Nothing Beats This Feeling
Source https://images.app.goo.gl/Wy2Df13uaLeint3C6
A lot of persons would normally ask questions like, " What do people who don't watch football do with their free time?". There are a lot of things one can do with their Free Time and watching football should be one, although individual preferences differs.
Yesterday's experience coupled with other experiences in the past has made me love the beautiful game of football the more.
Source https://images.app.goo.gl/fGcp9Th3KXmJmtf89
After the first leg of the game between Manchester City and Real Madrid, a lot of persons already concluded that, there was no way Real Madrid was going to qualify for the next round. It was a very nice assumption, backed up with the fact that Manchester City would be having two of their best defenders back in the starting line-up, and as such would name a better and stronger squad than the one we faced a week ago.
Source https://images.app.goo.gl/fGcp9Th3KXmJmtf89
Getting into the game, (first leg ended 4-3) qualification was a daunting task and looking impossible, because in order to qualify for the finals, we would need to overturn the one goal deficit from the first leg and also score another to win the game.
Yea, we thought about all that, and had our plans in place, but football had better plans.
When the game kicked off, both teams were conservative in their approach, striking a balance between attack and defense. Manchester City, unlike them, resorted to absorbing pressure from their opponents, but we were not to be unfazed. Real Madrid being 13 times winners and winners of 4 of the past 8 editions of the competition, knew what it meant; they understood their assignment. What was left of them was the way they could carry out this assignment efficiently and effectively.
The first half ended in a stalemate (0-0), with mannchester City still leading (4-3) on aggregate. In order to win the tie, we needed to win the game by a margin of two goals, which wasn't really forthcoming at that time.
Barely 25 minutes into the second half, Manchester City scored to make it 5-3 on aggregate. At this point, we needed to score two goals to force ExtraTime and three to win the game. That wasn't looking like it would be possible, considering the way the game was going, but we kept on hoping and believing.
We were still a goal down until a minute to go in normal time when the fourth official raised his board to signal 6 minutes of additional time. Seconds after he raised his board, Real Madrid scored, to make the game 5-4 on aggregate and scored another in quick succession to tie the game at 5-5 thereby forcing ExtraTime. 5 minutes into extratime, Real Madrid scored another to win the Game 6-5 on aggregate and 3-1 on the night.
Source
As a football fan, I've seen worse things happen, but I wasn't expecting the tie to be turned around in split seconds. That's why the game of football is fun and loved by many. This minute its predictable, the next minute, its quite the opposite.
The sight of my team winning was just a very good way to cap off a stressful day. https://images.app.goo.gl/1bbBSBZtSdVbySNL8
**May 5, 2022**.
2014 Peshawar school massacre
*I was going through Quora today and stumbled upon a very tragic post and I felt I should write on it.*
It was about the 2014 **Peshawar School Massacre** in **Pakistan**, the world's **fourth** **deadliest** school Massacre.
On **16th** of **December 2014**, six gunmen, all of whom were foreign Nationals, conducted a terrorist attack on the **Army Public School** in the city of **Peshawar**.
They entered the school and opened fire on school staff and children, killing **149** persons including **132** school children between the ages of **8 and 18**.
On the day of the attack, **1,099 students** and staff were present in school. According to reports, the attack began at around **10:30am**, when seven gun men entered the school after scaling the walls. They moved **straight** towards the **assembly hall**, where students were gathered for an assembly on first aid training, and opened fire frantically on the children. They **didn't come** to take **hostages**; rather, they came to **kill** as many **children** as they can, and it was reported that the children were forced to ***watch*** teachers, including the Principal **Tahira Qazi** as she was killed.
At the end of the day, the Army succeeded in rescuing **960** persons, of which **121** were injured. **149** people were killed, including ***132*** school staff members and children.
This picture was uploaded by Taha Munir Paracha (L), to his Facebook account, he captioned it "**friends uplift the spirit**". It looks like a normal picture, right? But there was more to it. The picture was meant to serve as a contrast to this:👇
Below are **excerpts** of what happened to **15** year old ***Baqir Jaffri***, after they heard the first ***two shots***.
*"Then we heard a third shot, and our Principal, Madam Tahira Qazi, who was sitting in the front row, turned around and asked one of the teachers to lock the back door. I turned around to see Sir Javed (The teacher) walk up to the door, but before he could lock it, he was hit by two bullets that came through the glass. He fell down''*
At first the **gunman** walking by the aisle where **Baqir** had taken cover, did not see him, but he noticed his head when he turned around. The bullet ***grazed*** his ***forehead.***
*"The Gunmen Probably thought that I was dead and walked on down the aisle, shooting boys and teachers. I saw him Shoot our teacher Ms Hafsa three times in the head"*
His mother Fatima, who was a teacher at the school, didn't make it out. These were his elder brothers words when he tried to search for his mother.
*"I waited at the gate. I was asking every student that was coming out if they had seen her. But nobody said yes. I rang her number a hundred times but there was no response. I called my father who said that my brother was safe in the hospital but there's no news on Mama". Then one of the boys told me he saw her running from the staff room to the Auditorium when the firing broke out. I knew then that she was running for my brother, who was in the auditorium, and that's where she fell, because her handbag and mobile phone were found near the Auditorium Stairs."*
Similar horrifying stories emerged in the aftermath of the attack; students were lined up and asked which **ones** had **parents** in the **military**. Those who raised their hands were **shot** **point blank.**
An **eighth-grader, Uzair Ali**, tried to shield his friends by lying on top of them. His friends **survived**, but he **didn't**. He was shot **thirteen** times. Fourteen year old Fahad Hussain was gunned down while **holding** a door **open** for his classmates to escape.
This was one of the worst terrorist attacks in Pakistan's History and the massacre in which Taha Munir lost his friends, who were two of the 132 persons that were killed that day.
May 3, 2022.
Me In 5 Years.
Before I begin, I want to use this opportunity to wish my Muslim Brothers and Sisters a **Happy Eid**. Hope y'all had a nice time.
The topic "**Me in 5 years"** is a vision that has not been tested and may be affected by external factors; it's a subject of my personal instincts and may not be the standard.
Several changes have occurred in a lot of choices we've made ab initio; some of us have had a change in career, whether deliberate or unintentional. Some of us had the dream of indulging or being professionals in certain fields, but were hindered at a stage by circumstances beyond our control.
Growing up, I have loved the sights of galaxies and other celestial bodies outside the earth. They fascinate me a lot. So I wanted to have a career in that field. I undertook research on the field and what it entails to be an astronomer, but I had a certain experience that, made me have a rethink about the career choice.
During our SS2 third term Long Vacation Holidays, I attended a JAMB class to keep myself busy and also learn something new. In one of our learning sessions, the teacher in charge began asking questions on our choice of career in the near future. When it got to my turn, I stood up and said that, I wanted to be an Astronomer. The man was shocked at first, so I assumed he didn't hear me well. He asked again "You want to be what?"And I gave him the same answer. The moment I replied the second time, everybody began laughing, and as bold as I was then, I really felt ashamed. He then began explaining to me that Astronomy is a very nice course/career but they are a lot of things involved; one of which includes that there's no university in the country that offers such course. So at this stage, I had two options to choose from; either I remain bent on studying the course or I have a rethink about it. Studying outside the country was a nice option, but I wasn't financially tenable at that time to undertake such, so I had to have a rethink and a change of career in the process. It was a hard choice to make, but I had no other option.
This wasn't just about a change in course; the decision also meant that I would also have a change in mindset.
