Olufunmi - ish

The last time I was in 9ja, I went out shopping for 9ja music - you know like Lara George. After walking around for a while I finally ask one of the CD hawkers specifically for Lara George-ish artists and the guy said - in geek speak - error! It reminds me of how when I was about to leave 9ja in 2006, I went about looking for Olufunmi's "Go Quick" CD. You see, I had the tape and if cassette players could complain that cassette would have force the issue. Needless to say I didn't find the CD. I think there's probably like one or two artists every year that come out with really good quality stuff gospel wise - like that one year when it was Midnight Crew and the other one when it was Infinity. I liked Estar (of the Chinwe Ike fame) too. She reminds me of Sixpence none the richer's Leigh Nash - and on that note I think she solo album was a disappointment.

Anyway I was finally forced coerced into singing a special song in Church some days back - cue more hair pulling and heart wrenching. I first decided on Sanctus Real's "Whatever you are doing" or Brian McKnight's "home" - lofty dreams I know but at least the fact that I live in the land of dreams has to count for something. But Qemi felt "Home" was too R 'n' B - ish (which brings up the issue of why do I listen to her sef?) and I wasn't feeling the former song on my guitar. Eventually I settled for Olufunmi's "Oluwa oni dehin". I say settle in the sense that once it was impressed on my mind there was no going back - I can be impulsive sometimes. It's sad how hard it is to find somewhere to buy her songs (the fact that styl-plus has a song called Olufunmi doesn't help) online. Anyway I wrote out the words of the song as I heard them and I figured I'll share it here in case anyone needs them. There's also a link to Olufunmi's original version. I think she sings it in C# or so... but I played in it D. When I get the time I'll update the lyrics with the chords and maybe even upload my pitiful cover of the song. The cool thing about singing in church is that you are singing for/to God and if you give it your best shot He appreciates it regardless :)

Intro:
Oluwa oni dehin lehin mi o
Ewo ni mo gbojule
Ewo ni mo fihinti
la to wuro titi d'ale
Oluwa oni dehin lehin mi o

Verse 1
bi mo ba ji
bi mo ji lowuro
ma k'aleluya
patewo yin baba l'ogo
ma'a mura fun se
ise ojo mi
ti n'ba ti jade
ma k'aleluya fun baba
to ba mi se

Chorus:
Baba ba mi se
Oni se iyanu
Titi ra ye ra ye
ni mo ma yin o o Baba
Baba ba mi se
Oni se iyanu
Titi ra ye ra ye
ni mo ma yin o o Baba

Verse 2:
bi mo ba se de b'ise
ma'a yin o o Baba
gbogbo ohun t'o da l'aye
lo fi tan ona mi Jesu
ohun ko hun ti'n ba se laye mi
ma fi yin o l'ogo
ti mo ba ti wa pari ise mi
ma k'aleluya fun Baba
to ba mi se

CHORUS
INTERLUDE

Verse 3:
Mo tun pa da de le
Ogo ni fun oruko re
O wa wa pe lu mi
bi mo se n se to idi le
O wa pelu mi l'aro l'osan
 ti ti d'ale
Kin to lo sun
ma k'aleluya fun Baba

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Outro:
Oluwa oni dehin lehim mi o

Presenting... Qemi :)

It's been forever since I even visited this blog (talk less of actually writing something). I even tried to pawn off the blog on Qemi - the poor girl has been so busy with 'stuff' it's amazing she had the time to write what she did. Anyway, so Qemi calls me to say "I posted something" and in my mind I'm thinking "this is just perfect - I finally found her". Imagine my shock when I read the post and find it's all about devils, voodoo, black magic and idle hands. I mean, Qemi is my friend. I've known her since I was like seven. And never in my life would I have imagined she had such a deep grudge to pick with me - devils and idle hands (shakes head in disbelieve) - and she did it all in purple fonts ;).

Anyhow, so it's almost that time of the year. Nope, not the time for taking stock - who wants to do work?!. It's that time when it gets cold, I get holed up in my room because I'm too cheap to afford heating for the whole house and the space heater only works in my room. It's that time of the year that I absolutely detest. When I finally move away from the U.S. it will be to a country where it never snows - like Florida (okay, I kid). But it's also the first time in a long time that I'm home alone. Everybody knows that the word bachelor not only reflects your marital status but also your aloneness status - well I'm only just beginning to enjoy that latter part of bachelorhood. Family is nice and good but I think I understand the whole yankee take on it a little better now that I'm enjoying it - the very personification of "to thy tents o Israel".

