24 February 2007

The Number 23

I just got home from seeing this movie and I will not lie it did occur to me as I got home to grab my eyeliner and begin to 'calculate' my life on my living room wall but I would like to get as much of my deposit back with minimum effort on my part when I move out :)

Initially it seemed he wouldn't pull it off; his character was narrating, and his delivery of key lines made me laugh out loud. I find Jim's comedy a bit manic and as the movie progressed I was drawn in, the laughs got fewer and far between I saw less of Jim the pet detective and more of Jim the confused father and husband who had allowed his head to be filled with nonsense now walking the thin line between fact and fiction. The last like 20 mins had me on the edge of my seat. The end ... I don't know I had so fallen 'in love' with the character I was hoping for an 'Unfaithful' type conclusion but I loved the last frame it gave me the goose bumps. In all a refreshing if not suprising performance from Mr Carey

21 February 2007

House Cleaning

I find I am a little idle at work. Last week Wednesday I got an assignment which was supposed to take me two weeks to complete; I completed it in two days (Friday last week). I tried to look busy on Monday and I had to just give up and tell my supervisor I was done. We were supposed to have a show and tell with my other team members yesterday but a crisis on another project put that on the back burner the end result of all this is that I spent yesterday cleaning out/organising my hotmail inbox.

I started out with over 3000 emails in total in my inbox, over 700 of them unread. I managed to reduce the total number to a little over 1100 with unread mails narrowed down to 26 and I am not done cleaning. A lot of my unread emails were job search related; daily listings from Dice, Monster, and CareerBuilder. It was interesting to note that about half of the emails in my inbox were job search related; prior to my Houston job I had between 350 and 400 job search related emails, between that job and getting the offer for my current job I had another like 550 - 600 emails and after that offer till I actually started work another like 300. I wanted to try and make an estimate of how many copies of my resume I ended up sending out but Hotmail unlike Yahoo doesn't have that robust a search feature.

Of course I unearthed all sorts of gems; jokes, pictures of friends offsprings, 419 solicitations, and a sex manual sent to me by a friend who admonished me to study hard and practice only after I had a band of precious metal and couple of carats on the fourth finger (yes the thumb is a digit) of my left hand!

It was also interesting to see all (almost all) the people who have left comments on my blog (over 500 of them!) and of course the regularity of commentators (anonymous really should start his/her own blog!)

The Police Reunion Tour - Update

I was a bit dissappointed to find that when the initial tour dates were announced L.A. wasn't a stop, the closest stop was Las Vegas. I am in heaven this morning as I learn that they have added dates in Oakland and L.A! I am not sure if I will not still make the trip out to Toronto since I have never been, killing several birds with one stone. We'll see I guess it all depends on if I can get time off work.

Police add dates in Oakland, L.A. yahoo.com

20 February 2007

The Police Reunion Tour

I must be the happiest Police fan, I can't believe they are going on tour and I will not have to read about it, I can actually attend! I am so happy I am amazed I haven't passed out from sheer joy! Or that I still need to eat, I would have thought the adrenaline coursing through my veins would sustain me till July! Alas I will have to shed my extra pounds like everybody else - watch what I eat and exercise!!!

Each day brings more good news about the tour, I just got an email from gotickets.com informing me that new dates had been announced for Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver while new dates are expected for New York. Details for the London and Europe dates will also be announced soon. The best birthday present ever would have been to watch them perform in Fenway Park (Boston) but my friend (whom I have coerced into following me) says he is not budging from Toronto so Toronto it is either on the 22nd or 23rd of July. I am sooooooooooooo excited, I can hardly wait for July to come!

Russell Simmons Presents ... Def Poetry

I stumbled upon this show quite by accident on Saturday and really enjoyed watching it. I am shocked to see that it's in its 6th season, never heard of it. For fellow JJC's out there, the show is hosted by Mos Def and as the name implies is about poetry. If you watch Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam then you already know the format of the show. The first recital (The Industry) was from DMX who for some strange reason I happen to like. Then there was this guy who did 'Sexy'; a redefining (is that a word?) of what is perceived to be sexy; and this couple who did 'Six Million' as in 6 million ways to die they chose marriage; and a girl who did 'The Reasons I Love You' (she really cracked me up) and Jill Scott Sang her poem which I wasn't really feeling. My favorite performance of the evening was by a guy called Asia titled 'The Waiting Hour' about his bout with cancer and chemo. I really really liked it. Unfortunately HBO doesn't have clips on their site :(

If I am not mistaken ...

