getting into bed for a quick nap. The trouble started when i woke up to get ready to head to the Island to see Amazing Grace. I stepped off the bed and nearly died. Pain. Pain. Pain. I simply laid on the floor, pulled a pillow from my bed and slept where i was. My dad came in to ask why i was still home and seemed alarmed that i was sleeping on the carpet. I told him i was fine but tired. Since i think my folks are used to my bouts of odd behavior, he let me be.

My friend called me at about 5pm to remind me to get ready to see Umoja. I managed to get up and crawl into the shower. I sat in my shower and let the water just drench me. I could not move. I wanted to stay home in one position but the tickets had been paid for and i really wanted to see the show. My sassy ensemble was scrapped for a very loose tunic with drawstring pants and flat slippers. Believe me, the thought of being constrained in any way was not to be considered.

Through out the show, i just stared. I enjoyed it, i just couldnt show my appreciation. I got back home, took a shower and many painkillers and knocked myself out.

Sunday morning, my mom came into my room and i couldnt move. I just started to cry. "Everything hurts. I cant move, i cant breathe, i cant swallow and my eyelashes hurt". This is not an exaggeration. I cried because i REALLY COULD NOT TAKE A BREATH. My mom had to get some Deep Heat and rub my joints. I am talking about ankles, knees, legs, hands, back, neck. My face was the only part of my body that was left alone and i would have rubbed that stuff all over my face if my mom hadnt stop me. Even crying was painful.

In my grand scheme, i was going to hit the gym on sunday and work out some more but it was not going to happen. So here i am on monday morning. I can manage and i fully intend to get to the gym tonight but i have to ask: Why do i do this to myself?

People ask me what my love affair with Betty Boop is and part of it has to do with how she looks. She has an exaggerated figure sure, but she is not the conventional barbie doll or cartoon character and i love how sexy and confident she is in all her revealing outfits. She just doesnt seem to have any self esteem issues..LOL. I know - pretty deep thoughts regarding strokes of a pencil right?

I have been battling with my weight all my life. I have always been chubby and cute and i know in my heart of hearts that i will never be a size 6. I am just not built that way. However, a few years ago, a pretty traumatic period in my life led to 50 pounds of weight gain and a brutalized ego, self esteem that sunk through the ground and a new perception of me. I battle with all this every day. On some days, i am divalicious and vain to the core. But i will admit that most days is a battle. Days when i dont eat anything at all except fruit and lots of herbal teas. Days when i eat too much usually tied to feeling bad. Days when i brutalize myself at the gym. Days when i get up mid nap to run on the spot for 30 minutes just because i think my toes are chubby.

At times, i think i might have serious issues but at other times, i think its all my vanity. I acknowledge that i have a control thing. Everything in my life is going great and i seem to be able to control my career progression, my money etc but i cannot control my weight and that bugs the crap out of me. I look at friends that eat everything in sight except fruit, salads and water while i have to watch everything i eat and it hurts me so much. I get the "You are so beautiful but ehm you could be a little smaller"...on and on it goes.

I am of 2 minds....A part of me knows what i am - smart, accomplished, not bad looking, eloquent but the other part of me just screams fat, chubby, fat, fat, fat. Some days, i dress up and people say "you look so nice", i hear"fat, fat, fat". Its insane. At the gym, i stepped on the scale and saw a 2kg weight loss. Did i celebrate? Nope, my mind said "only 2kg? That's nothing".

I have never ever tried to express what i feel about this...this is my first time and i have absolutely no idea why these words that are flowing through my fingers today are coming from. Maybe i am just tired of being funny, smart and so damn perfect all the time. This is one of my demons that haunts me every single day and to deny its existence and pretend that everything is sooo damn dandy is exhausting.

So i will go to the gym tonight as planned. Its 11.44am and i have had my fruit and my 4th cup of pineapple & grapefruit green tea. Its a struggle and its hard but dammit, i have to find some way to deal with this. I have to come to terms with who i am. I know that i will be battling this weight thing for the rest of my life - the women in my family have shown me that but there has to be a way that i can see myself as Uzo with all my virtues not Fat Uzo. A way to practice what i preach and realize how wonderful i am.....

24 comments:

LondonBuki said...

Oh No, I have 2 minutes left at the internet cafe!!!

I want to say a lot, maybe I will come back later.

