epotlounge

Have You Lost Your Edge?

2012-01-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

Today's church sermon revolved around the Bible scripture found in 2 Kings 6:1-7. This is where the prophet Elisha recovers a servant's axe head from the water by tossing a stick where it descended.

The pastor shifted to illustrating the axe head as a metaphor for our passion or skill-set. More importantly, not being able to succeed without sharpening ones axe head. The problem, he went on, was what happens when one has lost his axe head, or edge. Here are somethings to ask yourself if or when that happens:

1. Where did your edge fall?

2. When did your edge begin to get dull?

3. What are you going to do to get your edge back?

There Are Cat People and There Are Computer People

2012-01-03T20:39:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time if someone had told me, so and so has eight cats, I would have reacted like, o_O (e.g. think Mr. Spock's raised-eyebrow expression on Star Trek).

Looking around my home office just now, I've counted one desktop computer, one net-book, three laptops, and four mobile devices. That's almost like having nine cats, except three of the aforementioned computers and mobile device are dead. o_O, big time.

Your e-Year in Review

2011-12-31T20:15:00.000-08:00

Your e-mail "sent" folder.

Freedom Is The Elbow Not Bending Outward

2011-06-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

That's a Buddhist quote I read in a magazine a decade ago, although I don't remember who it's attributed to. I was reminded of it when I came across a Christian scripture I had highlighted.

"All things are lawful for me, but all things are expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." - 1 Corinthians 10 (KJV).

I found the latter easier to explain to others than the former.

Grounded (2011)

2011-05-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

Collective Subconscious Production's GROUNDED. The 2011 Boston 48-hour Film Festival entry.

3 and 9 Life Lessons

2011-05-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

1. Whatever or whomever you believe in must be at least able to sustain you through life.
2. People make time for what's important to them.
3. There is a special place where the end of logic and the beginning of faith meet.
4. It's our relationships that keep us warm and alive.
5. Have kids, even if it's only for a Saturday afternoon, the rewards are astounding.
6. Sometimes, even when you're right, it's better to let the scenario play out.
7. Find something, or better yet, someone, to love.
8. Calculate, risk and win or lose, but if you love it, keep playing the game.
9. Take pictures, because one day, that's all you may have left of a friend.
10. Give.
11. Learn what Peradventure means.
12. Get your affairs in order.

Word on the Street: Author Tope Oluwole

2011-03-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

Author of the Science Fiction novel 'B.E.A.N Police' and its explosive sequel 'The Girl From Maiduguri', lets talk to this rising novelist to find out whats brewing in his literary universe....Mar 27, 2011.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/saiddibinga/2011/03/27/word-on-the-street-author-tope-oluwole

The Girl From Maiduguri - A B.E.A.N. Police Novella

2011-03-07T19:38:00.000-08:00

Enjoy.

Shreading Down Memory Lane

2010-12-18T20:08:00.000-08:00

After passing Transworld Snowboarding's 200th issue, for the third time in as many places, I picked it up. It was quite a walk (board) down memory lane (which I believe is also a black diamond run at Waterville Valley, NH). So many memories came back from when I first started snowboarding in 1989.

B.E.A.N. Police 2 - Update

2010-11-27T13:22:00.000-08:00

A bit behind schedule, but keeping at it.

The Pie Who Loved Me (2006)

2010-11-27T12:32:00.000-08:00

Collective Subconscious Production's entry into the 2006 Boston 48-hour Film Festival, on which I was script supervisor.

The Fixers (2007)

2010-11-27T12:31:00.000-08:00

Collective Subconscious Production's entry into the 2007 Boston 48-hour Film Festival, on which I was co-screenwriter.

The Golden Years (2008)

2010-11-27T12:29:00.000-08:00

"The Golden Years,", Collective Subconscious Production's entry into the 2008 Boston 48-hour Film Festival, on which I was script consultant.

Captain Cray's Treasure Hunt (2009)

2010-11-27T12:27:00.000-08:00

"Captain Cray's Treasure Hunt", Collective Subconscious Production's entry into the 2009 Boston 48-hour Film Festival, on which I was head writer.

The Perfect Daisy (2010)

2010-11-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

"The Perfect Daisy", Collective Subconscious Production's entry into the 2010 Boston 48-hour Film Festival, on which I was head writer.

B.E.A.N. Police (2002)

2010-11-27T12:19:00.000-08:00

B.E.A.N. Police, online at Amazon or Barnes and Nobles.

Motion Picture and the Nigerian Image (2006)

2010-11-27T12:15:00.000-08:00

Motion Picture and the Nigerian Image (2006). An essay.

Lost in Assimilation (2006)

2010-11-27T12:12:00.000-08:00

Lost in Assimilation. My short story entry for the 2006 Oladuah Equiano Prize for Fiction.

The Crossover (2009)

2010-11-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

The Crossover (2009) A B.E.A.N. Police short-story.

The Third Heaven (2005-2006)

2010-11-27T11:55:00.000-08:00

"The Third Heaven" (2005-2006). Its purpose: "to encourage people of all beliefs to explore how their desires can lead them to something beyond themselves."

B.E.A.N. Police 2.0 - 83 Days

2010-10-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

It's a race to the finish line for publication. Less than three weeks to go.
Hopefully, the editor won't toss me any curve balls.

Renewals

2010-10-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes for reasons unknown, life gives one a clean slate. It may be in a relationship, a job, or whatever. One choice is to be pissed about losing what one had, and focusing on that.
The other choice is to realize that maybe life was just helping one give up stuff that one
had outgrown, and focusing on that.

