Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Chelsea's Madness At It's Finest!

Even by his peerless and renowned standards of swiftly doling out the sack letter to previous coaches, the latest dismissal of Roberto Di Matteo assumes a ruthlessness that beggars belief. Only six months after winning Roman Abramovich's holy grail, the Champions League, and adding the F.A Cup to the trophy cabinet, Di Matteo became the eight manager in the Russian's nine years reign of terror to be axed. As they say, life is short at the Bridge and the Chelsea managerial job is nothing but a poisned chalice or a pandora's box at best. After a run of two wins in eight matches, the club has parted ways with the once reverred legend, who spent only 262 days on the hot seat. Put in context, this was the Italian only major blip since taking over the reins of power, and to be fair to him, there are plausible factors to explain it. Everyone except Roman knew that Fernando Torres will never become the player he once was, but despite losing the amazing Dider Drogba, the club failed to find an adequate replacement. Moreover, the club was evolving a new brand of football, the kind that the owner always craved. This style of football is not built in six months, but it is concieved in decades of consistency, ask Barcelona. And, there was the small matter of John Terry's shenenigans, coupled with the ban and atrocious injury of the imperious captain and experienced defender. But, this is Chelsea, where common sense and logic never prevails. The inevitable question is: what next for Chelsea? What can ever satisfy Abramovich? The bookmakers are already formulating a list that has Pep Guardiola and Rafa Benitez top of the pecking order. We will never know how apt this will be. What we do know however, is that Chelsea's club policy is a complete joke, and a major reason why they are often ridiculed by the world of football. Why will any right thinking manager ever take up the Chelsea job? Why? Just why?

Monday, November 19, 2012

5 Things to Think About Before You Give Up

1. You never fail until you’re satisfied with failure. – Failure is not falling down; failure is staying down when you have the choice to get back up. Sometimes you have to fail a thousand times to succeed. Which means you haven’t really failed yet; you’ve just found a bunch of ways that don’t work. So don’t get so hung up on a few failed attempts that you miss every new opportunity coming your way. All of your ideas that don’t work are simply stepping stones on your way to the one idea that does. As Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” 2. What you have learned is what’s important. – Life always offers you a second chance – it’s called tomorrow. But this second chance doesn’t mean anything if you haven’t learned from the events of today. You have to acknowledge your troubles but gather strength from them, and laugh at your mistakes but learn from them. Getting a second chance in life is about giving yourself the opportunity to grow beyond your past failures. It’s about learning as you go and positively adjusting your attitude and efforts toward future possibilities. 3. Tough times are just part of life’s natural balance. – Life lives, life dies. Life laughs, life cries. Life gives up and life tries. And life looks different through everyone’s eyes. In fact, who you were, who you are, and who you will become are three completely different people. And as you gradually grow beyond the person you were yesterday, keep life’s challenges in perspective . Hear life’s harmony, and notice the delicate balance. Realize that life is like playing a grand piano. The white keys create your happiness and the black keys denote your troubles. But as you go through life’s journey, remember that the black keys also create music. 4. Pain helps you grow. – Sometimes things must change so you can change. Sometimes you must break a little so you can get a peek inside to see what an awesome powerhouse you are. Sometimes mistakes must be made so wisdom can be earned. Sometimes you must overcome heartache so you can begin to follow your heart again. 5. Success is a way of living. – Don’t let your struggles become your identity. Not everything in your life will go as you expect it to. Ultimately, success is not something you achieve, it is what you learn and how you grow as you deal with the realities of life – it is a way of living and being.