I have battled with my weight for a while too... I kinda understand where you are coming from...

I haven't met you but I know you are a beautiful woman...

Please DO NOT overdo it at the gym! If your body hasn't recovered, REST and eat healthy today and go tomorrow.

Take care and I'll be back x

soul said...

okay Uzo.
The first thing I'm going to say to you is this.. STOP!.

No one and I mean no-one does 2hr 30 min cardio unless they are premium supreme athletes and even then they would never follow it up with weights or with no trainer present.

STOP. and check yourself. Seriously before you wreck yourself.

Uzo, slow and steady okay.. and please see a nutritionist. I did and I was amazed at the things I was eating which I presumed were balanced and great which weren't really balanced and great..
I mean how the heck was I supposed to know that corn and beans both count as starch?.

I started seriously examining my nutrition due to my criminally painful and irregular periods, I have to say so far it has worked. I feel better, I look better and damnit I don't have to be hospitalised anymore due to bad periods and yes, my body looks great. combined with regularly dancing and generally drinking loadsa water... I'm doing fine.

Your eating pattern sounds like you are starving yourself. You cannot live on fruits and vegs alone, and if you eat too much fruit and veg in a day you will not reduce the amount of fat in your body on a long term basis.

you need a balanced diet. There is no other way. Spend the money, see a nutritionist. If you like I can email you some of the thing smy nutritionist told me.

Uzo, I need you to take care of yourself not just for you, but for me as well, because I'm selfish.
I like your stance and your style.
I'd say much more but you get the picture...

soul said...

listen to Buki...

She's the resident fitness guru to all us Naija women on line and ask her about what she did to drop the pounds..

Daddy's Girl said...

Uzo, you are beautiful, PERIOD. Work out (but not the way you did on Sat), take Soul's advice about your diet, but PLEASE take it easy on yourself. I can definitely relate cos I have my weight issues. I think that no-one has it all under control, cos no-one is meant to. That's what makes us all human. The day you get it all sussed, there'll be no point to being here. So please, take it easy on yourself. And here's a hug...

Uzo said...

aha...Thanks ladies as this is what i would consider a bad day. Weakness sucks.

@Buki: Please come back and say more. I definitely need more tips..

@Soul: I have seen a nutritionist and talked to my doctor even. I think i am doing all the right things but i think my major issues would be not losing the weight as fast as i want, surrounding myself with not very positive people that think because i laugh about my weight, its okay for them to take jabs as well, my work schedule (waking up at 5am and getting home late at night cuts my work out time drastically) my emotions and my state of mind. Phew! What a mouthful.

I would definitely appreciate any information on nutrition that you have for me. - uamuta@yahoo.com

@Daddy's girl: Thanks for the hug. I hear you about issues in life. I just wish mine did not have to do with weight...LOL

soul said...

hey Uzo...
Well good for you that you saw a nutritionist. I'll get some notes together that were given to me.. later today.

You don't need me to tell you, if you don't want to be treated lijke a joke, stop making fun of yourself. People are inherently cruel they will do and say whatever as long as you let them.
And yes, I know we all don't want to be painted as the angry chick but sometimes people use that against us because they know we don't want to be painted as such..

Start telling people to stop taking the mickey. Andmost importantly YOU should stop taking the mickey out of yourself.
You are not a joke and I'm not laughing here okay.

This is an issue for you, treat it as such.

Now, you did not put this weight on overnight, and you will NOT lose it overnight. the earlier you realise that the better. I'll guarentee that if you lose it overnight it will only be temporary.

I know your work schedule is crazy.. join the club my sister.. but what about your life schedule? hmm.. what about it?.
Make time.
Make time for you,

On weekends, wake up and go for a stroll in that beautiful lagos sunshine.
start off by just strolling for 10minutes down the road... (it is essential to start off slowly)
start increasing the distance.

Start now and make realisti plans for where you want to be.

When I spoke to my nutritionist, he gave me all the info I needed and told me to follow it for 12 weeks. I followed it for a week and slipped up, I was one week fine one week not fine..
At the end of 12 weeks, he asked me how I felt.. and I told him I felt good. He asked me what I had learnt and I told him..

