Burn Your Bridges

                            

                

"Don't burn your bridges."

What a quote.

Not all bridges must stay.
No, not all.

Some come to our lives.
But for a while.

When you cling on thereafter.

            You hurt your soul.

They hurt your soul.

            You hurt their soul.

Burn such bridges.
I tell you my friend.

Don't fortify a bridge.

That is done with you.

Don't force doors open.

That has done its work.

When they close a door.

Leave it closed.

When a bridge gives way.

We build another.

When God closes a door.

He opens another.

Jumoke Odepe

ON, 2020

PC: Benjamin Rascoe-Unsplash

The things we have become.

 

Snow days were fun days. No work.

        Now we join remote learning on snow days.

The corporate world was in offices. Suited up.

        Now we work from home in our jammy pants.

Professional exams were done in centers. Fierce supervision.

        Now we write from our bedrooms under online proctors.

We have moved to a world we cannot see. A different dimension.

        Now I doubt the sanctity of all I see. For I am one with virtuality.

Jumoke Odepe 

Ontario 2021

PC

We've been fleeing home for a long time - Ode To My Fellow Nigerians.

Our government does not listen. Our politicians have cleptomaniac gluttony.

They spray bricks of dollars at the innumerable birthday parties they conjure.

Dollars from our oil funds and treasury, meant to build us roads and hospitals.

Our roads are craters, roller coasters, turbulent high seas.

Hospitals are sharks swallowing patients without chewing.

Schools? Oh!Brink Back Our Girls!

We started fleeing home a person at a time.

We’ve been fleeing home for a long time.

Our government does not listen. Our politicians have cleptomaniac gluttony.

Our people are spread over oceans. Stuck between devils and deep blue seas.

1987, aunt Kree ran from home to Europe, searching for greener pastures.

1995, five of my doctor cousins left for Kuwait, anything but home.

2010, ten of my friends left for the States, swearing never to come back.

We started fleeing home a person at a time.

We’ve been fleeing home for a long time.

Our government does not listen. Our politicians have cleptomaniac gluttony.

They loot our treasury. Eat up our reserves. Infringe our rights. Insult our intelligence.

Open fire on our freedom fighters. Brain drain our country. Embarrass the hell out of us.

Oh-mine-they-embarrass-the-hell-out-of-us.

Home is a carcass. A shadow of a story that was. A glory of past ages.

Home is a rut. Home is a trap. We too must run. The gates are closing.

We started fleeing home a person at a time.

We’ve been fleeing home for a long time.

Jumoke Eniola Odepe

ON 2021

PC

Blessed Life

The things I've done are many.

The dainties I've tried, countless.

From the Law to The Pen, to Event Decorating to Jewelry Making to Designing, 

I've been there and done that. 

Done it my way. Happy I've tried them all. 

My creative expressions, it's indeed been a blessing to meet you all.

It's been a blessed life.

Thought to share a few of my eye candy creativity from my past till now. 

And yes, I created them all

Enjoy.

Wedding decor by Jode

Beads by Jode

Beads by Jode

Beads by Jode

Beads by Jode

Beads by Jode

Wedding decor by Jode

Wedding decor by Jode

Weddings by Jode

Corona School Decor by Jumoke Odepe

Ages ago. Thereabout. Before 2020. We.

held 

newborns and kissed them we

spent time with seniors and

sat close to one another we

physically schooled and

shook hands we

hugged and touched and

partied in droves we

shopped loud and

chrismassed with families we

danced holding hands and

hold hands

hug

shop

dance

kiss newborns

school

touch

time with seniors

visit

travel

party together

oh, what didn't we do?

Jumoke Eniola Odepe
ON.

The profound tragedy of our stolen identity | Olasupo Shasore | TEDxLagos

Whose Angel Are You?

Hey:) 

Just checking to know who you've been sent to help.

Whose angel are you?

Are those you are meant to minister to.

Languishing or okay?

Are they okay?

Remember.

As long as heaven and earth remain.

There will be the needy in the land.

So I ask.

Whose angel am I?

Jumoke Odepe

Lagos.

PC: Peggy_Marco from Pixabay

I love South African and Nigerian accents

Photo created by author using Canva

You hardly hear this right? Yes me too.

That's the world we created. A world where everyone says they love the same things to be politically correct but to the disadvantage of some others.

We forget the beauty of diversity.

I admired how Winston Duke successfully imitated the Nigerian accent in the Black Panther movie. He brilliantly acted M'Baku bringing back fond memories of how Nigerians end each sentence with "ooo." 

Oh, I love it!

How about how Chadwick imitated the South African accent bringing back fond memories of Madiba, the South-African Nelson Mandela. How I loved the way he said "I thank you" after each of his speeches. 

