Introducing thegiftmaid

thegiftmaid

Giving never felt so good…

From the birth of a child to the funeral of dear ones, the lifecycle of a person revolves round the special occasions in their life, there is always something or someone to celebrate, reward, or recognise. From Birthdays to Graduations, Weddings, Job Promotion, House Warming’s, the list is endless. We need gifts to represents the feelings behind every occasion. 

Gift giving is a beautiful way to express love, affection, kindness, concern and care. When you give you make someone feel special and happy but while giving feels good on the receiving end, there’s also a feeling of self-gratification when you are the giver, it gives you a more self-fulfilling experience that lingers, especially when your giving made a statement and is heartfelt, and I don’t mean this in terms of monetary value but in relation to how you give. 

At thegiftmaid we don’t just sell gift items; we create ideas and concepts that is delivered serendipitously. thegiftmaid is a concierge service, that offers unique and affordable gifting packages that will forever linger on the mind of the recipient and give you a feeling of fulfilment. 

Be a part of this trend, by changing the way you gift.

A Healthy Dose of Self Love

Self Love is defined as regard for ones own well-being and happiness (chiefly considered as desirable rather than narcissistic. But I like the urban dictionary meaning better, it says to unconditionally spoil yourself, value yourself and accept your self-worth. Putting yourself first so you can grow externally and internally for YOU. Its a value that shows and symbolizes how much you appreciate and accept who you are regardless of your situation. 

I have come to a conclusion that most of the time the reason why a lot of people can’t deal with their problems, emotions, hurt and pain, life’s challenges, is because they don’t love themselves as they ought to, actually they don't know how to love themselves.

A lack of self love, can make it hard for people to retract from a challenging situation. 

It usually becomes difficult for them to learn from their experience, to heal, to grow, to get pass obstacles. So they hide behind stuff like drugs, mental health(not the type of mental health that is associated with a break down of certain brain function), emotional unavailability, excuses, laziness, anger, fear, all kinds of sexual misconduct, but to mention a few. 

One of life’s constant is change sometimes it’s very painful, it’s mind boggling, it’s depressing, stressful, hard and other times it’s pure joy but it is inevitable as long as there is life, it will always wear it’s many ugly faces no matter who or where you are. It’s also known as a phase, because it passes with time, deliberate time. This means if you are going through a difficult phase and you don’t make an effort, you could stay there forever. An experience could mar you forever if you don’t revamp your mindset about it, or if you continue to hold on to it. You are the only one that can write and re-write your story, the choice you make is all up to you. 

It is never wrong to experience negative emotions when you are going through a challenging phase, however way you choose to deal with a difficult phase is actually the right way but the wrong way is, when you decide to dwell on it, making it linger, carrying it on to every facet of your life, depriving yourself from happiness, not being able to receive love from others, not being able to function as you ought to, that means you don't love yourself enough to fight.

If you love yourself right, you will pull yourself from ANY situation with the right attitude and mindset. I am not saying it is easy, but it is possible. Think of any difficult situation in life today, when you think of how much you love yourself, how you want to enjoy what you have, how you impact other people, just generally how relevant you can be...you will overcome. 

If you were given a couple days to live, how would you want your last moment to be like, joyful or sad? Because, at the end of the day, your life is not just about you, it’s also about other people involved in your life, and other people who's lives you may impact.  

I am very passionate about motivating people to do better, about people's mental health, and in my little way this is how I want to help people who are stuck and can't find their way back to loving themselves. I have been there too many times and I know for a fact that you can do it, if it will help I will share some personal experience in due time.

It’s okay to be sad, depressed, to be troubled, afraid...but it’s not okay to remain there. So before you pop that pill, smoke that joint, stick to booze, become emotionally unavailable, become to afraid, become angry all the time, go into a never ending state of depression, too anxious, display self destructive ways......remember its just a phase, it will pass, learn what you can from it. Love yourself enough not to destroy yourself, enough to stay away from unhealthy connections, enough to talk to someone to strengthen you if you have to, just love yourself. I am yet to see a person who destroys what they love. 

Don’t give up! Keep hope alive, stay positive and true to yourself. Don’t forget that you are worthy. 

The Event Planner

OBY OLIVER

Oby Oliver is a professional with strong organizational skills and attention to detail, no wonder she

loves organizing events. She learned from some of America’s and Nigeria’s finest event designers and planners, and with experiences in the field of Business Management, Marketing and Customer Service with Multinational organizations spanning a period of 10 years, she has been able to transfer this quality of training and experience into her work mode.

