@Greatwolfman

@Greatwolfman 26 August 2021

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@Greatwolfman 26 August 2021

Do not watch it alone!!! Lead image source http://www.unsplash.com I like to think of movies as a writers imagination brought to life, which makes me wonder *"how do writers of horror movies sleep at night?"* Haha, you're probably thinking about it right now. I don't know about you but the thought of that freaks me out - and this is coming from me, the weird kid. Regardless of this fact, I do know that a lot of people enjoy the thrill of such movies (wink! I know I do). (Changes voice to that of a 60-year-old Professors) In all my long years of doing my research on horror movies, my fellow audience made my top list. Oh! THEY ARE GOOD, hence the title. (Drum roll) It's time to open the magical box that contains my top list of "Horror Movies". If you must blink you have to do it now or you might just miss something (hahaha, just kidding, you can always go back to read it again) (Drum roll continues) Ladies, Gentlemen, without further ado, let's kick off with this beautiful yet thrilling article. (Note: the list is not according to a scale of rating, they made the list because they freaked me out) Oh, I need to add, they may be spoilers, beware. **1) Annabelle** Image Source https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/what-order-you-should-watch-the-conjuring-and-annabelle-movies/amp/ (Based on a true-life story) Annabelle, what a beautiful name for a doll, wouldn't you agree? That was what this Toymaker thought when he created the doll - Annabelle. Annabelle tells the story of a desperate parent who lost their daughter at a young age due to a car accident, so they tried to bring her back to life, they were so desperate that they were willing to go to great lengths just to have her with them that they gave her permission to enter the doll - Annabelle. They didn't know what they had just done, they wanted to be with their daughter so bad that they had made the doll a conduit, not just for her daughter to come into the world but also a demonic presence who will stop at nothing to get the soul of their host. Till today, this doll is being kept somewhere safe, away from people in a safe box protected by the church. It couldn't be destroyed since it will only create a free passage for these Demons If that didn't send chills to your skin, I have no idea what will. Oh wait, I do. **2) The Nun** Image source https://www.prime1studio.com/nun-valak-hdmmnun-01.html The Nun tells the story of a powerful demon - Valak, who terrorized a monastery in 1952, the Abbey of St. Carta, Romania. One will expect the monastery to be a haven to all forms of a demonic spirit, this one was - except for a particular section that had been locked with a warning on the door that says. "God ends here" I'm sure you are wondering at this point, how would someone who knows how to read open this door and release this demon? This news attracted the attention of the Vatican after a Sister committed suicide by hanging (so that the demon won't take her soul) while trying to run away from this demon. So they sent a Priest to go and inspect this mystery. The Abbey was built by a duke in the dark ages, he was fascinated by the works of witchcraft to try to call upon the forces of hell, hence a gateway was opened and allowed the evil to walk amongst us, just at the time he was about to succeed, the church stormed the castle and sealed the gateway using an ancient relic containing the blood of Christ. The church claimed it and started praying to keep the demon at bay, for a long time this worked until the war, bombs were dropped into the Abbey and this devil found another way to escape. How will they face such evil, will prayers be enough? **3) Countdown** Image Source https://m.imdb.com/title/tt10039344/ Imagine if you had an App on your phone that could tell you the exact time of your death, would you want to download it? "Countdown" is a story about an Application on the phone that could tell someone the exact time of their death down to the last second. How freaky is that? As you know, human beings and their curiosity, they had thought it be a joke, until the first person died. Sad, it was except she was not the only one who would die. You can not cheat death, and if you try to avoid your death, the angel of death would come for them to claim their lives in the worst way possible, he could prey on their worst fear by creating illusions to haunt its victim. Now tell me, how can anyone face such a foe and expect to win? **4) It follows** Image Source https://m.imdb.com/title/tt3235888/ This one creeped me out. "It follows" is a story of a demonic presence - the source is unknown. It is said that this demon would follow you forever till it kills you, no matter how far you run, no matter how long. It could take the shape of anyone to deceive its Victim. The only advantage the victim has is that the demon is no speed, it moves very slow but smart. Imagine having to run, and just keep running for the rest of your life. The only way to delay this curse is to pass it on, to do this you must have sex with someone and the demon will change its target and go after that person until that person passes the curse along or gets killed, then it would go back to the person who passed the curse in the first place back to the source. The start of this movie looked boring until this revelation, oh, the thrill. **5) IT** Image source https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/what-the-new-movie-misses-about-stephen-kings-it/amp Growing up I was always scared of Clowns, this fear was so great that any celebration which involves masks, masquerades, or weird costumes I wouldn't be able to leave the house (not anymore though). What better way to add to that fear than creating a movie about a Clown killing people for food. Now, "IT", I first came across this story on Wattpad, then I decided to check out this movie. This movie tells the story of a Demon Clown - Pennywise - who feeds on the fear of its victim (most times little kids). It would first freak them out by preying on their worst fears, and when the time was right, it would attack and kill them. It couldn't be killed, it would resurface every 32 years interval to feed then disappear off. Such a villain, how do fight your fear against something that knows your greatest fear? Oh, it gets a lot creepier **6) Rings** Image Source https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0498381/ Imagine seeing a short video clip that would mean your death. "Rings" is a movie that talks about a particular clip. After seeing the clip you die after 12 hours unless you refer someone to see that same clip, and the person has to do the same. If the last person is unable to refer anyone, they will die after 12 hours and the curse will fall back to the person who referred them, you see how creepy this is right? It is an endless cycle, hence the name "Rings" **7)Veronica** Image Source https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ver%C3%B3nica_(2017_Spanish_film) "Veronica, Veronica, Veronica" (in a ghostly tune) Based on a true-life story - Police Report, Madrid, 15th of June, 1991, the police heard an emergency call, a young girl Veronica was in trouble. A young girl, Veronica, who lost her Father tries to reach out to him with the aid of a solar eclipse and an Ouija Board together with her friends. Then things go horribly wrong, instead of reaching out to her father, she brought back a demon who will stop at nothing to claim her soul. **8) The Prodigy** Image source https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ver%C3%B3nica_(2017_Spanish_film) Do you believe in reincarnation? The story tells us about a psychopath who loves killing people. On this fateful night, things were going to change for him, the police had finally tracked him down, at this same moment, far away, a lady was pregnant and was in the labor room about to give birth. At the exact point of his death, a baby was born. A bouncy baby boy (or so his parents thought), little did they know that he was only a reincarnation of this psychopath, with dual personalities this young boy started to recover some of the memories of his past life and starts to plan how he would murder his parents. I bet you didn't see that coming? Who would believe that a small boy with such an innocent face is a serial killer? **9) Nightmare on Elm Street** Image source https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Nightmare_on_Elm_Street_(2010_film) Sleep is necessary for a healthy life, imagine being unable to sleep, not because you can't but because if you do, you wouldn't wake up alive. Yeah, "Nightmare on Elm Street" tells a story of a group of one-time classmates getting killed off by their late teacher who is dead. He waits for them to go to sleep, then he haunts them in their dreams, if he kills them in the dream, they die in real life. Apparently, the teacher thought his dead unjustified after he was burnt alive in the school which he thought by the parents after they had found out he had been molesting the little kids there, especially the girls. If you are not creeped out by any of these movies, huge respect for you. Don't be upset that I didn't at least make it 10, I've always found 9 to be a unique number. There you go, Do not watch them alone!!! Check out my amazing sponsors

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@Greatwolfman 24 August 2021

Through it all, Smile Oh! What a day It has been a really busy and exhausting day, having classes, projects, and examinations to prepare for, it's just so overwhelming. Did I mention classes? oh yes, Virtual classes, a punishment that has been bestowed upon us by our lecturers and the school, we use up a lot of data coupled with bulky materials, thanks to COVID-19 (No thanks). It wouldn't be fair to complain, people have graduated from this same department and moved on to the real world and they didn't die, so I have no right to complain, unless of course if the situation hadn't been that getting a job in your profession is just another hustle. Aside from having a decent result, you need to have the right connection, know the right people, push the right button (as @Happyboy once pointed out), even then, the minimum wage isn't even compensating. Through it all, I just smile. Having a positive attitude towards life is how you achieve great things, or so I was told, the reality is a lot more complicated, it hard to find positivity where there is none, it's no wonder young youths have to resolve to other means just to find a way out even if it's just for a little bit. This is me taking out my frustration the best way I can. I laid down on my ned trying to process my thoughts, the one-semester I had imagined would involve less stress is starting to look like a double-edged sword, my mother saw me lying down silently staring at the ceiling. "What's wrong?" I couldn't just find the right answer to the question so I ended it with "Nothing" Oh well, it is what it is, I have been deceived, I thought University was finally an escape from the tough stressful high school life but I was wrong. You know what? perhaps this is a good thing, after all, what doesn't break you completely only leaves you stronger and more experienced (emphasis on completely). Yeah, so I'm going to keep pushing, I won't quit. No matter how hard it may seem, this is just a test of endurance, mental endurance. I will come out the victor of this battle, mark my words "World". Writing this article I'm reminded of a movie I once saw. **"The Karate Kid**", I'm sure a number of us saw that movie featuring **Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith**. The greatest lesson I learned from that movie that I apply to this day is this ***" When life knocks you down, you have a choice to get back on your feet"*** ***_Jaden*** You have a choice. Do not give up, you have come so far. I'm referring not just to me but also to everyone who is reading this right now and probably going through something similar, we shall overcome. So, gather your strength, we are only just getting started. Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking? (If you're a fan of the Pinky and the Brain, you would get the joke). What better way to get the word out than putting it in a letter (or poem), writing out what you feel does help relieve the bottled-up stress. I feel a lot better than I did when I started this article, this is all thanks to read.cash. Haha, here we go... *Hey World,* *You might not know me in person but the same can't be said of me. You have pushed me to the point where I have to fight.* *This has gone on for too long, this pain I feel. It's time to let it out, it only seems right.* *When I speak know that it's not just for me, but also for the millions of youths whom you have oppressed.* *With one voice and in absolute unity, we speak out. The weak, the strong, when we stand together we can't be possessed.* *We will fight and we will win, however hard this battle may be.* *Oh, we are bringing it, don't run, just watch and see.* *Any challenge you throw at us only makes us stronger.* *The urge to fight back, oh, that hunger!* *Yes, I'm only human, I might get tired and sometimes fall.* *I will get back up and continue to give it my all.* *There you have it, bring it on, give it all you got, though you'll only last a while.* *But know this, through it all, in the end, I will smile.* *yours sincerely* *Us.* I hope we all feel a lot better now, I know I am. Keep the faith friends. You are not alone. Meet my sponsors

@Greatwolfman 24 August 2021

It's with a painful heart that I have to this. Fate, why me? (A work of fiction) Will be on hold for now until I'm done with the semester's examinations, but I will continue to post really interesting articles until then... Thanks for all the support xoxo

