I'm in NYC

I'm in the dorms at Columbia University prepping for a fashion show. The show starts in less than thirty minutes and I'm one of the designers showing. I'm excited out of my mind, and lol, I must admit, being introduced as 'one of the designers showing' was sort of surreal. I think up until this point, in my head I was just a chick that draws t-shirts.

I'll put up photos when I can. My phone died backstage so I don't have many backstage photos. Damn!! Damn!! Damn!! I totally regret not buying that Nikon/Canon SLR camera when I had the chance.

Oh my goodness, I almost forgot. Here's some VERY IMPORTANT news that I've been keeping to myself.

I realised that Barcelagos was a mouthful, hard to remember, plus, I felt like it didn't really represent me, so I rebranded my whole t-shirt line.

It is now called Dinka (pronounced Dee-een-kah) and I have a new logo, website, and everything. It's pretty much been under wraps and the main website still isn't done, but I will be setting up a sale tonight for the t-shirts that appeared in the show (more info later). Plus there's a discount, so hurrah for that!

More info later!!! And pictures!! Yes, pictures!!

Kisses everyone!!! Chineke, New York rocks! :D

Forty Days and Forty Nights

For Lent, I am giving up:

Hulu - I felt my brain wobble when I thought this. I'm having withdrawal symptoms already. This also includes any TV shows that I watch (goodbye House, Bones, Legend of the Seeker, Lipstick Jungle, 24, Damages, Burn Notice, Heroes, Project Runway, Gossip Girl, ANTM and Sex and the City! Sob! I'll miss you!!!)

Also, as is required, I will be fasting by eating two small meals a day (Cereal, and a Fruit Cup), and one large meal in the evening (A Salad with No Meat)

I'm also promising to pray the Rosary every day of Lent.

Oh my goodness, God please send the Holy Spirit to help me... who knew giving up Internet TV would be this hard?

DAYUM!

This woman and her style make me deliriously happy.

The Rise of Captain Sugabelly Bitch

I'm not an apologizer, but this time I will apologize.

I am passionate about my issues, and even though I try my best to articulate my feelings clearly and concisely, sometimes, even I have my childish days, and truth be told, yesterday was one of them.

I earlier made a comment on Bella Naija's post about Bouqui's new video (which I still think is inane rubbish by the way) and some people replied and called me my favourite word... "hater".

I detest it when people call you a hater simply because they do not agree with your point of view, and yesterday I was pumped full of hormones so I lashed out completely.

Note I didn't say respond or argue, I said lashed out. Like I lost my shit.

Watching other people lose their shit is always fun, but it's not that great when you lose it yourself, especially against people that haven't really done anything to you. Everyone has an opinion. I have an opinion, and the people that replied me had an opinion, and usually I respect it.

Yesterday I didn't.

So, I am sorry. I totally never meant what I said the way they read it anyway. It was like the moment I hit enter I was like "Oh shit, Nigerians take this kind of stuff seriously, they're not going to see the sarcasm", and whaddya know? I was right.

For the record, I did not curse anyone. Whatever you might believe. Words unintended do not make a curse. If I say 'damn you' it does not mean that you will automatically and irrevocably go to hell....or become a vampire. Whatever you might believe.

Perhaps I should just listen to Multi and take something for my PMS.

Let's Step On the Africans...

Thank you Dior, for reducing the population of the continent nothing more than worthless pawns to be exploited in your fashion show as the heels of your shoes. And should you try to deceive me with your cock and bull story about celebrating African culture, consider how interesting it is that in your fashion show celebrating "African culture" only ONE of your models was black.

*UPDATE/NOTE: This is in response to something Lolia said and I think it might be causing some confusion. I am not offended by the fact that Dior is experimenting with African themes (okay, I admit I'm a bit annoyed, but that is not the point). The symbolism of these shoes should be clear enough to anyone. If a political satirist had cartooned these shoes he couldn't have done a better job.

The West has been "stepping on Africans" for a very long time now.

Happy Birthday Nosa!!!

Hey everyone, it's Nosa's birthday today, so head on over to his blog and wish him a happy birthday!!!!

Cooking Attempt 1: Rice and Stew

Since I'm turning twenty this year, I have decided to cave to my family's wishes and learn how to cook.

My Cooking Drawer (Formerly the home of my Stilettos)

Getting the Stuff Out

No Parboiling Needed :D

I cut like a pro

I think this is how you're supposed to start the stew

The chicken gave me a little trouble so I stabbed it in anger

Added the corned beef (was I supposed to?)

My first pot ever!! I'm so proud :D

Maybe cooking isn't that bad afterall

I threw the cornbeef mixture in there with the chicken

Yay! Cooking makes me feel so grownup! :D

I spoke too soon: Something is very wrong

My trusty Monkey-shaped Potato Peeler: Isn't he cute?

I had to call my Mom in Nigeria for help

Potatoes are the answer: My Mommy said so!!!

Yay, potatoes will thicken my stew and make the water go away. Or at least that's what I think she said. :/

Showing off my Battle Scars. Cooking sux. :(

The finished product. It's not exactly the rice and stew you know, but at least there's rice, ..... and some sort of substance that I shall now name "Stew"

Fun Igbo Fact of the Day

Traditionally, an Igbo woman can marry another Igbo woman if she pays her bride price.

