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Jacquie Verbal's avatar

Congratulations 🎉

I’m grateful for life and my ability to enjoy it! Little me would not believe I’ve started a magazine company. I’m so grateful I stumbled across Substack to connect with great people like you! My playground in life is writing - it’s a world filled with inspiration and I have a mind filled with imagination!

My favorite dish has always been a traditional Jamaican curry chicken dish with rice & peas, cabbage, and plantains. Since I the first time I tried it. Or oxtails with the same sides. OMG! I have to get some today now. But congratulations 🎉

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tobi odeyale's avatar

" Jamaican curry chicken dish with rice & peas, cabbage, and plantains." The details is so crazyyyy!!! I felt the taste in my mouth as i read it. When last did you have it?😂

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Jacquie Verbal's avatar

Prior to yesterday after your post, it had been two weeks. I’m a regular lol 😂 I would eat it everyday if my family enjoyed it as much as I do

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tobi odeyale's avatar

i’m so glad you had it yesterday!! just based off of strangers slowly turning into next-door neighbours, indulging you. 🤤

I’ve been wanting to try out jamaican dish so this might be a good place for me to start.

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Jacquie Verbal's avatar

I used to be a jerk chicken person but curry won my heart about 6 years ago and I haven’t looked back since! I’m invested now I NEED to know when you try and what you think.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

you bet! i will defo share.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

"I’ve started a magazine company."

You're inspiring a lot of us. We will never take it for granted. Thanks for staying ready and being a conduit.🫂

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Jacquie Verbal's avatar

How is it that you make me cry with my own words! Thank you!

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tobi odeyale's avatar

because that’s what next door neighbors do. They keep us rooted. I love you for choosing yourself, JV.

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Jacquie Verbal's avatar

This just became my favorite comment. Thank you Tobi!

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Ama, Into The Gray Unknown's avatar

I ate Jamaican curry chicken over rice and peas with cabbage 2 days ago... it was soo good I ate myself into a different state of being.

Plantains would've put me over the top... like astral plane or something

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Jacquie Verbal's avatar

Confirmation that I will be walking to 14th Street today to pay my neighbor Jamaican spots a visit. I have to get coco bread and a patty from one and the entree from another to spread the love and support.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

beef patty?

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Jacquie Verbal's avatar

Of course! They have this beef and cheese that’s my favorite!

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Favour Ogazi's avatar

1k strong🥂

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tobi odeyale's avatar

thanks, muse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

send me waffles. 🥹

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Alexandria Marrow's avatar

Congratulations on 1K, Tobi!! Can’t wait to see all that you do.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

i appreciate you, AM. Tell me what's the inspiration behind "The Good Unlocked"

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Alexandria Marrow's avatar

Ooo such a great question and I appreciate you asking! For me, living in my purpose means answering one question with clarity: “How are you making the world a better place?” My bakery, Sweets by Alexandria, wasn’t just my passion—it was a source of joy and love for so many others. Customers often shared how my cupcakes brought an extra spark to their special moments, making them even more memorable. After seven wonderful years in business, I paused the bakery to pursue my dream of moving to New York City! And while I’ve found a lot of fulfillment in working in marketing/tech, I felt something missing—the sense of purpose, the direct impact I once had. I realized there was so much on my mind and in my heart too, things I knew I couldn’t be alone in experiencing. And this year I decided to launch The Good Unlocked with a mission to inspire more good in the world. Because I believe that through conversation, connection, and acts of goodness, we have all the power to make this world a better place. 💛

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tobi odeyale's avatar

you’re one fascinating personality. Just by reading this alone, i have so many questions. From tennis, to moving to new york, to once running a bakery (any chance you heard of johnny cupcakes and their crazy marketing?), to jumping intro this craft. many questions.

at some point i’ll love to have you on BTS; https://open.substack.com/pub/behindthestack?r=50pcp&utm_medium=ios

if that’s okay?

