Ahhh....I'm working on some website stuff and decided to come test it on the old blog and here I am again! I started reading and just realized, well I miss THIS blog :(
So what's been gwaning peeps? Howz everyone been? In blog world and out?
I've just been hanging around jare. I came back from Switzerland, took my GMAT, did alright but not as good as I would have liked. The thing just tire me jare. Plus I've been focusing on my business, family, and life generally. Oh I've got great and fabulous news for anyone who'd like to hear????
Ok, ok, hold your horses>>>
I'M GETTING MARRIED!
yes oh, yours truly is getting married to the love of her life. my boyfriend of less than a year (yikes!) proposed to me and I agreed to his proposal, lol. We are going to be married next year and so of course the flurry of planning that wedding is also upon me. Crazy that.
I don't know how I should describe being engaged. I feel like I'm watching another person's story unfold right before my eyes but everything is so familiar. Sometimes I can't believe it and pinch myself, as in, o'girl, na u oooo. Lol. Like sometimes I stare at my boyfriend and it's like i'm staring at my very own fairytale, and y'all thought fairytale's don't come true lol. We'll see sha, I hope to blog about it. But y'all know how I am with this blog now....
What else is going on?
Hmm, maybe I should wait till tomorrow when I'm less busy to continue all the gists. I promise I will be back. I miss this ol' fish bowl ;o)
love, peace, and hairgrease y'all!
20 Kids, 20 Years
There's a saying that "20 kids cannot play for 20 years". I love this statement/proverb so much. The first time I heard it was in Yoruba from my mom so I don't really know if it's actually a Yoruba proverb translated or vice versa. Still, it's so apt.
I always say to anybody that will listen, my best friends today are those friends that I knew while in college. For some reason, they're looking to buck the 20 kids/20 years proven proverb. These guys are all one in a million. Over the years we've laughed, we've cried, we've fought, we've loved, we've pretty much been with and supported each other true a myriad of emotions. These guys are the one that increasingly, I find myself running back to whenever I want to have a REAL conversation. I can't say how much I appreciate their love and kindness. The older I get the more I realize that real true friends, who want the best for you always, who know you inside and out and accept you and love you for who you are, are really, really rare gems. One of my closest friends of this bunch I havent even seen in years, but still there's nothing like that one hour conversation where you just run through the entire list of happenings and before you even say one thing or the other, they just get where you're coming from. Gosh, I'm so blessed to have these people in my life.
Now back to that proverb up there. You're probably wondering ok, so what's the connection then. Well I think the conneciton for me is that people move in and out of your life very quickly. Most don't want to bother to see you, I mean really see you. If you have 20 kids on a playground it is very very unlikely that those children as they grow older and "wiser" will learn to appreciate and love each other more. Rather it's the opposite. As they know each other more, their human flaws come out with claws. Life throws us all together in the wash and by the time we get our bearings we're all a little washed out.
Either way, I thank God immensely for those friends I made in college who years later are still sticking by me, caring about me, and renewing my faith in friendships. I'm lucky to have them.
I always say to anybody that will listen, my best friends today are those friends that I knew while in college. For some reason, they're looking to buck the 20 kids/20 years proven proverb. These guys are all one in a million. Over the years we've laughed, we've cried, we've fought, we've loved, we've pretty much been with and supported each other true a myriad of emotions. These guys are the one that increasingly, I find myself running back to whenever I want to have a REAL conversation. I can't say how much I appreciate their love and kindness. The older I get the more I realize that real true friends, who want the best for you always, who know you inside and out and accept you and love you for who you are, are really, really rare gems. One of my closest friends of this bunch I havent even seen in years, but still there's nothing like that one hour conversation where you just run through the entire list of happenings and before you even say one thing or the other, they just get where you're coming from. Gosh, I'm so blessed to have these people in my life.
Now back to that proverb up there. You're probably wondering ok, so what's the connection then. Well I think the conneciton for me is that people move in and out of your life very quickly. Most don't want to bother to see you, I mean really see you. If you have 20 kids on a playground it is very very unlikely that those children as they grow older and "wiser" will learn to appreciate and love each other more. Rather it's the opposite. As they know each other more, their human flaws come out with claws. Life throws us all together in the wash and by the time we get our bearings we're all a little washed out.