I was able to tell him the foods I liked, the foods I didn't like, how certain foods made me feel, what effect they were having, I told him that the plan we had laid out would not work for me..
I asked him about alternatives for certain things, I also told him I didn't want to take any vitamin supplements and preferred eating foods that contained what I was looking for. That's how I started eating liver again.

I've still not got it down perfect, but bloody hell.. it's a heck of a lot better than before.

Even my mother can't believe it, because as a child she used to beat me to eat.
I used to wonder why I used to feel soo lethargic, moody blah blahblah... and believe me I now know that food has a lot to do with it.
And good food at that!

There was one thing I forgot to say above, it is completely possible for you to eat fruit and veg all day and put on weight, especially when your body is in starvation mode, because your body will hang on to all that stuff and store it.. becasue it doesn't know when next it is going to have food.

Like many things in life, unless you want to start a vicious circle, take it easy.. learn your body, try to figure out the foods you like and balance these up with your life style.

Find the time to take a quick walk. even if you must do so on your break.

And please whatever you do, from one voluptious woman to another, please don't loose those curves..
cos gaddamnit! I love my curves.

I was actually standing in the mirror this morning with my hands at my side, thinking.. kai! God... you carved this one well o. lol

Uzo, I need you to start doing that every morning as well.

Just stand infront of the mirror and examine your good points.. acknowledge the good work God has done.. lol..

And yes admit that there might be room for improvements. then blow yourself a kisss, give your self a nice lil smack on the bum while saying...'it's me and you today ms thang '.
And that's it.

TMinx said...

I think its even harder in Nigeria cos everyone feels free to comment on your weight, you are SOOOO thin, ah ah look at all the weight you are puttin gon, are you preggars? As in its so bad, no tact at all. Uzo dearie, please an hour at the gym is good enough and not even they first time round. Take it easy on yourself. The weight does not just drop off like that it takes a lil time and delf control. Starving yourself won't work either, you are not like ly to drop your weight in that case...apparently the body will store anything you eat for longer if you do that. Eating the right food three times a day in small quatities is the best way to loose weight. London Buki will elaborate further. Take care

Uzo said...

Once again ladies: Thanks a million. Now why dont i know you guys personally so i can get this pep talk everyday?

@Soul: I always figured that making fun of myself would actually stop people from saying anything at all. LOL. Not the case. I think that i will print out the comments for this post and put them somewhere. In order to let you know how bad this issue is for me, i do not have a mirror in my room. I have one in my bathroom and i walk out of my house, the windows are this reflective kind. Sad huh? I really will try to work through this. I see now that my blog pals can do more for me with one post than i have done for myself in years.

@TMinx: You are right. Nigerians have absolutely no text and have no issues with letting their feelings be known without solicitation. Thanks a lot for the words.....

soul said...

@Taurean Minx.. that's what drove me crazy when I went back to Naija for the first time in a long time..
My body seemed to belong to anyone to make comment on.
I mean women commented on my breast, men on my figure and size even in a professional setting.

I felt a range of emotions, from feeling like a child being put on parade to feeling like a piece of meat being examined on an auction block. I was so incensed!
After awhile I started responding, to the guys mostly... I'd say something like...

oh you are looking a little bit better than you normally look today, but still that forehead kai! honey mek una dey wear hat oh because your opon is too much. You no go find wife o!.

The first time I said it to someone at my aunts office, he was shocked. He came to see me afterwards and asked me why I had said that. I was like 'oh since he decided to tell me about my body, I decided to be honest and tell him about his'.

But you are rightm, Naija folks have absolutely no tact! and they think they are being endearing

soul said...

Uzo,

Been there, bought the T-shirt and you know what, it never works. It just makes you feel miserable.
Because if you are really true to yourself, when you make fun of yourself, what you are really expecting is for someone, anyone to say....
'ahh actually you aren't that big' or something to that effect.

When I was in school, a few girls felt threatened by what lil talent God blessed me with, it got soo bad, that they would collude with girls in the dorm and not talk to me. I was this 'butta' sensitive kid and it hurt like hell.
So after awhile I would make light of what I had, I would down play it, I would call it nothing, I would say oh that's not a real talent. I would take a back seat soo that they could shine. I would purposely lose games so that they didn't go back to the hostel and talk about me...and you know what.. they still talked about me and not in a complimentary manner.
So I sank into myself and buried myself in other things, things which they had no control over..

