Travelling The World With Free Airplane Rides
It had been raining continuously for days now, and even though I am stuck in the house, I have enjoyed the cold ambience that comes with the rain.
Got these questions reading Kushyzee's **Choose one: lots of money or good health?** and decided to write my version of it. https://read.cash/@Kushyzee/choose-one-lots-of-money-or-good-health-c7955112
City or countryside? https://read.cash/@Kushyzee/choose-one-lots-of-money-or-good-health-c7955112#city-or-countryside
Oopsie. In all honesty, if I was a rich man, I will pick the countryside, for the peace and quiet and closeness to nature. But truth is that the city is a good environment for work and also for businesses to thrive and succeed because of the population. But with this population comes high pollution. I am stuck in between if I am being honest, and what I choose depends on the stage I am in my life. I do hope to have a country house where I'd live in my old age.
Good health or lots of money? https://read.cash/@Kushyzee/choose-one-lots-of-money-or-good-health-c7955112#good-health-or-lots-of-money
Hahaha. Tricky eh, but what's a lot of money without good health? I'd lick good health for the reason being that as long as I am healthy, I can earn money. But since having lots of money doesn't guarantee good health, then it is not worth it. I believe the choice is a easy one.
Live with your parents or grandparents? https://read.cash/@Kushyzee/choose-one-lots-of-money-or-good-health-c7955112#live-with-your-parents-or-grandparents
Hehe. I have always lived with my parents and visited my grandmas. Never really knew my grandpas, as they are both dead. One thing I know my grandmothers have in common is their habit of feeding me anytime I see them. It has been years I saw my grandmas (about 8 years now). I remember the last time I saw my paternal grandma and the tight hug she gave me. Hehe. Hopefully, I can see them soon. Anyway, I will choose to stay with my parents and visit my grandparents from time to time.
Club or house party? https://read.cash/@Kushyzee/choose-one-lots-of-money-or-good-health-c7955112#club-or-house-party
I have never been to a club, but I have been to a handful of house parties. Not that I am much of a party person, I honestly mostly fail to see the point of it most times. I'd choose a house party over a club. I think a club may be stuffy sort of and I definitely am not a fan of loud music too.
Swimming or yoga? https://read.cash/@Kushyzee/choose-one-lots-of-money-or-good-health-c7955112#swimming-or-yoga
😂 Never done yoga, at least not intentionally. I can say that I enjoy swimming. There is something refreshing about being in water, all its coolness and floating weightlessly in it. Not to mention, it is good for the heart. So, yeah, swimming over yoga every day.
Free plane rides or free Uber rides? https://read.cash/@Kushyzee/choose-one-lots-of-money-or-good-health-c7955112#free-plane-rides-or-free-uber-rides
Haha. I had said before that one of my life goals is travelling the world. I also said that travelling is expensive, and removing the cost of flight tickets will reduce the expenses significantly. Uber rides are not as expensive, and it is not like I move about a lot. So, I'd definitely choose free plane rides so I can travel the world.
Cleaning or cooking? https://read.cash/@Kushyzee/choose-one-lots-of-money-or-good-health-c7955112#cleaning-or-cooking
Haha. I prefer cleaving to cooking, especially when it has to do with the cleaning the house. Cooking is something I feel everyone should know how to do, as food is a necessity for every one. So, we should be able to nourish ourselves. But I have always had the problem of not having appetite for food I cooked myself, so I would instead prefer cleaning.
Good at sports or music? https://read.cash/@Kushyzee/choose-one-lots-of-money-or-good-health-c7955112#good-at-sports-or-music
Hahaha. Definitely sports, football to be specific. I do like music, but I like sports more. Therefore, I will prefer to be good at what I like more. So, Sports it is. I am not exactly bad at football, I played a lot of football growing up. I also know a lot of music lyrics. But, I'd rathe rbe good at sports than be good at music.
Late by an hour or early by 30 minutes? https://read.cash/@Kushyzee/choose-one-lots-of-money-or-good-health-c7955112#late-by-an-hour-or-early-by-30-minutes
😂😂😂 Okay, even though I want to be late, an hour is too much, isn't it? I'd prefer to be 30mins early, I can just keep myself busy on my phone while I wait or interact with other early comers. So, I guess you know what my choice is.
My Favourite Fictional Characters
Much as I am not a big fan of movies I am a fan of TV series, and I have had my fair share of it over time. Although, I haven't watched a lot of series in the past couple of months, today, I will be writing about some of my favourite TV characters from different TV series I have watched. So, in no particular order, I will list them and try to explain why they are my favourite. They are:
Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
Played by Jim Parsons and arguably the smartest character in the show with his eloquent grammar, unending factoids and OCDS, I couldn't help but love this character despite all of his imperfections. For some reason, I see myself in him, and even envied him for being unapologetic about who he was. Maybe in the first couple of seasons, I was sad that he'd never get to experience what being human really is, and not experiencing romantic love is something I would not wish on anyone at all. Well, it was easy to wonder in the first season or two if Sheldon will ever find love and if he does find it, will he know? Perhaps, I underrated love by thinking it couldn't break through Sheldon's *walls* or that it isn't powerful enough to blind anyone to his *imperfections* how ironic, that here I am writing about him in an article titled ***My Favourite Fictional Characters.*** I won't be surprised if people say that he was their least favourite character in the show, but they would agree that he did have his awesome moment too.
Klaus Mikaelson (The Originals)
A character well executed by Joseph Morgan, I have many of his quotes from this show in my head, and I'd often say them to myself and to other people too. Klaus was a formidable character who puts family above all else (not sure if he puts family above himself too), never intimidated and really a powerful character who fears no one. But his ego and paranoia often got the better of him. You just got to love this character and his love for diabolical plans, tactics theatrics, confidence and willingness to be the bad guy.
Walter White (Breaking Bad)
Also known as Heisenberg, he was a phenomenal character played by Bryan Cranston. A man diagnosed with terminal cancer decided to make the most of his last days, making enough money to sustain his family after he is gone. Thanks to his understanding and knowledge in Chemistry he could make methamphetamine like no other can. I have learnt how far the burden of responsibility and love can push us. Even though Walter had to take the fastest route to achieving his goal. Well, giving his circumstances, it wasn't like he had much of a choice.
Phoebe Buffay (Friends) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebe_Buffay
Lisa Kudrow really stole my heart playing this character in the popular sircom Friends. She was elegant and I admired how comfortable she was being the odd one in the group. That is not to say that other characters do not have their shortcomings, but if you have watched the show, you'd agree with me. She taught me how important it is to be comfortable being yourself and not minding what others think. Although, unlike the aforementioned characters, she wasn't what I would call the lead character, so much people may not really pay attention to her. I couldn't help but do just that, as she stole my heart. LoL.
Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones)
You know, after watching this character, I have since seen Peter Dinklage as the witty, intellectual... character Tyrion was. Known to be a strategist, he can literally talk his way out of anything. He is a representation of how powerful the ,imd is, and the importance of knowledge. In fact, I can say that he was the only reason I watched Game of Thrones to the end. Oh well, what is a good series without a witty character eh?
Raymond Reddington (The Blacklist)
Don't think one article is enough for me to talk about James Spader's character in The Blacklist. A criminal mastermind whose intellect arguably played a key role in building his criminal empire. A man full of anecdotes for any situation he is in. Someone who doesn't forgive disloyalty but only loyal to himself. I always love seeing him on my screen.
***Disclaimer : This is by no means aimed to glorify the above characters, but to give my understanding and perception of them.***
Asking Yourself 4
Had started this series and this is the 4th and final part, you can catch the other parts using the links below:
https://read.cash/@Gaiom/asking-yourself-1-ffba2716
https://read.cash/@Gaiom/asking-yourself-2-4ce9b60e
https://read.cash/@Gaiom/asking-yourself-3-00b5d273
Let's wrap it up, shall we?
What am I most afraid of about life?
This is quite easy for me to answer, and I'd say is not reaping the rewards for my labour. Or do I say labouring in vain. I am so afraid of that and that is why I want to start making money so my parents can reap rewards of their labour too. 😊
If I had not been born, what would be different about the world?
This is tricky but let me go on to say that my parents will probably have one child less than they do, my friends won't know and I can't really answer this question fully as I do not know what change I'll make to the world in the future. If I were to answer this like a realist, I'd say nothing. Perhaps my parents would still have the same number of children and my friends will know someone else. In essence, what I am saying is that someone else will serve the purpose I am meant to serve. 😅
Would I enjoy watching a movie made of my life?
I think I would. My life has been filled with a little of everything, and I think the best of movies or shows is one that has a little of everything. Aside that, I make me laugh as does people in my life, so I think I'll enjoy watching all my foolishness as well as my genius 😂.
