RaMadaN MuBaRaQ

Another year has come and the visitor has returned.This time the weather’s great and the time is right.Thus,let’s utilize this period to worship without limit.It is a moment to rip all benefits and take advantage of what’s in store for us for it’ll only last a couple of weeks and then it’ll be gone again.The prayers shall be strengthened and the vigils will hold.Ask for your desired needs and lay down all your goals.The devil has been caged and therefore the wise ones amongst us will abstain from any form of sin and evil and open up to the endless blessings that Ramadan brings.I intend to do what i do every year,and far more than i’ve ever done to push my position a notch higher than it was last year.I wish every muslim a pleasant one,and hope that we will make the best use of this holy month as it slowly passes by.Pray,recite the holy book,give alms to the poor,do good and repent for this is the best time for it.May we have the grace to experience the ultimate night of power insha Allah.Amin

BaTMaN BegiNs

As far back as i can remember,i grew up watching a lot of cartoons with awesome superheroes in them.It was the greatest part of being a kid for me cos i felt that someday i’d have the special powers or abilities that these unique beings had.Of course being a mischievious little kid,i enjoyed playing the role of a superhero but most of the time i ended up being a sinister villain cos for one reason or the other my brothers wouldn’t let me choose first.I owned a lot of comics and watched cartoons on a daily basis.I played with action figure toys when i felt like it but the best part was acting it in real life with my younger ones and friends.I liked Superman for the fact that his powers were highly overrated and always won over an argument on who the strongest was.I didn’t fancy Spiderman that much considering he seemed pretty much too smart for the enemies most of the time and also because he reminded me of arachnophobia.Hulk and the rest of the crew didn’t really prevail on my list,however i liked drawing them a lot.But the hero i loved the most was Batman and i don’t really have a very genuine answer to provide if the question of “why” popped.He was just so dark,unique and armed.His gadgets and gizmos made me drool when he was in action.The shape of his cape was very peculiar and the fact that he didn’t really fly made him kind of special.I like the way he glides from the rooftops of Gotham City.Well,Batman is an awesome hero believe it or not and his foes are “despicably” cool.I have a friend who once had this “all-black” ride which i happened to name the BatMobile,and because of this i called him Batman.Another friend of mine happened to love the dark character “Joker” for some creepy reason so i named him The Joker.Though my style of drawing’s not that much inclined towards the muscular figure drawing of these superheroes am still and will always be a huge fan.Who knows perhaps a little more time focusing on them may bring about the flair to produce something of that nature on paper just like DC and Marvel comics do.Call me crazy but i’ve got this super glow-in-the-dark Batman tee shirt that a friend bought me as a present a couple of years ago and i still don’t wanna outgrow it.I don’t know but somehow it just makes me feel super on the inside especially when it glows.I feel some sort of super powers are being unleashed from it.This being said,my vendor back at school had come across an ultimate guide book,a Batman collector’s item plus a broad look into the Dark Knight.We kind of lost touch as i’d changed my phone number but he reserved it for me even though he never thought he’d see me again.I was on campus over the week to pursue something and on my exit,i bumped into him.After going through a series of books he had purchased,nothing looked appealing.But just as i turned around to head out,he passed me a large heavy book with a very catchy Batman figure posing on the cover.”here you go” he said “i saved this for you several weeks back,hoping you’d come for it someday” i was speechless for a moment.My pupils dilated and my mouth was agape.I couldn’t believe that i was actually holding this book in my hands.This is something any fan would kill to have and i got it straight from the shelf without even stretching out.This is truly a treasure trove and as the name goes,I will treasure it forever.I won’t be a lender and i’ll turn my back on every borrower that approaches me.A massive addition to my sacred library 

