I WILL BE BACk

........VERY SOON!

JUST FOR TODAY

Today hasnt been a great. Stress at Work..and then coming home to some not so great news..and then this song came on my MP3 player..talk about perfect timing! I Thought I'd Share.

JUST FOR TODAY -- INDIA ARIEJust for today
I will not worry what tomorrow will bring
No-o.
I’m gonna try something new
Gonna walk through this day
Like I’ve got nothing to prove
Yeah-ee (yeah)
Although (yeah) ive got the best intentions (yeah)
cant predict anyones reaction (yeah)
So I’ll just do my best (yeah)
Ill put (yeah) one foot in front of the other (yeah)
Keep on moving forward (yeah)
Have faith in the rest (hey)

I don’t know what’s gonna happen
That’s alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery
I don’t know what’s gonna happen
That’s alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery

Just for today- I’m telling the truth like its going out of style (yeah)
Gonna swallow my pride
Gonna be who am I and I don’t care who don’t like it (yeah)
I feel (yeah)

Feel (yeah) that I’ll do it anyway (yeah)
Wont let it stand in the way (yeah)
I know what I must do (yeah) yeah
There’s no (yeah) guarantee that it’ll be easy (yeah)
But I know that it’ll beat the feeling (yeah)
Its time for me to show improve (yeah) yeah yeah
It’s okay not to know
Exploration is how we grow
It’s ok to not have the answer
Coz sometimes
It’s the question that matters … yeah

I don’t know what’s gonna happen
That’s alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery
I don’t know what’s gonna happen
That’s alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery.

SA

Thirteen is my Fave Number! YAY I'm 22 in a few...

Hey Blogsville!

Sorry I have been MIA..this GMAT studying has been kicking my butt but I'll be done in less than two weeks so that great! Anyways..tomorrow (Thursday) marks by 22nd Birthday..hehe. I'm celebrating all month long , but I'll let you know how the celebration goes! Na lie o..I;m just looking for an excuse to get cute outfits. Any September people/Virgo's in the house make some noise!!

I'm thankful for my life and all that I have accomplished. I still have a long way to go and there's so much more to experience but I have some things I really want between now and my next Birthday and one of them is to be in Beijing for the Olympics next year..even if its for a minute..hehe. Ok I have 'deeper' aspirations but I can put it all here now..shey you get?

This is a short one because I have to wake up early for work and I just wanted to put a little something on here. By the way, I miss my daddy but its ok..he'll call me within the next few hours. For real my dad comes up with some random stuff o! I remember growing up and he would go to one of those weeklong Nigerian Engineers' Conferences only to come home to re-tell(is this a word?) the jokes the funniest comedians told! We would all gather ready to listen to the hottest jokes the man brought back.

Until the last couple of year my dad's travel outside Naija had been limited to Europe and those trips gann are very very limited. SO now papa SA was on a connecting flight from somewhere in Europe to Midwest USA. Shey you know how long those flights are. NA so my papa come begin dey wonder..."Na So America Far?" Seven hours pass dem neva land..na so my papa call Hostess say "Are we there yet?" lol..the woman say no...RELAX SIR. About 30 minutes later..papa come ask again "We dey move at all" buhahahahahahaha. For real I cant believe my dad did that sha o. I was like daddy why now? I dont think he finds it funny that America is 'so far.'

Ok...I'm done putting my dear Pa on full blast. Have a good one!

10 Million Giveaway...KIVA!

LOL, no one is trying to give you $10 million so get that thought outta your mind! I have been learning about microfinance and how some foundations give loan to woman and budding businesses/entrepreneurs in developing country to help them become self sufficient.

KIVA is a lending organizations that allows regular people like you and I to become financers. All you have to do is log on, look through the profile of these entrepreneur and you can decide on who will receive your $$ and how much you choose to give. When a loan is paid back, the lender can choose to lend the money to another entrepreneur. KIVA loans require no collateral and are zero interest.

KIVA is run by Matt Flannery, Jessica Flannery, and Premal Shah. For more information, go to KIVA's website here and see what people are doing..and maybe you can decide to be a loaner. $25 will go a long way people!

