Do you understand what you really want?

Always go for what you want because it will never come you way easy.
You deserve what you get! Have you ever heard somebody say that to you? Oh yea.
We all have needs and we are quick to express disappointment whenever certain things don't work for us the way we would have wanted. But we forget that we are architects of our successes and failures.
The body wont get up from the bed in the morning at a certain time if the mind doesn't wake up and tell it to keep it moving. I will confess that each day I wake up on my bed, the first thing I wish to do is go back to sleep. Does anybody else ever feel this way?
Well, at that point all I do is roll like I am falling off the bed and when my mind sees my body going that way, it immediately gets up and I get going with the new day.
Nothing ever comes easy, and if something has ever come easy your way, look back and reflect, and you will discover that you have been working on this or have worked on it unwittingly, and at the time when you least expected it, it came your way.
Hard work is compulsory, not necessary. If you believe that others are making out there without hard work, try not working and then you will understand life from an entirely different perspective.
Life is Hard, and we can only make things work better for ourselves when we strive to thrive.
If you want the best, then you need to work for the best and do all that it takes to get the best.
Its Chiaka, Chasari the LagosNewYorker.

Make up bag tutorial in minutes.

It doesn't take too much to get this done.
I personally believe we can do anything as long as we choose to do it.
I will post more more videos so we can keep learning from them and probably start something new. A make up bag brand wouldn't be bad if you have a passion for it.
Hope you all have a great weekend.
It's Chiaka, Chasari the LagosNewYorker.

How to make a French seam

A lot of us really do wish we could sew and we may even have sewing machines at home, but sometimes we find it difficult to fix even minor alterations.
Anyways, Brooklyn creative studio, my partners in the LagosNewYorker brand are doing live videos you can learn from, and we will have a series of live videos which will be announced. You can come online, watch these videos, make comments, ask questions and be part of this means to empower and inspire millions out there to do something for themselves.
Check out this video above on how to make a French seam.
More will be posted to you soon.
It's Chiaka, Chasari the LagosNewYorker.

Parenthood

A lot of us get scared and wonder if we will ever have kids because we can't imagine bringing our kids up and then losing them to a rebellious way of life. 

In many cases, the parent does their job and gives their all into the upbringing but find out that it is never too much to keep teaching your child morals and showing them the path to a good way of living. But, whenever it's time for the children to decide for themselves what they want, we cannot hold them back or stop them from doing what they please, but one thing that we can be sure of is the fact that they have not forgotten all those things they were taught.

So, it's better to start early and inculcate into your child the best way you would want them to live because In the future, they will be shaped by those little things you taught them.

It's Chiaka, Chasari the LagosNewYorker.

My team is always Hungry

Your association now really tells a lot about how successful you will turn out to be in future. We all need certain people in our lives for encouragement, guidance and direction especially when we might have certain hurdles to cross in life. But we sure need to be selective as to whose advice we act on because wasted time is worse than wasted money.
I have met a lot of people in life. Successful and already made people, working hard relentlessly on the ladder of success, some who are just trying to find their path to success and will do anything just to make sure they get there. But every time I meet someone who is successful at what they do, I ask questions because I believe I can always learn something from them, something new. And one thing that they always have in common is the fact that they keep their circles small. They may not have a lot of friends but the few ones they have are a motivation and inspiration for them to  keep going and be better at whatever they do.
So, at this point I will say, we need to use discretion when choosing our friends and those we call team members who will be there to support us all the way up and keep us going even when we have touched the sky and are floating in it.

When a wise man decides to share his ideas to a foolish man, it's as good as seeing an Oasis in the desert only to fetch the water into a basket. It's such a waste. You will run out of reasonable ideas, it will all be a waste and the foolish man will keep telling you that your ideas are not achievable.
I have met a lot of them, I dust them off like the sand on my feet. I am relentless in my aspirations and I do not go anywhere close to those who talk down my dreams. At least I dream! They sleep empty and wake empty with no dreams, no vision, no growth. If you can't relate with me, then you are no part of my team. So if you really want to make your way successful, then stay Hungry! Choose your friends wisely, and never be sympathetic about dropping dirt in the trash.
That's where it belongs!
It's Chiaka, Chasari the LagosNewYorker.

Ever know where life takes you?

You never know where life takes you.
True Indeed! Look back 5 years of your life and imagine how much has changed. So much I guess.
You have grown, you have matured, made your mistakes, learned your lessons, made good decisions that have taken a good toll on your life, made bad decisions and had to live with the consequences.
Well, a whole lot could have happened. But the best thing about it is, if you are reading this right now, then you are still alive, and you can see. That's a blessing.
Sometimes we make mistakes because we are imperfect and we have to live with the decisions we make because the live with us and don't leave us. Well, there's no set rule for an individuals choices in life and I appreciate the fact that we have free will and can choose to do what we please to do and what our heart steers us to. So, we have a new day counting already today, and the next 5 years that we have in front of us can either mold us into a future success, or be such a disaster. You may think you really don't need the opinion of others as to what you choose to do with your life, but sit back, think and wonder: The men who became major successes in life had to live with a vision and they had people they talked to, a lot of advice and decision making. Know who you listen to and take advice from. Remember, a wise man never talks too loud and too much. Never wants to win a war of words and is never haughty.
Someone may have so much wealth and still be foolish. So do not be mistaken. That you are wealthy doesn't mean you are wise. And that you are of little means doesn't mean you can't give me the best advice that could impact positively on my future.
I will keep working with the right frame of  mind, meeting the right people and doing the right things today, because you never know where life takes you. Make the right decisons.