Changes

2010-09-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

I kind let go of topeoluwole.com and have decided not to renew it. So have at it all you Tope Oluwoles out there. Welcome to my new Web shingle.

Ta-Ta For Now

2010-08-17T09:46:00.001-07:00

I will be taking some time off, while I prepare for a new stage in my life. Take care.

If You're Waiting For Inspiration

2010-07-04T18:36:00.000-07:00

Inspiration is great. Although at some point, you have to s@#$ or get off the pot.

Good Food

2010-06-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

When was the last time you had really good food?
Was it at a restaurant? In a home? On vacation?
Does the company you keep influence how you feel about food?

Why I Love Football (Soccer) Commentators

2010-06-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

As an American I'm used to hearing a lot of analysis (paralysis) from sports commentators from all major sports during the game. I believe a lot of words are wasted on minutiae such as non-game related drama, and stats ad-nauseum, that unless one is The Fan, one might tune out.

Football, particularly the World Cup, is a true global competition. Because of location and scheduling, one might hear games more often than watch them outside developed area. Because of this, the commentators most of the time are brief, descriptive, and wisk through the mundane.

Don't be confused by hearing something like, "Johnson to Beatty...Beatty to Sun...Sun...Sun...There's a chance...Sun to Patrick...Patrick...PATRICK!!!...He shoots......GOAL!...GOOOOOOOOOL!!!"

Happy 30th Pacman

2010-05-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

The only video game that I will confidently challenge any teenager to best me.

Why Are Some People Afraid of God?

2010-05-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

I have been there. Not so much the fear of God directly, but the fear of church and all of its inferred baggage. Is this place really a cult? Are they trying to recruit me into their sect? Are these folks being real, or is it just a farce covered up with plastic smiles that never seem to drop? Will they succeed in some how brainwashing me?

All questions that crossed my mind early in the walk. In the end, it wasn't the years of church, or Sunday school, or living in a overtly religious environment. No, it was that personal experience of God. Not a cerebral understanding, but a true experience that left an indelible mark. After that I didn't have the old fear of not knowing, but the understanding of the difference between knowing the Scriptures as words on the page, and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.

Why Now?

2010-04-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

I've heard people often ask, "why now?" when things aren't going so great.
I say, why not now? If not now, then when? It's gonna happen anyway, right?

Less Than Two Month Until World Cup 2010

2010-04-18T13:19:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching a soccer match in the Spanish league and during the half-time saw an ad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

It's like a month long vacation for me. This year it will be from June 11 through July 12. Also, this will be the first time Africa is the host continent. South Africa probably
won't win the whole thing, but I don't think that is the point. The fact that
South Africa is hosting I think is prize enough for them and all Africans.

Although, it wouldn't hurt to make it to the Round of 16.

Being Afraid of God

2010-04-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Whether you believe in Him or not.

Ooh La La iPad

2010-04-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, so my cousin just got the iPad and I thought to take it for a spin.
Well it does live up to the hype. It's very slick to view and intelligent as well.
It's smart enough to anticipate and transition for text to symbols to text
when typing it's for example.

The typing takes a bit to get used to but you have to approach it
"drunken style". Just imagine typing with the first three or four fingers on each hand.

Until the next time. Oh, did I mention spell check on the fly?

Another Civil War?

2010-03-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

Over the last couple of weeks I've listened to news reports, podcasts, etc. about how the passage of the health care bill has pushed political discourse to the edge of chaos.

The Left blames the Right. The Right blames the Left, and the Middle blames the media. There is a real danger of the fringe, with the proper combination of accelerants (rhetoric, hyperbole, and vitriol), becoming the mob.

The last civil war caused much of the social as well as economic fabric of the United States to be utterly destoyed. I pray our elected leaders consider how they might together heal the bruise before it becomes a sore.

When It's Time To Get Out Of The Way

2010-03-18T20:26:00.000-07:00

When your boss is younger than you, you're no longer in charge.
When your president is younger than you, your generation is no longer in charge.

The Easy Solution To The Health Care Debate

2010-03-08T19:01:00.001-08:00

For those in Congress who don't want health insurance reform now; they should give up their health insurance, now, to someone who doesn't have health insurance now.

Thank God For The Internet

2010-02-26T21:33:00.000-08:00

Celebrating ten years since my first trip to Brazil, I decided to post on Facebook, ten YouTube music videos of significance to commemorate those ten years. Well, I got to ten and still felt some videos deserved to make the cut.

So I decided to go for a baker's dozen. I was about to add one song to the list, when I remembered an intoxicating reggae groove I heard back in the Summer of 2001 in Sao Paulo, while relaxing on my cousin's easy chair on a breezy afternoon. I know very little Portuguese, and knew even less then. All I remembered was the refrain from the chorus, "liberdade pra dentro da cabeça". During the next week, It seemed I heard the song everywhere I went. I tried several music stores in the city, and even asked my cousin and family, but no one seemed to know the song (from my explanation) nor the group who sang it. A tune lost to me forever...until today.

I decided to see what would happened if I typed the only words of the song I remembered into the YouTube search field. Well, it felt like meeting a long lost love, by accident, after an unexpected departure. Freedom for inside the head.

Three Things Most People Don't Mind Giving

2010-02-16T19:36:00.000-08:00

Their opinions.
Their reasons.
Their advice.

If Toyota Were A Software Company...