I had to do it and also restructure my mindset to fall in love with wherever I found myself. Back to the topic of the day, the only major restraint I would consider is the ongoing ASUU strike that's making it look like there's no light at the end of the tunnel. So five years may translate to a little over 3 academic years, considering the amount of time we'd spend at home because of the strike.
In five years time, I would most definitely be in school, although with a far better and improved mindset. That's it for today.
Take your time to admire my beautiful subscribers, they are the best.
May 2, 2022.
Real Madrid Wins their 35th, Marcelo and Ancelloti makes History.
**Real Madrid won their 2nd La Liga title in 3 years and their 35th overall**.
Spanish Giants Real Madrid needed a point to win the League title after Barcelona's loss against Rayo Vallecano last weekend.
They didn't let it slip as they opened the scoring in the 36 minute, when Rodrygo received a Marcelo Cutback, wriggled his way through the 18 yard box and sent a low shot into the bottom corner. He doubled Real Madrid's lead soon after.
Marco Asensio scored on the counter to make it 3-0 before Karim Benzema combined with Vinicius Jr to deliver the icing on the cake, to make it 4-0 for Real Madrid.
This win came at the back of their UCL Semifinal loss against Manchester City and it takes them 17 points clear of Second-placed Sevilla with 4 games to go.
**STATS**
Real Madrid title win means that Carlo Ancelloti became the first Manager to win a league title in each of Europe's top 5 leagues, having won the league while coaching AC Milan (Italy), Chelsea (England), Bayern Munich (Germany) and PSG (France).
He also has a chance of becoming the first Manager to win 4 European Cups, if his team can turn the tie around against Manchester City. He has previously won the UCL with Milan in 2003 and 2007 and Real Madrid in 2014.
Marcelo overtook, Real Madrid legend Pack Gento, to become the club's Most decorated player, after winning his 24th title for the Spanish Giants. He becomes the first non-Spanish player to captain Real Madrid to a league title Triumph.
This title win moves them 9 league titles clear of their closest rival Barcelona.
MAY 1, 2022.
Bitcoin Cash (BCH): More than a Cryptocurrency.
The impact of Bitcoin cash cannot be overemphasized. I was introduced to readcash and Bitcoin cash by my brother @King_Gozie . Since then, I have been too much in awe of the impact, Bitcoin Cash, as a cryptocurrency can have on the lives of writers and society at large.
AS A WRITER
As a writer, Bitcoin cash has helped me harness my skill efficiently and effectively, coupled with the fact that on Readcash (a platform powered by Bitcoin cash) there are lot of articles written by experienced persons in the field of writing; this has most definitely polished my writing abilities.
**AS A CRYPTO ENTHUSIAST**
As a crypto enthusiast, my experience with Read Cash as a platform powered by Bitcoin Cash has introduced me to a lot of crypto-related articles. Just recently, I stumbled on an article that gave me an insight on a lot of games in which one can play and earn cryptocurrencies, all thanks to Bitcoin cash.
AS AN INVESTOR
Also as a future investor, Bitcoin Cash has exposed me to a lot of experiences from persons that have been there before me, people that have invested and were successful or rugged in the process. There's a popular saying that:
Only fools do not learn after seeing other people's mistakes and insist on repeating them.
And as such, I wouldn't be repeating the same mistake that yielded bad results for those investors.
AS A HUMAN
As a human, the Bitcoin Cash-powered platform, readcash, has also exposed me to articles that contain tactical ways/means by which I can improve on myself, like the well-articulated articles of @Olasquare .
BITCOIN CASH COMMUNITY
Bitcoin Cash has also introduced me to a community of persons of good repute and irrefutably outstanding characters. I have also made friends on here, such as my football friend @Mofif and one of the best writers on here @Ellawrites . Its been fun being here.
BCH AS A CRYPTOCURRENCY
Bitcoin Cash is a unique cryptocurrency because it saves one the stress of exorbitant gas fees/transactional fees that are being charged in other cryptocurrencies, most notably BTC.
Bitcoin Cash has done exceptionally well in promoting a positive image of The Crypto World and as a newbie in this world, I hope to learn as much as I can from ReadCash.
**APRIL 30, 2022**.
Learnt Something New
Source https://images.pexels.com/photos/36744/agriculture-arable-clouds-countryside.jpg?cs=srgb&dl=pexels-pixabay-36744.jpg&fm=jpg
A very good evening to my dear readcash readers. Before I begin, I want to sincerely thank my sponsors, my readcash audience and subscribers. God bless you all.
Here are their beautiful faces.
ABOUT TODAY
Today was a very nice day because I made the most out of it.
It's been more than 2 Months since the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) put learning in all government-controlled universities on hold due to a misunderstanding with the government and my school was duly affected.
So each new day at home presents an opportunity to learn something new and grandma has always made sure I kept to it. Today I learned how to process Palm Fruit and get Palm Oil from it.
So here are the steps we undertook in order to get it done.
STEP 1
After the removal of the palm fruit from the thorns, the palm fruits were put in a pot of water and boiled till they were moisturized and tender.
STEP 2
The tenderized palm fruits were put in a large bowl for the removal of the peels. It is done for the effective extraction of the oil and for the separation of the Peels from the nut itself.
**STEP 3**
After the peels were removed, water was added to it, so as to extract the oil and separate the chaff and palm nut.
STEP 4
After the oil was extracted and removed, it was put on fire and heated to boiling.
STEP 5
After some time, the processed palm oil was removed from the fire and allowed to cool.
STEP 6
After cooling, it was sieved, so as to separate the nut and the remaining chaff from the oil itself.
At the end of the day we had our oil; it wasn't really an easy process, but we were successful in the end. From the last picture, you could notice that there was a nut inside of the oil. I wanted to remove it but grandma said that I shouldn't do it because it would begin to thicken. So I left it that way.
In other news, the Greatest of All Time, *Cristiano Ronaldo* scored his 17th league goal of the season in a 1-1 draw against Chelsea. You can imagine the joy, I'm feeling right now. Today was indeed a nice day.
All pictures were taken by me.
APRIL 28, 2022.
The Travails of Boarding School 1
A very good evening (GMT +1) to my readcash readers, hope y'all had a nice and fruitful day. Today hasn't been a nice day, as I've been deserted by Rusty. Hope he'd change his mind soon.
INTRO
Boarding Schools are special kind of schools, where hostels are built to accommodate the students as they won't be going back home to see their parents at the end of each day, except if the school is not in session.
People that attended boarding schools would understand that it's a nice place to be and at the same time, a horrible place to be depending on the nature of the school.
My boarding school experience was a topsy-turvy one. One mixed with moments of joy and sadness, with the latter being more prominent.
I attended a military school, so this rollercoaster, wasn't fun at all. My travails in the school started from the very first day I stepped my foot into the school premises.
Before I was admitted into the school, I made inquires so as to ascertain the nature of the school, their feeding system, and the nature of their hostels. I got feedback that the students in the school are well taken care of, well-fed, and eats chicken occasionally. Did they lie? I obviously wouldn't know because I haven't been there. I believed all I was told and I could not tell if they were saying the truth or not.
FIRST DAY IN SCHOOL
The school was situated very far from our area of residence, so I and my parents had to undergo an interstate travel, covering over 242 kilometers before we got there. On getting there, we were ushered into the school and were asked to proceed to the clearance section. We moved to the clearance section, finished up with clearance and I was handed over to a staff that would act as my guardian throughout my stay in the school.
DAWN OF REALITY
Some of the students that were hanging around the gate area, were asked to help me convey my belongings to the school hostel. They were so many that I couldn't keep track of them. When we got to the T-junction, some of the students who were in possession of my properties moved straight, why some turned to the right. I asked them, if they knew where we were going to, they replied and said that we were all going to arrive at the same destination. When I got to the hostel, I found that some of my properties had been diverted by those that were asked to escort me to the hostel. It was painful, but what could I do? I was new to the environment and I literally didn't know anybody.
