Starting Over

 

I never did write the blog as planned, but my wanting to do so has stayed with me through the years. 8 years since I wrote the first and only post (before now) and 11 years since I first registered on blogspot. Since I never really started, it makes no sense to fill you in on the time that has passed. So, a fresh start. Let's start here.

Who Am I?

I went back to the old bio I wrote and it's still true.

Your learned friend. Lippie loving lawyer trying to slay this Law thing, create, and make the most of my 20s. Wish me luck! 

I'm still a lawyer: even though I have spent the last year unemployed and deep in the dark night of the (professional and to be honest, personal) soul. 

I still love lipstick: I embraced the innovation of lip stains (Sephora Cherry Moon and The Lip Bar Bawse Lady are my fighters), but recently reconnected with Ms Ruby Woo.

I'm still trying to slay this Law thing: dual-qualified now in the U-S-of-A. Starting over here after a decade of practice in Nigeria has been an experience and I'm still finding my feet.

I'm still trying to create: desperately. Experiencing "Le burn-out" for the first time in life really rocked my world. The worst of it is behind me now, and I'm in the process of creative recovery. More about this in a bit, and later.

"Make the most of my 20s" is such a twenties thing to say, in retrospect. Is there anyone out here trying to "make the most" of their 30s? 40s? That feeling of wanting to maximize hasn't left - I still feel harried, like I'm not doing enough - but the good thing about getting older is a little wisdom. I'm now well into my 30s and just trying to do the best I can with my one precious life. The urgency of the twenties is real (and maybe even necessary) but I've lived long enough to have seen myself want things so badly and then change my mind about them. Long enough to lose friends who should still be here, also striving. Long enough to learn that there are different paths, different trajectories that launch well after 29. A part of me still longs for the old, but I can only keep moving forward.

What Do I Want To Do Here?

The most creative I've been in this season of life is making new things with NYT Cooking recipes (though now that I write this, I wonder if this counts?). I want to become a better photographer, like good enough to do it professionally. I go out, I engage with a lot of people's creativity. I want to do all these things but some weeks ago, I decided I wanted a creative outlet for writing again. 

Beauty blogging used to be my creative outlet (writing for a blog and social media) and now I can barely write a LinkedIn caption. Then I channelled that energy into legal writing for a bit, and that was a prolific run if I do say so myself. But legal writing is a career requirement for visibility now, so it doesn't feel as fun. 

Here, I just want to write. Unstructured. I've missed writing. I want a space where I can feel free to just be myself: not polished, not presenting, not for visibility. Write about my experiences figuring out the messiness of life (personally and professionally) and the random things that interest me. Vent when I want to. All in one place. Blog like it's 2010. 

In 2025, I should be on Substack or TikTok but I don't want to be discoverable. Or build a community around my writing. Or eventually offer a subscription. I definitely don't want to pay A CENT to host- yes, freeloader, me. This space? Just for me. Not to be promoted, not caring about SEO or any of the things that are prudent to optimize for on the internet. I also don't want to spend more time on the internet than I already do (But hey, if you ever stumble on this blog or any post while searching for something, I hope what you find is useful. Also, if you need to leave me a comment, I will do my best to reply).

Here, I want to chronicle the journey - the getting there to where I'm going to. And that's just what I'll do.