The Zygote Diaries Again

33 years and counting! Right off the bat, the Zygote says, Congratulations Mom and Dad, you guys are amazing!

This year is slightly different though, because this year, for the very first time one of yours has followed your lead and chosen the day after her parent’s wedding anniversary as her day to say, ‘I do!’ It’s more poetic than I could ever write! Generational wedding anniversaries on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of May!

That is a whole lot of love for one week of the year, and a whole lot of phone calls when a family has scattered the globe! But what better reason to laugh and celebrate?! For those who know what it’s like, no doubt it affirms their unions and for those like me who (currently) prefer to be spectators, it’s a five star performance that never gets old…year after year after year!

Congratulations my lil’ Sis, for joining this exclusive club! You and what’s-his-name’s membership is much deserved!

Current time to beat – 33 years.

Godspeed!

Wild Flower

Wild Flower

5 Stars for One

Recently I took myself out to a five star dinner. I called in advance to make the reservation and was greeted with the highest degree of pleasantry. I requested a 7pm reservation which the party on the other end of the line promptly agreed to and then they asked how many there would be. I informed them the reservation was for one and suddenly they were sorry ma’am, but they would only be able to seat me at the bar. Unacceptable I said. The only reservation they could offer for one, was at 5pm!! I relented.

Arriving at the restaurant at 5pm a few days later, I told the hostess that I had a reservation for one. She proceeded to lead me to the bar area. Unacceptable I said, so she took me to a small table for two and I sat down. A few minutes later a couple on a bad first date (or seven year anniversary) were seated next to me and moments later, the waiter came to take their order. As he finished with them, I cleared my throat and he came to check on me. I informed him I was ready to order and he looked at me with sheer surprise, asking if I was not waiting for anybody. No, it was just me. I couldn’t believe that after making an advance reservation for one, and the hostess knowing the reservation was for one, that the waiter still expected another! Apologies were made and my order was taken.

Overall, the food was satisfying and the following notes were taken between courses:

Disadvantages to Dining out for One:	Advantages to Dining out for One:
The restaurant will try to seat you at the bar to ‘save’ their tables for larger parties.	You don’t have to share the bread.
The waiter won’t take your order until you ask him because he assumed you were waiting for someone.	The ‘pity’ service is exceptional – by dessert, they are begging YOU to come back, so they can pamper you more!
The pity stares from other patrons – too bad they have nothing else to talk about!	No need to make small talk with an obnoxious date!
The freak-out glare when you get up to use the restroom because they think you are going to dine and dash.	The surprised look on their faces when you leave the best tip they’ve received all night!

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Beforeword: Sometimes you just have to dress up for your friends!

I wore a black dress
I wore a white flower
I wore red lips
I wore red nails
And a jet black curly 20’s do.

The lights were bright
The cameras flashed
For a moment in time
I was frozen in time
In red carpet glamour
Inspired by Coco
Along with 20 others
I warmed my friends Condo.

We nibbled on food
We sipped on wine
We were high above the ground
On top of the world
Playing battleship wars
Watching reality shows
And finding out what everybody knows.

I’m sure you’d agree
The best place to be
The 15th of January
Was Kris’ soiree.

Afterword: Friends are more precious than diamonds and all we have to do is pay it forward and bask in the afterglow…

Don’t Come Too Fast!

Okay so I love my new city! Toronto Rocks, ‘coz in Summer they have free concerts down by the Harbour Front and last night was Femi Kuti, son of the world renowned Fela Kuti. I was out with my great friends F, V and T, and then we ran into other friends C, T and B! And for at least two hours last night we literally became Nigerian. From Lagos specifically! Femi taught us expressions like “reverse back very well” and reminded us of things we can’t possibly miss about the Motherland like lack of electricity and abundance of mosquitoes.

I couldn’t believe how much fun we were having!
It was like we were high on something!
Perhaps it was the warm sunny weather,
Perhaps it was the company of awesome friends,
Perhaps it was the fact that the concert was free,
Or perhaps it was the second-hand smoke from the guy-in-the-eighth-spot-of-the-twenty-seventh-row-near-the-third-aisle’s potent spliff! I’m telling you that joint was enough to bring Bob Marley back to life!

It didn’t take me long to realize that we were mainly high on the music. Even though we couldn’t hear or understand most of the words, the beat is a universal language. It transcends not just economic and social boundaries, but also time, moods and feelings.

We ate good greasy food and washed it down with equally high-calorie summer cocktails and then we jived until said calories melted into forgotten pools on the concrete below.

Femi finished the concert with a bang! Literally his song Bang Bang Bang, and a quick lesson on the art of making love – see title.

And we all danced home shouting: Ala la la la! Alo lo lo lo!

And from me to you:

“When you get the chance to sit it out or dance,”

Shake your booty!!

Energy Transferred

I watched a movie today, which said ‘romantics are addicts.’ Well I’ve quit. Cold Turkey. I refuse to rely on the presence of romance for my happiness! Shoes will suffice! And sunshine, and music, and art, and food, and anything that spontaneously exhilarates me! Anything that ignites a passion in me.

I have many memories of when I thought I was in love, and they evoke that passion…even though it was long ago, and I never could understand why the memories meant so much; because I knew I had changed, and I knew I didn’t want to be back there.

And I realized that as I grow, as I evolve, passion remains a constant, it is merely transferred from one entity to the next.

Once I was passionate about boy bands and sitcoms.

Yesterday I was passionate about yams and real estate.

Today I am passionate about the Grimsby sun on my brown skin and Afro kink.

Tomorrow and beyond, I do not know – the only thing certain is that there will be Passion.

The Zygote Diaries – Trey

Every time I feel old, I think of how long my parents have been married, and I realize I am not that old! I think to myself, I don’t even know myself as well as my parents know each other, because I have only known myself for about 28 years! The crazy thing is that I can’t imagine knowing anyone for that long! And then living with them, and then making things and building things with them, until you know them better than you knew yourself before they were around!

It’s been a crazy week – with me trying to figure out exactly what it is that appeals to me in the context of a romantic, life-partner type of situation. If you know me, then you know that the energy it takes to fuel this kind of topic in my brain would put the atomic bomb to shame! But after I have taken the roller coaster ride in my head, checked virtual lists and had schizophrenic debates with me, myself and I; and I’ve gone from one extreme to another and back again…about 18 times, as usual, my source grounds me.

They were married 32 years ago today, and as my source, they are the epitome of trust, confidence, certainty and love to me.

And on the ground, I realize that this kind of thing needs energy.

But if there is any doubt about whether you want to put all your energy into it or not…it probably isn’t worth it.

So, the zygote says, Happy Anniversary Baz and Phil, and in the meantime, I will happily continue preparing scrumptious dinners for one!