Larry Sushey’s 2013

                                                       GOD DEALT WITH IT

For the first time in many years (maybe even forever), I didn’t herald in 2013 screaming at a church service. I partied into it. In fact, I practically gate crashed that party as I didn’t know who the celebrant was. I played tag along with a friend of a friend…

I do not have a few words to describe this year so this will be a post of many words. So, you make your deductions.

I have been a lot more spiritual even though I can count the number of times on both hands, I stepped foot in church premises this year. I prayed a lot more and became a lot more responsible for my actions too in 2013.

Considering the events of late last year, I DECIDED in my heart that 2013 was going to be awesome.

My plans in no particular order:

1. Visit 10 countries
2. Strike 5 items off my bucket list
3. Get a girlfriend
4. Get a new car
5. Learn at least 3 new professional skills
6. Career development
7. Get closer to God ( I have this on my list every year)
8. Improve on this blog
9. Tinini tanana biko biko mariana somtin somtin 

In March, I was put on a project which required me to work from The Hague office for 3 months. So between March and May, there hardly was a weekend/holiday I didn’t spend discovering Europe. The Netherlands is a really small country with not a lot to see so it was easy seeing all they had to offer. Asides Amsterdam’s museums, red light district, beautiful canals and this wonderful flower garden called Keukenhof (not in Amsterdam), not a lot of things caught my fancy. I shouldn’t also forget Rotterdam and its highly cosmopolitan nature (Maybe because of the number of higher institutions there), the night life was live!

I also saw the Mercedes Benz manufacturing/assembly plant in Dusseldorf Germany, spent a night at a friend of a friend’s place in Antwerp, Belgium and almost died in Paris.

It was in France, that I managed to strike 2 items off my bucket list. I went to the top of the Eiffel tower and was at The Louvré where I saw the Mona Lisa. (Seeing the Mona Lisa was on my bucket list because of “famzing”). That painting looked as ordinary as a brown paper bag. To me, there were far more interesting things to see at the museum. The Hieroglyphics of the ancient Egyptians, Napoleon’s palace, and some really weird paintings by Artists I cannot remember. There were a gazillion things to see in Paris and I saw almost everything historical (Disneyland is not historical please); Champs Élysées, The Arc de Triomphe, the Opera, there was some ancient church and some Obelisk as well.

It was in May, now back in Lagos that I bought my new car having successfully sold off the old one. Inspired by the Dusseldorf trip, I got me a Benz. I even nicknamed her YOLO and she has proven to me that you really can’t live but once. That is one decision I regretted taking this year and trust me, that doesn’t happen all the time.

June was that month. An old senior colleague had been contacted for a consultancy position. It was supposed to be a short 5 day job involving international travel. Pay was generous and he recommended me for the job. This time I was billed to travel to a few west African/Central African countries. I ended up working from 3 countries in 5 days… Benin Republic; Gabon and Congo Democratic Republic. The whole experience was exhausting but the experience was worth every bit of the time because it exposed me to new terrains. In my line of work, diversity of experience is very important and I was moving upwards at a very steep slope.

And then there was darkness.

On the morning of Saturday June 15^th, I woke up to a dead phone. Turned it on to see a message from a number I didn’t recognize. It was short and straight to the point.

                                “Your father passed away yesterday at about X:30 pm.”

I screamed, threw the phone on the floor and ran off. My friend who was at mine at the time and flat mate ran after me and caught me. I managed to tell them what had happened and asked to be left alone. I couldn’t cry as memories flashed through my mind like a cinematic reel.

So I contacted mother and my siblings and they were distraught. In fact, distraught is putting it mildly because I cannot think of a better word right now. Hearing the pain in their voices destroyed me but I couldn’t cry. I had to be strong. (Family is in Abuja) Daddy had died in a hospital in Lagos so I, being in Lagos and being first son had to make arrangements. Till date, my friends still say I am a very strong guy because of the way I handled it and didn’t show emotion.

I could hardly sleep at night. Now I have only said this to one person prior now, there was a night I woke up in the middle of the night and cried profusely. All the pain and hurt I had shouldered through different degrees of family meetings, memories, and thoughts of what could have been had crescendoed into a cascade of tears which I willingly let flow that night. I got up ‘happy’ the next morning.

July was all about making burial arrangements and work was taking its toll. The Congo project side of things had heated up too so I practically had to juggle 3 balls at the same time. Saturdays and Sundays weren’t spared either but God was with me all the way.

We buried daddy on the 8^th of August, 2 days to his 66^th birthday. During the past two months, I had met a brother and sister I never knew I had and I love them. I returned to work and somehow managed to complete the Congo side-gig. Oh did I mention that amid all the pressure I had become a full blown smoker too?

September was uneventful apart from the fact that I quit the cancer sticks on the 25^th of that month. I just wasn’t feeling it no more.

As per relationships, I could be described as a ‘fool’ in this department.  Could have started at least 3 different relationships with awesome women (well some more awesome than the others) but I didn’t because I was in love with an idea. An idea which i am slowly, but reluctantly letting go of.

If I am not 100% sure I wanna be with someone I will not do it. There are no midpoints in this matter, just extremes.

I am sorry.

I understand that relationships are really strong friendships and there was only one person I wanted to build that with this year. I am one of those idiots who stay loyal to a fault. I mean, you cannot question the loyalty of a dude who’s both an Arsenal fan and a loyal MTN subscriber at the same time (Only ever had one MTN phone line since 2002 so imagine the number of heartbreaks I have endured).

Cry for me Argentina!

So being the special kind of eejit I am, It is understandable that I be loyal to my idea.

I now realize that life isn’t just about black and white else you miss a lot in the grays in between. In fact, I realize now that life really is lived in the grays.

Anyway, We still outchea. Que sera sera. 😉

I have never liked Octobers. Every year, this month presents a challenge to me. This year it was the Mercedes. The car was involved in an ‘accident’. (Note that there was no bodily harm to this vehicle) I wasn’t driving but was riding shotgun and thankfully no one got hurt. The car just lived up to it’s name; YOLO. Long story short, I don’t wanna drive a Mercedes anymore. At least, not for now.

Still in October, I started a project that I intend to complete within the next three years. God has been good to me and I really should’ve started this a long time ago but I have been procrastinating. Not anymore tiger!

November was another travel month. 5 days of doing sport and fun in Dubai with selected  office colleagues was a free holiday I’d gladly take every year if given the opportunity. My birthday was on the 13^th of the month and I had a party for the first time in many years. I’m glad people had fun.

• So this year I visited 8 countries (I planned for 10).
• Struck 2 items off my bucket list (I planned for 5).
• Got a new car (lost the damn car).
• Learnt more than 3 professional skills!
• My career growth was outstandingly, positively steep.
• Still single.
• And I’m sure you’re not surprised this blog suffered. I was too busy.

Others

• Sister got a job immediately after NYSC
• Elder sister having a fantastic career as well.
• Brother (he’s in the military) has been protected despite a lot of insecurity problems in Nigeria.
• Mother? LOL! Despite everything, that one looks like a 35 year old… What more can I say?
• I made AWESOME friends this year. I can’t even thank God enough for these people.

I am just so sad that daddy had to leave us this year.

Anyway, looking backward is not an option. Sideways, maybe the occasional side glance but nothing more; looking forward is mainstream, I mean don’t we all have to do that at some point?

So, I can only look upwards.

Thank you SIR.

Let me go compile my list for next year.

Larry Sushey.