2010-02-08T19:42:00.000-08:00

1) It would be a laughing matter.
2) Aficionados would just wait for the patch to be released.
3) A bunch of us would just wait 9 months, and upgrade to a 2011 model.
4) A few purist would get a Toyota 2000.
5) Early adopters would just wait for the lastest ooh-aah from Honda at the next auto show.
6) There would be blogs, and forums littered with workarounds already.
7) Instead of the proverbial...well ah-well ah-well ah, Toyota customer service would simply say, "oh yeah...that's a bug."
8) Disabling the Prius' alarm system might resolve the issue,
9) A thread dump of the ECM unit would be quite revealing.
10) Turning the key to the off position, putting the car in neutral, and stepping on the brake, would mysteriously resolve the problem.

The Difference Between Knowing and Appreciating Something

2010-01-31T07:50:00.000-08:00

A woman knows that kicking a guy in the family jewels will hurt.
A man appreciates that fact.

You Meet The Friendliest People Near Motorcycles

2010-01-24T19:33:00.000-08:00

Today a buddy and I went to the New England Motorcycle Show in New York City. An easy day trip from Boston. We hadn't gone to a proper bike show in years, and never one as far and as big as this one in New York.

There would be no proper riding for us until at least April, so this was an nice opportunity to see all the new motorcycle weapondry, accessories, and the motorcyclists they draw. While the motorcycles were very intriguing, it was the people and the stories they brought that enhanced the experienced.

From the guy with the Christian Motorcyclist Association, who matted a stick-shift transmission to a Norton motorcycle almost as old as myself, to the woman who had as many tattoos on her arms as there are days in a month, to the kid who streched his four-foot frame, with glee, across a 1098cc Ducati sportsbike, to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation instructor who gave us a idea of what to expect in an advance course, while we all sampled Nolan motorcycle helmets.

In all these stories of trips, bike, modification, and anecdotes of adventures gone by; meeting for one winter Sunday afternoon, never to meet again, but better for the exchange.

Rebuilding Haiti

2010-01-17T19:14:00.000-08:00

I have avoided looking at too many photos or videos of the aftermath of the earthquake that hit Port au Prince. I remember how I became a CNN fiend for the 22 hours (straight) after 9/11, and how it gave me nightmares for a day or two. This time, I'm not worried about the nightmare, but the despair that can come about after such devastation.

We cannot bring the dead back. What we can do is find out (ask, seek, knock) how we can be of service to the living. Today, I donated via church. However, this time. I will approach such giving how I approached campaign donations in the last presidential election. Like the Busy Bunnies in my daughters' bedtime story, I will sow seeds, "a little here, a little there."

Where Does The Terror (List) End?

2010-01-10T19:26:00.000-08:00

So, what gets a country on another country's list of terrorist states? I know that's not an official term, but that's what it is ultimately thought of as.

If a criterion is the nationality of the terror suspect, then what happens when a country ends up on its own list.

Knowing and Acting Like It's All Going To End

2010-01-03T18:44:00.000-08:00

I ran across a quote I had saved on my phone, a few months back, from D. H. Lawrence: "Every man unknowingly, lives through every year, the day that will eventually be the anniversary of his death."

A chill ran over me, once I gave it some thought. We always see death, barring a terminal accident or disease, as something (hopefully) in the far future. However, the day of everyone's death, boils down to a particular day within a year. A day, if one is more than a year old, that would have been lived through at least once.

The Decade In Review?

2009-12-26T18:35:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe the first ten years of the decade are coming to a close. I would have missed it, had it not been for the media. After all, 2010 is a nice round number.

Most of it has been colored by September 11, 2001, and its aftermath, n0t to mention the Great Recession. It's a grayier time, and leaner time, a meaner time, and a ME-er time. At the end of it, we've become tougher and more resilent because of it.

The World In World Cup

2009-12-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I left work a bit later than I should have, so I ended up catching a later bus. When I arrived at the bus stop, a gentleman who looked unsure about whether he was at the right bus stop, approached me. He me asked how to get to Porter Square, Cambridge from the stop. I told him he was at the right bus stop, and that from it's destination in Harvard Square, he could take a train to Porter Square. It turns out I was headed the same route, one train stop further.

Then I asked him about his accent? He told me he was from Germany. I told him I was originally from Nigeria. Before you know it we were talking about world football (soccer in the U.S.), the different international leagues, their politics, pros and cons, the World Cup, and the future of the sport.

By the time he got off the train at Porter Square, you'd think we'd been long time acquaintances.

Memographs

2009-12-11T21:17:00.000-08:00

While doing file restores, I came across all the photos I had backed-up over the years. It took me back to face and places, that had passed. They made me smile. They all did. They are snapshots of my life, a live lived smiling.

Winter Memories

2009-12-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

Just had a lovely flashback to when I did nothing but ski winter weekends, nothing hurt longer than a day, and people would look at my snowboard on the train and look at me like I just introduced fire.

World Cup Draw 2010

2009-12-05T18:48:00.000-08:00

Nigeria, Argentina, and Greece are in the same group they were in World Cup 1994.

A Not So Black Friday

2009-11-28T03:07:00.000-08:00

I found myself escorting my in-law to the local mall on Black Friday. I dropped her off, and told her I would be back in an hour. My heart raced as I drove into the Porsche dealership across the way from the mall, wondering what the heck I was doing, when I knew darn well I had no intention of buying any sort of Porsche today.

Nonetheless, my spirit man had been ringing all morning to go, just go. You don't need a reason, just go. So there I was, parking my wife's SUV, and stepping out into a consistent drizzle, expecting to be scolded away, any moment, by a saleperson accustomed to higher-rollers than me.

