Time

I take time seriously. I do not like to be late. I lived in the US for almost a decade, but I think my perception and principle/philosophy of time was
formed earlier than that. First, I would never be late for a formal meeting.
But further, even if I were meeting a friend for coffee, I wouldn’t be late. Anytime, I am running late, I call or text minutes before that time, and alert them. Usually, I end up being like 3 — 5 minutes late.

In college, my friends would host parties, if the party start time was 8pm. I’d be there at 8pm. The hosts would even say, you know 8pm means get here at 10pm or 11pm.

When I hosted my own party, I made sure the start AND END time for the party was clear. Cos I always thought it made no sense to have a start time but no end time. Then I got calls from my friends saying the party interval was too short, so I laughingly extended it, but still kept to the end time, because I was a busy guy — You don’t graduate with 2 Engineering degrees and not manage your time properly.

In Nigeria, where I live, being late is fashionable. Even being late for appointments is not uncommon. But despite the level of traffic, or mishaps on the way, I almost always arrive early, because it is the right thing to do.

Same principle goes for when I owe someone money, or when I have a project to turn in. Sometimes, my friends don’t like it when they say, “I’ll call you back” and I ask “When?” I like to know when, so I’ll expect and I’ll be ready for you. They are used to it now though. I am so used to scheduling
my time that I often astound myself. One time, I was at work, I said I’ll call my girlfriend in 20 minutes when I got home. 20 minutes later, not longer, not earlier, I called and she was very impressed.

Nigeria currently does not have constant electricity supply. The common phrase in the event of a power outtage is, “Light has gone o” or “Light has come” when power is restored. Many years ago, maybe 6 or so, the president assured the citizens that in two years there will be constant power supply. 2 years passed, 3, 4, 5, 6, still “No light”. The plans were not properly drawn out with milestones, and realistic events to happen to make it a success.

Anyway, there are many examples of that, but personally and in my own life, I will always keep to time because keeping to time is keeping a promise.

My Short Story

My Short Story


So, I remember this one time, many years ago, I think it was in 2004/5, when I called my uncle because I had some issues to deal with on my mind.

Okay, so I've called him a number of times because I had some issues to talk about out loud, but that's not the point..ha ha :) However this time when I called him, and I was scared. I was afraid of what I could become in 10, 20 or 30 years if I continued to do what I did. If I continued to follow that path that I had laid before myself.

I had always been a brilliant student. I was an A student. When I made a B, I would cry inside, sometimes outside too. Maybe there is nothing so wrong with that, but I saw a vision of myself, being this brilliant guy in my office at the University, solving equations for the rest of my life, doing research. Okay maybe there is not much wrong with that, people do it. On top of that, I was not very social. I was shy as a kid, I had a very heavy stutter, the former may have caused the latter, or otherwise. I had only a few friends, I could not wait to get out of the party, or the crowd, and go to my room to study.

After a while, I did not want to be that brilliant professor that invented stuff, but was not fulfilled and had no money.

So, I called my uncle, and told him that I was scared, and I did not want that life. Of course, he had no idea where I was coming from, but he listened, and tried to help with calming words.

You should know that I did not reach this decision all by myself, my dad helped. On one of his visits, he noticed I was still that brilliant student who enjoyed his books, so he tried to hint at me to embrace other things, like sports, other subjects, other interests. I guess I could not see past the hint.

He traveled, but asked one of his close friends to call me at home. His friend called and spoke to me, as an elder, and made me realize how important these other things are in order to maintain balance in life.

He asked me, "What month is the super-bowl held every year?".
"I don't know", I answered.

"Usually February" he stated. "What month is the presidential elections every 4 years?", he asked again.

I still didn't know.

"November"

He made me understand that, one should be as well rounded as one could. Have enough knowledge of the other things that are not your main passions so that you can carry a conversation with a stranger on the street, or with your co-workers at the water filter.

I knew he had a point, but he didn't have to talk to me like I was his son? Oh Yes!, he had to speak to me that way, that was the only way that I would have gotten the point.

Fast forward a few years, I had become a little more sociable, I went to business school, got a Master of Science in Management. Found the courses to be as interesting as I found in Engineering. I follow basketball, some football.

I created a podcast in 2006. I was part of the early adopters and producers of this new form of media. The feeling I got from this new creation was something I had never felt before. I created something that I could call my own. Bought a headset with mic, learned XML and learned how to create a website in 3 days. I learned how websites and servers work, I understood the technology and created the actual content. I was an Entrepreneur. I spent $14 to create a medium that radio stations spend millions of dollars on, yet I could be heard on the other side of the world, but they could not.

I sold my books online and made $3000 in 5 years. When my Teaching Assistantship was canceled due to budget cuts, even though I was abroad, I called all college departments to find openings. I called everybody I knew, that could help me find another job. When I got back, I networked with classmates, finally found another assistantship that paid almost double the original...in a recession by the way. From a shy kid, to a hustler.

I had a great relationship with a beautiful girl. The first time I noticed her, I went after her, asked her out a few days later, and shared a very fulfilling portion of my life with her. We are still friends today, and stay in touch very closely.

There are many more examples, that appear small but are really significant.

Even though I had influences from my family and friends, the final decision still remained for one person to make, to change the course of his life, ME. I decided I wanted to be more assertive in my opinions. If I knew what I was talking about, I said so. If I didn't want something, I said No.

I remember working minimum wage one summer while in undergrad. I called one of my many aunts and said, "I want to know about the law. I want to understand how the legal system works." A few years later I found myself in a Business Law class in grad school, and enjoyed it. Even though I did not know it would happen the way it did, I spoke it, and it came to pass.

Anyway, my point is, I was likely headed in a direction of an unfulfilled, unenjoyable life, so I changed the course. And oh my God, it was difficult, because people knew me a Mr. X, and all of a sudden I was acting like Mr. Y. But they had to get used to it, and I had to as well. I am a happier person today.

Thank God.