TasTiNg tHe foRbiddeN fRuiT

Okay this sounds awkward coming from the lips of a person who vowed never to use a blackberry device ever.I was never a big fan of the phone even though i didn’t attempt to give it a shot at any given time.I just held on to the opinion that it was a total bother and utter distraction,plus the hype people gave it down here was highly overrated.I’ve been aware of the blackberry for a couple of years now but the boom seemed to have exploded in the past three years down here.It was either you own a blackberry or you’ll never know me and a lot of people took this seriously.A friend shared a funny story with me the other day saying that a girl stated to a boy “am sorry,i can’t give you my number.You’d have to own a blackberry so i could give you my pin.” This made the guy want to own the phone so desperately,and he eventually managed to get one.As for me,my family was a big reason why the thought finally settled in my brain.It was always a tug of war situation when the subject of purchasing one came up.I had my reasons,the sole one being addiction and obsession over some stupid inanimate object that could grant total access to the internet.All my siblings owned blackberries,my mum later got one,and my dad as well.They communicated frequently and discussed stories trending,shared pictures and updated themselves with the latest news.My friends wouldn’t stop bothering me about it when i called them to complain about the silence ”get a blackberry so you wouldn’t have to worry about texting at all” they’d say to me.I on the other hand was not interested in it at all as long as i could always tweet and blog with my current phone,an awesome Nokia.With time,my brother who’d been away for a while kept insisting that i get a blackberry so we could communicate constantly.Funny enough,the monthly BIS never appeared to be a problem in my eyes when it cost five thousand naira a month.And now it’s three thousand with extra bonuses depending on the network one is registered to.Soon my dad convinced me to get one for myself even if i was in love with my Nokia phone.I mentioned this to my brother and he made instant arrangements with his blackberry buddy to send a good one over so i could embrace the network.Last week,my blackberry came into town.I went through terrible traffic,confusing navigations ,a series of steep stairscases and annoying security to finally end up at the office where this “sacred” fruit was patiently waiting for me.I walked in,smiled at the lady seated on a swivel chair and introduced myself as the guy her son sent a phone to from Kano.She smiled back,reached for the pack and kindly handed it over to me.”thank you” i said and walked out before she could take another look at me.I was a tad excited but i contained this until i got home.I opened up the pack,tore the seal,took a good look at the phone and instantly started getting acquainted with the manual.Blackberry is fun afterall,i take those cruel words back.However i’ll mince them a bit cos this thing really is a preoccupation.I named my blackberry BLiNK 182,one of the first punk bands i acquired a taste for,then i gladly spread the news on Facebook a couple of hours later.

THe couRT lives agaiN

My house used to be the venue for a lot of basketball games.My older brother was a good player and so were his friends.Back in the early nineties,basketball was a trending game we all loved though i didn’t play at all as i was merely a spectator.Sometimes,after school a couple of students from the class would come over to my house for a basketball game just for the fun of it,and on the weekends it was more like a tournament was taking place on our court.But as we grew older and time passed by,the fun slowly started fading out.Nobody paid much attention to the court and less people came to play at the house.The surface of the court was eroded and moss found it quite conducive to spread all over the top.The ball got deflated very often as a result of this and the board gradually began to peel.The net finally fell off and the ring eventually got rusted.At a point in time,it looked just like a junkyard;utterly unappealing and absolutely pallid.The court remained like this over the years before random ideas started spreading on what the place should be transformed into considering the impression of a court had already vanished long ago.But last week,something surprising happened on the spot where our court used to lie.A group of strange men started digging the surface and others were mixing cement contents to lay a smooth foundation.The kids who weren’t really born when we rocked this very court filed a complaint to dad and he bought what they were selling.The idea appeared interesting to him as it would reduce boredom and also help out as a means of exercise for them.So he called on a crew to revive the spirit of basketball in the house.The board’s been changed already and a new net has been fastened to the polished ring.Now all that’s left is the basketball itself to show up.Dad says he’ll bring it along with him when he’s coming home,but the keen kids are sick of waiting for the ball to arrive.So they improvised with a soccer ball!Yes,indeed the enthusiasm is on and the game has bounced back!

TeN YeaRs DowN (CLaSs oF 2011)

Ten years ago,i walked this same road,wore this same gown and mortarboard,glanced at this same environment and claimed the same role.Yes,ten years ago,i graduated from this school and am proud to say it once again.Today,my brother is in the same shoes:he’s nervous and excited all at once.The day’s finally here,the time to wave goodbye to secondary school and move into the real world.It was early and i’d woken up to check on mum,then catch some quick breakfast.My brother was already awake which was quite unusual.He was all dressed up and ready for his big day.The driver hadn’t arrived at 8:30 and all students were expected to be in school before nine for a final rehearsal of some sort.I grabbed my camera to be the first person catching him live on this day before driving him down to school.I got home,took my bath and spruced up for the ceremony.My older brother was going with his wife too,so my sisters and i tagged along.Mum left a bit earlier as she was meant to make a speech but we weren’t sure what part of the programme it would fall into.Lucky for us,she was on the minute we got there and so we caught the final paragraph of her response on the tribute to parents.We saw a couple of old friends,caught up,and shared jokes.The place was crowded as always just like a high school reunion so we had no option but to sit under the hot sun and watch the minutes move cos all the good seats had already been taken.Soon certificates were awarded to the students and it was time for the closing salutation.Next,we managed to grab some side shots of him with his classmates and others.That was it,the end of their graduation ceremony,the exit from high school.I vividly remember mine,nostalgia struct me for a minute before i snapped back to reality.When i looked around,i couldn’t find either of the people I’d come with.I rushed outside to the parking lot and there they were waiting for me for the past half hour.Congratulations class of 2011 at Essence International School and welcome to the alumni association.