@Greatwolfman 23 August 2021

Fate, why me? - Part 2 Harry has just found a letter with the answer to what he had always wondered Who his parents were **Harry's POV** This day seems longer than usual, do I want to know who my birth parents are? I have been doing well without them? Who was the mystery person who left that letter for me? Do I tell Mom what just happened? How would she react? Harry, can you summarize what I just explained - Miss Audrey called my attention *"The, Uhm, the" -* I stammer, I hadn't been paying attention due to obvious reasons. I catch Rose smiling, she probably felt like a victor already. *"Okay, anyone else?"* Her hands are immediately up. *"you were showing us what effect heat has on the length of a metal, you defined Linear expansivity as the change in length per unit length per each degree rise in temperature"* - Rose answered without pausing even for a second while answering, her eyes brimming with joy, a full-blown nerd, not like I was any different though. *"Harry, see me after class"* *"Yes Ma'am" - I replied* I check the clock, it was only noon. I tried to pay attention to what was being taught, all effort failed. The class has ended, everyone exits but I remain to see Miss Audrey Miss Audrey had been married once, they got a divorce and now she had made it mandatory to be called Miss instead of Mrs. I don't understand why though. *"Harry, I noticed you were distant during the class, is anything the problem?"* **-** she said *"No Ma'am, I just haven't had enough sleep working on my college application"* - I lied *"Oh, about that, did you get the letter?"* Huh, how did she know, is she the mystery person? For a moment my body froze in shock at this new revelation. What was I to say, how should I react? *"I tried to give it to you yesterday but you had taken the bus home so I snuck it in your locker, have you seen it?"* Again, what?? My thoughts were burning with a lot of questions. After taken a few seconds to process these thoughts *"How..."* "Harry, take your time, you don't have to make any decision yet" - I was immediately interrupted "It's a big decision, I know how you feel about going somewhere far from home, from your brother, Micheal" I tried to speak again. *"Harvard is a great place to study, they have offered you a scholarship"* Wait, what??? I must have skipped it after seeing that letter -the one letter I feel like my whole world had just been laid down on me and I was a stranger looking in. Completely overwhelmed I started laughing. The laughter of joy, of worries, of anxiety, all at once. *"Okay Ma'am, I will consider it, thank you, "* I turn around to try to escape, as I walk out of the classroom trying to find some privacy to take this all in, I see Rose. It hadn't always been this way, Rose and I. Once upon a time, we were close friends, that was until the day I composed a love letter to her to tell her how I truly feel about her. Dear beloved, Roses are red, diamonds are blue. As attractive as they may seem, they have nothing on you. This is new to me, I assume it is to you too. Give me this chance, let me love you. H.S. This was in Junior year and probably the best and the most innocent love letter I had written in my entire life, well, not that the word "entire" would mean much at 13. This would have been beautiful if it hadn't gotten to Amy first, apparently, Amy thought it was for her. Rose must have felt betrayed, I'm not so sure about how she felt but over time we progressively descended towards being strangers, then the rivalry for the best student award began. I couldn't care less about the award but I was more interested in getting good praises and gifts from Mom and Dad as a reward for my good result, besides I was also setting a good example for Micheal. Yes, Micheal, I can't possibly leave him to ride the bus home alone. *"Hello, earth to you Harry "* I had forgotten for a moment she was talking me, I'm still amazed that she's even talking to me. *"So, I heard we both got a scholarship to study at Havard, looks like this rivalry will have to continue"* *"Congratulations*" - I said as I walked away Huh, wait, no insult, today just continues to get weirder and weirder. I went to the library, not to read but to get some peace. School closes by 3 pm, which leaves me with exactly 1 hour to meet this mystery person. Finally, school is over, we hitch a ride with the Jacksons, Brad, their eldest son was a classmate of Micheal. Having good neighbors can't be appreciated enough, I left Micheal at their house as I hurried out to make it in time, I told them I had an errand to run and they offered to babysit Micheal while he and Brad work on their homework together. Michael gives the look that says *"I don't want to stay here, let's go home".* He wouldn't understand why I had to go, *" I will be back soon"* I assured him without uttering a word, amazing how close we were to be able to share telepathic messages. No sooner than later, at exactly 4 pm I arrived at Jake and love Cafe, the only Cafe in our humble community. They had chased off all competitors. As I walked him, I saw a man sitting at a table, I assumed the sender was a man, so I approached him. My heart raising as I did. *"Hi"* - I said "Can I help you?" "Oh sorry, it was a mistake" Just then a hand touched me, I turned to see who it was. It was a woman *"Harry? My dear Harry?"* Hahaha, I'll have to stop here for today. The most interesting thing about writing this article is that I also don't know what happens next, as one of my favorite Movie producer would say, "we are all pencils in the hand of the creator". So, a lady huh? From the way she called him, could this be his mother? I guess we would have to wait for the third part to find out for sure. You need to check out my amazing sponsors

@Greatwolfman 23 August 2021

Fate, why me? -Part 1 **Harry's POV** *Harry! Harry! Run! Save yourself!* *Mother - he called back.* *Run! Run!* *Come here boy - an angry man's voice called out .* *Blip blip* - the alarm rings out - I had been dreaming, that same old dream, I don't seem to recall what it was about except that I had to run, run from what? More like from Who? Who was that man anyway? I suffer from amnesia, I was told I had been involved in an accident a few years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Smith saved me after finding my body in a ditch on their way back from their honeymoon. I had been left for dead when they rushed me to the hospital. Seeing as I couldn't remember who I was, or who my parents were they had to involve the police, not that they were of any help since they couldn't track down my family or any of my relatives. Not too long after, child services came for me, I was sent to the Adoption Center where I didn't stay for long when Mr. and Mrs. Smith adopted me, I was only 4 years old at the time, and as far as I recall they are the definition of the perfect parents to me. They fed me, clothe me, and also sent me to school. If they hadn't told me about how they found me I would have been convinced they were my biological parents. My name is Harry, Harry Smith, my name tag had been found on my Shirt's collar at the time I was found, but no last name to trace my identity, sometimes I do wonder what my real parents were like, why did they abandon me, but those thoughts are only short-lived because of the love and care this family has shown me. I have a little brother, Micheal, he can be a real pain in the ass, he has got a knack for always getting into trouble and I always have to save him. He's the only biological child of this family. Mother had a tough time trying to deliver Micheal and the doctor informed her she would not be able to give birth again without risking her own life. It was the first time I had seen her cry, I was so happy to have a little brother but the look on Mom's face that day broke my poor innocent heart, I guess that's why I'm being super protective of this little spoiled brat. He's only 11 and I'm 16. I attend Saint Peter High School, one of the most expensive schools around, my pride. Oh! School! that was what the alarm was for. I immediately hop out of my bed, I was surprised to see Micheal was already up when I got to his room, he had failed to do his homework the night before simply because he wanted to watch cartoons. "Please tell me the answer, my teacher will punish me if I don't do my assignment" - he cried He's doing that pitiful face he does when he tries to get my sympathy, I can't help it when he looks at me that way, I'm sure you can imagine. "Alright, Alright, I'll help you this time but only this time, next time you do it yourself" It was quite easy and in less than 10 minutes we were getting dressed for school. "Come down boys, it's time for breakfast" - Mom calls out She usually wakes up early to go to work and she prepares the breakfast and also packs our lunch "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day" - she would often say. She works in a law firm, that's right, Mom kicks asses. School is just along the way to her workplace so she drops us off every morning and we use the bus on our way back - Sometimes hitch a ride with our neighbors, The Jacksons. Dad is currently outside the country for a business conference, he is an architect and owns an Architectural firm. We do miss him but the joy of knowing when he comes back from his trip there would be special packages for us is enough to keep us going. Everything was perfect. They often say High School is the time of your life, yeah, they were right - except for one thing, Rose, Rose Robertson. She is a real pain in the ass, she always seems to get on my nerves each time. We happen to be classmates, I won't deny that her intelligence was on a different level, I could barely keep up but somehow I manage to, hence the rivalry. Aside from this, everything else was great. After the morning assembly, I go to my locker to get ready for the day's work, then I noticed a white envelope, someone must have snuck it in. It had no name on it, out of curiosity I opened the envelope. That was when I saw it. **"Meet me by 4 pm at the Cafe, I know who your birth parents are"** What is happening, I felt my whole world spinning, I try to focus my thought. "Is this a prank?" What do you think is going to happen next, who is the mystery person, will he go, should he inform his mother, watch out for the 2nd part of this story `Check out my amazing sponsors`

@Greatwolfman 23 August 2021

Hello friends, I'll be starting a series on a pure work of fiction, I hope you find it entertaining, it has been in production for a long time in my head and now it's time for these thoughts to fly

@Greatwolfman 22 August 2021

When do we stop dreaming? Lead Image Source from Unsplash https://unsplash.com It's the start of a new week, hopefully, I will be more productive as compared to last week. My examinations will be coming up in a few weeks which means less time to phone, more time to book. I tried following a timetable as to when I write my articles but it just didn't feel right, it felt... Forced, so I've adopted a new method of writing out how I feel on my notepad as soon as possible and post it when I have the chance, my mind can be a really weird and loud place to be, so I have to release that pressure once in a while. I slept late last night trying to cover up what I couldn't during the day, I find the night peaceful and helps me think and process things more carefully. While I was doing this a thought came in **"When do we stop dreaming?"** This statement means a lot to different people, dreams can be a form of escape from reality, sometimes writing out fiction could just be living out a dream you couldn't in real life same applies when we read fiction. Sometimes I think we get caught up in the fiction that we so much wish for it to be a reality so we do everything to try to achieve it. This dream could vary among different people but here are a few; *Having that dream job where you just sit in your office all day and sign checks and approve requests and get a whole 6 digit salary monthly (in dollars...lol)* *Being the best student in college.* *Falling in love with a young, smart beautiful rich girl or guy.* *Having the perfect family.* This list goes on and on, although writing or reading could serve as a form of escape, we can't escape reality, so when do we stop dreaming? As little kids when asked what you want to be when you grow up, you often hear *I want to be a doctor* *I want to be a lawyer* *I want to be an Engineer* *I want to be a business Woman - My little Sister...lol* These are all good dreams, but the reality is different, as we advance through the educational system, interests start changing, either because our skills are lacking in certain areas so we change our dreams. Tell me this, of what benefit is Physics and Chemistry to someone whose skill is Singing and Raping? Sometimes I feel we get lost in our dreams that we lose sight of what we are good at just to fulfill a dream. We sometimes convince ourselves that it is what we want. I always wanted to be a doctor right from primary school, getting to high school I wanted to be a scientist (Physicist in particular), then I wanted to be an Architect, then I wanted to be a Civil Engineer, I wanted what Elon Musk has, a multi-billion-dollar company, I wanted a 5.0 G.p (now I just want to graduate). Today I just want to be like Mr. Marc, having a lot of BCH. We all want so many things but a time has to come when we have to come back to reality. You can't keep dreaming about a life you don't have but you can live your dream once you're back to reality. Life sucks sometimes, I'm sorry to say that, sometimes you work so hard to achieve a particular goal and you keep on failing to a faulty system. Regardless of what dreams we have, as long as you genuinely develop an interest in it, you can go ahead and forge your path. Some of us are still lost in our world, in College but still don't know what plans they have for themselves, who do you blame then? Do you blame the young boy for dreaming or the system for destroying it?. The truth is pointing fingers will not solve a single thing, accept the blame and work on the most important question **"What is next?"** It's never too late to chase your dream but sometimes it just seems unreasonable at a point. *Here's a short reference story;* *You're already in your late 30s, with a family to take care of, still trying to get that dream job but keep failing, your family needs you, a child is on the way, you have to take care of their shelter, feeding, clothing, school fees, a lot of things coming at you all at once, do you keep chasing that dream or try settling down on something to help your family?* This is a serious issue we also have to face. As much as it's important to dream, you also need to know when chasing a dream just gets stupid. ***"When do we stop dreaming?"*** is not just a question but a thought we all have to bear in mind. It's a question we all have different answers to. You just need to find your truth. Oops, my alarm is ringing, my free time is up but I will leave you with this thought; ***"It's alright to dream, it's alright to chase your dream, just ensure that in trying to get what you want people don't get hurt in the process"***

