SMALL BEGINNINGS

The Good Book in Zechariah 4 v 10 stated “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin………..” ,

No one is particularly crazy about starting small or being small. Imagine how embarrassing it usually is when an older family friend reminds you of the silly things you used to do as a child or how you looked back then….. I know I roll my eyes and hope the person disappears into thin air.

The truth though, is just about everything has to start small. We forget that as children our foundations were formed, we forget that our ability to pronounce big words and spell them was simply because we learnt the alphabets and did the whole A for Apple bit….. We fantasize that we never once ate and spilled half the food on ourselves. But the beginnings of all human undertakings are untidy, they are always messy.

John Dryden did say “Mighty things from small beginnings grow”. Rome was not built in a day, as a matter of fact; the house you live in was not built in a day. I love tennis, its my favorite sport ever, anytime I watch a good match I end of jumping around swinging my imaginary bat, screaming like Sharapova….. But I have never taken tennis lessons, never even touched a real tennis ball. Lame right. I know. That’s the only thing I will ever do if I don’t take that first step of going out to buy a racket and a ball and decide to learn how to play, don’t get me wrong I have no intentions of playing professionally, but without taking a step, all I will ever do is play imaginary tennis!!! What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.

I have this group of friends, I don’t know if I tell them enough how proud I am of them, but I am. After school each one of us went back and started a whole new chapter, forgetting everything and starting small. It must have been a difficult decision but they all made it. Maybe as students of Plato we all realized that the beginning is the most important part of the work.

I don’t care how impossible it may look right now, but without starting it won’t look any easier. Lao Tzu said “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step”. Don’t wait till the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect….. There will never be a time when its conducive to begin a new endeavor especially when you are at a certain age, but the longer you wait to begin the longer you have to wait to get to the end. Now it seems like I went back to school just yesterday, but I can see the finish line not too far away.

Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step - Martin Luther King, jr . We can’t all start a business with 1million dollars, we don’t all have some cousin who will help launch our careers by signing us to his record label or featuring us in his movie…. Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you can start. Dangote didn’t wake up one morning and was one of the richest men in Africa, 2face Idibia’s humble beginnings back in the plantation boys days was hardly an indication of where he would be today.

It’s hard, I know. I’m always the one that’s all talk and no action, but whenever I’ve put myself out there in pursuit of a new endeavor, it’s been worth it. Go get your degree, start that business, send out your Cv. Just move even if all you can do is crawl, then crawl. If you have a dream, then you have what it takes to accomplish that dream because the dream and the dreamer are always matched.

And so as Rita Bally said “Start wherever you are, and start small”

                        “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end shall greatly increase” The King James Bible Job 8 v 7

SOME EXPENSIVE STUFF

There are a number of really expensive stuff out there that I would like to buy when I'm rich and famous. The most expensive car, the most expensive house, the most expensive wrist watch....... but there are some things even I find to be a bit ridiculous. The price tag on some of these items make me wonder if they have some other functions aside the most obvious ones.


Here's a list of the most expensive and most ridiculous stuff I found. Get out your calculators and start the conversions

THE MOST EXPENSIVE UMBRELLA - Yes, an umbrella. The umbrella is made of "premium crocodile skin" and was created by Billionaire Couture and was designed exclusively for men. It's water proof and designed to withstand even the toughest of winds. This umbrella will set you off a cool $50,000 dollars. I do hope when you forget this umbrella at a shop somewhere it gets up and follows you home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE MOST EXPENSIVE PEN - Let me first say that this pen wasn't designed for writing. If a pen isn't exactly made to write, what is it then, a hair scratcher? The AURORA DIAMENTE FOUNTAIN PEN is the most expensive "writing instrument" in the world, only one is made a year. To get one it will cost you $1.47million....... It apparently has over 30 carats of diamonds on a solid platinum barrel. For a list of the 10 most expensive pens in the world www.skitzone.com/2010/top-10-most-expensive-pens-in-the-world/

THE MOST EXPENSIVE DOG COLLAR - So taking your dog to the spa, buying it designer clothes and treating it as you would a child is no longer enough. At least that what the guys at I Love Dog Diamonds think, they created the AMOUR AMOUR DOG COLLAR, a 52 carat diamond featuring 3 tiers of diamonds in a chandelier design. It contains 1600 diamonds and will set you back $3.2 million. For other also very expensive dog collars, go to http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com/2010/04/worlds-most-expensive-dog-collars.html . I love my dog, no be for mouth ooh

 

THE MOST EXPENSIVE FLOWER - Valentine's day is around the corner, and florists will definitely have cause to smile. But after doling out close to $200,000 for the Shenzhen Nongke Orchid a smile may not be the expression on your face.