5 Life Lessons People Learn Too Late

1. This moment is your life. – Your life is not between the moments of your birth and death. Your life is between now and your next breath. The present – the here and now – is all the life you ever get. So live each moment in full, in kindness and peace, without fear and regret. And do the best you can with what you have in this moment; because that is all you can ever expect of anyone, including yourself. 2. A lifetime isn’t very long. – This is your life, and you’ve got to fight for it. Fight for what’s right. Fight for what you believe in. Fight for what’s important to you. Fight for the people you love, and never forget to tell them how much they mean to you. Realize that right now you’re lucky because you still have a chance. So stop for a moment and think. Whatever you still need to do, start doing it today. There are only so many tomorrows. 3. The sacrifices you make today will pay dividends in the future. – When it comes to working hard to achieve a dream – earning a degree, building a business, or any other personal achievement that takes time and commitment – one thing you have to ask yourself is: “Am I willing to live a few years of my life like many people won’t , so I can spend the rest of my life like many people can’t?” 4. When you procrastinate, you become a slave to yesterday. –But when you are proactive, it’s as if yesterday is a kind friend that helps take a load off your back. So do something right now that your future self will thank you for. Trust me, tomorrow you’ll be happy you started today. 5. Failures are only lessons. – Good things come to those who still hope even though they’ve been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they’ve tasted failure, to those who still love even though they’ve been hurt. So never regret anything that has happened in your life; it cannot be changed, undone or forgotten. Take it all as lessons learned and move on with grace. (M&A).

5 Things Your Friends Wish You Knew!

1. Your time is the best gift you can give. – In your relationships with others, nothing you can give is more appreciated than your sincere, focused attention. It is indeed one of the most valuable things you can contribute to any relationship. Being with someone, listening without a clock and without anticipation of results, teaches you about love. In other words, the success of love is in the loving – it is not in the result of loving. So don’t listen with an agenda or the intent to reply. Hear what is being said with the intent to truly understand. 2. You have the power to make abig difference. – Everyone in life wants to be loved and accepted. Your greatest achievements in life will be the direct result of finding this love and acceptance within yourself, and radiating it out to those around you. So believe in your power to make a difference. You truly are far more influential than you realize. In each moment that you connect with another, you have the opportunity to etch a loving, inspiring memory into their minds forever. 3. What makes us different is what makes us special. – Don’t be too quick to judge others (friends or otherwise) or bully them for being different. And don’t put up with those who call you “a friend” and then judge and bully you. Respect originality. Welcome originality. Be original . Let go of the foolish need to prove yourself to everyone else, and you’ll free yourself to accomplish what matters most to you. Sometimes you have to remind yourself that you don’t have to always be and do what everyone else is being and doing. Be sure to remind your friends of this too, and support them as they pave their own path. 4. Love is meant to be shared. – So many people save their ‘loving.’ They consciously avoid putting their heart into their relationships, surrendering, opening up, and sharing, because they want to save it all for the right people (best friends, lovers, etc.) and passions. But the problem is when the right people or passions come along they don’t realize it, they don’t know how to open up, and they don’t know anything about the act of loving. 5. You have to love yourself too. – The best thing you can do to improve the quality of your relationships is to work on loving and healing yourself . It’s not the fact that you’re feeling angry, disgusted, helpless, anxious, defeated, or fearful that’s the problem. The problems arise when you’re unaware of what you’re feeling and why – when you don’t know how or when to calm yourself down, pick yourself up, change your thoughts, and let go of the emotions that are prolonging your suffering. Because when you lose control of these things, you end up losing your temper and taking your negative emotions out on those you care about most. (M&A).

Friday, November 16, 2012

Tribute To The King Of Ink, Achebe!

From the historical and monumental tales of Things Fall Apart, to the ingenious chronicles of Anthills ofthe Savannah, it wasn't just the Arrow of God that made Achebe a Man of the People, He has etched his name in the annals of literary icons. A father for all times, and the recreating force of our basterdized past. When Rudyard Kipling and his Western contemporaries falsified our story, when they called us savages; and themselves saviours, you gave voice to a silent continent. Together with the likes of Ngugi, Laye and Soyinka, you gave us new eyes. Your writings stirred our minds. It kept us in sweet captivity. You were and still are fearless. Twice they dangled the national honour carrot before you, twice you did the honourable thing. From murky waters to sane winds, your writings knew no bounds. From controversial chronicles, to landmark tales, your stories defied the bounds of reasons. Your unguarded talents exposed you to untold evil. As we sing your praises, we recount the victories of your pen. It wasn't just about your words, it was about the way you said them. It wasn't just what you wrote, it was about how you wrote them. Many years from today, when our planet must have eventually gone into the complete ecstacy of 'e-world', we will never forget that you were the complete epistle of a pen pusher, a custodian of our conscience and an icon for all times!!!

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