HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013

Indeed, everything that has a beginning must surely have an end.. What a year 2012 has been. To be honest, it has been the most financially wrecked & demoralizing year for Nigeria & Nigerians in diaspora. But as always, there is always light at the end of a dark tunnel. However, as timid & opaque the year has been in general, I have to admit I quite shone through. You too!! As you are there to usher in 2013.
For me, 2012 was a year of unparalleled growth in all ramification. A year where the number of my potentially great friends grew. A year where I met the future leaders of this country. A year where I also learnt a great deal about leadership, humility & respect. A year where I finally knew that to really eclipse one’s peak, one has to walk into the unknown…
2012 was my year of absolute conviction in the phrase ‘Que Sera Sera..’ (Whatever Will Be, Will Be). Most importantly, 2012 was the year I learnt to appreciate what I had more ( a bird at hand is worth millions in the bush).
2012 had its ups & downs, the Mayans even predicted the world would end. Guess what, the earth keeps spinning.
As we transit into 2013, I have this huge feeling that it’s gonna be a financially & physiologically pleasant year. Of course, it is the year where I conclude my university education. I’m hugely excited & I can’t wait!! Bring it on!!
To everybody that made my 2012 a fantastic one, let’s forge ahead in the new year 2013. Let 2013 be even greater for us and the world in totality.
I WAS HERE…

What is love?

Five theories on the greatest emotion of all..
“What is love” was the most searched phrase on Google in 2012, according to the company. In an attempt to get to the bottom of the question once and for all, the UK Guardian has gathered writers from the fields of science, psychotherapy, literature, religion and philosophy to give their definition of the much-pondered word.

‘Love is chemistry’ – Jim Al-Khalili, theoretical
physicist & science writer

Biologically, love is a powerful neurological
condition like hunger or thirst, only more
permanent. We talk about love being blind or
unconditional, in the sense that we have no
control over it. But then, that is not so surprising since love is basically chemistry. While lust is a temporary passionate sexual desire involving the increased release of chemicals such as testosterone and oestrogen, in true love, or attachment and
bonding, the brain can release a whole set of
chemicals: pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, oxytocin and vasopressin. However, from an evolutionary perspective, love can be viewed as a survival tool – a mechanism we have evolved to promote long-term relationships, mutual defense and parental support of children
and to promote feelings of safety and security.

‘Love has many guises’ – Philippa Perry,
psychotherapist & author of Couch Fiction..
Unlike us, the ancients did not lump all the
various emotions that we label “love” under the one word. They had several variations, including:

-PHILIA which they saw as a deep but usually
non-sexual intimacy between close friends and family members or as a deep bond forged by soldiers as they fought alongside each other in battle.

-LUDUS describes a more playful affection
found in fooling around or flirting.

-PRAGMA is the mature love that develops over a long period of time between long-term couples and involves actively practising goodwill, commitment, compromise and understanding.

-AGAPE is a more generalized love, it’s not about exclusivity but about love for all of humanity.

-PHILAUTIA is self love, which isn’t as selfish as it sounds. As Aristotle discovered and as any psychotherapist will tell you, in order to care for others you need to be able to care about yourself. Last, and probably least even though it causes the most trouble.

-EROS is about sexual passion and desire.
Unless it morphs into philia and/or pragma, eros will burn itself out.

Love is all of the above. But is it possibly
unrealistic to expect to experience all six types with only one person. This is why family and community are important.

‘Love is a passionate commitment’ – Julian
Baggini, philosopher & writer..

The answer remains elusive in part because love is not one thing. Love for parents, partners, children, country, neighbour, God and so on all have different qualities. Each has its variants – blind, one-sided, tragic, steadfast, fickle, reciprocated, misguided, unconditional. At its best, however, all love is a kind a passionate commitment that we nurture and develop, even though it usually arrives in our lives unbidden. That’s why it is more than just a powerful feeling. Without the commitment, it is mere infatuation. Without the passion, it is mere dedication. Without nurturing, even the best can
wither and die.

‘Love drives all great stories’ – Jojo Moyes, two-time winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year award..

What love is depends on where you are in
relation to it. Secure in it, it can feel as mundane and necessary as air – you exist within it, almost unnoticing. Deprived of it, it can feel like an obsession; all consuming, a physical pain. Love is the driver for all great stories: not just romantic love, but the love of parent for child, for family, for country. It is the point before consummation of it that fascinates: what separates you from love, the obstacles that stand in its way. It is usually at those points that love is everything.

‘Love is free yet binds us’ – Catherine Wybourne, Benedictine nun..

Love is more easily experienced than defined. As a theological virtue, by which we love God above all things and our neighbours as ourselves for his sake, it seems remote until we encounter it enfleshed, so to say, in the life of another – in acts of kindness, generosity and self-sacrifice.
Love’s the one thing that can never hurt anyone, although it may cost dearly. The paradox of love is that it is supremely free yet attaches us with bonds stronger than death. It cannot be bought or sold; there is nothing it cannot face; love is life’s greatest blessing.