Either way, I thank God immensely for those friends I made in college who years later are still sticking by me, caring about me, and renewing my faith in friendships. I'm lucky to have them.
YAY!!!
Hello people! or person as the case may be!
So I finally figured out how to change the template.....YAHOOOOOOO! you guys don't know how long i've been trying to change the bloody thing. sheesh. At times, I'm just so....chuffed about me doing you know, technically, computerish things. Like i'm so not there. So now that i've finally figured out this thing, soo happy with myself!
One of the reasons I decided to take another crack at changing the template is that I'm gonna start another blog!..........ooooh I can hear you exhaling that i don't even update this one, how can I attempt another one??? Well the other blog is going to be a bit different to this one. I was inspired by a fellow blogger who has since quit blogging but essentially every other blogger out there writing about their relationships and their lives. I've always wanted to blog about my relationships but they (the exes lol) have always somehow found their way here so I just never did in case someone randomly came to this blog and then start beefing me. I can't have that. Soooo i've thought about starting a new one since then. Now I will. I won't share the address or link, you'll just have to find me and guess which one out of the million ones out there is Lola!!! :o) I'm actually soo excited about the new blog!
Don't worry, I'll still be posting as regularly as I can on this one so i'm not giving up on it yet!
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Still en vacance/study break and I'm afraid i'm not very productive yet. I mean I've started studying and all but it's like i know nothing all over again!! This is gonna be so hard. Today I wanted to study but a friend dragged me out and then by the time we came back I had just eaten and had the --itis so then just decided to veg out and watch Brothers & Sisters (which is so fab by the way!). So I pray tomorrow I can get back to studying again :o( :o(
Till then....Ciao bebes!
So I finally figured out how to change the template.....YAHOOOOOOO! you guys don't know how long i've been trying to change the bloody thing. sheesh. At times, I'm just so....chuffed about me doing you know, technically, computerish things. Like i'm so not there. So now that i've finally figured out this thing, soo happy with myself!
One of the reasons I decided to take another crack at changing the template is that I'm gonna start another blog!..........ooooh I can hear you exhaling that i don't even update this one, how can I attempt another one??? Well the other blog is going to be a bit different to this one. I was inspired by a fellow blogger who has since quit blogging but essentially every other blogger out there writing about their relationships and their lives. I've always wanted to blog about my relationships but they (the exes lol) have always somehow found their way here so I just never did in case someone randomly came to this blog and then start beefing me. I can't have that. Soooo i've thought about starting a new one since then. Now I will. I won't share the address or link, you'll just have to find me and guess which one out of the million ones out there is Lola!!! :o) I'm actually soo excited about the new blog!
Don't worry, I'll still be posting as regularly as I can on this one so i'm not giving up on it yet!
***************
Still en vacance/study break and I'm afraid i'm not very productive yet. I mean I've started studying and all but it's like i know nothing all over again!! This is gonna be so hard. Today I wanted to study but a friend dragged me out and then by the time we came back I had just eaten and had the --itis so then just decided to veg out and watch Brothers & Sisters (which is so fab by the way!). So I pray tomorrow I can get back to studying again :o( :o(
Till then....Ciao bebes!
Staying Faithful
To my blog that is! So many times during the day for weeks now I experience somehting or something comes across my mind and I just know i have to blg about it. But it seems, i'm afraid, that that's where it all ends. I think it, and in my head I've put it away and it just never quite seems to come to fruition. Some days it's just that I'm trying to write about something i've not written about before, or just a new experience or something. No one wants to hear complain complain complain.
You see, for those who have been following my blog from time immemorial, you'll have been following the journey of coming to Nigeria, working at a multinational that hadn't a clue how to properly repatriate a Nigerian, then to another organization that quite admittedly I didn't blog to much about (if at all) and then to where I am right now: an entrepreneur. Well, maybe I'm entering a new phase of it all yet again, so maybe its the right time to pick up blogging again. Okay, drumrollllllllllllll:
The truth is I'm tired of Nigeria.