Oby is an Event Management Consultant, handling major projects for event companies and individuals, and these projects range from intimate, special to corporate events.
Event and Business management has always been her strong passion. However, the underlying factor that drives this passion is her yearning for organization, value, growth, creativity, excellence and attention to detail. She set up her event business in 2012 to add that touch of creativity, class and panache to events for clients who dare to be different. She is best known as the "fixer", the brain behind the scenes of the planning process. With impeccable work ethic, strong organization skills, excellent communication and problem solving skills, she can manage ANY type of event no matter the challenges.   

Though she has some other pet projects running like ‘Thegiftmaid’ a concierge service, ‘Oby Oliver’s ORA’ on team building, ‘Style and You’ on clothing and image consulting, ‘The Esther’s’ on women empowerment. Event planning has been her core business and a way of life for her and she will stop at nothing in delivering world-class events. Oby strives to be the most reliable, organized and creative event planner, always delivering high standard and value, working closely with clients to offer a service that sets new standards in event management.

Working with different event organizations, Oby has successfully executed several event projects, created concepts and is currently working on several other event projects. However, some of the event projects she has managed includes;

The Ajegunle Give-Away Project

Eko Pearl Tower Launch

Wiko Product Launch

Uche & Bode Pedro’s Wedding

Nneoma & Obinna Ararume’s Wedding

Complete Fashion Magazine Awards

Mania Magazine Launch

Google Andriod one Launch

Mo Abudu’s ‘fifty’ premiere

Jeff Leatham’s Master class 


Written by
John Temple

MOISTURIZED MASCULINITY- VAGARIES OF FEMINISM

Young Succeeding women now fear that men feel so intimidated by the fact that they are far wealthier than their men will ever be - denying this would be like trying to fake an erection, just don't try. Its easier to fake an orgasm.

I am CIRO, I am a breadwinner, I protect and provide. This is what men do. That is who we are, and if we forget it, if the instinct to protect and provide for our loved ones is never diluted or weakened, then we are ultimately pointless, and no better than eunuchs.

In her book The Female Eunuch. Germaine Greer opined that "Feminism was never about reversing traditional rolls". In my view, feminism was not even about equality. It was about liberation - women being free to be themselves, and to fulfill their potential without restrictions placed on them by society or some man, and to follow their true nature and calling.

In this equal shared world, some people, mainly women think men are not doing well. Hanna Rosin even had the "balls" to write a book titled "The End Of Men". In which she urges that the Y Chromosome is "so last century", (lets put the blame on 'I am Cait'), suggesting that "The gap between overachieving women and underachieving men is widening, and men are becoming "dysfunctional and angry"

"I am CIRO, I am a breadwinner, I protect and provide. This is what men do. That is who we are, and if we forget it, if the instinct to protect and provide for our loved ones is never diluted or weakened, then we are ultimately pointless, and no better than eunuchs."

For all its horrors, the Second World War simplified mans role in life; but after that, his place in the world became less certain. The young men of the Fifties, unable to match the previous generations heroics, became angry and rebellious. Those were men that were raised to build empires and win battles And came to the Sixties, which brought sexual freedom groovy parties, promiscuity - and uncertainly. Divorce was the latest trend. Men could no longer rely on their wives sticking around if they weren't up to the scratch.

The place of the man before the War

Does Feminism extend to role reversal? Would it be right to expose our women to danger? Like being the one to go downstairs and confront the burglars while her wimpy man cowers under the duvet, wetting his jim- jam in terror. There is no law that says a high flying web-logger can't be the the breadwinner while her man stays at home tending to their cats and dogs.

Stay with a woman for long enough, and they will see you riding high, or even down and out. They'll see you when you're the golden boy and they'll love you when you're yesterdays man ( lol, shots fired). If she loves you enough then, at your lowest point, she'll help you, encourage and give you any kind of support, including money. Aint we just grateful to have them around?
But ultimately that changes nothing, its still our world. Does it rock a boat if the woman earns more? NO! it just drives the boat into a Titanic sized iceberg. Why, because the man feels as if some deep part of him is empty.

Girls are now outperforming boys at schools, universities and increasingly in the job market. Women now outnumber men in the American workforce. "The post-industrial economy increasingly being dominated by millennials is indifferent, gender neutral cares less about a man's size or strength. The attributes that are most valuable in today's 'Internet of Things' age - Social intelligence, open communication, the ability to sit and 'canibalise' old models like Amazon, Uber and AirBnB has done, at a minimum is not predominantly male. In fact, the opposite may be true, and the most damning place of all, we men  are "reasonably unable to adapt" or as they say in Russia we are becoming "balls and chains".

"If she loves you enough then, at your lowest point, she'll help you, encourage and give you any kind of support, including money"

You work for those you love. You do your best, and sometimes you fail miserably, but everyday you MUST go out there, loose your pride, get your hands dirty and earn a living because there are people at home depending on you. You do it for yourself. Because deep down in his DNA, every man is a breadwinner, and bravery is a critical factor in breadwinning. According to Matthew Parris "It's not being brave that makes you do brave things. It is doing brave things that makes you brave."

