23/08/2018 was an event!

You know the expression “when a door closes, a window opens”? Not sure if I’ve got that right as I’ve heard many a variation in my time including the order of that, ceilings, walls, etc. etc. as its its own Wonkavator. Either way it meant at 7:30pm though only in its infancy much like anything ever in this world any idea has to start somewhere and so it means the initial reaction from the planning committee was one of downplaying things. The plan for the night is amazing and I’d been a fan of the film Babe ever since I was young an it most definitely struck a chord with me as isn’t that all film is in the 21st century? Well it was always the case for me as it was a form of escapism and familiarity at the same time for the subject of a “sheep pig” was very much a “fish out of water” and isn’t that always how I felt? Some level of symbology there to say the least, but then in my life I’m learning that’s everybody ever and so I can’t be too “I walk alone” as it’s only in witnessing new things and new experiences and generally going about things differently I’m not all that alone. I saw an amazing video series by one Simon Miller from Whatculture fame as I seriously have diversified what even interests me nowadays and in taking a step back from “life” I’ve revisited professional wrestling (people come and go, but sport is constant. Only the pieces change, the game stays the same). Either way the symbology, metaphors, and simile was just amazing in such a thing as Babe and I’ll love it just for that. I googled and James Cromwell is still going at 78 years old and for that “mancrush“, he was a big part of my admiration of the film The Green Mile as well as The Longest Yard, as well as I, Robot, that man is an institution and only in writing this entry I found out that he was born in Los Angeles but raised in Manhattan as only these entries and film does for me.

Either way the next film is Inside Out and I love that film immensely as here I’am with the dvd and I may just have to watch it again some time soon, it should be on the National Curriculum its that good and oh so meaningful.

WWE 2K20 idea!

Thought floating around in my head is Kevin Owens as the cover of WWE 2K20 when it comes out in October 2019, either design it as “WWE 2K₂O” (with the heel tag-line of “Because Kevin Owens is your life source” – Could even touch onto something else I have in my head, try me Vince I’m a fountain of ideas with this) or as “WWE 2KO“, there’s a million more ideas with that and just generally floating about in my head. Vince McMahon and the WWE just has to sign me up and it’s that simple as yes, the idea of marketing and selling items is a straight-forward one for me but in this topsy-turvy world and in my ways opinions and thoughts can only get you so far and it’s THE NEXT STEP that’s a doozy. Mental and medical issues are real and it’s very fulfilling that we’re currently living in a time and in a world where people genuinely do everything in their power to learn more and more about these issues that we once thought we suffered alone and in silence.

Whenever Vince McMahon wants to issue a free copy of WWE 2K20 when it comes out I’ll be more than happy, thank you <insert CM Punk barrier/Kevin Owens cage exit kiss here>

Under The Hood

The expression I keep using is “The car might look fine, but you need to check under the hood”, I mean it because I said it *giggles to himself* Unfortunately its everything else that life seems to throw in my face for simply looking at people and things like I used to is all so surreal for me. Each time I find myself thinking “I’m out of the woods”, then I’m pulled back in and not like I’m important or “the be all end all” of the world but yeah, I saw an amazing quote by Kevin Love of Cleveland Cavaliers fame, not as much fame as Kyrie Irving or Lebron James, but there is some remnants of fame in the man.

Amen Mr Love… Amen, and with such a surname my level of appreciation and man-crush for the man has grown exponentially. Do I appreciate him as much as I do Kyrie Irving, maybe not as to play for “my” Boston Celtics is the only way to go. But besides that little discrepancy that man is epic winning in my book and will forever be a winner (omitting the Celtics or the Orlando Magic, take those teams out of the equation and he’s my favourite player). Well this entry is more musings and more thoughts as we all know I get enough of them and my head just wants to explode sometimes.