@Greatwolfman 21 August 2021

My Heartbreak Playlist Lead image source from Unsplash https://unsplash.com Music has a way of directly impacting the mental state of anyone depending on your mood. It is often said that a heartbroken person does not only listen to the music but also the lyrics. This article was a prompt inspired by @HappyBoy We all have that go-to song we can relate to one way or the other when we feel sad or heartbroken, here are my Top 11 heartbreak songs. `Please note that these songs are emotional and if you can't handle such feelings all at once, just skip.` **1) Hymn to the sea - James Horner** This to me is the most unique yet innocent tune that acts as a reminder of how important it is to be alive, this song served as the theme music to the movie "Titanic". When you listen to this song, it feels as though you're being drawn into the last and final moments of what the people of the Titanic felt at the time of the sinking of this great ship. It feels like a song to the beings that control the sea as a consolation for the lives that were lost at sea. April 14/15, 1912 will forever be remembered in the history of mankind. Here is a link to this song https://youtu.be/6wz1xA5kxVI **2) Happier - Ed Sheeran** This song tells the story of someone whose heart was broken by love. Seeing someone you deeply care about with someone else hurts especially when you know you are at fault. Happier is a desperate attempt to wish her the happiness she truly deserves regardless of the love he still feels for her. I came about this song after my first heartbreak. Since we shared a similar story I could relate well to it. **3) When I was your Man - Bruno Mars** I'm sure from the title of this song you already predict the story. The story is somewhat similar to Happier - Ed Sheeran, with the only difference being the Man was able to point his flaws, the fault that led to his Woman being with another Man. Similar to Happier, he wishes her all the happiness in the world. **4) Lonely- Justin Beiber and Benny Blanco** Growing up I've always been a fan of Justin, the young teenager who became a superstar, from my view I believed he had everything he ever wished for, money, fame, and even girls but that wasn't the case. Being a musical star at a very young age has its perks and also its disadvantages, there is nothing like privacy, the idea of a normal life where you could go to the supermarket or store or even a party without having people following you for autographs and paparazzi trying to get into every single detail of your life can be frustrating. I could relate to the part where you just want to be left alone and not want to be in everyone's business, privacy is really important and it can get frustrating for adults to get picked upon all over social media let alone a young boy. **5) Listen before I go - Billie Eilish** I heard this song one night when I was in a down moment of my life. It tells the story of someone tired of life, of love, and just wants to give up, it feels...suicidal. I felt the pain of the writer listening to this song, it felt like she was saying "goodbye cruel world". I had just lost someone close to me and I could associate the song with her final moments during her passing. Still hurts when I listen to it. **6) You're not there - Lukas Graham** This song feels like the type of song I would sing to my late Grandmother, I wish she was here to celebrate my success, she never missed any of my graduations growing up, my birthdays were always grand filled with gifts and a lot of toys, she lives on only in my memories, tales I plan to tell my kids someday. This is the story this particular song tells. **7) How could you leave us - NF** NF has always been my go-to artist when I feel extremely overwhelmed and in need of Therapy. This song tells the story of two brothers who got abandoned by their Mom due to her addiction to drugs. Being forced into foster homes at a young age has a way of affecting the mindset of a child. The feeling of being abandoned. The story goes on to show just how angry the writer feels towards his Mother and although She tried to be there for them but eventually she gave in, she died. He also spelled out his regret for not picking up the phone during her last moment out of anger, I can't blame him for reacting that way but still, that regret would live on. **8) Supermarket Flowers - Ed Sheeran** Yes, he made this list twice, probably because of how much he has inspired me to learn to play the guitar and write my original music. This song tells the story of a woman on her death bed, that pain the writer felt where he couldn't even tell he was crying got me, it reminded me of I felt when my Grandmother died and when I had lost my dog too. The story goes on to tell us how happy although painful he feels, he's happy that she's now with the angels and how lucky he is to have ever had the opportunity of being raised by such a strong woman. **9) Two of us - Louis Tomlinson** I got acquainted with this artist from "One Direction" and his unique voice. I wasn't sure if I should add this to the list but it got there anyway. It tells the story of someone who had lost someone really close to them but instead of getting all down and sad, he has decided to live his life for the two of them. Though it does feel sad it also shows courage in accepting that death is inevitable and trying to live on to continue the legacy is the best thing to do. **10) May it be - Enya** This may be subject to criticism, if you haven't watched "The Lord of the rings" you might not be able to relate to this one. "May it be" is a heartbreaking song to me when you consider how dark and hopeless things got for the hobbits when darkness victory was near and all hope seemed lost. They often say it's always darkest just before dawn, this song and movie is a definition of that statement. We all go through tough times, sometimes it feels like there is no way out and you just want to give up. You shouldn't, when your need is greatest, then you shall find help. Just like sailors lost at sea, the North star will guide you. **11) Nearer my God to thee - from Titanic** I started this playlist with Titanic, it's only befitting I end it with the same, many artist and choirs sang this same song but nothing beats that emotional moment when it was played in Titanic. According to the movie Titanic, it was regarded as the last song the band played together as the ship sank to their death. From the scene, you could see a Mother putting her kids to sleep by telling them a bedtime story as the ship sank after realizing there was no hope of ever getting saved due to the limited lifeboats which conspiracies have it was reserved for the first-class passengers on board, you could also see an Old Man and his Old Wife cuddling on the bed one last time as the water rose to claim their lives. My words can't fully describe how emotional that scene was, so I will leave the link for you to see for yourself. Link https://youtu.be/JTZYqODo7o0 Music is therapeutic, @Jumper-22 has an article on this, it's a way of expressing our innermost thoughts. I do hope you found this list fulfilling this function. Check out my amazing sponsors

@Greatwolfman 20 August 2021

Near-Death experience ***Where do we go when we fall asleep?*** ***Are dreams a gateway into another world?*** ***Where do we go when we die?*** These are but a small fraction of some of the curiosities that remain unsolved in my mind. Death is inevitable we all know this, but are we ready for what lies after? Do we even know what lies after? Heaven? Hell? The mere concept of dying doesn't sound soothing and I'm sure it's a really weird topic, regardless I would like to share my thoughts and experience on this matter. In the days of old - even in recent times, people often refer to such experiences as a grace of a higher power, some are quite difficult to describe and no one is sure who is genuine. Religious believes live us to believe that after death, there's judgment and we either go to hell or heaven but what if physical death is just a continuation of one's journey into another plane of existence? I can't say for sure, this is just one of those questions that will haunt me for as long as I live. I do not know what lies ahead once we drop this material body but I do know that the journey back home is not over. I've been a victim of series of Near-death experiences and that is exactly what this article is about. The reason I've lived is a mystery I can only answer to as the grace of God. The drowning incident As little kids, we all want to swim. Going to the swimming pool would get us excited but that was not the case for me to this day. I still suffer from this trauma although I've been making moves to finally get over it. It was a Saturday morning, one of those well-deserved weekends after a long week of school, I was in primary school. As you would imagine, it was the curious phase - a period in any child when they want to learn and experience different things, for me, it was the idea of swimming. My parents never allowed us near a pool due to an incident that claimed a life of a young lad who couldn't swim but wanted to show off to his friends, it was a real tragic experience and I do understand why they had tried to protect their young son from such a fate. It all started with my breathing exercises, I would hold my breath and count just to see how long I would be able to survive underwater, soon after I thought it was about time to finally visit the water - how ignorant I was. Please if you do not know how to swim, don't feel shy to admit it, instead, try to get a teacher to show you how to do it properly less you make a big mistake that could cost you your life. I filled the tub with water - my mini swimming pool. I was so excited as I got undressed and jumped into the bath thud. I don't recall if the door was locked or not but into the bathtub the little boy was. I had just finished breakfast, the stew was quite spicy just the way I like it. I had waited for my Mom to go out that day so I could get my privacy. So, I buried my head into the water, I noticed how difficult it was to see underwater so I tried to turn to get a better feel of the experience, at that exact moment I belched right underwater and that was how I started choking and drowning, my immediate instinct was to jump out of the bathtub but I hadn't the strength to do that, I kept on gasping for air, I could feel the spicy burning through my throat, I tried shouting for her help but I couldn't make a sound. When all hope seemed lost I saw our neighbor's daughter run in, oh boy was I glad to see her - she had come to see my big Cousin who lived with us at the time. The water splashes I made gave her the hint someone was in trouble. I still remember how it felt as I write this article, it's a burning sensation in your throat just fighting to breathe. I begged her not to tell my Mum since I was very sure how she would react. I told Mom later as years went by but I never ventured anywhere close to a pool until recently where I couldn't even place my feet in the water. The Robbery incident It was just like any other night, we had gone to bed early, my Dad had traveled, so it was just Mom, my brother, and baby sister at home. The power was on that night which was uncommon in the neighborhood, Angela-my faithful dog had just died and the rate of insecurity was at an increase. Just after midnight, I woke to the sound of someone cutting the net in my room's window. I noticed there was a torchlight outside. I was not even sure of what was happening. I slowly creeped out of my room to wake Mom up, surprisingly she was already up- I don't think she ever really sleeps. She was trying to call the "Vigilante"- the security in charge of a specific area- but no reply, we could hear the whistle of "Vigilante" close by but they didn't come to our aid. Soon after, we heard "***Gbam, Gbam, Gbam***" from the entrance door, we lived in an apartment with only one exit then so we couldn't escape even if we tried, the neighbors who heard what was going on hid in their apartment refusing to help out, "*Every Man for himself"*. It wasn't long when the door lock buckled and he was in, a tall man with a mask on his face carrying a locally made gun and a knife walked in. I was so shaky I could barely stand on my two feet. As he screamed for us to get on the ground I fell. I noticed mom had been crying even as she begged the thief not to harm anyone " Take anything you want, but don't ***harm my children "*** My younger sister who was only a year old at the time was still fast asleep oblivious of what was going on, my brother was in tears, I thought I heard him ask ***"Mummy, are we going to die?".*** The thief asked for Money as Mum went up to get it, he grabbed her laptop and phone, and the only money that was in the house was nothing as mum would say compared to our lives. " ***everything money can buy can be replaced, not your lives".*** As the thief left, I noticed the big shoes he wore, I wouldn't look up out of fear and that was the last thing I saw of him. I had been spared yet again. We had been spared. But boy was that close, I couldn't sleep for many a night thinking the third would come back since he wasn't caught. As much as a part of me had hoped he'd be caught I was much happier to be alive. The street robbery incident This is the most recent, I was already in the University, it was my first year as a Fresher, I couldn't get a bed space in school so I lived off-campus, it was not the most luxurious of places, it was quite small but at least I had a place to lay down and rest after a really busy day from school. It was the rainy season and I had washed my clothes that morning before going to school, I hang them on the fence. The fence shared a boundary with a Nursery and Primary School just behind the building I lived in. Even though we shared a fence, I'd have to walk a long way to get into the school gate and pick my clothes from where they must have fallen as I did any other day it happened - but not today. It was a Friday evening, I had noticed some of my clothes had fallen over again, so I dropped my phone, my bag, and my wallet which contained my ID card as well as my debit card on the table. As I approached the gate, I noticed the security man wasn't where he was supposed to be as I walked in. As I got closer the ground seemed to get even quieter, I was beginning to worry when some Boys surrounded me with knives asking for everything in my pocket, I had nothing which they confirmed fit themselves, I considered fighting back since they were relatively my age mate judging from their looks but I realized that they had the numbers and if they had killed me right there, it would take a long time for my body to be found that is if they can trace my identity back to the University. So I begged for my life, one of them tried to hit me with a stick but was stopped by one other who appeared to be their little group leader. I didn't think twice when he said to me "***Run***". I was not even concerned about the clothes anymore, I just wanted to live. I had survived yet another experience. Conclusion Funny how little worth material things are when your life is in question, going through all of this made me even want to live, more importantly well. I guess they were right "*on your death bed, it's not what you did that you'll regret but what you didn't do"* Since then I have tried to live my life to the fullest, we won't be here forever so why waste it. Treasure every moment you have because we can't know when it would be our last. `Check out my amazing sponsors` All image source from Unsplash https://unsplash.com

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@Greatwolfman 20 August 2021

Yaayyy...finally I've been able to catch up on all the articles, they were so lovely. I'm thankful for the support and the sponsorship @renren17, thank so much.