Well let me explain. No i'm not tired of NEPA (what exactly is a PHCN) or traffic or LASTMA (per se) I'm just tired of the scenery and quite frankly the people. We have soooo much attitude ko? sheesh! You ask a simple question and because you have a slight accent (that in reality doesn't even really belong anywhere), what you get is so much attitude and rudeness. A lot of people go out of their way to just pull, tear, you down. But this post is not a bitchy post lol.
So I've decided to take a break.
I'm leaving the country for a little bit and heading to Switzerland for a wee bit. Why I hear you say??? Well, the opportunity came up and I just grabbed it with both hands (before the person offering the pad could change their minds quite frankly!). I'm so excited to be out of the country for a little while. I'm thinking maybe the time away would give me a freshened perspective of our dear beloved country. I miss bits and pieces already like facebooking and reading about people partying without me! That sucks lol. But mostly it's good. I walked home yesterday from the tube and I just felt really quite free and "loadless". It was nice not to be concerned (too much) about armed or otherwise dangerous thieves and to walk amidst the trees and all that and see people going about their business not giving a flying F what you're doing or wearing or kissing. lol. I wasn't kissing ooooo (not yesterday anyway) lol. I've also been taking just long leisurely walks through parks and eating "americana" food, lol. cheeses, smoked salmon, fresh tortellini's, greek food. YUM. and not actually breaking the bank on all these things. So fun times!
Now let's not get ahead of ourselves oooo. I'm still coming home to Naij. So much to do there and I have my business, and my friends and family.
*******
Okayyyy moving along....did anyone catch any of the Low wedding shinding??? So nice and classy! Everything was done quite nicely and is possibly the best wedding I've seen in Naij. Usually Naija weddings are a NIGHTMARE for me (that's why i almost NEVER go to any). You have bride and groom sitting up on a stage somewhere looking just lost tired and like they've woken up in twilight zone with parents and all other strange "family" buzzing about in like a cacophony of colours and textures. MAD. who wants to do all that stuff???? sheesh. In my dreams I pray so fervently for like a nice quite ceremony at a small chapel with like maybe 10-20 peeps in attendance and then after like a fun dinner party in a garden like atmosphere where alcohol and laughter flows. But being Nigerian...........hmm....I better keep praying lol. What's with Nigerian parents anyway................but I digress sha. Lola looked lovely and relaxed and everyone looked like they were enjoying it so kudos to her for keeping it all together and beautiful!!!
************
You see, for those who have been following my blog from time immemorial, you'll have been following the journey of coming to Nigeria, working at a multinational that hadn't a clue how to properly repatriate a Nigerian, then to another organization that quite admittedly I didn't blog to much about (if at all) and then to where I am right now: an entrepreneur. Well, maybe I'm entering a new phase of it all yet again, so maybe its the right time to pick up blogging again. Okay, drumrollllllllllllll:
The truth is I'm tired of Nigeria.
Well let me explain. No i'm not tired of NEPA (what exactly is a PHCN) or traffic or LASTMA (per se) I'm just tired of the scenery and quite frankly the people. We have soooo much attitude ko? sheesh! You ask a simple question and because you have a slight accent (that in reality doesn't even really belong anywhere), what you get is so much attitude and rudeness. A lot of people go out of their way to just pull, tear, you down. But this post is not a bitchy post lol.
So I've decided to take a break.
I'm leaving the country for a little bit and heading to Switzerland for a wee bit. Why I hear you say??? Well, the opportunity came up and I just grabbed it with both hands (before the person offering the pad could change their minds quite frankly!). I'm so excited to be out of the country for a little while. I'm thinking maybe the time away would give me a freshened perspective of our dear beloved country. I miss bits and pieces already like facebooking and reading about people partying without me! That sucks lol. But mostly it's good. I walked home yesterday from the tube and I just felt really quite free and "loadless". It was nice not to be concerned (too much) about armed or otherwise dangerous thieves and to walk amidst the trees and all that and see people going about their business not giving a flying F what you're doing or wearing or kissing. lol. I wasn't kissing ooooo (not yesterday anyway) lol. I've also been taking just long leisurely walks through parks and eating "americana" food, lol. cheeses, smoked salmon, fresh tortellini's, greek food. YUM. and not actually breaking the bank on all these things. So fun times!
