All talk and no action?

The week starts and i am aprehensive. I can only hope it is better than my last. In the news, i can only wonder if this is policy or outright laziness. Also, consider this in light of Soludo's declaration of the unemployablity of the Nigerian graduate!

Back from London town....

So london was great...as can only be expected. I saw the phantom of the Opera which lived up to its glorious reviews. It is interesting to note that it has run uninterrupted since 1986 and still sells to a sellout audience every night. One can see why, considering the incredible vocals and impressive stage craft. The scene stealer for me was Wendy Jackson who plays Carlotta, you can read more about her impressive CV here...
And so my friend goes to get drinks whilst i observe all that goes on around me during the intermission. The place is full of couples all similar in their outlook, youngish, smart casual, whispering sweet nothings as the women clutch roses. It suddenly occurs to me that its valentine's (all this happened on thurs the 14th) and i almost kick myself for forgetting. I laugh at the idea of what my friend and i must look like to other people and promptly mention this to him when he arrives to which the cheeky bugger replies "well they'd only think you've done well for yourself".. it doesn't help that i accidently spill a bottle of pop on the lady sitting in front of me. I suspect my profuse apologies doesn't go down to well with her but i am just happy her 6foot 2 rugby player looking partner doesn't seem to mind...notin dey happen....

I've had a difficult week up until wednesday when i went to London. I was under achieving in my targets, my grades were not the best and i'd recieved a severe bollocking from my dissertation supervisor for what he describes as my lackluster work. It doesn't help that i also recieve a rejection letter for a job i'd applied for at the start of the year. I question myself on my abilities, am i as clever as people say i am? what is wrong with me? why can't i achieve consistently? Insecurities abound as i ask these questions but i am determined to overcome them....

I stayed in a beautiful part of London not far from St John's wood which i fell in love with. The lovely clean streets and large georgian style houses captured my heart and attention but it was the quaint village square that really did it for me. Downside? My host recounted a story of a friend of his who once came visiting, and on finding he wasn't home decided to wait for him on the steps of his house. Soon enough, the police came calling to see why a black man was loitering....

I got the guardian's bulky friday edition to keep myself occupied on the last train out of paddington and to my delight, discovered a review to the talented Asa's debut album here. Whilst i was dissapointed at the overall rating of three stars (i disagree as i would give it four), i could't help but agree with the reviewer's verdict on the producers input on strings and electronics which i think drowned out a lot of the beauty of asa's raw talent. However, for a debut album i think she has done incredibly well. Listen to bits of it here.

Not back to blogging....

I'm just really clogged with ideas. So much is going on or has gone on and there never seems enough time to rant on to someone about it, dare i say it is safe enough to resume blogging? Or at least think it? Let them not say i didn't try.....

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A lot has happened since i last blogged which i will not go into but how can one not reflect on the excellent weather of the weekend just gone past? Sunny skies and calm cool tempratures make weekends what they should be. It also turned out that Wales played Scotland in my back yard (i live right next to the millenium stadium in cardiff) and found myself in the thick of things. Of course Wales won which suggests either a winning streak to come or extended luck to the detriment of all. On the subject of the thickness of things, it never ceases to amaze me how confident the butchest men can be wearing skirts...pardon me, kilts whilst swigging beer and squeezing their man boobs. Perhaps one has to be scottish to understand these things....

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Britain on the other hand is going through another winging storm but then again, one has to ask, does the winging ever end. Now it is about taxing non-dom's and most loudly, an angry reaction to the speech give by Archbishop Dr Rowan Williams on sharia law in the UK. Arguments on what the man actually said asides, perhaps the British media in the rare moment of reflection will perhaps see how biased it can be, bearing in mind the lack of objectivity in its coverage of the issue. I laughed out loud as the Beeb reported on the topic, showing background images of women in Burkas on the streets of birmingham, floggings in Kano and shootings in Afghanistan....i wonder if there was a subtext to those images....

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Talking about Kano and by extension Nigeria, George Soros has expressed interest in the Niger Delta. One cannot but ask why however foolish this may sound. Of what impact will economic advice do in the delta? or in the words of the locals, wetin concine crayfish and angle ninety?

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Not necessarily based on issues like the above but i decided to stay on in the UK for a few more years before moving back to Naija and so the job hunt has begun in earnest. I'll admit, it is very difficult considering one has to combine the strain of uni work as well as paid work but the benefits of an organised system of this nature where the job is confirmed before you graduate is brilliant. Works for everyone. Employers can plan a workforce, graduates are guaranteed a place and so make use of their last free summer whilst the economy as a whole benefits because there is no lost time for a potential contributor to the work force. Perhaps the NYSC people are listening. Still, the immigrant (abi?) it must be pointed out has a vastly different experience in such matters. Actually, the immigrant has a vastly different experience in pretty much every issue, wonder what will happen to this poor sod....

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Sean had a fortnum and Mason hamper delivered recently with the best hams, cheeses and salmon. Went simmingly with the 30 year old port that came with it. Reminds me of a post i read recently on Naijablog on class and difference in Nigeria. Whilst i have definite opinions on that, it is very clear however, that class and difference is very evident in British society from the schools you go to, the newspapers you read to where you get your hampers from.....

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And more subtle references on the salubrious leanings of a student, i am off to London this week and it should be one of drinks, good food and theatre as i have gotten seats for the phantom of the opera. Only thing is my main business in London is a visit to the Nigerian High commision. An awful start or a beautiful finish? I shll know when i get back!!!