Wise words I heard from Rosemary Garcia this Morning. Instagram: @rosemarygarciany
Its Chiaka, Chasari the Lagos NewYorker.

The true value of a mother

I know it is normal for children these days in the permissive world we live in today to look down at their mothers, talk down on their mothers and even sometimes say curse words to their mothers. Living in New York City, I see this everyday and I just smile so as not to meddle in other people's affairs, but this is unacceptable and utterly disrespectful.

Do you know that every woman alive has the ability to carry a baby in the womb for as many months as possible and bring a life to the world. A woman has so much patience and she cares for the child in the womb from the first day she discovers she's pregnant and wants to keep the baby. There is an automatic bond between the mother and the child and they become inseperable. The woman has a lot of pain and sometimes suffers so much in silence because she will bear whatever pain to keep her baby. And the agony of childbirth cannot be explained. It can only be felt by the woman who suffers labor pains and waits for the child to finally come out into the world. 

Now the child is born and then the woman starts to breastfeed from the moment the child needs to eat, and she does this for months, bathing the child, carrying the child everywhere she goes, caring for the child's every need. It takes a lot of patience, love, prayers, sleepless nights, overwhelming anxieties and sometimes the woman doesn't understand how she's going to keep doing this, but she never stops. 

And then, the child grows and becomes mature enough to understand life and then decides to start talking back at someone who did all of this for you right from when you were formed? How ungrateful! No woman has ever had a child and hated the child. A lot goes into making sure the child's needs are met. So, can you just have a rethink the next time you think you want to talk back at your mother? Just as we always would love a gift offered to us by someone especially when it is unexpected, so is the gift of your mother deciding not to abort you and keep you so you can come into the world. So, the best way to say thank you to a mother is show love and respect in return. You can never repay them for all the good they have done for us in our lives. 

I use this medium to say thank you to my dear mother. You are everything! You made me who I am today and you taught me from infancy that there's more to life than we see on the outside. The love, care and affection you showered me is reflected in my attitude towards others and I can boastfully say that "I have the best mother in the World". I love you so much and you will always be my Numero Uno. Am proud of my mother and nothing can change the way I feel. How about you? 

It's Chiaka, Chasari the LagosNewYorker! 

The Greatest Investment!

When a child is Born, a lot goes through the mind of the parents.They may not speak out, but deep down their mind they ask questions like: What next? What is the future of this Child going to be like? How am I going to raise him/her up to be decent, respectful, successful or What will happen if this child turns out to be somebody else I never expected?  What can I do to make him/her happy? e.t.c

There's so much more that could go through a parents mind, so the parents have their mind set on seeing the child grow and turn out to be the person they had wished for. 

Along the line of training and upbringing though, a lot of things start to happen, and then the child goes from a baby to a toddler and the wants and needs of the child changes.

Then, the parent knows that there's more to do than just breastfeed and buy clothes for a baby. Now the child needs solid food, the child needs to go to school, needs to mix up with other friends and as the child continues to develop into teenage years, then the mind racing becomes even more intense. 

Especially when the child discovers that they can have some sort of independence and freedom, then it becomes the duty of the parent to let them know there has to be a line drawn and a restriction is some cases. It would be very wrong for a parent to give the child just everything they request.

Children out to know that nothing comes easy. And everything that you own is either earned or acquired. This way they have a sense of responsibility. 

But after all that has been said, do you realize we omitted the most important thing?

TIME! The value of this cannot be overemphasized. You need to spend more time with your children than you let them hang out in school or with their peers. I understand the need to pay bills and work to be able to afford a good life. But, we should never forget that our kids are more important than money and the upbringing they get today is what will lead them on a path to success tomorrow.

Invest time and energy in your child. You can wait on the line for each new Jordan being launched, but is really what you really want to instill in your child? Materialism is vague. And wasted time like they say, is worse than wasted money, because you can still make money but you can never bring back wasted time. Invest wisely in your child right now and reap the rich benefits forever.

Its Chiaka, Chasari the LagosNewYorker.

Why I Love America

America is the land of milk and honey, a place where there is always something to do. A country where we all have freedom of speech and the right to live and be free.
I was at times square when I saw this woman and I just had to take a pic.

I found this Hilarious.
I Love America.
Its Chiaka, Chasari the LagosNewYorker.

The biggest Latin festival in the USA.