Now let's not get ahead of ourselves oooo. I'm still coming home to Naij. So much to do there and I have my business, and my friends and family.
*******
Okayyyy moving along....did anyone catch any of the Low wedding shinding??? So nice and classy! Everything was done quite nicely and is possibly the best wedding I've seen in Naij. Usually Naija weddings are a NIGHTMARE for me (that's why i almost NEVER go to any). You have bride and groom sitting up on a stage somewhere looking just lost tired and like they've woken up in twilight zone with parents and all other strange "family" buzzing about in like a cacophony of colours and textures. MAD. who wants to do all that stuff???? sheesh. In my dreams I pray so fervently for like a nice quite ceremony at a small chapel with like maybe 10-20 peeps in attendance and then after like a fun dinner party in a garden like atmosphere where alcohol and laughter flows. But being Nigerian...........hmm....I better keep praying lol. What's with Nigerian parents anyway................but I digress sha. Lola looked lovely and relaxed and everyone looked like they were enjoying it so kudos to her for keeping it all together and beautiful!!!
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Jamming WAZOBIA
Ok, so I read the last post I just posted and also scrolled down and noticed all I've been talking about recently (relatively now, free me!) is entrepreneurship and depression....all important but boring topics lol! sorry, i can't help it. But to compensate, I was reading OluwaDee's blog and something jumped out at me: WAZOBIA!!!
Boy in the last few weeks i've been so crazy about the station ooo. To me it's the best station (along with Top Radio 90.9 of course hehehe...) around these parts. There's no other place to get the news for sure. I listen to Yaw in the morning then Matse in the afternoon and I can just stay engaged for hours and hours and hours. These guys are really good. For those that don't know what i'm talking about, WAZOBIA is essentially a radio station that broadcasts in pidgeon english. It's for the common man on the streets but the thing is I find the programming so relevant to Lagos life. The guys there are always discussing issues that matter, with none of the phoneee high-falluting crap you hear from the other stations. Thing is, even though YOU may not be listening to it, all your drivers, cooks, mayguards,etc are listening...and to me, that makes it the secret Advertising weapon for anyone who cares to reach the masses (and you should care after all). I'm confused to how come a large portion of manufacturers and co don't advertise on it.....we have such a chip on our shoulders in this country sha...
WAZOBIA Fm...95.1 Take a listen! (even if the managers are racist Lebanese folks who have no regard for Nigerians in totality outside of the money they collect from our pockets but i'll digress here....)
Boy in the last few weeks i've been so crazy about the station ooo. To me it's the best station (along with Top Radio 90.9 of course hehehe...) around these parts. There's no other place to get the news for sure. I listen to Yaw in the morning then Matse in the afternoon and I can just stay engaged for hours and hours and hours. These guys are really good. For those that don't know what i'm talking about, WAZOBIA is essentially a radio station that broadcasts in pidgeon english. It's for the common man on the streets but the thing is I find the programming so relevant to Lagos life. The guys there are always discussing issues that matter, with none of the phoneee high-falluting crap you hear from the other stations. Thing is, even though YOU may not be listening to it, all your drivers, cooks, mayguards,etc are listening...and to me, that makes it the secret Advertising weapon for anyone who cares to reach the masses (and you should care after all). I'm confused to how come a large portion of manufacturers and co don't advertise on it.....we have such a chip on our shoulders in this country sha...
WAZOBIA Fm...95.1 Take a listen! (even if the managers are racist Lebanese folks who have no regard for Nigerians in totality outside of the money they collect from our pockets but i'll digress here....)