Is my definition of success the same as everyone else's?
I am not sure what everyone's definition of success is. But I do know what my definition of success in life is: even though it is complex I like to see success as complete satisfaction in what you have done; the result and how you have done it. Financially, I would say the most successful people are those who have given others success too. Not sure if any of these makes any sense, but I hope it does to you.
Do I have a personal mission?
In life generally? In my academics? In my relationship? Reading the question made me feel like an agent of one of those intelligence agency 😂😂. I would say my mission to to make the world a better place. If not for everyone, at least for those around me. Wish me luck in that.
How would I describe the perfect day?
I wake up in the morning beside the love of my life, with a smile on my face as I watch her sleep peacefully. Then she wakes up catching me staring at her and she smiles, melting my heart. Then I kiss her on her lips and then her forehead. Get up and do a couple of home workouts. Go in to the shower to freshen up and then have a nice breakfast. After which I read a bit. Then watch a movie with my love. Then a football game.... This is starting to sound like fantasy 😂😂😂.
Then in the evening there is a light downpour that comes with mushy coolness, my baby and I cuddled up on the bed as we listen to each other's breathe then fall asleep. A perfect day innit?😂😂
What am I willing to go the extra mile for?
Achieving what I set my mind to. I am willing to go the extra mile to achieve my goals or targets and also for those dear to me.
What are my top 5 negative habits that I must change to something better?
Haha. Not sure what goes, so, let's see..
Biting my nails;
Procrastinating;
Over thinking;
See, fill in what you think yourself because I don't know to be honest😂
Who do I look up to?
There are a lot of people I look up to for specific reasons. There is no one person with all the qualities I admire, so, to I would not be able to mention one person in particular.
Thus, the end of the 'Ask Yourself' series. I have answered all 36 questions. Thank you 😄
Asking Yourself 3
This is the continuation of the 'Ask Yourself' series, you can catch up with the part 1 and part 2 let me get on with part 3. https://read.cash/@Gaiom/asking-yourself-1-ffba2716 https://read.cash/@Gaiom/asking-yourself-2-4ce9b60e
When was the last time I fell head over heels with life?
Not sure if I can even say I have ever fallen in love with life, but I think the main point here is about happy moments in life. I remember sometime last week I was genuinely happy as my sister and I were dancing together 😂😂. Was more like a choreography, and I must confess that she is the better dancer 😅😅.
Although, I do look forward to holding my child in my arms for the first time, perhaps that's the moment I'll fall head over heels with life.
Am I enriching other people's life with what I do?
Enriching... Hmmmm. Well, that is the goal eh? I am still a student now and not doing anything in particular that can be enriching, maybe my occasional writing here, but asides that nothing at all. But soon I hope. I am particularly looking forward to enriching people through my field of study and my profession. In the nearest future, but not right now.
How meaningful is my life?
I was laughing when I saw this 😂😂. Well, I am not sure how to answer this but I guess I can say it is meaningful for the very fact that people love me. So yeah. I am building myself and still learning a thing or two and the journey is just as if not more important that the destination. So I can say my life is meaningful.
Would I lay my life down for somebody?
The first person that comes to my mind is my mum. I'd gladly lady my life down for her and I like to think she'd do same for me too. The only person I know that I can say would. So yes, I can lay my life for her.
How much money will I be willing to give those in need if I won the lottery?
Lottery here is equivalent to a life-changing sum yeah? I'd definitely ensure it remains that way so I can continue giving to those in need for as long as I can. May not necessarily give them the money I won, but after setting things in place and securing the future, then I will give as much as possible. The goal here is sustainability, as I feel that's what is most in this scenario.
Am I worthy of being loved?
I believe everyone is worthy of being loved. Even the worse people is loved by someone. May be family, but someone none the same. I believe one of the best thing one can feel is genuine love and affection from another person.
What talents/skills do I have that I can do better than anyone else?
Hahaha. I really am not sure what my talent is, but I often say that it has to do with psychology. I am good at reading people. For instance, when someone is lying, I can almost always feel it or sense a person's intent. Not sure how to explain it but I think that's what I am good at. Maybe at sleeping too 😂😂😂
What are the things that put me off?
A lot of things puts me off. I could categorise them into living and nonliving things, so I think this question is vague 😅😅. For one, the smell of hospital always puts me off. When your teeth and spoon makes noise when you eat or you chew loudly. It puts me off. There are many things in this category, and I can't start listing them.
What is a peaceful life?
One were you are happy, living in the countryside close to nature, close to the sea, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, not to mention the polluted air. When you're happy with your life and no trouble at all.
Asking Yourself 2
You can read the first part of the article here. This is the continuation. https://read.cash/@Gaiom/asking-yourself-1-d8cc5468
What are the three things that I am most grateful for?
To simply put:
Life
Family and friends
Good health
These are the three things I am most grateful for.
Have I done something recently that I could be proud of?
There are things I have done recently that I am proud of. I made a decision to choose what's best over my selfish interest, and more recently, I made a decision to start investing more. I am proud of those choices and decisions I have made.
When was the last time I extended kindness to somebody?
Hehehe. What is kindness really? If I understand what this means, then I would say sometime last month. Surely I can't go into details as that would be inappropriate and goes against my personality.
What question do I want to know the answer to if it will help humanity?
Took some time to really think about this and I really am not sure. But I thought with all the clamour of global warming and how fragile the balance of everything as we know it is: I would like to know if there is another planet that humans can live. Should the answer be YES, I suppose the UN will start planning how to evacuate everyone to the new planet should the need arise in the future. If the answer is NO, then perhaps we will be more conscious about our actions and how it affects the planet. Also change from better so we can preserve our previous home.
What do I really want from life?
I think about this a lot, and I will simply say THE BEST. I want the best life has to offer. But I don't believe life gives to you, you take whatever it is that you want from it or you get nothing at all.
What aspect of my personality still needs improvement?
Emotional and social aspect if I am being honest. I am not the best at processing emotions, neither am I the best at socialising. Although, I have over time learnt how to manage my emotions, but it is no easy task. Sometimes it is overwhelming, other times it is underwhelming. Finding a balance and maintaining that balance is difficult. Also, I am not one to to make new friends. I can meet new people and we talk about things and enjoy the company/conversation but I tend to leave it at that 'acquaintance' stage and never try to push it to friendship. I really don't know why, but that's how I am. Also, I find it difficult to go to social gatherings such as parties. I often see it as a waste of my time that could be better spent sleeping (at least I convince myself sleeping with that time is better than partying).
Must I take other people's advice?
No, I mustn't take other people's advice. Especially when they are bad advice. There are good advice as there are bad advice. That is not to say that you shouldn't seek out other people's advice as it is often their opinion, and opinions are based on people's perspective and experience. In the end, whether or not you want to take someone else's advice is entirely up to you and that is a choice you make. No one will force you to take their advice, they can only make a case for you to see why it is the best advice. That doesn't necessarily mean it is the best though.
What annoys me the most?
I am not sure what annoys me the most, but I can say a thing or two that annoys me every time. First is waking me up from sleep 😂😂. This really gets on my nerve and I am usually grouchy when someone interrupts my beauty sleep. Another is shouting at me. Oh it annoys me so much, I remember when I was working in a textile mill owned by an Indian group and and one of the technician (Indian) shouted at me for leaving my duty post to go drink water. I shouted back at him and told him never to try it ever again. He went to report me to my supervisor and I explained the matter to him. Later, he told one of my colleagues that I should go join the army 😂😂.
Do others find me likable?
I honestly think people find me annoying 😂😂😂. That is not to say I am not sweet and adorable, I can be anything I want to be when I want to be. But generally, I would say I am likable until I am not likable. Really depends on who I am dealing with among other factors too 😂😂.
That would be all for now, to be continued...
Biggest thanks and appreciation to my newest sponsor @Ellawrites thank you so much for the sponsorship, I appreciate your support ma'am.
Asking Yourself 1
Got these questions when reading GarrethGrey's article, and you can read it here too and decided to answer the questions myself. Moving on: https://read.cash/@GarrethGrey07/talking-to-myself-prompt-065c375f
Do I like who I am right now?
I am not really sure how to answer this, but that is not to say I don't like who I am right now, but looking back in retrospect, I have grown and changed a lot in the past 5/10 years. It is safe to say I like who I am right now. So, yeah, I do.
When was the last time I laughed so hard?
I would say yesterday, as I remember my aunt telling me something that was very funny and I laughed really hard about it. It did feel good, laughing is healthy and fun.
What would I truly regret not doing if I died tonight?