@Greatwolfman 19 August 2021

No power, phone battery is low, I'll read up on all the missed articles once the power is back on. Take care friends

@Greatwolfman 19 August 2021

Yayy, another sponsor, thank you @renren16 for this sponsorship, I'll do my best to show how grateful I am of this opportunity

@Greatwolfman 19 August 2021

If time travelling existed Lead image source https://www.thoughtco.com/time-travel-into-the-past-3072603 Growing up I've always had really weird imaginations and one of them is this **I believe time travel is real** As little kids, it was always amazing and fascinating when we called our uncles on the phone who lived abroad at night only to discover it was just dawn over there. *"Mom, how is that possible?"* We were too young to understand the concept behind the rotation of the Earth about its axis. Regardless of this, I believed we were in the past while he was in the future. I developed a theory that **the only reason this advanced technology has not made its way into the world is due to the danger it would bring and the "Guardians" of this great weapon are keeping it safe and would do anything to prevent Man from ever creating one** Power corrupts, if we had the power to go back in time to correct a lot of things it would get misused, I know for a certain what I would want to do, the list can't be exhausted. The first time I started thinking about time travel was in 2012, I was still in high school, Junior year. My nerdy friends and I had this weird habit of creating fictional worlds where we had superpowers, then we would battle one another-fictionally, I'm sure you can imagine why we couldn't fight-and it was fun except when we had to fight **Professor Paradox**. Professor Paradox is a character from the Ben 10 series, one of his many superpowers was Time traveling, you can imagine why he was very difficult to defeat, before you do something he'd already known your next move and exactly how to prevent it. He could go back in time to prevent you from ever being born. https://ben10.fandom.com/wiki/Professor_Paradox?file=Paradox_ua_full.png We had to place a ban on anyone using this superhero just to make the battlefield fair, but it was irrefutable that time travel was one of the strongest forces in the world. I found this idea interesting that I started doing my research into Time Travelling. During one of my researches, I found a book written by an American Physicist **Professor Stephen Hawkings.** Image source https://theconversation.com/amp/stephen-hawkings-final-book-suggests-time-travel-may-one-day-be-possible-heres-what-to-make-of-it-106566 **"A brief history of time"** This book generated my interest in Physics, as well as Time-Travelling in particular. I was glad to know that a genius also believed in time travel, his research on the theory of time instilled fresh hope in me that one day a time machine would be created. The world of science suffered a great loss when he died. My hope was further reinforced when I discovered a man from history, **Nostradamus**. Image source https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/11-shockingly-accurate-predictions-nostradamus-a6772736.html?amp This man was able to predict things that would later happen even long before his death, I could spend all day talk about some of his prophesies but the most recent one is the Corona Virus incident. Image source https://www.kqed.org/arts/13878154/perhaps-nostradamus-predicted-coronavirus-after-all I know what you're thinking. "His predictions were not accurate" but you're wrong, they are as accurate as they could be at the time he was alive. Feel free to check the link to see more about his predictions. https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/nostradamuss-4-most-accurate-predictions/articleshow/36104546.cms *Was he a time traveler*? No, I don't think so, but I do believe he was in contact with a Guardian from the future. I know this sounds weird to you, it's just my theory. This theory was further reinforced after I did further research into the sinking of a great ship that led to the death of 1500 people - **The RMS Titanic**. 14 years before the sinking of this great ship, Morgan Robertson published his book *"The Wreck of the Titan"* Image Source https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Wreck-of-the-Titan/Morgan-Robertson/9781451695441 This book predicted the sinking of the Titanic 14 years before it happened, why this warning was ignored remains a mystery to me. *Was Mr. Morgan Robertson a Time-traveller?* I don't think he was, but I do think he was in contact with someone from the future who tried to warn against the sinking of the Titanic. I could go on and on as to how I came about my theory, but it would take forever. I still strongly believe in time travel, even though there is no physical evidence to support it, perhaps time-traveling its self is supernatural. I often wonder what I would do if I ever had the power to control time, here's a shortlist. **I would prevent the Titanic from ever sinking.** I don't know how I plan on doing this given the first time it didn't work. That won't stop me from trying to reach out to the captain or anyone of influence to warn them of the impending danger. **I would do some sport betting** Haha, call me selfish, but if I had the power to know who would win a match long before it happens I would use it to make me some profit. **Forex trading and buying stocks** I would buy stocks I know would generate more profit the Sports betting, and even get into the forex market. **I would buy a lot of Bitcoin** This has always been a dream of mine, if I could go back to 2010 to buy Bitcoin when it was so cheap and not so popular, I would have been one of the richest men of this era, doing massive giveaways right here on read.cash. **I would never fail any exams again** Since I would know what the questions would be, I would take my time to answer them accurately unless of course the scripts aren't marked and random scores are given, I'm sure @HappyBoy @Jumper-22 , @King_Gozie, @Gaftekloriginal and @Freedom007 can relate to this...haha ***Can you see the reason why this Machine must never be created, everyone would use it for their own selfish needs without caring for the repercussions of such act.*** In case I wasn't clear on this, the dangers of time traveling can not be over emphasized, one small change in history can cause a ripple effect that would span to the present and possibly affect the future. Perhaps what ever happens, happens for a reason, perhaps we are better off without a time machine. `Check out my wonderful sponsors`

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@Greatwolfman 19 August 2021

What a beautiful morning it has been, with so much gratitude in my heart I thank you so much @Mictorrani for the sponsorship, I won't disappoint you

@Greatwolfman 18 August 2021

The heart want what it wants **This is a way of me putting a full stop to the story I started on read. cash about "My First Crush".** After publishing it I had a lot of people asking for a close-up to this story, a lot of things happened along the way which I will make mention along the way as I continue writing articles here on read.cash. Okay, here goes the period of my life I will never forget. `check out my wonderful sponsors` **BEFORE I ASKED HER OUT** I was in high school, senior year, we had just finished Mock exams on Geography against the WAEC examinations (which would serve as qualification into the University). I had been planning this for weeks, rehearsing, but when I had my chances, I couldn't bring myself to say anything. Haha, laugh all you want, it was my first time, and I was already blowing it before I even had a chance. Try telling an introvert to ask his crush out, see if he even makes a move, but at least I was trying. The day before this, my gang - by gang I meant my close pals - informed about him, yes HIM (let's call him Jack for reference purpose), he had been making moves on HER (I will just refer to her as Cinderella, although Cinderella got nothing on her, she was PERFECT). I had been postponing this day, I kept telling myself *"I'll do it tomorrow".* Sometimes I wonder what the outcome would have been if I had asked her to be my girlfriend Months ago. If only time travel was a thing? So, that morning I tried to approach her but there he was again, this dude just won't give her some space, I think she's getting tired. I hate this Stalker move, I need to take my shot before it's too late. Just then, while I was lost in my thought, I felt a tap on my shoulder, it was Joshua, her close friend and a member of my gang. *"I have Good news and Bad, which one do you want to hear first?"* *"The Bad"* - I replied immediately I could tell it was concerning Cinderella, but what exactly was the issue? *"Brace yourself bro, you might not like what I'm about to say"* I felt time stop for a moment, almost like nothing else mattered *"Jack has asked Cinderella to be his girlfriend"* Those words felt like knives piercing through my chest, I think my heart may have stopped for a moment, took me a while to come to this new realization. *"Great, Great, are you with me?"* - he asked *"Yeah, I am, so what's the good news"* Fingers were crossed as I waited patiently to hear this *"She has not given him a reply yet"* Aha, that's hopeful, could it be she hadn't said yes to him because she wasn't into him, or was she waiting for me? Jack was the type of guy girls would wish to be their boyfriend, he lived the big life having rich parents, if this was a typical American Highschool, he'd be the Prom King looking for his Queen - Ha! Not my queen, no way. As far as I knew, he had dated several girls with zero experience of being turned down or put on hold. So was this a sign? I was completely lost in thought I swear I didn't hear the next few things Joshua said to me until... *"you have to do it now or forget about her"* As I said earlier, this was something I had rehearsed with my Close pal, Ron. So yeah, I was ready. I tried to picture her reaction when he asked the question, did she smile? Or was she appalled by it? then I remembered seeing them together just this morning, like two seeds in a pod. Now, this was a miracle if miracles do exist, I had no idea what I was writing during that exams, but the fact that I had an A in my result despite how difficult it was led me to believe *"Love knows all"* (^^). **ASKING HER OUT** Immediately after the exams, it was time, the moment we had all been waiting for, yes WE. This was something my gang wanted to see first hand - a nerd asking the queen to be his girlfriend - I'm sure if you were there you'd also want to be a part of it. I saw my friends right I'm front of the exams all in little groups - spying. Till today I have no idea what they did to keep Jack away but they did, "good friends do exist" I told myself. I approached her, my heart was beating so fast you could hear it from a mile away. "Hi, can I talk to you for a moment?" At this point I knew exactly what to say, I had done my research on various movies where the guy asks the girl out to be his girlfriend but nothing could have prepared me for this, NOTHING! My brain went blank, so I said exactly what came to my mind at that point. *"Cinderella, I would like you to be my girlfriend"* As those words left my mouth I could barely recognize if they were mine. She smiled (Mama Mia! Those dimples are to die for). *"You don't have to give me an answer now, just think about it"* - I immediately added Now, I might have to ask her this later when I talk to her but I think she may have mentioned that Jack also asked her out - or was it just in the head. Anyway, she said she'd think about it, and honestly, I wouldn't have preferred it any other way. I'm not sure I'd have been able to hear a "No, I'm sorry" at that point. Hey, don't judge me, I know you're probably thinking I should have done better, maybe made it a little more romantic, but I wasn't as confident as I am now so forgive me. I walked away, I wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do but I needed to let out the excitement and I didn't want to do right I'm front of her, oh boy was I relieved that she did the same. My gangs approached me after to get an update on what had just happened, I told them with eyes full of Hope. Hey, quick question, what do guys do right after they have asked the girl out? Was I supposed to keep her company or give her some space to think? **THE ANSWER** The wait lasted only a while but it felt like forever, I think at a point I wanted to take it back. Can you "un-ask" someone to be your girlfriend? Is that a thing? *"I'm sorry, I can't be your girlfriend"* - she said with tears in her eyes that day, I couldn't fathom what made her cry but I blamed myself for it, I wasn't even sad, I never realized that I had put her in such a tough position where she had to choose. *"It's okay, it's all good, you don't need to cry"* Yes, I said I was okay but was I? It hurt real bad, it's a type of pain you can't explain, for a long time I dealt with that feeling. It hurt even more when she said "Yes" to Jack. Seeing the girl you love with someone else is not a fun thing to experience. It was hard to look at them together happy but I couldn't look away either. **AFTER GETTING THE ANSWER** What do guys do after facing rejection? Do I need to get drunk as they do in movies? I needed a form of distraction, anything. It was time for exams, the distraction I needed, but exams don't last forever, sooner or later I would have to face this pain again. I remember I kept on hoping they break up...lol. After a while, I felt love again with another pretty girl, she had really beautiful dimples too - I guess I'm just one of those guys who attracted to girls with dimples, I have dimples myself and if you don't agree you can argue with your keyboard. **AWKWARD/HEALING STAGE** Just before the healing process, there was the awkward stage, we stopped talking for a while, I would sometimes catch her staring at me. This continued for a while. Alas, it was the last day of school, I think this part deserves its article, it should have been an exciting day for me since I was to receive an award, but my Dad sort of ruined the day, the one that hurt the most was the fact he didn't give me the chance to say goodbye to her, no just her, my friends. **CONCLUSION** Love can hurt but the pain doesn't define you, it's all part of the growth process. I'm glad I experienced it, a lot of people don't get to say that about high school, that was my peak moment and the most interesting of my high school experience. In case you're wondering, we are back to being good friends, and although I once had feelings for her it faded over time. Who said you only love once? Okay, this has got to be my longest article yet I'm glad I got the chance to share it and I hope someone out there reads this story and also relates to it. All image sources from unsplash https://unsplash.com

