Wednesday, January 17, 2007

getting better - getting worse.

Lagos:

Date: Wednesday, 17th January 2007.
Time: 10:39 am

Location: 3 Idowu Taylor Street, Victoria Island - Lagos.

I arrived at the office barely early (7:59:59) and hurriedly filled my name in the attendance sheet.
I was informed rather sadly that my friend: Innocent has suffered a recent mishap in the hands of "One chance" operators - thieves that resort to robbing unsuspecting passengers of buses or cabs. He was forced to jump out of a moving bus and sustained a certain amount of injuries...

In fact, another friend of mine informed me that he has suffered a similar fate last week.
He was robbed of his phones and laptop - I believe, thankfully that he didn't sustain any injuries.

But...

This is a pointer to the recent happenings...
It is a well known fact that the January to March periods are a trial - in terms of finance for the typical working population. Such that people resort to all manner of illegal or shady activities - the end purpose of which is survival.

But when your fellow Nigerian decides to rob you in the name of survival - the we can be said to be heading into dangerous waters.
Have we gotten to that stage?
Are we now to forfeit our rights to go about our normal activities in peace because we have people who think they're suffering...

Bloody hell - everyone's suffering!
Jobs, security, transportation, food - everything is a thing of concern but as is our way we continue to persist in the mist of adversity - even when our compatriots can no longer differentiate between those who cause the situation to deteriorate in the first place and their fellow citizens - Nigeria is slowly going to the dogs!

But there's hope...
If 140 million Nigerians wake up every morning and continue to strive to survive - there has to be more than hope - that points to Will Power

Let's say a special prayer...

Friday, January 12, 2007

Sleepy... Tired and wondering...

I slept badly.

Okay, I should probably amend that to I took a series of catnaps...
A scenario where you only snatch a few clicks of sleep is not exactly lovely. Added to the complex journey which brought me and my friend home last night because we (referring of course to that general body of ever-adapting people summarized in one simple word: Nigerians) are currently experiencing a "lack" of petrol, which has caused transportation costs to sky rocket and have left countless number of commuters littering the various bus stops.

I left my office at about 6:45 pm yesterday but I got home at about 9:00 pm - the reason is something that I refuse to go into - who knows, for those who are actually crazy, I would suggest a trip to Nigeria with a specific port of call (Lagos).
It is a place that constantly flirts with danger. Everything's a bet - and you're almost always the loser...

But as my friend Danny Ocean(Ocean's eleven) put it: the house always wins...

I am pretty darn sure that the experience will be one you'll not forget till the day you die - My promise!

It's a crazy town with crazier people.
It is a town run and governed by the need to make money - lots of it in as short a time as possible.

It is estimated that you spend a typical (12 hours of the day in the work place), the hours between can be spent getting to work or leaving.
Fact: Your home or house is simply a stop over - eat (if you have the energy), sleep for five to six hours and then restart the whole fray again...

I know that a better life exists and I'm so seriously looking for it!
This is most definitely NOT that life...

Thank God - It's friday...

Monday, January 08, 2007

Should it matter...

A new week bursting with possibilities...

Every new week begins with a certain amount of expectations...
Some "may" be met, others will just lie around like old forgotten bedsheets - a constant reminder that the success rate is a statistic that should not be taken seriously...

Aparrently, the census figures are out (whether they prove to be fairly accurate is anyone's guess).
It is said that our population stands at 140 million (plus or minus) - what that translates to is anyone's guess...

I'm still awaiting argurements for or against this number...

I spent my weekend holed up like a hermit. I didn't have the inclination to go anywhere and it dawns on me that should I come into possession of my own apartment; its goodbye to friendly visits (Introvert like tendencies).

I spent the weekend watching Manga (anime) or japanese animation - Naruto and Gantz...
did I happen to mention that me and my brothers are huge fans...
Their animation rocks and the plots are so way out there - Imagination is so it these days.

It did occur to me more as an after thought that at my current rate, I'd likely pick up the Japanese language .

here are a couple of Phrases that I learnt or still learning:
Hello.
こんにちは。 Konnichiwa. (kon-nee-chee-WAH)
Thank you.
どうもありがとう。 Dōmo arigatō. (doh-moh ah-ree-GAH-toh)
Yes.
はい。 Hai. (HIGH)
No.
いいえ。 Iie. (EE-eh)
I'm hoping to the language by osmosis - I kinda think it's cool.
At least watching all those anime series should do it for me...

On to more personal matters...
Ps: My gal's due in Lagos this week!
I'm trying not to push myself beyond the breach of excitement (as if...)

Work is as should be - I'm awaiting the week as it unfolds (today's monday after all).

just to drop a line for the week - u never know.

By the way incase I forgot to mention it - Happy new year.
Please don't sweat it!

Chinedu

Thursday, January 04, 2007

At the gateway

so we're in gear...

Four days already into the new year - we're cautious as usual...
There are high expectations and then some.

Questions abound such as:
  1. What is one to expect?
  2. Is it the same as every year or can we really look forward to some differences?
  3. What's in it for me?
  4. What are my expectations?
Anyway - i spent the bulk of the break in the office - doing night duties form the 31st to the 1st - last day of 2006 and the first day of 2007 - u couldn't get any better related house mates...

I had a yelling match with my mom - there are times when she fails to realise that you're actually old enough to be on your own - apparently the illusion that you still live at home contributes majorly to this misguided thought...

It only strenghens my resolve to be independent as soon as possible.
Soon - very soon!

anyway - i just wanted to write something for the year...

Monday, January 01, 2007

a new day - a new dawn...

I am here at my desk.
Time is a little after 5:00 am in the morning and I'm wondering where it all went...
Yesterday - I'm pretty damn sure was 2006 and by the sheer passage of time
(plus or minus 5 hours) I have been ushered into a new year.

There were no explosions or the sound of heavenly trumpets - it was time in its usual state doing what it did best.

Pause and reflect.

I had planned a quiet night in the office - looking through my thoughs like old pieces of paper and refocus my efforts for the new year - make better plans, goals, objectives etc.

What did I know...

I spoke with Faizah last year(okay - yesterday) and I had to ask myself why I set myself up for a fall each time - i want to hate her, it would be so easy to do so and yet - like the proverbial moth drawn to a flame, i choose to return - my fate is clear!

There's every likelyhood that i am the one who will be hurt in the long run...
Who am I fooling?

Chase her away.
Clear her from your thoughts, scatter her memories to the four winds - I had succeded in pushing her to one side of my mind.
And then out of nowhere - like the wail of the sirens, she calls and in my foolish state, I answer - it is so obvious that I am so attracted to mental agony & pain.

What do I feel for her?
I REFUSE - to call it love, I refuse to label it as an infatuation, I'll won't bother referring to it as an obsession.

I am so happy that her life is moving along so smoothly - it was and still is my most feverent wish that she prospers and moves from strength to strength.

I no longer dream of her but she sticks in my mind like a leech...

Ladies and gentle men - that was the lament of patrick (PHATPRICK) - take no notice what so ever, he is only trying to get your attention...

Anyway - I will have a year of fufillment, a year of upliftment but if the statistics is anything to go by - so do 150 million nigerians (Plus or minus some)

Anyway - happy new year!
May your dreams be fufilled, may your path be lit with the light of direction, may your perseverance and persistence of spirit be ever burning...

May your dreams come to life and give birth to dreams of their own...

Amen...

Happy new year once again!