If I died tonight, I think I would regret not living my dreams and not achieving any of my life goals. Also, I would regret not having the opportunity to take care of my mother for all the times she has taken care of us too. She deserves the best and it would hurt to not give her that before I die.
What advice had someone in my family given, and that I have taken just in time?
Family has advised me not to underrate anyone, and I try not to do that. We never know who we might need tomorrow or who would be in a position to help us out. So, I try to see everyone with the same eyes.
What were the top three lessons I learned the hard way?
People will always choose themselves first
Money isn't everything
Love is not enough
I will just leave it like that, with no explanation whatsoever so this article doesn't become 12 minutes read. Hehehe
What would I do if my biggest fear came true?
I would say my biggest fear is failing. That is not to say that I don't try because I don't want to fail. It is my biggest fear, but I still face it head on and do what I can to ensure that I don't fail at all. So, when it does happen that it comes true, I dust myself up and move on or try again and also learn my lesson from it.
What would I do with my remaining years if I had only a year left to live?
I really am not sure how I would spend the last year of my life in this scenario, but I think I'll spend it with the people I love and doing the things that makes me happy. If I were rich, I'll spend it travelling the world and touching life everywhere I go. That would be killing to life goals simultaneously.
Am I a servant of money or does money serve me?
All things considered at the moment, it wouldn't be far-fetched if I said I wasn't a servant of money, as I am doing what I can do for money. Perhaps when I make enough money, money will start serving me. Hopefully, better than I served it.
Why am I afraid of being true to myself when others are around?
Not sure this is the case, but I can answer that people are judgmental, and if they see you through a lens, anything you do or say will be analysed through that lens, through the image they have of you in their head. That is one reason one may not be true to themselves.
*To be continued...*
Special thanks to @Methion for the sponsorship renewal, I appreciate the support. Thank you.
Sunday's Sermon
It is a new day, a new month and a new week Ramadan Kareem to all the Muslim faithfuls reading this. I expect sales of consumed goods to go back to normal after the fall that comes with Ramadan. I feel sleep deprived at the moment and that I believe is majorly because I haven't had a good sleep in over 24 hours now.
Anyway, today was quite the day. It felt good starting the new month in the house of good wherein everyone seemed to be in a jolly mood. I have always found something aesthetic about watching religious people gather to worship. Well, when I say religious people, I speak only of Christians and Muslims, as those are the religions I am familiar with. For the Muslim faithfuls, I enjoy them going up and down in unison, offering prayers to the almighty. While it is always a pleasure watching Christians sing and dance as they praise the lord.
The sermon in church today gave me an idea of what to write about. I really enjoyed as the pastor preached. Perhaps because I agreed with what he said. He had mentioned that he often wonders why people will have all sort of cars in their compounds and more wristwatches and shoes than they can wear when there are poor people suffering out in the street. Couldn't all these excess and unnecessary spending of money be used for something else?
Let me categorically say that this is my opinion and why I strongly believe that everyone can choose to spend their money in whichever way or manner they want to, after all, it is their money. The matter here is amassing so much wealth to last three lifetimes and spending it all to yourself, spending them on material things you don't really need, just because. Perhaps this stems from the fact that I am not a reckless spender, that is not to say that there are not times I go on a spree and spend on whatever my impulses tell me. I often buy things because I need them and not because I can afford them.
I believe it gets to a point where ones wealth becomes ***'infinite'*** and by this I mean it is near impossible for said person to ever go poor. Said person with so much wealth I believe can make the lives of others better. By others, I mean people who really need it. One of the best legacy one can leave behind is making a positive impact in the lives of others, at least, that is what I believe. I often ask myself what is it that I would be remembered for if I passed on?
I remember when I was in secondary school and learnt about many scientist and was marveled at how important their work is that it is taught in schools all over the world decades after they have died and even many decades after that. I remember a time I was so interested in every thing Albert Einstein that I even watched an autobiography (Genius Season 1) and that exposed me to a lot about his life.
Of course there are different ways one can impact life, it isn't necessarily through wealth. We can all make a difference by doing something that solves a problem in the society irrespective of whether or not your are wealthy,
Lest I forget, I want to wish you all a happy new month. I have seen a lot of articles talking about April and all the plans for may. I don't think I published up to ten articles last month so I don't think I'll be setting any goals here for May. But, I will try to do better than last month for sure. That is not to say you shouldn't set goals for yourself, as it will help you work harder to achieve them.
That would be all for now, see you on my next article.
The Knight's Gambit
I couldn't post an article yesterday as I had to run an errand late in the evening and I was out for about 2 hours. That time spent being one I would have used to draft my article. Anyway, I am here again. I got the idea for this while reading Kleah's version, you can read it too here. Let's get down to business as usual. https://read.cash/@Kleah97/everyday-is-hope-queries-fa625468
**If You Had Three Wishes, What Would You Wish For?**
I'd definitely wish for money to do any thing I want to do anytime I want to. then I'll wish for a perfect world without all the fights and negativity. Then my third wish will be for a superpower of my choice. hahaha. That's a good use of my wishes, wouldn't you agree?
**What’s The Funniest Way You’ve Ever Broken The Law?**
I don't think I have ever broken the law. perhaps I have, but that I am oblivious of a time I did, much more whether it was funny. I suppose you can call me a patriotic citizen. Lol.
**If You Could Interview A Famous Person, Who Would You Choose?**
I am not sure. But perhaps Chuck Lorre or Drake. Would be either of them. Chuck for how he always comes up with his genius witty vanity cards. Drake simply because he is one of my top favourite artist.
**Would You Rather Be Able To Control Time, Or Be Able To Know What Other People Are Thinking?**
Definitely would want the power to control. That has to be one of the most powerful thing to do. I can pause time, go n¡back to right wrongs and go to the future to set rights. I can practically do anything if I can control time.
**What Talent Would You Want To Possess If You Could?**
I am stuck between dancing and singing, as I am quite terrible at both. Just to pick, I'd say singing. I like to sing a lot and I am sure the ears of walls I have sang to bled after. Hahaha. No, no, I am not that terrible at singing though.
**If You Were To Name Your Own Song, What Would You Name It?**
I would definitely name it something related to chess. Maybe ***the board of life*** or ***the kinight's gambit.*** No such thing as the Knight's gambit though, but I was being vaguely creative.
**What Have You Learned About Life From Kids?**
To live life with little or no worries and enjoy every bit of it. I envy how free their life is. I remember as a kid not having to worry about anything at all. Kids are also happy people as they enjoy anything they do themselves.
**What Do You Hope Your Deceased Relative Would Say About You If They Saw You Now?**
That I should keep pushing for what it is I want and that they believed in me. I could use some word of encouragement every now and then. Just so I know that I am doing something right.
**Is It Difficult To Do What You Do?**
The question that popped in my head was: what is it I do? Well, something I have been doing for as long as I can remember is living. It is not easy staying alive and surviving all the things life throws at you from all corners.
In conclusion, I like these kind of questions as answering them help others understand you better. On something entirely unrelated, it is currently past 1am and I am awake looking for sleep. Most nights of the past one month has been like this. I often force myself go to bed and also force myself to wake up in the morning. shouldn't it be the other way round?
Love Note
This is the continuation of my previous post, you can read it here. Let's get on with it, shall we? https://read.cash/@Gaiom/had-a-crush-9f9ccdc9
**ENJOYED STUDYING**
Not exactly in my high school days, only really started enjoying the process when I got to the university, as I had already made up my mind to do the best I can to get the best grades possible. Oh well, it has been a ride thus far.
**HIT SOMEONE HARD**
Not really, I am not a violent person and try as much as I can to avoid any form of confrontation or violence. If I have hit someone hard (which I can't remember) it most definitely would have been unintentional.
**PLAYED A PRANK**
None that I can remember right now. I have always been a quite guy and rarely indulge in such activities, although I am sure I would be indifferent if I saw one happening before my eyes, Maybe just enjoy it and laugh or see how it plays out.
**STUCK A FUNNY NOTE ON SOMEONE'S BACK**
Yes, I remember doing that a lot. I just go sit at people's back and surreptitiously stick a note at their back. Don't worry, I don't write mean or demeaning things on them. It was all for fun back then.
**IMPRESSED SOMEONE WHO DISLIKED ME**
Not even sure I knew anyone who disliked me as I wasn't exactly the social type. I used to talk to only a selected few and saw no need to impress anyone. I wasn't even inclined to impress the teacher, why would I want to impress a student or a fellow classmate?
**ACTED COOL TO GET ATTENTION**
For one I hated attention because people who got the attention are often the item of gossip. I was a very reserved person in my secondary school, so a lot of people knew little or nothing about me. In the university, I am relatively a talker compared to my secondary school Even at that, there is still a lot people do not know.