I started towards a 911 Carrera Turbo, then a Carrera 4s, then a Boxster, then a Cayman, enjoying the variation in transmissions, colors, et al. My confidence grew, my eyes widened. Plus, I answered a fundamental question. No, the 911's rear seats wouldn't cut it for the kids, so it would have to be a Boxster or a Cayman, in my dream state, and the missus would worry about driving the kids. I walked in as I saw a man with his kids do the same. All right, I thought, you may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

Inside the showroom was embarassingly barren, even for a rainly day after Thanksgiving. It was a Boxster, a Carrera Coupe, and another gentleman, apart from the father of two. The gentleman and I struck up a conversation, and his response that he was here having his Boxster serviced, intrigued me. I joined him for a seat in the service department's waiting area, where he spoke of his Porsche history, the inherent brevity of human life, and the importance of keeping one's dream alive.

After being educated a bit more on his earned wisdom in life and motorsports, I glanced from my notes on my mobile phone and realized my hour sojourn was over. I thanked the gentleman, and inside, God, for the omen. When I exited the dealership, I walked into a downpour, but inside it might as well have been a glade of heaven in June.

Five Things I'm Thankful For...

2009-11-25T19:08:00.000-08:00

Faith
Serendipity
Learning opportunities
Love
Health

The Great Equalizers (In No Particular Order)

2009-11-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

1. Taxes
2. Voting
3. Disease
4. Pain
5. Death

Remembering Veterans

2009-11-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, as I was about to board a train, an older gentleman getting off the train asked me a question, with a smile. I had my earbuds on so I didn't hear him the first tine. I took of my earbuds, as the rest of the passengers flowed out. He smiled again, and said, "I hope you had a nice Veterans Day," then continued on his merry way.

I had no clue how he knew I was a veteran. I had nothing obvious that would have given it away giving the short timeframe. It warmed my heart and stuck with me from the rest of the ride home. Then I remembered the message from a former army buddy the day before that, Veterans Day. He called to wish me a Happy Veterans Day, and commented on the lack of appreciation from those who never had to put on the uniform with the willingness to make the sacrifice.

Happy Veterans Day, everyday.

Words To Live By

2009-11-03T19:43:00.000-08:00

"Everyone has a plan, until they get hit" - Mike Tyson.

How To Get Folks To Come To Your Event With < 24 Hours Notice

2009-10-27T19:28:00.000-07:00

After you send the invite, call your guests
Talk-up your event, but absolve invitees who already have plans
Let the guests know they will be well fed, and watered
Be flexible on start and end times, giving guests the widest timeframe to attend
Offer carpooling, or arrange to pick-up guests who don't have transportation.
If it's Summer, have the venue near water
If it's Winter, allow your guests to sleep over, if they want to.
If it's going to run 'til sun up, offer breakfast
If it's going into the wee hours of the morning, arrange for rides home
Door prizes

The Toliet Office

2009-10-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

When the kids are sleeping in both rooms, the wife is cooking, and the T.V.'s blaring; what we have left is the quiet, calm solace of the toliet office.

Three Most Interestingly Named Places I Drove Through Last Weekend

2009-10-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

Frackville, PA
Fishkill, NY
Halfway, VA

A Shiver In My Bones

2009-10-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

This is about the time of year when I wonder whether to get ready to put the motorcycle away for the season. It's been a good Fall for riding so far and the folliage especially radiant. Even my tires seem to be rolling smooth. I'm sue there's a nice physics lesson to explain that. Still I like that what I love to do means less oil burning.

Two Ways To Get Buy-in To Faith

2009-10-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

I think there are two ways people get sold on a particular faith (product or service for that matter), that offers the path of least resistance.

First, is that the people need what the faith (product or service) is offering. Let's suppose your house or appartment is on fire. You need (not want) the fire department. The fire department doesn't need to hard-sell you on their services. They don't need to run ads, give discounts, or offer free coffee and donuts. You seek them out, because they are the best solution to your current problem.

Second, is that a person gets a recommendation from someone that is (to him or her) beyond reproach. We all have or know someone like that. That person recommends a certain movie and, no matter what it is, we go see it. Either that person is rarely wrong, or her judgement is trustworthy.

When I think about Christianity and evangelizing, I wonder why most organizations of faith, I've been a part of, don't examing and utilize these two ways more often. I returned to the Christian faith because of a someone illustrated in the second example. Yet that person doesn't fit the mold of what people would consider a "Good Christian". Still, he got me going back to church. Why? Because he knew me well enough, and I trusted him enough in this particular department.

When I speak with people that are ambivilent or doubt the legitimecy of organized religion, the reasons that I hear over and over are either hypocracy, piety (e.g. holier-than-thou attitute), judgmentalism, or "D", all of the above.

My revelation as I wonder how to get people to buy-in to faith, is that I will be more successful either being the source of the best solution to their current problem at the right time, or being that someone is worthy of their trust.

Brazil 2014 and 2016

2009-10-05T19:36:00.000-07:00

I was so thrilled when Brazil received the nod for the 2014 World Cup a few years ago. Now I'm besides myself that Brazil has received the honor of hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics. Vamos lá!

Be You Wherever You Find Yourself

2009-10-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

Part of the anxiety from living today (in the U.S.A.) is that with so much access to media, there's such a push to be everything you can or want to be, now. That is what is sold to us. It's what makes us consumers.

It's not possible for everyone to be the perfect dress size, on the perfect vacation, a millionaire, in the perfect job, or running your dream business, right this second.

What I believe we can do with bring that attitude to whatever or wherever we find ourselves. When you can't be great on the outside, right this second, for whatever reason...be great on the inside. Be who you are, and then be who you want to be.

