2011
I've learnt to ask
questions I don’t want the answers to.
I've
learnt
to hold onto at least a third of my hopes & aspirations so I can
always
replant them when the storm and bush-following is over.
I've
learnt
that I still can’t lie to myself no matter how much I lawyer it. I knew.
I
know. I'm knowing. I'm in the know. *whispers* (this doesn’t however
apply to
lies that are white)
I've
learnt
people don’t appreciate anything long-term especially that which entails
reaping in the future whilst being left a tad bit misinformed tempore
I've
learnt
that with disputes... No matter how heated things are in the moment…
Never to
take indecisive, although purgatory, action- reaction. Ponder of
questions you
may be asked by any random enquirer- what happened between you? What was
the
fight about? Why did you do this to him/her/them? Then the retort- "cuz
he/she/they did this said this..." Now weigh, forecast and see...
猿も木から落ちる。 (Saru mo ki
kara ochiru) #japanese
Learnt that it’s
really a small world... One second. Before
it contradicts itself the next.
That if people
‘love’ you... They let you do dumb things in
the moment. Cuz it’s what you wanted to. What you think had to. Cuz they
care
about your feelings. But those that really love you... cast out a thing
or
two... All to secure your future... They care of the present in
moderation but
more about the impeding future. Those that really really really love you
though... Would stop you in your tracks tell the raw truth of everything
anything in a way that would ensure you 'hate' them for a day or two.
Cuz to
them... Your present status quo (thoughts, feelings, ambitions, hopes)
matters,
but in the least... They think ahead into the furthest future, the
hereafter
and the forever after that.
Learnt how to
succinctly answer the question “who are you to
me?”
Learnt ALOT more
about relationships… (Shrink services
open!) *smirks*
About patterns
& schemes & scenarios. Because… Even
within chaos there is order! Basically- THE CHAOS THEORY! Most of the time disarray is easily
orchestrated to mask or even create a façade to veil the simple reality
on
ground. Point in view- American politics and the current Nigerian status
quo.
New shortcut keys
on a Windows OS.
What the insides of
a wireless mouse, ups and my laptop look
like #karambani
If you vote with
goodluck in mind… You’re gonna
need more than just patience! (wait a minute! Even if didn’t vote…)
There are certain
choices we make that will continue to
‘haunt’ us... Till kingdom come. Or perhaps till we get a lobotomy. All
it
takes is for a sound an image a smell or even the most random of thing
at the
most random of places... When it happens we sigh. And move on.
Bad habits. Are
just that. Habits- addictive routines. That
are bad. So... Always ask yourself before indulging in something new...
Will
this become a habit. Is it good one. Or a bad one?
To hold dear your
few good friends... By now... They’ve been
tested enough. Are trustworthy. Should be stalwart. Thus. Few. Hold
on to
them!
Learnt not to
underestimate the power of networking. Be open
to it. 1stly in real life. Then social media. It will take you places!
Get your friend to
report his lost ATM card ASAP. Cuz he’s
your friend. So of course he procrastinates. And he lost it in Lagos.
:-p
Travelling light is
for sissies. Well... Atleast it’s not
for me. Never has been. The one time I did try it... *Smh*
To
have
written and agreements from Day1 of any business endeavour. Cast aside
familiarity and salvage future prosperity
To give a
touchscreen phone a break... B4 it breaks i.e.
Lolz.
Quia
experiential docet nihil formidares #latin
That much as we
want- Courage is not as contagious as fear... (This
applies to most positive attributes.)
To be patient cuz you owe it to
yourself.
To bend over. Take a hit. To take crap. You owe it to yourself. To do a
lot
(selflessly). Take a lot (persevere). Cuz you owe it to yourself... To
grow in
those regards and much more. Don’t do it for anyone. Do it for you. You
will be
loved, revered and most importantly respected… for something(s) you did
for
‘yourself’.
To be careful when
handling certain certain machinery that
need more than one operator... The other idiot may get tired and cost
you a
finger! (ps- all mine are accounted for. Lol. Alhamdulilah)
How to effectively
use gps, maps, and all that navigation
wahala. Never needed it till I missed an exit and found myself @ Ibadan
toll-gate. *smh*
Agberos are the
cause of every feud between police and
soldiers. Lmao! True story.
Learnt the proper
way to do press ups and sit ups. Very
effective!
The most efficient
way to drive a manual transmission
automobile and getting more mileage off
your clutch disc.
