THE DREAM LIVES ON.

What does it take to achieve a dream? This is a question I know many people ask themselves daily. In today's world, it is so easy to be distracted by things happening around us. As if the hostile circumstances are not enough, the mainstream media keeps churning out all kinds of negative news that could make our sinks sink. Bad news sells and I'm still intrigued by that fact. However, we also live in a world that has a lot of facilities and infrastructure that can make us achieve our dreams easily. A lot of the tools we have in our hands are facilitated by the internet. The World Wide Web is helping a lot of otherwise helpless individuals to take their destinies into their hands. All kinds of things can be done online these days.

So do you have a dream? If you do, it is time to start moving things yourself. You dont need to wait for a Producer or Publisher to spot you. You dont need a middleman to make your dreams come to pass all the time. A lot of creative people are realizing that they are being ripped off by Record Companies and Publishers. It is increasingly becoming a do-it-youself world. If you're into music, you can use MySpace to promote your music. There are also other sites online which you can use to push your songs to people on the web. And there are 1.5 billion people on the world wide web. That is a huge market for you. If you're a creative writer like me, you should start thinking of self publishing. Check out www.lulu.com for your publishing needs. There are also a lot of online writing jobs. So if the Media does not employ you after dropping your CV and attending several interviews, it is time to be self employed. It might be difficult at the beginning but things will come good if you're hardworking, creative and focused.

If you're entrepreneurial in nature, you can promote your company by having an account on Facebook and Bebo. There are many social networking sites around that you can use for advertising and Marketing purposes. You can also use online forums like Nairaland, Nigerian Village Square and NaNaija.com to let people know what you're doing and up to. The World Wide Web is a place where the unimaginable can be done and where you can fulfil your dreams. All thanks to Tim Berners Lee, the man behind www [ World Wide Web ]. We are in the age of information and you should naturally not be left behind. God has deposited all we need to succeed in us right from the day we were born. Our heavenly father loves us and he knows there will come a time when we will need to look inwards for survival. That is why he gave us gifts and abilities. Thank God for his goodness. So hold on to your dreams and keep your head up. You've got something that can not be taken away from you. You're blessed. And how was your day?

BACK TO MY BLOG.

I can't believe I've not posted anything on my blog for a while. Yeah, I promised to keep blogging no matter what happens, earlier in the year. The problem is that I am now on Facebook and I spend more of my time on the social networking site these days. Its like a dashing young man who has found a new woman to throw his passions on. Facebook can be so addictive and I'm thinking of suspending my account. You get to meet all kinds of people on the site. And some of them say stupid things, while others post memorable videos. Can't be bothered though. It is a free world.

I have now come back to my senses. I have come back to the girl that truly loves me. I love Blogspot and I won't negelect it. Gosh!!, there is so much communication these days online with all kinds of social networking sites springing up. Sometimes I wonder where we get the time to comment and post our thoughts online, when we've got jobs to do. Or are we all work-at-home types who are always online? Hmn. So what has been happening to you since I was gone? Talk to me, mate. I should not be the one telling you stuff all the time. So I am all ears now. Spill it. And how was your day?

MAKING UP MY MIND TO DO GOD'S WILL.

'' God gave me these wonderful gifts for a reason. When you see all the destructive things going on in the world, you realize it is up to you to decide whether or not you are going to help change it or fall into it. If I can use my gifts to change the world for the better and make a difference, that's what I intend to do. ''
- Michelle Williams, member of Destiny's Child.

I came across these profound words in a copy of ESSENCE Magazine. Michelle Williams has continued to release gospel albums despite being a member of Destiny's Child, the American R&B group. I dunno if the group still exists. Beyonce Knowles is now a recognised solo artist. Haven't heard about Kelly Rowland for some time. Michelle's words really touched me. I know God does not give us gifts without expecting us to use them for certain purposes. Many people die without using the talents God placed in them. This happens due to a lot of reasons including poverty, sudden death, ignorance, misplaced priorities, laziness, lack of focus and general lethargy.

However, there are always opportunities for us to make our dreams come true. This is the best period in history for people to actualize their dreams. A lot of things and technology have been put in our hands. We can connect with people in different parts of the world easily. We can share our dreams with others and receive advice from them. We can have our own websites for free or at a cheap price. If we are determined enough, we can become millionaires in a matter of years. What I'm trying to say is that it is easier these days to recreate our world. It does not matter the kind of society we live in. It does not matter if we live in a rich or poor country. Poor countries can only become rich if people decide to do something about the state of their country.

That is why I've decided to use the gifts God gave me positively. I'm going to embark on some projects very soon. You'll get to hear about these projects on this blog before the world knows about them. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag, but I love children. That should give you a clue about what I'm up to. May the good lord bless the work of my hands when the time comes. Say amen with me. Amen. And how was your day?

