BLACKBERRY AND VIP POOL PARTY....

So finally...the curtain is closing down...i.e. year is over...festivities already starting...if your x-mas tree is not on then you have a problem...I never put up xmas decor in my house....I leave that to my mum who has a fetish for it...as a matter of fact I`m carrying those decorations I had at my pool party for her....she will enjoy them!

I know I know...some things are still painful but I have no solution yet.......Im sure one will come soon...in the meantime..I gotta deal with it...RB not a pretty place to be in at the moment....business slowed down and I guess it does have a big effect on people`s productivity.....hmmmmmm

So I come from Nokia country Kenya...and so when I landed in Naija everyone asked me to get a BlackBerry i.e. bb.........never thought I needed one neither did I care...until a few months ago when my friends...Anne,Thobi and Uby decided to put pressure on me...oh it has not been easy........Every weekend we went out..I was the only one left out as everybody got busy on their phones..taking pics..giggling...twitting etc.....and then it got worse...if you meet a Nigerian....they ask for your bb pin and not your card!What?...the worst was when I was at a shoot in Ikeja..mainland and this celeb guest asked me..do you bb?!Ah...I quickly called Lamu from Glo and told him to get me his distributor to bring me a bb!Yes that bb came to me in all manners of ways.....bos......okada...danfu etc...anyway now I have one...and all I could hear was congratulations...my friends including Joyce welcoming me to the world of technology...

So Anne and I just threw a VIP party for our Lagos friends...from all walks of life......I agree that

organising events....is dramatic but it does give you satisfaction...We went overboard with food and drinks but that`s cool....Oh had no idea my bar is such an important asset....It was the main prop show stopper...oh and my decor...I tried...but ANNE`S FLOWERS were the cherry on the cake...fantastic!Tks to all who made party Rock...Ken ensuring the house was set including flushing bathroom and the champagne!...Ice cubes from Alex and cake!Big one...wine from Tolu...Ahhhhh what a party!The props and help from Footprint team...just great...tks Ian,Otis and to Simon for the great invite!And to all my Lagos friends.....Daniel,Alex,Kaberere,Chris,Mohammed,Marco,Bisi,Lisa,Dean,Grace,Lamu,June,Wole,Tsola,Joyce,Kiage,Nick

And now to ending the year..I have to attend rb xmas party...yeah yeah.....and hopefully go home by 22nd..

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FRIENDS!

TIT FOR TAT...

So...you can never never stop being amazed by Naija!I was driving towards Surulere the other day and approached an accident scene...well there was traffic so had some few min to glimpse at the scene........well instead of seeing two people arguing over who hit who...there was this man hammering an okada that was on ground with his wheel jack!I did not get it but as my friend Anne later explained....since the motorbike guy could not afford to pay for the damaged vehicle he had hit..the owner of the vehicle decided to destroy the guy1s okada!What.....this place is strange...
The social life does continue to evolve..Terra Kulture good place to hang out....eat.....art and theatre...v vs t monologues was somehow ok....
Ah now I know so many streets in Lagos...better to drive myself over weekends..it is fun!Ahmadu Bellow Way..Saka Tinubu........etc etc..
Today is def not a good day........work is slowing down as we end the year and everybody is in a damn foul mood!Oh how long will this last....
Looking forward to Richard Bono,Gerald Albright and Angie Stone this weekend..hopefully work will not ruin this.....

Settled.......but never at ease.......

Guess when you get used to a place.........things become familiar and suddenly you have no great stories to tell?So my break home was awesome.........no laptop...no communication with office..(yeah I know people panic when nobody calls from the office?)....but really?you think you are dispensable........I`m in the process of learning to eat life with a big spade!That is how they do it in Naija......Back home in Kenya we are to conservative....we procastinate...we worry about tomorrow...we keep wondering of what if what if?And end up never really enjoying the fullness of time....and life....moral of the story?Savour every moment in time...it never repeats itself.....I am indeed appreciating Ogaland with time.........
I came to realise that when you want peace...go to Kenya...if you want chaos,robustness...go to Lagos......So Wangari got married and yeah going home.....everyone thinks you come carrying jobs in your hand bag.......why has the world not moved on?Esp relatives...?Nepotism is a thing of the past.....
The diversity of people in Nigeria...(expat community) is also amazing.......meet all sorts of people and realise that you are now operating global networks.....
Ok......more peculiar Naija habits...getting sick...Oh Lord.....when they don`t wanna work...it`s either Typhoid or Malaria....it is really ridiculous that they do not know if you have either of these ailments...you are close to deathbed hence would be missing for 2 weeks from office...but no...they miss office one two days and then back to office...I mean really?
Today..is indeed a good day......while I was busy blasting off my youngest brother....9K these kids have no idea what hustling is?)the older one...had some surprising news to share....good on you Mysa!Hoping for the best!
I know I`m settled in Naija.....but my heart is still uneasy..........I wonder why?Or I`m I being Kenya?