I also realized that all the lockers in hostel were already occupied as the old students resumed a month earlier. No provisions were made for the new students, So I had no other option than to keep my properties in my box, which wasn't safe enough because it was visible to persons around, and the zip could easily be broken by thieves alike.
While I was in the hostel, a bell was rung. I asked the people around what the bell meant; they told me it was the dining bell and that all students should move to the refectory. I locked my bag and moved to the refectory. On getting there, I discovered that I was lied to, the food there was barely up to standard, but what could I do. I ate the food, went to the tap, and drank water. It was a horrific experience.
At night, I sat on my bed and was sobbing heavily; things weren't the way I envisaged, and my parents were not there for me to run up to. There was literally no shoulder for me to cry on.
To Be Continued ...............
I want to thank my Sponsors, God bless you all.
APRIL 27, 2022.
The Essence of Farming: Day 1 in the farm.
Farming is an art that is as old as man. It is the process of tilling the ground, planting seeds, and other edible plants. It could also mean the act of rearing animals for the purpose of consumption.
It's general knowledge that man needs food to survive, not just any random food, but food that contains all the nutrients in the right proportions, otherwise known as a balanced diet. These food does not fall from heaven; they are produced here on earth by persons in the agricultural industry called farmers.
Contemporarily, farming has gone beyond just tilling the soil to producing crops or rearing animals for the purpose of consumption. It also encompasses the processing, packaging, and distribution of farm products. As you can see, farming produces job opportunities.
MYTHS ABOUT FARMING
A lot persons across the globe consider farming to be a job for the downtrodden, a job for the uncivilized, and as such prefer white collar jobs over any job in the agricultural industry.
That's not always the case. It is worthy of note to know that the richest man in Nigeria and Africa in general got a major stake of his wealth from agricultural products. He has companies all over Africa that process plants and animals into agricultural products such as sugar, milk, sea foods etc.
Not just Dangote, a lot of billionaires out there, amassed their wealth from Agricultural Products, either raw, or processed.
Moreover, The world is as functional as it is today because of the impact of agriculture on the economic system.
FARMING IN NIGERIA
In Nigeria, we have two seasons, The Rainy Season and the Dry Season, as opposed to 4 seasons in Europe and America. Currently, it's raining over here and this is the best time to till the ground ahead of the next planting season.
ABOUT TODAY
So, I and my siblings went to the farm to till the ground and make ridges; we started by tilling the ground. It was quite an arduous task because the farmland is so large.
But at the end of the day we did our best; we tilled the much we could before sunrise. We hope to continue and finish up as soon as possible.
Here are the beautiful faces, whose efforts keeps me going.
I want to specially thank my new sponsor @Talecharm . Thank you so much for considering me for your sponsorship, it really goes a long way in motivating and keeping me going. God bless you.
APRIL 26, 2022.
Insomnia: Types, Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms, Treatment.
Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which a person has trouble falling asleep. The condition may be *short term* or *long term.*
Short term insomnia is also known as *acute insomnia* and it may last for a night to a few weeks.
Long term Insomnia is also known as *Chronic Insomnia* and it may last from a few weeks to months or even years.
TYPES OF INSOMNIA
We have two types of Insomnia, Primary Insomnia and Secondary Insomnia.
***PRIMARY INSOMNIA*** is a type of Insomnia that occurs without a connection to any underlying health condition/problem.
***SECONDARY INSOMNIA*** is a type of Insomnia that occurs because of an underlying health conditions, pain, medication, or intake of alcohol. The underlying health conditions include Asthma, depression, arthritis, or Cancer.
CAUSES OF INSOMNIA
**Stress**: Some persons find it difficult to sleep after an event that must have stressed them mentally, such as the loss of a job, divorce.
**Pregnancy**: The raging hormones in the body of pregnant women, makes it difficult for them to fall asleep. ***E***
***Environmental factors*** such as light, noise and temperature: Some persons find it difficult to fall asleep if the temperature is high, or if there's noise in the surrounding environment.
Insomnia can also run in a family; it can be ***inherited*** and passed on from parents to offspring.
Mental health issues like **depression** or **anxiety** may result in Insomnia.
SYMPTOMS OF INSOMNIA
Problem with Concentration
Fatigue
Sleepiness during the day.
Difficulty falling asleep and Difficulty returning to sleep.
RISK FACTORS OF INSOMNIA
Insomnia occurs more often in females than in males. It also affects older people more than younger ones.
INSOMNIA DIAGNOSIS
There's no particular test for the diagnosis of Insomnia. The doctor may just do a physical exam asking about your medical and sleep history. They might also ask you to keep track of your sleep patterns. They may also test for underlying health conditions that may negatively impact sleep, such as thyroid problems or iron deficiency Anemia (low iron levels).
COMPLICATIONS
Progressively, lack of sleep can negatively affect the physical and mental health of the individual. It can also contribute to diabetes, mood disorders, weight gain and obesity.
TREATMENT
Acute insomnia may not need treatment, although if it persists, the doctor may prescribe sleeping pills, so as to prevent drowsiness during the day.
EXPERIENCES
A lot of persons over the world have experienced Insomnia at both Chronic and acute stages and I would be Sharing some experiences from emedicineHealth https://comments.emedicinehealth.com/insomnia/viewer-comments_em-491.htm
Laurie Age range 65 -70
I've struggled with insomnia for 15 years. Finally I found a good functional medicine doctor who food-tested me and found I'm highly sensitive to eggs and dairy. She has me taking Tilia Tomentosa, Ficus Carica, Nux vomica 6C pellets, and Sulphur 6c, 3 times a day, and Orchex capsules at night, for sleep. If I eat eggs or dairy, I won't sleep. Get checked. I now sleep 6 hours a night, from only 3 hours on a good night, previously. I also do Qigong daily and meditate. I hope this helps you if you try it.
Joshua Age range 35-44
Insomnia can be very difficult to deal with. I prefer not to take any kind of drugs if I can. So a good alternative I've found for me is soothing sounds. Anything nature like, for instance rain sounds. It does the job for me occasionally.
Leslie Age range 25-34
I'm 27 years old. I had insomnia for 15 years. I switch medication every 2 years or so. I can't fall asleep. I can't nap. My brain just won't take a break. I don't really drink coffee. The only time I have been able to sleep without medication was during my pregnancies (2). I can go 24 hours without sleep. I can be very tired and still not sleep. I have tried to stop taking medication because I hate messing with my body but it's terrible. I have tried TBC and it doesn't work. I'm miserable.
CONCLUSION
From the above experiences it is quite obvious that Insomnia can really have a negative effect on the lives of the persons suffering from it. Some are subjected to loads of medication just to be able to sleep. Some are responsive to treatments while some aren't despite taking loads of medication to control the situation. So for us that can sleep without medications or have no problem falling asleep, we indeed have a priceless treasure at our disposal.
Touch Not My Anointed II
Happy Sunday to my dear readers, subscribers and sponsors, hope y'all had a nice day.
Two days ago, I began a series of articles on this particular topic. For those of us that have not given it a read, here's the link to it. https://read.cash/@Chief_Mekus/touch-not-my-anointed-1-ccc94c9a
So, After what transpired between the young girl and the uncle, she was immediately sent back to the village to join her siblings who were staying with the grandmother. The grandmother, who was also a fetish woman, knew that the girl was the chosen one and also planned to take the young girl's life.