But I stand in wonderment each time at the political correctness of gushing over the British accent even from the lips of my 5-year-old niece who is yet to meet a soul with the British accent. She must have heard us older humans say it.

The rhetoric has been well established that the British accent is the nice, queenly, sophisticated accent that we all must marvel at while in reality, our preferences over accents are as diverse as we humans are.

Who told you that some accents are less than others? How did you first learn these beliefs? 

From the deepest accents in these African countries to the mild ones and then to the ones you can only hear the accents in minuscules. I love them.

Perspective.

Jumoke Eniola Odepe

Canada

REMEMBRANCE DAY POEM. LEST WE FORGET.

 

I don't like war.

Enemies don't rest.

I want peace in the world.

Not everyone thinks that way.

If soldiers don't go to war.

War will come to us.

We live in peace.

That peace ain't free.

We live in peace.

Our troops are at war.

Imagine the fields.

Oh! The sacrifice.

I pray for them.

Do pray for them.

Our troops that fell.

We won't forget.

We won't forget.

We won't forget.

God bless our land

Be with our troops.

Jumoke Eniola Odepe

Canada

Sometimes we need someone to tell us "Before I open my eyes, get the hell out of there"

 

It might be an abusive boss. It might be an abusive working environment. It might be an abusive girlfriend. It might be an abusive de-facto or marriage relationship.

You are tired and scared. You are confused about the next step to take. 

You speak with a few confidants, they are scared too. They don't want to tell you to leave so you don't hate them for the advice later.

So you stay. You cry every day as you drive to work or you hate every day as you keep befriending your abusive bestie.

I know, sometimes in life, we just need someone to tell us "Before I open my eyes, get the hell out of there!".

Sometimes we need someone who will literally hold our hands and grab us out of a situation, tell us what to do.

But friends and family can be so careful about what they say. They want to safeguard their relationship with you so sometimes they don't tell you the way it is.

Sometimes they are scared that life might be harder for you if they tell you to leave that abusive job. 

And sometimes they are as clueless as you are.

But I tell you, staying in that hurtful environment is hurting your soul.

When you look around and you don't find that person to tell you what to do. You might need to look deep within and follow your God-given guts.

Wishing you comfort and clarity at this time.

Jumoke Odepe

Somewhere between Lagos and NY
2020

Cardio exercise for beginners who are not in love with exercise just like me

 

I don't love exercising.

I am one of those girls who are not gifted with the gift of the passion for exercise. I often wonder why people jog or run every morning, I say to myself, "what is chasing them?". 

I am one of those girls who naturally have a tiny waistline and eat so little.

But something started happening to me! 

At a certain point, my ever compliant waist line started bulging of her own volition! It felt as if I had undigested food permanently sitting at certain corners of my waist and won't just break down as fast as they used to. 

Suddenly, my flat tummy and flattering waistlines were giving way! My tops were not fitting anymore at mid body area.

That's when I woke up! Well not wake up wake up as in wake up. I still drag myself off my bed to exercise daily.

I found Amy's cardio video quite easy for a dragger like me who has to do it but just wants to get it over with and still get results!

Gradually, my waistline started behaving. I also started getting more conscious of my diet.

So, there you go.

I hope you find some fun as you drag yourself to exercise with the above video... Like I do.

Ola

Toronto, Canada

When you no longer want what does not kill you to make you stronger.

By Jumoke Eniola Odepe

Guelph, 2020
 

#Endsars #End all forms of oppression in Nigeria

 

This is the dawn of a new era in Nigeria 🇳🇬. I’m proud of the Gen Z soro soke generation. 

#End Sars

#End all forms of oppression of the people of Nigeria 

#End bad governance 

#Promote technology 

#Promote security and sanctity of the human life

#Welcome new era

Ola, 

Toronto, ON

What is Patent Mining?

Patent mining is a term used in IP portfolio management to describe the process of managing and monetizing patent portfolios by identifying and prioritizing assets within an organization. 

Firms use the process to identify acquisitions that would strengthen existing patent portfolios.

Understanding and unearthing assets within an organization can reveal which technologies to license or sell to generate revenue, or what portfolios to totally abandon to reduce costs. It can reveal your market position and aid strategies to maneuver around envisaged roadblocks. 

The patent mining process also includes identification and prioritizing patentable inventions or ideas within an organization for the purpose of filing patent applications.

The objective of patent mining is often to pinpoint from a large patent portfolio, the highest-rated patent, and those with the likely best claims.

Olajumoke Odepe is a legal copywriter.

This short article was created to serve as a writing sample only. It is not legal advice or a substitute for legal advice on any subject matter. The reader should understand that reading this sample article does not establish any advisory relationship between the writer and the reader.