I just heard Jay-Z say 'Ejo' on the track 'Can't Hide From Luv' his collaboration with Mary J on her 'The Breakthrough' album. Is this something he picked up on his trip to Nija abi na me wey no dey observant as in e don dey talk am since?

Word Cloud

I saw this post on Ore's blog and quickly jumped on google and like 2 mins later found this site. I think my cloud pretty much sums up my present frame of mind although I suspect the webot that generates the cloud scans just the first page of your blog. I am presently contemplating having my cloud made up into a t-shirt.

17 February 2007

V-day Suprise

Its 8:20 am, I am getting ready to go to work. Phone? Check, Lunch? Check. I grab my keys and open the door; Thud! What was that? There is bag on the outside of my front door. I open it and its a box of chocolates from my neigbour across the ... across from me. How sweet. I met him when I had just moved in and was moving some borrowed furniture he was recruited by my super who was helping me and I learned he had been living in the building for like 20 yrs Wow!. I have no intention of eating the chocolates, but the gesture was sweet and I plan on preserving the memory (hence the post).

13 February 2007

Weekend Runs

Slept in on saturday as usual, woke up at like 11 am. I really had no plans for the weekend save for grocery shopping, a quick trip to Ikea to buy a TV stand I saw online and of course watching the Grammys. I had intially wanted to go see 'Notes on a Scandal' but I think that will have to wait till next weekend or perhaps Wednesday.

Grocery shopping was a breeze, I had taken some time off on Friday to organise my list according to the stores with the best deals for said items (I have learned the art of shopping with coupons and store sales papers). I then headed out to Ikea for the TV stand. Locating it on the display floor was easy enough, I jotted down its details on my shopping list and head off downstirs to pick it up. Apparently its a very popular model, that or the re-stocking people were slacking up. Anyways I had to wait almost an hr and half for them to bring out additional units from the warehouse. As I waited, I sent up a silent prayer for the good sense I had shown earlier by stopping at home and putting my perishables (fish, shrimp, chicken and veggies) in the fridge/freezer. Imagine what condition they would have been in after like 2 hrs in the suprisingly hot sun. Finally I pick up the stand, pay for it and head off to the parking lot. The thing was bigger than I had imagined it would be and just as I got to my car and was wondering how I was going to lift the thing into the car by myself (another quick prayer of thanks that I had bought a cr-v and not a civic as I had initally planned) two very helpful guys appeared and helped load it. I got my building super to help carry it upstairs to my flat. everyone I know has complained at how difficult/exasperating it can be trying to assemble Ikea furniture. In all it took like 15 mins to set the thing up; 5 mins to read the instructions, 5 mins to lay out everything, 5 mins to put it all together. Finally I can stop tripping over all the wires running every which way across the apartment. Sunday was spent cleaning my apartment from top to bottom (all 2 sqft!) oh! I bought a wok on Saturday so I 'seasoned' that. Then I made lunch for the week. I had been craving Shrimp Etouffee and decided to try and make it. Etouffee is a Cajun dish and is basically veggies and shrimp/crawfish in a flour base. It turned out pretty nicely and I was very proud of myself. I was really itching to use my wok but I had promised myself I would take it easy so I spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping. I woke up about 6 pm and watched the pre-Grammys show on E! and then the Grammys proper.

With the TV stand my living room is beginning to take shape, yesterday I found a lovely picture frame in which I put a picture of Princess. I really miss her and Bee. I think I am missing Nija as well. Everywhere I went this weekend I could have sworn everyone was speaking yoruba even the white pple! Does this mean I am going to join a Nija video club and begin to watch home videos? I don't think so! Anyways although I am itching to I will not be buying anymore furniture till it gets a little warmer then I can move out of the living room into the bedroom then each room can serve its original purpose. Target has these distressed square chests which I think will make really nice side tables as well as serve for storage. Maybe I will 'spoil' myself and buy one, maybe.

I wonder ...

Can you tell a persons birth month in the US by looking at their car tags? Anyone?

The Grammys have come and gone

The Police performed and I could hardly contain myself. Their performance was short and sweet (they did 'Roxanne'), a teaser of things to come I believed and prayed and was glad to hear yesterday that it was official; they announced they will be touring North America starting on the 18th of April. For sure this is an opportunity not to be missed, Sting is 55; Stewart is 54; and Andy is 64; there probably will not be to many tours left for this band. What am I saying The Rolling Stones (Mike Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Charlie Watts)are well into their 60's and are still rocking on the road! Anyway tickets for the Canada shows go on sale in a week no word yet on the tickets for the American shows. I had read somewhere that the tickets will be priced between $50 and $225 so I am really encouraged. Gotickets.com already has tickets on sale for the New York shows in August at Madison Square Garden for $1800!!! All of a sudden the tour dvd is an option!

