pagesbyike 4/20/16 pagesbyike 4/20/16

Feed Me Back, Please!

Hey, hey, everyone!

It's the end of a third of 2016 (o wow, it's almost May!) and it's feedback season somewhere in the world and here on PagesbyIke! I'd like to ask you to please provide me with some feedback, so that visiting the blog can be a better experience for you. Let me know what your favorite posts were; what made you laugh, frown or pout. What topics did you enjoy reading the most? If you also have specific topics you'd like to see addressed, please drop a message below or send me a message here! You can get as specific as you want!

Here are the top 10 read posts of 2015! #EarlyThrowback. Enjoy!

1. Hello First Marital shock: Bank of Daddy to Bank of Bae

2. What happens in Vegas, does not stay in Vegas..not really

3. 5 strange things i do in an Airbnb! Haha! Most consistent habits of mine

4. How to avoid a "Bleep Better Have My Money" incident /This always makes me think of all the phantom people i owe money

5. Long Distance Relationships: You, Her and Jack ; On pilfering someone's girlfriend

6. Letters to my Great-grand Daughter: The Assassination of Mary (I love Marys, I do!)

7. Love, Angels and Grunts; How to be a good friend and not go crazy

8. Abi's story: Married to a Jerk

9. 9 Unusual but Effective Couple habits

10. 12 ways to hack culture shock! I still read this post, probably every other month!

Which was your favorite then and now?

Please remember to drop your comments! Thanks!

pagesbyike 4/13/16 pagesbyike 4/13/16

6 Ways to Get out of a Creative Rut

I wish creativity came in a box and all you had to do was add water and stir but it doesn't--not yet anyway. While we all hold our breaths and wait for Nestlé to come up with this fab beverage, we need to find ways to manage our creative lags/ruts.

This is a list of 6 things that I hope will be beneficial to you whenever you feel a little lethargic with your creative work. Here goes:

1. Rest

Your mind is a living, breathing thing that likes to laze around on sunny beaches and sip piña coladas, contrary to general perception. It deserves to relax, considering the fact that it gives you more than a hundred percent of performance everyday. Take time out to relax-an hour, a day, a week. Even God is an advocate for rest days. #NotEverytimeCreateBotanicalGarden

2. Change your routine

Same chair, same wall, same noises, same voices in your head. Sometimes it helps to shuffle things around in your living and creative space to create more creative urges and stimulants. Rearrange your desk or work area. Something as little as a newly hung piece of wall art or changing the position of your desk could kick start that creative process.

3. Do something else

PGI girl, Laju says whenever she is stuck in a creative process, she leaves it alone and does something else. If you are running around in circles, consider stopping what you are doing and going for a walk or playing a game or going hang-gliding. Shrug.

4. Open yourself up (not to everything, of course)

According to Alice Laplante, you need to keep your mind open to be able to create new things. If your mind is shut up, your creativity will be relatively stunted and who wants that? Of course, not all things are beneficial (think drugs), so have all your necessary guards up to the things that would be harmful to your well-being and spirit but also learn to appreciate new things and experiences.

5. Eat properly

Food helps creativity. However, a lot of creative people seem to "forget" to eat. Artists like MichaelAngelo and Van Gogh were also meal skippers because they were fixated on their tasks and meeting deadlines, I can't say I blame them. For the impressionists of the 1800s, absinthe and tobacco were their creative foods for some reason--those are not on the top 15 creativity-enhancing food list by the way. A good, consistent diet helps to enhance creativity as well as maintain good physical health.

6. Toss your work to God

It's a good idea to pray about your work. Commit your works unto the Lord and it will be established (Proverbs 16vs3). I love it when the bible gets explicit. Wink.

If you know anyone struggling with their creativity, this could help! Please share!

Hey! Did you read my short-story feature on Tope Owolabi's blog? Not yet? Read it here!

pagesbyike 3/8/16 pagesbyike 3/8/16

Blogger Scorned

I recently read a post written by a blogger who was very distressed by the fact that someone had been imitating her blog. I can understand the frustrations of people stealing posts, techniques and pretending like it was their idea without attribution to the creator. It's a good case of plagiarism and even more irritating if they get more comments on "your stuff" than you did. Lol!

However, another way to look at it is this - you have just inspired another artist; original or not.

If there are copyright violations by all means take action but don't let it get to you. No one is quite like you, no one creates like you. God has given everyone the ability to create, Him being the Master Creative Director and all. He created everything, including you. You have the ability to create, so create! No two people can create the same way; find your edge and capitalize.

“An original writer is not one who imitates nobody, but one whom nobody can imitate.”