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@Greatwolfman 17 August 2021

It's okay August 17, 2021 It's 7pm right now in Nigeria, I usually just record my thought with a voice record and then wait till midnight when I'm less busy to write my article, but not today. I have just finished eating dinner and had a little more time to kill before my reading alarm rings, as you may well know, at least some of you if you read my article on Procastination so I've set out my to-do list with an alarm and a record of my voice screaming at myself to get up and read, it's been working so far...at least for now. As I went through my phone, I stumbled upon a You-tube video, **"America's Got Talent"**. I've been a big fan of AGT, didn't miss a single audition but lately I've been so overwhelmed with a lot of things that I have barely had the time to catch up on missed auditions-until now of course. I saw a clip about Nightbirde's audition, and to be honest I wouldn't have clicked on it if not for the fact that it made **Simon Cowell** emotional - one of the major Judges of the show, Simon to me is like the villian of AGT, he has set a standard and have made every performer, young and old, try to be the best version of themselves, he *is* a tough man to please, so seeing a performance where Simon got emotional appealed to my curiosity, so I did. What I found, what I saw, what I heard led me right here, my safe space where I can freely express how I feel, it was so emotional, it got me. I will leave a link to the clip in case you might want to check it out. https://youtu.be/CZJvBfoHDk0 "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, if you're lost, we are all a little lost and it's alright" _Nightbirde. **"It's Okay"** is an Original song written by **Nightbirde** one night when she was in a very dark place in her life just to feel okay. **Nightbirde** - her stage name - is currently fighting with cancer in her lung, her spine and her liver. She said in an interview at the end of her performance and I quote **"I have a 2% chance of survival but 2% is not 0%, 2% is something and I wish people knew how amazing it is"** **_Nightbirde** It touched me deep down, we do not know what we have until we lose it, while we constantly waste the time of our lives fighting one another, keeping malice and gossips, people are out there trying to stay alive, 2% is enough to hope. So it's okay, It's okay to want to live, It's okay to want to fight for what you believe in, Its okay to be courageous in spite of life's adversities, It's okay to serve as a beacon of hope to everyone out there dealing with similar troubles. "It's okay" is a message to you and I telling us that no matter what we are currently going through, everything will be alright. Sometimes life gets hard and we just want to give up, just remember this, **"it's okay"** She said something else that made me question myself. **"You don't have to wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy"** **_Nightbirde** *Save for the future, live in the present*, *they say. Two contrasting sentence.* These days I see my friends trying to save for a future, work all their lives for a future that isn't even guaranteed, drowning in problems that are not even theirs, facing their challenges head on, putting everyone but themselves first every time with the sole promise that one day, everything will be alright. This might just be my emotions talking right now but you have don't have to wait until life isn't tough or difficult anymore to enjoy these little moment. As I write this article I'm reminded of some of the good times that I've underestimated. My little Sister's Birth, her first word, the first time she crawled, the joy of having a little Brother, the excitement of hearing the bell rings for "closing time", the joy of screaming "Up NEPA" when the power comes on, the thrill of sneaking out of the house instead of reading to play ball with my friends, the joy of rolling tyres along the street and insulting one another as Nigerian public drivers would, the first time I said "I love you" to a girl, the day I got admission into the University and many others, its the little things. Value what you have even as you try to work for a better future. Oops, alarm is ringing, it's exactly 7:30pm, time to go. I will probably post this article later tonight. Keep fighting, you're not alone. **Feel free to share a comment on some of those moments that you treasure. Have a good one friends.** `Feel free to check out my Amazing sponsors`

@Greatwolfman 17 August 2021

My first trade experience *"Sweat on my forehead, my heart is racing, I can't seem to take a sit, I can't stand either, I start pacing, I'm getting annoyed, why won't you go back up, please just go up!"* `Please note that this article is not to distract you or encourage you to get into anything you're not ready for, I'm not trying to promote any organization or broker, I'm simply sharing my first experience as a trader.` **IT** was the first semester break, the West African Exams had just being concluded, I was at home, I had no money. So I applied to be a Checker. **For** those of us who don't know what the work entails I hope this explanation helps. Usually, after the West African exams has been conducted, it is then marked by the examiners within a specific period of time, due to this certain errors might have been made (addition error, omission error, transfer error, among others), a **Checker** is responsible for checking each candidate scripts, one after the other for all these errors every day until the exercise is complete for a token of **600 Naira daily** which was just about **$1** and a few cents for such a tasking and stressful job, and if you factor in daily transportation, my take home was just about **400 Naira**, less than a dollar. Most times I had to trek with my buddy **Ron**, we would be lucky to get free rides sometimes. *Now that I type this article, I can't help but give thanks to read.cash. I earn more than I did daily while I worked as a checker from just sharing my thoughts. This is indeed a gift.* **Well**, you get the gist, it was a really tough period but we didn't give up, it was better than not Earning anything. On one faithful day, a friend of ours told us about trading the Forex market and how he had been earning a lot from it, the idea of making money from the comfort of our homes was so fascinating but I needed capital. Now, I know I should have asked for help on how to go about it, but I didn't. I didn't think I would need anyone to figure it out That day I got home, went on YouTube to see videos on how people were making money in the forex market, videos like "how to make $1000 daily" "the holy Grail of trading"... A lot like that, and this advertisement kept popping up so I decided to check it out. "** **" was my first encounter*,* I went further to see what it was about, it felt like easy money, simply predict where the price would go, if you are correct you earn, if you are wrong, you lose. I immediately downloaded the Demo version, I kept on winning trades, I started planning how I would move out of the house, rent my own apartment, get a new car. I started watching inspirational videos of **Jack Ma**, **Elon Musk**, **Warren Buffet**, trying to get a hint of the lifestyle I will soon be living. Image Source https://unsplash.com I went online to get books on how to trade, how to make use of the custom indicators. In a week, I assumed I was a trading master. It was payday at work, I worked for 12 days before they released me, so my pay was 7,200 Naira ( 5,200 Naira and some change essentially if you deduct my transportation fee). I immediately funded my trading account with $10. Then I placed the first order which was going to last for 5 minutes (buy) while risking $1, it felt like forever, I was sweating and shaking, soon it changed direction going towards the opposite side (sell). **I** couldn't believe my eyes, my first loss, I felt so bad but not discouraged, not when I could be the next **Aliko Dangote**. I went in again, I won....I was so proud of myself. I was so tensed and anxious that I placed another order, which I won (*Wow, how much is Lamborghini these days?*). I decided to pause for the day to gloat on my victory. I told no one of this, I wanted it to be a surprise to everyone, except of course Ron, who knew what I had used my pay for. He tried to advise me to take it slow and learn and I didn't listen. The following day didn't bring so much profit, I lost consecutive trades back to back, I was so convinced the Market was watching me. I placed a buy, it would sell, so I placed a sell, it bought, placed another sell, it kept on buying. **Arrgh, so frustrating.** I was so sad, I had no appetite, I didn't want to talk to anyone, I was just down. That night I couldn't sleep, I wanted to get back what I had lost (big mistake), I lost even more and blew the account. That type of pain is hard to describe. You know you have lost the account and you can't do anything about it. I immediately felt what a rat would when cornered by a cat. That realisation of failure is completely depressing - No one warned me it would feel this way, but then again I didn't give anyone a chance - this was my fault. I made a lot of rookie mistakes, if only I had just been patient to learn and understand how to trade perhaps I could have had a different result. Even though I lost money (that was a lot, given how hard I had to work to get it in the first place) I had learnt some important lesson. **1) Take your time to learn before you can start earning.** **2) Confidence is good when it's applied moderately.** **3) The market doesn't know you** **4) Revenge trading is wrong and costly** You'd think I would have learnt my lesson, I went on further to make even mistakes, and yes it hurt each time but I learnt more as I went on. Experience is the best teacher, it humbles even the best of us. As ridiculous as it sounds I'm glad I experienced such a loss. `Check out my wonderful sponsors`

@Greatwolfman 17 August 2021

Oh my word!!!! Thank you so much for this sponsorship @Sequoia I am so happy and lucky to have you as my sponsor, I won't dissapoint you....yayyy...a good morning it is.