**STOLEN SOMEONE'S LUNCH**
Hahaha. Why would I do that? I believe only bullies and thieves would do that. I didn't even like bringing lunch to school from home, anytime I am given a flask to take to school, I would eat it at home and prefer to not eat anything at all in school. Even on my hungry days, I didn't steal anybody's lunch.
**TAKEN PART IN SCHOOL PLAY**
In my primary and junior high school, I did that a lot. I would say I am a good actor. I even took part in a stage play in my first year in the university. It was my first time doing that in front of so many people and I really like the experience. It is one I will cherish for a long time.
**WON IN SPORT**
I remember last year when my department won the faculty cup. I was part of the team but made no appearance in all the games that was played. But I got a medal. That was the day I really understood how professional footballers feel and the raw emotions in those moments. Felt gooood.
**GONE ON A FIELD TRIP**
I am not sure how to answer whether yes or no. Going for a Field Practical Training outside my school can be considered as a field trip innit? So, I will say that I have gone for a field trip before.
**HAD A WATER FIGHT**
As a kid I did, but it wasn't in a school setting. I remember a drum outside the house where rain water gathered in and we would all gather around and splash water at one another. Good 'ol days eh.
**THREW INK AT SOMEONE**
I have never done that, why would I want to permanently stain their shirt with ink.
**SENT A LOVE NOTE**
Always have found this too cheesy for my liking. Don't get it wrong, I can be a romantic, but there are some things I have always found unreasonable. I have nothing against letter writing as I did that a lot under certain circumstances. But never was it a love letter or love note. Perhaps I should try that some time. Do it old school.
The End
Had a Crush
Came across this from an article by Meitanteikudo, you can read his version here . Let's get down to business shall we? https://read.cash/@meitanteikudo/the-studious-kid-that-i-was-part-iii-85dd411c
**SKIPPED CLASS**
I have a couple of times, although I wouldn't call it my proudest moment, as I do not like not being in class. So it has definitely happened before.
**CHEATED ON AN EXAM**
Again, not my proud moment, but I would say yes. helping others is cheating, as much as asking others for help in an exam hall. So, unfortunately I have cheated in an exam, not once, not twice.
**FORGED PARENT SIGNATURE**
i have had to, because I couldn't access either of my parents at the time, so I had to forge the signature to sign on their behalf. Don't worry, I am not a fraudster. Hahaha.
**BULLIED ANYONE AT SCHOOL**
Nah, I have never been bullied in school as I am not exactly easy to pick on. Maybe it was my quietness that made people steer clear of me, as it is believed quiet people are usually very wicked. Whatever the case may be, I have never been bullied in school. I hope not to experience sch too. Hehehe.
**BEEN SUSPENDED FROM SCHOOL**
I have always been a good boy, so there was no cause for me to have been suspended, at least they didn't catch me sneaking out of the school compound during classes. Shhhh. I never said thast. Lol.
**BEEN IN THE BOTTOM THREE OF MY CLASS**
Not the brightest student, but I have also never been the dullest. Bottom three would have been very disappointing to my parents and ,myself, so I try my best to at least not go below average.
**HIT SOMEONE WITH CHALK**
Well, I remember we used to play in class then during our free period with small chalks in the classroom, throwing it at each other sometimes, while we use it to write on each others head other times. Don't kind us, we were just being silly.
**MAKE FAKE EXCUSES FOR BEING LATE**
Used to do that sometimes especially when I know punishment for late coming is imminent. I would give stories about traffic being the reason I came late to school, which was not entirely wrong, but, I didn't help matters myself by always leaving the house late. Why? You may ask, I watch cartoons every morning. Kikiki.
**BEEN HOME SCHOOLED**
Never been home schooled as my parents never saw the need to neither did I give them any.
**HAD A CRUSH OF SOMEONE IN MY CLASS**
I don't think I understand the concept of *'crush'* as I have always wonder what people mean when they say they feel that way towards another. If you know, kindly share with me in the comment section.
**PLAYED IN A SPORTS TEAM**
In secondary school, I never did as I was always about being neat and dirt-free. I didn't like the fact that I'd be going home all sweaty because I lived far away from school. But in the university, I am a part of both my class team and my departmental team. So, yeah, I am a sporty guy.
**BEEN THE MONITOR OR PREFECT**
Never been any simply because I always felt it will be too much work for me. Humans can be exhausting too. Also, I was a low-key guy and never like the attention that comes with being popular.
**SKIPPED SCHOOL TO DO SOMETHING FUN**
Well yeah and what I did may not be fun to others, as everyone has their preferences. But I remember skipping school to go play video game at my classmate's house because his house was close to the school. This was in secondary school.
**HAD A SERIOUS INJURY AT SCHOOL**
No, I haven't but I remember being the reason someone else did in secondary school. Of course it was an accident that happened as I and another student were playing with our pen. The sharp end caught this my classmate close to the eye, and it was so serious that his dad had to follow him to the school the next day.
*To be continued...*
Far From Civilisation
Was reading a post by @GarrethGrey07 titled **"Let me hear you say: I would rather"** and I decided to make my version of it as I found the questions interesting. Feel free to join in and write your own version too. https://read.cash/@GarrethGrey07/let-me-hear-you-say-i-would-rather-3337484d
*** Lose all your money and valuables or lose all of the pictures you have ever taken?**
This is very easy. I am not much of a picture person, so there aren't much pictures of myself on my phone. In fact, most of the pictures on my phone are pictures of other people. Strange isn't it? I wouldn't say so, as I like the pictures and that is why I decided to keep them.
***Live in the wilderness far from civilization or live on the streets of a city as a homeless person**
Anytime I see homeless people living in the streets, or sleeping under overhead bridges, I am usually moved to tears. I have never had to go through that, and I can't possibly imagine myself going through it. Being exposed to all weather conditions harsh and mild. So, I'd pick living along away from civilization. Long as there is peace and comfort and I am close to nature too, I don't mind. I will probably pick that over living in the city.
***Be alone for the rest of your life or always be surrounded by annoying people**
This is somewhat ambiguous to me as I am not sure what being alone really mean. Even people we love can be annoying sometimes. So, are the annoying people always annoying or just annoying sometimes? I don't think I want to be lonely. Although, I like alone-time, I do not want to be a lonely person for the rest of my life. People are important and they bring joy one way or another. So, I think I will pick annoying people over being lonely for the rest of my life.
***Die in 20 years with no regrets or die in 50 year's with many regrets.**
I don't think I want to live even a day with regrets, talk more 50 years. I will definitely pick 20 years without regrets. Life is too complex to finally go to rest with a heart filled with regrets I believe when death comes knocking, one should look back to the life they led and grin with pride, not sigh with regret.
***Never be able to use a touchscreen or never be able to use a keyboard and mouse**
Haha. It is good that there are laptops with touchscreen feature. I believe this question is simply about living with a phone or with a laptop. I think I can survive being without having a computer, but I don't think I can be without a phone. So, I'll rather not use a keyboard and mouse than not use touchscreen.
*** Control fire or control water?**
I remember watching ***Avatar: The Last Air Bender*** and wishing I had the power to control one of the elements. I particularly liked water because I could be blood bender or an healer too. plus the coolness of water. Always liked watching Katara do her thing with water. So, I'd prefer to control water instead of fire.
***Donate your body to science or donate your organs to people who needs them**
I would prefer to donate my organs to people who need them, unless of course I am a special kind of human species which has a different kind of body. I believe there are enough dead bodies science can study or carry out research with, but there aren't enough organs for those who need organ transplant.
***Relive the same day for 365 day's or lose a year of your life**
That depends on the kind of day I'll have to relive for a year. If it is a good or average day, I don't mind living it for a year, instead of missing a year of life just like that. A lot can happen in a year, I don't want to take my chances. In essence, I actually believe they are the same thing though. Because if I live one day for a year, I have missed a year of my life already living that one day.
The Prodigal's Child
Lately, I have been…wait! Did I say lately? For a while now, I have been somewhat absent from this platform. The reason for that are many but among the top reasons was discouragement from not earning as expected on my articles. I felt like I had put in the work and it wasn’t paying off, and to me, that was like pouring water into a basket. My mistake.
I can say that I am back here now, and this is mostly due to they fact that I had found my courage and think that perhaps if I keep pouring the water into the basket, the water starts to rise in from under and I see the fruit of labour and maybe there is a big smile for me at the end of all this.
Needless to say that I had gone to see the rewards of hard work and consistency when I checked in on other users I was familiar with, and seeing that their resilience and consistency is paying off. Well, now that schools are on strike, I can say that I’ve got time on my hands, and what better way to spend it than with writing my thoughts and reading the world through other writer’s eyes.