So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur
So You Want to be an Entrepreneur? (from Guy Kawasaki's speech)
10. Embrace the unknown.
09. Don't ask people to do something that you wouldn't do.
08. Focus on implementation.
07. Don't be paranoid.
06. Pursue entrepreneurship for the right reasons.
...Happiness is temporary and fleeting. It should not be the goal of entrepreneurship.
Joy is the right goal. Joy, by contrast, is unpredictable. It comes from pursuing interests and passions that do not "obviously" result in happiness. It comes from building a great team, from family, from friends and inexpensive if not free things.
05. Continue to learn.
04. Be brief.
03. Obey the absolutes.
02. Play to win.
Play to win and don't let the bozos convince you to do anything less. Indeed, the more bozos tell you that you can't succeed, the more you may be on to something.
Playing to win is one of the finest things you can do. It enables you to fulfill your potential. It enables you to improve the world and, conveniently, develop high expectations for everyone else too.
And what if you lose? Just make sure you lose while trying something grand .
01. Enjoy your family, friends, and colleagues before they are gone.
Forgive me guys, sometimes it seems that I just blog random things that don't make sense. Permit me to explain. At times, there are phases that I'm going throught that I think oh, it'd be wonderful for someone going through what i'm going through to just google it and land here! Some of you may remember my NYSC post, my PMDD post, and now here is my Entrepreneurship post.
June last year (almost a year ago!!!) I embarked on an entrepreneurship journey (Marketing Consultant in Nigeria - sorry that again was for google, lol, ok, i'll quit now!) It's been such a crazy and unbelievable journey. Everytime someone asks me how it is, I always say a few things:
1. It's more difficult and takes longer than you thought it was going to be when you first get in.
2. It challenges you greatly. Every human flaw you have will be tested and highlighted. You just have to deal with it.
3. There are no words to describe the feeling you get when you make your first buck. None. A fabulous sense of achievement that is so addictive, you plow through the next crazy difficult challenge just to get that high again.
So what is real and practical about starting a business on your own??? You have to have passio and you must be dedicated. Keep going even after the steam is all out. Your dream IS ACHEIVABLE!
Ciao bebes :o)
10. Embrace the unknown.
09. Don't ask people to do something that you wouldn't do.
08. Focus on implementation.
07. Don't be paranoid.
06. Pursue entrepreneurship for the right reasons.
...Happiness is temporary and fleeting. It should not be the goal of entrepreneurship.
Joy is the right goal. Joy, by contrast, is unpredictable. It comes from pursuing interests and passions that do not "obviously" result in happiness. It comes from building a great team, from family, from friends and inexpensive if not free things.
05. Continue to learn.
04. Be brief.
03. Obey the absolutes.
02. Play to win.
Play to win and don't let the bozos convince you to do anything less. Indeed, the more bozos tell you that you can't succeed, the more you may be on to something.
Playing to win is one of the finest things you can do. It enables you to fulfill your potential. It enables you to improve the world and, conveniently, develop high expectations for everyone else too.
And what if you lose? Just make sure you lose while trying something grand .
01. Enjoy your family, friends, and colleagues before they are gone.
Forgive me guys, sometimes it seems that I just blog random things that don't make sense. Permit me to explain. At times, there are phases that I'm going throught that I think oh, it'd be wonderful for someone going through what i'm going through to just google it and land here! Some of you may remember my NYSC post, my PMDD post, and now here is my Entrepreneurship post.
June last year (almost a year ago!!!) I embarked on an entrepreneurship journey (Marketing Consultant in Nigeria - sorry that again was for google, lol, ok, i'll quit now!) It's been such a crazy and unbelievable journey. Everytime someone asks me how it is, I always say a few things:
1. It's more difficult and takes longer than you thought it was going to be when you first get in.
2. It challenges you greatly. Every human flaw you have will be tested and highlighted. You just have to deal with it.
3. There are no words to describe the feeling you get when you make your first buck. None. A fabulous sense of achievement that is so addictive, you plow through the next crazy difficult challenge just to get that high again.
So what is real and practical about starting a business on your own??? You have to have passio and you must be dedicated. Keep going even after the steam is all out. Your dream IS ACHEIVABLE!
Ciao bebes :o)
So It Is.....
