notjustOk: Mastery

The concept of Mastery is something that we hardly talk about in society as a whole today. More than anything, emphasis is laid mainly on results and immediate gratification (which are not bad things). When accomplishments are made, all the focus is on the accomplishment as opposed to the continuous harnessing of the skill responsible for the end result. Usually many fall into the category of accomplishing a goal, (take the example of a one-hit wonder) and falling in love with that one accomplishment (a multi-platinum album) and forgetting that there are more accomplishments (more multi-platinum albums), and they stop honing and adding to the skills that got them the first accomplishment (writing and making better music). The result is usually a mediocre accomplishment or no accomplishment at all (next album drops and they can’t get it to go Wood). I digress.

Here is a story on Mastery. When I was in Primary school (Elementary school for Americans), I saw my Uncle smoking a stick of cigarette and I was intrigued. I decided then, that I would try this thing one day. That night, I stole a fresh stick of Benson and Hedges from his newly opened pack. I chilled until the next morning to smoke it, just in case. I woke up feeling very exited the next morning. The first thing I did was to look for a location in the house to fill my lungs with smoke. I found it and proceeded to get the tools to make it happen, the cigarette and a match box. It was a very disappointing session though. I put the cigarette in my mouth and lit it. Then I tried to drag the smoke into my mouth with no luck, no smoke. I messed up. I threw the cigarette on the floor and stepped on it to kill the lit ashes.

Years later (at this point I was in Secondary school), I was at the house Jobless with an idle mind and as you know an idle mind is the devil's workshop…. I left the house to go and buy an individual stick of any brand of cigarette from the aboki down my street; on my way there I saw an older head from the neighborhood smoking. He dragged his cigarettes with skills. This act re-enforced my intent. I watched him closely to see exactly how he was successfully dragging smoke into his mouth. Hmmm... I noticed something and it took me back to my first attempt at smoking. I realized that I had the wrong end of the cigarette in my mouth on that day and worst of all, i lit up the bud. I never made that mistake again.

I got home that day, went to the back of the house, lit it up, dragged successfully, inhaled and blew out the smoke from my mouth feeling like a bad guy. After 5 drags, my head started spinning (for non smokers this is what is referred to as HEAD RUSH), then I got nauseated. At this point, I threw the cigarette on the ground, went into the house, brushed my teeth, washed my hand and went to chill on my bed. I was sick the rest of the day. That did not stop me from visiting the Aboki again 2 days later. This time, I felt the nausea and the head rush, but I was determined to finish a whole stick …talk about harnessing skills...

Soon enough I began to smoke at least 2 sticks of different brands once a week. Then all of a sudden, my taste buds could tell the difference between a menthol cigarette and a regular cigarette. Weeks later, it could identify the taste of the different cigarette brands.

Later I introduced my new habit to school. I was surprised at the reaction I got…

Comments

LOLLLLLLLLLLL serious mastery. Do you still smoke?

Posted by: Mona | July 27, 2006 at 06:52 AM

@Mona the answer to ur question will come soon... i will continue the story on the next post.

Posted by: Mola OG | July 27, 2006 at 10:50 AM

You finally left the link to your blog on my page!!!

Gosh when was the last time i heard Benson and Hedges! i worked at a pharmacy in college and they had a lot of cigarettes but i dont think they sell b and h in america!

LOL...i want to know your school reaction!

Posted by: onada | July 27, 2006 at 01:15 PM