Happy 49th Nigeria

2009-10-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

Nigeria gained its independence from Britain 49 years ago. So much has changed since then. From the bloody Biafra war, to the discovery of oil, to the curse of it that followed. From a military regime to democratic elections. From a dearth of landlines to a smattering of GSM mobile phones.

Then you hear about about the corruption of government, of the people, and you wonder what to make of it. Nigerians these days are remembered primarily for fraud and bad movies. It almost a caricature.

So where are we? Where does Nigeria plan on going. What's the point of it all. Some people are going back to Nigeria to be a part of the economic changes and opportunities going on in Lagos and Abuja, the capital. Some, are ashamed of Nigeria. Some romanticize it. Still others feel that nothing will ever change, and you either need to lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way

Gateau and Gelato

2009-09-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

I was in Miami Beach, Florida a few weeks ago, and happened upon a little gelato shop I hadn't been to in a while. Actually, I had never been in inside until last week. You see, every single time I had attempted to go there when I did live in South Florida, it was closed. It closed rather early, for Miami Beach.

This time I happened to catch it just in time. I decided to splurge and have a partnership of chocolate gateau and hazelnut gelato. A decadent combination of Italian molten chocolate cake with filling, plus a side (or two) of Italian ice-cream. It looked a bit like this. Amore.

You Do Not Have Because You Do Not Ask

2009-09-23T20:02:00.000-07:00

I listen to the radio, watch T.V., and read the papers. There is an overwhelming vibe of lack in their content. To be sure, versus naive, people all over are having to make due with less than what they're accustomed to.

What I'd like to challenge people to is to get in the habit of asking for what you need. Ask God, ask you brother, your cousin, your friend, your co-worker...just ask. You'll be surprised of what you'll get.

Five of My Favorite Foods While on Vacation in the USA

2009-09-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

Peruvian seafood fried rice
Cinnabon
Gelatto
Just about anything with curry, coconut milk, and mango
Really good, non-major-chain pizza

Never The Same River Twice

2009-09-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

I'm in South Florida seeing some friends I haven't really seen since I lived here. While I feel the nostalgia of past shared experiences, the truth is they are once in a lifetime.

If I attempted to do the same things, with different people, the experiences would be different. So here's to new experiences with old friends that have manage to be new again.

The Unemployment Numbers

2009-09-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

Do you every think some employers use economic downturns to purge employees? In the immortal words of Arsenio Hall, things that make you go...hmmmmm.

I Remember Again

2009-09-11T00:53:00.000-07:00

I watched the US Open (tennis) last Saturday for the first time since 9/08/01, my last Saturday in the Marriott World Trade Center. Tonight, I'm under the weather. My energy is low. I'm going to bed early. Tomorrow, I may have to work from home, if I'm clearly a train wreck by the time I wake up.

Those feelings creep back. The feeling you get when a place you just spent time in, no longer exists. The feeling that if I hadn't been so broke that weekend, I would have most likely extended my hotel stay through 9/11/01, instead of returning to Boston on 9/9/01. One of my buddies, I believe, still may have the pen from that hotel that ceased to exist come that fateful Tuesday. I still have the Metro Card, subway pass from the World Trade Center station, I bought (and the debit card receipt) on our way to see Phantom of the Opera, off Broadway.

I remember what a beautiful weekend it was. In fact it was the best time I ever had in New York, by far. I also will never forget the absolutely spectacular morning Tuesday, 9/11/01 was, as I walked into my office building (in Cambridge at the time) at a little before 8:00 a.m. A cool blue sky, with not a single cloud to be seen. A perfect 76 degrees. Now, any day in September that resembles that, gives me a knot in my stomach.

I'll talk to one of my buddies from that weekend soon enough, and we'll probably have that odd silence we do, knowing we basically dodged a bullet. For those who didn't, we remember you, always.

What Do You Do When Some Movie Bad-Mouths Your Demographic?

2009-09-08T19:37:00.000-07:00

Being Nigerian by parentage means I inevitably get asked about all things Nigerian that may appear in the media or some other avenue of pop-culture. To be sure, every culture has some media outlet that portrays it, at one point or another, in a negative light.

So what do you do about it? A filmmaker friend of mine, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, had some great advice when some film (a few years back) committed such an offense. "Make your own movie," he said. It sounded glib when I first heard it, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. This extends to books, blogs, whatever. Ultimately, to paraphrase Gandhi, we have to be the change we want to see in the world.

What To Do About The District 9, Nigerian Portrayal Drama?

2009-09-07T19:47:00.000-07:00

What to do about the District 9,Nigerian portrayal drama? Maybe I'll have a Beer Summit where I have the movie producers and the former President of Nigeria meet with me over a root beer.

The End of You

2009-09-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

What would you do if you knew you were going to die?
What would you do if you knew you were going to die in ten years?
...in ten months?
...in ten hours?
...in ten minutes?
You don't know one way or the other.
Still sounds too theoretical?
Write your will.
It focuses the mind on mortality in a way few other conscious acts do.

Farewell John O. Keep Smiling

2009-09-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

I got a call from one of my former Bible study mates, when I lived in Florida, that one of our mutual mates had passed away. It's been a couple of years since I've been back to Florida, and twice as long since I've attended Bible study there.

They are largely responsible for the spiritual maturity of my thirties, and an appreciation for the things that require patience and last, versus the things that are breezed through and short-lived.