@Greatwolfman 16 August 2021

Ragnarok - the doom of the gods *Are you a fan of Norse Mythology? If the answer is No, please keep an open mind while reading this article.* *I came across this topic years ago when I saw the movie - Vikings, the movie tells the story of Ragner Lotbrok, who led the Vikings to England for the first time from Norway (based on actual events).* *It so happens that I love a good mystery so I went further to dig deep.* ***Ragnarok*** *to the Vikings is similar to the* ***Apocalypse*** *to the Christians* **Ragnarok speaks of a Prophesy saying how the world would end.** *As a kid, I often wondered how the world was going to end.* *Zombie attacks? Nuclear attack? Massive Earth quake? Complete depletion of the Ozone layers? A big bang? I will definitely post an article these topics as time goes on. Oops I guess I didn't mention I happened to be a weird kid... Well, weird is the new cool:-P* ***As a big fan of myth myself, I took an interest in Ragnarok, my curiosity made me study and learn more.*** **What is Ragnarok** I found this article online that gave a summary of this Prophesy `Ragnarok tells of a time when there will be axes, swords, and shields pitted against each other. It will be a time where wolves come to devour the world, and Midgard will find itself hit by three horrible winters. Skoll, the wolf, will swallow the sun, while his brother Hati will devour the moon. All the stars will disappear leaving the world in complete darkness.` `The wolf Fenrir will be freed from his chains, while the sea rears up, bringing Fenrir’s brother, Jormungand, onto the earth. The sea will also free the ship of the dead, Naglfar, with Loki leading the charge towards Vidgrid with the ghosts of Hel following in his wake. Fenrir and Jormungand will move over the earth. Fenrir will open his large mouth and eat everything in his path. Jormungand will spew venom in all directions, tainting everything with poison. The Rainbow Bridge protecting Asgard from attack will fall. The god Heimdall will use the horn Gjall to alert everyone to the chaos happening in every direction. Every god will meet in council, while Odin rides to Mimir’s spring to ask the head of Mimir for his advice. The tree of life, Ygdrassil will cry, as waves crash against it and humans hide amongst its trunk. The Aesir gods will arm themselves and the Einherjar from Valhalla will prepare themselves for battle.` `Odin will come to the front of the lines, donning his golden helmet and the sword Gungnir. Odin will ride towards Fenrir and face his enemy head on. Thor will ride beside him and meet with his arch nemesis, Jormungand. Frey will face off against Surt, fighting until his death, without his great sword by his side. Thor will kill Jormungand, but he will walk only nine steps before falling dead to Jormungand’s poison. Odin and Fenrir will battle, until Fenrir swallows Odin whole. Odin’s son, Vidar, will avenge his father’s death, breaking apart Fenrir’s jaw with his special shoes.` `Surt will throw fire throughout the Nine Worlds, setting everything ablaze. The Nine Worlds will burn, as the gods each take their turn facing death. Eventually, the earth will fall into the sea, but it will rise again and create something new. The gods Vidar and Vali will survive Ragnarok, as will the sons of Thor. The deceased Balder and Hod will walk amongst the living once again, freed from the grasp of Hel. The remaining gods will speak of past memories, never letting their history die. New rulers will come and go, and men will live to see a new day.` `The two humans who hid amongst the trunk of Yggdrasil will come forth and begin to repopulate the world. A new age will be born from Ragnarok’s ashes.` Source https://mythnerd.com/who-kills-freyr/ **Ragnarok speaks of the end of the world according to Norse Mythology.** *The funny thing about this is it hasn't happened yet, which means each god knows how he will die and by whom - let's assume we do believe in these deities, why can't they do anything to change their fate?* **There are a lot of similarities between Norse Mythology and Christianity, I'm sure you must have noticed some yourself if you were paying attention.** **1) The horn/Trumpet** **2) The rising of the dead from their graves** **3) the signs** **among others...** **Anyway, here is my top 11 Characters that feature in Ragnarok** **1) Odin** The Father of all the gods, he was often referred to as the God of wisdom, he gave one of his eye for wisdom. He was the son of **Bestla** and **Borr**, he had two brothers, **Villi** and **Ve**, he had many Sons, the prominent ones were **Thor** and **Baldur**. He is usually accompanied by his **Wolves** and **ravens** and he rides his **flying eight legged steed**. As wise and powerful as he was he knew he wouldn't be able to escape the fate that will befall him during **Ragnarok**. *So many children, respect Man, I mean, god.* Image Source https://the-demonic-paradise.fandom.com/wiki/Odin **2)Thor** The God of thunder and lightening, he was the champion of the Gods, he was regarded as the Slayer of Giants and the protector of mankind, his most powerful weapon, his **Hammer**, **Mjolnir**. During one of his adventures he encountered **Jormugandr**- the world serpent and they were fated to meet again during **Ragnarok**. He struck the world snake a deadly blow but accidentally opened a poisonous gas pocket killing them both. *Thor: Note to self, wear a gas mask during Ragnarok.* Image Source https://vsdebating.fandom.com/wiki/Thor_ **3)Loki** The God of deception and betrayal, he was a trickster and a shape-shifter, he was popular for a lot of mischief including how he tricked the dwarves into making Thor's Hammer as a gift after cutting Sif's hair- Thor's wife, stole Greta's necklace and a lot more *(I will tell this story in a different article)*. The worst crime he committed was killing **Baldur**, the most loved of all the gods - he was punished by **Odin** for this crime which he swore to take revenge on all of the gods during **Ragnarok**. *I know I should hate Loki but I don't, he his just so smart and intelligent, Odin should learn a trick or two from him* Image source https://greeksaiyans.com/loki-the-norse-god **4)Baldur** He was the God of peace, innocence, light, purity and the sun. He was the son of **Odin** and **Frigg** - the queen of heaven, he was the favorite and the most loved of all the gods. He was beautiful and just. Upon dreaming about his death, Frigg, his mother summoned everything and made them swear an oath to never harm her son, **everything** except the **Mistletoe** which she thought was too small to harm her dear son, a costly mistake from which **Loki**, the god of mischief was able to cause the death of **Baldur**, his death brought so much pain to all of the gods. They decided that a god should go the the underworld to release **Baldur** from the hands of the death god, **Hel.** In return for this Hel requested that everything in the world should weep for him if he was so beloved, which they did - except for the giantess Thokk (**Loki** in disguise). Most Scholars often point out the similarity between Baldur and Jesus Christ. *Is this you Jesus?* Image source https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldr **5)Tyr** He was the god of order and Justice. He was well known for his bravery, he is a son of **Odin**. He was often referred to as the **god of one hand** in Greek mythology. He lost his arm in a plan by the gods to chain the **giant wolf-Fenrir** after the part Fenrir was going to play during Ragnarok was made known to them. He will be killed by the giant dog that guards the castle of Hel - **Garm**, he bites off his other arm but not after Tyr inflicts wound on the dog which kill it. *It's official,Tyr has no luck with dogs* Image source https://www.pinterest.com/pin/363243526176195426/ **6)Fenrir** The Giant Wolf, child of **Loki** and the giantess **Angroboda**, Destined to kill the Allfather - **Odin**. Though Fenrir was raised in Asgard, he wasn't trusted by the gods, he grew so big that he became a threat to the gods and had to be restrained, the gods were cunning and told **Fenrir** it was all part of a game, a test of strength. All effort to restrain this mighty hound proved abortive until alas the dwarves came up with the perfect solution, an unbreakable chain. Here he was destined to remain until **Ragnarok** comes and he will be free to kill the gods. *Okay, let's forget Fenrir for a second, what do you is going on in the mind of Odin's two wolves right now as they run towards Fenrir?* Image Source https://www.pinterest.com/pin/677158493955993623/ **7)Jormugandr** The world serpent, the middle child of **Loki** and the Giantess **Angroboda**. Legend has it that Odin tossed Loki's child - **Jormugandr** into the great ocean that surrounds Midgard. The serpent grew so big that it was able to circle the whole world and graps its own tail, hence the name - the world serpent, **Thor** is fated to do battle with this giant serpent when **Ragnarok** begins. *Welldone Loki, you gave birth to a snake, guess who he takes after?* Image Source https://www.pinterest.com/pin/622130136028144318/ **8)Hel** The queen of the realm of dead, she is the daughter of the god **Loki** and Giantess **Angroboda** , she rules the land of the dead. It was believed by the Vikings that those who die of illness, old age or a coward would go to her Kingdom - **Hellheim**, while the brave and courageous who died in battle would go to **Valhalla**. Together with her siblings - **Jormugandr** and **Fenrir -** would play a major role towards the destruction of the gods during Ragnarok. *Is it just me that noticed this? Loki fathered three mythical powerful creatures that would kill some of the most powerful gods* image source https://valhalla-vikings.co.uk/blogs/norse-mythology-gods/hel **9)Heimdall** The guardian of the gods, son of Odin, he guarded the **Rainbow Bridge** - **Bifrost**, he was called the shinning God because of his light skin. Legend has it that he was the son of nine different mothers. He keeps watch of every invader, with keen senses and ever vigilant. He pocesses the resounding horn, **Gjallarhorn** which he will blow to signify the **beginning of Ragnarok**. In one final battle, Heimdall and Loki will do battle, equally bested but none victorious as they will both die. *For me,Heimdall played one of the most important role, he killed Loki - that sly fox.* image source https://www.artstation.com/artwork/v1LmoE **10)Freyr** Freyr, the God of peace and prosperity, the ruler of sunshine, rain, fertility and peace, son of the sea God, **Njord** and the twin brother of **Freya**. Freyr is destined to do battle with the **king of fire, Surt**, a battle he will lose due to the fact that he had given his magic sword to **Skirnir** fighting the giant with an antler, definitely something he will regret. *I'm sure he was like, "oh damn I knew Ragnarok would happen yet I gave my powerful sword out, you lucky beast".* Image source https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_of_Freyr **11)Vidar** Son of Odin, little about this God is known, he is referenced as the god who will avenge **Odin** by killing **Fenrir** with a special shoe imbued with magical properties, he is said to be the strongest of the gods after **Thor**. With the aid of the shoe, Vidar will open the gate of the beast and rip it apart with his sword bringing an end to **Ragnarok**. *Damn, that must have been epic, why didn't Odin think about using this shoe though? B-)* Image source https://mythologysource.com/vidar-norse-god/ ****I hope you have found this article interesting and educative**** ****Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to be born during the era of the Vikings? Feel free to leave a comment on this topic**** Check out my Sponsors, they post really cool articles

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@Greatwolfman 16 August 2021

My Letter to Mrs Mistake ***"Nobody learns without getting it wrong"*** I love starting my articles with a quote, that way you'll be able to relate to it much better. Mistakes are required for growth yet no one wants to make it. We avoid mistakes in order to strive for perfection. An illusion that only lives in ones mind. This article was inspired by @ExpertWritter , you can check out his latest post, he wrote about two of his favorite songs that inspires him to write. One of which was **Try Everything** by **Shakira** which was featured in the Animated movie- **Zootopia**. Source https://Musixmatch.com The last line got my attention In all honesty, no one likes to make mistakes but it's all part of being human. Being able to accept that you're only human and as such are allowed to make mistakes is a step towards personal growth. Check out my Sponsors Block Everyday brings a lot of opportunities, but only the risk takers seize them, perhaps fear is a major contributor to this. I have allowed my life to be controlled by fear of making mistakes, but not anymore. This next part was inspired by @ZehraSky from her article **"You weren't there"****,** one of the most beautiful works I've ever seen**.** https://read.cash/@ZehraSky/you-werent-there-97ad46b0 I realize that writing about how I feel might just be all I need to find my courage. ______________________ ***Dear Mistake,*** ***So long have we been been strangers, yet you are a part of me. I decided I wouldn't be needing you, for perfection was my main objective.*** ***Experience has been my great teacher, please show her the respect she deserves, for if she didn't show me the path to follow I never could have found my way.*** ***As kids we were raised to believe that mistakes were wrong, Mom and Dad shielded us from a lot just to make us strong.*** ***"If a child sees fire and does not touch it, he would not know it hurts" thus the saying goes yet we ignore such a lesson, we choose to avoid failures at all cost and treat success as a blessing.*** ***A Man is not truly successful until he accepts failure, Mistakes are made to tell us what not to do. That begs the question "is Failure a false cousin to you?".*** ***Just like a rail way track you walk the same path as Failure, never meeting or crossing path but heading towards the same objective, for without the other there is no path, I hope I am learning right.*** ***I avoided love because I was scared of the hurt, the pain that comes with it, but not anymore. I realize making mistakes is just a learning process and a path to growth and success and with that comes much more.*** ***I write to you to let you know I'm ready to embrace you for you are part of what I need to grow, if growth wasn't just in height and might but also in ones heart as well as their soul.*** ***I hope this marks the beginning of a new friendship between me and you, I humbly request you guide me on what not to do***. your friend, @GreatWolfMan ______________________

@Greatwolfman 15 August 2021

Procastination **"I'll do it later"** Image source https://psycom.net I have developed a theory about myself that I work better under pressure. I developed this Theory after carrying out a lot of test on myself, some of which I will share with you. The next semesters exams is just around the corner and I've refused to study or work on any of my projects - one of which is due for submission tomorrow. I should be worried or at least try to do something about it but I'm not, this is an issue that I've been fighting since I can remember. **"Why do it now when you can just do it later"** ****Test 1 - Primary School**** ***Doing my homework*** Growing up I never liked homework, extra stress, after a long and stressful day in class I still have to come home and do more of that. Precious time to catch up on my favorite cartoons like Ben 10, Avatar, Justice league, Pinky and the Brain, Scooby Doo - *oh the good times!* ***Did I do my homework?*** Yeah, you guessed it again, ***I didn't*** - unless on those unfortunate days Mom brings a new Cane from school and sits by my side to do them. *It was so much easier doing it on the bus by copying my friend, Victor's work.* ****Conclusion**** By doing this, I was able to watch my Cartoon Programs and still do the assignment right before submission. Genius right? ****Test 2 - Secondary school**** ***Create a reading Timetable*** My Uncle, who happens to be a Professor in Mathematics taught me this in secondary school, my Junior years. Apparently creating your personal reading timetable gives you a sense of purpose and goals, if you can be consistent with it success is assured. The idea of toping the class following this method felt so simple and alluring - that "***I can do this***" moment which of course only lasted for three days before that voice kicked in. ***"Let us rest today, we can do this tomorrow"*** ***Did I listen?*** You bet ***I did***! *To be fair it's so much easier not to do anything.* Surprisingly - not surprised, few days to exams, I still aced it. Okay admittedly I could have done better but at least I achieved the target my parents set for me - being Teachers themselves. ****Conclusion**** You don't need to follow any timetable, just do it when the pressure is on. *Stick with me, it's about to get even more interesting, using the principle of Induction, I induced that this principle should work for other activities such as:* ***I have to do my Library registration to get my library card - University*** ***I have to do my Medical examination now that it's still free before I have to pay a huge amount during my final year - University*** *Will I do them now? No, but will I get it done before any deadline? Yes, of course*. *One other thing I learnt from about Procastination is:* ***When you are not the only one not doing what you're supposed to, it only encourages you not to do anything*** - Think about it As with everything in life, **there are pros and cons** - I'm learning about life now, I hope I'm learming right. ***"I'll do it later "almost cost me the opportunity to register for PUTME to get admission into the University.*** ***"I'll do it later" made me lose the girl I've always wanted to be my girlfriend to another guy - at least that's what I think.*** ***"I'll do it later" almost made me miss out on the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful community, read.cash.*** Maybe Procastination is not a good idea, **perhaps the time to do it is NOW!** ****Result**** Success - twice Warning strike - twice Failure - once *To be fair, the odds are still in my favour, but I won't sit around and wait for another failure.* I've decided to work on this issue -****Procastination****. Having a daily target on read.cash as increased my consistency so far. Writing about this issue has helped me analyse everything from a different perspective - where I'm the judge of my bad habit. I should go and complete my project and read against the upcoming examinations. **Will I do it Now?** I prefer to keep you guessing, I guess we will both know when I post my next article tomorrow. Have a good one.