So one day, she came into her room at about *2am* in the morning, woke her up, gave her a bucket and asked her to go to the stream and fetch water. It sounds like an easy task for a child right? Yeah, but there was more to it.
ABOUT HER VILLAGE?
She was born into a very fetish and traditional community. Everyone in the community served a god, that's more of a marine spirit. According to reports in the village, the marine spirit looks just like a hairy man that has only a head and a neck with other body parts absent. It resides in the village stream and always comes out at ungodly hours of the night to move around. And tales have it that any eye that sees the spirit shall die.
Source https://images.app.goo.gl/URZrCwf9LXZ8bgeeA
Unknown to the girl, she took the bucket and proceeded to the stream to get water. She got there, filled up the bucket, and was about to leave. It wasn't long before the marine spirit appeared right in front of her. She was scared, just as any human would have been, and without much hesitation, she began praying and speaking in tongues. She prayed and prayed till the marine spirit disappeared. She took the bucket of water home; when she got home, she knocked, and her aunt opened the door for her. When the aunt saw her with a bucket of water, she was surprised and began questioning her so as to ascertain the reason behind such an *unprovoked suicide attempt*. She narrated everything to the aunt: how she was sent by her grandmother, her experience with the marine spirit, and how she made it out of the stream alive.
Her aunt then told her that she was lucky to be alive because any being that sets its eyes on the spirit ought to die. She asked her not to tell anybody about it; else she would be killed by the persons that worship the spirit.
The next day, there was turmoil in the village because of the incidence that happened between the young girl and the gods of the village. They had to make sacrifices in order to appease the gods of the land.
IN CONCLUSION
The grandmother had laid out a plan, that would have lead to her being killed by the gods of the land, but when God wants you alive, no man or spirit can take your life. This story may sound fictitious , but it happened. It's real. God is the greatest!
APRIL 24, 2022.
The Impact of Random Acts of Love and Kindness.
Source https://mobile.twitter.com/marie_koomson/status/1517435448662110210
I was scrolling through my timeline yesterday and stumbled upon this tweet which literally brought me to tears.
WHO IS CHRISTABEL?
Christabel is a little girl that had Stage 4 cancer. Cancer is a terminal illness that has different stages, that are classified based on their level of severity. Cancer at stage 4 is an advanced form of cancer that has no cure. Chemotherapies cease to work at this stage, meaning that the end result is unavoidably, death.
Christabel was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, which meant that her days on earth were numbered. Her teacher, being aware of the situation at hand, took it upon her self to make sure Christabel made the most of her remaining days on earth. She made her feel special and took very good care of her.
Christabel's mother did quite the opposite of what Aunty Marie did, and it didn't go down well with her. Left for Christabel, she would have died a long time ago, but her teachers acts of love and kindness kept her going
WHAT WAS THE IMPLICATION OF AUNTY MARIE-ANNE BILLIONS ACT OF KINDNESS?
The love and kindness shown to Christabel by her teacher really went a long way in extending her life span on earth. It made her cherish every moment she had left on earth.
This act of kindness should at all times be exhibited by each and every one of us. You might not really realize the impact it'd have on the life of the person when the process is still on, but just keep doing it.
A lot of persons have been emancipated from the shackles of depression and thoughts of suicide because they were at the end of unanticipated acts of love and kindness, that made them change their mind. So, therefore I would advise that we do our best and use our little capacity to exhibit acts of love and kindness to persons around us because it can have a high level of unimaginable positive effect on the life of the person.
BE KIND, those little things we do actually matters.
SAVE A LIFE TODAY.
I want to thank my readers and sponsors, most especially my latest sponsor @Oyinwrites . Thank you so much. These acts of love and kindness keeps us going, God bless you.
APRIL 23, 2022.
Touch Not My Anointed 1
A very good afternoon to my dear readcash readers and every other person reading my articles. I want to specially thank my sponsors. And a big thanks to my subscribers, I hope to wow you all with sublime and scintillating contents. Today's topic was inspired from the word of God in the book of Psalms 105:15 which says:
"Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm".
Source https://www.pexels.com/photo/bible-blur-christ-christianity-372326/
I went to a church program today and I was awed by the testimony of the preacher and I deemed it necessary to share it here because I believe it would inspire a lot of souls.
The preacher(a lady) lost her parents at a very tender age, her mum died when she was 7 and her dad followed suit when she was 9 through circumstances that were beyond the physical. After the death of the parents, the grandmother took responsibility of taking care of the children left behind by her son. At a time, the burden was too much for her, so she had to send some of them over to their uncles and aunts that stayed close by and as a result, she was sent to spend some time with one of the uncles. When she arrived, the uncle developed instant hatred for her, he sent her on errands and even went as far as sending her to the streets to hawk. The uncle when asked about her welfare, would send word home that she's in school and is doing just fine.
The uncle was a fetish man, so when the little girl came into his house, the Spirit she brought was in opposition to the already existing Spirit in the house. In order, to put an end to all that, the uncle sought to kill her.
So one of those days, he replicated the story of Abraham in the bible, when he wanted to sacrifice his son Isaac. The difference now was that the girl was not his daughter, he wasn't sent by God and instead of a ram he went with a chicken and some tubers of yam.
On that faithful day, they boarded a bus and drove down to the shrine where the sacrifice was to take place. They drove till people were out of sight, but the bus kept going till they went deep into the forest.
Just in front of where the car parked was a small hut. This small hut housed the native doctor that was to use her for the sacrifice and all his tools. When they entered the hut, she was asked to kneel down. When she knelt down, the chicken they brought was untied, killed and was used to circle her head accompanied with incantations. While the native doctor was still reciting the incantations, a strong wind blew and pushed him to one side of the hut.
Source https://images.pexels.com/photos/1060489/pexels-photo-1060489.jpeg?cs=srgb&dl=pexels-oleksandr-pidvalnyi-1060489.jpg&fm=jpg
After he was tossed by the wind, he began interrogating the uncle, asking him where he brought the little girl from. The man asked the uncle to take the girl out of the shrine and never bring her back.
All these things happened before she realized God's intentions for her life. She was already blessed and anointed right before she was born. That incident would have been the end of the little girl if God had not been by her Side.
Hope you learnt something?
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APRIL 22, 2022.
Has Cramming Ever Failed You?
Cramming is the act of studying intensively to accumulate a lot of workload over a short period of time.
It is one of the most popular reading techniques amongst students across the world. It's always considered an option or a saving grace when the workload to be covered is much and there's little or no time to read for the sake of understanding.
I consider cramming as a *gift*, although it can be learned when there's a little tweak in the situation of things. I wasn't really good at cramming when I was admitted into the university but on getting there, I discovered that I cannot do without it. There are some things you'd read to understand and ones you just need to stuff into your head, enter the exam hall and give it to them just as it is in your note or textbook.
Sometime ago, we were notified on a Monday, that we would be writing a test on a Saturday. The coursework for that particular course was super abundant, so we had to read to understand, then the ones we couldn't understand, we made sure we crammed them. When it was time for the test, the lecturer came in, and arranged us, such that, the moment you are short of ideas, you have no other choice than to submit because you don't have the luxury of asking a friend.
When the test started, everything was going fine; I wrote extensively on the ones I understood and a few that I crammed. Immediately after the test, we were notified of another test that was to be held the next week on a Tuesday.
Source https://images.pexels.com/photos/6238056/pexels-photo-6238056.jpeg?cs=srgb&dl=pexels-monstera-6238056.jpg&fm=jpg
The moment the announcement was made, I began preparations. It wasn't easy because I had to read a lot of *cumbersome* materials, slides and textbooks all in the space of 3 days. I did my best; I understood the much I could, then crammed the rest.