Gosh I remember the crazy things they used to say, I used to dance back in the day and I had this signature twist move, it was like a belly dance thing, I would do it whilst doing some other move and it was the dope! man.

Gosh that set the girls tounges wagging.. apparently I had had an abortion that's why I could do it..
then they told me I should stop dancing like that cos I wouldn't be able to have kids and my insides would get twisted.
I got warned, punished, talked about just because I could dance.
and that was just one issue.

Anyway, get a mirror now.
Seriously, cos babe, nobody is going to love the body you are in if you don't.
I don't think it's sad, I think many women go through what you are going through at all ends of the proverbial scale.

You do need to feel conmfortable with you though, and whilst you are not comfortable, you need to keep loving yourself.
Start look at yourself naked. Start today, take your close off (not in the office o) lol...

Seriously, get home.. and take your clothes off in the bathroom.. look at your body, imagine how it would be when you get started working on it.
look at the tops of your shoulders, the curve in your arms.
run your palms over your shoulders, feel yourself and get comfortable.
If you can't stand to look at all of you, start by admiring you arms, your feet, your thighs.
Imagine being the person who is loving you.

There is beauty infront of you, if only you appreciate it.
I can't say this enough.
You are beautiful, you are a work in progress only because we all are.

Start loving you, touch your skin, love your skin honey..

Take it from me, all women have been where you are, and the ones who haven't will get there at some point.

Now go ahead and be that beautiful voluptuous hot lady that I'm beginning to know. :)

oh and p.s. can you imagine if we all were a gang in highschool???
oh Gosh we would have been too too much, those bitches would never have messed with me, if I had all you guys around.

Uzo said...

Okay Soul: You have to be psychic. How did you know? Whenever i make fun of myself, i am hoping to hear :"Its not that bad jo". And you know what, i get that i beam and i am happy. I am sooo easy.

I high school, i went through the whole bad mouthing thing and when it got really bad, my childhood sweetheart always made me feel better. It was tough though since the people that made me feel the worst were actually some of his closest friends. Talk about a conflict of interest. Why are girls sooo bitchy? They used to accuse me of paying the teachers off to account for my grades. LOL

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. These words today....priceless.

See, now i am even more determined to hook up wth my blog pals. Ah Ah. All these wonderful Nigerian women. Watch out world. LOL

That line about being a gang in high school..Imagine if we could go back in time and take revenge on all our tormentors? Cheap thrill i know but its a warm feeling.

I will start with appreciating my feet. I love my feet in shoes so they are a natural place to start abi.....

soul said...

lol Uzo,....

Cos I've been there.. I swear I believe most women have.
Like I said, I used to hide my talents because I just didn't want people to talk anymore.

Feet are a beautiful place to start, but remember, you must touch them, feel them, run your palms over the skin..
look at them in the mirror every day and then maybe you can show yourself a lil bit of leg sometime.

Oh and you know, accepting yourself is revenge enough for all those knuckleheads...
just brush that dirt off your shoulder and move on.

And remember, you will still have days where you feel like shit.. that's human.. accept it and embrace it.. just remember that the day after that, you are gonna feel like a queen.

It's all life honey, and we gotta just do it.

I'm proud of you for even beginning to talk about it. :)

Biodun said...

Glad u typed up this post, it shows that u r human just like every other person. It is something EVERY female deals with, whether skinny, full-figured, etc trust me! Its just one of those things. A healthy life style is the most important thing. Rome wasnt built in one day. Dont work out that hard again girl or I will have 2 come over there, lol.

LondonBuki said...

Hi... Very good comments above.

I am not a guru oh! I am still learning.

When I came to England, I put on a LOTTA weight and stayed the same from 1999 till 2002. I love food so much, sometimes it's worrying. I joined weightwatchers and shed over 40 pounds but that was only the beginning. If you'e had a weight problem, you have to work on keeping the weight OFF. It was hard and I kept on putting on 10 pounds and losing it again... ENOUGH ABOUT ME!

I totally feel you BUT you should not starve yourself... when you are tired of starving yourself, you will overeat.

You should not overdo it with exercise - You will hurt yourself and could damage any part of your body. You prob won't be able to exercise well after that.

It will be hard to find a balance between food and exercise but you will get there. I am still working on that.

We are only human, so we are not 100% happy with our bodies... I like what Soul said - appreciate other parts of your body.