Hey Y'all!!!!
so happy new year, barka de sallah, or whatever else is applicable i guess. I haven't been on here in a bit but a lot has been going on.
So...
I got a boyfie yay!
I got a business yay!
I'm homeless....lol!
it's just been hectic and when i really think about it, it's quite a lesson that i'm still standing somewhat.
oh boy. life is a funny thing. I feel like i've done so much growing up in the last couple of months that it's amazing really. Every now and then I try to take a step back and just enjoy the view while i'm going through it.
On Relationship
Relationships are hard my people. I never thought about it before but now that i'm in it, i can't believe how hard it is. Now i have a different appreciation for people in love and trying to keep the love alive, healthy, and well. It's all hard work really. In the past, I've just dated people who had very divided interests, to me i found that easy to manage, at least i was used to it. Now it's slightly different. I have an angel of a man though and I'm immensely greatful that if i have to go through this growing up phase then there's no one else i'd like to have as a partner through it all.
On Business
I read something recently that said being an entrepreneur is "a lot harder and takes longer than you think when you first started". And that is the golden truth of entrepreneurship. And to do it in Lagos!!!! wow. It assaults all your senses and engages the core of who you are as an individual. If you have any flaws (and we all do) be prepared to have them highlighted at full force. Running BRENTT has been the most fulfilling, the most challenging thing i've ever done in my life. It's a constant commitment. Sometimes i think, wouldn't it just be easier to go to work at 9am and come back at 6pm, and call it a day??? not worry about anything else but that your bill better get paid by the end of the month. However, my business is the love of my heart. I love the business with every fiber of my being and I'm sooo dedicated to it. Everytime i think about other options, I feel like it'll be like turning my back on my favorite child. I LOVE BRENTT. I dream every second of the day of how my first offices would look like, how the staff would look like, i imagine how it would be to walk in on my first day and see BRENTT behind the receptionist desk. I dream of McKinsey coming to me and saying how much? Lord help me. Lord strengthen me.
Ok that's it for now. Until next time....
take care of yourselves...and each other!
so happy new year, barka de sallah, or whatever else is applicable i guess. I haven't been on here in a bit but a lot has been going on.
So...
I got a boyfie yay!
I got a business yay!
I'm homeless....lol!
it's just been hectic and when i really think about it, it's quite a lesson that i'm still standing somewhat.
oh boy. life is a funny thing. I feel like i've done so much growing up in the last couple of months that it's amazing really. Every now and then I try to take a step back and just enjoy the view while i'm going through it.
On Relationship
Relationships are hard my people. I never thought about it before but now that i'm in it, i can't believe how hard it is. Now i have a different appreciation for people in love and trying to keep the love alive, healthy, and well. It's all hard work really. In the past, I've just dated people who had very divided interests, to me i found that easy to manage, at least i was used to it. Now it's slightly different. I have an angel of a man though and I'm immensely greatful that if i have to go through this growing up phase then there's no one else i'd like to have as a partner through it all.
On Business
I read something recently that said being an entrepreneur is "a lot harder and takes longer than you think when you first started". And that is the golden truth of entrepreneurship. And to do it in Lagos!!!! wow. It assaults all your senses and engages the core of who you are as an individual. If you have any flaws (and we all do) be prepared to have them highlighted at full force. Running BRENTT has been the most fulfilling, the most challenging thing i've ever done in my life. It's a constant commitment. Sometimes i think, wouldn't it just be easier to go to work at 9am and come back at 6pm, and call it a day??? not worry about anything else but that your bill better get paid by the end of the month. However, my business is the love of my heart. I love the business with every fiber of my being and I'm sooo dedicated to it. Everytime i think about other options, I feel like it'll be like turning my back on my favorite child. I LOVE BRENTT. I dream every second of the day of how my first offices would look like, how the staff would look like, i imagine how it would be to walk in on my first day and see BRENTT behind the receptionist desk. I dream of McKinsey coming to me and saying how much? Lord help me. Lord strengthen me.
Ok that's it for now. Until next time....
take care of yourselves...and each other!