 The man made flower made by scientists in china,  it was bought in 2005 by an anonymous bidder.



THE MOST EXPENSIVE NAIL POLISH - Hey ladies, the next time you think you've spent a lot of money on your manicure, remember the world's most expensive nail polish goes for a whooping $250,000. AZATURE NAIL POLISH contains 267 black diamonds, it adorned the fingers of Kelly Osbourne at the 2012 EMMY'S. She stated she hadn't touched anything all day, if I ever had this on my fingers, I can guarantee I'd have my hands locked in a safe somewhere!

 

MOST EXPENSIVE WEDDING CAKE - I love cakes, everybody knows it. However, to my dear future husband $35,000,000 is way too much to spend on our wedding cake. PIRATES FANTASY contains a 10 different sapphires with one on each layer, it also contains 10 pieces of jewelry...... On second thought, Dear future husband, just buy this and forget about spending money on jewelry ever again. Including the wedding ring! A list of the most expensive cakes www.therichest.org/the-most-expensive-wedding-cakes-in-the-world

MOST EXPENSIVE T-SHIRT- So you spend a few bucks on a Ralph Lauren Polo and you think you are all that, here's a better way to show how loaded you really are. Buy, just for $400,000, a SUPERLATIVE LUXURY T-SHIRT. The t-shirt has 16 diamonds with 8 of the diamonds being some of the rarest to find black diamonds in the world. It was designed in January 2012 in London by SUPERLATIVE LUXURY

MOST EXPENSIVE FLIP FLOPS - Some of you guys know this as "bathroom slippers", but for the tush ones, like my humble self, they are called flip flops. And for a mere $18,000 you can own a pair of  CHIPKOS FLIP FLOPS, these flip flops are hand painted by a renowned Los Angeles contemporary artist, David Palmer who says “The work is inspired by nature, and language, and the invisible connections between things, I create images that reflect my fascination with an increasingly complex world.”
Hopefully, when I click the pair together (just like the Ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz) it will magically transport me to any destination I choose!
But its for a good cause, each sandal purchase expands a Costa Rican national park by one hundred square feet, thereby protecting the habitat, species and resources within that land area in perpetuity."
I think that's a very good way of spending 2.8million naira. don't you?

MOST EXPENSIVE DOLL - Just when you thought barbie dolls were too expensive, then you are in for a shocker.  The most expensive doll comes in at $6.25million. The doll called L'OISEIEUR (THE BIRD TRAINER) is a doll, that plays the flute and wears "renaissance clothes" I certainly hope it does laundry and the dishes as well

MOST EXPENSIVE PILLOW - If you just happen to have a  spare 500,000naira ($2,800) lying around the house you cold purchase the world's most expensive pillow. The EIDERDOWN PILLOW, is made from the down that lines the nest of the Common Eider’a large sea-duck native to the northern coasts of Europe, eastern Siberia and North America. St. Geneve assures their customers that the down is collected with as little harm to the fowl as possible. Eider flock to the safe areas provided by the down collectors and their nests aren’t disturbed until the birds have left.
Also the pillow never gets old and never gets dirty.............  I hope!
 

10 + 1 THINGS GIRLS WANT(from thoughts in a diary)

Last night I had a short conversation with a friend and he mentioned the age long saying that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Don't know about that, it could be right or not!