On that faithful Tuesday, we went into the hall to write the test. When the questions were read out, I began answering. The answer to question 1 was still fresh in my memory, so I supplied the answer immediately. The answer to the 2nd question was something I read on the first of 3 days that we were given to prepare for the test, so I had a hard time remembering it. I sat down there and closed my eyes, trying to see if I could at least remember anything. I tried and tried, but it wasn't working and we were not given the chance to interact with our neighbors, so I submitted the ones I could remember and left the hall.
It was quite painful that I couldn't remember the things I spent time reading the moment I entered the hall, but it was expected considering the workload. At that stage it's safe to say that Cramming failed me.
Has *Cramming* ever Failed you before?
I want to thank my Sponsors and subscribers. God bless you all.
Lead image Source https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-in-white-shirt-with-brown-wooden-frame-4769486/
APRIL 21, 2022.
Boarding Or Day: The Role of the Student cannot be Overemphasized.
In recent days, a video of a 10yr old girl sleeping with a 13yr old boy surfaced on the internet and in the light of that, several persons began dropping takes and opinions regarding what they feel is the right way of parenting.
So while going through the timeline yesterday, I saw this post.
SOURCE
Firstly, let's start by describing the terminologies there.
**What's a Boarding School?**
A boarding school is an institution of learning where students live within the school premises, while receiving formal instructions from their teachers and administrative bodies.
A school, by definition, is an institution that consists of a gathering of students for the sole purpose of learning, both academically and otherwise. These students come with distinct personalities and characters. These characters are peculiar to each individual. In school, students with different characteristics tend to come together regardless of their attributes. There's no such thing as an ideal society, so amongst the students, the good ones must exist, and the bad ones ought to exist as well.
In a boarding school, students are kept faraway from their parents; the only time when they get to see them is when the school ain't in session. The majority of the morals they learn as a growing teenager or a young adult are from the school staff or the students within it.
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I attended a boarding school. The structure is not any different from that of day schools in that you get to interact with friends while in school, you get to obey instructions from teachers and partake in a host of other school activities. The only difference lies in the fact that as a boarding student, you would be going back to the school hostel at the end of the day, as opposed to day students that would be going back home to see their parents.
**WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF THESE SCHOOL SYSTEMS ON THE STUDENTS?**
It's believed that students who attend day schools are accorded the opportunity of going back home to learn morals from their parents. It is true, I wouldn't dispute that.
I have been in close contact with persons who attended day schools and I've come to discover that the character a person exhibits is dependent on the choices they make. I am not trying to downplay the importance of the good morals they have been taught at home. I have seen day students that have good moral principles and I have also seen day students that are worse off. While at home, a child may act like they truly understand and appreciate the good morals being taught to them by their parents. Whereas in school, when they are outside the watch of their parents, they tend to do what they feel is right. They are the ones to take that decision.
Teenagers between the ages of 10-18 tend to feel this youthful exuberance to explore the things of the world. They tend to do so with the slightest opportunity they get, so it is best that they are put under strict supervision, whether in school or at home. That's why the staffs of the Chrisland School were put to blame because it was their duty to put those students under strict supervision and make sure that the male students don't cross carpet to the female room and vice versa.
In conclusion, moral principles are not peculiarly taught by parents, they can also be taught by the school. I attended a boarding school and it's safe to say that the morals I learnt from there are still in me till date. Most day school students also exhibit the good morals imbibed in them by their parents. So regardless of the institution you attend, once the teachers and parents play their parts and the students are ready to learn, I believe that morals will be effectively dissipated.
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Lead Image: SOURCE https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-wearing-backpacks-1454360/
APRIL 20, 2022.
Tragedy Befalls The Ronaldo Family
Source https://www.instagram.com/p/CVk29cSI-2E/?hl=en
On the 21st of October 2021, 5-time Balon d'or winner Cristiano Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez, announced on Instagram that they would be expecting twins at the end of the 3rd Trimester.
Yesterday being the 18th of April 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo came online and announced that the wife gave birth successfully but in the course of doing that, they lost one of the twin babies, the male child to be precise. At this time our thoughts are with Cristiano Ronaldo and the family.
Source https://mobile.twitter.com/Cristiano/status/1516120150533095432
Ronaldo lost his father at a very tender age and as a matter of fact, losing a family member is one that can have a devastating effect on anybody, regardless of their status in the society. On that note, other clubs, footballing and non-footballing bodies duly sent their condolences across.
Source https://www.google.com/amp/s/indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/cristiano-ronaldo-norwich-hattrick-goals-video-7872581/lite/
This bad news came a day after he scored a hat trick against Norwich City, pushing him to 3rd on the premier league top scorers list this season.
We pray that the Lord will give him and the family the fortitude to bear this loss and may the soul of the departed rest in perfect peace. Amen .
Ronaldo's club, Manchester United faces their archrival Liverpool later today and it's very unlikely that he will feature.
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APRIL 19, 2022.
Gratitude To God
Happy Easter to My esteemed Read cash readers and sponsors. I hope y'all are having a nice day. As Christians, the Easter period is a time in which we commemorate the rising of our Lord and Personal Savior, Jesus Christ, from the dead. He left His comfort zone in Heaven as the son of God and took it upon himself to die for his people on the cross of Calvary.
While in Church yesterday, the moderator made an announcement to signal the congregation that it was time for testimonies. When the statement was made, I transitioned into a state of sober reflection, and I began to reminisce on all the things that the Lord has done for me all through this year, of which I'm not worthy enough to be at it's receiving end.
In my academics he has been so good, in my family he has been so good, His guidance and protection has been sufficient.
THE UNIVERSITY GAMES EXPERIENCE
Sometime last month, I and some students went to represent my school at the National University Games (NUGA), that took place at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Nigeria. I played volleyball. The journey from our school down to the University of Lagos, lasted for about 18 hours. We left around 8am and got there by 2am the next day. When we got to the University, we were mandated to do a reconfirmatory COVID-19 test to confirm the genuineness of the one we did in school. It was part of the criteria that ought to be met before being allowed into the school premises and allocated bedspaces.
The test lasted for 3 hours and by the time we were done, it was already 5am in the morning, just 3 hours short of the 24hour mark.
The University games was generally a success, even though it didn't particularly finish on a good note for my side as we were eliminated in the group stages of the competition.
DEPARTURE
When the University games were concluded, The director of Sport passed an information that we would be leaving for school first thing the next morning. The departure time was 5am and he asked that we get our things ready before the said time.
I got everything ready for the travel back to our school in Uyo, Nigeria.
When all was set and done, the driver started up the engine, marched the accelerator, warmed up the engine, and set the car in motion. Just 3 minutes after the car was set in motion, it stopped working. The driver tried starting it again, all to no avail, he did all he could to get the engine on again, but everything proved futile. It was at this stage that it occurred to me that this journey was going to be a long, long one.
They called in a mechanic, who managed to get the engine on again. When it came on, we were so happy because we thought that it won't go off again. As soon as the driver drove the vehicle into the suburb of Lagos, it went off again. I didn't really know what the problem was but the car kept going off intermittently.
SCARY TIMES
At a time, the car stopped in the middle of an unknown forest and considering the level of Insecurity in the country, anything could have happened. I quietly bowed my head and said a word of prayer. We spent over 45 minutes at this location before the driver could get the engine rolling again. As God may have it, the driver later found a way of keeping the engine rolling without it going off, and that was how we managed till we arrived Uyo at exactly 2am. That summed up to a total of 20hrs on the road.
GRATITUDE
I was so grateful to God that we got to our destination safely without any harm. At that point where we stopped in that forest, anything could have happened.