SA

Angelique Kidjo - Gimme Shelter (feat. Joss Stone)

I dont know if this is stale or not but I saw this video on yahoo today and I think its HOT! I love what Kidjo and Joss are doing!
I dont know if I heard 'orobokibobo" or not o..i could have been dreaming.
The song 'Gimme Shelter' is by rock and roll band Rolling Stones.

The lyrics of the song speak of seeking shelter from a coming storm, painting a picture of devastation and social apocalypse while also talking of the power of love:

“ Oh, a storm is threat'ning, My very life today; If I don't get some shelter, Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away ”
“ War, children, it's just a shot away, It's just a shot away; War, children, it's just a shot away, It's just a shot away ” (WIKIPEDIA)
Of course I love the remake with the drums and stuff...and I also love Joss Stone and Angelique Kidjo!

Click HERE for Kidjo's website. Apparently in her new album titled DJIN DJIN, she collaborates with stars such as: Alicia Keya, Carlos Santana, Stone, Josh Groban, Ziggy Marley, and a few other. In case you dont know, She is a UN Goodwill Ambassador! i just found out that she fluent in Yoruba, Fon, French, and English so that 'Orobokibobo' may have been for real o.

(In a Pasuma inspired voice) Ok now..keep on rocking!

How Do People Pronounce Your Name?

I was talking to one of my mom's colleagues over the weekend. They had come from naija for a conference or something of the sort. We got to talking about how non-Nigerians pronounce our names and how we react to it. Then she said something I wouldn't have thought of...She said that many Nigerians pronounce their names wrongly when introducing themselves to other people. You know how people funkify or fonerize names so they almost sound like something out of a dictionary. hehe..there's no way your long ass name is gonna sound like an English word so QUIT!
While some people do it to be 'cool' other say they do it to make their names easier to pronounce. Truth is...I don't see Michael calling himself "MAI_KEL" to make it easier for someone else to pronounce so why do we have to be the ones butchering our own names? Let me know your thoughts
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On to other things....I CANNOT LIVE IN HOUSTON O. Chai! I was there for 4 days or so and damn was it hot! I woulda thought I was in Yola or something if they didn't remind me. Ok, I just had to say that.
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I have a lot going on in my life and head that I am trying to clear up/figure out so I may not be as consistent with my posts.

Hope all is well
SA

Would You Write A Letter?

At my job, I work by this lady/woman called Theresa and she honestly freaks out about everything. She is very emotional and takes everything to heart. She's a real sweetheart though. lol..she gives me candy all the time.Theresa told me something that cracked me up big time today..but she also got me thinking a little bit too sha.

Apparently, Theresa hadnt been on an airplane till November 2005 and she was 45! Yes, she is a typical small town woman scared of doing big things like..flying. So, in preparation for her flight to Nevada, she started freaking out like 3 months in advance.LOL! She told 3 different people at work to take care of her son/ talk to him should anything happen to her and hubby. She loves her son to death no be joke o.

She didnt stop at that o...She wrote a long letter and sealed it in an envelope addressed to her son. She also took out a notebook and took note of all the assets, loans, bank accounts, bills and everything to date...just so he would be able to keep track of everything.

Now I dont know what you think but she made my day with that story. I couldnt stop laughing for a good minute o. It's just a plane ride madam! On the other hand, I guess it makes sense to have a letter for your loved ones in any case..not just when you're flying to Nevada. Anything can happen at anytime.

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PURPLE HIBISCUS
Boo and I went into Barnes & Noble on Saturday and I just decided to look for Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie. I bought the book and I could not put it down! I finished it Sunday night. Lets just say my studying and eating and everything else did not matter. This book is a must read. GRAB A COPY NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Now THAT was FUN!

It rained long and hard here tonight..and guess what I did with the roomies? I played in the rain. We put on our swim suits and ran out. It was soo much fun and it brought back memories. Ohh to be 8 years old and naked in the rain again!
Gosh I can't believe how happy I am! God please send more raaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiinnnn.