Although, I have continued to keep track of my FPL, and it seems that the harder I try to catch up with those ahead, the further I drift away from the ultimate prize. It was all juicy when I joined in the last quarter of 2021, that was before KONRA decided to join the party. The strategy was setting short term goals such as gaining the most points 2 out of 4 weeks at least in a month. And also winning at least 1 manager of the month every 3 months.
But my strategies and planning have not met with luck. And not once have I been in top two manager of any month. I still have hope, and in the next two months left, I hope to at least finish top three in the log when the season ends. I will find so much pleasure in not winning any MOTM, but finishing top 3. Also, I still have 4 chips left, so those might come in handy in the coming game weeks.
I have decided to be more active and see what happens. I must say that it feels like I am starting afresh after a long break. It’s time how for business! My two point agenda includes:
• Publishing at least one article every two days
• Read and interact with at least twenty (20) articles a day.
With these two-point agenda, I hope to achieve the following goals I have set for the next one month:
• Gain 20+ new subscribers
• Have at least 2+ new sponsors
• Sponsor at least 2+ new users.
I hope with this decision, things take a new turn, and I hope to impact this community in anyway I can, thought my writing and input on other people’s articles
FPL 22 and Beyond
The Fantasy Premier League competition courtesy Club1BCH and The Empress is getting tougher and managers are gearing on with their tactics and plans to cop all the prizes they can get their hands on. There is a new leader on the log for the first time in like forever. at the start of the new year, the person of Demola Abodurin. Despite @merurial9 being the number 1 manager as at last Christmas which was about 3 weeks ago, it didn’t take long for Demola to overthrow him, after winning back to back manager of the month for November and December (The first manager to do so). In this game, consistency is key. There has been shuffles in the top 5, with some teams dropping out and new teams coming in. Others moved up the log, while some others moved down the log.
I had catapulted two steps up the log ladder thanks to 81 points from the game week 21. Thanks to the Free Hit chip that made me get some players having double Game Weeks. It had started with me second guessing my decision to captain Bowen instead of Antonio at the start of the game week, but thanks to a brace and all 3 bonus points, Bowen single-handedly carried my team up the ladder with a 42 point haul in total due to the captain armband.
With the postponement of Everton’s second game, that affected my point-total, as I had brought in 3 Everton players for the double.
Game week 22 is already underway, and with my team having more flags than an Olympic stadium, I had forgotten to make a late transfer of Son for Kevin De Bruyne. And guess who scored the only goal for City against Chelsea. With the postponement of the London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham, I will have Foden and Dalot coming on from the bench at the end of the game week. Hopefully, I manage to stay about average. Because I am comfortably ahead of it as at when I am writing this article.
I had started the month brightly, and my quest to winning the Manager of the Month award for January had started on a good note and looked promising. But with many absentees in my team for the current game week, I fear that journey had hit a bump. I currently sit 4th on the log, with my in action prior to the deadline seeming like a blessing in disguise as Bowen has accumulated 7 points which will be doubled thanks to the armband I forgot on him. My game week might not be bad after all.
With less than 5 months left to play for the 2021/2022 season, it is getting more intense. And I am here wondering my chances of winning at least two Manager of the Month award (MOTM). And if none, what are my chances of finishing the overall winner. With a lot at stake here (Bitcoin Cash and KONRA), I have to give in my all, and hope the odds are in my favour.
You can read PVMihalache’s latest update on the competition here. To get more information. https://read.cash/@PVMihalache/premier-league-fantasy-football-lets-roll-the-ball-for-2022-45affb91
Special thanks to @BCHouseVE for the sponsorship renewal, thank you for the unending support you have been showing me ever since.
**THANK YOU FOR READING** 📖 ✍🏿
Thanks to @jehoshaphat for the sponsorship. I appreciate the encouragement and faith you have shown in me. And a merry Christmas to you 🤶🏾
Keep The Family Close
***“All of my ‘let’s just be friends’ are friends I don’t have anymore, how do you not check on me when things go wrong, guess I should have tried to keep my family closer, much closer”***
These are the lyrics from **Keep The Family Close** by Drake.
Earlier today, I was listening to music through Bluetooth speaker, and this above song started playing. It sparked thoughts in my head and I decided to write about it.
Family
Family are those we are related to by blood. Whilst it is impossible to choose those we are related to by blood, they are our first friends and loved ones. Family include both our immediate and extended family.
I believe we can choose our family, though they might not be related to us by blood, they are our love ones too, and I talk about our *friends*. They are our family not related to us by blood. This was one of the thoughts I had reading an article by @Princessbusayo titled **‘Friend and Follower’.**
Growing up in a nuclear family of six, I have always been the quiet one. There are times when everyone is seated in the sitting room - the entire family – discussing, sharing stories and making jokes. Our youngest sibling laughing and asking questions about things he doesn’t understand. And there I am, in the midst of all these jokes and conversation, keeping a straight face and saying nothing, unless when spoken too.
My parents always knew I am not exactly the social cub, I am the least social of their children. And this has affected my relationship with my extended family members.
I remember when I gained admission into the university, because the school I have just been admitted to is located in my state of origin and many of my extended family members are there, my father had specifically told me to be closer to them, *“call and visit them often”* he said.
I have been living close to many of my family members for about 4 years now, and I can’t proudly say that I heeded to what my dad had advised. I can not also say I didn’t try to visit/call them often, I did try to visit my aunt and cousins when I can. But sometimes, even you know your efforts are not satisfactory.
When I come home for holidays, my father would always tell me about the complaints of my relations, and how they are not pleased with the frequency of my visits. And even more so with how often I call them.
Listening to Drake’s lyrics, I thought about how family are who you will always run to in your time of needs. When the chips are down, they will stick with you, through and through. And when I say family, I also refer to your REAL FRIENDS.
So, while you don’t have the liberty to choose the family related to you by blood, you do have the liberty to choose those not related to you by blood, and you should choose them wisely and carefully.
**CONCLUSION**
It is the season of love. And not once have I not spent Christmas with my family. While you are with family, endeavour to make the happiest of memories and build a stronger relationship with them. I have made a conscious decision to do better and bring my family closer. I am not saying it is impossible to have a family member that doesn’t want to best for you or have feelings towards you.
Of course in that case, steer clear of them as your happiness and peace is as important as a strong relationship with family.
If you have friends you genuinely love and there seem to have been a drift between the two of you, reach out to them and try to mend the relationship.
Some years ago I saw the words ‘The importance of building relationships cannot be overemphasised’ and it has stuck with me ever since. It practically changed me into a more social person and I have learnt to relate more with people.
Thank you for reading ✍🏿
Mid-Season Review: The League of Crypto
It is December, the month of love and jolly. Many events has been ongoing since the start of the month courtesy of Club1bch and its members, and I have been a beneficiary of some of of them.
Got a Christmas gift from @emily2u last week on one of my post. Also, got some BCH from the treasure hunt by @Jane, for getting 4 out of the first five seed phrases correctly. I really appreciate the gesture and kindness. It is still on, and you too can be a winner, although se of the clues are tricky.
Some time last month, following @PVMihalache 's weekly update about the FPL competition sponsored by Club1BCH, it was announced that the stakes are higher now, following the sponsorship of the competition by @Empress with KONRA too. Special thanks to her for the gesture.
The hybrid reward (BCH + SmartBCH) in one competition, this is the honey pot. You can read about the juicy bit on the latest update by PVM about the competition using the link https://read.cash/@PVMihalache/the-konra-league-of-crypto-fantasy-tournament-round-17-highlights-5f0d129f.
Since I joined the competition in late September through a post by @Valour . @merurial9 has been top of the league. That is some consistency I must commend. The closest I have come to winning Manager of the Month was October, when I finished 7th place, 12 points behind winner @bmjc98
November came, and midway into it, I knew MOTM was beyond my reach, so I strategised how to displace @merurial9 from the top of the table before Christmas, so I can cop the 2 KONRA Christmas bonus, and also win the Manager of the Month for December which is extra 0.5 KONRA. Congratulations to Micheal for winning the Christmas bonus.
Little did I know I was not the only one who had plans. And with the fixture postpiments, all my strategies had yielded what I had hoped. Not to worry, as this is only the first half of the season
On the overall log, I currently trail first position with 51 points, sitting 8th, which is the lowest I have been on the log since I joined the competition. The stakes are higher, managers are planning, the competition is getting tougher.
This is only my 3rd season playing Fantasy Premier League, and at the stage of the season, this is my second best yet. Last season was much better, and my decisions seemed to pay off. This season I had hoped would go better than the last, but half way through, and I already feel like I won't beat my last season's points.