I liked the grammy version of 'Crazy' performed by Gnarls Barkley, especially the marching band drum beat. Mary rocked with 'Be Without You', and Christina Aguilera payed a fitting tribute to James Brown with 'Its a Man's Man's Man's World'. I know Beyonce performed but for the life of me I don't really remember it, bright lights behind her made her dress see-through and she kept splaying her legs it was very distracting. I enjoyed the Corinne Bailey Rae/John Legend/John Mayer (didn't know he was that tal ; 6'1) performance and as always it was a pleasure seeing a green eyed Smokey (I never knew till a couple of months ago that he had green eyes) and the seemingly ageless Lionel perfom although I felt it was odd pairing them with Chris Brown ( he had these like 6/7 yr old boys crumping it was wicked)!. I felt it ruined the flow of that particular joint performance. I think John Legend would have been a better pairing you know, keeping the singer/songwriter thing going.

Seal and Burt Bacharach presented an award together and Burt said he would be honored to work on a collaboration with Seal. That would be interesting, lets wait and see.

You know I am thinking about it now and you know the person who is truly ageless? Prince! That guy at 48 does not look a day older than he did almost 30 yrs ago when he first started performing.

09 February 2007

Since I am counting ...

Its been a year on the 6th since I started blogging. As seems to be the case with all my anniversaries, I can't believe it! I remember my very first post like I wrote it yesterday. I am not sure if it is the act of writing the post itself or what that posts stands for that makes it memorable or the incident I wrote about. Anyways I am so so suprised a year has whizzed by already! A friend asked me a couple of weeks into my existence as a blogger if I felt I could keep this up. 'Of course I will' I replied with as much indignation as I could muster even as I could see my sisters half knitted sweater in the bottom of my closet. I must mention that I have been knitting that particular sweater for almost 10 yrs now! Over the years I have embraced many many projects with a lot of enthusiasm only to give them up before completion. Somehow blogging has managed to hold my attention for a whole year, with no signs of it getting boring. I am really very suprised, I guess this is a victory for me albeit a small one. Here is to many more anniversaries of my existence in the blogshere. And by the way I am going to knit my sister a sweater she can wear, I will buy supplies this weekend!

Its been a month ... already?!

A month ago today I started work, a month ago on the 4th I moved to California. How time flies, it seems like just yesterday that I said a teary goodbye to my peeps in Houston, hoped on a plane and became best friends with mapquest!

Introducing Robin Thicke

Courtesy of a dear friend (who is yet to make a 'bad' music recommendation) I was introduced to Robin Thicke yesterday. A very black voice lives in this young white man. My favorite song on his 'Evolution of Robin Thicke' album is 'Got 2 be down' feat Faith Evans. Somehow I see Marvin Gaye when I listen to that song. Other songs of note include 'Complicated' and 'Would that make you love me' which sounds so Maxwell.

08 February 2007

Really weird news

This has got to be the weirdest news I have heard this year.