I'm just rambling and Louis is to blame :). Imagine my surprise and disbelieve when I woke up to his comment on this here blog, Sunday morning. I actually then went about reading that particular blog. I'll tell you what I think. I think I like my writing style - it still sucks but reading my previous post I felt that like I saw glimpses of the writer I'd like to be if I ever were to become a writer (which I most likely never would be). I also like the content of the blog generally. I could rant about some of the craziest stuff on earth, trust me, but the crazy in me is very self conscious. I was grateful for Louis' comment - I kinda needed it.

Speaking of self-conscious, I read somewhere in Deut 28 (I think) about not been sure about the future and how that is tied to not trusting or obeying God. I like Moses. I remember reading Prophets and Kings (E. G. White) and almost having tears in my eyes when he dies. Anyway, so my understanding is that there is a clear confidence and surenesscertainty of the future that comes from trusting God - and I'm not talking about the type of cockiness that televangelist generally have. Inversely, if I find myself getting all worried about tomorrow and not sure of the future then there's a good chance that something is wrong with my relationship with God.

I don't know... I needed to hear myself say (or type) that last paragraph. At a little over 60 words per minute the keyboard actually does talk :)

Some Devil Gist!!

The devil is not my friend and I don't roll with him. We don't move in the same circles neither do we live in the same area. I don't know what he looks like nor do I know where he lives. But I do know a lot about him.

I am one with an ear for gists.Infact its easier to hold me down with gists than chains(am not saying I've been bound in chains before). Guess its cos I like to talk a lot too. Sometimes how much I talk bothers me,cos it seems like I'm a talkative,but I know I'm not. Some kind people have pointed that only those who go on and on talking without making sense can be addressed as such. I make sense when I talk(abi?), so am good!

Enough about me,am not the topic of discussion. The devil is!!

I heard the devil is so handsome,a smooth talker with an enchanting voice. He is a lady's man,rumor has told me.He makes the younger girls swoon and them big mums giggle. You would think he doesn't bite,cos he wears innocence on his face. But be ye not mocked,cos the devil is not just his name...but the crux of who he is.

Another hot gist about the friendly devil is that he has a way with the male gender too. He holds them at their jugulars with the 'blessings' he gives. Young men in a hurry to gather as much wealth,older men struggling to retain the power they've held. I've heard of people going to extremes to obtain satisfaction, and the funny thing is, they can always count on the devil to help them out.

You'll see some ladies too. Not minding who they are or who they'll end up being,take to vicious acts.

The gist goes on and on, but if I were to give all of it wouldn't that make me a gossip! You know,spreading gist about the devil and all...

I don't know how he does it,but the devil sure knows his way around though. Remember I said I don't know his house? Well,that's cos he doesn't have one!

The devil has a workshop and its a very large one. You'll be shocked at how much activity goes on in there. Surprising gist is that, this workshop is not located in one place,its scattered all over.Odd thing is,its also not a physical shop.

You see,this 'man' called devil is a supernatural being. He is really powerful and can even take the form of whomever he pleases. He can enter into a human being and operate like a force, controlling the mind.The 'host' often time doesn't know of this new development. Most times, only those on the outside can tell when the devil has taken charge of an individual.

The devil in his power exists in varying magnitude in different people. This all depends on how much space is available within such individuals. In some,he only controls the way they talk,some its the way they dress. In others, it could be the lifestyle they maintain while it could also be seen in the general way they live.

Sometimes even those who think they have managed to keep him out of their systems still fall prey of his domination. He is no respecter of self.

Its no wonder I hear people say 'its the devil in people that makes them act the way they do'. Those who we think can't be hosts to the devil,sometimes leave room for him in their hearts. He being who he is,will be quick to take residence.

You ask the reason for all this my rambling? I'm out to make us conscious of the devil. If you see some persons act wicked,greedy,extremely smooth,deceptive,unruly and so on(try fill in other words), just know its the devil in him/her.