— Francoise-Rene de Chateaubriand

#NoBlogWars

pagesbyike 2/25/16 pagesbyike 2/25/16

6 Hacks to Improve your Workspace

My desk sometimes looks like i share it with the 7 dwarfs but it really is just me, and on occasion, Ed. My former excuse used to be entropy, you know how they say we live in a world that is in a constant state of inclination to disorder and all, well, i like the 7 dwarfs explanation better. Anyway, it turns out our productivity is tied to the condition of our work spaces and two decades later, I now understand why we had table lockers in primary school; it was to train me for my life now. Well, I'm proud to say I didn't get trained then and i'm still trying to figure it all out. Lol. Here are 5 ways to improve your work space and subsequently enhance productivity:

Stare

Step back from your work station, fold your arms and stare at it. If it's not a mess, well, skip this post and read our second post of the day; if it is a mess, keep staring until you come to a state of complete discontentment, take a deep breath and shake things up a bit.

Reduce clutter

The more items you have visible, the more distracted you'd be, the less productive you'll become. Keep your work space to the barest minimum, leaving only your primary equipment and a pen visible at all times. Other items can be brought out as needed and of course, immediately put away after use. Discard trash promptly.

Subdue the 7 dwarfs in you

Ensure your space is always clean. If you will be having a meal within this space, remember to air it out and clean off any food residue or particles and to use a coaster beneath your cups all the time.

Use Good Lighting

Ensure that you have enough light for your tasks, invest in a good desk or standing lamp. Get in as much natural light as you can. Natural light is a great way to stimulate your brain and promote alertness.

Play with Colour

Use the right colours to enhance your productivity and creativity.
To stimulate your mind; blue is recommended, for a creative buzz, try yellow or purple; for motivation for physical tasks, red works; for a calm and serene work environment, green soothes. Also note that the combination of these colors have a combined effect of their stimulating properties.

Indoor plants

I don't know what it is but when i look at Judah (my plant), i get a little calmer and maybe happier. It might be because green soothes or because i'm easily amused. However, table plants and indoor plants are known to improve concentration, productivity and well-being. I guess that's why i get giggly- that and the presence of the dwarfs.

pagesbyike 1/28/16 pagesbyike 1/28/16

Where the Magic Happens (wink)

Welcome everyone, to where all the magic happens- my creative space! Hehe, you didn't really think I meant magic, magic, MAGIC! *side-eye*

Anyway, I'm delighted you are here and have been sharing my space with me. This is our 86th blog post! Thanks for all the comments, private messages and support, so yeah, i thought i'd show you where it all goes down. I want to say all my ideas come to me as I sit at my desk and stare intensely into the distance but they don't! They come while I'm in the shower, as all eureka moments do.

This post is dedicated to everyone who reads this blog and a million thanks for sticking with PGI all this while! Greater things coming!

Enjoy!

"Pink in Paris" by  Debra Cartwright — "Pink in Paris" by Debra Cartwright

That's Judah, my Bonsai plant. He doesn't take walks and I inhale his waste (what perfect pets are made of)

Product Collage (and links)!

1. FJÄLLBERGET (IKEA) Ed and I spent almost an hour deciding to get this chair, I loved it and he didn't think the price was commensurate with whatever customer value they were trying to provide. Anyway, I got it. It's not the most comfortable of chairs, I spend more time on his chair *side eye from Ed* Lol! #betterdecisions2016

2. Mouse Pad and Coaster (Etsy)

3. "Pink in Paris" by Debra Cartwright (Etsy)

4. RIGGAD (IKEA)

5. Polka Dot Mug (Kate Spade)

pagesbyike 1/25/16 pagesbyike 1/25/16

Eat Your Way to Creativity: 15 Foods That Light Up Your Mind!

According to this study, your creative ability is closely linked to a little seahorse-shaped structure in the brain, known as the hippocampus! The hippocampus is that bad boy in charge of your learning, long-term memory, organizing and storage of past knowledge and experiences.

Take a moment to recall your most thrilling moment as a 7 year-old, as you buried your face into that awesome piece of birthday cake, pause, then take a moment to remember your worst memory- that silly bully on the playground with no front teeth. Remember? Yup, that's your hippocampus working. Now, mentally locate yours (it's close to the center of your brain) and thank it for a job well done. Amazingly, studies also show that this sea-horsey structure is closely related to our ingenuity and the backbone for creative thinking. In fact, this study shows people with damaged hippocampi lose their ability to imagine.

Gasp!

Imagine if all writers, painters, artists, musicians, art-enthusiasts, mums(the most creative of the lot) lost their imagination! Imagine if the writer of Game of Thrones lost his!! I honestly, I'm close to tears right now at the thought, then we'd never know what happened to Jon Snow! (Now we know *updated August 2016)

Ok, the real reason you clicked on this post: the food.

The hippocampus is a fitfam-ish kind of structure. It remains healthy as long as you feed it with foods that are high in Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamins A, D, E, Zinc and Flavonoids. Here are 15 foods packed with all these creative juices (in no particular order):

1. Fish

High in Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin A, D and E. Fishes are so amazing they deserve their own post (coming up soon).