Anna Nicole Smith collapses, dies at 39 msnbc.com

Music Playlists

I was mucking around with my IPod and iTunes the other day and noticed that iTunes actually keeps a record of how many times you play a song either via IPod or iTunes. Why? I wonder. The only reason I can think of is perhaps this information will help 'people' at iTunes have an idea of what kind of music you like and then be able to make more appealing music selections to you. Hang on, iTunes doesn't have a music club abi? You know which music club I know which would really benefit from this kind of information? bmgmusic.com. When I joined I was required to select my favorite music category and I picked R&B so I guess its my fault when I keep getting some undesirable selections. But seriously who listens to music in one category? I think you can also select other music categories you are interested in and then you rank them but who has time to be doing all of that, the (percivied) way iTunes is going about it is so much better if a little intrusive. If bmg had taken a peek at what I have been listening to in the past month or so, they would never have offered me Beyonce's 'b'day' album. Yeye people I got the email about the featured selection and promptly declined the offer. They now had the effontry to send it out anyway! If they had mistakenly sent out some other artist perhaps I wouldn't have been so upset (I would have sent it back though). Please don't get me wrong, I think she has a good voice and by all accounts is a great on-stage performer (not actress) I am actually planning to shell out a whole 99cents for her song 'irreplaceable' (although I am beginning to get sick of it I hear that song at least twice on the radio everyday.) however will I shell out a whole $18+ for her album including the plastic case and liner notes? No! Looking at the top 10 played songs on my iTunes, God help whoever will be trying to categorize my taste in music.
  • How to save a life - The Fray (I fell in love with this song the first time I heard it on Grey's Anatomy. No day seems complete if I don't listen to it)
  • Bring me to life - Evanescence (I secretly have visons of 'performing' this song at a karaoke bar!)
  • Makeda - Les Nubians (I heard this song for the first time while I was in uni and recently got the chance to the rip the album from a friend)
  • Gonna make you sweat (everybody dance now) - C+C Music Factory (Gym staple, I like to think this song is the reason why I can last a minute on the elliptical machine :-))
  • Like a star - Corinne Bailey Rae (I just like Corinne, her sound seems so unspoiled and pure)
  • If you really want to know - Marc Dorsey
  • Take your time (Do it right) - S.O.S Band (I have some fond memories of dancing to S.O.S Band hits in JSS1)
  • Nothing at all - Sanata feat. Musiq (L-O-V-E guitars and the oh so sexy guys who play them, I am suprised this song made the top 10 and not 'Game of love')
  • Wish I didn't miss you - Angie Stone (I recently had a huge longing to listen to 'Seems you're much to busy' I listened to this song furiously during that period)
  • Coming out of the dark - Gloria Estefan (I like the lyrics to this song)

Red, red everywhere!

I walked into Wal-Mart yesterday to buy bread and was assaulted almost at the door by their very V-day inspired new supply of lingerie - vasts amounts of red lace. Everywhere you look evidence that V-day is rapidly approaching abounds, with tv and radio adverts reaching fever pitch. I was wondering the other day what all the effico guys in my office would be up to this V-day (I no know how dat one take concern me) now I have one less guy to wonder about courtesy of the FedEx guy who outed him when he delivered his package. This particular guy will be attending a very intimate and private Victoria Secrets fashion show!

05 February 2007

Me and Cold Sores

I left the gym on Friday feeling very accomplished, I had a session with my trainer and as I have said before, working out in Houston and LA two different experiences. I worked my legs and core and one would have thought cos I was working mostly with the Smith Ball and floor mats that it woudn't be strenuous. Think again. I was perspiring hard by the time our 45 min session was up. The 'highlight' of my session was when I, laying on my back was supposed to hold my trainers ankles and then swing my legs towards him while he would push them back with me resisting the push. I wasn't supposed to let my legs hit the floor on the downward motion. as I grabbed a hold of his ankles I was like thank God this guy isn't wearing shorts I would have had to ask that we do something else. The thought had not finished forming in my head when he said, 'I am sure you are grateful I am not wearing shorts!' I had to pause to allow for a good laugh.

In all my sweatiness as I hop in the car grateful for the leather seats (no fear of stinking up the car) I feel the left corner of my mouth start to tingle. Oh no, not a cold sore! I go home and shack some Vit C and decided to try Abreva the next day. Now Abreva is supposed to as well as help relieve itching, help speed up the healing process. Instructions said to apply it like 5 times a day, I can do that. I wash my hands and apply it on my sore, repeating this once again before I went to bed. Imagine my shock when I woke up on Sunday to have the right corner of my mouth tingling!!! Then I remembered what Princess always said if your have something wrong with one eye or ear, apply medication to both. I guess I should include mouth to the list. Now I am at work with both corners of my mouth oozing water and I have been having cold sores long enough to know that the Abreva has had no effect (save multiply my sores!) Drat!!!

01 February 2007

Customer is king III - Ask and you shall be given

So I am shopping for phone service and the choice is between Lingo and Vonage. I am leaning towards Vonage because if my friend refers me she gets 2 months of free service and I get the first month free but Lingo has a special on; 1st month free and $17+ for the next 6 months then regular price afterwards. Hmm ... what to do? I decide to call Vonage and see if I can get a deal similar to what Lingo is offering. 'Hi I am shopping around for a VOIP solution and I was wondering what you can offer me' Much marketing and hyping of the Vonage sevice ensued. I am calling with my precious minutes on a wednesday morning so I quickly cut to the chase, 'Lingo is offering this special; 1st month free, $17+ for the next 6 months then regular price there after, do you have a similar deal you can offer me?' 'Could you hold on for 2 minutes ma'am while I talk with my supervisor?' she asks me. 'Sure' I reply. About 3 mins later she comes back on ' Thank you ma'am for holding, at this time we can only offer you the first month free.' 'Thats a shame, I guess Lingo it is then' I reply I thank her for her time and hang up. It was worth a shot I console myself as I get back to work. A couple of hours later lo and behold I receive an email from the sales department at Vonage (I had given them my details at the start of the phone conversation) offering me 2 months free. Hows that for a 7 minute phone call?