John talked less than his wife did, but not because he was quiet. Rather his expression seem to say all that needed to be said about his state of his spirit. He always seemed happy just to be wherever he was present. While I spoke more with his wife, I always love his infectious countenance and how they both (like the rest of my group) looked out for me, without looking out for me.

I'm due to head down South soon, and I plan on making a stop to see John's wife. Not only to pay my respects, but to tell her how much they mean to me.

Lost @ Kenmore

2009-08-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

My dad invited me to a Red Sox game last week, the first ever. He's more of a Sox fan, and I'm more of a Boston fan. Anyway, I arrived at Kenmore Square at about quarter-to-seven, and I barely recognized the place. First of all, 99 percent of all the times I'm been to Kenmore Square have been long after the sun had descended. Also, with all the renovation since in the last few years, I didn't know if I was coming or going.

The Lion Is Gone But His Dream Shall Never Die

2009-08-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

My first contact with Senator Edward Moore Kennedy was when I filed for a Green Card on my father's behalf. As with a lot of processes born of federal bureaucracies, this one got terribly boughed down in blind alleys and red herrings, finally ending in a stalemate. My fathers file wasn't moving forward due to some discrepancies, of which I had no clue.

After hearing my complaints, my mother (being my mother) said, "write Senator Kennedy", the way a friend might tell you to get your oldest brother if that bully keeps bothering you. I told her, I can't write Senator Kennedy. That's would be like calling the Queen of England over some disputed parking tickets, or so I thought. My mother then broke it down. She told me that he was MY senator, and it was his responsibility to get letters from people like you, and respond to them.

People like me? My mother must have heard my thought, for she continued, "just tell him you were in the Army." "But I'm no longer in the Army," I replied. What I would remember later was that Sen. Kennedy's oldest brother had fought and died in World War II. My mother wasn't trying to get me to game the system, she was just trying to get into my skull that I was relevant enough to write a letter to the Sen. Kennedy, and expect, if not demand a response.

I wrote the best letter I knew how to write, and I endorsed it with my military rank, grade, and status. I figured it would get to his office and go right into the circular file. After all, you called Sen. Kennedy when you needed the Charles River parted and Jesus wasn't available because he was doing his fishes and loaves thing on the Boston Common.

A few weeks later, I got a response on letterhead. I almost passed out. I showed my mother the letter, and she smirked with a, told you, look in her eyes. When she actually read the letter, she was disappointed. An aid on his behalf said, basically, that the dear Senator's hands were tied on my issue. I was still on, Senator Kennedy's office REPLIED to my letter. It changed my perspective our political system. That We The People stuff...actually meant something. Oddly enough, my dad's detente with the INS mysterious resolved itself, and he received his green card a couple of months later.

I saw Senator Kennedy for the first, last, and only time as a guest of a friend to his naturalization ceremony. True to form, Sen. Kennedy had arranges thing so the decommissioning of the USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier, and the ceremony could be held on the same weekend. So, I got to not only get a first look at the carrier before the general population, but got to hear Sen. Kennedy speak at the ceremony.

He waxed eloquently about all of us being a nation of immigrants regardless of how many generations removed, and how it was the engine of the United States. I wanted to talk to Sen. Kennedy, but I thought the men and women in uniform ought to have first dibs. Plus, I was grossly late for work. What was a near hurricane gale outside was contrasted by the warmth of the lion's roar inside.

Senator Ted Kennedy's legacy to me is best captured in his quote:

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."

What's All This Technology For?

2009-08-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

Facebook

Twitter

E-mail

Smartphones

The best thing they do is help you smile or help someone you care about smile. Everything else is just frosting.

The Stuff In The Basement

2009-08-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching Rocky Balboa, after a strong recommendation from an unlikely source. The movie did not disappoint, and is a great reminder of why I like Stallone's work and always have.

In the film (mini-spoiler alert) Rocky is in a scene with his brother-in-law. He talks about the reason he's getting back into the ring is because he's still got some "stuff in the basement". I thought it was a great metaphor of the realization one has that they still got one more round in 'em. One still has something to prove. Maybe not a whole lot, but enough to put it all on the line, one more time. Enough to risk getting hit hard and knocked the #$%@ out.

There are so many reasons in life to give up, give in, and settle for inertia, or worse, mediocrity. A bunch of them are even logical. It's especially easy when you've got dependents, or you're at mid-life or beyond, or you're sick, or you're broke, or you're (insert excuse here). The body's not what it used to be. Maybe the energy now comes in spurts, instead of the torrent of youth. Perhaps a slow burn now replaces what was once an inferno. It's clear...you're past your peak.

You're now most likely to be overlooked, than looked over. People who know you and love you admonish you for letting pride deceive you into a comeback. At the edge of it, you may even begin to doubt yourself.

Then you remember the stuff in the basement. The pilot light only in need of some gas. The eye of the tiger. O fogo na barriga (the fire in the belly). You remember that to get up eight times is to fall seven times. You remember that fighters fight.

The End of Summer

2009-08-20T19:21:00.000-07:00

The bottom part of Summer is my favorite part. Although Summer officially ends (in the U.S.) mid-September. Growing up, and once you have school-aged children, September equals school. So, the bottom have of half of Summer is really all you got left.

So hurry up! You have time for...

One more BBQ
One more road-trip
One more pool party
One more beach trip
One more camping trip
One more trip to the museum
One more trip the aquarium
One more trip to the drive-in
One more dinner under the star
One more dip in your birthday suit
One more motorcycle rally
One more soccer match
One more bike ride
One more summer romance with the one you're with, or the one you've just met
One more dance outside
One more live band
One more story of a summer past

Issue 100 - Be You Because Everybody Else Is Taken

2009-08-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

The hundredth post. I remember back in my comic collecting days, where the next must have issue after the first, was the hundredth. Who knows if this will be such a post? Does it matter? To whom?