الَّذِينَ
آمَنُوا
وَتَطْمَئِنُّ
قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ
اللَّهِ أَلا بِذِكْرِ
اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ
الْقُلُوبُ
013.028 "Those who
believe, and whose
hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt
in the
remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest/satisfaction. Al-Quran
Learnt to beckon
firey desire at will and to summon icy
resolve that chills. (Emotional intelligence meets NLP).
To apologise for
‘winning’. To thank for ‘loosing’.
To covet and hold
firmly. To loosen my grip profusely.
Not to bother with
saving every other number and delete ones
gone stale. (B4 that I was some sorta directory lol)
The secret to love
everlasting.
Mo Allah wuji
furtada #fulfulde
Learnt that being
deaf is a blessing when you live with
malcontent complainers.
Blindness ditto for
lecherous delinquents as relatives
Alot about
literature and philosophy. (By that i simply i
mean i picked up a reading habit)
I've learnt to
love.
And oh did I love. To give it. To receive it so awkwardly (doing
that
thing I do with my mouth). To seek it where sight, sound, and mind are
confound’d. I sought it. I got it…
That a human being
is simply complex. Don’t be the judge and
jury all by yourself.
The reason some men
are considered over women for jobs and
the likes is not cuz they are smarter. God knows alota women are the
bomb.) But
rather cuz they've got a good handle on emotions. Logic and emotions
dont mix.
Thus the misconception of being a softie- consequences. Or a sterny-
manhandling
consequences. #NoChauvinism
That by removing
fuel subsidy… we DO consequently get Fresh
Air. Lesser cars on road. Lesser emissions. GO GOODLUCK GO GREEN!
(next
campaign slogan- you’re welcome)
A body of knowledge
in real-time Heuristics
Ockham's Razor (Stumbled
upon this a couple of years ago… Learnt to use it to ameliorate my
moral and logical dilemmas. Satisfactory!)
Learnt that one of
the quickest means of money... is off
someone's misery! (Sad but true- world of nowadays)
Of reason's I
harbor latent hate for hospitals is the
Hypoccratic Oath and cheap ass disinfectants. One makes me puke
figuratively.
The other literally. #NigerianHospitals
As much as you
think you wish could take in someone's
predicament the most you could do is wish. The best... Pray for them.
To define in clear
terms and understand the word ‘Policy’.
In terms of expectations from a defined role... have the party
understand and
accept it. Saves you from future kasala. #business #work
I've learnt that if
you want a serene head and heart as a
(future) parent. Bother not about the uncertain future... Especially
fitting to
norms and bandwagons that are bound to take you to an early grave or
force you
into lying then hiding- a grave of its own.
To selectively
listen to what is appallingly termed 'News'.
I sift out weather reports and whether reports. (For when i'm plotting
my
nomadic bearings :-p)
I've learnt to tune
my amygdala (for the better of course)
#true
That consumption of
red meat and other stuff inhibits
calcium absorption #ConvalescenceBlues.
People will easily
underestimate you if act coy, laissez
faire, and take care of your body- ajebo etc
My mind does toy
with me every time I’m out without a phone
or writing pad- great ideas sprout, nowhere to put down
To hold my piece
and let there be peace
That fear breeds
humility in men.
To tear and not tear.
That wisdom is NOT
synonymous with intelligence.
Learnt that a
single conversation can make someone respect
and revere you. (The reversal applies too.)
Once a close relative of yours (opposite sex) gets married-
maintain a VERY platonic and courteous relationship. They may have a
VERY
insecure spouse!
How to use 3 phones
at once!
A lil Idoma.
(Greetings. Miss u’s. Yori Yori’s)
That thing
Liberians actually speak is English?!? WTH!
Doing nothing hurts
more than a conscientious effort to
harm. Ignorance meets hypocrisy meets helplessness meets poor acting
meets
cowardice and creates what I know call The Victim Syndrome.
Women don’t truly
know what they want… Men know too well.
Cuz it aint that much to start with. And they can stretch two words into
two
pages.
The funniest people
are in the village! Lmao! (will post some
of my village stories soon InshaAllah)
In business. Always
do extensive research b4 dragging in
investors. One stuttered answer could be spell catastrophe.
Being lazy is not
just detrimental to your body only but
soul as well…
Love is twined with
forgivness. To forgive one must love...
A person place or thing… but mostly oneself.
It’s a small
world!!! :-O (I know I’m repeating myself… but
trust me… with good reason)
Not to be careful
what you wish for... But be sure and
certain what you pray for.