2. Flax seeds

Rich in Omega 3. Sprinkle some ground flax seeds in your smoothie before blending!

3. Green tea

High in and catechins! Don't steep with boiling water, use moderately hot water and add some lemon juice for better absorption of nutrients!

4. Liver

Rich in Vitamin A and iron! To be consumed in moderation, over consumption could lead to toxicity! Limit to 10, 000 international units daily.

5. Cocoa

Rich in flavonoids! SHOULD BE EATEN IN MODERATION. Cocoa is 50% fat and has a high sugar content.

6. Blueberries

Rich in vitamin A, C, potassium, manganese, anthocyanins and flavonoids! Divine in smoothies!

7. Mushrooms

Hold your breath for what mushrooms pack; Vitamin B, Zinc, Copper, Niacin, Phospholate, Folate, (Mushrooms aren't kidding here), Iron, Thiamin, Selenium, Panthothenic Acid. #HappyHippocampus

8. Almonds

Huge source of Vitamin E and B complexes just like mushrooms. Grab a handful a day, in between meals and chew away (I tried it with garri once, not too bad, i must say).

9. Avocados

Avocados = Super-uper food! They provide about 20 essential nutrients and are very rich in Vitamin E, Vitamin B and folic acid!

10. Spinach

Rich source of Vitamin A and C

11. Cod-liver oil

Rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin A, D and K!

12. Dairy/ Dairy Alternatives

High in Vitamin D.

13. Broccoli

High in fiber, very high in vitamin C, potassium, B6 and vitamin A and protein!

14. Sweet Potatoes

High in Vitamin A and C!

15. Bell Peppers

Rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E!

Treat your body right as you create and change the world with your wonderful creative mind; exercise and feed that brain! It goes without saying that we have to protect the hippocampi of our creative people in the world (think Jon Snow). Send this post to as many as you know! (By the way, we all create. Being creative is not exclusive. This applies to you too! Eat your way to creativity)

pagesbyike 1/14/16 pagesbyike 1/14/16

PGI's January Girl - Joko

I met Joko 6 years ago within the walls of NYSC Lagos orientation camp, Iyana Ipaja. Of course, we spent all free our time in Mammy market, eating indomie and drinking Berry blast on those hot, lazy harmattan afternoons and at night we nibbled pancakes or skewered suya with Milo (little wonder we got fat in camp LOL!). Who says serving the country is not fun?

Anyway, i met this bubbly, fun girl who was an entrepreneur and had mentioned this fact in the first 5 minutes of us meeting. Entrepreneurs my age, 6 years ago, were pretty rare, so i uuuuuuh-ed and aaaaaaah-ed in wonder, in my head. Also, much to my amazement, she had brought along with her to Ipaja, her newly printed business cards, which she handed out to anyone who cared to receive them. For the first time, i was observing a real business owner first hand, networking and actively building a business! It was thrilling and inspiring. She was completely oblivious to the effect she had on me but I think she might have sowed a crazy entrepreneurial seed in me that day. It has been more than a delight seeing her business grow and her passion and hard work payoff over the years.

Jokotade Omojirade Shonowo is the girl behind the renowned PoshClick Portraiture and this exceptionally talented business woman is PGI’s January Girl! She has a Bachelors degree in Microbiology from Olabisi Onabanjo University and made a career change to photography in 2010!

Ok, time to hang with Joko! And we are going straight to the point of this post with the first question!

Joko................Gala or plantain chips?

Plantain Chips

(You can tell a lot about a person from the answer to that question)

How long have you been a professional photographer?

About 6 years now

How did you know this was what you wanted to be and how did you make the career transition?

It wasn't cast in stone from day 1 but I definitely had an unwavering passion for photography and I pursued it against the odds.
I pretty much started photography actively during my service year in 2010 whilst serving at Recreate Consult as the Client Service Representative.

What was the model of your first camera?

Canon 400D

[Thief: Your camera or your phone?
Joko: ?]

My Phone.... In fact, none😂😂😂

Your favorite Photography mentors or blogs?

Ty Bello , Sue Bryce , Elizabeth Messina and Susan Stripling

Where is your favorite place to visit?

Seychelles

Is PoshClick like your second baby?

PoshClick is actually my first baby but of course it had to move over for Demilicious to assume her rightful position.

How many photos of Demi do you have? Rough estimate

Over 5,000

Is she ever there while you work?

Yes, sometimes. In fact, she went with me to a product shoot last week and was extremely good. She’s mummy's little helper😘😘😘

What are your hours like?

I have 20 hour-work-days. I'm a walking zombie sometimes.

How do you get yourself out of bed after a long night working?