I have more to play for now, and it is probably the pressure that's making me make decisions that end up backfiring. Before the start of the season, I had decided to try a different approach to FPL, and think more of long term instead and not short term.
That approach was the basis with which I made transfers preparing for the month of December, as it is packed with premier league games. With all the postponement of fixtures, it means another month next year will be the December I was planning for.
Having played my wildcard in GW5 due to the fear of missing out, I did end up missing out. I have fallen below average only three times in 18 Game Weeks so far, all of which have happened within the last 7 GWs.
But I won't fret, and with more games to be played in the second half of the season, and many chips up my sleeve, I will carry on and fight for glory. Eyes on the prize, as my goal is 2,500 points, finishing top 3 in the competition and above 50K overall.
Thank you for reading ✍🏿
One Man's Snow is Another Man's Harmattan
Growing up, as a young boy in Nigeria who and seeing snow on TV, I have always been excited curious as to why it doesn’t snow in my country (Nigeria) as it did in other parts of the world. Not until when I started learning Geography in secondary school did I understand why. The world is a very big place, and there are many things to see in it. Also, some things are peculiar only to certain parts of the world.
I have always been curious about the snow, how ice flakes fall from the sky, covering every thing with a blanket of white, the cold that comes with low and subzero temperatures, the jolly of making snow figures, wearing thick clothes to stay warm and all other things I crave to experience someday.
I am particular when asking people who have been to temperate regions how winter is like, it is one of the things I like asking about, asides societal structure, cultural development, food among others. Traveling the world is one of my life goals, as there are many things I want to see for real other than on television. **Saint Augustine** said ***“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”*** I’d rather read the whole book and not just a page.
In Nigeria, there are basically two distinct seasons which are: **The Rainy Season** and **The Dry Season** which is also called **Harmattan Season**. It usually starts late November until mid March. Basically, the length of winter in some part of the world. So, any time you can feel harmattan, you just know Christmas is around.
Harmattan in Nigeria is caused by the North-East Trade Wind blowing from **The Sahara desert**, down to **The Gulf of Guinea** that expands along **The Atlantic coast of West Africa**. It is characterized by ***dry dusty cold wind*** and ***temperature variation*** at different hours of the day.
I am not much a fan of the dry season, except for the cold mist that greets the early hours of mornings with soft tenderness, which I like so much. The cold of the morning disappears as the sun rises. Because of the low humidity, there is less cloud and the intensity of the sun is high, and burns the skin like it is meant to cook it. With the scorching sun comes the *cold dusty dry air*. I always wondered how air can have all those properties at the same time.
During the harmattan season, I am almost never comfortable because of the dry dusty air I breathe in which causes nasal congestion and discomfort. But it seems COVID-19 has pushed many people to use their nose masks more especially during this time, as it helps reduce the dust being inhaled in.
Another reason I dread the harmattan is aside from the nasal discomfort that comes with every breath of its dry dusty air is the dryness of the lips due to low humidity and high heat intensity. Perhaps if we had thinner lips, we wouldn’t suffer much in that regard. Only, fuller lips are an environmental adaption to the high temperature that comes with staying close to the equator.
The silver lining of the harmattan that makes it easier to bear is the constant reminder that it is the season of love (Christmas and New Year). The time spent with family and loved ones, time spent making good memories that will stand the test of time. Time spent spreading love around.
I suppose there are demerits of winter too, even though I crave for it like it is the best thing in the world. The effects of being exposed to cold such as frostbite, pneumonia, among others are life threatening. I am merely curious to experience something different from what I have been experiencing all my life, something new.
With that, I’ll close with the words of **Hans Hoffmann** which goes ***“The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes through the mystic realm of colour”***
THANK YOU FOR READING ✍🏿
***Special thanks to*** @BCHouseVE ***for the sponsorship renewal, I really appreciate the kind gesture and the faith you have in me.***
I haven't been active on read for the past one week because of exams, electricity problem in my hostel among other things. That came with life. I apologise. I am back now, and with a clean slate I shall start with. Happy new month, and Happy New Year in advance
The Litmus Test of Friendships
Last week, when I was in a class. The lecturer digressed as she often does. She always says that the result we’d be getting is in character and learning. So she likes to teach us character. This faithful day, she was talking about lending out money to friends, and how it **is the litmus test in friendships** and relationships.
She categorically said that she never lends money out to close friends expecting them to pay back, but instead, she gives them the amount she feels she can afford to give out. She had said this because she feels when friends borrow money from you, there is a high tendency they don’t pay back, and an even higher tendency that you won’t ask them for it when they default. Ergo, the relationship could go sour. This sparked thoughts in my head, as I could relate to the premise of her argument.
Brings to mind a time I lent a close friend some money about 5 years ago. At that time, I had not gained admission into the university and was working. I earned an average of $90 monthly and worked for 40 hours a week.
This friend of mine was a part-time student in the polytechnic, and he was working as a primary school teacher at that time an also as a private tutor for children as he was responsible for his tuition fees. While working on weekdays, he goes to school on weekends (Saturday and Sunday). Well, it’s no news that teachers don’t earn much.
The day he came to our house to see me, he mentioned he had come before, and I wasn’t at home. He said he needed me to borrow him some money, I asked how much and he said about forty thousand naira which is about $40. He had told me he needed the money to pay for school charges and that if he didn’t pay, he would not be allowed to write exams which were starting the following week.
I immediately told him that I’ll give him the money he wanted, but he’ll have to tell me when he will pay me back, so I know how to plan my budget. He said he would pay me by the end of the following month latest. I went to the ATM to withdraw the money from my bank account and gave it to him.
The time he promised to pay came and passed, so I decided to ask him why he had defaulted. I remember him saying that he had emergencies to settle, and that he had not forgotten he owed me, and promised to pay as soon as he could. I said there is no problem, and he should pay back when he could. That was the last and only time I ever asked him about the money, and till this day, he still haven’t said anything about it.
Personally, I am uncomfortable asking people to pay their debt to me as I tend to feel embarrassed when people I owe ask me to pay up. This was what I thought about when the lecturer mentioned it. Although, I can’t say my relationship with my friend went sour, I can say there was a rift from my part as he had broken the trust I had in him by not paying back the money as he had promised.
I am the type of person who doesn’t like to break his word, as it is my bond. Hence, I expect people (especially close friends) to be true to their word when they give it to me.
I’d like to know your stance about the topic, so kindly leave a comment.
`Thank you for reading.`
What is the Way Forward?
As humans, asides basic necessities such as food, water, air and some might argue money too. We need other things to spice up our existence, make us feel alive. Things that bring us joy and fond memories of laughter and excitement. One of those is sports, and the only sport I am really familiar with is football, which I watch and play (not professionally though).
I have been a Manchester united fan since 2006, that is 15 years now, which is more than half of my time on earth. I have watched this great club conquer England, Europe and world football. Those were the days when watching man united play only bring joy and happiness (except for a few matches). Now, when I watch man united, my eyes are filled with teary sorrows and my heart bleed from despair.
For the football fans, it is no news that Man united are now a shadow of their former self, they have been trophyless for the past 3+ seasons. Even though they have made it to several semifinals during this period as well as the last Europa league final, which they lost to Villarreal in the penalty shootout. Their current league form is nothing to write home about as they’ve only picked **4 points out of possible 21 points in their last 7 league games**.
Manchester United currently sits seventh in the league log, trailing behind league-leaders Chelsea with 12 points witj 12 games played so far. I am focusing majorly on the domestic league because they say ***‘charity begins at home’***. Also, I strongly believe if man united can compete with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool domestically, they will be a force to reckon with in European club competition such as the UEFA champions league and the Europa League.
My view of the problem in Manchester is majorly pointing to the manager and his tactical approach to games, as I strongly believe that is the major problem affecting the team’s performance in games.
**WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?**
Having watched most of Man United’s game since Ole took charge, I can say that one of Man United’s major problem is game plan. Often, we sit back and try to counter teams by watching run-ins from attackers (especially wingers) even when we play against lesser teams. While counter-attacking is a good game plan, especially against teams that play with a high defensive line, it can have little or no impact against teams that maintain low block.
Another problem I observed in Ole’s tactics is little or no adaptability during games. What I mean is: while you might have a game plan you want to use against a particular team prior to the game, there are times where the plan doesn’t work after the game has started. It is up to the coaching staff to observe what is or what will and act accordingly, it might require you changing tactics or ensuring the players stick to the plan by having a word or two with them from the touchline.
Because of our style of play, we rarely dominate games. Rarely would you see united have a ball possession of 60+%. Other big teams such as Chelsea, man city, Liverpool (Who are the major contenders for the league this season) often dominate games against lower teams especially. And if you can dominate your opponent, you are likely to exhaust and break through their wall (defence).