Thank you all for reading.
I also want to thank My Sponsor @Ellawrites. God bless you.
APRIL 18, 2022.
BOXERS SYNDROME: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy
WHAT IS BOXING?
Boxing is a combat sport where two opponents, putting on padded gloves, fight one another by throwing punches in a boxing ring. These punches thrown may be directed to any part of the body, most especially the head. Any successful punch to the head has the capacity of knocking out an opponent, leading to what is called a KNOCKOUT in boxing.
BOXER'S SYNDROME
Right from the inception of boxing as a sport, the world has witnessed a good number of great boxers. During the 70's 80's and 90's, the world was opportuned to witness the greatness of Muhammed Ali, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Robinson etc. Contemporarily, the world is witnessing the greatness of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather etc. Over time boxing has proved to be a very lucrative career but it doesn't come without a disadvantage.
These disadvantages, has made a lot of boxers not to enjoy the dividends of their illustrious career when they call it quits.
One of the ills of boxing is the boxer's syndrome or punch drunk syndrome scientifically known as Dementia Pugilistica or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.
WHAT IS CHRONIC TRAUMATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY?
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a progressive brain condition that's caused mainly by repeated blows to the head and repeated episodes of concussion. It is present in about 20% of boxers over 50 years of age and more likely to develop in boxers with a long career, that has been knocked out on many occasions.
SYMPTOMS OF CTE
INITIALLY they tend to experience:
Frequent mood changes
Difficulty in thinking.
Short term memory loss such as having difficulty remembering names and phone numbers.
OVERTIME they tend to experience,
Significant memory problems
Typical symptoms of Parkinson's disease. (Parkinsonism)
Slurred speeches.
CAUSES OF CTE
It is caused by activities that involves repeated blows to the head leading to concussion.
DIAGNOSIS OF CTE
CTE can only be diagnosed after death. presently there's no way MRI, CT scan or other Brain Imaging methods can be used, although research is still ongoing.
PREVENTION OF CTE.
The only way to prevent CTE is to avoid repetitive head injuries by wearing protective gears during contact sport, getting advice if there's any return of previous head injury.
SOURCE https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.britannica.com%2F86%2F192386-050-D7F3126D%2FMuhammad-Ali-American.jpg%3Fw%3D400%26h%3D300%26c%3Dcrop&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Fbiography%2FMuhammad-Ali-boxer&tbnid=2HdhPznTE8WSXM&vet=12ahUKEwiJ7_7DxZn3AhULdRoKHRE9DOoQMygAegUIARD7AQ..i&docid=HZHIs3qJpOMKSM&w=400&h=300&q=Muhammed%20Ali&client=ms-android-transsion&ved=2ahUKEwiJ7_7DxZn3AhULdRoKHRE9DOoQMygAegUIARD7AQ
MUHAMMED ALI AND CTE
One of the greatest boxers of all time, Muhammed Ali suffered from CTE. He came out of retirement in 1980 to fight against Larry Holmes. In the fight, he barely lasted for 10 out of a possible 15 rounds absorbing punch after punch. It was this fight that Ali later pointed out as a possible source of his Parkinson's disease. He had his last fight against Trevor Berbick in 1981 but 3 years prior to that time, he was already slurring his words. Muhammed Ali was later diagnosed with Parkinson's 3 years after he retired from boxing.
Hope y'all had A nice Read.
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APRIL 16, 2022.
ALOPECIA: Things You Need To Know
***Alopecia*** is a widespread disease known by a lot of persons but as "*baldness"*. The word became relatively known to the general public after the recording academy saga between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the Oscars Awards ceremony.
WHAT IS ALOPECIA?
*Alopecia areata* (Hair Loss) is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases are diseases that occur as a result of the immune system attacking the body cells. When one has alopecia, the immune system tends to attack cells necessary for hair growth on the body, mostly, the scalp. It occurs to both genders, but it is more common in men. Alopecia areata does not directly make people *sick*, nor is it *contagious*. It can, however, be difficult to adapt to emotionally.
SYMPTOMS OF ALOPECIA
The symptoms of alopecia includes;
One or more distinct spots of Hair Loss on the scalp.
Total loss of scalp hair, in a condition known as Alopecia totalis.
Less frequently, total loss of all the hairs on the entire body that may occur in a condition known as Alopecia universalis.
CAUSES OF ALOPECIA
1. The most common cause of Hair Loss is male-pattern baldness and female pattern baldness as the case may be.
2. Injury to the scalp as a result of habitual pulling of the normal hair (trichotillomania), hair loss with scarring of scalp, and continuous traction (pulling) from braids.
3. Drugs especially chemotherapy; This is why Cancer Patients are more susceptible to hair loss.
4. Illnesses that cause high fever, hormonal disorders, and nutritional deficiencies.
5. Fungal infections such as Ringworm on the scalp.
IS ALOPECIA CURABLE?
Currently, there's no cure for alopecia; however, it is possible to regrow hair. The most common form of alopecia areata treatment is the use of corticosteroids, powerful anti-inflammatory drugs that can suppress the immune system.
Feel Free to Ask Your Questions?
I want specially thank @King_Gozie for his immense support on this Platform, God bless you Bro.
NEVER GIVE UP: Just Keep Trying
A lot of persons have days when they experience their ups and downs. These days may translate to weeks, or may even translate to years of experiencing such problems. Most people in the process of experiencing these problems tend to quit and stop trying which should have never been an option.
When I was done with secondary School Education, I wrote the college entrance examinations popularly known as JAMB. I scored quite high in the exams and my score was in the region of 320-323, it was that high. So, I applied for admission in one of the top universities in the country and was invited for its Aptitude Test. At the end of the day, the result was out and the score was relatively high but wasn't as much as I expected. When the aggregate of both scores were taken, my total score fell just 4 points below the required score, for my dream course. Of course I was admitted but it wasn't into the department that I applied for. Depressing right?
**TAKE YOUR STAND**
At first, I wanted to reject the admission and sit for another JAMB examinations while at home, but I gave it a second thought and decided to continue with what I was offered and sit for the next JAMB examinations while in school.
Despite my decision, I couldn't help but feel depressed, though I still attended classes and practicals and did everything I was supposed to do as a student of my new department. I was putting in my best academically and didn't want to put all my eggs in one basket but deep down, I knew that I was supposed to be in the department of my dreams. At the end of the first semester, I finished with a GPA of 4.41, it was quite poor by my standards but was commendable considering the circumstances surrounding the situation at the moment.
At the beginning of the second semester, a notice for the commencement of JAMB examinations registration was released. I told my parents about my intentions of sitting for another JAMB examinations and it was well welcomed, provided I can pass the examination. I registered for the examinations. When I got back to school to finish up with the second semester of my first year, things weren't as rosy as before. I was preparing for two tough examinations, the university semester examination and the JAMB examination. It wasn't an easy task coping with the increased workload but I was rest assured and I believed that it was going to be a success. I channeled most of my energy into the JAMB examination because I felt it was more important at the time. When the result of the Examination was released, I scored in the region of 295/400. The score was relatively high compared to the general scores of the exams for that particular year, but was low compared to my initial score. I then applied for admission into another university and was invited for the University's screening. While waiting for the outcome of the screening process, I was writing the end of semester exams. The exams were tougher than I expected, but I was still striving and grinding to make sure I pass them with excellent grades.
FINALLY
The night after one of my worst exams in school, the admission list for my new institution came out and as God may have it, I was admitted. My efforts has finally paid off. Also,The divine power of God cannot be overemphasized, his unending mercy was sufficient enough to see me through the thick and thin of the admission process.