Always keep busy with something just, that's the only way to keep the devil out. The devil doesn't do a permanent good. He gives,but takes away after a while. He should not be a company to keep. If he catches you off guard,with the minutest space in your heart, know you are in for some trouble as he will turn a gap to a broad way....;) Initially it all smells fresh and looks rosy,but after a while,the scent grows stale and the petals of the rose fade away.

The devils workshop is indeed a stage for showcasing opposition acts to whatever is right.

'An idle mind is the devil's workshop' isn't just a fancy statement....after all!

Mostly Harmless...

I'll be honest here and start by saying that it's been a mighty long time since I think I honestly kept the sabbath holy. I'll go even further to say that the last time I kept it holy, I probably only just managed to do so by sleeping through the afternoon. I like the sabbath. I think that sometimes I live for it. For one thing, I don't work on the sabbath - No Way!. I also don't read or do school work on the sabbath. I only do fun stuff on the sabbath: to go church and get spiritually recharged, go for a walk, go watch soccer highlights, catch a movie or two at home... did you get the punchline?

Anyhow, I like to think that I'm honest with myself. The thing that scares me the most in life is living a lie (isn't there a Brian McKnight song that uses the phrase 'living a lie'?). I like to think that I'm honest with myself about what I want and what I do. Life is short and I really don't want to spend any part of it making sure that my story stays straight across multiple time-lines. Plus, I'm a little shyreserved, really. I like to write... it helps me clear my head. I think I'm trying to clear my head tonight. I need to plan for the work week - that's something I do on the sabbath. I like to spend time working through my week and committing each step to God ahead of time. I've never successfully planned a week ahead before though. So it's really always been a pipe dream. In fact lately, I've found myself doing more dreaming than actual planning.

I know the things I want to do. Like Paul, though, those are the very things that I do not do (pauses to go look for the bible verse. Let's hope I can come back in one piece). The later part of Romans 7 is Paul at his ecclesiastical best - so I won't say more. I can hear the song "turn your eyes upon Jesus" in my head, though. It's a beautiful song. "And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace". Another hymn I really like is "Grace, Grace, God's grace... grace that is greater than all our sins".

I like good songs. Thank God for music.

Running away with me...

My blog titles are usually random but a lot of them come from the lyric of songs I'm listening to at the time I write. For instance I'm listening to Peter White's cover of the classic song "Just my imagination" (that's the title, no?). Bueno Funk's my favorite song on that album - 1 of my goals in life is to be able to play the melody of that song!

I start work next week after a whole month off. I don't know what to expect. It's still a programming gig but it's different from what I've done in the past. In the past, I worked on in-house java web based applications primarily. I'll still be doing java work but it will be centered around xml and web services this time around from what I gather - which isn't much. The pay is good though and the environment was the best that I interviewed at. We'll see what happens. This whole job thing reminds of the 2nd chances song in Veggie Tale's take on the story of Jonah. The older I get the more I realize that I'm not exactly as smart as I once thought I was, and the more scared - the scareder - I get. Human nature is funny though: you'd think that been scared and realizing that I suck at virtually everything would make it easier to surrender to the source of all things. But then again, maybe I don't fully comprehend my inabilities. What's that they say about people, death and lack of knowledge again?

I just finished Stephen King's "Desperation". I blame C. S. Lewis and the Screwtape Letters - which by the way, I've still not finished reading despite having started reading it before I switched to "Desperation". The thing is the more I read Screwtape Letters, the more I felt like Lewis was writing about me. When he got to that letter where Screwtape talks about the subject enjoying his pleasures I made up my mind to pick up novel reading again. I'm like screw it - I'm busying beating myself up, taking up pretentious - and terrible - habits, not doing what is right, not doing what I like and generally been miserable. Not! I remember how long it took me to choose "Desperation" at yaba about 2 weeks ago. The guys selling the used novels were on me like ants on honey, offering me one Stephen King book after the other. And in my coolest Fela-ish tone, I would go "O, I've read that... nice book" or "Hey! I remember this story...". Anyhow, now that I've read and totally enjoyed the book o there's the what next question. As in, I know it would be worse badder now to go back to my pre-Desperation days and I don't really want to go back to losing myself in each new novel I come across either. Life just keeps throwing curve balls - 20 belows in July, if you wish.