@Greatwolfman 15 August 2021

I wish you use this medium to thank my two good friends @HappyBoy and @King_Gozie for introducing me to this wonderful opportunity, thanks for the sponsorship, I really appreciate it, before now, being a loner and wildly imaginative, I'd often box all my thoughts in, now, I can share it with my new found family.... Thank you once again

@Greatwolfman 14 August 2021

Titanic - The sinking of the Great Ship ***"Come at once . We have struck a berg. It's a CDQ, old Man"*** ***"We have struck an iceberg and sinking by the head"*** ***"We are putting passengers in small boats. Women and Children in boats. Cannot last much longer"*** ***"Engine room full up to boilers"*** Source https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17631595 The following distress calls ensued from the Titanic just after midnight on April 15, 1912 until 1:45am. On April 10, 1912, The RMS Titanic began it's maiden voyage from Southampton to New York - little did anyone know the ship wouldn't get to it's destination (or did they?). There are a lot of stories surrounding the mystery behind the sinking of this great ship, growing up, I often wondered if anything could have been done to prevent the death of so many lives. Have you ever imagined how it must have felt to be abord the Titanic as it sank? the chaos, the regret, the pain, the fear, the loss. **"Women and Children first"** As this was the law at sea, Children saying goodbyes to their fathers, Mother's saying goodbyes to their Sons, Wives saying goodbyes to their Husbands. It is said that the water was extremely cold, and falling into the sea would have felt like a thousand blade piercing your skin all at once - what a horrible way to die, yet this was the fate that befell those who boarded the Titanic. Imagine how lucky you would have to be if your boarding ticket had to be cancelled last minute only to realize that the ship would later sink. Imagine how much you would have loved to be aboard such a ship when you hear Elon Musk, Bill Gate, Eminem, Ed Sheeran, Sia and a lot of influential people would be on that boat, that was how it felt for the passengers April 10, 1912 as they left Southampton heading for New York. I would often watch the 1997 movie, Titanic- directed by James Cameron- each time hoping for a different ending, each time getting really sad and emotional. A lot of "what ifs", almost as though she was destined to sink. 1500 people lost their lives that night to the sea which would later become their watery grave, only about 700 survived. The Titanic was the biggest Ship of it's time and it measured 882 feet long and 92 feet wide, with a weight of over 46,000 tons. It was as tall as a 17 story Building, with the top deck reserved for first class passengers and the lower deck for the third class passengers. It was what you would describe as a 5 Star hotel on the sea. It had 16 water tight compartment. It was regarded as "Unsinkable" due to these water tight compartment. It was commandeered by Captain Edward Smith and aboard the ship were rich and influential people of that period one of whom was the richest man in the world (at that time), John Jacob "Jack" Astor IV among others. *There are a lot of mysteries surrounding the reason the sink sank.* **The Mystery behind the iceberg and the coal that was burning in the ship haul** Source https://youtu.be/Hs2LY5NYL0I It was said that she had struck an Iceberg, another allegation was that a fire had started in the ship haul, which would have started days before the ship began it's journey to her watery grave. The survivors of the ship claimed they heard a powerful explosion. Did the fire weaken the integrity of the ship when it struck the iceberg? we will never know **Insufficient Lifeboats** Source https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeboats_of_the_Titanic#:~:text=Titanic%20only%20had%20enough%20lifeboats,the%20night%20of%20the%20sinking. The Titanic was required to have 64 lifeboats, only 20 was present, this was done to create more space on deck. No one anticipated a ship of that size and design regarded as "Unsinkable" would require the need of a Lifeboat. The lifeboats were not filled to their maximum capacity when the ship started sinking. **Poor design of the watertight compartment.** Source http://writing.engr.psu.edu/uer/bassett.html The compartment wasn't high enough to prevent the flow of water into other compartment with led to the rapid sinking of this great ship. Thomas Andrew should have insisted when designing the ship that the compartment should have being as high as it should be. **Inadequate instrument** Source https://www.history.com/news/why-did-the-titanic-sink ***"Ice ahead"*** The call that signaled the doom of the Titanic. It is believed that the Night watchmen were not given binoculars, hence they didn't spot the iceberg on time. **The ignored warnings of "Iceberg ahead" from nearby ships** Source https://www.history.com/news/why-did-the-titanic-sink Most people blamed Captain Smith for ignoring all the warnings, seven iceberg warnings were sent out to the Titanic but they were all ignored, why? **Moving at full speed** Source https://www.history.com/news/why-did-the-titanic-sink It is believed that Joseph Bruce Ismay, the managing director of the white Starline had ordered the Captain to drive at full speed in order to make the early morning news when they arrived at New York earlier than schedule. ***Now here's what I find funny - okay not funny.*** ***If the Titanic had collided head on with the Iceberg, there was a great chance of the ship not sinking due to its watertight compartment.*** ***If the ship had stopped all engines, reversed and went around the Iceberg, true, it would have cost them time but lives would be saved.*** ***Instead of reducing the speed to turn the vessel through the side of the iceberg they should have maintained that speed. High speed leads to stronger turning efffect, they would have evaded the iceberg and maintained their course*** There were a lot of options but the wrong one was chosen - my opinion **The Wreck of the Titan** Source https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wreck_of_the_Titan:_Or,_Futility This book was written by Morgan Robertson in 1898. This book was written 14 years before the sinking of the Titanic, it was the same size as the Titanic, it sank in the same location as the Titanic, it struck an Iceberg, it had a similar size to the Titanic and it had insufficient lifeboats. Was Mr Morgan Robertson a time Traveller? Was the book a warning? **The Wireless Communicator Operators** Source https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jack-Phillips The Marconi company who were the leading wireless communication brand had put it's wireless operators on board some of the most prestigious ships, Titanic being one of them As you may well know, this technology was still new during this era. The operators were busy sending out messages from the passengers to their loved ones when a nearby ship tried to warn them of the Iceberg ahead, they had to block out some signal communications to send out informations, it won't be fair to blame the operators given the sacrifice they made to keep sending out distress calls until the very last minute, Jack Phillips and Harold Bride. Jack Phillips l-the lead operator didn't make it alive and didn't leave his position despite the order from the captain to leave. You could say that his sacrifice saved over 700 lives. **Force Majeure** Source https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/120306-titanic-supermoon-moon-science-iceberg-sky-sink Perhaps this was an act of God. Most people believe that Man had challenged God by Building an unsinkable ship, perhaps that was punishment for that mistake. On that night, the ocean was completely dark as the moon was nowhere to be seen, there was no way of spotting the iceberg from afar unless the ship was really close. Coincidence? ****Conclusion**** The list goes on and on, I won't be able to write everything that could have been avoided but the fact remains obvious that a lot of things could have been avoided, perhaps the ship was fated to sink. 109 years later the memories of this great loss still lingers in the minds of Men. The Sinking of the Titanic will remain one of the most painful tragedies to ever befall mankind. ****If you had the power to go back in time to change what happened, what would you have done differently, leave your suggestions in the comment section****

@Greatwolfman 13 August 2021

Depression ***I wish to reach out to everyone going through tough times, a reminder that everything is going to be alright.*** Have you ever been in a position where you just want to be alone? You do not want to talk to anyone and it feels like you are all alone. It feels like life keeps knocking you down everytime you try to get back on your feet, like everything and everyone is against you...a feeling you can't actually communicate with anyone when asked - often times not because you don't want to but just because you can't and it's so much easier to say "I'm okay". A large number of teens suffer from depression, Peer Pressure, Family Pressure, trying to maintain a lifestyle and many more - myself included. I was shocked the other day when a friend told me he once contemplated suicide. Regardless of all of these we have to help each other, remember, you're not alone in this, as long as you're alive, you can hope everything will get better, hope your dreams come through, hope for a better life - whatever you have to do, **don't forget to breathe**. You need to be able to communicate more often, as hard as this might be, no one is a Psychic - though I'm pretty sure Mother's are. **Communication is key** in helping you find your own path, most people do this by writing it out on a diary, some share it with their friends, most artiste just put it in a song (my favorite - NF, if you haven't checked him out, do). Thanks to read.cash, I'm able to write down everything that bothers me right here - and even get paid for it. I know you might feel you can do it all alone but do not forget "two shoulders are better than one" "Fake it till you make it" is one of the most wrongly interpreted word, just because your friends are riding cool cars or making a lot of money does not mean you are doing it wrongly, don't apply unnessary pressure to keep up with trends, move at your own pace, **"cut your coat according to your size"** as ridiculous as this may sound slow and steady does win the race. This will help take the pressure off, trying to be who you're not will only serve to drag you deeper into the mental chaos you are already in. Most importantly, **Suicide is never an option**, I can not seem to stress this enough. Taking your life is not going to solve any problem, only creating pain and regret for your loved ones, that's just selfish. A wise woman once told me "you shouldn't run away from.your problems, instead try to find solutions, and if you can't, you can always ask for help". I wasn't planning to make this a long article but it seems there's just a lot to be said. **Feel free to share your opinion on this matter and even proffer more solutions to this plague called Depression affecting the youths of this generation.** Check on your friends and family, many of them are going through tough times but wear a smile to cover it up, show some love people, after all, love is the greatest gift of all. *****If you've enjoyed this article, please do not forget to subscribe and give it a thumbs up to encourage the writer.*****

@Greatwolfman 10 August 2021

Dissapointment ***"the only good thing about hitting rock bottom is the only way to go is up"*** I must have heard this from a movie but didn't give it much thought-until today, the way I see it, there is no good thing about hitting rock's bottom, that feeling of being shattered into pieces, the complete realisation that some things are just not meant to be and giving up would be wise. I guess the motivational speaker didn't think things through-I pondered in the living room while listening to "I don't want to live forever" by Zayn Malik featuring Taylor Swift. My mind drifted towards her again - the very reason I'm in this dilemma- "what is she doing now? is she smiling? is she thinking about me ?-a small smile formed on my cheek- "is she thinking about him?- and we are back to where we were. Loving is hard guys, don't believe those things you read in novels, there is no such thing as "happily ever after", it's not some show where a guy meets a girl and boom, they fall in love, it's way complicated than that and I was learning about this now. What is love anyway? it's just some chemical in the brain urging a Man to choose a partner and procreate and after a while it fades away - Love isn't real. Dad was right, perhaps it's not the time to let all these things bother me with few months to write my final exams and get into the University, I heard University girls are way better than Secondary School girls. I kept telling myself a lot of things to either condemn the way I feel or distract myself, then I heard it... ***"What have you got to lose anyway? Nothing! So why not take that leap of faith?"*** It came from the living room-a TV program and it felt directed at me. ***"Is this a sign from you God? speak to me for your humble servant is listening"*** With new energy pumped into my body -and whatever chemical responsible for this feeling-like the Phoenix, I rose from the fiery blaze of thoughts that suppressed my emotions leaving me completely depressed. ***"No way, there's no way I'm going to give up without a fight"***-I said to my self as I went to steal meat from the pot (do not try this at home). *In my defense, I was going through an emotional breakdown, thinking burns a lot of calories, one only the thrill of stealing meat from the pot can satisfy.*