Well this was a special deal, and it showed

Unless you live on Mars or under a rock OR under a rock on Mars, you must know by now that Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington took his own life on the 20th July 2017, found by his housekeeper in his California home as a result of hanging. Ironically on former Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog lead singer Chris Cornell’s birthday but he was another celebrity that took his life only 2 months earlier, this begs a serious question are the two linked somehow but that is neither here nor there and I just don’t know what to make of this one bit. I’m not even going to sugarcoat things as I’m so angry and so annoyed at the situation as I know humanity has been around long before I was born and will be there long after I’m dead *touch wood* but the only way I can say it is that it’s 11th August 2017 where I find myself in the Hounslow branch of Starbucks, I’ve never felt so heartbroken by a “celebrity death” and nothing has come close since maybe Princess Diana but I think I was too young in 1997. To think I was an 11 year old boy when that happened in that Parisian tunnel, but this suicide hit me as a 31 year old man as this is when I admit a thing scarcely mentioned, in fact even thought about… *deep breath* as I’m not the rock pillar you see today *sarcasm detected* but yeah… Linkin Park and Chester Bennington’s voice in particular got me through many a dark day and night as he knew just what to say. I doubt I’m special in this regard as yes not just mental health but teenage angst is oft “problematic”.

This means all the rubbish I’ve had to go through and all the drama and strife that goes through one’s mind when I was at a cricket match when an acquaintance mentioned it to me. A bit male banter, a bit “I don’t want to believe it” but I simply retorted “thanks for ruining my day”, even Middlesex winning a T20 match against Kent couldn’t soften the blow and to be honest it took another day or two before I genuinely took it in and believed it. I say a day or two but that cricket match was on 20th July 2017, to think I heard about The Garage doing a fundraiser for Mind as we’re in an age of time when these things can’t be hushed anymore but at the same time just to know that if people are willing to talk, people are willing to listen. So that night in London was well and truly out of my remit but then to be honest what a stone cold, amazing cause and it was just the tonic I needed to allure me out of my shell.

There’s something unique and rather niche about those into rock music, into alternative, indie, you name it as whatever it is in particular the style of music just breeds a certain following that means even in lining up to get in everybody was super nice and super helpful. The kind of situation that means I haven’t lost all hope in humanity but it is well and truly on life-support as I just can’t smile like I used to and it’s times I think back to Shawn Michaels when he gave up his World Championship back in February 1997. Either way this was how I saw everything I had lost somewhat and just taking some time out just to find myself and it was in Chester’s death that it was that jolt NEEDED to re-introduce myself with the “real world”, can’t feel sorry for myself all day I suppose and so yes Chester Bennington’s death is a sad one and it clearly can’t be forgotten, but maybe it’s “too soon” but I do honestly try to find the good in ANY situation and in this death I challenged myself and though I can only speak for myself I just pray that this death wasn’t in vain and it touched another human being as the night was a raging success and I read that it raised upwards of £4000 for MIND as well as has spun off plans for another night in Brighton that’ll hopefully raise even higher so dare I say it but “you’ve gotta crack some eggs, to make an omelette”.

One word: AWARENESS!

 

A long time comin’… What’s brought me back?

This is one of those horrible moments when you look in the mirror and realise an inconvenient truth. The world doesn’t have your heart or your beliefs, hope and trust, instead it can kind of exploit and make you feel small if you let it. Well there’s two ways of going about this as either one way is:

a) Those saying “You have my curiosity, but now you have my attention“.
b) Those saying “duh” well then go away.

In all honesty lets get to it as I made plans to meet up with a friend in Euston and it all got a bit surreal as some people are just so used to their own world and their own surroundings as it was all just a bit too much as on the way to the train station I had to get on a bus and it was a real surprise when just standing in that bay I stood next to a guy and maybe it was because I may have mumbled a sorry if standing in the way of the guy but the guy reacted by trying to push me over. I’m a lover not a fighter but I genuinely felt like the guy didn’t know about the journey I’d so I politely showed him and gave him the nice line “have a nice day”… I thank Mick Foley for that one.