Life's Changes & Uncharted Maps

A lot has changed in the past 2 months since I graduated and some of my closest friends have moved far far away and its beginning to sink in...my life as i have known in over the past 4 years is about to change. I expect to move within the next month to a destination that's unknown to me right now. Thats life, right?
My main crew has totally dissolved o, I just realized that I dont remember EVER going out to the bars/clubs in this town without one of my former roomates. She was ALWAYS up for a good time! ALWAYS. I am so gonna miss the way we HYPE up the parties. Everyone knows, once we're there, its a wrap! I wonder how in the world I am going to keep up with the lastest moves and songs without you all. You ladies brought out the crazy/fun Sapphire that I always knew existed! lol. Ladies, I love you with all my heart and I wish you well. There's so much potential, so much for us to accomplish. You each have unique paths, different dreams that highlight your personalities.

The way I feel now is similar to how I felt when I went to back Naija in December and realized that so much of my life would never be the same again. I tried to explain it to my friends but I couldnt quite describe it. I still cant. The note below was written my a friend of mine but it totally explains it! No words needed!

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UNCHARTED MAPS



Uncharted maps were beginnings of endings and the picture of a journey.
The heavy paper shows the point of origin and the unpathed lands of another continent.
That unknown area, being the destination, is only an idea.
The paths found and the paths secretly followed and the deep occurrences of night are never charted.
The things made of lines and dots and keys on a map hold little significance except to be landmarks of different journeys.
We use cities and roads but as a reference point.

Memory remembers many uncharted things.
Half way between two roads may be a particular stream.
In this mess of streets is certain house.
On this curving set of highway was the car crash.
Between these wrinkles you met a particular person.
Driving through here we had this conversation.
On this corner was a coffee shop where the world passed us by.
There’s a hospital in this direction that held too many anxious moments.
This block use to be different and it’s where I grew up.
Here’s my church. Here’s my school. Here my childhood home.

Spin the map and show me where your heart is.
Bring it closer and show me the street you were on when everything changed.
Find the road; do you remember the sunrise? Find me the valley and show me the stars.

Show me where you are now. Show me where you wish you were. Is the distance so far? Put your fingers on the map and hold between them the distance.
They are but inches between your two fingers.
But I know that the soul measures distances not in miles and minutes but in tears and millions of thoughts; not in the days to travel but in days kept a part; and memory determines distance by what we are now compared to what we use to be.

These are our uncharted maps holding places that have been our destination with landmarks and crossroads impossible to mark and impossible to forget.

If I Hear "A-Bay-Bay" One More Time...

I swear I will screeeeaaammmmm! What is this new obsession that almost everyone seems to have developed over this song! Like OMG! STOP already! For those who dont know what I am talking about just do a YouTube search on a bay bay and you will hear Hurricane Chris loud and clear. Phew..I feel a lot better now that that's done with.

I am still very much in the job market o..so pls continue your prayers. If you feel like throw in a fast or two. Thank you jare. I'm not gonna lie I get worried sometimes but then I also know that God's time is the best. So until then , I will work hard at my summer job and study hard for the GMAT.

Blogville Idols has been fun so far. Great job contestants! I wonder if Mimi and Dscribe each get to sing three songs for the finale or not. O well..I guess we have to wait and see.

I know you wanna know how my studying is going...its going ok but I can do better. i have come up with a daily schedule leading up to the test and I am doing my best to follow through. For future GMAT takers, I am using Kaplan, OG11, Cracking the GMAT, Manhattan Sentence Correction and the two little verbal and quant books from GMAC.

I will be taking tests at least once a week to see how I progress. Currently I am well above average on Math but I have a lot of work to do on the verbal aspect. I have my work cut out for me if i want to score a 700 and above. I joined the beat the gmat forum and they have some pretty good tips on there sha.

Anyways, that's it for now. I am all alone at home since the roommates are off to Houston for the Nigerian Reunion. I know why o but I have never really being interested in going to one of those. Maybe its cos there's no one to reunite with really. Plus, the whole everyone trying to show off thing does not sound appealing to me.

I could be wrong though...Is anyone going to Houston? Have fun and come back and gist us.

Just When I Thought BlogVille Was Getting Boring....

...you all suprised me with Blogville Idol. Thank you very mush to the people in charge Pink-Satin and Opeke.Genius!! I would have loved to be a contestant o..thats why this my on and off blogging needs to stop. Anyhow sha..I will be there voting like a mad woman anyways. Which reminds me..I wasnt really impressed with the most recent American Idol o. I did not feel the competition as I have in the past. Is it just me? I remember the Fantasia days o..I just liked Fantasia's unique voice. I think it kinda sounds like she has sore throat when she was young but it didnt really go..but she can sing with it. Anyhow sha...I voted for her like 100 times. Is that cheating?
i have missed so much o..now its like everyone has the voice thingy..let me hold off a bit before I copy. Its ok it's ok you will get to listen to my voice soon.