TiNY ToddLeR oN tHe fLOoR

My little niece has found a good reason to move about and cause damage around the house.She was a handful when crawling became an ability,but this time it’s double trouble on the move.She runs around and litters the floor,pulls out stuff from the drawers at the dresser,and reaches for objects placed on top of small cupboards.Every minute,a different thing is being tampered with,not to mention the fun she derives from feeding herself with a fork,and we all know how far that’s gonna go.Ever since this tiny tot mastered the art of uplifting herself,fidgeting became a routine we couldn’t miss seeing everytime she came over.But we always keep the door leading to the staircase shut just incase she gets a little more creative and attempts to jump from the top.

THe doMiNo eFFecT

Lately,the rate at which people have been tying the knot has become more commonplace than saying “hello” when you pick up the telephone.Every week,a couple of weddings clash with one another and it becomes so hard to decide which one you actually want to attend considering all the people involved are quite close to you.You wouldn’t want to disappoint a friend,cousin or uncle by not putting in an appearance and suddenly laying down flimsy excuses like “am sorry,it was on the same day with my inlaw’s” the marathon runs both weekdays and weekends without any intermissions.It’s so crazy the way people are desperate to hook up and start a family and am not an exception.The pressure is bringing on the search with full force and it’s starting to drive me nuts!

PoPe PauL GoNe

I think someone who greatly touched our lives in the past couple of years at this house would be none other than Paul.He was a very loyal,kind and respectful lad who always found a way to make us smile.He was a driver,but i saw him more as a friend and member of the family.Paul passed away last week and it’s been a series of sorrowful days following the accident he had on a weekend while giving his friend a ride back home somewhere at the other side of town.It was raining heavily and they were on a motorcycle when a car ran them over at top speed.Paul suffered severe injuries and was later rushed to the hospital that night.We received a call with some information on the clinic and ward he’d been checked in to but nothing on his condition.On the first visit made from the house,they were not allowed to see him due to his serious condition.According to the nurses there,they were asked to return in a couple of hours..A few hours later,we received a call that Paul couldn’t make it.We lost him.The last memory i recall of him was a conversation we had on a Thursday before the weekend of his accident.He came over to my room with his new flash drive asking for an antivirus.I didn’t have any available so i asked him to return on Monday after i’d gotten one from a friend.Just before i ejected the flash,i told him “why don’t we rename the flash?” he said “sure,just type in Paul” i did that,then smiled at him and said “see you on Monday.” Well I guess that’s a Monday this jolly good fellow never lived to see…

THe RoYaL WeDDiNG

Today,the 29th of April 2011 shall remain a historic one forever as Prince William tied the knot with Kate Middleton.This is indeed another perfect picture to be hung on the interior walls of Bukingham Palace.It’s quite inevitable to avoid posting such news when for a moment the world stood still as these two lovebirds exchanged sincere wedding vows.The occasion was really grand,the biggest in 30 years since Princess Diana’s wedding to Prince Charles back in 1981.The crowd was massive and the celebration on the streets of the UK was too much for mere words to explain.There were guests from all over the world and an anticipated total of 2 billion viewers across the globe was reported by the BBC to have witnessed this special day in history.It has made the top news on broadcasting channels,a trending topic on twitter,status updates on facebook and a picture of the couples’ first kiss replaces a myriad of profile images on Blackberry mobile.Not to mention Kate’s gorgeous wedding dress which was designed by Alexander McQueen,a highly anticipated attire everybody’s peepers have been waiting to see.A myriad of British flags decorated the scenic route and a couple of jets were flown over the palace to help celebrate this extraordinary occasion.There was a grand service at Westminster Abbey,then an escort to the palace in a royal carriage with the couple happily sitting together.The groom saluted and the bride waved at the cheering crowd as they toured the track until they were back at the palace where a reception was to commence.The couple made an appearance at the balcony with their parents and it was there that we all caught the first royal kiss.Viewers shot photos of this euphoric moment with utter enthusiasm.It has been reported that a larger reception which would accommodate a bigger crowd was to be held later in the day.To wrap it up,i’d like to say congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.I didn’t have the privilege of receiving an invitation to England’s biggest wedding,but atleast we could say that i attented in absentia.

