It may seem silly that I have chosen this very moment to talk about the month of September, but, it isn’t, and I’ll explain why this is. When a writer with a website comes to the realisation that the website isn’t some sort of fuddly duddly hobby, he or she will try a great many things and experiment with even more. This is both the way of the successful and the way of life. We cannot go a day without doing things that are both ill advised and ill considered. The only caveat is that we learn from them. This is my current philosophy. Of course, it must be noted that I change my philosophies like I change my underwear, daily and sometimes I forget them altogether.
My current philosophy says that I’m in the business of building a life, and as I never really thought I would live as long as I have, it is a truly terrifying prospect. Every aspect of my life is susceptible to an inquisition. What are my values? Are they good? What lies do I believe are true? Am I a good friend? How will I make an income? How can I be better? Are my friends good? Have I been lazy? Am I too hard on myself? I could go on, but if I did, I suspect that this article wouldn’t be very fun to read. As I am in the business of fun and leisure, if you, my dear readers, are not entertained by at least one sentence in a blog, I have failed miserably.
September was a difficult month. The move back to Lagos was so abrupt that I was shell-shocked. Like with most moves I’ve made in my life I turned up at the dreaded and dreadful Murutala Mohammed Airport in Lagos without my luggage, broker than a young man should ever be, and smelly! This was not quite the plan. My plan was to remain in London, live the life of a baby boy without responsibilities, somehow find a job that paid enough for suitable accommodation somewhere in Zone 1, and remain there until I believed myself strong enough to ride the bucking stallion that is life in Lagos.
Life made other plans so I turned up in Lagos, without much word or notice, and began work at a broadcasting house that’s really rather respectable within the week. At first I was resentful of the fact that I’d gone away and come back again, but I came to appreciate it. If my life plan is to be taken seriously, then I need to be in Lagos for no fewer than two years while I build the blog into a serious media platform for those who’ve had the benefit of a reasonable education. It is said that you write what you know, so this is what I shall do. The fact that I couldn’t at this very moment run a blog that speaks to the masses is my greatest joy. It would mean that I’d have to know what it meant to suffer economically and that would kill me. I am quite convinced that poverty would look very poor on me.
So what’s happened in September? A couple of things, I did work that I actually delivered roughly on time, and got paid poorly for. It is a great step forward. Some of you may turn your noses up at me, but I’ll do you the honour of not paying attention. Being paid poorly is the first step in the plan. It is the thing that comes a good five stages before being paid handsomely. I am in the process of cultivating a new gang. The new friendship scheme is called the Avenger series, I am rather pleased with this one. The maintenance is easy, the conversation is scandalous, and our proximity to one another is almost astounding. I live beside one, work beside two, and I’m never more than a 20 minute drive away from three. Lastly I have started going to prayer meetings at my therapist’s office on Mondays. I cannot quite believe it myself, but after my first session, Avengers 1 and 3 got a contract that’s worth more money than I have ever seen in Naira, and Avenger 2 didn’t die when Lagos tried rather hard to see him off. Of course I cannot say for sure that it is God that brought this good fortune, but if it is, I would never be so foolish as to do myself the disservice of ending a potential stream of rather visible blessings.
The way I see it, I'm in the process of building a life. I have the blocks I need to do it. So all I have to do is stack them, restack them, and shuffle them around until I get something I'd like to live with. It is a thing that is easier said than done.
Happy Days,
Afam
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