IS THIS THE WAY THINGS SHOULD BE?

We are all fond of complaining about the state of things in Nigeria. Apart from the bad state of facilities and lack of good infrastructure, the attitude of many Nigerians is nothing to write home about. Greed, selfishness and the PhD Syndrome has contributed to the fall of Africa's most populous nation. There are many questions I would have loved to ask you, my readers, but I've decided to ask only one. Is this the way things should be? It seems that many of us have concluded that life is meant to be unjust and unkind. Yeah, we might have been treated badly or cheated by people, but that should not make us give up on life.

We can change things. God has given us the abilities to turn things around. Bad people can change if we put in our best to reform them. Selfish people can start giving, if we decide to show them the way by not giving up on them. I know it is difficult to change people but we can do it if we try. In the midst of all the bad circumstances of life, we are still enjoying one or two things. These facilities or tools were designed by people who did not give up on life. Your PC or Laptop was designed by people who want you to achieve more in life. You use a mobile phone, right? Your phone helps you to communicate better. What I'm trying to say is this: We can all contribute to the development of Nigeria. We can do it in different ways. Things don't have to reamain the way they are. We can be agents of change. Yes, We Can. And how

Masta Ace - The I.N.C. Ride [ REAL TALENT ON DISPLAY ].

I wonder what is wrong with Hip-Hop these days. I remember when I first listened to the juicy rap music of Masta Ace [ Duval Clear]. I was on holidays from High School [ Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State ] and was listening to the radio. I think it was OGBC then. That was when the Abeokuta FM station was running the show. These days, Cool FM, Ray Power 100.5, Rythm FM et al have taken over. As I was saying, the DJ played Masta Ace's INC RIDE and I really loved the track. The lyrics were cool and the beat was out of this world. It was the first time I would be listening to Masta Ace's songs.

Fast Forward to 2009 and I'm watching the video of the great track. This is rap at its best. There is no way you won't like the song. The concept behind the video is also amazing. You would see people riding different cars and feeling happy. The wording of the song makes sense unlike the lyrics of many rap songs today.

These days, rappers rap about money, big cars, women, sex and drugs. Their videos are also sickening and don't have any meaning. I'm not saying the video I posted is 100% good, but it does make sense. The song is also evergreen. So what do we learn from this? This video and song should hopefully help us to be very creative in all we do. Innovation is key to being successful in our endeavours. This is my first post in May. I'm back and I will only be stronger for it. And how was your day?

THANK YOU, TIM BERNERS-LEE.

April 2009 ends today and I think it is apt for me to honour the man who has made it possible for me to be able to maintain a blog online. His name is Tim Berners Lee. He ushered in the World Wide Web in the early Nineties. He was a chip off the old block as his parents were mathematicians, who helped construct the Manchester Mark 1,one of the earliest electronic computers.

Tim attended Oxford University and he built a working computer out of Spare parts, before he was banned from using the elite institution's computer after being caught hacking. In 1980, Tim Berbers-Lee took a job as an independent contractor at Cern, a huge physics laboratory in the Swiss Alps. Frustrated that he could not remember the connections between the variuos people and projects that filled the Laboratory, he created ENQUIRE, a primitive programme that used hypertext to link documents on his computer. He then proceeded to link the systems of his colleagues. That was how the internet started. Today, there are more than 1.5 billion internet users worldwide. Tim hardly made a penny from his creation. What a man!!

Tim has taught me to believe in the creative abilities that the good lord has deposited in me. We are all born to make an impact in this world. Are you using your gifts today? Start thinking creatively. And how was your day?

ITCHING HANDS.

I got up this morning and really didn't know what to do. After saying a quick prayer, I looked out of the window. Yeah, vehicles were moving to and fro and the Buses were picking up passengers infront of my house. That's the way of the world for you. People will always go about their own businesses irrespective of the way you feel about them. That thought jolted me back to my senses. I have a part time job now, and I'm still trying to get a full time job. However, there is something I still want to do. Until I make my mark in the literary world, I will not be satisfied. I know I've got a writing talent and God is expecting me to unleash it on the world. I believe God does not give us gifts for nothing [ the black boys in South East London will say 'nuffin' ]. So I really want to use my writing gifts.

I just finished sending some articles to thejuicetimes.com. It is news website conceptualized and run by my friend, Abiola Oyewo. I believe his site will do well. April is already gone. Tomorrow is the last day of the month. My hands are itching and something tells me I will finally be able to complete a projeect of mine this year. Lets keep our fingers crossed. And how was your day?