I am taking so much comment space - PLEASE TAKE IT EASY.

I will email you tomorrow, let's share our eating and exercising schedules.

P.S. I am coming to Lagos in January o! So we have to hook up :-)

Email you later and have a GREAT rest of the day.

Uzo said...

@Biodun: I actually cant believe i blogged about this but now, i am so glad i did. Believe me, that madness of saturday will not be repeated...LOL

@London Buki: I am so excited you will be home. We should definitely hook up. I promised to send woodin to your mom so you might as well take it back with you. No weightwatchers or jenny craig here so i can only rely on my crazy trainer and myself. I will be looking forward to the emails since i hear you are the woman to go to on all fitness matters. Thanks a lot. My day is definitely brighter now than how it started...

In my head and around me said...

Let me tell you a story about a girl that was just the right weight all her life and then in 3rd year uni moved to her cousin's house where eba and akpu was dinner. She billowed to 75kg and spent the whole of the summer break trying to lose the weight, Nothing happened.

She stopped thinking about it and what do you know? She dropped almost 10kg. After NYSC year and moving to P/H for work, she dropped to 59kg..thanks to ill-health and a lack of appetite. She was gaunt and her clothes hung on her.

That chic was me, and as someone that has been at both extremes, I can tell you that it is not fun being skinny or being large. Just being right is the price.

Another truth is that you can never be RIGHT unless you convince yourself you are. And there is no pre-defined RIGHT size. Eat right, stay fit, but don't kill yourself over things you cannot change.

I had a boyfriend that was with me through one of those rapid reductions and no matter how self conscious I felt, he loved me whichever way. I learned from him that I should accept myself whatever way I am. I love my cellulite, my boobs that after breasfeeding have started answering the law of gravity. I love me warts and all and you should love you too.

This weight issue is big and I am glad that you addressed it. I have a whole lot more to say, but I think the appropriate thing to do would be to do a post on my own blog so that I don't hijack yours with my looong comment.

Naijadude said...

What can a skinny person like me say or chip in? But one thing I know for sure is that, you need to map out a plan , and work yourself towards a goal!
Going to the gym all of a sudden while you havent been a regular is killing, check with a nutritionist, create a eating plan, and workout as well. Engage in more exercise and healthy lifestyle, with that you could achieve the best, but gym kills(atleast in a lazy man's world like me)

No matter what, you are still beautiful, goodluck!!!

zaiprincesa said...

Aunty Uzo..:),
Ahn ahn!Remember these words by Maya Angelou,
"Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me."
You are a phenomenal Woman oh..so dont do overkill in the gym! You'll only end up with aching joints....Have a blessed week.

Anonymous said...

hmm Uzo, I was speechless when I read ur blog today cause ur issue is one that I know many Nigerian girls. As I’m coming to Nigeria this Christmas, I am already preparing my mind for pple comments. I dont know now many times I have heard oh u r so pretty but men try and loose a little weight. My bf’s friends even comment on my weight, (but of course my honey got my back) but it’s just amazing. Every Tunde, Dayo and Hakeem think they have the audacity to comment about my weight. BUT I have found that with women its their insecurity that have them trying to find a fault with me, trying to put me down and with men even though I'm not the typical size 4(us) I'm still very attractive. My weight goes up and down, my family is very supportive. I have a trainer and I joined weight watchers. I take it one day at a time. Whether I'm a 4 or 10, people will have something to say, it’s all about me and how I feel. Now I have learnt to ignore pples comments and just worry about my health. After all if the don’t like my thick thighs and round bom they can look away abi ke? I know in my heart I’m a good God fearing, generous, respectful, smart and kind person so I refuse for my weight to define who I as a person…. Keep your head up Uzo, don’t know you but from ur blog I can tell you have a lot going on for you, just take the weight issue small small, easier said than done, but u fit do am okay love… Smile you are beautiful 

Anonymous said...

The story of my life. I indulge myself to the fullest, then punish myself so hard it hurts.

Anonymous said...

Whao... everybody seems to have said it all.. but i'll just put my two cents in... I just started this whole blogging thing maybe 3 months ago and it's funny how i'm able to write the thoughts in my head that are a little harder for me to confess to in my 'real life'.. and i bet that's the same way it was for you to write this.. I commend you for laying yourself bare...