THe piLoT (CHAPTER 1)

While we were catching up on old times with my brother in the room two days earlier,he received a phone call from an anonymous number.It was a call to duty asking him to report next week unfailingly.He made a list of the required items he’d need and packed up some of his stuff.This morning,i woke him up very early to prepare for his trip.The destination was Lagos,a place he wasn’t really familiar with.He got ready and came into the house for breakfast in a clean grey suit looking so formal.He had a light breakfast and was soon on his way to the airport.Before he left,he said his goodbyes to the household and snapped a couple of photographs to record the memories like we did every time a member of the family was travelling.He gave me his compact digital camera as a token before leaving and laid out some rules on how he wanted his stuff to be handled while he was away.Next thing,we escorted him to the airport where his queue was already waiting.He placed his luggage on the conveyor belt and after a few jocular comments,we exchanged our farewells.Fly away flying officer,I’ll be in touch.

ALoNg caMe a PLaYboY BuNNY (RETRO)

I used to have an awesome black t-shirt with a tiny playboy bunny emblazoned on the front.It was always my pick when it came to choosing a shirt to sleep in,even though i’ve got a couple of others.There was just something special about this tee that i particularly liked.Perhaps it was the way it made me feel when i put it on.Even when it was time to give out laundry on weekends,i washed it myself,dried it and pressed it afterwards.But one fine day i accidentally included it when i was giving out my laundry and the wrong detergent was used to wash it.When i got my clothes back,i couldn’t believe my eyes;the tee had almost faded from black to gray,it became sloppy,out of shape and some of the threads around the shoulder had already started appearing.Not to mention the cracked bunny logo.It was almost as if my shirt was replaced with some second rate tee from the flea market.I was upset but didn’t worry much as i only wore it before sleeping and not for outings or occasions.I later folded the tee and placed it in a special compartment inside my wardrobe because i didn’t want to give it out.So if i couldn’t have it then nobody could.I wondered where the hell i was going to find another one,but my ideas weren’t even kicking in.A few months after this,my brother was coming home for the holidays from Russia.On a brief stop to grab a simple shirt,he came across two playboy tees:one was white and the other was black.They were of the same size and they both had a large shiny logo in front of them.He purchased both and brought them over when he was coming.The scariest thing’s that he picked the white one and gave me the black one.When he handed it to me,i paused for a second before thanking him.It was almost as if he knew that i was looking all over for a tee just like it.I smiled and felt that playboy tees loved me so much and always found a way to reach me no matter the distance.

POoRLiTics

I was never a fan of politics ever in my life,not even when i was dating a governor’s daughter.And for this reason the news and the papers didn’t really tickle my fancy at all.I was only able to recognize the president,his vice ,then perhaps my state governor and that was it.So anything regarding what was happening in the country remained oblivious to me,unless of course i heard it from a friend.But the situation in this country has reached a stage we could no longer ignore as citizens especially people like me;the youths.A certain intellectual age group of people the country looks up to as potential leaders of tomorrow.I started a little foray into politics early this year by catching up on the news,reading headlines on newspapers and discussing country issues as topics for debate with the folks around me.It didn’t seem boring one bit,so i went on with the new interest and surrounded myself with things that’d keep me current all the time.The first issue i found quite catchy was the presidential elections of 2011.It was a tough battle between the “Fantastic Four” who inspired my song title “a lawyer,a leader,a dreamer,a believer.who will be the winner?” This was a projection of the candidates who were contesting for presidency in my country,where each term described one of them depending on any random observer’s point of view.It was initially “a liar,a leader,a lawyer,a loser” considering the lyrics have a punk rock nature,however i changed it to the former attaching some respect to each one of the candidates.The album’s entitled “POoRLiTics” just like this blog post.A clear sign that i’d fallen deep into the subject and have already started engaging myself.My candidate is General Muhammadu Buhari of the CPC who’s running this race for the third time.I have my reasons for choosing him as a candidate,but i’ll reserve them as its almost pointless stating facts when the minions behind his downfall are always up to no good remaining one step ahead.He is a loyal leader to say the least,an excellent extinguisher of corruption and an impeccable installer of security.I wont sentimentalize as we all have our flipsides and yes this man just like every one of us,did a couple of things in the past he wished he hadn’t done.But that should’nt be a naive reason for declining his offer especially after he’s given us his word that he’d bring about a positive change in this country and take us to that promised land we still haven’t reached.We are almost within striking distance,but 12years of an incompetent ruling party could’nt take us there.It almost seems like a mirage from where am standing,and its so hard to keep believing.But i have a dream and i know my faith is real.There’s still hope for our beloved country if we’d stand up,frown upon the manipulative methods it’s being run by and implement the ultimate master plan our forefathers had designed many years ago.If we persevere,we wont fight fair and surely we’ll make it there…….God bless the “green,white,green” ensign representing the federal republic of Nigeria.

