The Beauty of ONE; The Burden of Something New

Today clocks one year of paranoia, seasonal depression, and frustration, cooperate and aggressive begging, low figure phobia, eluding story thirst, maintaining genuine and sour friendships (dependency syndrome), JOY and THANKS; all caught up in the birthing of the exceptional and interesting contents that make up this community; Muttering Minds🤗.

Hurrayyyyy!!!! 💃💃💃join me in cracking a smile at this point😅, Muttering Minds is a year today, and never have I been more drawn to a date like today. I am not big on birthdays but I feel strongly to eulogize this one because the process has touched (still does) so many facets of my life and invoked characters I never knew I was capable of hosting🤭. Kindly grab your popcorn as I’ll be entertaining you with the many highs and lows I’ve encountered for the past one year running Muttering Minds😃. Well, let’s pretend we got popcorn lol😜.

THE BIRTHING🧘‍♀️

I am a free thinker and an imaginary traveler who is less concerned about what you ate last night or what news is getting the media berserk (except its mysterious🧟‍♀️) but instead, I am seduced by the things we are taught not to question especially spiritually👣. I love to know the unsaid stuff in people’s mind; I love to know what they do when no eye is preying, why they behave in a certain way, how they are feeling no matter how gory. And for every day that I’ve lived on this earth, my curiosity rather than killing my inner cat gives it more lives than nine. I knew I wasn’t the only one who thought in my direction, so one day I said to myself, “Why not create a channel of like minds”… and ding! ding! Muttering Minds was created; not out of dust, but from my uncanny psyche and desire💨.

COOPERATE AND AGGRESSIVE BEGGING😒👺

How do you channel a good idea successfully to people who are unsure about their interest yet their collective efforts can go a long way in hitting the bullseye for you😖?  I had to master the fine art of ‘begging’, be it cooperate or aggressive; depending on whose mercy I’m at😰🥵.

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There’s a thin line between blogging and begging. While it’s excusable for beggars not to know how to blog, it’s an eyesore for bloggers not to be equipped with begging skills (take this seriously even though you are not a blogger😊). I am a proud individual…oops sorry, I take that back🤐. I used to be too proud until Muttering Minds came. The truth is, people will act like they are not seeing you until you come to them directly. “Oooh please😟😟 go and read my story nowwww🤯”…” ah have you read my story today🥶?”…”ooooohhh do it now now please, make sure you leave a comment🤢.” I cannot emphasize how much I have to reiterate these words daily to different individuals and like the Parable of the Sower in the bible, my pleas could fall on rocky ears💀, ears decorated with thorns😈, or a good ear😇.

GENUINE AND SOUR FRIENDSHIP (DEPENDENCY SYNDROME😣)

No matter how crooked they are, I quickly realized everyone around me has a role to play in pushing the envelope🤝, that’s why It’s become hard for me to spit some friendship out🤧. I need friends, good or sour, because the truth is, the good ones will not always be there to support my cause, and the sour ones are very good fall back plans🤗. If you are a creative or an entrepreneur, you can attest to the fact that friends are always the first fans. Taking my baby steps with Muttering Minds, I needed friends to always comment and share (still do🤪), I would practically disturb their peace through BC’s and direct messages and sometimes phone calls to be sure they read and comment😪.

Read: Friendship is a Ruse

“See Doris, I won’t always be there to like or comment, just keep pushing, you don’t have to depend on me always🤨”. I won’t lie, I felt so pained and hurt the day Taiwo one of my closest said this to me. I thought she’ll always have my back but then it is what it is😒. I understood her enough and there a question dawned on me; “Do my friends like Muttering Minds or they just follow for my sake🤔?” I am still unsure about the answer but I want to believe I have given them something worthy of their support😎.

So far, my friends have been good to me even more than I have been to them💆‍♀️. Tempted to do some name-callings but I’ll pass for the fear of forgetting some👩‍🦯👩‍🦯. And the sour friendships too, some have even metamorphosed into genuine ones.

Dear Friends and Sour, I am still suffering from dependency syndrome, but I hope you all can bear with me some more until I can walk without staggering (I’ll still need you always😉). I love you all💖💖.

PARANOIA/ SEASONAL DEPRESSION AND FRUSTRATION😔🤯

I’ll be a liar if I tell you I sleep well on most nights. I’m not one of those blessed with the ability to sleep immediately and not wake at a little sound. I work late nights and the little hours are usually interrupted by a disturbing thought about Muttering Minds🥴 especially on the eve of posting a story. “Will they like it🥶?” “Will anyone find it offensive🤧?” “Will they learn😨?” “Will they laugh😣?”… most imperatively, “Will they be moved enough to give their likes and comment offerings😢?” I get so nervous and sabotage my worth even further.

As soon as I click ‘Publish’, my heartbeat starts moving faster than two competitors in a car race😤. Sometimes the turn out picks up really fast, other times it feels like I’m nursing the Adam’s curse where I have to sweat until I see results🥵🥵. “ooooh only one person has commented on my story😱!!! Gosh! Is it that bad😭😭? You told me it was interesting! You lied🙄?”…here’s me hassling my better half Aji and my friend Bubu who both often painstakingly read my stories before I publish. “Stop tripping! Only one comment yet!😑” That’s what Aji would say while Bubu laughs at me without reservation🤨 and afterward tells me to calm down. Sometimes their reactions make me feel better, other times more depressed until the results show up.