I do know however the way to a girl's heart. These are some random things guys hardly ever think about when thinking about what a girl wants......Let me quickly say what a girl truly wants differs by far from the usual stuff. And before you give me grief about a woman being different from a woman, A WOMAN IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE, A GIRL.Here are 10 plus 1 random things (based on my time with the girls) we absolutely love. In no particular order

CHOCOLATE - Do I need to explain why? A friend mentioned how he met a girl who said she preferred bananas to chocolate! Bananas. Really. Bananas......My first thought was maybe she was a model or had a medical condition that barred her from having sweet things! Or may she had gone BANANA'S.


SHOES - There is something indescribable about the connection between a girl and her shoes. I've often heard it said that if you give a girl the right shoes she can take over the world. Maybe. No matter how perfect a dress is, without the right pair of shoes it might as well be gym clothes. Ask Cinderella! Get her the perfect pair of shoes and she won't forget in a hurry!



CAKE - I don't mean the usual cake on her birthday or valentine's day.... I mean a cake for no apparent reason. Send her a TGIF cake and she'll love you for it. And if it happens to be a chocolate cake.....


PIZZA - No one appreciates a well made pizza more than a girl, she's rubbing her hands in anticipation before the delivery man arrives.....
P.s, did you know that pizza delivery guys/girls are some of the most loved people in the world?


TO LOSE WEIGHT - As much as girls likes cake and chocolates and pizza etc, she really doesn't want to get fat, she even wants to lose weight. If you figure out a way to make this possible. PLEASE, I BESEECH THEE, let me know.
P.s, she doesn't want to be told she's getting fat too. So be VERY careful with this one.


LADIES NIGHT - Did you think only guys need a night out with their boys. She might not need it as often, but she does want to hang out with her girls, it doesn't even have to be at night, it could be an entire weekend as long as its "just us girls".Make it happen and thank me later.


MEDI-PEDI - Nothing eases stress like a good spa date.(notice how a medi- pedi became a spa date?)And before you ask what language I'm speaking in, a medi pedi is a manicure and a pedicure. She'll be beaming for weeks......



HER FAVOURITE SONG - Or songs. Request her favourite song on radio, make a tape of her favourite songs and play with her in the car (what other car would she rather be in). Seriously, duuh! LOL


HUMOUR - She wants to laugh, I'm talking tears streaming down, holding her tummy, rolling on the floor, kind of laugh. She won't be able to do this at a comedy show, she'll just giggle cutely, so buy her a tape of the funniest jokes you've ever heard. The next time you see her, you'll know what I mean.


BE MESSY - As much as she wants to be a lady, she wants to be messy. I saw an old boyfriend a week ago and I remember each time we would go out on a date, he'd insist on getting me a take home pack. I didn't realise this at the time and I don't know if he did too, but I saw a movie where a girl returned from a date and her friend asked if she was hungry, she replied that she was starved because she was too much of a lady to 'dig in" at the restaurant...... A girl wants to crack a bone and suck out the marrow, she wants to sit on the floor with the food and eat every last grain.

Did I mention she doesn't want to get fat?


And finally, the plus one. This is probably the only thing that just might have anything to do with you.
SOMETHING SHINY - As much as she wants the engagement ring because she loves you and wants to marry you..... she also wants the diamond. Have you ever wondered why her's  is the one with stones? Diamonds, they say, are a girl's best friend.



I know you are probably wondering why certain things didn't make the  list. Stuff like the shopping sprees, the trips overseas, peruvian hair etc etc. If you are wondering, then that's why. Because you knew, and this list is to tell you what you didn't know.

 Feel free to add to this list, its by no means conclusive. What and who made me the one stop shop for all things women?





 

THE THING TO DO

Everyday we make choices, what time to get out of bed, a choice on what to wear, what to eat...... Simple everyday choices.


Then there are those choices we don't make as often, what electives to take in school, who to vote for in an election, where to have the next vacation......


Another class of choices include who to allow into our circle of friends, who to marry, our mentors.....

Mostly conscious choices...... some you reach only after weeks and months of debate, of weighing the pros and cons. Sometimes independently, sometimes as a group or unit.


The other day I was in a bus and I had paid my fare waiting for my balance. On receiving my balance I called the conductor's attention back because I felt he had given me 20naira extra on my balance, it was then I realised that I was wrong, that was the exact balance.