So what do I do with myself these days? Lol...like you care.. hmm...I have a side job sha that I may blog about later. I'm at this job till I am able to find something I like/something in my field. Before I forget, Big thanks to Ms.May for the GMAT tips. The biggest goat in my village will be delivered to your door step after I take the exam. I know you will masssacre that exam o jare. Infact, after you massacre, I will come and chop it off and then we will both write a test prep book called KILLING THE GMAT..by US. Where will we now sell it o? CMS or Barnes and Noble?

I should be preparing for my job interview tomorrow but I dont really feel like it. I dont really want the job but I guess I should give it a try. First the guy called while I was sleeping and interviewed me for 30 minutes. I guess I must have done well because I got invited for a second interview.

Anyways, I cant wait to see what the contestants have in store for us on Idol. Pink-Satin, is there gonna be a recording for those that suck at singing. I mean, I am better than the Jennifer Hudsons and Celine Dions of the world..but I know some of these other people are wondering. lol

How have you been?
SA

I Graduated!

Yes o Ladies and Gentlemen, I graduated a little over a week ago and that was pweety cool. Well... mostly the graduation gifts. I kid I kid. Suprisingly I did not fall asleep. Shout out to fellow 2007 Graduate Cherub. I still senior you shaa since I graduated a week before you. All the best and keep studying for that MCAT o. As I was saying...I am thankful to God for seeing me through and to family and friends for making it eventful. I'm not gonna lie, College was fun, and now its like whats next?

I swear if one more person asks me that question I will go and jump in the Mississippi. No, I dont know what I am going to do. I dont have a job yet but I'm taking the GMAT at the end of June. Dont know if I will end up going to B-School in 2008 or 2009 but I might as well get it over with while my brain still knows what it is to study. So if you have taken the GMAT, please share your study skills or tips and help a sister out. I want to take it once and be done with it..abeg $250 is a fortune for a jobless recent grad.

On another note, there's nothing eventful going on in my life at the moment thats why I dont blog so often..but I have been spending my days catching up on blogs and job searching. What will I do without my Lappy? I think I should give her a name lol.

Thats all I have for now..I apologize for boring you. Yeah right! Have a good one.

Today...We're All HOKIES

Yesterday we were all stunned by the news of the horrible events at Virginia Tech and my heart goes out to the entire VT community. No one woke up in the morning thinking they would get shot by someone in class or in the dorms. It is amazing how people have come together to show support for VT, its family and friends. According to CNN 33 are confirmed dead and 29 injured. I just bawled my eyes out when I heard the report of the girl who was one of the few that survived in the German class.
I pray that God gives them the strength they need at this time.
We thank God that Life Of A Stranger is fine..but still pray for her and her colleagues.

I don't know if this is official...but on facebook today has been designated as a Day of Remembrance so, if you can pls rock your maroon and/or orange in honor of the dead, wounded, and grieving.

Day of Remembrance---------------------------
Today, April 17, wear maroon and orange ribbons or shirts to remember those victims of Virginia Tech. Please spread the word by joining and inviting your friends to join the groups below. We want VT to know that the world is thinking of them.


I'll end this with a prayer I found on facebook for VT:

May you see God's light on the path ahead
When the road you walk is dark.
May you always hear,
Even in your hour of sorrow,
The gentle singing of the lark.
When times are hard may hardness
Never turn your heart to stone,
May you always remember
when the shadows fall—
You do not walk alone

Hope you're having a good day!

SA

HAPPY EASTER YA'LL

Heeyyyyyyy,

I'm about to head to bed but I just wanted to put up a quick one wishing everyone a very Happy Easter. Did the Easter Bunny make it to ya zones? Have a good one..I have to be up for church in a couple hours!

SA

And You Thought I Disappeared

No matter how hard I try to be better at blogging...I just dont keep up! Whats with me? School is still kicking my a** big time...but the good thing is..I graduate in a month. Yipeee.