VACATION

Here I am again at Murtala Mohammed.......going home for vacation...ok remember my last blog read tired?..indeed I was.......Planning time at RB is always a tough one and gets the best of me......it took me a couple of crazy nights out to let it all go and now a simple break at home with family should help me sail through the year....the business numbers for my portfolio are also looking up so now I feel better.....
So what has been happening so far...the clubs in Naija are fantastic!From Aura to Auto Lounge to Club 10 to Bungalows..Reeds....Ember......Piccolomondo,Caliente,Bacchus....and I still have not been to half of them........
The strange thing is I meet more expats than Naijerians..(location..location..)..read the Island...fun times though.....
Did I say Naijerians love to spludge?Yes they drink so much Champagne and Heynessy in the clubs it is amazing.......They basically live it up and do not worry about tomorrow....all of us should learn something.....
And now I do know the tricks on how to survive in Nigeria!ACCEPT THE CIRCUMSTANCE
That FLIGHT KQ 531 had better be on time today..Im looking forward to catching up with family,friends,malls,fresh air,familiarity,driving myself....and good food!

I`M TIRED........

As the title may suggest....I really I`m tired of a lot of things that I cannot divulge on this blog...needless to say..it has been a hectic Aug with preplan 2011 in the way...this does not go away....every year..August is the worst month in rb running up and down,thinking,planning,filling in worksheet after worksheet,reviewing presentations and finally making the final pitch to the regional guys..of how good you are going to make the new year...with the great plans!!!!!!!!!!!!!...hhhmmmmm....I wonder.........My kid bro came to visit during final week of preplan and boy was it a nightmare..the guy saw me at mignight on a daily basis and early morning before I left for work.....Not a good host I must admit...but tks to Hussein my driver..he got to see a lot of Lagos.....Guilt is what I still feel......
A fasting month it has been and with my fellow MMs being Muslims..I have suffered with no Indian/Pakistan dishes to feast from......its ok!I have survived and Iftaar always works for me..it`s like postponing lunch to 7pm.....Now for these 2days of Idd...what to do what to do...decisions decisions....Spa..gym.....steam...yeah!that`s the plan..I do need a break to figure out a couple of things................................

TURNING 33.............

The reporter on that Top 40under40women article got it wrong!I'm not 36........Had no idea that years could affect me until I read that Business Daily......clearly...Im indeed a woman...
It was great being in Kenya..fresh air.......driving myself......friends ..family....good food and Java breakfast!Oh my......
So I was shooting a Nigerian TVC in Kenya...tough getting Kenyans who would pass for Nigerians lol!t took me 3days to get the perfect cast.......BUT..... no shoot ever goes on perfectly...much as I thought we would wrap up at 5pm...we had 6hrs to go...All because Sasha froze in front of the camera and could not get the facial expressions right..oh and the cute baby who kept crying for mama every sec.......we should have gotten a doll!She was a darling though...
But for the lovely bday surprise in the middle of a take...that was fantastic..I hate surprises as I do not know how to react......later in the nite found myself at Bacchus and then Sohos......Sohos does not really work for me......that Lagos flight leaves at 730am so had to be at airport 5:30am......No sleep and after my mad dash to the airport.....flight was delayed by 2hrs!I mean KQ pls.....can we ever leave on time?You shoulda seen me trying to keep awake at Java Gate 14.......torture...and so we arrive at Murtala Muhammad!And 2 Triple 7`s had arrived at the same time with KQ 532........the chaos at immigration was a mess..I spent 2hrs waiting in line to get through immigration...and thereafter...Luggage had still not appeared.....God help me!I`m soooo sleepy and tired by now..oh and irritated..........ok ok...BTW it is raining cats and dogs....so I go outside looking for my driver once I have my luggage...Lo and behold,,nowhere to be found..I try all his numbers and nothing!30min later.....I get him..he has been arrested at the car park for illegal parking...what!!!!!!!!!!!Is this the way you turn 33......Nigeria frustration never stops..I did end up getting home at 4pm in time for my second bday party but at the back of my head I kept thinking of when the Naija pain will ever stop.........lemmie try and catch up with lost sleep...

HAPPY VOTING

So at the LaCasa cigar bar at Murtala Muhammad Airport....nice....sipping on a double JWB on the rocks.....blogging...on my way home..home sweet home.....and praying for no wahala..Im not getting away from Lagos chaos to jump into Nairobi chaos....happy voting to all!
I tell you it has been a fantastic break with only SMgrs at work..running things on our own and some free weekends to pass time on much needed RnR...
Ok one more peculiar habit that I have to repeat...this thing of guys pissing everywhere is too much!too much now!chineke!.....they de piss in front of de market......buses..streets.....posh buildings..their own vehicles.....and no hiding nothing!.and I have to not look out of my windows as my driver manouvres de Honda through traffic.......I think it is ridiculous and absolutely shameless!Guys pls keep the snakes to yourself!
Dare I say I had a great weekend.?met new friends blah blah blah at the Auto Lounge Footprint Party?Cooooooooool!!!!!and then a polite Sat night at Dean`s house....Nice family he`s got.....And for de first time drove myself at night on Adeola Odeku Street..right by Eko Hotel and then into that ZENITH Rd......Ade Jose something...I`m still learning the ropes on the roads.....pretty soon will be ok....