**WAY FORWARD?**
Even though I am happy and impressed with signings made by Ole over the last 3+ years, I am unimpressed at how he had utilized the soldiers in his army. Often times, games have been won/salvaged because of individual brilliance, like in the game against Westham this season, a stoppage time penalty-stop- brilliance from our goalie David De Gea - whom I think has been our best player so far this season – helped us go away with all three points.
https://youtu.be/DdvFZ5g2m4g
As at when I was writing this article, I got a notification that the board has agreed to part ways with the current manager Ole, and it will be announced soon. With former player Darren Fletcher set to become the interim manager, with Michael Carrick the assistant until a new head coach is appointed.
That is good news as I was going to suggest the way forward was to sack the current manager (Ole). Whom I think isn’t tactical enough to manage the team to start competing with other top clubs and bring it back to its glory days filled with trophies and celebrations.
A number of coaches are on the radar, such as Zidane, Erik ten Hag, Brendan Rodgers, among others. Personally, I fancy Zidane for the Job. When the decision is finally made, irrespective of who is appointed, I hope the squad is invigorated and everyone involved works hard and diligently to achieve success.
*Thank you for reading and God bless you.*
Special thanks to @HappyBoy for the new sponsorship, I promise to do my best to uphold the faith you have in me.
My Confidence, My Pride
I started this article with nothing and everything in my mind really, so everything I have written is spontaneous (Head-to-paper). I asked a friend beside me to be my muse, and tell me something I could write about, and she said **‘SELF CONFIDENCE’.**
I responded that self confidence is often mistaken for pride. And it struck me about how the line between **self confidence** and **pride** can be easily crossed.
Often, self confidence can be intimidating and easily mistaken for pride. For example, when I talk about factoids or topics I am very familiar with, I tend to speak loudly and boldly, which is unusual because I am a slow and lazy talker and as such, the mannerism and confidence with which I talk about topics I am well grounded in is usually misunderstood as pride.
**The Perspective**
The other day I was walking home with a friend, he stared at a light bulb and said to me:
*"Gift, you know, the average Homo sapiens is not very smart. It is the intellectual minority who are doing the extraordinary things and advancing the human race with new inventions in science and technology, and they are incorporating it into the society in a pseudo manner, so there is no revolution by the majority, because they will feel like the minority is forcing their ideas on them.”*
I thought about this for a long a while because I felt there was something to learn from it and apply to my life. Then something happened in school with my classmates as they had accused my friends and I of being ***THE CABAL*** making decisions for the entire class, and that whatever decision that is made without our approval didn’t stand.
It was funny to hear a fellow classmate say that when all we do is just air our views on certain matters and not actually making any decision per se. That was a classic scenario where ignorance isn’t bliss, as she knows nothing about kind of conversations my friends and I have. So, I remembered what my friend had told me about majority and minority of humans.
What I took from what he said is that*: ‘when people feel like their input to the society is not as valuable as someone else’s, they will feel threatened, and the basic human instinct will set in afterwards; most often aggression’*
**Conclusion**
I believe intelligence has no limit, and there is always going to be those who are smarter than you, well informed than you in certain areas. And that’s perfectly okay. You should not feel threatened by other people’s intelligence and find a way to discredit them by tagging them proud.
Instead, appreciate them and accept that there is no limit to knowledge and people will know things you don’t know, and also say those things confidently. Irrespective of the manner with which it was said, filter what you can from it and consume; like the blue whale which is the biggest animal on the planet, but still feed on tiny krills.
Information is to humans what krill is to the blue whale. Get the information you need and make good use of it however you see fit. As it is the information age we are in right now.
*Thank you for reading and God bless you.*
What I did Wrong
The last one week has been a rollercoaster sort of for me, I haven’t posted any article, although I have been interacting with some posts. It is mainly because my phone has issues; one of which is the blackout of a part of the screen, and also, the charging port has been shaky. Thus, charging my phone has been frustrating, because in the past two weeks, I have only been able to charge my phone full on two occasions. It’s mostly been between the range of 30%—45% .
I had said before in my article The First of Many that I am a student studying **Aquaculture and Fisheries Management**. I am in my penultimate year, and this is our Field Practical Training year wherein we indulge in hands-on training.
The highlight of my week was a group project which involved crossbreeding of *Clarias garipienus* (African mud catfish). The project was basically an experiment which involves breeding two parent broodstock from the same farm and two parent broodstock from different farms.
Due to the fact that clarias spp can’t spawn when in captivity, the female brooder has to be artificially induced to complete her egg development. After which the eggs are stripped out of her and fertilized with milt gotten from the male brooder which has to be sacrificed first.
The first step to artificial breeding of African mud catfish is selection of broodstock. Male and female brooders of desirable phenotypic traits are selected. The biggest from the stock of same age are selected, as it is believed that fish produced by the selected brooders have the tendency to grow big in the shortest time as their parents.
We arrived at the farm we are to buy the broodstocks needed for the experiment and the owner wasn’t around, just his wife, who isn’t exactly skilled at the job. So, it fell on us to harvest (catch fishes in tanks) and make our selection which involves checking for desirable traits and also checking if the broodstock is gravid and if the eggs carried by the female brooders are viable. I volunteered to harvest them from the tanks, and believe me, it wasn’t an easy task, neither was it a clean one.
Since I had volunteered, she started draining out water from the tank the fish were in. The tank couldn’t drain out completely and that made the harvesting more difficult, since you’ll have to catch the fish while it is swims around, and also, you can’t really see the fish, so you’re not sure which fish has the desirable character(s) you want. So, for me it became a sport, one of chance, and provided certain conditions are met at a particular time, the probability of catching a fish with desirable character(s) are high.
I was swimming with the fishes for over an hour, harvesting, and if the fish caught is desirable, I put it into a bowl and give it to my mates for further examination. We had gotten the three male brooders we needed as well as a female brooder. But we need to female brooders. I came out from the tank and checked all the female fish I had caught, but none ticked all the necessary boxes I wanted.
I told the owner's wife I was going back into the tank to check for more female brooders. But she said she had to leave soon to go pick up her daughter from school. My some of mates gave me a look and I could tell they were vexed. I suppose since we’ve been working for over an hour, they must be exhausted. One of them asked to me “Gift, you didn’t pick one of the female brooders because it wasn’t the size you wanted. Are you buying size?” I answered “I am concerned about the success of this experiment, and size of female brooder is one of the factors I can influence to ensure the success of this experiment…”.
*I had learnt that in induced breeding of catfish, the size of the female brooder is proportional to hatchability rate. So, I went back into the tank and continued the sport. I caught several ones until we finally settled for the biggest female catch. Although, I had to be convinced about the viability of the eggs she was carrying.*
After selection of brood stock, the next phase is inducing of the female brooder with artificial hormone so she can complete oogenesis. It usually takes 12hrs or more to start ovulation, depending on the dosage of hormone given to the fish.
When the female brooder starts ovulating, the eggs are stripped into a plastic bowl and saline water (with 0.9g sodium chloride) is added to keep it alive for as long as is necessary until the male is sacrificed for his sperm sac.
After adding the milt to the eggs in the bowl, it is gently stirred with a plastic spoon so as the eggs are not damaged. After stirring, the eggs are incubated in hatchery tanks for at least 24hrs depending on temperature of the water and the environment.
Conclusion
It's been days since we incubated, and although many of the eggs hatched, we lost the hatchlings due to our carelessness. Anyway, my group has agreed to re-do the experiment, and not repeat the same mistake again. Hopefully, it's a success this time around.
Thank you for reading ✍🏿🙏🏿💪🏿
Thanks to @BCHouseVE and @Methion for their sponsorship. I really appreciate the support. May I have the strength and fortitude to make you guys proud.
If I Had Then, What Would Now Be (Part 2)
… by the time I arrived at the University, I called my secondary school classmate who has been a student of the school for two years. He had gained admission into the same university two years ago, the same year we graduated secondary school.
I stayed with him as he was the only one I knew living within close proximity of the school. Actually, he was staying on campus. We didn’t really spend so much time together as I had arrived a day before my exam and he also had to go for classes and personal study. I spent my time touring the campus, as it was my first time there and I was very excited
After I finished my exam the next day, I felt free, as though the burden of the exam was lifted off my shoulders. My friend had to go visit his aunt that day, so we didn’t exactly have all the conversation I had planned to have with him as regards *life in the university vs life in secondary school*.
Results came, and I had an aggregate of **63%** and I was somewhat worried that I would not be offered admission because of the competition in the course I had chosen to study (Medicine and Surgery).
About 3 weeks later, first and second batches of admission list was released by the school and I had not been admitted yet. I was distraught. Saddened by the thought of waiting another year before I can apply for admission again. I had already given up on admission for that year.