When I finally got to the tube station I made myself up the stairs and with a luggage bag somebody asks if I needed a hand. Well at least the kindness of strangers was alive and well. There are certain beliefs that I have always implemented and one is do good things and good things will in essence happen to you, its tougher to live by as each day goes by but I do still believe it.

I’m baaaaaaaaaaaack!

I never explored it until recently. I like having a “backup” country 😉

As much as I went to Nigeria to visit faaaaaaaaaamily, I simply can’t travel 3110 miles every day. I have to record videos and take pictures as there’s something about family-ties. They push you, they hold you back, there’s just always more to them than what first appear. The ultimate transformers, robots in disguise? Well I’m back as a visit was a visit, due back in Xmas. Dual Nationality is kinda sexy *bad joke*, fun all the same. I never flaunted my dual nationality until lately but I don’t know. Unless an ethnic minority, I just don’t know if people fully understand. I’m as passive as they come. Maybe a bit too passive but I refuse to ever play “the race card”, never been my thing. People that know me, know that. It’s a personal baggage people have. People just have to think positively and somewhat ignore the noise, a lot-a lot of noise. Trick is, you just have to be accessable for change. When I hear negative comments like “I’m too old” or “I’m too young”, or “I’m not the right race”. Unless told bluntly, do what I do… Ignore it and rise above it. You have to. All noise. Coming to this conclusion has taken a while.

Got a great read on a book my dad lent me called ‘The Magic Of Thinking BIG‘. It’s the kind of book that merely soothes the metaphorical edges of my life, also I may just learn an extra thing or two along the way. Any Nigerian that has been to Nigeria, dual national or not will know just how though it’s a different speed, I’m happy all the same that I’m a man of dual nationality, Got a great picture for inspiration, can’t fly 3110 miles each day I’m afraid. Well typing all the same and I’ll be honest, it’s far too good as it says thinking like that is clearly bad. I accept that, I believe that. It was a nice study room read all the same, read a book on Sports Journalism as well. I read Scott Pilgrim vs. The World as well. Loved the film. It didn’t make my list but it was epic. Either way that whole concept sat with me SO WELL and I think if people haven’t already seen it, do so. Either way I may just watch it tonight. Well now I’m thinking I seriously need to look toward certain things, it’s hard as I dwell and that sucks. Something about this house, I feel really logey. Taught a friend about that with the definition “the opposite feeling reading a book gives you”.

Well now looking forward to a creative writing course at RAAC which starts next month, otherwise fix my tablet (so many blogs on that thing), well can’t stop until I’m dead, even being a stroke survivor. A great BBC Three documentary aired recently about one brain injury survivor from a skiing trip, insightful.

… Now What?

This is my past time, I honestly love blogging more than I love most hobbies in my life. It’s the most capable thing left I can do as I’ve recently had quite a rollercoaster time of it. But it’s been beyond character-building and I’ve met some great people along the way and even had some new experiences as a result. This means I’ve had to adjust as though I thoroughly believe in the current climate it’s easy just to give up, now more than ever. But its simply not an option, “get rich or die trying” per sé, well call this “Custer’s Last Stand” as I’m not licked yet. I find myself talking with my family so much more than I used to, my mum’s swell but lets be honest, the dynamic of this house and this family is a cray one, but it’s all very “damned if you do, damned if you don’t”. This means starting to embrace my parents and my ethnic origins a lot-a lot more. I know family is important but it’s only when something like this happens, do you realise just how important. I’m watched football with my dad, Swansea vs Manchester City, then it was Manchester United vs. Arsenal. I’m honestly not a big football fan for I prefer American Football as we all know but it’s all just a pause on life. I’ve never been a die hard, I’ve a life and I’ve had to realise that football is a nice getaway, but its simply not my life, doesn’t pay the bills.

