Weekly Contest 58 || The Diary Game || [27:04:2026] From Morning Hustle to Art, Afang & Endorphins 🎨‎

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‎Hello Steemians around the globe and my fellow community members! I’m excited to drop my contribution to this wonderful contest organized by @m-fdo. Grab a seat and read along with me. Today was one of those days that reminded me why I love being an artist and a Nigerian.
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Morning: Endorphins Before 9 AM

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‎Today wasn’t like every other regular day. I’m genuinely glad I accomplished everything I planned to do, and that gave me a serious rush of endorphins, you know that sweet, brain-tingling feeling of success.
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‎As usual, I woke up early around 6:30 AM. The first thing I do every morning is claim my space. I swept my room, cleaned, and dusted the furniture until everything sparkled. There’s something therapeutic about starting the day in a clean environment. It clears my head before the Uyo chaos begins.

‎The arranged room

‎After arranging my room, I grabbed my wallet and walked down to my favorite local restaurant for breakfast. I call it “Mama Nkechi’s Corner.” No fancy menu, just authentic home cooking. Today I ordered melon soup and garri, crispy, and served with a smile.
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‎While eating breakfast
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‎When I finished eating, I had a little chit-chat with Mama Nkechi herself. She loves “gisting” about the latest neighborhood news whenever we meet. Today’s topic? The new tailor who just opened shop and already has three brides as clients. We laughed so hard I nearly choked on my melon soup. Those small conversations are the heartbeat of community life.
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‎After breakfast, I headed back home feeling full, informed, and ready to create.
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Afternoon: Locked In With My Artwork

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‎By noon, I realized I had spent more time than planned at the restaurant. Time flies when melon soup is involved. Back home, I brought out an unfinished artwork that had been staring at me for days. Today was the day to conquer it.
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‎I needed absolute concentration, so I locked myself inside my room, put my phone on silent, and worked from afternoon till dusk. No distractions, just me, my pencils, my eraser, and the paper.
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‎W.I.P. (work in progress)
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‎The artwork was marvelous when I finally stepped back to look at it. It’s a picture of an hourglass.
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‎Finishing
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‎I got the reference for this piece from one of my most consistent students. Her name is Mkpouto, a.k.a Black Barbie Art. This young lady shows so much interest in her work and career that she’s already becoming successful at a young age. She inspires me. This particular work was for her personal art collection, and I asked her for the reference so I could challenge myself too.
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‎I sat there drawing for hours, from 1 PM until the evening shadows crept into my room. My back ached, my fingers were stained with charcoal, but my heart was full. That’s the artist’s high, when time disappears and all that exists is the line you’re drawing next. Black Barbie Art would be proud.
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Night: Afang Soup & Digital Gratitude

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‎When I was finally done with my work, I stood up, stretched, and decided to prepare something for supper. Tonight, I wanted a proper home-cooked meal, not restaurant food, not snacks. I was craving our local cuisine.
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‎So I made Afang soup and Garri. For those who don’t know, Afang is a rich, leafy vegetable soup from Akwa Ibom/Cross River, cooked with waterleaf, periwinkle, stockfish, and assorted meat. It’s the kind of meal that hugs your soul. The kitchen smelled like my childhood.
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‎When the food was done, I dished out a generous portion for the night. But before eating, I had a routine.
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‎Afang Soup and Garri for dinner
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‎I went into the bathroom to shower, and I do this for two reasons:
‎1. It helps me sleep well. A cool shower washes off the day’s stress and charcoal dust.
‎2. It gives the food time to cool off. Nobody wants to burn their tongue on hot Afang.
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‎When I came out of the bathroom, feeling fresh and light, I sat on my bed and “did justice” to the food. Every morsel reminded me why Nigerian food is undefeated. I ate until I was satisfied, not stuffed, well, maybe a little stuffed.
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‎Then, as I do every night, I brought out my mobile phone and drafted how my day went, just to share with you all before going to bed. This is my way of documenting growth, gratitude, and the small wins.
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‎So that was my day, productive, creative, and delicious.
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‎To @m-fdo, thank you for organizing this contest. To @steemcurator01 and fellow Steemians, I hope my day inspired you to find joy in routine, art, and a good plate of soup.
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‎Now, let me ask you: What gave you an endorphin rush today? Was it work, food, or a small win? Tell me in the comments. I read and reply to everyone.
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‎Goodnight, and see you in my next diary.
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‎Let me use this medium to invite my friends to also participate in the contest.
‎@josepha
‎@jemilatbuhari
‎@m-princess
‎And @julietbella
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‎Thanks for going through my diary game post and blog as well. I hope you like my post. I remain Tempest Art.
‎Happy steeming friends💙
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