THe NaTioNaL GeogRapHic CHaNNeL

In our long adventure at the outskirts of town today,I saw with my peepers something I’d only seen in documentaries on TV:a troop of primates having a wild time.On the far end of our farm grew a large number of tall palm trees which were preceded by a running stream and a growing swamp.There,towards the fruit vegetation,we found a group of light colored monkeys enjoying a feast before they were interrupted by the loud noise of our approaching truck.When we pulled over,they ran further north and climbed up one of the trees catching a view of us from afar.The smaller group were foraging along furrows of planted corn and stealing glances from within the plants.They were black faced and one of them which could have been the leader of the troop was proving its courage by running towards us with a fruit in its hands then retreating again.As we moved closer,they ran farther away from us.Unfortunately,when I brought out my camera to catch a snapshot,they were too far to be seen even with the zoom button.So I thought maybe next time I’d come a day earlier,plant a hidden camera and then return the next day to replay the previous day’s footage.It sounds like a clever idea and I really wanted to cover something like that and send it to the Discovery Channel or Nat Geo Wild someday.This could be my break through on the route to stardom.

TaLes fRoM tHe faRM

Today we went to the farm in my brother’s new company truck.He had mentioned yesterday that we’d be leaving very early due to the harsh weather,so as to return when the scorching sun begins to burn.But as usual,there was a delay and we didn’t leave the house until 12:00 noon.I picked up a notebook,a magazine and my headphones just incase i got bored and needed to get lost in the music.We stopped by to pick up his friend and drove along the far road which led to the city airport.We got there and pulled in halfway,then dropped and started trekking towards the stream.The specialist my brother was consulting had come to see for himself,our spacious land at the farm so as to suggest the perfect fruits and crops to harvest against November.My brother’s always been interested in farming but without any serious motivation as dad had started losing interest in the whole thing.However,all this changed when my brother joined his current company Notore,an agricultural body which was formerly prominent in the country but changed its name after it was privatised some years back.Now,he had this sudden pique of interest in husbandry so strong that it was all he seemed to talk about wherever he was.For this reason,he got permission from dad to start something in the farm no matter how little and see how far he’d get on the field.They discussed significant matters before we drove to the other side of the farm where we happened to see some of the crops grown by dad over the years.There was some corn,green beans,sugarcane and tomatoes plus a lot of extra space to grow others.They drew out a plan of what they’d like to work on as from Friday,then we grabbed a sack to collect some tomatoes for the house.After that,i caught a few photographs and it was time to go.Funny how i didn’t even remember to open up either of the books or put on my radio head.It was quite hot,but a fun-filled experience i really enjoyed.

TeaRs fRoM tHe sKY

There was a slight problem with power last night,so i had to be up late chatting on the phone until it was time for my weary eyes to call it a night.I guess i dozed off at about 1am and as i was sleeping i kept hearing a continuous knocking sound from the top;it was finally raining on my roof and the weather became perfect for a sweet slumber in the dark.The entire week had been very hot and uncomfortable with very long nights of lying awake and staring at nothing but the darkness.Sometimes i even took a shower before retiring to bed just to beat the heat.But yesterday i could say that i enjoyed every bit from the moment i closed my eyes to the very minute i opened them this morning.The whole environment was cool and the sweet smell of the rainy season had finally returned again this year.

THe faiR tHaT disapPeaRed (RETRO)

Last month was the annual trade fair here in Kaduna state where people from different parts of the country came together to sell and advertise their goods.Cheaper costs and bonuses were often a big part of this fair so a lot of people are always sure to put in an appearance once or twice before it runs out.But the truth is,i don’t remember the last time I set foot in the trade fair ground,as I used to love visiting it as a child even for the sights and sounds of it.Then,I’d make sure I brought home some simple souvenirs to serve as keepsakes.But over the years growing up has changed a lot of things.I lost interest in stuff like that and didn’t really give much thought to it when asked to give them a shot.Usually,we’re not big fans of trade fairs in my house,and just as I vividly remember,it was still the same thing;a bunch of barkers and distributors yelling out to advertise and call you up for things you didn’t really need.To worsen matters,the weather was harsh and scorching hot.So to me that was reason enough not to even attempt going there.The week slowly went by as the final day approached while I remained in oblivion.Not until I heard a cousin of mine planning on going there to just have a look at a few things because the fair was ending the following day.That’s how this year’s trade fair just flashed in front of my eyes and before I could even blink,it was gone….away for good,atleast until next year.