Typical timetable

I tried college again after all of this; the blogs, the enrolling, the course, I loved it all. Unfortunately it all became very real but what can I say. I want to try another bite of the cherry. The support I thought I had has been somewhat flaky so I’ve had to find a new path to my vision. I can be a bit vague and a bit cryptic so I expect people to be a bit more “why?”, “how come?”, but they don’t and so assumption is just too nutty. I believe in “treat people the same way you want to be treated”, but some people just don’t have it in them, the world can be a bit harsh and cut-throat but I don’t know. Real friends can understand surely? Well “my bad”, I think Shrek had a great quote. Great metaphor. How can’t people understand that? That whole “what you see is what you get” isn’t me. I’d prefer a question or two for odds are it’s a GRAVE mistake and overreaction. But we don’t know if we don’t ask. Either way the psychosis of Alexander Adetokunbo Adeboye III Esq (the III Esq is a bad long-running joke, I wish they stood in my name though). Either way got informed of a Richmond AID “job club“, that’s a nice plan for a Tuesday. I like writing as my blogs show, its simply direction and passion that can fluctuate but I’ve had a bit to sportingly write about now. The fact England’s “Lionesses” are doing well and dumped out the host country… I can’t complain. And “my girl” Kadeisha Buchanan featured in the 2-1 England win, how that hair means she is typically “winning” in my books. Also best. site. EVER!

Am I a “Reverse Snob”?

Big deal! Big help. They want to start an app, that’s all anyone could aim for!

I find myself currently on a 131 bus journey on my way back home from St George’s Hospital in Tooting. It’s been educational. A 2pm appointment with Bridges: Stroke Self-Management means I’m IMMENSELY happy to help in any way I personally can, but it’s silly just how much of a labyrinth the hospital was for me. I arrived at 1:30, but ended up 5 minutes late… WTF?!?!?!?? Long story short, I ended up leaving Lucinda happy with myself, offering my services, happy how much progress I’ve made, happy with the booklet they gave me, it meant I could read on other survivors stories. Happy for each and every survivor. I’m not the first and I’m most definitely not the last. I spotted one or two familiar faces in it.

If I had that booklet afterwards, it’d only have helped further. A great booklet, they want to put it into an app or something. Well now at the 111 stop, waiting for said bus ride home. That’ll do. Hopefully I’ll return home to a Packers onesie, or mansie or whatever the hell it’s called. Johnny Manziel‘s first start this weekend… Eventful!

Oh yeah, the reason for this blog… “reverse snob”. I was offered a taxi ride from the hospital. I preferred the bus ride. May be longer, may be louder, but I dunno. Am I that stuck in my ways? I reject the high life, until I move, I don’t know. I’m forever grounded!

This was a mammoth weekend

It’s been a long time coming with a bunch of trials and tribulations but it’s definitely a meaningful one. It’s quite a fact, “people can be their own worst enemy” sometimes. Maybe it’s because I’ve been so wrapped up with how I appear that I haven’t focused fully, only some 50% maybe? Well I went to the London College of Communication in Elephant & Castle open day on Saturday and where I’am in my life it definitely opened my eyes. Also I had an eye “squint surgery” on Tuesday, so that eye opener delivered a certain irony. All the same I really appreciated the journey as they produced a swag of goodies, I learnt what it takes to get into the Sports Journalism course and just how the entire experience will only help me grow as an individual.

Lets not forget the scientific calculators! A friend’s girlfriend has the exact same calculator. I didn’t steal it! I’ve had it for over a year now!

Well I keep saying thanks to H2H for installing the confidence needed in life, it was rocky for a while but it’s a certain degree of “Keep Calm and Carry On”. I may have already blogged about that one, either way I’ve seen just how Sports Journalism is the end goal, but man this Media course is the process. I said it in class, “there are pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses”.

Everyone on the course has already displayed those strengths and weaknesses. I don’t want to singleout any one individual, but the fact is I can see without a shadow of a doubt how it may not be easy, or all that fun all of the time, but there are people there that make it a bit more bearable. I’ve seen some great Instagrams of college work, coupled with Snapchats of a funny nature as well. All in all, those strengths and weaknesses. I always look forward of those Journalism classes – I wonder why – But after going to LCC, I see the goal now, and God-willing I hope to get there.