The path and vibe of this blog has changed since I started it last year, and I've decided that it's for the better. I'm being me versus someone else, so it works.

To Chris Guillebeau's point (Google "Art of Non-Conformity" for a proper intro to Chris G.), there's no point trying to be someone other than oneself. One, it can't be sustained. Two, if you ever get found out, you'll be vilified for admitting you were pretending to be someone else.

I learned almost a decade ago that (as a writer) you never, ever know what piece of writing you do that will strike a chord with people. However, I do know this. If that writing lit you up when you were writing it...odds are, it'll light up the reader too.

A-ha Moment of the Week

2009-08-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

Don't let money (or lack of it) determine your station in life.

Cancer

2009-08-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

It's the time of Cancer if you are into the zodiac. I've also just discovered I have two people close to me, who have cancer. An odd thing. Both people, I haven't spoken to in a long time. Both are two very different people with different ways of dealing with adversity.

Cancer not unlike it's great-grandfather, death, is a substantial equalizer. No matter who you are, or where you are from, when you get the diagnosis, I don't suspect you can buy, talk, or seduce your way out of it. Like Nitrogen in the atmosphere, it just is.

Since I've yet to have cancer, I'm going on supposition rather than personal experience. Kind of like knowing someone who's had sex, versus having sex oneself.

What will help me be useful to my two people is that I have had someone close to me deteriorate, and eventually die of a terminal illness. I listen more than I talk. I pray from them. I asked them to call me if they want to talk. When I tell them I'll call them, and I do. It's also really easy to do that"..as we forgive those to trespass against us" part of the Lord's Prayer. I also keep living with them; and if they do depart before I do, I live better because of them.

Praying For The Impossible

2009-08-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

What do you have to lose?

Some Thoughts On Abundance

2009-08-05T21:31:00.000-07:00

There is enough...

money in the world
time in the world
work to do in the world
love in the world
food in the world
square footage of living space in the world
water in the world

The problem is...

belief in the above
distribution

The Marathon That Is Marriage

2009-08-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I took one of those Facebook notes (i.e. questionnaire) the spouse of a former co-worker sent to me. This one was different, and titled: Your Marriage. It was a series of whos, whats, and whens about the sender's marriage with the request that the recipient reciprocate, and then tags some friends as well, to keep the ball rolling.

This was the first time I had to really recollect things like our first date, when did we get serious, who asked who out, etc. The affect it had on my psyche was that of a cool, summer evening breeze, after a hot afternoon.

I was transported back for a moment to those heady days (and nights) of courtship, and felt like a teenager again. We are in our fifth year of marriage and with two young children. It's easy for the daily hustle and flow of life to become just a routine one gets used to over the years.

Marriage to me is like a marathon. I'd like to think of our beloved Boston Marathon in particular. It starts beautifully and full of promise in Hopkington, MA, and the finish in Boston can feel like a spectacular triumph, or just the end of a very long and painful journey. Of course, in between you have Heartbreak Hill, named for a good reason; break it or it breaks you.

Unfortunately, most marriage participants don't have the structured training and preparation the average marathoner does. These days, to get past any multiple of four years in marriage is a feat in itself, not to mention stick together long enough to drive the kids to college.

Me? I just past my first multiple of four. The first milestone, years-wise. The honeymoon is long over and raising the kids is all consuming. Yesterday though, put some of that courtship sparkle back in my eye. The wind is at my back today, and I'm running downhill.

Wisdom From "Bird Nest"

2009-08-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

Do good things, don't do bad things...The three-year-old understands this, the eighty-year-old has a harder time figuring it out.

This was an excerpt of a show I was watching on PBS today. So simple, yet so seemingly complicated.

Teachable Moments And Training Days

2009-07-30T19:26:00.000-07:00

Teachable moments are mistakes that if you make them more than once, the worst that may happen is that you suffer humiliation.

Training days are mistakes that you make only once.

Pray More

2009-07-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

When you're tired of being tired, pray more.
When you've got less than you need, pray more.
When you think you've past the point-of-no-return, pray more.
When you don't want to try anymore, pray more.
When you want to give up, pray more.
When the doctors say it's no good, pray more.
When your in-laws are acting like outlaws, pray more.
When it's easier to quit than to try again, pray more.
When you don't know what to do, pray more.
When you're fed up, pray more.
When you don't have enough, pray more.
When it's easier to stay in bed, than to get up, pray more.
When you've got nothing left, pray more.
When you're scared, pray more.
When you're about to give in, pray more.
When you need [insert noun here] right now...pray more.

Cambridgegate

2009-07-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

Gates versus the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) reminds me of the Tupac and Biggie spat of the early 90s. This eventually pit the entire East Coast against the entire West Coast.

While I support Obama and occasionally sip the kool-aid, I really wished he hadn't weighed in on the issue. He basically fell into a big trap. Being a Cantabrigian since birth, and a resident for over two decades, AND having been pulled over by Cambridge Police for DWB (driving while black), I can say with authority that the dispute is more likely about class than race. In 1989, I could believe the arrest could be race related, but in 2009, hardly.

You see 02138, where Gates lives, is one of the most wealthiest and most liberal zip codes in the country. It's also the kind of place where you could panhandle for a day and make enough for a trip to Florida.