IN tHe mouTh oF a soLdieR

"the mere words that we utter,become brave in the mouth of a soldier"
This is excerpted from my latest lyrics to an album am writing entitled "POoRLiTics" The 6th of April marked a day i’ll live to remember for the rest of my life.It was the day my older brother (Agent Ace Airman of the Aerospace Academy as i call him) passed out of the Nigerian Defence Academy.He’d joined the short service air force team late last year to serve this country in the best way possible,by making the sincere vow of a patriotic soldier.The nine months weren’t easy to say the least but they were worth it according to him.And as every soldier would say “you could never know what our lives are like in this place until you join us” despite the jungle episodes and wild adventures,he held on to the rope tightly and never let go.An experience he’ll never forget indeed.It’s like we watched the sessions through his “army” eyes until the final moment which is what we came to celebrate today.We woke up early to catch breakfast and head to the new site at Airport Road in our convoy of six cars.We got there and trekked for a couple of minutes from the parking lot before reaching the parade ground where the occasion had already started.The seats were already taken of course so we had to find another option.We split into groups as the elders took the straight path while we climbed to the top of the staircase where we caught a fairly nice view from above.We stood there for almost three hours until our feet started aching.Shortly after that,the special guests arrived one after the other and the parade commenced.It was uniform and spectacular,something truly admirable and worth waiting for.I zoomed the camera each time the officers marched towards us to get a snapshot of my brother.After the parade,it was time to leave the ground and head to the old site where pictures would be taken.We got there,visited his room and shared jokes with his friends.As soon as we were done snapping the pictures,it was time to go home and relax.Yes,i know i saw for myself today,what a P.O.P was like.Congratulations to Flying Officer MI Mahmood,you have made your family and your country Nigeria very proud.Goodluck in all your endeavours and make sure you fly with caution.Avoid unnecessary stunts in the air and steer clear of the Bermuda triangle.

THe two L's tHaT coiNed "woNdeRFuLL"

Last year,a friend of mine and his wife were blessed with a beautiful baby girl.Right from day one,they carried her and displayed different pictures of her online to show their love and appreciation.On the seventh day,the little girl was named Aisha Iman but a few months later something unfortunate happened;Iman passed away.It was a very sudden and sad incident though she’d been sick since birth but we all thought she was getting better.Her parents were devastated,it was so obvious by merely looking at their faces.But they put this sad story behind them and prayed for another child in the future.Last week,a miracle happened.The golden news was travelling fast from Dubai on blackberry updates that the couple had been blessed with twins.A boy and a girl,the cutest things ever.God has indeed repaid them with something greater than what they had and they were willing to share this with the entire world.Congratulations to the couple and God bless those two little angels.

ToY SToRY 3 oN mY scReeN

A few nights ago,I was exhausted from the intense reading I’ve been doing in preparation for my upcoming exams.Every second counted as I wanted to clear this horrible course that’s been strangling my neck once and for all.The night was still young and I didn’t want to do any reading,so I decided to check my laptop’s attic for any interesting movie which I’d stored perhaps several months ago and still haven’t set my peepers on yet.My choice was Toy Story 3,one I’ve been anticipating with bated breath.I made myself a hot cup of Tetley and spread some chocolate on 3 slices of bread to create sort of the traditional popcorn/coke scenario in cinemas and then grabbed the headphones.It was a calm night and I enjoyed every bit of this film from alpha to omega.It was so surreal that I didn’t know I was watching at all,it felt like I was actually in the movie but of course without any speech or conversation.The concept is awesome cos Walt Disney Pictures never fails to amaze me,they’re full of surprises.I wouldn’t mind watching this over and over again if I’d have the time for it.

ReTuRN oF veNoM

Its been a while since we heard or saw any one of the slithering serpents who used to lurk around the corners of our house.I believe they were inhabitants in this land long before we knew we would move from our former house.They were harmless,and that was the best thing about them cos on several occasions,we’d bump into them and they’d just hide or change direction minding their own business.For this reason,we never invaded their territory or cause any harm besides killing them when they slid into our domain.This was for our own safety even though they’d never hurt anyone ever since we moved in 1991.Last week,my younger brother was taking a walk out in the backyard when he suddenly heard something rustling in the leaves.He looked closely and found a serpent moving towards our section.It wasn’t a large or average one,rather it was small.Quickly,he called out to his fellow sibling,found the nearest stick and reached for an attack.The snake was quite cunning,it dodged the first strike while rushing towards the gate for an exit.But my brother managed to get the next strike and slow it down before finally laying down a series of combos to make sure the reptile was dead.Having done that,he lifted it up with the stick which he used to kill it and displayed his bravery at the outdoor kitchen before the household.Everyone cheered as the hero dumped the body in a drum to be burned alongside the trash for that day not forgetting to decapitate its head