I have been so busy with school and other things I've been involved with. I dunno who sent me to do everything o. This past saturday was our International Dinner at school and as VP I was in the middle of everything. It turned out great...the best dinner put together over the past 4 years. I was looking A+++..hehe Cherub tell them how banging my outfit was! If only I could put up a pic...damn the tailor in naija was on point with my design o. By the way...I made Boo and outfit from Naija too and he wore it...he looked hella good!

So I had that interview with "The Accounting Firm" and I was feeling all good about it and stuff...In my head I had bonded with my interviewers.LOL. Only for me to get an email three days later saying I didnt get the job. BUMMER!!! I wanted that job badly and I kinda felt like I let myself down. I'm okay now...I'm done sulking over it. So for now I'm still looking for a job and stuff.

The latest thing for me now is Relay For Life. I have always wanted to do it but I never had the time so I'm doing it this time and its on the 21st of April. The procrastinator that I am...I formed by group a lil late and we just got started on our fundraising. So if you have any fundraising ideas....please let me know ASAP. As a team we want to raise between $1000 and $1500. We are at about $300.
Anyways...your ideas are welcome!

I'm sure there are tons of mistakes on here but I'm writing this in a hurry and I have a test in 2 hours so I gats to hit the books. Hope you all are doing great!

SA

Welcome to My Winter Wonderland

Across Campus!
I guess I should jump in a pile of snow......

This is what it looks like outside the library
Or maybe I should make my first snowman
Some evil people I call friends are trying to get me to go skiing
Hell..I've never been skiing
The city peeps dont know what to do with the snow

Ha...trying to make it to school but it sure aint looking good
They used trucks and all but we still have this much snow
And its still snowing out

NOW WHO WANTS TO GO BUILD A SNOWMAN WITH ME?

SHHEEZZZ...I'm Nervous!

Quick short post....I have an interview tomorrow morning at a "Big 4" accounting firm. No I am not prepared for it! Yes I have an exam today and classes till 9pm...then I'll start preparing. I'll let you know about it later sha...Have a good one...while I continue FREAKING OUT!
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UPDATE: Due to severe weather conditions I had to cancel my ainterview and will reschedule for sometime next week. Guess what that means? I get to freak out all weekend long....

FreeHugs

Catching My Breath.....

Yay...I'm ALIVE!!!!

Phew...I feel like I have been running for a month straight. My pipo how have you been? Thanks to those who were actually missing me (LOAS and VERA...n Xoxo)I got back from naija a week late...missed the first week of school...got in a car accident on the drive back to school...o the blessings of living in Minnesnowta..tres tres thankful to be alive! There's about 29 inches of snow outside my house and guess what? We expect 7-10 more inches this week! Hmm...m thinking about taking a picture of all the snow outside but I am too lazy to get up. Next time! I guess I should really think about snow activities. My bush self has REFUSED to sled, ski, or go ice skating. Wait o...I did go ice skating but I was on the floor like 99.99% of the time.

Ok so where do I start? I know you all want an update on broda and my sis but you will have to wait till my next post...I promise you wont have to wait till 2008..hehe
Naija was good..I did almost everything I wanted to do. I did get sick for a week...my skin kinda reacted to something in naija and its just getting its freshness again. Aha...let me tell you what happened to my sister on the streets of Lagos.

She was meeting up with her boyfriend and there was a lady preaching on the side. My sister was wearing a top with a lil cleavage...very little o. Next thing she approached my sis as started shouting...asking her to showe her brassiere. Apparently the woman was convinced she didn't have one one.She was wrong! She told her she would go to hell fire...you know all that jazz. my sister was shocked but I really wasn't when I heard. I really thing people are overly judgemental in Naija esp when it comes to issues like that.

So I have been looking for jobs since I graduate in May and hmm...the thing is not easy. You see I am one of those people that think that all I have to do is apply and I'll at least get interviews. Doesn't work that way o. So if you know of any companies hiring Accounting majors..let me know o.I do have internship experience in finance and my GPA is good enough(I hope). I would really like to start off with a Big 4 firm..but people have been telling me to apply to other places too.

Anyways, I will be back soon with the broda update! sit tight! Hope 2007 has been treating you well so far.