In Igbo, it's called "Kpim" :D

Sorry, No Africans Please

So the Red Cross is here at my school doing a blood drive. I was working so I couldn't get up and give blood but since they set up the blood drawing stations right in front of me I spent all of work watching people lie in the beds and give blood.

Now I was hoping to donate blood for the first time as it seems to me that the American students seemed very fired up and passionate about it, almost as if it was their bounden duty to do a service to humanity by given their blood, so the moment my shift ended I sauntered up to the registration table and waited my turn.

I had waited a short while and there was only one guy in front of me. In the line I was wondering to myself if this was a good idea since I was anaemic as a child. Even though I'm not anymore, it occurred to me that depleting my blood supply might possibly bring it back. Anyway, I was in the line, with the one guy in front of me. The Red Cross lady was asking him some questions as he signed up and then he asked her if he was eligible to give blood, and she said "yes, unless you've had a tattoo, then you need to wait one year at least before giving blood, or if you've been to Africa or had sex with an African."

My blood turned cold.So I know they are concerned about AIDS and stuff, but it's not like people in America don't have HIV. Majority of Africa's population as a whole DOES NOT have HIV but the way people go on about it you'd think that every one of us had the HIV waiting to launch itself from our frikkin' skin! Even on a country by country basis, and I do not mean to downplay the plight of the people that actually are dying of AIDS, probably the few countries that really raise eyebrows would be Swaziland and Botswana.

Besides, don't they screen the damn blood?? How can you just place a blanket ban on a whole continent?? Frankly I am sick of Americans acting as if all the stuff they run around the world trying to save people from does not happen in their own country. You'd think NOBODY had HIV in America, that there was ZERO poverty, and everybody was on a permanent dose of Happy Powder.

Fuck that. I'll keep my damn blood to myself then since you don't want it. We should start deporting people with fucking cold sores then. Everyone knows Herpes is about to eat this country alive.

*Ahem*

A commenter over at theYBF ....

said that this is Beyonce's hair:

My eyes go *BLINK*BLINK*BLINK*

My mind goes *LACE*FRONT*WIG*

Please, people need to stop believing in Beyonce's Hair and other mythical creatures.

Hair ko, Hair ni.

Makeup Inspiration

I can't believe I allowed myself to be riled into this, and I have since disabled Anonymous comments but I will say this one thing:

Do not EVER in your life call me ignorant again. Unlike you I am careful and conscientious about what I do and I always do my research thoroughly, ALWAYS.

I know more than quite a bit about my cultural background and here are the pictures to prove it.The files are large, and you may need to click on the photo to see clearly for yourself what is in the picture. I remember going to dances and festivals in the village when I was really little, and I recall some of the patterns and designs of the makeup. My grandparents are both seriously titled and I know a lot about some of our body decoration traditions because I lived with them as a child, and I know what I am talking about.

Below are pictures of ancient 10th century and above igbo maiden spirit masks or Aghogho Mmuo as we call them. The pigment makeup on the masks is very similar to what ancient Igbos wore themselves. Most of the masks are painted white because that's the spirit's colour but the anthropological significance of the makeup design is undeniable.

NOTE: Look at the picture that shows the mask in a book. If you click it it should enlargen and under the mask you should see the number 72. Look for the description number 72 on the other side and you'll see it says Igbo Maiden Mask. That page is from one of numerous books of photographs of Nigerian peoples and arts that were published somewhere between 1880 and 1930. The masks themselves are much, much older.

And from now on, a word should be enough for the wise. If you wish to comment on my blog you had better have some kind of identity. Sure you may not agree with my opinion; that's okay. Sure you may think I'm talking shit; that's okay too. A lot of the time I DO NOT agree with what others say, but I always try my best to assert my opinions in a reasonable manner, AND no matter what the topic is, or what I say, at the beginning of every comment I make, it is always there: Sugabelly, sugabelly.blogspot.com. I understand that there are Anonymous readers who like my blog and simply do not want the hassle of getting a blogger ID, and I am sorry. Perhaps when my anger abates I will turn Anonymous commenting back on, but right now I am PISSED, and I will not accept foolish, IGNORANT comments from faceless, nameless cowards.





Most of these masks are in Museums, particularly the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian does fantastic ancient Igbo exhibitions and to Anonymous, perhaps you should hop over the next time they have one and educate yourself.

My First Foray into Igbo Makeup

I'm trying this year to immerse myself deeper into my culture. I think we have some of the most beautiful traditions in the world. It's a pity that so much of it has been abandoned, but that's a story for another post. I have no idea why such a beautiful and visually stunning form of adornment would be rejected by our people in favour of the blander style of european makeup. I'm not criticizing European makeup, but you and I know that if I went to work in Nigeria like this I would get a lot of funny looks and might even be sent home, whereas if I was wearing European makeup there would be no problem with it. I don't think we should throw our traditions away. Indians fully embrace their culture and wear saris and bindis to work. I am not saying that we should reject everything western and become totally afrocentric, but I honestly believe that our traditional makeup and adopted western makeup should live equally side by side and be equally accepted. Here are the results of my decision to try Igbo makeup.





For anyone who would like to know, I used Bare Minerals ID and Micabella Mineral makeup mixed with water to achieve the look. The black dots on my face are from Urban Decay eyeshadow in Perversion. Unbelievably, unlike virtually all Nigerian girls, I do NOT own a black eye pencil.

Great

I just walked in on my roommate having sex with her boyfriend.

I have been mentally scarred for life.

:(