Arsenal 3 - 1 Tottenham Hotspurs

Cardiff, here we come!

Match Report arsenal.com

Match Report soccernet.com

Police reunite at Grammys

Like I needed another excuse to watch the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, The Police (Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers) will be reuniting and performing! The Police spawned such hits as 'Roxanne', 'Every breathe you take', 'Don't stand so close to me', 'Demolition Man, etc and disbanded in 1986. There had been rumors about a reunion of the band to mark the 30th anniversary of their formation and this announcement is such good news. I personally would like for them to go on a reunion tour just so I can get the opportunity to see them live, I love Sting!

Five-Time Grammy Award-Winning Band The Police Reunite For First Time On The Grammy Awards With Historic Kick-Off Performance Sting.com

I wonder ...

What stimulates the growth of hair in humans? Specifically is hair growth stimulated as a response to our bodies need to keep warm over a prolonged period of time? Why this odd question? Unlike Prince Phillip, I have no problems growing natural fibers i.e I am naturally a hairy so I am used to seeing hair in really odd places. This morning as I was getting dressed I noticed hair all over my chest (from my the top of my boobs up), hair that I know for sure I hadn't seen before. This wasn't the 'normal' chest hair, (wiry/curly) its the downy kind of hair, you know the kind that women/pubescent boys grow on their upper lips? There are two possible answers to the question 'Am I turning into a werewolf?'; 1. The hair had always been there, I had just grown fairer and it was now more noticable or 2. As a response to my always feeling cold, my body had received an emergency work order to produce these fibres to trap the heat my body produces naturally and keep me warm. I don't think its the former, (I am rubbing my body with Palmers Cocoa Butter not know for its skin lightening qualities) and the latter sounds really evolutionish although the human body is just awesome just like its designer/architect. Anyone with a probable answer? anyone?

Customer is King II

So I get home on Monday and all the appropriate lights on the cable modem are blinking. The technician had thoughtfully provided extra cable so I could move the modem out of my closet and into the living room. Well I was one step ahead of him I had stopped at Fry's on my way home and bought a wireless router. I quickly power up my computer and open up my browser. It never felt so good seeing the MSN homepage. Yes! I quickly go about setting up the router (easypeasy) in about 10 mins I was sitting at my borrowed kitchen table watching TV and eating a bitter tasting salad (I really need to join Sam's Club I know their Romaine lettuce tastes much better than this). Perhaps I don't need to write no complaint letter I muse as I simultaneously say a little prayer that my dinner would miraculesly dissappear from my plate I know I could just trash it but I am just funny like that.

Two days later I am stuck at home (my car battery died its a long story) and I am trying to vpn into my office network so I can get some work done na so my connection just dey break anyhow shuo? I then went to the Vonage site to test my connection. Na vex I take call TWC imagine! This people sold me the 6Mbps Upload, 786Kbps Download package. The readings I got of the Vonage site did not even come close to that. The woman I spoke with was like there must be a problem (you got that right) yada yada yada, if I don't mind holding she would connect me to the technical department. Hell no! This no be weekend, I no get 200 mins to just burn like that on my cell phone na im I drop phone. For real now I am seriously looking for an alternative service provider. Then the guy the dealer sent out to jump my car arrives and I have to go attend to that and then I took the car in to get the battery changed. I got back like an hour later and I check my mailbox, yeye TWC don send me bill and of all things to be billing me for installation!!! Installation wey una never do finish? Meanwhile when I signed up I was told installation was free. Now dem don gone and did it, I was hopping mad! I stomped up to my apartment and prepared to call TWC to give them an uncensored piece of my mind. As if on cue my phone rang it was someone from TWC requesting service assessment. I was very encouraged na im de flood gates collapse and my 'assessment' flowed eloquently out of my mouth. She asked me to rate the technician I gave him/her 0 (for messing up the instal) she asked me to rate the sales person, I gave her 0 (for messing up my order and making me wait a whole month okay 3 weeks for cable) she asked me to rate the quality of my Internet service , once again 0 it seems the company overpromised and underdelivered. We will certainly look into this case she said as she dropped the phone. Na una sabi at this rate na my brake light una go dey look. I had dropped the phone before I remembered the bill. I will wait till the weekend and call them about that right now I have research to do.