Steve Madden and a myriad of arbitrary events

Trying to recover from this blogging hiatus, even as I tender my apologies. Life's been happening to me and I've got my plate full trying to figure out what direction to head out. Life after Uni has been a blend of naivete and boredom with a splash of curiousity equalling genuine novice. Meanwhile, here's an abridged version of the order and series of events that have I have featured in:

Random:

• Girls day out (Sistahz Inc)
  

• French Classes at Alliance Francaise
  

• Applications for postgraduate study

• Dental troubles

• Women Empowerment articles and books

• Cinema trips: “The Proposal”
  

• Get candid opinion from friends

• Beach trips with family

Unrehearsed:

1. Mum questions my relationship status!
2. Ran into a guy I blogged about.
3. Rain! Rain! Rain!
4. First (and LAST!!!) Moluwe ride experience
5. Got a call from a publisher.
6. Michael Jackson passed on.
   

Plans in progress:

• Attend Taruwa
• Attend Book Reading event
• Meet Chimamanda Adichie
• Register for Women in Engineering conference
• Meet with best friend from high school
• NYSC!
  
• Driving school
• Relocate
• Stay informed on Telecommunications industry
  
• Read biographies
  
• Complete first chapter of the book
• Be on "Don't forget the lyrics Nigeria!"

LOL! This the state of my 'Steve Maddens.' Classic! Will be back with details.

p.s Those Red Devils however are not Steve Maddens but Christian Louboutins!

Time and Chance

Nokia Note: 11:29, Mon 15.06.2009

Flashback: 15th June 2004. Woke up early in a manic rush to get my hands on the day's dailies. The Guardian, to be precise. It was a day to my 18th birthday and the list of succesful candidates of the Covenant University Scholastic Aptitude Test (CUSAT) was to be published on the same day. At the sound of the vendor's horn, I practically flew out to the road and grabbed a copy. With my heart at the tip of my tongue, I searched the pages frantically for my name. Saw my sister's but not mine. My older sister came to take a look while my eyes were still roaming the sheets. And then she shouted in her usual celebration mode tone, "BAYBAY! CONGRATULATIONS!" My sister Steph and I made the list. A cousin who was visiting immediately told us to hop into his ride and off we went to get a cake!

Exactly five years today it's 15th june 2009, the eve of my twenty third birthday and convocation is in four days. My oldest and most loyal Uni friend Ladun, just called to lament about her departmental dress dress having not arrived and she's the MC at tonight's event. I ask a few questions, give some solutions and ask more questions, and she goes, "Graduation list is out. Of course it's 2-1!"

Magna cum laude! I rush off to tell Mom. She gets on her knees, blessing God. And then she turns towards me, and begins blessing me ...

Time and Chance, I must say have been kind to me. These twin siblings have been my friends. I have not been swift or strong, neither can I boast of being wise or skillful of my own accord. Yet God has enabled me to win my races and battles.
He has stocked my storehouses with supplies of bread and riches.
He has robed and perfumed me with royalty and favour.
He has seen me from Start to Finish: Alpha to Omega without neglecting the betas, deltas and thetas.
He has always been and will always be there, full of faith in me and faithful to me.
Thank you Lord for everything including time and chance. To You be all the glory in Jesus' name.

Musings of a Venusian turned Martian

“How many roads must a man walk down before you can call him a man?”

The time of the psychological passing over from boyhood to manhood is a movable feast. The legal date fixed on the twenty-first birthday has little or no connection with it. There are men in their teens, and there are boys in their forties. Howbeit, I choose to connect with that part of the psychological timeline when this ‘ASL: 2x/M/earth’ where 9 <> 0 meant you were at a crossroad between adulthood and adolescence and you were in the prime of life. You’d gone past it, you wished you could rewind. You were not yet there, you wondered if it was you or the globe had stopped spinning. Either way, you’re wistful or wishful. And if you were there, you knew you were in the prime of life where your will reigned and everything you did henceforth had consequences. You couldn't be more careful and at the same time more carefree. It was the phase of personalizing spaces and taking up the mantra, “the world is mine” because you could do almost anything, be almost anybody, go almost anywhere and your view of life was a kaleidoscopic combination of credulity, bravado, optimism.