After I’ve managed to achieve a smooth sail with everyone commending the content, the server starts to act up. “Ah Uju, your site is showing “Error in Database Connection o”…there I go, frustration 101. “Isaaaaaaccccc🤯🤯🤯… please check the site, it’s not opening🥺”. I swear my web guy would have sold me if he found a good buyer, I am a pain in his ass but it’s not my fault. And one awkward thing that usually happens is when he checks it, it opens immediately. What Witchcraft😐! Shout out to Isaac🤩, for tolerating my excesses, and the job well done always, you should hire him too.

THE STORIES; ELUDING STORY THIRST; LOW FIGURE PHOBIA😱

I get my story ideas mainly from conversing with people, not necessarily a good conversation. A good story needs a good title and visual to see it through. Sourcing pictures can be hard work, sometimes you search everywhere on Google still the picture you have in your head is nowhere close🧐. And the headlines too, I hate when it’s basic or predictable, I will rather not post the story if my head keeps coming up with gibberish titles. It sucks🤮!

I fear low figures😤, I remember when I started, I had a disturbing obsession for traffic that I would post three stories daily. Like😂!!! I then cut down to one daily then four per week, three, and now one! Nothing has taught me more that quality beats quantity than having to test the waters myself😅. Now it’s a SOLID ONE 💪per week and everyone loves it (I think🙃).

I doubt I can ever get over low figure phobia, I still catch myself gulping saliva whenever I’m checking my backend because I’m usually scared the numbers might break my heart😔. There was a time 100 clicks used to be a big deal to me, and then it graduated to 500 clicks per story😄. However now, I give myself a target of at least 3k clicks per story😅. Thanks to Twitter, the retweet groups, and my fraudulent act of spamming, I get to surpass my target.

A credit alert or a new story alert (mail)? I am unsure which makes me happier🤔. I feel so elated and honored whenever someone finds me worthy to tell their story or feature it😁. To all of you who have contributed so far to MUTTERERS CLUB, my words are not enough to appreciate you, still, I am grateful🙌🙌. I will forever enjoy rubbing minds with each one of you to channel magic from your stories💦💦.

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P.s. bear in mind that every story you find under Mutterers Club is not mine (although edited by me🤓). You will also find some features under ‘Ask The MUTTERERS’ or ‘Movie Reviews’. The names of the writers are usually in the title area. That’s how someone sent me a DM on Twitter asking if I am bald😒. No please🤨, that’s not my story. If you need to share a story for a possible feature, CLICK HERE.

JOY! JOY! JOY! 😄And THANKS💃!

My joy is so tied to Muttering Minds and I don’t know if it’s a bad thing but this is where my heart is🧖‍♀️. Just like a mother feels when her child is sick, that’s how I feel every iota of emotion for this🧎‍♀️.

There have been some memorable joyful moments especially recently and I know it will keep getting better😆. Thank you all for making the burden light😄. Thank you all for igniting your minds to always connect with the stories; it’s priceless❣❣. I enjoy every time here, I hope you do also. Keep the mutterings coming on a high spirit as always💥💥.

I CAME BEARING A GIFT🎁

Oh yes🙊, but this one comes with a price😌. So I was thinking of a proper way to celebrate without cakes and candles since I’ve got no money for a jamboree (soon I promise you💋), so I thought to add value to someone’s life for a token. On this note, my writing agency @HIRE_A_WRITER_ decided to let CV’s and Cover Letters go for two thousand naira each (N2,000/ $5)😄. This offer will last from today September 24th, up until September 30th (one week👌). If you need to write your CV or Cover letter, please contact the number on the flyer below. Help me share with your circle also; you never know who needs it. I assure you a quality result💯💯.

I NEED TO CHIP THESE IN TOO💁‍♀️🙋‍♀️…

It’s a taboo if you aren’t a member of my inner caucus “Naked Minds”🙄… drive stubbornness away by clicking HERE to subscribe🤕. Follow Muttering Minds on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Affordable advertising plans are also available to small and big businesses, send a mail to mutteringminds@gmail.com if interested🙏.

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Oops! I guess you have finished your imaginary popcorn already, lol😂😂. For some reason, I saw the need to share what goes on ‘behind the scenes’ of the gripping stories you read here😄. Perhaps someone might be inspired🧘‍♀️.

Today is a special day for me, and I’ll appreciate you wishing me well and gush about Muttering Minds😆😆. Remember not commenting is equivalent to fraud😕. If you’ll love to suggest something that can help improve the growth of Muttering Minds too, feel free🙋‍♀️. If this is your first time here, you are welcome🙊, I’ll love to meet you in the comment section too🙈. Yes, I am begging! Please leave me a comment😿.

Once again, cheers to a gigantic ONE🍻, I hope to run the race forever with you all by my side💋❣.