ADMONITION
In the course of going through all these, I never gave up because I never for once saw it as an option. If there's anything you are going through at the moment, keep striving, do not quit, God will definitely see you through.
Dementia as an Age-related Disease.
Age is the length of time that a person has lived or a thing has existed. It is an inevitable quantity that moves in only one direction, forward ever and backward never. Advancement in age is generally seen as a blessing but at the same time, it presents a lot of changes and responsibilities, which is why individuals are categorically grouped according to their age. Of course, what is expected from a child is quite different from what is expected from an adult.
Old Age on the other hand is used to describe ages nearing or surpassing the life expectancy of a man. According to the United Nations, the average global life expectancy is 72.6 years. In many traditions/religion, old age is seen as a blessing, albeit coming with its own disadvantages.
AGE-RELATED DISEASES
Yes it is hard to ignore these disadvantages, one of which is age-related diseases. Age-related diseases are diseases that occurs to an individual as a result of advancement in age. Aging is one of the major risk factors for inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, cancer, dementia, Alzheimer's disease etc. As people advance in age, they experience loss of muscle mass, decrease in the functionality of the immune system and decrease in the functionality of Sensory organs in the body. For instance, decrease in the functionality of the ear might lead to deafness, decrease in the functionality of the eye or weakness of the lens of the eye might lead to blindness and decrease in the strength of the immune system my lead to invasion of the body by diseases.
DEMENTIA
Dementia is one of the diseases that is quite common amongst aged persons. It is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life.
Growing up as a child, I was opportuned to witness the aging phase of my grandparents. I lived with my Grandmother for the latter stages of her life, she was the best of them all. We were fond of each other and had interesting memories together. When she was a bit younger, she would sit us (I and My Siblings) down and recount the good old memories she had while growing up as a child and as a young independent lady. it was really fun listening to her.
As time went by, she could no longer do the things she normally could, was unable to walk on her own and at a stage began experiencing memory loss (Dementia). It was hard coping with the outcome of the aging process but it was very much expected.
Age related diseases, most of which cannot be cured, impairs adults at old age and if these adults are properly taken care of, their life span would definitely be prolonged.
Have you ever taken care of an aged person, care to share your experience?
Exploring Other Options: Web Programming 2.0
Hi guys, I hope you all had a good night’s rest. Each new day presents itself with distinct attributes, an opportunity to improve on ourselves and it's important we take it and make the most of it.
Learning in tertiary institutions around the country has been halted for some time now. This is because of some salient issues that needed to be addressed by the government.
Today marks the 55th day since the commencement of the strike action.This period is when students can learn skills and improve on themselves.
Recently, I started a self tutored programming lesson specifically on web programming. I downloaded a beginners lesson guide, uploaded by freeCodeCamp on YouTube, titled "LEARN HTML AND CSS FROM SCRATCH,” and I hope to learn as much as I can from this course before the recommencement of academic activities. Being a part of the tech industry is something unrelated to my field of study that I've always wanted to do during my spare time, and I believe this is the best possible time for me to get acquainted with this largely in-demand skill.
I started with setting up the code editor. It wasn’t quite an easy task as I was new to the system/course, but I followed the step-by-step procedure explained in the tutorial video to get it done. The user interface has been set and is ready to be in use.
I will keep you all updated on my progress.
APRIL 11, 2022.
BOREDOM: What Do You DO When You Are Bored?
To an extent, boredom has become a regular occurrence in our daily lives. It tends to happen more often than not. Boredom is not limited to the unemployed or idle minds only; it also applies to those that are employed. Although, research has shown that idle persons tend to experience boredom compared to those who are busy or are in the working class because they are not as engaged and have more free time.
Different people have different ways of handling boredom. When it springs up, some choose to visit their favorite resort centers, some tend to do what they enjoy doing best during their leisure time, and some use that opportunity to do something they've always wanted to do.
Personally, in my everyday life, boredom is something I experience more often than not. As a student, I spend a large amount of my time studying and in the course of reading, I tend to get saturated, tired and less motivated to continue reading. It is at this stage that we can say that boredom has set in. When it sets in, I am unable to continue reading because I will not be focused, so I do things that are not academic-related, one of which is watching or reading any sport-related article.
I grew up in a sport-loving home; I started watching football from a very tender age, and my love for the sport has grown over the years. My dad was a Manchester United supporter, and for that reason, most of the games I watched when I was little were the ones that featured the team. My best player and greatest player of all time was and remains Cristiano Ronaldo. Football heritage is one passed down from parents (or guardians) to offspring depending on the circumstances surrounding your growth as a little child. Over the years, I have developed an interest in lots of sporting activities such as basketball, lawn tennis and formula 1, but unsurprisingly football still tops the list . Watching football is something I do during my leisure time, but I do watch a little of lawn tennis, formula 1 and basketball.
So when boredom sets in, I find solace in reading news articles about my favorite club (Manchester united) and other clubs, watching video clips of my best player, and even reading news articles about my favorite club’s rivals. I also watch clips of my best basketball team, the Los Angeles Lakers, read their history, and follow up on my favorite basketball player, LeBron James.
In a bid to emancipate myself from the shackles of boredom, I do what I love doing best. To some persons, reading novels, watching movies, animations and following up on their favorite fictional characters or celebrity might be their way out of it. So it all depends on what works for them.
What about, what do you do when you are bored, what do you think works for you?
MEDICAL SCHOOL: Cool From the Outside, Frustrating Within.
Medical School is a long/arduous journey, and one has to be well prepared and equipped before embarking on it.This journey begins even before one gains admission into the university because it’s competitive and thrives on the notion of “survival of the fittest,”only the best of the best are selected..
Different persons have different reasons for studying or wanting to study medicine. Some people choose to study medicine because of their passion for human lives, some do it because they feel it is a great way to acquire wealth and some others, because of personal experiences that may have shaped their mentality. One thing is sure, regardless of their reason or motivation for choosing medicine, the process of acquiring the certificate or becoming a doctor is not any different.
**FRESHMAN YEAR**
When I got admitted into the College of Medicine, I felt like I had arrived because I studied so hard to pass the entrance exams, but in reality, it was just the beginning of a long, complex and difficult journey. We started off with Freshman year courses similar to the conventional science courses we did while in high school. These courses at the time seemed to be a bit complex, but it was nothing compared to what was to come.
In Freshman year, as medical students, we offered about 25 courses and ensured that we failed none. This was one of the standards set for medical students to ensure that any student who proceeded to the next level did so without spillovers. I cruised through my first year in school, albeit experiencing difficulties, most of which were non-academic, but I still aced all my courses and was qualified to move to the next level.
**MEDICAL SCHOOL PROPER**
One of the times I read in class during my 1st year, I happened to see one of my senior colleagues with a textbook as big as all my textbooks in 1st year put together. That was when I realized that the task ahead wasn’t going to be an easy one. Before we commenced lectures for 2nd year, I was informed that we were to offer 5 courses, 4 of which were anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, medical statistics, and a general studies course.
When we resumed lectures for our 2nd year in school, I still had the mindset of a freshman and was a bit relaxed, but life came at me very fast. In our first week in school as 2nd year medical students, we were officially introduced to the courses we were to offer for the semester, and at the end of the introductory session, the 5 courses I was initially informed about translated to 17. I had no prior knowledge about these courses,so I was having trouble understanding them. As lectures began in full swing, the work load increased, coursework became voluminous,and understanding proved to be very tasking.