@Greatwolfman 3 August 2021

A friend in need **Who is a friend? A friend is anyone who stands by you, through thick and thin, helps you out when you're down or ready to go down with you. Gets you into trouble and suffers the consequences with you.** *It was a Friday, the best time of the week and there I was, down in the dumps after having what might just be the worst day of my life, or so I thought...* **Bolu**, who happened to be the best friend and mentor I have till date - you see I wasn't very bright as some of you would think, I had difficulty in Mathematics, but all of that was for a short period of time all thanks to him - taught me how to simplify big problems into little ones I could work with and relate that same procedure in solving bigger problems, his principle was simple, ***"it's all big numbers"*** he'd say, ***"but same procedure"..***. this worked magic for me, even in the university... He was a genius, the smartest boy I ever had to pleasure of meeting...and ultimately the best friend anyone could wish for. He saw my plight, though at this point he didn't know it was for Her and he went back to his Hostel, got me a clean Trouser, although it wasn't slim fitted, but it was definitely better than the one I was currently wearing. He didn't have a clean shirt though, but he gave me his cardigan to cover my shame - thanks to the rainy season, no one noticed anything odd. I still had a strong headache so I hurried down to the dispensary to get clinical help and luckily made it back in time for the Further Mathematics test - the one I failed to prepare for because I was in a dream world over Her - but the test wasn't anything difficult,Thanks to Bolu. He is the definition of a true friend, I hope I'll get to repay that favour someday. ****A good friend helps you when you in need, picks you up when you are down, gives you strength when you're weak, makes you laugh when you are sad, disagrees with you when you're wrong, makes you a better version of yourself, and should you ever find all these qualities in a girl you love or a guy if you're a girl, don't lose them..they are the better half of you, finding a good friend and a lover in one person is rare but not at all lost. You'll find that happiness one day if you still haven't.**** Finally, getting back to my old self, at least back to how I was in the morning, I went to look for her at least to say Hello, and there he was, holding her hands, making her laugh. I didn't know what they were talking about to make her laugh, but I reckon telling her about how my day went wouldn't have the same effect, she would feel pity and sad for me. Looking through the window, it all seemed clear, I could never be that guy, maybe I should just stop trying to be someone else and just be myself. Begs the question though ***"who am I?"*** As I walked back to my class, I felt broken, nothing seemed happy anymore, a feeling I just couldn't describe accurately. What was I to do? Well, she was still single despite this new competition by whom I was completely outmatched. "This isn't over", I told myself as I walked away. ***Hello friends, this is a sequel to my other articles about my personal love experiences, if you have enjoyed this part and would love to see more please like and subscribe to my blog, and if you have comments to make, please feel free, let me know what you think about , well, me***

@Greatwolfman 27 July 2021

The Birthday Incident Have you ever had a perfectly good day ruined by just one thing ***(if yes, feel free to comment below and hit the like icon)***..one simple thing that could have been avoided if only...yeah...if only. Such was about to befall me (Poor innocent me) ***For the new subscribers, this is a sequel to two other articles based on my personal experience, I hope you find it really captivating*** ***(Normal)*** Birthdays celebrates the day you were born, how long you've lived and how lucky you are to be alive...This wasn't the case in my school (till date). ***(My School)*** Birthdays celebrates how much you cried upon your entry into the world and this pain must be replicated (Whether you are in agreement or not). It's strange, but this was the norm (our norm)... Food, water, juice (basically anything disposable) is thrown at you, and then you will be flogged with belt or cane and slapped hard on the face or back...you get the gist (One time a mate found himself in the school clinic)... this was how boys celebrate it (Girls are quite loving and smart too, why would they want to ruin their pretty little faces over a celebration?). If anyone did hurt her, they will definitely get it from me (Not that I could fight, never worked out a day in my life but where was this strength coming from? I do wonder...lol) I know, you're probably thinking, what did the school authority have to say about this? They tried to enforce discipline and ban such practices, but then again, who listens (Rules are meant to be broken:‑X). ***So, on this unfortunate day..as She approached*** me. A couple of student who were trying to "Celebrate" a friends birthday rushed towards my direction ***To understand this part better permit me to digress a little, on this special day I wore my only Slim-Fitted trousers, it was contraband but I wanted to look...Cool...back in the days, those who were capable of breaking school rules were the cool kids... I couldn't afford to do this due to a lot of reasons (but most importantly I wanted to have a clean record)..it was the unpopular guys life for me... Today was an exception.*** As they rushed towards me, I tried to avoid the impact but...right on the ground I fell, my face, I saw white light as it hit the pavement. The pain..sighs..my neatly pressed white shirt got stained...when I thought the worst had happened, Mr Adeleye (one of the most feared teacher) was spotted coming towards our direction..all hell broke lose..I saw her running into her class (if she was caught up in this, I could have fought Mr Adeleye for her...lol.. that strength again)...Well, she was safe, it was time for me to save myself...I struggled to get back on my feet...as I ran towards my locker I heard a sharp tearing sound. ***"No no no, this can't be happening to me"*** The look on Samuel's face (yep, you guessed it, one of my classmates) was completely revealing..the back of my trousers had opened up.. ***"How did this day get ruined?"*** I had planned everything to the last minute, even memorized some good jokes to impress her, a big lump was swelling by the side of my face from the impact, my white shirt was dirty and my Trousers, torn...I couldn't even locate my face towel, I must have dropped it in the midst of all that confusion...whose birthday was it? I can't even remember...I didn't get a good look. ***"Did she see all of that?"*** The day had just started but I was already a mess... What a day... ***Well, on the plus side, what's the worst that could happen?*** Just when I was down in the dumps, help came (Not the type you'd imagine...but help it was) *****Hello friends, I hope you have enjoyed today's article, please don't forget to like and comment and if you are a first time reader, please subscribe to my blog to get updated when a new article comes in (which is everyday)*****

@Greatwolfman 25 July 2021

The Honeymoon Phase *Hello friends, this is just a continuation from the last article, if you missed it...you can get it through this link* https://read.cash/@Greatwolfman/my-first-crush-experience-69265927 **"The Honeymoon Phase"**...this is a period during any relationship where everything just seems perfect and beautiful Here's the weird thing, I wasn't in any relationship yet, at least not yet her boyfriend..we had barely spoken and here I was in this phenomenal Honeymoon Phase. The night after I asked her to be my friend..well...as expected...I'm a cutie...she said Yes (with a huge smile on a face I must add...ohh...those dimples again) I remember my younger brother (Ayo) calling me to the kitchen to share the meat (as the first born and culture would demand, I'm usually in charge of sharing meals for the younger ones... except this time, I told him to take my share which he did happily with little or no consideration or curiosity as to why I did what I did) I tried solving some questions on Further Mathematics (Surds) against a test the following day, but I couldn't get even one right Finally I gave up, tried to lie down for a moment to take it all in, soon I was dreaming of the grand wedding and the children we were going to have, black suit and black tie, she on the other hand on a long white wedding dress walking up the Isle and.... Someone is tapping me **"Great, wake up, are you not going to eat your food, it's getting cold"** ( It was Ron, I had forgotten to eat...lol...it happens) I get up angrily, I'm not sure he knows why I'm upset, I advance to the kitchen to eat, oops...my appetite is gone. Ed-Sheeran's "Shape of you" is playing from the living room and I suddenly feel like he wrote this song just for me...(just for us)...in fact, every love song was just for me... that's a really beautiful feeling I must admit This is weird now that I'm looking back at it, but who was going to stop this young boy (young Man) from dreaming, certainly not me. The next day, I was the first to wake up, my uniform neatly pressed, the lines were as sharp as blade, my hair well combed...stole my Mom's perfume-Happiness (okay, borrowed)..the cold morning air never smelt better.. I couldn't wait to see her again... to pick up where we left off Just as I got to the halls, there she was...an epitome of beauty, as she saw me, she smiled...and advanced towards me..then.. ***"oh oh"*** (my brain went numb again, I was just.... speechless) *What do I say? what do I do? Great, think fast, think of a topic...sighs...this was way easier in my head...then the most embarrassing thing happened* ***Hi, if you've loved this article, please be sure to like and comment..and also subscribe to get updated once a new article is published***

@Greatwolfman 24 July 2021

My First Crush Experience Do you remember that feeling you get when that special someone walks by? Your heart stops for a moment, suddenly you lose every ability to form a complete and meaningful sentence... that girl or boy that gives you a reason to want to wake up early in the morning, add some swags to your school uniform to look cool and attractive, that face towel you hang around your neck (laced with a strong cologne) to wipe up every sweat....I'm sure you can relate to this...at least 85% of us.... Well, it was the same for me... although I can't actually remember how this feeling started....I like to think it was her smile during one morning assembly, her visible dimples...and I was already a goner. Crushing on a really beautiful girl is easy, Ron (My best buddy) does this every single day...at least twice, but for a weird introverted kid like me to utter that first word was the real problem (Because then, how do you plan to ask her to be your girlfriend when you aren't even friends, simply because you can't actually talk to her). My experience might be similar to some people, others had it easy, tall, handsome, with beards...with cool cash....mine was the complete opposite....now tell me about how I was going to ever have a chance with the most beautiful girl in school. She's was a 10, and I was more of a 3...heyy...not that I hate myself....buy she was on a completely different level...so high that even the cool kids only got friendzoned...as much as I am tempted to share her pics, that would be a violation of her privacy. When all hope seemed lost, Mr Sebastian, our geography teacher, after a long and boring class on Stalactite and Stalagmite (Limestone), noticed almost everyone was bored out of their minds decided to bring up a cool topic that would definitely captivate every teenager... Boyfriend/Girlfriend matter...then he said the three things that probably (scratch that, definitely) gave me the confidence I needed to approach this definition of a perfect beauty. He said and I quote **"*****Boys, let me share a secret with you, if you wish to get any girl, you need this three things"*** I felt like that message was directed to me....my smile was visible as I couldn't contain my joy. He took his marker and wrote on the board the following **Money** **Good looks** **Intelligent** He went further to explain in details saying ***"if you have at least 1/3 of this, you can get any girl you want"***. I didn't have money, or good looks...but on my books, I could definitely work on that. In his own way, he probably noticed how ugly we were in that class (lol) and felt focusing on our books instead of blinding chasing girls would be more beneficial to us gaining admission into the University, at least this is what I'd like to think if I'm ever called this defend this great man. Few days after getting acquainted with this fact, one evening, after the afternoon extension classes...I approached her (Yes, HER)...it was almost obvious she knew my intentions but just kept on smiling (oh, those dimples)...I held her hands (It was so soft and warm that I felt reluctant to let it go) and then pulled her closer to get her complete attention (Ron was observing from her distance..I could already hear his thoughts saying ***"this will end in tears"*** as he had often said)...then I uttered the words that would serve as the starting line into the world of **Love and Romance.** ***"Can we be friends?"*** ***Yeah, I know, you could probably do better...let me know in the comment section what your perfect introduction line would have been.*** It felt wrong asking her to be my girlfriend straight up, especially when I had never spoken to her. ***Thanks for reading, my name is Great..., If you love this article, don't forget to like and subscribe***