That I have an
In-your-face theme
Alota Japanese
Some people are
pathetic when it comes the illusion of
winning & loosing. Winning a loosing battle.
That if Chinese
philosophy of measuring ten times before
cutting once is wise. Which it is... Then in literary sense... One
should read
more than he writes. I need to write. I need to write. I need to write. NO!
I need to read. Aha!
To laugh at myself
soooo hard till i tear. *smh*
Really cool sites
for certain downloads, tech, proj mgt, etc
That I've got
dysnia, insomnia, and relapsing into
hypochondria- nope aint got paranoia. I checked!
Learnt that people
you least expect... Are the ones paying
the most attention.
Life is good...
(regardless)
Learnt that
quick-buck isn't synonymous with virtue, respect,
integrity, morals and the likes
Learnt a lot about
love and death.
Death of love
Love in death
Death in love
Love in death
Death in love
About love
singularly
Death ditto
The difference
between being aware and to beware. Conscious
effort. Precaution.
You don’t really
have to look outside to confirm where you're fuel
tank is. Its there on the dash.
Alota new ways you
could die. lolz
Desperation reeks
like a cheap cologne- keep your cool especially
when making negotiations. Poker face. Bluff calling.
That cowardice,
lack of adventure & risk-taking is not a way
of life. It’s actually unattractive. People hide behind the
Holier-Than-Thou
veil and specks of destinyish fate-ish talk. Not carking, pondering, or
even
wondering about infinite possibilities/probabilities.
Some people could
be really shameless.
Learnt a lot of
people prefer learning d hard way. Cliché? Yes.
True? YES!
Not knowing has
and always be a blessing- solace. AND a curse-
grimace
To take and put
criticism itself under critical view.
(people with upity scrutiny)
To be
honest even
though it has the most repurcussions.
To define things 'a
lil' differently.
To ask questions and not get
answers at
all. Leaving me two choices- answer them for myself (loooong ass process
of
elimination borne outta multiplicity) OR Ignore it! (Which aint easy.
So… go
with option 2.5)
Learnt of
different types of silences.
Meaningful.
Painful. And last but not least... My newbie- criminal
silence. lolz
To decline 'job'
offers
Do what people
expect (for once!) :p
I've learnt that
alota complicated stuff could happen within
d simplicity of a minute. *sigh*
That parents...
Parents... Handle them with care. You are
closer to being one than you think. And then you won’t need explanation
for
some things they did or are doing.
There certain
things and certain people that come at certain
times that you don't fight. You give in. yeah… they are awesome.
None of
something(s) is better that some of it.
There's no other
word that rhymes with orange, purple, month or
silver.
(So I’m on a quest
now to do just that. Words are words no matter
the language after all. #ChuwaChuwa)
It’s always
possible for a smart person to act dumb- stoop to
concur. But a dumb person... Well.... Go figure.
When something too
good to be true. Its either too good or true.
Accept it.
What may seem
ordinary. Is just extraordinary… on vacation.
Sacrificing
personal development is only natural and a rite of
passage one must undergo when taking in people and growing out of
oneself.
Oneself morphs to ‘ourself’. A worthy sacrifice for the one and world
within
and without.
If I’m to escape
an aneurism- I have to stop trying to comprehend
inexplicable idiocy. Always putting logic way up there... The premise
that
everyone does something voluntarily or involuntarily must be backed up
by a
reason… That would cause a certain change and actualize a benefit be it
tangible or intangible. There I go again?! Sheesh.
Everybody’s done
some stupid shit. Well except... Nobody.
It’s always better
to be the threat than the threatened. #leverage
Learnt that I've
got limits. Much as I wanna indulge in my
childhood delusions of grandeur- a black superman (no tights of course),
it’s
not feasible. I'm no Superman. Got no spidey sense. No... I'm just a
black man-
Skin color? Check. XY chromosome? Check. Yup. Just a black man with
knowledge of
his limits.
That no matter
where I go/run there's no safe haven from politics.
Stuck between embracing it and polishing my heels and keep walking. From
PTA
meeting (kindergarten) to Religion to the Military now (?!?!) and even
family.
More about my
worth and further means of mensuration
That I really do
talk fast! (I keep telling people it’s much much
better now… over a decade ago- only my
brother was up to the task- a conversation with me. Yeah… I know right.)
