Thanks For Making My 2013 Spectacular!

Tuesday, January 1st, 2013. I remember that day just like it was yesterday! Celebrations were in full gear to mark the beginning of the new year, the distinct aroma of fried chicken had saturated the dry Harmattan air. (Meanwhile, why is the weather still so hot and humid at this time of the year? The Christmas/New Year feel just isn't there this time around. Global warming abi?) But in the middle of all the merry-making and the joy in the atmosphere, there I sat on my bed, looking in the mirror, the ghost of a wry smile gradually becoming visible on my still sleepy face, anxious about what a year 2013 would turn out to be for me. Yes, being a firm believer in the power of prayers, I had already committed the year into God's hands and I knew He had heard and answered, but yet, anxious I was. Looking back now 364 days later, can I say my anxiety was worth it?

13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do!

Hello friend! Just read this piece on lifehack.org and thought I should share. Enjoy!

Dealing With Regret

Have you ever noticed how really agonisingly painful it is whenever you reminisce about the events in your past that you know could have gone better but didn't? Things you should have said, things you should have done...or shouldn't have, as the case may be. Truth is, we all have varied levels of grace when it comes to dealing with such feelings. Some of us are fortunate enough to have the ability to handle regret gracefully, the rest of us just suck at it. I've seen a lot of people wallow in regret for much too long, becoming shadows of their former selves and - as a resultant - rendering themselves utterly unproductive. So here's the question. How do you deal with regret?

Gratitude!

Hello dear friend. My word! It's been quite a while, hasn't it? I've been seriously tied down with a couple of things of late, especially now that there's a possibility that this our little "holiday" might soon be called off. I really wasn't in a hurry to update the blog because I was still thinking about the ideal post to thrill you with after such a relatively long period of being AWOL. However, it just pricked my conscience so much how we tend to ignore certain things that we just shouldn't, especially when it comes to being grateful. It's a pity we just have to expect that ideal thriller a bit later, hehe.

So here's the deal. We pray to God all day, everyday when we need something we think is really urgent (and when things are going our way prayer no longer seems to be an option. Anyway that's a story for another day). I know I'm good at this one. During or just before exams (especially when I'm ill prepared), when I'm in some sort of dilemma, praying just seems a whole lot easier. But then when He answers our prayers as we expect, do we ever really say "thank you" ? A lot of us have wonderful families and friends who add so much value to our lives and we take them for granted (again I'm guilty), only to realise how much they really meant after we've lost them. Isn't it just sad?

Sell Yourself!

Midday Friday. Slept really late last night and consequently just woke up barely a couple of hours ago. My eyes are still a bit tired though. The weekend's here...but there's really nothing major to look forward to. Every day's now the same, no thanks to this unending Strike. Anyway, I think it's time I updated here, especially since there's really nothing else to do right now.

So, selling oneself, right? I don't know if it's just me but, have you ever seen wonderful hairdressers who always seem to have utterly unkempt hair? Or amazing interior decorators who live in places that can best be likened to a mad woman's playground? Or really exquisite tailors and seamstresses who always wear...things that are just unimaginable? Or even renowned marriage counsellors who have had series of failed marriages and divorces? Would it be out of place if I also mentioned gifted health practitioners who lead very unhealthy lifestyles characterised by excessive alcohol intake, cigarettes and really bad eating habits?

Sweet & Sour? It's Probably Just Life!

Sunday evening! Today has been simply amazing, from the very minute I woke up till now that I'm privileged to share this moment with you. Yeah, privileged. I had been thinking really hard on what this post was going to be about for the past couple of days, didn't really find anything I was that enthusiastic about. I just had to put up an update today though, so after quite a lot of brainstorming I settled for something. My title already let the cat outta the bag so let's just get on with it, shall we?

Today's Sunday, so I guess it wouldn't really come as a surprise if I made a little reference to the Bible. Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 very readily comes to mind at this point, you know, the very popular Bible passage you learnt as a kid about there being time for everything? (I hope my assumption that you're Christian is in order, pardon me if it isn't.) Verse 4 probably is the most relevant to what we're talking about tonight. Most of us know this passage like the back of our palms, but when it's time to put this knowledge to good use what happens?

Let The Grudge Go!

Monday morning, lounging on my sofa and just staring vaguely at the television with a glass of good old milk and some pieces of cake in a tray right in front of me. Flipping through the channels looking for something I'm in the mood for but...nothing just seems to be doing it for me this morning. So I thought I'd quickly share something that's been on my mind for a couple of days now, something most of us have heard over and over again...and even preached but don't really practice.

Have you ever been hurt before? Trick question right? Like who hasn't been hurt at some point or the other in their lives huh? Truth is, hurt is relative. I'm not talking about those random moments when your younger sister just gets on your nerves at the wrongest of moments or when Dad denies you some luxury you honestly think you deserve (if that's your definition of hurt, this probably isn't for you). I'm talking about being so provoked because someone has done something very painful to you that probably has caused you something valuable and made you certain you'd never forgive them. Clearer picture now?