Anyhow, my favorite line from the novel goes something like "Disbelief and Unbelief are two different things - the former comes natural the latter is willfull... after unbelief comes desperation". And then I like how the book ends with 1 John 4:8. Go read it!

I've got to write a to do list of paper... clear my head a little! And then I've got to do something I've really not done in a while... I need to just put off the TV, computer, phone and just... be still!

Dead, Crazy or Doin' Time...

Edit: I wrote this about 2 weeks ago while in 9ja on vacation.

It's been like forever, literally, since I last blogged. I could give all the excuses on earth for not blogging but they'll just be that - excuses. In fact, when it's all said and done the reality would just be that lately, I've not considered journaling/blogging as important compared to other stuff in my life. Now considering my penchant (am I using the word right?) for not prioritizing the things in my life properly this shouldn't come as a surprise. I think I just gave an excuse too... shoot!

Not a lot has happened in the past 4 months - ok, I lie! I was talking with my grandpa a few minutes ago and he spoofed at Tunde Bakare's insinuation that Nigeria won't remain the same if Buhari didn't win the last elections. We both laughed cos Pastor Bakare was right - each decision obviously changes the future one way or the other. Ok, I'm not sure how we got to talking about choices and different paths but since we are here I might as well mention that I've watched almost all 3 seasons of Sliders on Hulu in the past 2 weeks - parallel universes, multiple space-time continuum, lots of fun. To be honest though, I think I'm partly watching it because I want to see if Quinn and Wade ever get their shit together (code word for make out, kiss, kiss, hug, hug, xoxoxoxo, blah, blah, blah). I realize this all doesn't really point to much that has changed in my life so I'll close this paragraph and hope that the next offers more intelligence... and direction.

I've been listening to a whole lot of Jazz this year (Quick advice - never listen to Miles Davis at work if you are a programming or do some other mentally tasking job). I got like 3 or 4 new jazz CDs and then some so far this year... Sophie Milman's rendition of Eli, Eli was enough to get me to buy her album. I can't say I regretted the decision. Then there was the Diane Kroll album that I got because she's more traditional and she's quite popular - in other words, I had no clue what I was doing or why I was doing what I was doing when I got her album. The only thing I'm sure about is that I got it on the cheap. Then just out of the blue and because I remember that they'd done some collaboration with Take 6 in the past, I decided to buy a Yellow Jackets album a month or two ago. Now I'm crossed between going out there and getting some more of their work and sampling the album I got a little more. I've loved the album I got so much I've been kicking myself for not getting their album earlier.
I've also been listening to more R & B -ish gospel. I wonder why Onitsha never released a second album - she's got the pipes and maybe she's not as main stream, CCM-wise, as say Mendissa but I'd say talent wise she's aight. I've actually never listened to a complete Mendissa album - hint: I actually thought Mendissa was caucasian (how else do you expect me to explain that KISS FM was always playing 'voice of the saviour' and that other station that features the Yolanda Adams morning show wasn't?). Any way, I think I'm kinda looking for an R & B act to replace 'Virtue'. I never felt like 'Virtue' ever captured the promise of their first album. That album in my opinion is still their best till date. Don't get me wrong o. They've got lots of good material on their other albums but that first... now that was pure gold all through. One valid candidate would be Karima Kibble's album or just going with the flow and getting Trinitee's new album (what's the word on Trinitee becoming a group of 2 instead of 3 now sef?) - anything to avoid getting Kiki's album. Here's one place where procastination can be bliss - spending money on music albums!

Thanks to Kafo, I added Mary Beth Chapman's "Choosing to see" to my to buy/to read list a few months back. Now before you get all excited, please realize that list includes "Rebels for the Cause" and quite a few other either Arsenal or Sci-Fi related material. Anyhow, since I don't have a list of books written down somewhere (I stopped using/visiting livingsocial a long time back) I tend to forget the books on my list when I'm ready to go shopping. Anyway, I finally bought C. S. Lewis' "Screwtape Letters", "Choosing to see" by Chapman, and "Life without limits". I'm on the 10th letter in Screwtape Letters. I've got to say I totally love Lewis' writing style in the book. It's kinda like what I aspire to be if I were a writer (thankfully I have no such illusions) - tedious, comma-infested, interjection infused, and totally pedantic (I concede that the book is pedantic probably because of the subject matter). Seriously, though, it's really good material. I love it. Now if only I could get myself to read the bible like so.