Over the next paragraphs, I’m a 26 year old guy heading the Lagos branch of Zulu Corp. Below is an excerpt from my journal.

Had a crazy day at work today. Was eventually able to beat the submission deadlines and we finally sealed the deal with the Matrix Corp. Omo, thank God it’s Friday and am I looking forward to a great weekend in KD with my guys. Hurried home, got my bags packed and boarded the last flight to Kaduna. Engaged some pretty chick in a conversation and eventually exchanged numbers. Just as we touched base, my old woman called. Chatted a bit and reminded me that I wasn’t getting any younger. Mumsy just has her way of getting her message across to me. Got me thinking seriously, guys do need to settle down. There’s more to life than Lewin cufflinks, Ludacris’ lyrics and lap dances. I got my whole life ahead of me. True but hey, I got time. Besides, ‘Lamide and I just broke up so I’m back in the market.

Twenty minutes later, I’m at Kola’s while we have a chat and wait for Tayo and Jimi to show up. You could imagine the uproar when they finally arrived. Kola led the way to xyz and we had a few drinks while we caught up on old times, and talked about present events. Dreams and decisions, flings and fiancées, aspirations and reminiscences…

At this point, I think this Venusian has suffered enough trying to imagine life on other planets. I gladly hand the baton to a real Martian…!


Okay, here's the thing. I have been given the Herculean task of imagining what I imagine is a day in the life of a young man (in his twenties) and putting my imagination in print. Task given me by a young man (in his twenties) which he read and rated. Would share the result rating with you but please read and give your own ratings.

Achievements, hurdles and AHA moments!

Today I had a class - one of those courses on Leadership and the topic of discussion was "Views on Success." It was an interactive one with the school's Vice Chancellor as the facilitator so to speak and she randomly picked four people to narrate their experiences on achievements, hurdles and AHA moments. Yours Truly was the second of the four and I told briefly about my AHA moment.
The next and third person was a guy studying Building Technology who said his came sometime in freshman year. He did a lot of writing but never thought much of them and so dumped them 'in his closet'. A day came when he took his diary of writings to lectures to take notes in it, a girl saw the diary, read his pieces (with his consent), gave him links and encouraged him to enter for an on-going writing competition at the time. He went ahead and eventually won first prize. His AHA moment came, kept writing and hasn't looked back since then. And the girl was ... Guess who ...

ME!

He actually did mention my name (in full) and the Vice Chancellor asked me to stand again for recognition and an ovation followed. I was almost flushed but deeply humbled. And then she gave me the mandate to start a writers' club in school. Compliments haven't ceased flowing since then.
Wow! I certainly won't forget this day in a hurry!

Random 25!

1. I've had my share of ambitions. At some point, I felt so sure I was going to be a music producer. Was (and I still am) very much into instrumentals/ beats.

2. I don't use sugar in anything (cereal, tea...)

3. Last album I bought was Frank Sinatra's (this month).

4. The next instrument I'll learn to play is THE TALKING DRUM!

5. I've only had 3 female artists CDs (Asa, Solange, TY Bello) in my album lineage. Male crooners rock!

6. I keep a weblog (duh!) and a journal.

7. Three awards I've won: Humorous, Spiritual, Charismatic.

8. I love Nokia phones. I use every feature on my phone from notes, reminders, alarms, radio...

9. I think Tyson Beckford is Too HOT to be human!

10. I buy tons of magazines!!! O, TELL, True Love, TIME... I buy ThisDay on Sundays PRIMARILY for the mag content.

11. I love little notes and I keep people's notes. When I leave notes, I indicate the date, exact time and sometimes place.

12. When I like a song, I put the track on repeat and listen to it a minimum of 50 times usually at a stretch.

13. I 'google' almost everything and everybody.

14. I am dependent on sticky notes, notepads, mobile phone notes.

15. First thing I do when I get home from anywhere is to wash my hands.

16. I always misplace one earring (Thanx Ladun) so I try to buy two pairs of the same kind when I can.

17. I cry when I laugh.

18. I am a budding collector of maps, Jazz music and perfumes.

19. My choice sleepwear is a pair of boxers and a tee. lol!

20. I hate cold drinks, love cold places, love hot cakes, can't handle pepper. I hate the smell of new magazines, the feel of new bathroom slippers and being in a vehicle for more than 20 mins.