Anyway, my point is that there was no mistake. No oversight. No mistaken identity. Two grown men unfortunately decided to get into a Richard swinging contest through the point of no return. I suspect Gates got a case of "do you know who I am?" And the CPD responded in kind. Neither had the good sense of descalating the situation. I believe both parties acted poorly and should apologize to each other...after being sent to their rooms without dessert.

I Robot, U Robot?

2009-07-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

I was listening to On Point with Tom Ashbrook on NPR today, and he was speaking with the CEO of iRobot. The discussion hovered around the advancement of robotics through today, and the impact of those advancements on the working man.

The experts and pro-roboticists felt robots definitely had and have had a place, particularly in the medical and automotive field as being the silent aid in human endevours. Although not necessarily as a substitute or an successor.

On the other side were those who just didn't feel secure in robots having untethered control. The key arguement being, that robot hadn't evolved the decision making engine commesurate to the human mind. For example, a robot can't discern between an eight-month-old baby crying because it's hungry versus crying because it's tired. Humans have a hard enough time figuring that out, but we learn.

Being a sci-fi dude, I have a healthy respect for both sides of the coin. However, to the guest's other point, I also see a gradually shift to robotics being common place. More man and machine merging over time, until we go the full cyborg (if ever) rather than a flip of the switch. I see it more like cosmetic surgery. The early adopters will be those who can afford it, or due to injury or disability, need it.

Integrated robotics will start out as a luxury and novelty, not unlike the mobile phone. Then it will become so integrated with society, that after economies of scale and productivity are met, we won't be able to live without it.

Trusting God With Your Life

2009-07-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of time spent debating who believes in God versus who doesn't. A book I was reading put to my mind the importance of not just believing in God, but in trusting God with one's life. For example you probably can name ten people who think you are a good driver, but which one of them would actually lend you their car for two weeks. That's the difference between believing in someone, and trusting that someone with something of great value.

Fortune Cookies I'd Like To Read

2009-07-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

Beware of old wives' tales, you might trip over them
Make sure you have enough money for the bus, that way you don't have to deal with the repo man
It takes longer to get somewhere than to get back from somewhere, because one only needs to get lost once to learn
It is what it is, but I still don't know what it is
Once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, and three times...a lady.

How Long Should A Vehicle Last?

2009-07-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

If I ran the world, the formula would be...

MSRP* / 1000 = HLSAVL

*Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, In US Dollars.

B-B-Q

2009-07-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

I just returned from my cousin seventh annual Nigerian barbecue over the weekend. As usual, it was a smattering of food, drink, music, and people.

It wasn't until he reminded me this was the seventh, did I realize it had been going on for that long. He started it on a fluke, and with only a few of us. These last few years, the crowd easily hit fifty or sixty.

Now per Seth Godin's advice, I going to start my own spectacle.

Five Things Guaranteed To Make The World A Better Place

2009-07-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

1) Smile.
2) Say good morning to everyone you see before lunch.
3) Give a tourist directions.
4) When someone asks you for spare change, give him or her a dollar instead.
5) Babysit.

Don't feel restricted to just five.

Raise Your Expectations

2009-07-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

I was in church this last Sunday and the speaker asked everyone who wanted a job, to come up to the alter for a blessing. The numbers were staggering; at least 15 to 20 percent of the congregation. Score and scores of people stood there with me and there was no shame in it.

The speaker went on to say that those who came up didn't just want a job, they NEEDED a job. Moreover, they needed to believe that God would not only provide a job, but the exact job for them. The ideal job for them, not just a "good-enough" job.

It's easy to ask for just enough, or kinda all right, instead of what we really want or need in life. The fear is that others may be managing with less, or we don't deserve what we are asking for, or worse, we'd better not shoot for the moon or we may hit our toe instead. Now more than ever, we must listen to Mark 5:36 (NIV), when Jesus says, "Don't be afraid, just believe."

Remembering Why We Are Independent

2009-07-03T20:14:00.001-07:00

I just saw The Great Debaters and am reminded that freedom and independence and democracy are ratified by each of us one debate at a time. Whether the parties be North vs. South, Red State vs. Blue State, Choice vs. Life, Mac vs. PC, or Eva Mendes versus Eva Longoria.

Some Things I've Learned From Michael Jackson's Death

2009-07-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

Have a will with funeral / burial instructions
Find your calling as early in life as possible and be remarkable at it for as long as you can
Find a healthy balance between external success and internal success
Have someone in your life that has the authority to pull you back before you go off the deep end
The ill you do in life will adversely effect your legacy.

Dirty Diana or South Seeking Sanford?

2009-07-01T20:47:00.000-07:00

It's a toss-up as to whether Michael Jackson or Governor Sanford would be most likely to make a grown man blush due to T.M.I. (Too Much Information).

What I Love About Buying Fuel

2009-06-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

I was going to complain about buying gas, but then changed my mind. As a matter of fact, I love that I have freedom of choice when it come to purchasing fuel. Like the price of a cab ride in Lagos (Nigeria); the price can vary from day to day, especially during peak season.

What I love is that I can do something along the lines of dollar-cost-averaging. A fancy way of saying, I'll pay only twenty dollars when I buy fuel, regardless of where I go. Now that I think about it, I drive mostly for pleasure. I prefer to take public transportation when I can, for commuting purposes.

If I could wave a magic wand, I would have a car that runs on the stuff that nobody wants or can't wait to get rid of.

Something To Add To Your Bucket List

2009-06-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

Read the King James Version of the Holy Bible, in alphabetical order,
one page per day. I just finished, and it has been quite a ride.

So Long Michael and Farrah

2009-06-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

To the Smooth Criminal and the Angel, R.I.P.