It was Saturday June 11th and I had a wonderful time dancing and watching the amazing Puerto Rican and Hispanic people do their thing. It was the 31st year celebration and all I could hear was the chant of the crowd whenever one of the hosts screamed Boricua.
People came from all around the world for this festival and it was such an electrifying atmosphere with beautiful people and mixture of so much colors. I could see a rainbow by merely looking in the crowd. Puerto Ricans are very beautiful people, and did you know I have some Puerto Rican in me?
Sure, am married to one and this was one of my opportunities to experience the culture, atmosphere and beautiful people. Take a look at a few pictures and videos I could take, and let me have your opinion about these wonderful culture and people.

Took tons of pictures. Enjoy the few I shared and I will be coming back with amazing posts.
Its Chiaka, Chasari the Lagos-NewYorker.

Studio section with Rideout163

Got an early morning call to meet up with my man Princeton Davis of Rideout163 for a studio session. Nothing could look better than a young man who's working hard to make his way to the top. I personally find that attractive and I'm naturally drawn to such people whenever I meet them. And then I see so much passion in what he does.

We all have a passion and something that drives us. Some could be passionate about the very wrong things, meanwhile those who are passionate about the right things are the ones that make a difference in the world we live.

And we had with us, Oscar the magician with the lighting and photography.
Everything that makes a difference in life is achieved out of your comfort zone.
Don't sit and lament over past mysteries, Get up and Grind.
Its Chiaka, Chasari the LagosNewyorker.

So much to make ourselves look good.

You know, I was sitting in a Barber Shop on a waiting line, very hungry because I needed to have a clean cut as a good start to my day. I waited and waited and at the point where it was one person in the line ahead of me, I gave up on waiting and had to go eat something.
In 7 minutes I was done with food and headed back only to see that someone else who was on the waiting line has gone ahead of me, and I had to continue the wait until it was my turn.
Can you imagine I waited 3 hours just to get a haircut? If I had to wait that long for somebody else, I doubt if I would. Not even waiting for my wife in a salon. You know, it sounds crazy but this is how much we can sacrifice to make ourselves look good.
And when women go to the beauty shop, OMG, Excuse my french. I don't wanna say much. We all know a whole day is not enough for a woman to make herself look beautiful.

But it's very wrong if we make others look bad by word or action. And a whole lot of people do this intentionally. Some people take pleasure in making others look bad and then believe that they will look good doing that. That's pathetic. I believe such people have complex issues they need to work on. We should be willing to add value to the lives of others and inspire them positively as this could go a long way to making them better people. You never know how much this may mean to these people in future, they may thank you.

One more thing, never expect a 'thank you' for any good deed you do for someone. If you think you are not getting any rewards right now, just keep doing good deeds and impacting positively on more people's lives and one day, even if you are no longer here on earth, people will sing your praises.

It's Chiaka, Chasari the LagosNewyorker.

You don't know how good you have it!

This statement I have personally made to countless people I meet here in the USA.
We seem to take too much for granted and still complain about certain things not being in place for us or as good as we would have wanted it to be. But, I personally believe we really need to be thankful for the provisions we have readily at our disposal, and all those things we regard as a norm seems to be luxury for certain people.

I will post a few pictures I got from Lagos Mainland, Nigeria.
It rained, and then it flooded. Bad drainage, poor road networks and self-centred politicians are a few factors that make life difficult for the citizens.

Let's share a few pictures.

Local Okada(Motorcycle) riders riding thru the flood

These people don't even complain anymore, it's sad

Now, who says a truck can't do the things a yacht does?

High School Student happily walking home in the flood

Nothing seems to be taking away from his Joy

The Chickens feel like they just came out of a sauna 

People still get going in their daily activities

A waiting line at the ATM 

But the rain isn't stopping this business

Neither is it stopping the goat from eating grass wet

Nor is it stopping the brick moulders from selling their wet bricks

And people still smile in these conditions

And there are potholes and large stones under the flood

Now, I wonder what's stopping you. You may be living in a better environment, having a lot of provisions in place, the government over here may be more concerned about your well being as a citizen, and you have benefits, free education and a whole lot more you can lay your fingers on. Opportunities abound.

How do you utilize these opportunities?

The young boy in that picture walking in the flood will wake up the next morning heading back to school happily and in good spirits because he has his mind set on making it better for himself and his parents believe getting educated is the first step to take him there. He has a "Vision" and he won't let it die. He will walk in the flood everyday it rains if that's what it takes to get what he wants.
I have walked these streets, I have been in floods like this, walked them back home from school, on my way to school, been in a car driving thru the flood and the engine went off, still had to come out of the car and push. Hawked on the streets in this condition just to make a living. This is the life I lived for many years, so I can relate with the feelings of those people right now!

A lot of us just sleep, wake up, live a free life and forget that we all are going to be remembered for something we did while we lived our lives. What will you be remembered for?
Food for thought!

It's still me. Chiaka, Chasari the Lagos-Newyorker.