THe baNds tHaT pLaYed ouR favoRiTe souNdTRacKs

My brothers’ visit for the holidays was surely a memorable one and during the time of their stay,i’d downloaded a couple of songs which i enjoyed playing.Now,everytime i play these songs they remind me of the moments we spent together,either driving around town or just sitting down in the living room with the music playing.The bands mainly comprise of Good Charlotte and Fall Out Boy,the latter being my favorite band of all time.The main anthem was Good Charlotte’s “1979” a track from the punk rockers’ latest album entitled “Cardiology” which speaks about a family that had its golden memories in that year and at the same time faced a series of unfortunate events.But despite the highs and lows,they eventually pulled through.At the same time,it relates to my parents’ anniversary year and some of the lyrics spoke to me like an inner voice i could actually hear.It has a very catchy tune and anyone who listens to it once could actually sing along whenever it’s playing a second time.Sometimes Sufy would request for it like some radio show and have me play it a couple of times while he relaxes on the sofa.The other song which happened to rekindle his love for a certain episode of the TV series “One Tree Hill’ was Fall Out Boy’s “Summer Song” It was on my playlist and he recalled the scene from the episode which brought back the days he had time to sit and watch TV.Their stay was a brief one,so Halil incisted that i make a cool playlist with his favorite type of bands to remind him of me when he returns to Russia in a couple of days.Before he left for school,Sufy introduced me to a band named “Parachute” I saved the album in a folder but didn’t bother listening to a single track until I thought of him a couple of weeks later.That’s when i grabbed my headphones one silent night and pressed play.The band was really awesome,a blend of ‘Goo Goo Dolls’ and ‘Jimmy Eat World’ I liked them a lot.And each time I played their songs,reflections of imaginary scenes would appear in my head wishing the boys were still here.Finally the group Motion City Soundtrack’s “Everything is Alright” became a random song i kind of decided to play as the departure scene melody at the airport on that morning my brothers left.The words from the chorus aptly describe what i want to know right now and as at the time: “I know that you’re alright,so tell me everything’s alright…tell me everything’s fine…” dear brothers,i hope you play this very song and ask the same question cos i know that i do….and really miss you.

CuRious caSe oF tHe cLuMsY cLoseT

As far back as i can remember,my closet has always been a tidy zone.Every compartment was clean with its contents neatly folded and arranged accordingly.But the busy days took over for sometime and before i knew it,everything changed.It all boils down to the time i was moving to the other section after my brother's wedding.Packing was abrupt then,and there was no time to sort out anything.So i put an entire motley of things even i couldnt imagine going in together and locked it up for movement.Since then my laundry piled up but i ignored them.Finished cans of anti-perspirants found spaces to fill,cables,cell phones and a digital camera arent excluded from the stash.Snacks like my potatoe chips,biscuits,etc were a part of it and my sneakers took over the bottom compartment.Everyday i'd open the closet,stare,shut and open up again thinking everything would change but who was i kidding?It only got worse.Soon other people began to dump their stuff inside my closet.Sometimes i'd take a look inside and find someone else's unique pair of denims or a strange shirt that did not belong to me.This really had me thinking whether my closet had become a dumpster or perhaps people did it on purpose just to make me clean it up.Either way,i took it upon myself to find the right weekend for cleaning up during sanitation but it never came through.The weekend would come and i'd wake up feeling so lethargic,or do something else like sweeping and dusting until the fatigue hits me.I thought fixing it bit by bit would be an easier thing to do but even that is still pending as i post this.However i intend to do it this weekend and i just hope i dont have to post a blog like this again next week.

THe feLiNe iNvadeR

Recently,a strange limping tabby cat has been the only sound i hear at night.I'd seen it the previous week but i chased it halfway one night and stopped when it was heading towards the backyard.A few days later it showed up again.This time my cousin offered it some food and water and just as i expected,it stayed for the night until the next morning.It was always under the car or in the small shrubs beside the the kitchen.I dont mean to sound inhumane but i already own a cat and honestly Stripes alone was a handful.I fed him twice a day and had to condone its "antics" so now the thought of bringing in another cat just freaked me out.Everybody wants this new cat to stay besides me but none of them owns a cat,i know what am saying when i point out how unnecessary it is.Now its found a place to stay and there's nothing i can say.Though i threatened to get rid of it if matters get worse or if dad complains a first time.

SuNdaY scouTiNg foR souP

My mum woke up craving a spicy soup meal from an exotic restaurant.She complained that the food she's been having through out the week wasnt appetizing at all and she needed to get out and grab something fast.Our first stop was everyone's choice restaurant but unfortunately their Sunday buffet had just ended and the staff had gone for a 3-hour break.We left and stopped at the next spot but it was full and we didnt even have the patience to wait so we left for the third place.It looked available as we walked in,booked a table,placed orders and paced around before lunch was served.I quickly went upstairs to check for some assorted biscuits but they were all out of them.The minute i came downstairs,i found everyone heading to the door.I couldnt help asking what the matter was.What a bummer,they were out of food too.What is this town turning into?And so our last resort was to pullover at a shawarma joint.There we were,all six of us enjoying our snack.However mum wasnt a fan so we stopped for some steak and a beverage.Then to wrap the day up,we went to see my sister's friend who'd been ill for a while.She was so glad to see us.Final destination was home sweet home.What a day...