I would rather sleep in but the only thing that drags me out of bed after a long work night is a DEADLINE.

What do you love the most about your job?

Finding beauty through my lenses

9 pm, Thursday night what are you doing?

Spending time with family

What was the last item you bought ?

Cod Liver Oil - Orange Flavour

What do you sing in the shower?

Nothing- I’m always quiet, I strategize in the shower

Lagos traffic survival kit?

Good Music/ Good Company , Gum and Water

4 THINGS I LEARNT

1. Do what you love and Network! Even Iyana ipaja NYSC camp is a great networking platform. Who knew?!
2. Set deadlines for yourself and sometimes, be quiet in the shower (Note to Self, Ike!)
3. Follow your Dreams, even as a mum!
4. Orange flavored cod-liver oil exists, i can’t even begin to ask whose idea that was

Thank you so much, Jokotade, for being PGI's January Girl!!! Love you loads!

PoshClick Portraiture:

Phone: +2348023655153

Instagram @poshclick

PGI loves to honor everyday people who inspire. The great news is, we are all capable of inspiring! Do you know someone who inspires? Click here and share with us!

pagesbyike 11/23/15 pagesbyike 11/23/15

PGI's November Girl: Laju

One toasty warm Saturday afternoon in Lagos and by contrast a windy fall day in Madison, i had the awesome pleasure of chatting with the beautiful and talented Utseoritselaju Omagbitse Joanne (popularly known as Laju) via FaceTime. We have no photos from this event because we both were in Saturday-chill-mode. Pardon us.

Laju is a successful Lagos-based artist who has been sketching and painting for as long as she can remember. Last September, she had her first art exhibition themed: "Woman in Bloom" along with other artists who were involved in this event, which sought to contribute to the discussion on the process of self-actualization for the woman in a typically patriarchal society. It's wonderful knowing people who use their talent and passion to develop and improve their community. It's what we all strive to do. It's what we are all made for.

Let's meet Laju!

Hey, Laju! What's "Laju" short for and what does it mean?

Utseoritselaju which means the work of the Lord is too great

Where are you from?

Warri, Delta State, Nigeria

What is your morning app sequence?

Hmm… Instagram, WhatsApp or iMessage…. Instagram…again.. *laughs*

What do you do?

I'm a banker with Heritage Bank

Describe your art?

My art is mostly acrylics on canvas. I started with charcoal but then again, i love color! Right now though, i paint acrylics on canvas.

Acrylic paintings dry fast and that works for me. Oil paint is beautiful but I'm not that patient. *laughs* I'm thinking about working with charcoal and acrylics.

I work with female subjects, i find them easy to relate to and for now, African females because the color of our skin is just beautiful in real life and on canvas!

How and when did you start painting?

I actually started very young. I remember in primary school, I’d draw match-stick people, then they evolved into box-like images. I was always fascinated by the cartoon images I saw on TV, and wondered why I couldn’t make my drawings look like the cartoons, so i'd trace directly from the TV or from Archie comic books. That really helped. And of course, my art teacher in college, class mates and even family recognized my talent and kept urging me to do better. Over time, I’ve nurtured this skill and improved on my style and techniques

Most interesting muse?

I’d say female mannequins. I fell in love with them recently; the fragility of their posture amazes me. They've opened my mind up to a thousand ideas. Hopefully you’ll get to see what I come up with in my future artworks

What does your creative work space look like?

*laughs* That’s funny because my work space is my bed and the floor of my room…. That’s where the magic happens. Haha. To answer your question, Newpapers on the floor of my bedroom.

What do you do when you have a creative block?

I just stay away from trying to paint or sketch, because the more I try, the more I end up making everything worse…which is deeply depressing, although, sometimes I go online and view thousands of images related to the ideas I had in my head, to come up with something unique. *laughs*. Apart from these two, I just lay in my bed and stare at my ceiling.

But on a more serious note though , what works most times is staying away completely, it helps me cool off and also gives me a different perspective on my work

What are your creative work must-haves?

An old piece of cloth to clean my brushes, my iPad/phone to refer to my saved ideas or the internet for clarification (when I get stuck)

Longest & Shortest time taken to complete a work

Longest, 1 month; Shortest, 4 hours

Default nail polish color

I usually don’t paint my nails *covers face* but if i had to choose, nude or purple

Who is(are) your greatest support system?

Family and close friends. They make me believe in myself

What song describes you at 5.30am?

Don’t wake me up by Chris Brown

I'm more of a 6am person

Quirkiest thing about you?

I like to sleep with the lights on. When I wake up in the middle of the night and there isn't power, I turn on the flashlight of my phone and fall asleep

Favorite cake flavor?

Red velvet

Favorite artist

Joseph Eze, Sara Golish, Nelson Makamo

Most frequent Lagos-traffic purchase?

Plantain chips, Super Yogo! *laughs*