Learnt a lot
through Japan’s natural disaster. One thing does
really lead to another. *sigh* How composed they were. Are. And one more
reason
why I respect the Japanese.
Learnt that
multi-tasking is really overrated and the word itself
is a misnomer. Multi-tasking is simply (over) tasking your brain by
overlapping
activities which appear to be done well and simultaneously, whereas in
reality
they get half your attention thus half productivity if they're two i.e. A
third
if 3 and so on. What happens is that your brain keeps on switching
rapidly between
one task and the other. (exceptional cases are abound though, when it
comes to
‘rapidly’ switching i.e.)
There are people
you just can’t reason with.
Flossing is really
important
And behold joy and
gladness, slaying oxen, and
killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink;
for
tomorrow we shall die.
King James Bible
Isaiah 22:13
Cockroaches love
cocoa butter flavored soap. ‘Em damn thing binge
on it whenever I’m outta town. *smh*
Learnt a couple of
tricks to control my road rage.
There are lots of
instances one sacrifices logic. And others.
Emotion.
People always
emerging as victims in almost every aspects of life
are either hypocrites or simply dim witted.
Even
though
commonly said that women are the weaker sex... They are the most
arrogant and
proud- they could sacrifice a limb to prove a point. If you ask me… that
aint
weak.
To ascend one must descend and stay there for a moment or two. For once you soar. Beguiled they will be by the roar of soaring sphinx
Committing any sin
is easy. But living with it afterwards...
That it IS
possible to lie to yourself.... The glitch is always...
Believing it C-O-M-P-L-E-T-E-L-Y.
Learnt that if you
want original Eureka-level ideas. You have to
distance yourself from common ground. If it’s architectural or fashion
for
instance go south of it. Else you'd risk falling into the ‘crime’ of
recycling.
Inspiration can from the sewage or mother nature. Basically- try not
thinking
of what it is you’ve been obsessed about and go somewhere… chill. It’ll
come.
That no matter how
awful, full of holes, faults, or bad a person
is... People exist who can’t do without them, miss them terribly,
recurrently,
consistently, continually... Usually one person does all these duly.
When you're
travelling in a car especially a commercial vehicle.
Make sure the last number you dial is that of a next of kin.
You seldom regret
going with your gut feeling intuition as against
it.
Learnt that you
should never treat a living thing as a trophy. Cuz
we're doing a bum job with inanimate ones as it is.
Not to trust
gadgets. They always find a way of letting you down.
To only trust
people in one instance. Which is… to be themselves.
That cooking does
go well with singing, humming, and the likes...
Adds this content to a bachelors meal.
Learnt that no
matter how well it seems a person is doing. Trust
me he/she is struggling.
People find it
really convenient nowadays to use phones and the
likes when evading confrontation or rather facing reality.
You don’t really
need all that to be happy and look healthy. Just
put your heart in the right place and your head in the right direction.
SET!
GO!
That when booking a
flight and you get low fares. Book shap shap!
And also be conscious of their policies. Yeah… those annoying small font
writings hidden in a corner- that’s where they hide stuff like “This
booking
will expire in 14hours” *smh*
Life would at
times test you to core... Have you questioning your
very own standards and foundations... When that happens remember why
you're
still stuck where you are. Why did you get into it from d beginning.
Lastly it
the premiss holds and the reason is still viable know that you're and
have been
doing it for yourself. Why? Cuz you owe it to yourself to grow and excel
vastly
on the 4 dimensional axes thus ante up the threshold that bound you
before. You
owe it to yourself.
To do
selective listening.
To turn on, fine
tune, and switch off certain generator sets. Big
and small. #handy
I've learnt that
contrary to popular belief peer pressure grows
exponentially as people grow older especially in women.
I've learnt that
being my prude self always pays. It will prevent
me from being duped. :-p Actually it did! #LagosBlues. Lolz
I've learnt that
people take you more seriously when you're a
clown than a savant. Cuz you are easily likeable ‘rememberable’ and thus
'eligible'
I've learnt that
if I wannabe productive online. I need to limit
the number of tabs I have open. That just lowers RAM and breeds more
procrastination
When in a new
environment… Assimilate first. Adapt. Adopt.
To tie your Sallah ram/rago
well well and make sure the gate is locked before going to Eid prayer.
Else
you'd end up sweating and saliva ting at the thought of the barbecue on a
beach
you cud have been enjoying before u finally catch a lucky break. *smh*
People who say
they dont wanna see you hurt are the ones that hurt
you the worst.