We must strive to get the balance right between emotional and academic intelligence and show exactly the right degree of ambition, knowing that defiance and endurance with a little push for the extra is what makes a champion. Our ladies should give us a little credit, for we have accepted the new normal - The rise of the female breadwinners. 



Written by Ciro

MOISTURIZED MASCULINITY - WEAPONS GRADE VANITY

"Beauty is a form of genius-- is higher, indeed, than genius , as it needs no explanation…" Oscar Wilde

For today's generation, social media, selflies and porn are the major vectors  of the male desire to be desired. They want to be wanted for their bodies, not their wardrobe anymore. And certainly not their minds.

Some men, sometimes feel ostracised by this new generation of men in a  society that seemingly values pecs over PhD, and hyper sexuality over, say, a good reputation  . Please note, There's taking pride in your appearance , and there's this sort of weapons- grade vanity.

As has been said of late, that " after the clothes come the body " we all used to be simple blokes going about first in pursuit of scholarly excellence, then the pursuit of affection and finally the purpose. A whole lot has changed in-between, but the core should remain. Those were the days when men particularly vital statistics, as it used to be 36-24-36 for svelte beauties. These days the fashion industries has raised the bar to a certain "size zero". Raising a gene ratio of pressured anorexics on one hand  and yet another sucked into the other extreme of the body enhancement surgeries some are at the mercy of the famed surgeon in the wealthy suburb of Beverly hills (with the 90210 zip code)

I started investigating this new trend of men getting Pumped-up. Whatever you call it, it's a certain type

of "fit" , all about having abs , looking like a fitness model and trying to intimidate the rest of us.It's become the enthusiastic pursuit of a physical aesthetic and, particularly , the documenting of their body building achievements via ever available social media outlet, which now feels a bit vulgar for most parts

So this tendency towards buffness has become a cultural phenomenon of this age as defined by author and journalist Mark Simpson as "Spornosexuality". The term, denoting men who strive to look like sportsmen or porn stars, easily identified by tattoos , piercings, adorable beards and plunging necklines . it's eye- catching clear that for this group its less about clothes. They are convinced that there's no shirt, jacket or pair of shoes you could wear that gets as much reaction as a six  pack. Their own bodies have become an ultimate accessory. Fashioning them at the gym into a hot commodity - one that they share at a marketplace. This behaviour poorly depicts the next stage in masculine evolution.

"Some men, sometimes feel ostracised by this new generation of men in a  society that seemingly values pecs over PhD, and hypersexuality over, say, a good reputation"

Simpson first began writing about the : "sporno" culture in 2006, noting " The rise in the Hyper sexualised, Homo provocative imagery of sportsmen like David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. Like Dolce and Gabbana's fashion shoots featuring the Italian National Football team in the shower in 2006 . This concept appeared as one of New York Times ' 2006 Ideas of the  year. Finally in 2014, Simpson pronounced the emergence of the "Spornosexuals". A certain writer Clive Martin in Vice magazine , described this group " as an section in a vest". A walking, preening monument to the British masculinity crisis"

Here's a note to the rest of us, probably out of shape maybe Not fat-fat, but a deeply unremarkable, weak, soft and shapeless frame with a career involving zero physical excretion. a rapidly expanding and contracting waistline, showing your preference for a glass of beer instead of gin and sliced lemon. Please don't allow this 'Sporno" culture put further pressure on , by requiring you to tick their boxes(i.e.)looking groomed, smelling good, or dressing exclusively in branded clothing and also adhere to a specific physical ideal. An improbable, sporty, porny, ripped-to-shit ideal, suggesting that men are increasingly beholden to the same unrealistic body expectations that have long plagued our women, with the abdominal “V-line” becoming as fetishised as the female “thigh gap”.

"So this tendency towards buffness has become a cultural phenomenon of this age as defined by author and journalist Mark Simpson as "Spornosexuality"."

I heard it took Daniel Craig till his 4th instalment of 007 to finally cut the “sporno” look, so take your time mate,  go at your pace, a weekly bowl of Spaghetti and Cheddar or double layered Poundo with extra cow tail never killed any man , go ahead, uphold a counter culture.  For a recent  Mintel report suggested that “women now see only the extremely image-conscious and product-consuming men around them – or in bed with them.” also implying that the glistening pecs and abs as seen in men’s health and fitness magazines are fast  becoming more appealing to men as interests in other magazines like  T3 and STUFF  has been on a decline for some years now.

All hope is not lost however, as We're seeing this group of “Sporno” men occupy previously 'feminine' spaces in the home - spending more time on housework, homework and parenting - but also as smart consumers, embracing Godliness, beauty products, and the act of cooking and care itself.