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Alexandria Marrow's avatar

Thank you ✨ I appreciate your warmth and support! I’d love to be on BTS and stay connected. Just subscribed to your newsletter and I’m excited to follow your journey. Going to look into Johnnycupcakes - the name sounds familiar, but I’m not super familiar with the brand.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

awesome . i’ll be in your dms. At some point, to begin working on how we’d proceed.

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Bilkisu's avatar

This was a good read! Congratulations and keep writing!

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Osakpọlọ's avatar

Congratulations on serving sweet Jollof to 1k people.

Just finished reading this in between work at the hospital. Thank you.

Currently, I'm grateful for this new week, today in particular. I finally got to do a phlebotomy well and collected a blood sample after four months of clinical posting. It felt great. I no longer jave to question if I'm cut out for medical laboratory science🎉😂

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tobi odeyale's avatar

it’s the “ I'm cut out for medical laboratory science” part for me.

hooge doctor flex!! 😂😂😂😂😂

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Badiana Badio Eckstrom's avatar

I’m so excited for you Tobi. You are one of my faves on here Fam!!! The I don’t make a living on this yet but I show up like I do. So damn good!!

Little me would be proud I’m sharing my work under my own name (I was a ghostwriter in the past) and people are subscribing to it and paying for it. Then that writing has led to public speaking engagements at prestigious events. I’m a little mind blown by it all. Writing isn’t how I make my main stream of income by any means but my creative and business world seem to be colliding in a organic way and little me is pumped that is happening without conflict or corporate America trying to keep me small or down ie finally don’t work for people who are intimidated by my talent. That’s a damned breath of fresh air.

I love being outside. Pretty much I’ll jump outside in direct line of the beating sun and lay usually with my dog on our back deck and sunbathe my stomach lol 😂. It’s a thing for me at least. It’s great for digestion and the reproductive area. My dog does this like almost everyday and I started taking a play from her playbook and it’s been so awesome 🤩. Animals know what’s up.

I am forgetting the other questions without being able to see them but I think one was one thing you learned or something - that collecting real estate as part of my asset building is like related to my birth chart. I was reading in deep detail about my astrology and one specific sector mentioned how I’ll end up in like real estate and just closed on another house. I love knowing I’m fulfilling my destiny on some galactic level without knowing. It’s cool AF!!

My food - Haitian griot and fried plantains because the effort to make it tender and seasoned to perfection then it’s best to eat it fresh and hot reminds me of how I move in the world. Like I am analytical and methodical and intentional which is all musts to make that dish well. Then the once it is made, you have to eat it while hot that reminds me of how I simply just don’t wait on shit. I act. Like you aren’t getting anywhere if you don’t put action with what you have your sights set on so gotta eat it while it’s hot and delicious. That’s what I kind of what I feel like about life.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

"love knowing I’m fulfilling my destiny on some galactic level without knowing. It’s cool AF!!"

Yo!! i've been curious how this works. I think i heard Karla and Rae Chuck in this episode: https://karlamariesweet.substack.com/p/rare-company-episode-2-rae-chuck

Does yours also involve knowing the exact time of birth?

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Badiana Badio Eckstrom's avatar

Yes! Time of birth is a critical part to it and I know that is not accessible to all of us, but the time allows the astrology to pin you down to the very minute of your arrival into this earthly plane.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

damn!! i asked my dad about the time of birth and he was so worried lmaooooo

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Badiana Badio Eckstrom's avatar

Oh Papa Odeyale, just diving into some astrology nothing to worry about!

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tobi odeyale's avatar

lmaoooo! that would drive him even more worried.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

"I am forgetting the other questions without being able to see them"

I love you BB. This shows me how present you were commenting to this. So present, that nothing else mattered than getting your words across. I love me this raw and real!!

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Badiana Badio Eckstrom's avatar

I was totally in the zone with your work!!