21. At the end of a year, I clean out all text messages and call logs.

22. I've kept every card (birthday, Christmas ...) I've ever received since I was 13 and I don't forget people's birthdays.

23. Haven't used the word 'promise' in 8 years.

24. Sometimes I use a pencil as a hair accessory.

25. I sing in the shower.

Sunscreen

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97
Wear Sunscreen

If I could offer you only one tip for the future,
sunscreen would be it.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists,
whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience
I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh nevermind,
you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself
and recall in a way you can’t grasp now, how much possibility lay before you
and how fabulous you really looked,
you are not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future, or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you

Sing

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts,
don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss

Don’t waste your time on jealousy, sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind,
the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults,
if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life,
the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22
what they wanted to do with their lives,
some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t,
Maybe you’ll divorce at 40,
Maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary
What ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can, don’t be afraid of it,
or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Brother and sister together we'll make it through
Someday a spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you've been hurtin, but I've been waitin' to be there for you
And I'll be there just helping you out whenever I can

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings, they are the best link to your past
and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get,
the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard,
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander,
you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young
prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
Maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia,
dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off,
painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen

Brother and sister together we'll make it through
Someday a spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you've been hurtin, but I've been waitin' to be there for you
And I'll be there just helping you out whenever I can
Everybody's free oh yeah

Heard this song by over the radio a few months back. The lyrics struck me deeply and I put the few lines I could grasp in a notepad. Heard it again on a friend's laptop and discovered it was called Sunscreen by Baz Luhrmann.

I love the lyrics and decided to make a post out of it!

Kaleidoscope

Wow! This 22 day old year has been quite eventful for this 22 year old. Holidays ended rather abruptly with resumption which was on the 3rd of this month, and exams followed almost immediately. Well, I must say I'm liking this year 2009 already. It represents a lot of things to me, both spiritually and every wise. Just as I would sit on the last days of a year and look back in retrospect, I feel very strongly and have chosen to see the prospects 2009 has.
If I could compress my mantra for the year into a word/ verb, it would be

“Be.”

I have not felt so strongly about a year or a time as I feel about this year. I know for sure that 2009 is (going to be) a landmark, a milestone in my life and phases. It is the year I graduate from Uni (after half a decade of engineering education.) Plus it is my fifth year of walking with God. It is the year of total independence (aka Adulthood) where every decision I do/don't make counts or counters ... career choices, social networks, relationships, investments.
Keyword: Investment. Everything one action or inaction will be an investment for another time. I have learnt that nature abhors vacuum. Thus, inaction ultimately equates to action.

This year, I've got so much time on my hands and at the same time, there's No Time! This year will bridge my dreams with real achievements (by God's grace). It’s an invitation to pursue something higher and better than I have had before, and to gain a sense of meaning and significance for my life. Never have I needed God more than I do now and henceforth.

This year will see the start of my totality. My hidden self (or alter ego) teaming with my present self to birth latent potentials, live out passions and to fulfill destiny ... Just being total, totally me. Miss Balance. At this point, I wonder what Growing up really means. Is it about evolving into someone you've never been before or simply finding and giving life to the person that's been bottled up inside?

I am presently undergoing an experience I'll like to call 'My Sensuous Awakening.' It began with the olfactories. Started out as a habit, a hobby and now it's a full blown obsession for perfumes (not just about owning them, but knowing and identifying scent families, notes and more.) More interesting is the fact that the rest of my senses are not left out of this era. I have a developed a relish for Wine just as I have rekindled an old passion for classical music by delving into Contemporary Classical. Enya wears the crown, but Yanni is a pure taste of orchestra heaven. Beyond this sensuous arousal is a Spiritual awakening as well, rooted in seeking the Lord (God bless Bishop David Oyedepo.) ‘Tis a truly remarkable degree of self-discovery heightened over a space of 22 days. 2009: I realise my life has only just begun. Really!