I like today's blog. I said a whole lot of nothing and it's been fun. I read somewhere that it's those discussions about, and sharing of, the little unimportant stuffs that keeps relationships going. So when I call my girlfriend, sometimes, we just end up playing that ridiculous game of say a 'I say word and you sing me a song that uses the word'. Thankfully she can hold a note where I can't - I kid. So Meg and I have decided to 'maybe' get married early next year. It's scary but it's about time too. When I asked her out I told her I wanted to marry her someday and I meant it... I still do. The scary part is knowing that I'm not perfect and that now I'm in a much better position to hurt her emotionally than I was say 1 year ago. The scary part is knowing that as undeserving as I am she loves me. I've been thinking about how much of 'falling in love' is similar to the type of relationship God wants to have with us. I'm a mix between realistic and optimistic with a nice touch of melancholy and romantic - I think. I'm not terrible good at long term planning but ask me to plan the next 5 minutes of my life and I'll tell you the worst that can happen, the best that can happen and all the reasons why you should throw all caution to the wind and expect the best to happen in the next 5 minutes. Tell me to do the same for a 48 hour period and my brain goes into overdrive and practically crashes. Anyhow, Meg and I spend so much time on the phone - mostly with nothing serious to talk about and it makes me appreciate a little more what having a relationship with God entails. It's being willing to and actually enjoying sharing even the most minute and mundane details of our lives with Him - every chance we've got.

Okay, someone needs to bring my feet back to to the ground... Seriously :D

Egyptian genetic networks

I have a friend that says that much of oyinbo technology is just plain magic. Educated dude, this friend, but that doesn't stop him from sounding terribly naive ever so often. Lately, though, I'm beginning to see the light. I guess it could be said that the fact that I'm meant to be working on intelligent systems means the thing shouldn't be straight forward. Anyway, I'm stuck with this really nice sounding thesis that never seems to work. But then I'll have to redefine 'work'. Yesterday, for instance, I was able to train the network to do 'something' - the problem was that the 'something' was not the intended task. But for a moment it looked uber cool and I totally loved it.

The middle east is one of many fields I'm obviously not vast in. Last time around I thought the riots in Egypt will result in nothing. I guess you can take a moment now to laugh at me. To be far though, I still stand by what I said earlier that not much will change. Yes, true democrazy may come to stay in those areas of the middle east where 'dictatoships' have been toppled but nothing much else will change. I'll also say that I thought Arsenal would win the carling cup this year but we all know how that turned out.

So that's life as we know it. I wish it were better - not that I believe that will make it better. Dont get me wrong o - this season Arsenal will win the EPL. But in the larger sphere of things a group of about 20 twenty-something-year-olds each earning in a week what I earn in a year is sadly irrelevant. What's relevant is good and evil, right and wrong, joy and sadness, peace and sadness. Thankfully, there is still a God and He is still in charge however contrary things may appear.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Way to start the year
I'm grateful for a brand new year (yes, I know I'm one month late). I'm grateful that I can still dream and better still my dreams can still come true. I love that I'm in love - it's a beautiful gift having someone to fall in love with. Life, this side of the ocean, is short and largely unfair but each night is totally worth the pain and effort if you give your all during the day and trust in God each day.

Tunisia, Egypt and the U.S

If you believe the riots and protests that are currently been experienced in the middle east will launch a new dawn in civilisation please give me a moment while I laugh at you.
Ok, now that we've got that out of the way let's face reality. Or let me put it like this - this world isn't going to get better. I've lived almost 30 years and in all that time mankind has collectively gotten more depraved, living conditions have got more desperate and generally we've found better ways to hate each other. But I'll like to be proven wrong especially because if there's a power vacuum in any of the middle eastern countries and the wrong parties seize power then we are all in trouble.

Neural networks and protein structures

It's my final semester. I need to get an 'A' in that statistics class without attending classes and also wrap up my thesis. Let's just say greater miracles have happened so I'm not too worried. That said, there's no tellng how regular blog posts will this first half of the year though - especially since I hadly ride the train nowadays.

It's fun times for me. I love it. Now, if only I had the good sense to make sure I make time for God. God help me