I was already used to jotting while reading during my 1st year but getting into 2nd year, I realized that it would be difficult for me to cover up in time, considering the workload. I had no other option than to keep jotting because that was the only method of reading that I was familiar with. I ended the second year on a very terrible note, scoring below average at the end of the academic year. This was one of the lowest moments of my life in medical school because I didn’t know what I had done wrong, I studied hard and did everything to the best of my abilities, but in the end, the result wasn’t encouraging.
This was when I knew that something was wrong, and I needed help. At a point, I could even see myself dropping out of medical school, but I held my head high and was motivated by my family and friends that looked up to me. They would be very disappointed if I eventually failed.
I then made up my mind and decided to open up to one of my friends, telling him about my plights and how my results weren’t a reflection of my efforts. He advised me to attend a tutorial with him. At the tutorial center, I learned extensively, and I realized that I didn’t have to read much from these big textbooks. The notes from the tutor contained all the necessary points I needed to ace my first professional exams, and I ensured that I studied them very well. At the end of the day, I passed all my exams as well as my first professional exam.
The journey so far has not been a smooth one, and may even become more complicated than what I’ve experienced so far, but I believe that all will be well.
April 8, 2022
Los Angeles Lakers: High expectations, poor Results.
Good Morning People, hope y'all had a good night rest. As a basketball fan (the NBA to be specific), I support the Los Angeles Lakers. We have arguably three of the League's Best Players, but we've been officially eliminated from Playoff contention.
Care to know why?
SOURCE
During the 20/21 off-season, the Los Angeles Lakers Front Office, in charge of Trades, Player-contract extension and Draft picks traded the young core of the team to the Washington Wizards in exchange for a Superstar in the Person of Russell Westbrook. It's important to note that, Russell Westbrook, before now, had previously played with quite a good number of NBA Greats but is yet to place his hands on the NBA's most coveted Trophy, the NBA CHAMPIONSHIP. The moment the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Russell, they lost their renowned defensive identity, tenacity and team cohesiveness that won them a CHAMPIONSHIP 2 seasons ago.
SOURCE https://images.app.goo.gl/dFtiozKYPo8W4e4d9
When Russell Westbrook became a Laker, he formed a Big Three with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The trio formed was plagued with injuries, a disappointment, and clearly didn't live up to expectations. The least they could have done for the fanbase, was to make the playoffs, but they failed, and this is without doubt the biggest disappointment in the history of the NBA.
GOSPEL NUGGETS: A Change Of Story Encounter.
A divine encounter is a divinely orchestrated situation where divinity intercepts humanity for the good of man. They are a lot of biblical figures who are products of divine encounters. Jacob was a product of divine encounter as he was able to face his brother Esau, his then Master, Laban and also had his name changed and his fortune turned around at the end of the day. Moses and Jabez on the other hand, also had encounters with God, that shaped their life and future.
NAAMAN’s ENCOUNTER WITH GOD
The life of Naaman (2Kings 5) portrays the perfect picture of a man whose life was changed, the moment he encountered God. Naaman was a powerful Syrian Commander, firm, resolute and powerful in command but he had one blemish, he was leprous. This particular blemish signified an attack on his capacity, potential, assignment, prosperity and destiny because he was growing in all leaps and bounds until he became leprous.
When this infirmity came upon Naaman, he was advised by the wife’s maid, who was a captive from the land of Israel to visit the prophet of God who resides there. When he got to the Land of Israel, he was instructed by the Prophet Elisha to go soak himself 7 times in the Jordan River, only then can he be clean. He murmured and demanded that the prophet changed the river to a more exquisite and beautiful river but he was eventually convinced by his servants to do as the prophet said. He went to the river and dipped himself seven times and His body became as clean as that of a baby the moment he rose up after the seventh time of dipping himself in the river.
When the commander found out that he has been healed, he went to pay reverence to the prophet and also give to him, the talents of Silver and Gold that he brought with him but the prophet asked him to go in peace and he departed. Gehazi, the servant of the Prophet Elisha, went after the commander and lied that he was sent by his master, the prophet, to get a talent of Silver and two changes of Garments. The commander offered unto him two talents of Silver and Two changes of Garments. Gehazi went up to his master who enquired of his previous location but he lied to the master saying that he went nowhere. The master on realizing that he had lied cursed him saying “the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed forever” and he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
LESSONS
DO NOT DESPISE ANYBODY IN LIFE: The information that led to Namaan’s was brought about by his wife’s maid; she made the information known to the wife who then passed it down to her Husband, Namaan. This definitely wouldn’t have been possible if the maid was maltreated in any way or if Namaan is not on good terms with his mistress. Moreover, it was his servants that convinced him to do as the prophet said when he was indecisive about it.
MAKE NO EXCUSES FOR YOUR FAILURE: The bible made it clear in the book of Ecclesiastes 11:4 that whosoever watches the wind will not plant and whosoever looks at the clouds will not reap. Commander Naaman, in spite of his leprous state, made no excuses and kept on fighting in wars and battles, he didn't let this set back put his back on the ground, he remained composed in the midst of adversities.
CONCLUSION
Naaman’s condition changed the moment he had an encounter with God. Lessons were derived from it and hopefully this experience will help us as Christians in our everyday life in our homes and society at large.
Feel free to drop your comments below.
APRIL FOOL: Funny Joke That May Prove Costly.
We have ventured safely into the month of April. A month renowned for a good number of reasons, including the Easter celebrations for Christians, and the popularly known and widely practised “APRIL FOOL” prank.
Personally, the April Fool prank stirs mixed feelings in me. Feelings of joy and pain. I don't know if I should still refer to it as mixed feelings given that I remember the pains more vividly than the joy.
Some time ago, the timetable for our semester exams was released by the school's registrar; it was that time of the year again. Considering the huge workload and the voluminous coursework to cover in the curriculum, I had to compromise my night-rest to study at night.
I resided in the school hostel which was quite overpopulated, disturbing noises and raucously loud music were the order of the day.
I needed to concentrate, and I definitely couldn't achieve concentration in the noisy hostel. I gathered my books and other accessories and put them in my bag. I picked up a blanket too, it was necessary in case of any weather changes. I locked up my belongings and left for class.
I hurried to the class so that I could secure a comfortable space for myself. When I got to the class, I carved out a niche for myself and placed my properties there.
For a minute, I sat quietly and surveyed the class. There were some persons in class who were obviously there for the same reason as mine, and there were others, whose purposes for being there I couldn't fathom.
A few minutes to 9pm, I brought out my books and began reading, trying to cover as much as possible before I could be overcome by Mother Nature's spell of sleep.
I read for three hours, taking fifteen-minute breaks between the hours. My tired eyes began to droop. I resisted for some time before finally deciding to give in. I packed up my belongings, placed them on the desk, close to where I laid my head and slept off.
It was 2am in the morning, when I woke up to shouts of ”They are coming”. I looked around to see people running in various directions. Without asking questions, I immediately joined the fleeing students to run from the speculated persons that were coming, leaving behind my bag and other accessories.
I was still running at high speed, trying to find my bearing with my groggy eyes when echoes of "April Fool" reached us from the direction of the class. I froze, and together with others, began to move towards the class. We had been deceived.
On getting there, I found my bag open. I was a bit puzzled because I could remember locking the bag before sleeping off. I checked the bag, to confirm if my belongings were still intact, only to discover that my mobile phone was no longer there.
I turned and asked the person sitting beside me if he had seen anybody search my bag; he gave me a reply that broke my heart, saying that he had also run out in the midst of the pandemonium.
That was the last time I set my eyes on my mobile phone, it was stolen by the unknown "they" who had pranked us on a cool morning in the month of April and executed their evil deeds.
Indeed, "they" had made fools of us, but, it had been more than an ordinary "April Fool" prank.
@Chief_Mekus
