Ultimate Ramblings 1: In Relative Terms

It is said that good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. The law of karma says what comes around goes around or the bad you do will come back to haunt you (thoroughly paraphrased). Medically, they say an unripe fruit may contain the necessary acids for digestion. So, an unripe orange may be a better laxative than a ripe one and an unripe mango stands a lesser chance of increasing the frequency of toilet visits while a ripe one might induce such. Also, you cannot know how much strength you have until tested, neither can you know your capacity for pain unless your endure some. Can we say there is an antonym without a word? Therefore, there is no wealth without poverty and no love without hate. Only the state of a “status” describes the alternative.

Trip to BENtv and OHtv

Finally, excursion to Media companies, Bright Entertainment Network (BENtv) and Open Heavens Television (OHtv) was executed. This is the first phase of my project for this semester and it went WELL! as soon as I sat in the coach to return to Birmingham I felt like screaming “It’s done”, I didn’t though.

It didn’t happen without its hurdles. First of all I got a text from one of the 10 people to take off from here saying she was ill and couldn’t make it. I replied that that was fine and she should recover soon as I wondered how I would be able to afford the group ticket now 1 person short. I gave everyone their tickets and we were off to London. I suddenly realised I could ask 1 of the 2 people who were to meet us in Tottenham hale to come to Euston instead to make up our number. Ultimately it was good for him because he lives 5minutes from Euston station in London. Have I mentioned the stress in booking tickets and arranging travel?

Euston station was not without its drama as one of us thought his ticket was a return ticket and kept arguing with the operators to return his ticket so he can return with it. Ignorant of what was causing the delay we waited an extra 10minutes for him to realise his mistake and meet us. Next, the Victoria line had a delay and we were 45minutes late for our first appointment and an hour late for the second appointment. The most frustrating part for me was communicating my haste to the others, only 3 people knew how bad it looked to be late to an appointment and that was a lesson we all learned (for some of us over again).

BEN Tv was great. We met and had a chat with the owner, Alistair Shoyode and the Manager of the company, Emerson Braithwaite. They have 8 channels and broadcast on behalf of NTA and AIT. Alistair said a few things that stayed with me; "success is measured by the impact the station has made in representing Nigeria, Africa, the Caribbeans and the world", "long term is me being able to take care of the people I am responsible for" We got to do a simple talk show with him as well.

OHtv was fun as well as we acted like cast and crew for a show. we also had a long chat with Akin Salami, the CEO and boy was it intriguing and challenging. He told us of their new app, OH box which has 600 chanels for iPad and iPhones which also comes as a decoder and can be carry on trips as it is on IP. Also, they are very business minded here as they constantly look for ventures to manage, campaigns to push. placements to make and in all find the right balance. I found out that they were behind the award winning Nigerian Movie, "Mirror Boy". It was a fascinating experience and I once again felt encouraged about my choice of industry and plans for my future in production (coming soon)

Much appreciation to the lovely award winning presenter, Lola Ogunbadejo for being our contact person to OHtv (watch Afrika Rising)

In all it went well, we met new people and had a great time learning, interacting and getting new contacts. It is great to see what strides Nigerians are making in the UK. Thumbs up!!!

Phlegm

I hate phlegm!

It’s not only disgusting in itself but the sound it makes trying to find its way up the walls of the throat is completely nauseating. Firstly, I can’t seem to be able to get it out of my throat whenever it manages to get all wobbly in there. I’ve heard people clear their throats or cough in order to free themselves from the clingy-ness of it but all I can do is watch. I’ve tried to copy the actions or sounds made by people around me just to get it out of its lodgings but it just wouldn’t budge from my own throat. I’ve seen people throw their heads backwards and make the weirdest sounds ever and spit it out or just grunt and there it goes. I can practically hear it grudging dislodging itself part by part from the throat walls and roll into a ball that finally comes out through the mouth with the force created by the sound made by the individual (exasperating I know). I have tried it all; coughing, clearing my throat, bending over, leaning backwards, jumping, drinking water in large gulps, swallowing food to push it down, sticking my hand in my throat, wishing it away, and trying to forget its presence… all to no effect. Phlegm just won’t come out of my throat. Fortunately, I hardly have it stuck in there but when it does I’m restless and distracted. It’s like watching a dog try to remove a tick from the base of its back. You’ll hear whimpering and sheer agony.

A DAY AT THE HOSPITAL

I've always admired doctors but hated hospitals because it remains me of helplessness and pain. I know on the other hand it’s a place of hope and the ideal place to get treated for diseases as opposed to the other options (you know what I mean).

I've had to spend time at a hospital in the last few months and it has intensified my distaste for the place, and I must repeat not the health workers! Fortunately it is a really good hospital I was visiting this time around. The floors are really clean and the restrooms surprisingly fresh smelling, you can imagine that my olfactometer was at full blast. The doctors are cordial and most of the nurses are bordering on sweet but a few have obviously missed their callings. For the first time in my experience (which is really nothing to be reckoned with) the AC’s are

Dancing My Legit Edge

A good friend of mine celebrated his birthday yesterday. (of course, “yesterday in this article only means the day before I wrote it and not the day before you read it) it was really cool for a come-chop-and-dance-if-you-know-how-to-or-not event. My friends and I got there on time and realised a number of people had been there a while longer. We got right down to the food because when it comes to birthdays people think of 2 things; food and hangout! As expected, there were many, “long time no see”, “where have you been?”, “na wa for you oh” and “guess we’ll see at the next party”.