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tobi odeyale's avatar

totally felt that release in your post. 🫂🥹😮‍💨

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tobi odeyale's avatar

"I love being outside. Pretty much I’ll jump outside in direct line of the beating sun and lay usually with my dog on our back deck and sunbathe my stomach lol "

is such an extrovert flex .😪

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Badiana Badio Eckstrom's avatar

💪🏾 sometimes emojis just convey what I need to convey. Extrovert flex making me giggle 🤭

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tobi odeyale's avatar

lmaoooo im glad it did.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

"finally don’t work for people who are intimidated by my talent. That’s a damned breath of fresh air."

this must have been such a relief for you. I sensed the release of breath as you wrote this line.

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Badiana Badio Eckstrom's avatar

So much relief 😮‍💨! It’s weird to be in a place where things are just right in my life. Like so I get to just thrive now?!

American society has engrained so heavily this concept of struggling and I’m just not in that place and that alone feels like this radical act towards oppression, while simultaneously being creeped out that being black and thriving feels radical. So many feelings, Tobi!

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Oluwatobiloba's avatar

Congrats Tobi!

My nephew is teaching me patience this weekend. I’m grateful for that, otherwise I would have squeezed his tiny neck from all the tantrums he’s been throwing. 😮‍💨

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tobi odeyale's avatar

you have to give me this full gist.

what did he do that warrants the squeezing of neck treatment. I 'm nosy, I know. 🥹

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Oluwatobiloba's avatar

He’s 5 and displaying that aggression that boys use when they feel frustrated. It’s something we’re talking through with him, using his words, breathing and all that gentle parenting. Instead of smacking & dismissing him like our parents did.

It tests your patience, walahi.😮‍💨

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tobi odeyale's avatar

hahahahahahaha!! pele. Hopefully, it nudges him to do better.

coincidentally, i still spoke on the being 5 in this post. 😁

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Marc Typo's avatar

Congrats brother !

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tobi odeyale's avatar

i owe you and myles a plate of jollof.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

bless up, MT. 🙏🏽

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David Akinmoyede's avatar

Congratulations! Result of consistency. I am proud of you. Let's get you to 100,000 subscribers. 👏🏾

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tobi odeyale's avatar

you made it here!! thanks, Loskyyyyyyy!! You been here from day zero, you know?

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David Akinmoyede's avatar

Every step of the way, brother. 👏🏾

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tobi odeyale's avatar

love you man! How's ghana treating you?

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David Akinmoyede's avatar

She is treating me fine. Ka shama dupe. 🙏🏾

Let's catch up soon.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

sure. Sounds like my man don secure him woman there too. You wan use "She" disguise.

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David Akinmoyede's avatar

LOL! Why does it have to be about women? I have a loyal woman I left behind in Nigeria to chase the bag. I will go pick her up soon.

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Yuezhong's avatar

Congratulations!

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tobi odeyale's avatar

YZ, thanks for much.

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Jamal Robinson's avatar

Congrats bro!

Writing would be my accidental place as well 😅

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tobi odeyale's avatar

glad you did because i’m honoured to know you, JR.

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Ama, Into The Gray Unknown's avatar

Soooo, this line:

"I don’t make a living from this yet, but I show up like I do."

I'm letting this one soak ... like beans for red-red (clearly i should not read your posts when hungry)

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tobi odeyale's avatar

lmaoooooooo

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Kert Lenseigne 🌱's avatar

I’m smiling for ya! Congrats. And well-deserved.

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tobi odeyale's avatar

thanks, guide. 🫂

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Jason Herndon's avatar

Congrats, Tobi!

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tobi odeyale's avatar

thanks, J. Looking forward to reading that story.🙏🏽

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Favour Ogazi's avatar

Congrats my friend

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Glory's avatar

This is hugeee!

Congratulations Tobi!

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tobi odeyale's avatar

thank you, Glory.

what’s something you’re grateful for?

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