Now, what is love to you??

ON YOUR WEDDING DAY

******WEDDING BELLS******
I absolutely love weddings, who doesn’t?? Apart from the seeing off the fantastic bride to the lucky groom’s new home, exquisite ladies are also on show for prospective suitors.. As existing bonds are consolidated & cemented, prospective new ones are made.
My sweet & gorgeous TOLULOPE AJALA (& other brides), today is all about you ..

***************************************************************
Wakey wakey open your eyes,
Today is the best day in both of your lives.
Today you’ll be joined in matrimony,
Together my Princess, you and him.

Climb out of bed my darling and begin to dress,
I know today you’re sure to impress,
With a flowing outfit I am longing to see,
Made more perfect with your glowing, natural beauty.

Your hair’s been done perfect, your make up too,
Soon you’ll be married and your dreams will come true.
At the church he’ll be waiting for you to arrive,
To begin the new chapter of the rest of your lives.

There at the church he’ll eagerly wait,
For you to arrive of course fashionably late,
Over the brow the car does appear,
Soon you’ll be in his arms with nothing to fear.

The Wedding March begins the room filled with pride,
To see the joining of love between himself and his bride,
As you walk down the aisle the emotion is felt,
And as his eyes fixes upon you his heart does melt.

The ceremony begins and love fills the air,
The love you feel for each other so pure so rare,
With tears in your eyes you say your I do’s,
And promise to each other this love you won’t lose.

The ceremonies over, the register is signed,
The woman he’s married he was lucky to find,
Next to the reception where good times awaits,
To celebrate the love of two perfect soulmates.

At the reception the food begins to arrive,
On each table conversations are alive,
Two families mixing and be-coming one,
New friends and acquaintances now the welcomes are done.

Soon are the speeches from best man and co.,
With smiles and warmth from laughter in flow,
Then with the toasts to you the two,
He’l gaze and feel his full love for you.

Now the first dance in front of your guests,
Stood close together chest to chest,
The music is flowing his heart begins to pull,
His wife in his arms his life is now full.

The evening begins and the drinks start to flow,
Everyone’s dancing and enjoying the show,
But times getting on and the room starts to empty,
You thank them for coming and sharing emotions a-plenty.

The evening draws to a close and soon it will end,
But never will your love with him and your best friends,
Your memories of this day will last forever so true,
And remember our wife, he will always love you!

HAPPY MARRIED LIFE to the sweetest lady I’ve even known.. I’m missing u already..

(from Migg33->BBM) time does fly..

In 2001, as I can remember vividly, my dad got his 21k MTN sim pack (in case you don’t know, the sim pack was housed in that old cd casings.. SONY empty discs still come in these casings though) and an ERICSSON phone (that one with a huge horn & manual calculator-like display). It was hugely exciting back then, when I’l sneak into his room & play my daily 5minutes SOLITAIRE.. It is interesting to note that MTN calls were charged on a per-minute billing then & there were only 400, 750 & 1500 recharge cards then.. I actually once thought the recharge cards were being inserted into the phone.. Lolz..
Fast Forwarding to 2003, I joined the elite phone users.. Now, GLOBACOM has sprung up around August, bringing down the prices of MTN sim packs.. This aided my integration as I got my sim for 12k (my pop actually got it for me). This was where it got even more interesting as I was the only one using a ‘mobile’ phone in my school. As a humble-brag that I was, I got myself a pouch & wore it on my belt (it was pretty cool).. Oh! I forgot to mention, it was ‘that’ pop’s ERICSSON after he upgraded..
Fast Forwarding to 2005, I got myself a stunning MOTOROLA C3 (or so.. That slim aluminum covered camera phone). And that was the beginning of social networking for me.. It is worthy of note that all previous internet accesses started in 2004 & were limited to 1hr every Friday after school.. I got myself a NY.com email then & mostly just play internet games.
In 2006, GLO was my no1 downloading network.. Then, my biggest buddy & I would wake up in the middle of the night & download a game of between 200kb-300kb with N100 worth of credit.. EBUDDY, NIMBUZZ & MIG33 were the biggest instant messengers back then, as well as the YAHOO MESSENGER.. Social networks back then were predominantly MYSPACE & TAGGED.. FACEBOOK was still sparsely popular(even though it has been around since 2004). It should be noted that up till this time, only the best of us use ‘camera’ & WAP enabled phones.
All in all, these were hugely exciting times & we had maximum fun meeting different people around the world..
Back to this current time, the world is flooded with BLACKBERRIES, iPHONES, iPADS, ANDROIDS, TABLETS etc.. Twitter, facebook, BBM, 2GO and a host of others have millions of active users..
Personally, I think internet & the technological advances have been phenomenal but unfortunately, it has been detrimental to the educational system of this country especially as only a few of us actually use the internet for it’s educational purpose..
More evil or good?? The answer lies with you.. As for me, it is phenomenal living in this age (I had done my WAEC & JAMB when there was no BBM or 2go distraction)..