My first time as a member of a wedding party happened when I was four years old; I was a ‘little bride’ for my dad’s cousin’s wedding. Few photos of me in my full little bridal glory remain (in our household, that is – I’m sure there are many photos of my smiling visage in [...]
Category Archives: Why I Love…
Why I Love… Awkward Black Girl
Do you harbour fantasies of being the greatest dancer at the party even though all evidence suggests otherwise? Do you stare at your co-workers, incredulous, because you have no idea how to connet with such cretins? Do you hate your boss, but channel your work-based rage into offensive gangsta rap lyrics? Do you often find [...]
Also posted in America, Humour, Identity, Television, Video, Why I Love... Tagged 'Lady Things', Black Girls Rock, Funnies, Internet, Women 1 Comment
Why I Love… Libraries
It really is this simple: I cannot imagine my life as it is today without libraries. I joined my first library at the age of 4 – when we were doing a massive clearout some time in 2001, we discovered an unreturned library book (sorry!) from 1987. Civic irresponsibility aside, it was one of my [...]
Also posted in Books, Career, Education, Identity, Literature, London, Love, Why I Love... Tagged Friends, Joy, Library, London 2 Comments
Why I Love… To-Do Lists
Over time, I have evolved – no, regressed – into the disorganised slattern I am today. Family stories have me, aged 4, tutting and calmly replacing ornaments on the mantle as my pregnant-and-in-labour mother threw things in the oblivious pain of her contractions. I was the master organiser, tongue between teeth in concentration, finding a [...]
Why I Love… Candles
Among the many shimmering stars – yoghurt, crispbreads/rice cakes, Special K – of the GirlPlanet™ firmament, candles are right up there as a cultural signifier of girlieness. No, don’t deny it. I have done the (completely unscientific) research: all my girl friends have candles. All of them. Some are used as fancy air fresheners in [...]
Also posted in Home, Love, Why I Love... Tagged Candles, Stereotypes, Things That Make You Go Mmm 2 Comments
Why I Love… Ice Cream
I’ve mentioned previously that I’m not a classic sweet-tooth. I enjoy the presence of sugars – natural and not-so-natural – in certain foods. A little sugar in a tomato sauce, for example, or maybe in some Nigerian black beans. But I am not an ardent chocolate biscuit fan. I take my tea with no more [...]
Also posted in Food, Love, Why I Love... Tagged Childhood, Ice Cream, Joy, Things That Make You Go Mmm 5 Comments
Why I Love… Glasses
To correct my shortsightedness, I got my first pair of glasses – a comically large aviator style – when I was 11 years old. They were hideous: tinted, too big for my face and wholly inappropriate for a child. I remember YorubaDad laughing when he first saw me in them. But credit to him, he did [...]
Also posted in Beauty, Family, Love, Style, Why I Love... Tagged Boys, Crush, Fashion, Glasses 7 Comments
Why I Love… Timothy Olyphant
According to IMDb.com, Timothy Olyphant’s nickname is Olafantastic. It makes no difference if this is true or false; it’s pretty much how I think of him. But you know, I really hope it is true; his acting work is always sterling, regardless - or perhaps even in spite of - the accompanying crapness of the vehicle. The man is [...]
Also posted in America, Love, Movies, Television, Why I Love... Tagged Deadwood, Sexy telly, Telly, Things That Make You Go Mmm, Timothy Olyphant 4 Comments
Why I Love… Something New
I’m just a landscaper. I take hard earth, and make things bloom. The internet is a miraculous thing. But I’m grateful that while theoretically you could see me as I type this – what with the magic of webcams – I still hold some power, by refusing to hook it up. Because as I typed those twelve [...]
Also posted in Love, Movies, Music, Why I Love... Tagged Film, Interracial, Movies, Race, Sanaa Lathan, Simon Baker, Something New 4 Comments
Why I Love… Nail Varnish
In terms of familial resemblance, I am firmly and irrevocably aligned to my father’s family. It’s in my complexion – dark - and in the slant of my eyes, and in the more earthy elements of my features. There are some things, however, that come strictly from my mother’s lineage – I am long of limb, despite being [...]
Why I Love… University Challenge
There are many non-human loves of my life. Indulge me as I trot out a few. I love reading – I get a feeling of true loss if I discover that I am book-less on a journey, no matter how short. I adore pub quizzes - I especially love the feeling of pride that washes over [...]
Also posted in Education, Love, Television, Why I Love... Tagged Jeremy Paxman, Telly, University Challenge 7 Comments
Why I Love… Dresses
Like many children of the 80s and 90s, I grew up in hardy denim and flannel, saving dresses (usually in too-warm velvet, rustly tafetta and itchy chiffon) for family weddings, birthdays, engagements, naming ceremonies, pretty much any gathering of more than 4 people… (ah, Nigerians!). So of course, I hated dresses, and all that they stood [...]
Also posted in Fashion, Style, Why I Love... Tagged 'Lady Things', Clothes, Dress, Fashion, Women 9 Comments
Why I Love… Mascara
My mother had an amazing selection of what, with hindsight, was really rather superb maquillage. Pots and potions and tubes of colour, all expertly applied by my mother’s steady hand. Some women love makeup. They start their careers as little girls in the makeup bag and never really crawl out of it ever again. Little girls weren’t necessarily [...]
Also posted in Beauty, Love, Why I Love... Tagged 'Lady Things', Becca, Grooming, Iman, MAC, Mascara 4 Comments
Why I Love… Socks
Of all the exciting things I could be declaring my love for – unicorns! Fire! KNIVES! – I have chosen socks. Comfy, boring, ideal-Christmas-present-for-the-near-dead and completely useful socks. I am probably the only person I know who loves receiving socks for her birthday. I stand by my decision though, because even boring items of clothing [...]
Also posted in Fashion, Love, Style, Uncategorized, Why I Love... Tagged 'Lady Things', Christmas, Joy, Socks, Things That Make You Go Mmm 6 Comments
Why I Love… Internet Comment Boards
Like truculent toddlers going through the ‘terrible twos’, internet commenters’ emotions are felt deeply. They are filled with either rage - deep, dark, vitriolic – or the most euphoric nirvana, and they want you, YES YOU, to know it. They want you to know it with the aid of ALL CAPS, EX!!1!CLA!!1M!ATI!!!!!!ON marks, emoticons (:-( :-/ :-S [...]