I checked my online application portal and saw I had been offered admission to study Fisheries. I got home and told my dad about it and he asked me if I wanted to accept the admission. I thought about it and told him I would reject it, and that I can always try again next year.
I was particularly surprised I had rejected it, because admission was something I wanted so desperately. But here I am rejecting one on a *bronze* *platter*. I think it was due to the fact that:
*1. The course I was admitted for wasn’t what I wanted to study*
*2. I had already moved on and accepted this wasn’t my year*
That was another year for me at home. Next year (2016) came and I repeated the application process all over again. I passed the UTME cut-off mark for the second time and really prepared for the schools Post-UTME exam. Then, there was a change of policy. Most tertiary institutions decided to do screening and not the traditional examination they used to and this gave rise to what I would call ***opportunity***.
Opportunity for corrupt officials to favour those who could fatten their pockets with bribery. Because there was no mechanism (Post-UTME) in place to screen out the worthy from the unworthy, just anyone could be offered admission, long as you could pay the price. Again, I was not offered admission.
My only consolation was that my friend whom we applied for admission in the same school, though different course, was admitted. I really thought that was my year. But as fate would have it. It wasn’t at all.
The following year (2017), I applied again. The same university, for the fourth consecutive year. Luckily for me, the Post-UTME was readopted by my institution of choice and after everything went fairly well. I wasn’t offered admission until the second batch list was released.
Lo and behold, I was offered admission to study the same course I had rejected 2 years ago. Then I sat and thought: this is the second time I am being admitted for the same course in a span of 3 years. Could this be fate? My fate??
Well, if it was my fate, rest assured I accepted it gracefully. Four years later, I am a 400 Level student of the University, studying Aquaculture and Fisheries Management and there isn’t any course if rather be studying if I am being honest.
Conclusion
I am grateful for this phase of my life, as it taught me a lot and played a major part in shaping the person I am now. I am grateful to my parents for being understanding and supportive all through. Brings to mind a post by @happyBoy titled **My Choice** and how parents should not impose their dreams on their children by choosing their career path. Had my parents done that, I wouldn’t be where I am now, where I belong.
Thank you for reading ✍🏿🙏🏿💪🏿
If I Had Then, What Would Now be (Part 1)
I want to take time to reflect on my life 8 years ago. I had just finished secondary school, and instead of seeking admission into the university like some of my secondary school classmates did back then, I had consciously decided not to, telling myself *I am still too young, and not in a hurry*, neither am I competing with anyone. I was happy to hear later that some of my friends had gained admission into the university at the same time, I wished I was them, that I was the one who was being admitted into the university. Because of my choice, I had to wait another year at home before I seek admission into the university.
In my country Nigeria, admission into the various tertiary institutions nationwide is done once a year, and to be eligible for admission in any of the tertiary institutions, you must apply through an examination board known as **JAMB** (Joint Admission and Matriculation Board) that will conduct and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), and each tertiary institution has a particular UTME cut-off mark which interested applicants must pass in the exam before they can then apply directly with the school of their choice. The school I had in mind set their cut-off mark for 200 which is the basically the cut-off mark for most federal universities.
A year had passed after my graduation from secondary school, and I applied for the UTME through JAMB, then started preparing for the examination. I chose to study Medical Laboratory Science as a course, because I was always excited when it was time to do laboratory practicals back in my secondary school. The exam came and after writing it, I knew I'd be lucky if I had 200+ score. Results came and I had less than 180, which was the benchmark for most universities (state and federal) in the country, except for private universities which are too expensive for people in my social class. I was advised by people close to me to seek for admission in other tertiary institutions like the polytechnic and college of education whose cut-off marks tend to be lower than that of the universities. But I listened to non of them, because I only wanted a reputable federal university. So, that was another year of wait for me.
After another 1 year at home, shuffling between jobs and preparing for next year's UTME exam, the time came, and I applied for the exam and chose the same university I had chosen the last time, but had to change my course of study because at that time, Medical Laboratory Science as a course was removed from the JAMB database due to some issues that had to be resolved. So, I decided to choose Medicine and Surgery instead. After the exams, results came, and I had over 200 which was the cut-off mark for my university of choice. I was excited that I had made the cut-off, and also about the prospect of going to a university for the first time. Lest I forget, I was also working in a textile mill as at the time, and was earning about 40,000 naira monthly was fairly a lot in 2015 for a guy who is still under his parent’s roof.Time came for Post-UTME, which is the exam and or screening exercise conducted by the tertiary institution which you are applying for, and you qualify only when you have successfully meet the UTME cut-off mark set by the institution.
After a month or two of studying while working an average of 8hrs daily. Time came for Post-UTME and I had to travel by myself for the first time all the way from Lagos which is where my parents live to Benin City which is where my institution of choice was located. It was a 4-5 hours journey by road, and it was an exciting and scary journey, as it was the first time I was travelling such a long journey alone…
To Be Continued…
The Great Battle
One of the greatest battle we fight is the one between our heart and our head. Often, we are conflicted when our heart wants one thing but logic says this is wrong or vice versa. This is a battle between emotions and logic. Let me paint a picture, imagine a scenario where you have a friend, and your friend is in a relationship with someone, your friend’s partner is nice, sweet, lovable and ticks all the right boxes you could think of, as time goes on and their relationship as well as your relationship with your friend’s partner progresses, you realize you started developing feelings or some form of sexual attraction towards your friend’s partner. After all, one cannot control who they love.
Hmmmmm.
***Side Note***
I believe everyone is different, with their unique persona and a person’s character is a result of some factors such as personal experience, morals, upbringing and the environment which they grew up in. In essence, I am saying everyone would handle such a situation how they think or feel is best which is based on their personal judgement, and that is subjective to each individual.
**Continuation**
To buttress my topic, let me highlight the choices of someone who is selfish, but values the relationship they have with their friend (This is merely a one sided analysis). Said person is now feeling some type of way towards their friend’s partner, and they know pursuing this would be betrayal, at least in the eyes of a third party. Said person is at a crossroad Do I pursue my personal interest not minding whose ox is gored? Or Do I ignore my feelings?... These questions in the person’s mind will spark an inner conflict. The Great Battle
**General Questions:**
The questions are for two situations
1. What would you do, if you find yourself falling for your friend’s partner? How would you handle the situation?
2. If you found out your friend has genuine feelings for your partner,, how would you respond or react to that scenario?
Many of us fight different forms of this great battle within us. RIGHT AND WRONG is subjective, barring all what can be classified as universal right and wrong, right and wrong is like sands on a beach, and everyone has a line drawn in the sands to differentiate what is right from what is wrong and while some lines meet, some lines drawn are parallel to each other and like sands on the beach, right and wrong can be washed away, lines drawn on the sand can be erased by waves from the ocean.
**Conclusion**
Often, our judgement or opinion about situations are as a result of several factors coming into play, factors that make up our personality, that make us who we are. So, before we are judgmental about another person’s opinion or judgement, think about factors that may have influenced them to have such an opinion, factors that are different from factors that influenced your opinion or judgement.
By the way, happy new month guys. It’s November, and 2022 is only two months away. 2021 is flying fast like a jet and I daresay I hope it lands slowly. This is my first month on this platform and I hope it marks the beginning of an amazing journey.
The first of many
Took me hours pondering how to start this intro, how would I sell myself, introduce myself on a platform such as read.cash. How would I make it a good intro, the first of many articles, sell myself on the platform. I don't think there are enough words to the words and adjectives I can use to describe myself. I am a young adult, in my early twenties born and raised in Nigeria, the second child in a family of six. My names are Gift Aimure Omoijiate. I hail from Edo state, which is located at the South-western part of Nigeria. I speak English – which I learnt in school, Yoruba – I learnt in secondary school but mostly because I grew up in western Nigeria (Lagos), Esan — which is my mother’s tongue and basic Spanish — this I learnt on my own using Duolingo. Currently, I am a penultimate student of the University of Benin, studying Aquaculture and Fisheries Management. Rest I assured, I can say I am well grounded in my field of study even though I am yet to get a certificate😁😉.
@kushyzee introduced me to read.cash about a month ago, and I had opened an account before which I think had issues because of inactivity. Then I decided to hold off on opening another until I had sorted things which were taking most of my time and I am happy to say I have done that. Hence, why I am doing it right this time by introducing myself and what better time to do it than on Halloween 🦇, the end of October, the beginning of my read.cash journey, a journey I hope will be filled with knowledge, learning new things from different people across the globe, seeing the world through others. Some of my favourite things are: learning new things, eating good food. I am a football lover, and I hope to write articles subsequently about or relating to the topic of football.
@Gaiom