I've learnt that
people don’t wanna be bothered at times. The
earlier you realise it the better
I've learnt
that.... No one's to be trusted especially ones self-
the one best at f*****g things up. We trust ourselves soooo much that it
bring
forth our own destruction all the while saying “I know what I’m doing”
“It
feels right” “I’m not stupid” “I hear you...” Basically- listen someone
besides
yourself.
Always have back-up planS.
ALWAYS.
Establish
consistent time intervals to update any kind of data you
have stored in a any gadget AND DONT travel or move around with it.
Not to regret or
feel sorry for courses of action I’ve knowingly
taken.
To smile more
often!! As in show my teeth. (I know have two new
laughs. Two new smiles. And one new smirk.)
To have a steady
self-assessing routine with measurable benefits
Take time within
my travels and read more, write more, &
research more.
Take care of my
body. (iLook different they say)
De cuerdo y loco todos
tenemos un poco #spanish
Take more risks
outside this dome that is my head
To spend money
more judiciously with means of checking myself.
REMEMBER PEOPLE’S
NAMES. (always been the faces’ guy)
A lot of clichés
in real life- you just can’t imagine.
Clearly define
where you stand your status quo regularly in any
endeavor and hold reviews. Takes away the tastelessness of uncertainty.
To forgive myself
Learnt that if a
woman/girl seems off or distress and you ask
“what’s the matter?” she answers “nothing…” you ask a second time later
on.
Still no definite answer. DON’T nudge, persist and insist that she
answer.
DON’T WO. Lol.
To be specific
To be
less
vain. (whatever)
Some people really
do have the IQ Of a pinball *smh*
Others…
the
heart of pigeon with leprosy.
Always
call
instead of emailing when gathering data for a project. Emails should be
to
document agreements made afterwards.
It’s
easy
for me to make friends. And much easier to make enemies. One requires
knowledge. The other ignorance. We all know the latter is most abundant.
That
surest
way to a successful biz venture or (even personal endeavour) is to ask d
right
person… the right questions… rightly. (Ask all the
uncomfortable questions 1st)
To read between
the lines with hawk precision and zero bias.
Objectivity--Subjectivity
Ignorance is truly
a bliss. The preceding is question is however,
for how long?
It’s always the
little things…
People
have
a higher affinity to think negatively towards others. But saintly in
self
regards.
Boori (heightened aspiration) is the crux
of failed, failing, and planned to fail
marriages. Its effects start way before a girl/boy is ripe for marriage-
parents’ fluxing blood pressure, constraining finances, falling into
heavy
debts, asset stripping and the likes.... ALL for a bash. Status.
'Acceptance'.
Eventually it ends in disease, death (of parent), dug up embarrassment,
and a
dirty laundry show. At least these I’ve witnessed 1st hand. Who's
fault? The parents for creating the deluded dogma, encouraging it, frowning upon those that defy or shy from it.
Saying “you only get married off once”. Forgetting the ever increasing
divorce
rates which I reply to as you can divorced 1-3times (for dudes its
infinite)
*smdh*. Simply put- Take it easy! And encourage your male children to
phrase
their sentence this way- “I’M going to get married” NOT “I’m going to
get
married off…” (my point is better driven in Fulfulde or Hausa)
It’s a very very
small world. Yet... Has infinite
possibilities full of varying nuances. Be mindful of where you go… with
whom…
why?
During and after a
wedding ceremony-provide security. Good
security. Cars get stolen like candy. Poof!!
How to take really
bad news over the phone yet still forge
ahead.
That it is true
what they say about the drowning man.
When
hospital-sitting a person be sure to ask of ALL
procedures your patient might be having and where. Cuz you might just
walk into
a room and see a bleeding catheter being shoved- all d while holding
onto
milkshake and an unfinished chicken nugget delicacy- yes you guessed
right. I
puked in my mouth. Nausea and numbness- if u know wat i mean. Lolz.
*straight
face*
Of course
relationships aren't easy... if they were they would
be spelt shorter. :p
It’s not impossible
but herculean and a tad bit epic to
document lessons from a whole year. So ama just rest my
‘pen’ and
‘eraser’… (What would’ve been titled “101 lessons of 2011” grew to
“365….“ (for
each day) then more and more… till I chopped off chunks.)
I’ve learnt that if
you're still reading this- you're one
hell of patient person. :-)
It’s 11:59pm December 31st of 2011… and I’m still learning.