On a final note, the vainest of us should  not be the model for manliness. GENIUS, CHIVALRY and HONOUR must remain the hallmark of Masculinity. I get it that we all want to be attractive and desired, but after the bees land on the honeycomb, what else would they find? certainly after the body must come some intellect, skill (even DIY) and character. We MUST value genius above beauty Mr. Oscar Wilde!


Written by Ciro

The difference between an event planner and event designer

One of the most common misconceptions among people and organizations is an event professional's job title, and the responsibilities and talents associated with it.  While working toward the common goal of making your event fabulous, the job responsibilities of each of these professionals is actually very different.

Now to help you learn the roles of each event professional, we'll help you break it on down.

Event Planner

An event planner is someone who helps figure out how to make an event happen. This is someone who has well-established connections with vendors and will organize the technical aspects of an event. The event planner is well-versed in event coordination, budget allocation, supply chain identification, vendor management, project management, general organization. With handling the details of an event, this pro has great relationships with area professionals and can also often get discounts or add-ons. From guidance every step of the way to day-of coordination, a planner will usually customize his or her services to best meet your needs. Here at Sautaver event planning is the core of what we do. An event planner helps the client make informed decisions and is often the best advocate, they have nobody's interest in mind but the client.

Event Designer

While a wedding planner is strongest in the logistics and planning of an event, an event designer shines when designing the aesthetics of an event.  This is where the 'wow' factor comes in. An event designer doesn't just refer clients to stationery or favor companies, but has the ability to create things from scratch. A great event designer has all of the tools to create the details to make an event unique, from a workshop to electronic cutting machines, to fine linens and china's and the inside scoop on where to find the right props for the job. The designer, makes the client dream of aesthetics come alive. At Sautaver, we create design concepts but often times work with a designer to bring it to life.

I hope we have been able to throw more light on the job descriptions of these pros. Further more, here in Nigeria, when people plan events especially weddings they mostly only consider the design aspect forgetting the most important part which is planning. Some people can manage the planning details themselves without the help of a pro but another thing to consider is the day of the event. It is daunting and tacky to be the host and the coordinator at the same time. If its a wedding, its totally impossible so this is where the planner comes in again. Nevertheless, for a thorough and flawless event its ideal to get both pros. If you can't afford both, then get a planner who understands design.

culled from bonafide bride 

LETS TALK

People! I think its time we stopped all these election campaign wars, its not doing any good (still gist). 
Who you vote for is your choice, why you vote for them is your opinion, you really do not need to/try to compel anyone to like your choice or agree with your opinion. 
We must understand the power of the social media and use it wisely, because all these harsh views is beginning to brew turmoil. 

We have forgotten that we all have one vision, which is for a 'better Nigeria', but all i can see now is people hating on each other over this Nigeria that we all want to make better. How are we going to achieve a better Nigeria if we are doing this to ourselves. Lets stop playing partisan politics and tell ourselves the truth, let us ask ourselves hard knock questions and see what we get. Do we want a better Nigeria or we are just propagandizing with politicians? Why are we allowing politicians make us lose our values? I have seen people who i actually thought are credible, bring down themselves with their words via social media all in the name of painting someone black, its appalling. 

For people who have seen that the system isn't working what did you do all the while, before the electoral campaign? instead of ranting now (like you just woke up), For those who feel like the seating government doesn't need a contender, like seriously! someone has to compete with them, and theres nothing anybody can do about that right/freedom to contest, besides i didn't see that very many people coming out to contend. (lets give these guys a break for even coming out). You want XYZ to win while desiring a 'better Nigeria, the other person wants 'ABC' to win and also desires a better Nigeria, theres a common goal here but with different carriers. So are we supposed to run ourselves down and over, doing all sorts just because we have different representatives of this goal? Common people! Its time to wake up and smell the coffee. If any of these guys win and they do not attain the goal that we all desire, then we can TALK, and not wait till another election.

We have two major contenders, truth is we don't even know who's going to birth this vision but we will somehow give a chance to whoever is choosen.  Irrespective of their manifestos and all the propaganda, I don't know for sure if Jonathan will still make things change, or if Buhari can try, and neither do you! we can only find out. 

We should have one voice, not to vote but for the desire we have for this nation. Cast your vote for whomsoever you choose. But the real fight is, if you don't see that dream turning up, then, as a people we can speak out and shout all we can. This is not the time for such. This is a democratic election, choose whom you want, don't force people, don't hate on anybody, don't bring down the next person because they have a different choice, this has to end, stop fueling violence with all your debates, let people enjoy the freedom to choose whatever they want.

I need to clearly state that am not really into this electoral process, i want the best for this country and i want the best man to win, and really if i have a choice of candidate it will be my choice and nobody's business. All in all, i vote for peace in Nigeria.