PC: Colin Behrens, Pixabay

Chadwick Boseman, RIP

 Rest on Chadwick Omotunleshe Boseman. 

Thanks for the movies that represented us in the superheroes sphere, for the African accent that you used, for fighting for equality while fighting for your life. 

It meant a lot to us to see our black boys and girls sit proudly at the cinemas when Black Panthers’ movie premiered. They saw their superheroes, for the first time, in you. 

Stories matter, you improved our stories. You represented us well. You reduced the negative stereotypes. You did well.

We won’t forget you, Omotunleshe, meaning, our child has improved our status. 

Wakanda forever. 

J.M.

                    

IF I DON'T DESIGN MY LIFE, SOMEONE ELSE WILL

Image by karolina grabowska from pexels

The "design your life" quote below is one of my favorite motivational quotes. It says:

"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much. " - Jim Rohn.

I have seen this play out over and over again, I have to be the pilot of my flying times.

I have to take charge of my life and manage it. 

Otherwise, I will live other people's plans over and over again.

Live other people's dreams, over and over again

Jumoke Eniola Odepe.

Toronto, 2020

POETRY IMAGE

The world is a book

3 FUN ACTIVITIES TO DO THIS LOCKDOWN SUMMER

Photo credit: Ryan Spencer -Unsplash

I know most of us would rather be touring Europe or vacationing in the Caribbean, but this year's summer brings to us a different kind of flavour. A lockdown flavour. But because we are humans, we are resilient, we enjoy it anyway and make the best use of it.

I always look forward to summer. My go-to activities are going on cruises, visiting multi-cultural food festivals, hiking, taking long walks through downtowns, and picturesque parts of Ontario ( For days, I've daydreamt taking walks around the picturesque town of Banff, AB. 

However, I need to finish touring Ontario first. So many places to see). Last summer, I added travelling around Europe to my summer-go-to-activities list. For me, Europe is all about the walk. Walking through the intricate buildings. Goodness, gracious.

Hubby and the boys love everything water, I do too but I don't swim (I promise, there is an excuse for that.) which has kept me out of so many fun family activities for so long. My lovely friend and partner in the no-swim-life have agreed to partner again with me to enroll in adult swimming classes. While I look forward to it, I hope it does not end up like my adult-skating class. 

So, here are the three fun and safe things to do during this flavorful summer.

1. Turn your backyard into a swimming area

Photo credit: Silvrwood from Unsplash

While some public swimming pools have reopened, swimmers still have to leave their contact information so they can be traceable. Traceable for what? Traceable in case they had the virus before coming to swim and passed the virus to other swimmers or traceable in case they came in contact with a swimmer who already had the virus. Anyway, If you are someone like me, you'd rather swim in a private pool.

If you have some space at the back of your yard, buying an inflatable swimming pool, small or large, depending on your family size is a good idea this summer. What this affords you, is the un-ending access to swim at will and cool off without end while staying safe. Also because the pool is inflatable, you can do with it as you please after summer.

2. Go backyard camping

Photo credit: Richard Cordones

It was hilarious at first when at the start of the lockdown summer, hubby and the boys built a tent at our backyard. We simulated life at the real camp, just that we had the four of us. It was fun! The boys wanted to play computer games in the tent, so we rounded up our summer camp by glamping.

In your backyard camp, you can choose to cook, choose not to take your bath for a few days, switch off the wi-fi, leave the phones in the house, and camp like you normally do. Now that most countries can congregate with more people, you can invite a family to camp along with yours.

3.  Go tubing

Photo credit:Jed Villejo - Unsplash

Recently, my family went tubing on the Elora- Fergus grand river and it was a blast. Tubing can be as much a family activity as it can be social. Go tubing these holidays with your immediate family, hopefully on a day where there are not too many people on the river. If other families are tubing at the same time, be sure to practice social distancing.

Do you have more fun things? Do send them my way and I will update this list. I have the best readers ever!

Forever writing,

Jumoke Eniola Odepe

ON, Canada

A PRAYER FOR THOSE FLEEING HOME

Lord, i kneel in prayer.

before thee most high.

that you protect all those running from home.

from war-torn countries.

from domestic violence.

from teenage pregnancy.

now.

stuck along thorny paths.

in deserts dry.

waters wild.

oceans high.

between the devil and.

the deep blue sea.

middle of nowhere.

be thee their compass.

lead them by the hand.

have mercy on them. most high.

hold their feeble hands.

strengthen their failing feet.

fortify their weary knees.

fill their hunger.

quench their thirst.

keep them warm.

make them land safely.

make them find peace.

make us find peace.

 

Jumoke Eniola Odepe

Ontario

July 2020