So What's Your Phobia?

Alright. This is going to be another brief one, as brief as possible. I've got a little story to start this off with. So one of my favourite people in the world, Ola, sent me this picture on WhatsApp about a fortnight ago. I had barely opened it before I started having goosebumps all over my arms, serious goosebumps. Care to know what the content of this picture that caused me half an hour of terror was? Think you can guess? Well it was a Trypophobia themed picture. New word? You probably want to click here before you continue reading (no seriously, open that link. Don't cheat). So did that freak you out?

Nigerian... and Proud?

Something I always get to look forward to pretty early is Nigeria's Independence Anniversary Celebration as it comes just two days after my birthday (speaking of which, I know I owe you guys a post about how it all went down on Sunday...and cake. I'll deliver, I promise). So Another October 1 is here and so much has already been said about Nigeria...the good, the bad and the ugly obvious...especially the ugly obvious. She's 53 today...and no, I'm not about to compare her to a 53 year old person and how successful that person should be at this age. I think we've heard it one time too many already. So what's the deal?

Harnessing Your Full Potential

Wow! Just 2 days of not updating and everyone's on my tail, even people I never knew were following Michael's Opinions. I'm truly astounded, dumbfounded, shocked to say the least, pleasantly though I must add. Please keep the emails, calls and comments coming. They've been an immense source of encouragement. I want start by apologising for the little "break in transmission". It was due to circumstances beyond my control (sounds familiar right? hehe). Anyway I've been going through a whole lot lately, haven't really had time to blog. It's been utterly difficult, especially considering the fact that everything I write is spontaneous, straight from the heart. Nevertheless, I'm here again with something fresh. (I'm terribly sorry. This might very well be my last post this week as I have other projects I'm embarking upon that are struggling for my attention so I'll make it a bit lengthier than usual.) Ready?

The True Essence of Friendship

Would you believe I've spent the past half hour reminiscing about the friends I've had over the years and how they've helped shape me into the success story I earnestly am praying to become? It's even more awe-inspiring when I realise that some never even knew how much positive impact they had made in my life. Obviously there's hardly anything better than having friends, the right friends that is. After observing various friendships as best as I can, I've come to the realisation that the majority of us have no idea what friendship really is about. In my book, associating with people, having the usual hello-hi conversation or even seeing them every so often doesn't qualify them as friends. So you might ask, who then are friends? What then is friendship?

When All Else Fails...

Dear friend, have you ever encountered situations where it seemed there was no glimmer of hope in sight? When you were convinced the whole world was moving without you? When no one seemed to care, or even notice, that you needed help? When each and ever door that once was open doesn't just seem closed, but like it never even existed at all? Well I know I most certainly have had times that felt even much worse than these, times when it seemed the road had come to a premature end. So the question is, what do you do when all else fails?

True Happiness? Be Yourself!

Spent the past few hours seeing some old episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. That show just never seems to get old now does it? Guess what? Ever since I started blogging (not like it's been that long anyway), I've received some rather surprising comments and feedback that just made me smile. Something really interesting that kept coming up was that I write like an Arts student. Some people even went as far as asking if I was studying Law, Philosophy, Psychology... Hehe, e jo oh! Whoever said Engineering students couldn't be brilliant writers? The feedback has been beyond inspiring to say the least anyway. Gracias!

Nobody Seems to Likes You, Huh?

Just put lunch in the microwave oven. Set the timer for 5, hope that's enough time to share something that's been on my mind since morning...

So you've always been the pride of your parents, a well-mannered, well-cultured, morally upright straight-A student well on your way to graduating with a First Class from Nigeria's most prestigious university (I'm sure we all know which one is, hehe). One humid Thursday evening as you sit out on your veranda trying to review your notes, getting ready for the tests you have the following morning, your best friend comes crying to you recounting how much of a mess her life has become.

Something Good About The Strike. You.

Weeks upon weeks of waiting for almighty ASUU to call off this rather annoyingly, excruciatingly, painful strike and looking for something worthwhile to do. I've tried studying, knowing full well that once the strike's called of my exams would be underway, but that's gotten old. I mean, where's the motivation? What else didn't I do? Take aimless walks around my neighbourhood? Watch television till it literally hurt? Keep myself hopelessly engrossed with social media? (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram probably know me better than my own mother at this point.) Practice my beloved but long-forgotten French? In my mind, I think I even did my own Skelewu video... thrice!

Now don't even judge me. Boredom makes us do some really silly things, you know. More so when a strike has left you with tons of idle time. But just when I gave up on coming up something new and worthwhile to do with myself and thought it was a completely hopeless situation, WHAM!!! It hit me! I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE MY OWN BLOG!!!