I won't claim to be an expert on this whole weight gain and weight loss thing.. I used to be pretty small in Naija but then i moved to Ghana for a year and i wasn't going to school or doing anything but chilling and eating... so i gained a lot of weight( i think i was a size 12 or something at 14).. then i moved to canada and ate mcdonalds twice and ballonned to size 14... i mean i was like 15,16 or something... i never went to the gym but it did affect my self-esteem cos i just used to have a perfect ass and body growing up... but i didn't have that anymore... just as i grew up and ate less chocolate, mcdonalds and just stayed away from any form of diet... the pounds went gradually.. i mean i still want me a 6-pack and bigger bum(lol.. don't we all?)... but i'm currently a size 11 at 20 which is i think maybe a few pounds more than my ideal size should be at 5ft 11..in spite of this.. i mean there are still days that I want to be a size 10, 9 or 8(cos then i could model right?)

babe.. ur gorgeous just as you are... i hope you find an exercise and diet regimen that works out perfectly for you... like soul said.. its great to be happy with what you see in the mirror cos that inner confidence shows you know... i mean everytime i get to feeling like maybe i gained a lil bit of weight or that my bellys not in the perfect shape i want it to be... I check out my awesome bow-legs and perfect lips.. and for a few minutes... all is right with the world!!! Have a great day and thanks for sharing babe!

Noni Moss said...

Hey Uzo

I read this earlier but didn;t have time to comment but i'm here now. Everyone has said most of what i needed to say. Good luck with finding a regime that works.

I totally understand how you feel. Mirrors can be soo deceiving. I look at myself at home and think - I'm not that bad. A little heavy but i still look good then someone takes a photo of me. Curses to digital cameras cos you see it instantly. I'm always shocked cos i HATE the way i look in photos. I also cant console myself by thinking i'm not photogenic. Sometimes I just cant relate that the person i see in the mirror is the same person in the photos.

Unfortunately or fortunaely for me, I like myself. No one can insult me on the way i look cos it bounces off and i dont take that stuff personally. I've had almost everyone in my family (and trust me there are a lot of them) tell me i'm fat and that I've put on soooo much weight. They dont mean it in a spiteful way - its their way of saying i should do something about it. Unfortunately as well, I am very lazy. I know i should do something about it but i have a too unhealthy and haphazard lifestyle, plus i have a huge sweet tooth. I have to admit, i have sometimes found myself wishing i could develop an eating disorder so i can lose all the weight. I'll deal with all repercusiions later - lots of people have been able to survive and come through it, so why cant I? I've also thought that if i loathed myself enough then I would force myself to lose the weight. I recently started this stupid crash diet and 4 days into it, my body literally collapsed on me and i had to go to hospital. The next day i was making brownies. I also spent stupi amounts on the gym which i barely went to.

Now i'm not saying this to give you ideas or to say i condone what you're doing to yourself missy! Its more to point out how crazy it would be to think like this. Everyone has body issues even the seemingly perfect ones and lots of people feel the same way you do.

My mum once told me that one of the thngs she most admired about me was my self-confidence. That even though i'm overweight, i carry it well. Some other friends have also said they cant imagine me any other way than I am. I think the key point to take from my ramble is to like yourself. So you may a big girl - big deal. So what if you're bigger than some people? how does whatever anyone says or thinks affect your life? People are attracted to big girls. I know a lot of guys who would happily do it with a big girl. I'm a big girl and for better or worse, I'm ok with it. I went to NY sometime ago and saw Mos def and i swear down he was checking my booty, :-D Nuff said.

Again good luck. Hope you're feeling better.

Bella Naija said...

Awww...I'm guessing you havent worked out in a while...thts y the aches and pains were so extreme...
Just keep at it ok...but in moderation....2 and a half hours is extreme!
I feel your pain tho...its not easy!

How was Umoja? I know u said u ebjoyed it but more detials please

Uzo said...

Thanks everyone.

@Bella: Umoja was sooo great. Details? Well its a musical so that was the heart and soul of it. Rythmn, pulsating beats, dancing...Oh the voices. So intense. The costumes were rustic and typically african and the storyline while basic enough was wonderfully executed. I have never been prouder to be African and i really understand why all my friends who have seen it, have done so multiple times. Phew! Enough details for you? It was great though.