AwaRds oR a woRd?

On Saturday i took my younger brother to an awards show which was hosted by their school annually.On our way out we stopped to pick up his friend who didnt live far away from our home.When we got there it didnt look one bit like a venue for a show at all.It was a huge building alright but it looked dilapidated from the front.The gate looked permanently open and the road inside was bumpy.There were kids moving in groups and others were gisting in smaller cliques.When we drove past the drive in there was a better looking building,apparently the hall where the show was going to take place.I pulled over dropped him and drove away looking around the place for more strange sites.In two hours he gave me a ring and said that the show was over.I had just said my prayers so i got up and went straight to pick him up as it was already dark.As soon as i got there,a swarm of people was coming out of the gate.I drove in slowly and my headlights flashed him wearing a medal hanging around his neck.It was an award for the most handsome boy in JS3.He was voted and so he won it.He was acting coy and all but i held it and read it out loud.I just laughed hard cos it was so surprising.I wasnt quite used to such honors during my early secondary school days.

"deaTh" said tHe oLd maN

On my way to work one morning,i got stuck in a hold up.People were gathered on the other side of the road and onlookers stared in shock from across.Cars were parked around and everyone was rushing to the scene.It seemed like an accident but it wasnt.I looked closely and there he was,lying on a heap of gravel with his arms crossed,covered with something that looked like a blanket.But it was his attire.His bicycle was placed with its kickstand supporting it as the entire picture looked as if he was just basking in the sun.I was running late so i didnt stop.But later in the day,i found out from a source who happened to hear the horrible tragedy that happened to the old man.He was ruthlessly slaughtered like a ram by some anonymous cold-blooded murderers.Its so sad,shocking,and so hard to imagine how a person with a heart would do such a heartless thing.

Novice 3D MaXisT

Following the arrival of my new computer and the availability of 3D softwares in the cyber atmosphere i decided to consult an old friend who never got tired of singing to my ears.Everytime i call him,his first statement would be "so have you finally gotten a lappy?" then i'd say no and we'd laugh about it.So for the first time i was ready to say yes.I went over to his office a few blocks away from my house and he installed a couple of programs for me though MaYa,my main target,was unavailable.He gave me a demo to show me how much i'd been missing and encouraged me to go and make myself useful in the 3D world.I soaked it up and pictured myself in the future;a 3D artist working with the Walt Disney or Cartoon Network company.So to reach this star i am dedicating the last hour of everyday to go over the tutorials and practice in the silent hours of the night when everyone's fast asleep.

THe biRTh oF BuZz LighTYeaR

My brother has always been concerned with my artistry and has often motivated me to spread my wings and fly into the animation world.When he was coming home for the holidays last month he brought me a cool silver Sony Vaio with a couple of new animated flicks downloaded inside it.To begin with,i was lost for words.I couldnt believe my eyes,one thing i've been scrimping and saving to purchase for years but everytime i start something comes up then the money's gone again.As soon as i received the laptop i thought of the right name for it.Toy Story 3 is an animated screen am still eager to see and i love the cocky space character Buzz Lightyear in the flick.I think he's awesome and so was my new computer.Thus i named it Buzz and actually hoped it would light up my 2011 year with blazing fireworks.I cant thank you enough brother,i can already feel the sparks.You're the best ;)

2 weeKs laTeR

Well,two weeks had gone by in a flash.The boys were packing up their stuff on the night of the eleventh of February.The holiday was finally over shorter than we'd expected.It was a long night with friends and view finders in the room.Atleast one memory to remember for the next few years.

CoMiNg hoMe aNd tHe daYs tHaT foLLow..

My brothers have been gone for over a year and the house hasnt been a home since they've been gone.Things were different,some faces hardly visited us and the silence prevailed a lot around the boys' section.Two of them had gone to Russia to pursue their respective careers and the other had gone to Turkey for the same purpose.They'd missed our brother's wedding ceremony and our sister's baby had grown into a little princess during the span of time they were absent.We all missed them beyond words and needed to see them atleast to fill the void in our hearts.But we got the awesome news that they'd be coming for a few weeks to see the family and catch up a bit.It was music to my ears as i couldnt contain the excitement and so did the rest of the family.So they flew in and once again we had a full house.People from all over started showing up and the spirit of the house was restored on the night that they arrived.We had bonding days and long nights of catching up.Still it wasnt enough cos pending stories had waited and expired before they returned.We made the best of memories with cameras as it was a wonderful holiday i'd never trade for anything in the world.