The person sitting next to me said "so if it was his 20 naira, that's how you would have given him truly. Do you think if it was yours he would be in such a hurry to return it to you?" I just smiled and said nothing(I hate having conversations with strange guys in the bus)


I did consider later what the guy said, that the conductor wouldn't have been so quick to return the extra but that wasn't my concern. Not because I was the most honest of people, it was merely the right thing to do.



We sometimes make wrong choices because we allow other people's possible or perceived choices, if faced with the same scenario, to affect ours. We think, if it was the other way around, what would he have done, what would she have said.......


I once heard a story of a soldier who on making it past enemy lines, realised his friend was still trapped behind enemy lines. He went back alone in search of his friend and both made it out alive. Barely. His friend confessed to him years later that if positions were reversed, he wouldn't have returned for him. The soldier replied that he knew. His friend was shocked and asked why he did it anyway, he said it was because he was confident that he would be able to make it back alive even if he returned. To return for him therefore was not based upon what would have happened if he had been the one trapped but on his ability to make it back in one piece!


Whoa! The soldier made a choice to save his friend knowing his friend would not have done the same.The day after I heard the story, I was heading to my house when I saw my neighbour's recently washed clothes on the floor, I honestly did not want to pick them up because I knew he would have merely walked on by, then I flashed back to the story and asked myself what the right thing was? It was to pick up his clothes and put them back on the line, so that's what I did. I walked back and did the right thing (even though I was really annoyed)

Choices should never be about what the other person would have done, it should be about the right thing to do.

 

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

The cliche's on attitude abound. For me, they are downright annoying; attitude determines your altitude, attitude = 100  yada yada yada

Many times I think those lines are just ways the Zig Ziglars and those other motivational speakers get us to buy their  books and pay to listen to their seminars.

However, I learnt differently these past weeks. As a law student who sometimes wonders why she is studying law at all, I have days when school is the last place I want to be. I'd really rather just sleep. A few weeks ago I cast my mind back to a statement an old teacher made to me, "anything worth doing is worth doing well".


I decided, hey, I've come this far already, might as well "put my back into it". My strategy; a change of attitude.  I decided to wake up on every school morning with the attitude of someone going to pick up a check for a million bucks.


What a dramatic change!


I not only had more energy, I became more excited than ever before about school. The amazing thing also was that, not only did I feel better, I apparently looked better. The first time I tried this new attitude thingy, I remember my brother dropping me off at the busstop with me brushing my hair in the car and doing a rush job of applying some makeup. So, under normal circumstances, it wasn't a day when I felt I was looking my best. Surprisingly though, all my friends said I looked really good, hot even!
The very wise Dalai Lama said

"It is very importanat to generate a good attitude as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come"

That gave me a whole new perspective on having the right attitude. I believe the same can be applied to any endeavor whtsoever one sets upon. Work for instance, even if you absolutely hate the job, as long as you are stuck there and haven't gotten your dream job, get a new attitude. Find a new reason to be excited about going to work each day, asides the fact that you get paid. As Maya Angelou said

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude"

Whenever not so great things happen to me, I always have this attitude of "it happened for a reason, here's a chance to learn for tomorrow" and stuff like that. It dawned on me that possibly that's one of the reasons I'm never depressed or hardly unhappy. I always find a way to see a bright light in any dark situation. It just might be one of my biggest flaws but I choose to see it instead as me having the right attitude.

Thinking back to the first time I wrote an entrance examination for the university, I passed the exam, even passed the cut off by miles, but I had not entered some other information(not due to any fault of mine) and that disqualified me. I was extremely unhappy, inconsolable even because I felt it was unfair and I had been cheated. Then I thought to myself that who knows what would have happened if I had gained the admission, I might have been involved in an accident on my way to classes or some other bad thing might have happened. I realise now that I had simply decided to see the positive in a negative situation.

"You cannot control what happens to you, rather you can control your attitude towards whatever happens to you, and in that you will be mastering change than allowing it to master you" Brian Tracy

Turns out those motivational speakers weren't messing with us whenever they'd emphasize the importance of having the right attitude. The difference in being happy or sad, satisfied or discontent,is really in having a positive or negative attitude.